Disney has tons decadent desserts, savory snacks, and excellent entrees for Halloween 2024 at Disneyland and California Adventure. In the name of research, we taste-tested many of these to scientifically determine which are the best. It took a lot of eating around the parks, but we’re sharing our favorites in this post.
While we joke about this being “research,” it’s truly one of the things we love most about Disneyland Resort. The frequent seasonal menu updates and special items give us an excuse to visit restaurants and snack stands we normally skip, and we feel compelled to try anything new on Disneyland’s menus–especially at Halloween and Christmas.
That’s more difficult than ever for Halloween 2024. “Unfortunately,” Disneyland has outdone itself this year, with over 100 dishes, drinks, and desserts for spook season. It’s literally impossible for us to try them all, so we’ve instead focused on the most promising new additions for this list. At the end, we’ll also share some items we haven’t yet been able to try but that are on our radar for updates to this work-in-progress list of the best Halloween 2024 food at Disneyland.
Of course, snacking is just one small component of the fall season at Disneyland. From Haunted Mansion Holiday to the Halloween Screams Fireworks, there’s a ton to see and do this time of year in the parks. Make sure to read our Ultimate Guide to Halloween Time at Disneyland to get the most out of this awesome season in the parks!
Across the Esplanade at Disney California Adventure, there’s arguably even more happening. Buena Vista Street is decked out in Nightmare Before Christmas decor and Cars Land has an amusingly clever Halloween overhaul once again. Back in Paradise Garden’s Plaza de la Familia, there’s an underrated celebration inspired by Pixar’s Coco that features live entertainment and much more. DCA also has a ride overlay every night once the sun goes down, when Guardians of the Galaxy — Monsters After Dark replaces the regular Mission Breakout. This means you can experience two versions of this attraction in the same day.
Finally, there’s Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party. This hard ticket event is arguably the major Halloween offering, which is in its fifth year in 2024. Of course, this isn’t really relevant for a food list, so check out our Guide to Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party for more info.
On the food front, what we’re really happy to see for Halloween 2024 is many more savory snacks and fully-fledged entrees or counter service dishes. One of our biggest complaints has been that the seasonal menus are too dessert-heavy, with plenty of sweet treats but not enough savory options to balance things out. The entrees that were available in the past were almost entirely at table service restaurants, so it wasn’t exactly easy to grab those while touring the parks. That’s not the case this year–lots of great sweet and savory options everywhere!
The other big change is that a disproportionate number of the intriguing new dishes are at Disneyland instead of DCA. We view this as another positive change, as Disney California Adventure has had the far superior seasonal menus for a while. Disneyland is just finally playing catch-up. The end result is that you can have a “balanced” Halloween Food Crawl at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Or, you can just go wild eating a bunch of Halloween desserts!
With that preface out of the way, let’s turn to the best new-for-2024 Halloween foods at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure…
We’ll start at Jolly Holiday Bakery, which is essentially a pop-up “Spirit Halloween Snacks Store” for decadent desserts during the fall. There are more Halloween desserts here than anywhere else at Disneyland, and it’s also home to some of the best snacks.
If you want a one-stop shop for all of your snacking needs, Jolly Holiday Bakery is it. One afternoon, we did exactly that, enjoying several snacks and entrees while seated outside in the shade, enjoying a variety of live entertainment perform Halloween and Haunted Mansion medleys. It’s a quintessential fall Disneyland experience.
This list of the best all-new items, but we’d nevertheless be remiss if we didn’t direct your attention to the Boo-gogi Toasted Sandwich with Corn Cheese Soup. Easily one of the best seasonal dishes at Disneyland all year long, and a must-order to round out these desserts.
My favorite fall dessert at Jolly Holiday Bakery is the Hazelnut Brownie Tart with Chocolate Frosting: Hazelnut spread and brownie filling topped with chocolate frosting and sprinkles.
The pastry is soft and flaky on the side, with just the right consistency in the center. The brownie filling is rich and decadent, and distinct from the hazelnut spread on top, which is generously applied. This is basically an “adult” Pop Tart, with high quality to match.
The only ‘warning’ I’ll give here is that the Hazelnut Brownie Tart is really rich and heavy. I ended up eating about 20% of it at Disneyland, and then taking home the remainder and eating it over the course of a couple breakfasts. It would’ve been too much to eat by myself in one sitting–especially alongside all of the other desserts.
Next up at Jolly Holiday is the Jack-O’-Lantern Mickey Pumpkin Macaron: Pumpkin macaron shell filled with caramel buttercream and pumpkin cheesecake.
Jolly Holiday always does a seasonal macaron–not to be confused with the Matterhorn Macaroon, which is a different dessert that they also sell (and is excellent). This is also a departure from the normal macaron served at Jolly Holiday, which is photogenic but fairly plain.
This is delicious, with a number of layers offering up different textures and tastes. The pumpkin flavor is pronounced, with the cheesecake and buttercream fillings having noticeably different flavors and consistencies that work really well together. I also appreciate that this has a nice fall spice, and doesn’t taste overly-artificial (nor does it have a bunch of fake food coloring that’ll turn your mouth orange). Another big winner.
Moving deeper into Disneyland, we arrive at Frontierland’s Rancho del Zocalo. This restaurant serves up a variety of seasonal desserts, highlighted by the Mickey-shaped Pumpkin Salted Dulce Cream Puff filled with pumpkin mousse and salted dulce de leche. (Exterior at the top of the post; cross-section immediately above).
It’s as unbelievable as it looks. The sweet cream puff would be delicious without any filling, but the pumpkin mousse and salted dulce de leche pair perfectly with it. This dessert is like a symphony, with the caramel notes and pumpkin ones coming together in harmony for the ultimate dessert “sandwich.” This is simply fantastic–our #1 dessert of Halloween 2024 at Disneyland.
Continuing with Rancho del Zocalo, we have the Churro Loops con Cajeta: Fried churro loops tossed with spiced cinnamon sugar and served with cajeta caramel.
Until trying these, I would’ve been tempted to call the Pumpkin Salted Dulce Cream Puff a “churro on steroids.” In reality, that’s what these are–the best churros you’ll have at Disneyland. The quality, flavor, and freshness are so far above what you’ll get at one of the carts–even the best ones (which are pretty good–we love Disneyland churros!).
These Churro Loops are like going from regular television to 4K, or from Soarin’ to Avatar Flight of Passage. Don’t even bother with the other Halloween churros. Another must-order.
Rounding out our trio at Rancho, we have the Torta Cubana: Breaded Steak, Sliced Ham, Panela Cheese, Jalapeño Mayo, Guacatillo Sauce, Beans, Shredded Lettuce, Tomatoes and Julienne Onions on a Grilled Bolillo.
Honestly, this would not make the list independently had we not already (highly) recommended two desserts at Rancho del Zocalo. But if you’re stopping here anyway and want to make a full meal out of it, we were pleasantly surprised by the new Torta Cubana. The quality is higher than we expected based on the description, and it’s a pretty satisfying dish.
A bit of an aside, but we’ve otherwise been somewhat underwhelmed with Rancho del Zocalo in the last couple of years. Portions have gotten smaller and quality has gone downhill. It’s still good–don’t get us wrong–but it used to be great. (We haven’t done the Fantasmic Dining Package yet–hopefully that’s better.)
A superior savory option is the Hoopla Wrap over at nearby Bengal Barbecue. This is a wild boar sausage with a cucumber-tomato salad and miso aïoli on a grilled lavash.
Bengal Barbecue never misses–everything about this is fantastic. The wild boar sausage has a distinct flavor, without tasting gamey. The salad is refreshing, and the miso aïoli is addictively good. The grilled lavash does the job, holding up even under all those toppings and a generous amount of sauce. I loved this.
With that said, there is one way that Bengal BBQ actually does miss: prices. What used to be the best bargain for Disneyland dining has become one of the worst. This dish is perhaps the most egregious example of that, costing $14. As much as I loved this and am glad I tried the Hoopla Wrap, it’s a one and done this Halloween season due to the cost.
Continuing over to Fantasyland, where we checked out a few new dishes at Red Rose Taverne. First up, the Autumnal Harvest Flatbread: Roasted butternut squash purée, roasted mushrooms, plant-based feta and roasted diced butternut squash topped with garlic miso sauce and fried sage.
Red Rose Taverne is another restaurant that has gone downhill in quality since its debut several years ago. What was once ambitious and envelope-pushing is now pedestrian. The biggest exception to that is in the seasonal dishes, where the chefs still seem to be allowed to have some fun.
Nowhere is that more apparent than in the Autumnal Harvest Flatbread. This is way better than it has any right to be, with quality on par with something you might order at GCH Craftsman Grill. (Heck, it’s almost Napa Rose appetizer caliber. Not quite, but close.) It’s a delightful medley of stuff from the forest, with a nuanced earthy flavor unlike anything you can find at a Disneyland counter service restaurant right now. Highly, highly recommended–the #1 dish in terms of ambitiousness.
No visit to Red Rose Taverne is complete without trying the Grey Stuff. Or, as the case may be, the Seasonal Stuff. For Halloween 2024, that’s the new Enchanted Pumpkin Stuff: Pumpkin mousse with pumpkin cake and apricot marmalade center topped with green sprinkles, silver stars, chocolate branch, and leaf.
I’m a sucker for the Grey Stuff and for all things pumpkin. This is an excellent marriage of the two. For those who are concerned about a pile of mousse being too one-note, that really isn’t the case here. The filling offers up differing flavors and textures, all of which work well together. It’s totally different than the Grey Stuff at Walt Disney World–and significantly better.
Oh, we also had the Pumpkin Cheesecake Taverne Cold Brew: Caramel, vanilla and cinnamon cold brew with pumpkin cheesecake topper (pictured next to the flatbread). This is one of several new cold brews that is shockingly good and (less shockingly) very sweet. I loved this, but I couldn’t drink the whole thing myself. It’s too much of a sugar rush in addition to the caffeine. Tastes great, though!
Saving the best for last at Disneyland, we head over to Edelweiss Snacks for the Fantasyland Garlic Cheesy Brat: Bratwurst in a cheesy garlic pretzel bread.
Dear reader, I must confess to some distinctly unpatriotic behavior on my behalf. I have been enjoying the Cheesy Garlic Pretzel Bread at Disneyland for over a year now, and have neglected to bring it to your attention. (In my defense, I’ve had a ‘Best Snacks at Disneyland’ post in my drafts folder for at least that long, but it keeps getting delayed.)
This is an elite-tier Disneyland snack–a delightful mess of cheesy and garlicky goodness that is way better than it looks. Pretzel bread is perfect for this type of snack, and is capable of soaking up a lot of butter and cheese. This snack is so good and such a fan-favorite that it has spawned a variety of “hacks” on social media (e.g. putting a skewer from Bengal BBQ inside it–which is an A+ recommendation).
Disneyland has finally cut out the middleman and is doing exactly that for you with the brat. Thankfully, it’s a high-quality sausage that tastes fantastic (even better than a Bengal BBQ skewer) and perfectly at home in the pretzel bread. If you only get one Halloween savory snack at Disneyland, make it this.
The Garlic Cheesy Brat is unbelievably good, better than it looks or my words make it sound. Between this and the Boo-gogi Toasted Sandwich with Corn Cheese Soup, my fall meals in the park are set…and it seems like Disneyland is daring me to have a heart attack this Halloween.
Over at Disney California Adventure, we only have one new dish. Unsurprisingly, it’s in San Fransokyo Square at Aunt Cass Cafe–the Taro Bread Pudding. This consists of warm taro and white chocolate bread pudding with whipped cream and boba pearls served with a coconut-vanilla sauce.
The bread pudding here is always varying degrees of excellent, and this ranks among the “excellentest.” The taro gives it a nutty and earthy flavor, along with a bit of chewiness that is perfect for bread pudding. I would say this is a ‘back to basics’ bread pudding, with a unique flavor but also one that isn’t too over the top.
Nothing against the Upside-down Pineapple Bread Pudding or other recent incarnations of the dessert, but sometimes toppings get in the way of the bread pudding goodness as opposed to enhancing it. This does the latter and is an absolute winner as a result. Highly, highly recommended–my #2 Halloween dessert in all of Disneyland.
We only have one item so far from inside any of the hotels, and that’s the Gingerbread Pumpkin Cookie at the Grand Californian.
More than anything, this is to serve as a PSA that Disneyland gingerbread is really good. Don’t sleep on it. Everyone hypes up the handmade candy canes, but Disneyland does gingerbread even better. This should be the hit of the holiday season. For whatever reason (probably because it’s excellent?), the gingerbread is now also being sold at Halloween.
Finally, as noted above, this remains a work in progress. There are several items we still intend to try, but have been unable to thus far because they were sold out, the line was too long/no Mobile Order slots, or we got full. That list includes the following:
- Ghost of Anaheim Burger at Galactic Grill in Tomorrowland (Disneyland)
- Blueberry Corn Dog at Little Red Wagon on Main Street (Disneyland)
- Tangy Apple Mickey-shaped Beignets at Mint Julep Bar in New Orleans Square (Disneyland)
- Poison Apple Cake at Plaza Inn on Main Street (Disneyland)
- Maple French Toast Sandwich at Red Rose Taverne
- Pumpkin Spice Pancakes at River Belle Terrace in Frontierland (Disneyland)
- Utundu Chicken at Tropical Hideaway in Adventureland (Disneyland)
- Spicy Meats Pizza at BoardWalk Pizza & Pasta (DCA)
- Spicy Beef and Mozzarella Corn Dog at Corn Dog Castle (DCA)
- Mater’s Haul-O-Ween Ube Soft Serve Cone at Cozy Cone (DCA)
- Garlic Cream Cheese Bread at ODV Carts
Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and many other SoCal cities!
Your Thoughts
Which Halloween Time at Disneyland snacks do you enjoy? Which ones here look the best to you? Any questions about what else we recommend this year for the fall season at Disneyland? Do you agree or disagree with our picks? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
