My family’s first-ever cruise was a 4-night Disney Wish Halloween on the High Seas cruise. I mean, go big or go home, right? Since 2022 marked the beginning of the Wish’s inaugural sailings, we also went into our HOTHS cruise a bit blind. We weren’t sure if the Disney Wish would have all of the same Halloween features and activities as the older four ships. There wasn’t any info about it online yet.
As it turns out, your expectations for Halloween on the High Seas on Disney Wish need to be very different from what you’ve seen in the past. Don’t get me wrong, we LOVED our first cruise and booked another Disney Halloween cruise for our second! But there were a few things I’d hoped for that didn’t happen, as well as amazing things that did. I’m happy to share everything I know about the Wish Halloween cruise with you so you’re better prepared than I was!
When Disney Halloween Cruises Start
You can set sail on a Disney Cruise Line (DCL) Halloween on the High Seas cruise starting in mid-September. Specifically for the Wish, there are 3-night and 4-night cruises available.
Ports Visited by the Disney Wish
Almost every Disney Wish itinerary stops at both Nassau, Bahamas, and Castaway Cay, Disney’s private island, no matter how many nights you’re cruising. The Halloween theming of the cruise doesn’t change this.
Pricing aHalloween on the High Seas Cruise
While you might think a specially-themed cruise would be more expensive than, say, a regular old summertime cruise, you’d be wrong! When we priced out cruises on the Disney Wish, the HOTHS cruises were some of the cheapest for the entire year. This is for two main reasons:
- Most kids are in school throughout September and October, and
- Fall is still very much part of hurricane season.
Even taking our kids on a Wish cruise that fell on Fall Break for their school district, the price was lower than summertime. The demand is simply much higher for summer cruises, so the price goes up accordingly.
Just be prepared for last-minute changes, delays, and even rebooking when choosing a Halloween on the High Seas cruise. The 3-night cruise scheduled right before ours was completely canceled because of Hurricane Ian. We were extremely grateful that ours went according to plan!
Pirate Night During HOTHS
YES, there is a Pirate Night on a Halloween Disney cruise! Disney cruise itineraries that would normally have a Pirate Night still celebrate it on Halloween cruises – even on 3-night cruises. They usually have the two pirate deck parties on one night and Mickey’s Mouse-querade on the other so you don’t have to miss out on either of them. But you will be pooped at the end of a three-nighter!
Halloween on the High Seas on the Disney Wish
The best way to describe a Disney Wish Halloween cruise, from a first-timer’s perspective, is… Okay. One of the first things I did when we got to the cruise terminal was to connect to the Wish’s Wifi and browse the Disney Navigator app for each day. That’s the official activity schedule for your cruise.
Many big things I’d been hoping for but were unsure of ended up being on the schedule. But some key points I’d read about for previous years’ spooky sailings on the older ships were not. And they never showed up, despite me constantly checking the navigator for last-minute updates. But I’ll get to that in a little bit. Let’s talk about what the Disney Wish DOES have on its Halloween cruises!
Fall Decorations
You first step foot on the Disney Wish straight into the Grand Hall, a three-story atrium featuring a grand staircase, a stunning chandelier, and a Juliet balcony over a marble stage. If I hadn’t been looking for Halloween touches, I might’ve missed the fall garland strung around all the balconies of the Grand Hall.
The colors are not from the traditional Halloween color scheme. The “greenery” was actually a very subdued gold color, with similarly metallic pumpkins attached throughout. The brightest color visible was in the red leaves.
As a lover of all orange, purple, lime, and black Halloween decor, I’d hoped for something more in-your-face. But the garland did grow on me over the course of our cruise. And once you realize the Wish has an overall sophisticated vibe compared to the older ships, it actually works quite well.
While I can’t be sure if they were exclusive to Halloween cruises on the Disney Wish, we also spotted some villainous faces on many of the porthole windows near the Grand Hall!
Other than these things (and the Pumpkin Tree), I didn’t see any other Halloween – or even fall – theming throughout the ship.
Disney Wish Pumpkin Tree
Every Disney cruise ship has been decorated with a large, festive Pumpkin Tree in its atrium during Halloween cruises. The Wish, thankfully, upholds this tradition. And in my opinion, they really went the extra mile to make the Wish’s tree the most special of them all! Rather than a goofy or spooky face in the trunk, the Wish’s tree has a stunningly beautiful face carved into it.
The tree is completely covered in colorful fallen leaves. And while the pumpkins hanging from it are also metallic shades of orange and gold, I actually really liked the way they looked on the tree.
Pumpkin Tree Lighting and Story
On the first night of your Halloween cruise on the Wish, you’ll see a “Pumpkin Tree Lighting” activity scheduled for around 7:45PM in the Grand Hall. Do NOT miss this! And get there early if you want a great spot right in front of the tree. You’ll want to be somewhere between the tree and the stage if possible – trust me on this. Also, make sure you bring your Wish wands that are handed out when you first board the ship. They’ll come in handy during the lighting!
On our sailing, the gathering started with a SURPRISE reveal of certain spooky Disney Wish characters on the stage. I won’t tell you who, but you might be able to figure it out if you keep reading!
Next, a story is told by Lady Lily and Lord Leopold (characters exclusive to the Wish) about how the ship’s Pumpkin Tree came to be. Her name is Boo, and with the help of a Wishing Star, she’s able to grow “perfect” pumpkins. As it turns out, she is the tree that grew the pumpkin that became Cinderella’s coach! Very fitting for a ship named Wish with Cinderella as the bronze statue in the Grand Hall.
When the story is over, the tree will be “lit” and you’ll finally be able to see the awesome carvings in the pumpkins in detail.
Special Meet-and-Greets
While all Disney cruises are chock full of character meet-and-greets, the Halloween cruises have some exclusive characters. Now, they even have a trio you can’t meet anywhere in the parks!
Characters in Costumes
Just for Halloween on the High Seas, you’ll get to meet with ALL of the classic characters in special Halloween costumes. This includes:
- Mickey as a vampire
- Minnie as a witch
- Donald as a superhero
- Daisy as a spider-lady (a black widow, perhaps?)
- Goofy as a mummy
- Pluto as a candy corn
- Chip as a bucket of candy
- Dale as a poisoned apple
These costumes are all elaborate and gorgeous. They were my favorite of the whole cruise!
The Sanderson Sisters
While not exclusive to the Disney Wish, the sisters from Hocus Pocus were a brand-new addition to Disney Cruise Line ships in 2022. You’ll get to see Minnie as Winnie (haha), Daisy as Sarah, and Clarabelle as Mary.
They only appear together and always on the Grand Hall stage. The setting makes these some of the best pictures you can get during your cruise. Unfortunately, they are so popular and the line gets so long every time they meet, you are shepherded onto the stage for a quick photo before being asked to step down. There’s no time for hugs or autographs. You DO get a pre-signed souvenir card, though.
My advice: get to one of the meets as early as you can! On our cruise, the first one was at 10:00PM the first night, and that ended up being one of the least-crowded opportunities compared to early-afternoon appearances.
Halloween Crafts
Various crafting opportunities are held throughout every Disney cruise. On the Halloween ones, though, they tend to lean to the spooky side! You’ll spot specific Halloween craft opportunities at Edge and Vibe on the navigator. There are also family craft events in The Bayou that may be Halloween-themed, though specific crafts aren’t specified in the schedule.
Spooky Treats
While I didn’t come across a lot of Halloween-themed drinks or foods on the Disney Wish, there were a couple of seasonal standouts. On the evening of our cruise’s Halloween celebrations, our Disney Wish dining rotation had us in Arendelle. We ordered Elsa’s Coronation Sundae for dessert. Instead of a Frozen-themed chocolate piece on top, it had a pumpkin Mickey head chocolate square!
Cove Cafe in the adults-only area of deck 13 also had some seasonal drink offerings, including a Toasted Marshmallow and a Black Forest Latte. I decided to try a frozen Speculoos Latte (speculoos is also called Biscoff or cookie butter). It was to die for (pun intended)!
Unfortunately, I never saw any other Halloween-related treats – not even on the buffet at Marceline Market. We never had a chance to check out Joyful Sweets, though, which may have had some seasonal offerings.
Disney Wish Trick-or-Treating
If you have first seating, try and finish dinner early on the night of your Halloween deck party! Trick-or-Treating is scheduled on the pool deck around 7:15PM, right before the show. This was the second night of our 4-night cruise, but it’ll likely be the last night of a 3-night cruise (since the second night is dedicated to Pirate Night).
When we got to the pool deck, we were handed small bags, so don’t worry about bringing your own. There were several stations set up around deck 11 for the kids to get handfuls of candy in them! On our Fantasy cruise, all the stations were inside the buffet area (called Cabanas on the older ships). I have also read that trick-or-treating has also been held at Hero Zone, the sports facility, on the Disney Wish. So check your navigator app to confirm the location!
The deck was already so crowded by the time we got up there, we only hit two stations before trying to get a decent spot in front of the stage. Even those two stations garnered my kids enough candy to last them through the rest of the cruise and still have some to take home!
Mickey’s Mouse-querade Party
The big character Halloween party on the Disney Wish was set to start at 7:45PM. For our cruise, it was on the pool deck, but apparently, it can be moved to the Grand Hall if the weather is bad. DO. NOT. MISS. THIS. If you’ve specifically booked a Halloween on the High Seas cruise, it would be crazy to miss the Halloween show anyway. But even if you didn’t book based on the seasonal festivities, you are sure to LOVE this show!
It was by far my favorite deck party of the whole cruise. More than Mickey’s pirate party, more than the Parlay party. It got me SO pumped! The music choices are simply excellent, and those characters have got some amazing dance moves.
Mickey, in particular, slayed.
This was the single event that made me truly glad we sailed Halloween on the High Seas! When we sailed HOTHS with the Fantasy, the show had different music, and it just didn’t hit as hard as the Wish’s show.
Kids-Only Parties
On the Halloween night of your Wish cruise there are special parties for each age group in their respective clubs. The Oceaneer Club specifically lists a “Halloween Party” starting around 10:00PM for kids 3 to 12 years old on deck 2. Edge and Vibe also host Halloween parties that start in their respective clubs on decks 5 and 12. They will probably be on your schedule around 10:00PM or 11:00PM, depending on your itinerary.
Halloween Movies
We really lucked out on our first Halloween cruise! We happened to board the Disney Wish the Monday after Hocus Pocus 2 was released on Disney+. Since we’d spent the weekend before the cruise at Disney World, we hadn’t had time to watch it yet. But just as I had hoped, Hocus Pocus 2 was shown in the Walt Disney Theatre on the one night that didn’t have a Broadway-style show scheduled.
This was actually Pirate Night on the Disney Wish, but I wasn’t complaining! The new movie also aired several times in the Wonderland and Never Land cinemas. In addition, these two movie theaters both aired other spooky Disney movies throughout the cruise. On our navigator, I spotted Haunted Mansion and the original Hocus Pocus.
In honor of the Day of the Dead, some Halloween cruises also show The Book of Life and Coco. Other movies may be put into the rotation from cruise to cruise, as Disney has a rather large catalog of Halloween-themed movies.
Exclusive Halloween on the High Seas Merchandise
Every Halloween on the High Seas cruise has exclusive Halloween-themed merchandise for sale at Mickey’s Mainsail. The Disney Wish is no different! While I was somewhat disappointed by the overall merchandise offerings, there were plenty of Halloween shirts and accessories to be had. The fleet-wide Halloween stateroom decor was also available for purchase before embarkation day.
What the Disney Wish Halloween Cruise Doesn’t Have
Alrighty, here’s where I have to make my confession. After learning all about what Halloween on the High Seas was like on the four older cruise ships, I was really excited to experience those things on the brand-new Disney Wish! Unfortunately, the Wish was lacking in a lot of DCL’s usual Halloween fanfare.
Why? I’m not sure. Over the last couple of years it appears the entire fleet has pared back on their Halloween offerings on board. So it seems leaving them out was simply a choice – and in my humble opinion, a terrible one.
Haunted Stories by the Sea
The Pumpkin Tree lighting is the only time you’re going to hear a Halloween-related story, and it’s not even scary. While the haunted stories weren’t on my must-do list, it is definitely not on the Wish’s schedule at all.
Halloween Trivia
Listen, there is NO excuse for not having Halloween-themed trivia on the Disney Wish. No costumes, props, or special venues are necessary! Halloween trivia could have easily been held at Luna, Triton Lounge, or one of the many other spaces aboard the Disney Wish. Leaving it out is simply lazy.
Halloween Isn’t Just for Kids
I presume this adults-only Halloween party (usually featuring favorite Disney villains) didn’t happen on the Wish because of the changes in the ship’s layout. The adult areas are no longer grouped together in a single “district,” and are instead spread out throughout deck 3 except for Keg & Compass up on deck 5. Hallways weave between them that children also have to be able to walk through.
Still, I was pretty bummed we didn’t get to experience this event. Personally, I think they could’ve held it in Luna (equivalent to D Lounge on older ships) and had cast members at the entrances making sure children didn’t enter.
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Arguably Disney’s most popular spooky IP of all time, the only trace of anything Nightmare Before Christmas-related on the cruise was Jack Skellington on a porthole window.
There was no Sing and Scream in the Walt Disney Theatre on the first night (or any other). The movie was never aired – not once – in either of the cinemas, either. And worst of all: there were absolutely zero meet-and-greets with Jack and Sally. Not one. And there could’ve been exactly one opportunity at midnight with a line a mile long, and I still would’ve been happy with that over nothing. As someone who has loved NBXmas since it first came out, this was a MASSIVE letdown.
We sailed the Fantasy for a Halloween cruise in 2024, and I thought for sure I’d get to meet Jack and Sally then. Nope! They’ve been phased out of DCL completely. The only place you can meet them is at the Halloween or Christmas party in Magic Kingdom. Cutting them out of the cruise ships is… cruel.
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Tips for a Disney Wish Halloween Cruise
Taking a Halloween on the High Seas cruise might be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for your family. Sure, you might cruise with Disney again, but it might not be during Halloween time! I’m happy to provide insight on how to make the most of a Halloween cruise on the Disney Wish.
Book a 4-Night Cruise
I know sometimes you just can’t make this choice, but if possible, DO NOT book a 3-night Halloween on the High Seas cruise. There’s simply too much you’ll want to take part in, and too little time to do it all. Keep in mind that on the Wish especially, there are non-Halloween characters you’re likely going to want to meet. Black Panther, Spider-Man, Chewbacca, Storm Troopers…
Now add in a long line for the Sanderson Sisters. And the eight classic characters dressed in their Halloween costumes. It’s a lot to accomplish! If you’re willing to give up Castaway Cay time, you might be able to meet non-seasonal characters on island day so you have more time to see Halloween costumes on your Nassau day. But who wants to give up snorkeling at Castaway Cay?
Three-night Disney Wish cruises do separate the entertainment, with Pirate Night deck parties on the second night and Mickey’s Mouse-querade on the third night. But the kids’ Halloween parties are still scheduled on Pirate Night. Oh, and you still have your evening performance of The Little Mermaid to squeeze in on that second night.
In my opinion, that is way too much for kids to handle in one day. You’d likely have to miss out on something (or several things). So, if at all possible, spring for the 4-night cruise. And if the Wish ever starts sailing longer itineraries, just go for the longest one you can.
Order the Halloween Decor from Onboard Gifts
Before you even set sail, you can log into your Disney Cruise account and purchase the Halloween stateroom decor. The items included are:
- a sherpa blanket
- a pumpkin Mickey pillow
- a felt trick-or-treat bag
- a door magnet
- two hanging banners
It should all be set up in your Disney Wish room before you enter it for the first time on embarkation day! This is a great way to surprise your kids with something special that they can also take home. For 2024, this package was $99.99 before tax.
Get the Photo Package
If you’re not at all interested in meeting characters during your cruise, the photo package may not seem worth it to you. But let’s be real: Why sail Halloween on the High Seas if you’re not going to get pictures with characters in costumes you can’t see any other time??
I took my own photos of all the classic characters in their Halloween costumes rather than waiting in lines. But just getting the DCL photographs of my family and me with the Sanderson Sisters was worth the price to me. We also met all the princesses, superheroes, and Star Wars characters. Your photos are usually taken at dinner every night, and there are lots of opportunities for non-character photos as well. I ended up with almost 100 pictures on our account! So to me, the Photo Package is well worth the cost.
Make Halloween Magnets for Your Door
A lot of people decorate their stateroom doors with magnets on Disney cruises, and that hasn’t changed on the Wish. I decided to make all of our magnets myself, and I made them all Halloween themed!
First I got some adhesive magnet sheets and glossy photo paper to print my images on. I happen to be pretty handy with Photoshop, so I designed my own Nightmare Before Christmas-themed Mickey heads with one of our names in each of them. And since Hocus Pocus 2 was coming out and the Sanderson sisters were new to the ship, I decided to make some magnets for that as well! I put “I smell CHILDREN on the Wish” on a cauldron and found silhouettes of the sisters’ hairstyles to cut out.
All I had to do was print the images on the photo paper and cut them with my Cricut Maker 3. Then I cut the same shapes out of the magnet sheets (also with the Cricut). Finally, I attached the images to the sticky sides of the magnets. If that feels like a little too much DIY for you, there are also lots of Etsy shops that make custom cruise magnets! Grayson Tags and More is a great one.
Bring Halloween Costumes
No, dressing up is not required to enjoy the Halloween festivities happening on the Disney Wish. But I promise you will have a lot more fun if you’re dressed up. The truth is, most people are – especially on a Disney cruise. It can be as simple or as elaborate as you want! The four of us dressed up as Encanto characters for our cruise using primarily Goodwill finds and a little sewing.
My kids also dressed up as Belle, Elsa, and Spider-Man over the course of our Disney Wish cruise… but those didn’t have anything to do with it being Halloween, haha!
Halloween on the High Seas Costume Rules
All Halloween on the High Seas costumes must meet DCL’s guidelines for dressing up, or they may be confiscated. In some cases you may be asked to leave an event. The rules are very reasonable and straightforward.
Everything Should Be Family-Friendly
Don’t wear anything too gory or scary, anything with profanity, or any depictions of violence.
Nothing Bulky
For example, don’t bring an inflatable dinosaur costume or anything that extends beyond the space your body would normally occupy.
Don’t Be Offensive
Use common sense here! Avoid blackface, dressing as Jesus Christ, or playing Hitler. Disney cruises are not the time to be provocative.
No Guns, Knives, or Other Weapons
It doesn’t matter how “fake” it looks, they simply aren’t allowed. The ONLY exception to this rule is toy swords that are clearly toys, such as those made of foam or glow sticks.
Full-Face Masks Must Be Carried by Hand
You can only put them on when taking pictures with characters, like my son did when he met Spider-Man.
Don’t Pretend You’re a Cast Member
You can’t pose for photos with other guests as if you work for DCL as a character. You also can’t sign any autographs, even when asked by other guests.
Make Use of the DCL Navigator App
There has been some resistance amongst veteran cruisers to using their phones rather than paper navigators. Frankly, I can’t figure out why (other than stubbornness). Having the full schedule in the palm of your hand via the DCL Navigator app is SUPER convenient.
You’ll be able to see if there are any last-minute changes to events, times, or locations. You can scroll through and “heart” the events you don’t want to miss to get a 15-minute heads-up before it starts. And let’s be real: like it or not, most of us are carrying our phones 24/7 these days anyway.
Even if you’re not that kind of person, keeping it in your pocket to access the Navigators does not mean you have to use the phone for anything else during your cruise. I didn’t! Just don’t buy the Wifi and there will be nothing to distract you from enjoying everything the ship has to offer!
Is Halloween on the High Seas Worth It?
Would I do it all over again? Truthfully, I’d book another Halloween cruise, just on a different ship, and for one big reason: A 3- or 4-night cruise is simply not enough time – and that’s all the Wish is offering right now. Our next Halloween cruise was on the Fantasy for 7 nights, and we were able to do so much more. But every cruiser’s wants and needs are different, so use this information to make the best choice for you and your family.
Learn More About the Disney Wish Ship
- Complete Disney Wish review
- Inside the Disney Wish Star Wars bar, the Hyperspace Lounge
- We were lucky enough to experience Olaf’s Royal Picnic
