Disneyland Confirms All-New Halloween Character Experience, Starting September 30

Disneyland’s Halloween season is bringing a surprise that longtime fans may want to watch closely.

The weeks ahead are packed with seasonal entertainment, but one addition stands apart from the usual returning experiences. It starts before October even arrives, then takes another turn just days later as the larger Halloween celebration gets underway.

By mid-October, even more limited-time experiences will join the lineup, giving guests several reasons to visit through November 1.

A New Meet-and-Greet Arrives September 30

Pete is headed to Shanghai Disneyland, where he will begin greeting guests on Mickey Avenue on September 30.

The resort shared news of the upcoming appearance on Instagram. For fans familiar with Pete’s long Disney history, the meet-and-greet offers a chance to spend some time with a character better known for creating problems for Mickey Mouse and his friends.

Shanghai Disneyland isn’t introducing him as quite the same troublemaker fans might expect, however.

Pete is trying to change his ways and behave more like a gentleman. Some of his usual personality traits remain, but the new storyline puts a different spin on the character as he begins interacting with guests.

Anyone hoping to catch Pete in that initial form won’t have much time.

October 4 Brings a New Look

Pete will appear in his regular look from September 30 through October 3. Then Halloween will take over.

Starting October 4, Pete will wear a special seasonal costume for his Mickey Avenue meet-and-greets. He’ll continue appearing in that Halloween look through November 1.

His October 4 schedule also includes something beyond the regular character greeting.

Pete will participate in all three Disney Halloween Time costume showcase performances that day, giving guests another way to see his seasonal appearance.

His Halloween makeover arrives as entertainment begins to spread to other areas of Shanghai Disneyland.

Zootopia Joins the Halloween Celebration

Zootopia will have its own seasonal activities featuring Judy, Nick, and other residents.

Daily Mark Howling sessions will run for approximately 10 minutes during the celebration. Guests exploring the land can also find seasonal Blue Howling Drinks.

Elsewhere, Donald Duck and Daisy Duck will return for Donald’s Halloween Treat Cavalcade.

Several Disney Villains will accompany them, adding some familiar troublemakers to the procession. This experience won’t necessarily keep every guest on the sidelines, either.

Visitors who arrive in particularly creative Halloween costumes could be chosen to join Donald and Daisy, turning the returning cavalcade into an interactive experience for some guests.

Those offerings set the stage for several dates when the Halloween schedule grows even larger.

Halloween Spook-tacular Days Return

Shanghai Disneyland will offer 10 Halloween Spook-tacular Days in 2026.

The special dates are October 16-18, October 23-25, and October 29-November 1, spreading the festivities across multiple weekends and the final days leading into Halloween.

Five Party Zones will operate during those dates, offering places around the park where guests can dance and celebrate.

Other experiences will take visitors beyond the Party Zones.

Guests can explore the Alice in Wonderland Maze and potentially encounter surprise characters along the way. Festival Forest will host Donald’s Halloween Treat Party, while trick-or-treating will provide another seasonal activity around the resort.

The villains will also have another major role in the festivities.

Disney Villains Head for the Castle

Enchanted Storybook Castle will become the setting for the Disney Villains Castle Celebration.

The seasonal performance will bring Disney Villains together near one of Shanghai Disneyland’s most recognizable landmarks, adding another experience to the expanded Spook-tacular Days lineup.

Combined with the Party Zones, character encounters, treats, and other entertainment, those 10 special dates will offer more than the park’s usual attraction lineup.

Yet guests won’t have to wait until the middle of October for something new.

Pete Kicks Off a Busy Fall

Pete’s September 30 debut gives Shanghai Disneyland an early addition before his Halloween makeover follows on October 4.

From that point through November 1, guests will have a growing list of seasonal experiences to find around the park, from Zootopia activities and Donald’s Halloween Treat Cavalcade to Halloween Spook-tacular Days and the Disney Villains Castle Celebration.

Pete’s arrival still stands out because of the character’s long connection to Mickey Mouse and his friends.

He has spent plenty of time playing the troublemaker over the years. This fall, however, guests won’t have to watch him cause problems from afar.

They’ll actually be able to meet him.