This Week at Disney World: October 27 to November 2

Happy Halloween week, friends! 🎃 This is one of my favorite stretches of the whole year at Walt Disney World because you get two seasons in one trip. Pumpkins on Main Street at the start of the week, and by the end of it the holiday decorations start creeping in. Here's what I'd plan around.

What's happening in the parks

Halloween lands on a Saturday this year, which means Magic Kingdom is going to feel very festive and very busy on the weekend. If Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is running its final nights this week, those are always the most popular of the whole season. Costumed guests everywhere, long lines for photos with the villains, and a genuinely fun vibe if you go in expecting crowds rather than fighting them.

If you do not have a party ticket, Halloween weekend is a great time to be somewhere else. Animal Kingdom in the morning and Hollywood Studios in the evening is my go-to split.

Over at EPCOT, the Food and Wine Festival is still going strong. The World Showcase booths are usually less mobbed on weekdays, so Tuesday through Thursday is your window.

And then the fun part: the flip. Disney turns the parks around for the holidays incredibly fast once Halloween ends. If you are there in the first days of November, you may walk in and find garland going up while the pumpkins come down. It is a little chaotic and I love it.

Snacks and merch worth a look

Halloween merch goes on clearance quickly once the parties end, so if you have had your eye on a spooky spirit jersey or a pair of pumpkin ears, check the shops around November 1 and 2. I have gotten some of my favorite ears that way.

On the snack side, grab the last of the pumpkin and candy corn treats this week. Then look for peppermint and gingerbread items to start appearing almost immediately after. Food and Wine booths are still the best value eating in the resort right now, so build a dining plan around sharing plates rather than sit-down meals.

What to wear this week

Late October in Orlando is still warm. Expect highs in the mid 80s with mornings in the 60s. I would wear breathable shorts or a lightweight skirt, a short sleeve top, and a thin layer you can tie around your waist after sunset. If you are doing a costume for a party night, test it in the heat first. Anything with a mask, a full wig, or heavy fabric is going to be rough until the sun goes down.

This week's planning tip

If you are arriving the first week of November, book your dining and Lightning Lane strategy for weekday mornings. The post-Halloween lull is real, but it does not start until Monday. Give that weekend a wide berth and your itinerary will feel twice as easy.