Fun Characters and Activities for Halloween on the High Seas

Disney Parks are not the only Disney Destinations that celebrate Halloween! If you embark on a cruise during September or October, there is a good chance you are on a Halloween on the High Seas itinerary. I recently experienced this unique sailing, and I’m here to share all the fun characters and activities I encountered!

Halloween on the High Seas

Halloween on the High Seas is your chance to experience some spooky fun during your cruise! This unique offering adds some extra magic to your sailing, and it is the perfect way to experience a Disney Halloween if you are not in the parks.

Pirate tip: It’s important to know that when searching for an itinerary, you must book one that specifically states it is a Halloween on the High Seas itinerary. Not all September/October sailings offer this.

Generally speaking, the only itineraries that offer Halloween on the High Seas are ones that leave Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale and Port Canaveral with destinations to the Bahamas and Caribbean. Let’s take a look at all the offerings and my best tips! For reference, I (Monica) was on the Disney Magic on a 3-night cruise to Lookout Cay and Nassau. Offerings vary a bit by ship and sailing.

Characters

The highlight for Halloween on the High Seas is the characters! Mickey and the gang are decked out in their Halloween costumes, and you can also meet the Sanderson Sisters (Minnie, Daisy, and Clarabelle) from Hocus Pocus!

Their schedules will be available in the DCL Navigator app, which you can see as soon as you connect to the ship’s WiFi at the port. Be sure to “heart” the ones you want to see so you receive a 15-minute reminder prior!

The app does not specify which outfit they will be in, but generally speaking the first day will be reserved for nautical outfits. For my 3-night cruise, Halloween meet and greets took place on Days 2 and 3.

Character lines will be longest on at-sea days and times when the ship is not docked. In fact, I had to get in line an hour early for the Sanderson Sisters so I could be first in line. Wait times for Mickey and Pals were also quite long with about 30-45 minute waits.

Pumpkin Tree Lighting

The Pumpkin Tree Lighting Ceremony is not to be missed! It takes place on the first evening of the cruise around 7:30 pm (be sure to check your DCL Navigator app for your time). The show is about 10 minutes long and takes place in the Atrium.

The show begins with the Caretaker sharing the story of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman. There is some spooky music, and then the Pumpkin Tree lights up! It is a fun way to kick off the sailing’s Halloween festivities as it is usually the first Halloween activity to take place.

Because the time on my sailing was 7:30 pm, I actually had to leave dinner (I had a 5:45 dining time) to be able to see the show. I showed up 5 minutes before it began and the Atrium was packed along with the above decks. Guests with an 8:00 dining time will not run into this issue, but I did want to share that our dinners were consistently 2-hours long throughout the cruise.

Mickey’s Mouse-querade Party

Mickey’s Mouse-querade Party is the Halloween dance party that takes place on the pool deck. All the characters will come out, and there is plenty of music and dancing. It is like Disney Cruise Line’s version of a stage show that takes place in the parks.

If you don’t have the chance to meet the characters individually in their Halloween costumes, the dance party is the best way to see them all at one time.

Again, this activity began at 7:30, which I barely made it out of dinner before it started! I found it really hard to juggle dinner times with the various activities that take place. You definitely won’t be able to do it all (especially on a shorter cruise), but this is the main Halloween offering so try not to miss it. At the very least, try not to miss the first 10-15 minutes as that is when the characters first come out.

Trick-or-treating

Who doesn’t love free candy!? Halloween on the High Seas offers trick-or-treating, which took place on the second night of my 3-night sailing. It started at 8:30 pm in Cabanas, which is the Magic’s buffet restaurant, but your time and location may vary.

Do not be deceived by the wickedly-long line! It moves very quickly! A Crew Member will hand you a small bag as you enter the restaurant, and there will be 4-5 stops with more Crew Members giving you a handful of candy.

This is well-organized as you stay in the line and follow the stations through the restaurant. There is no running around to random places, and it only takes a few minutes to make it through. Feel free to re-enter the line for more!

Decor, Merchandise, Activities and Photo Ops

Decor is mainly limited to the main areas of the ship, with the Atrium being the most heavily decorated. You will see the Pumpkin Tree, banners, Mickey pumpkins, and backdrops. Giant pumpkin faces can also be found on the windows.

There is special Halloween merchandise on the ship during your sailing. There was plenty of it during my 3-night sailing (even on the final night), but if you have a specific size/item I recommend getting it on the first day.

The kid’s clubs will have some Halloween crafts and activities if your child visits during your sailing. For example, my child made a bat during their time on the Oceaneer’s Club.

There will be a special Halloween photo op with a backdrop as well. The DCL Navigator app will list out all the photo opportunities and the backdrop available, so be sure to heart the one(s) you want a photo in front of! There were also Photographers on the pool deck during the Mouse-querade party so you can get a photo during that time as well.

A Note About 3-night cruises

Because my cruise was a 3-night sailing, Halloween and Pirate Night took place on the same night (Night 2). This was actually kind of chaotic, and I do not recommend a 3-night cruise if you have a seasonal cruise (that includes Merrytime Cruises as well).

A 4 or 5 night cruise is the sweet spot for seasonal cruises.

Being the opportunist that I am, I wanted to dress up in Halloween costumes to enjoy Halloween festivities, and then dress up in Pirate costumes on a different night to enjoy Pirate festivities. This was not doable as the Halloween and Pirate activities were mixed in together on the same night.

I heard this was pretty uncommon having both on the same night, but it may be the way forward for future 3-night cruises. For this reason, I do not recommend a 3-night seasonal cruise.

Overall, I (Monica) really enjoyed my Halloween on the High Seas experience! I particularly loved meeting the Sanderson Sisters and seeing Mickey’s Mouse-querade Party. I did not visit Disney World or Disneyland for Halloween this year, so I was able to get my Disney Halloween fix on my cruise!

My biggest tip would be to check the DCL Navigator app for activities, and be sure to heart them so you are notified 15 minutes before they begin! The app will be your best friend during your cruise, especially if you love to plan!

Have you ever experienced Halloween on the High Seas or do you have questions? Share them with us in the comments below! And, share this post with someone who is considering a Halloween cruise with Disney Cruise Line.