Ranking Disney Channel’s most memorable Halloween films

Fall is a wonderful season, and it is around this time of year that we tend to get nostalgic. The weather begins to cool down (living in California, this is wonderful news), pumpkin-flavored pastries make their return (Check out our story about pumpkin-flavored desserts at Disneyland), and boots can be worn. Perhaps one of the best things to do to prepare for this fall season is to watch Halloween films—Disney Original Halloween movies to be exact.

I can remember watching these movies back in elementary school. Some of the films were absolutely terrifying, while others were whimsical. Here is a ranking of Disney Original Halloween movies from the least memorable to the most epic:

13. Susie Q (1996)

Susie Q is one of the first films I remember watching. Though it hasn’t been on the slate for Disney’s Halloween line-up, the film starred Amy Jo Johnson (aka the Pink Power Ranger) as  Susie, a teenager who died on her way to a dance with her boyfriend. Susie returns as a friendly ghost when she learns that her parents are losing their home.

12. Don’t Look Under Your Bed (1999)

I remember being absolutely terrified by this film! The idea of imaginary friends turning evil was like something out of a Goosebumps novel. I still watched it every time it came on television. In the town of Middleberg, strange pranks occur, which leads to Frances as being a suspect. She meets Larry Houdini, an imaginary friend, who tells Frances that the Boogeyman is framing her. Frances must believe in Larry to figure out why the Boogeyman is after her.

11. Underwraps (1997)

From friendly ghosts to friendly mummies, Disney’s Halloween films are usually less scary and more about kids helping solve problems. Gilbert, Marshall, and Amy discover a mummy in a basement and take him home with them. They name the mummy Harold, and learn that they must put him back to where he belongs before he ceases to exist.

Fun fact: Bill Fagerbakke (the voice of Spongebob‘s Patrick) is Harold.

10. Stepsister from Planet Weird (2000)

A more whimsical Halloween film is Stepsister from Planet Weird. This movie deals with ALIENS! Megan Larson’s mom meets Cosmo Cola, and the two instantly fall in love. When the new family moves in together, Megan must learn to adjust having a new step-father and a stepsister named Ariel. With Megan and her stepsister going to the same school, the two occasionally butt heads. Megan soon discovers that Cosmo and Ariel are aliens who escaped their planet. Megan must get over her issues with Ariel in order to help save her family!

9. The Little Vampire (2000)

Jonathan Lipnicki stars as Tony Thompson, a misunderstood boy that befriends a vampire named Rudolph. After proving himself to Rudolph and his vampire family, Tony tries to help them become human. This cute film shows that while adults may be more wary, children have a good judgement in character. Most importantly, this movie teaches audiences that children can be heroes too!

8.  Phantom of the Megaplex (2000)

Pete Riley works at a theater that has some mysterious “accidents” caused by a phantom. Based of of The Phantom of the Opera, a group of theater employees must discover who is causing all the mayhem. This film is a mixture of both creepy and mysterious. From what I can remember this movie was pretty good. Granted, I was a lot younger back then.

7. My Babysitter is a Vampire (2011)

The film originally aired in Canada on Teletoon before appearing on Disney Channel. When Ethan’s parents hire a classmate of his to babysit his younger sister some weird things start to happen. Through a series of events the babysitter is replaced by her friend, and together with his friends, Ethan must stop evil vampires!

6.  Mom’s Got A Date with a Vampire (2000)

This film stars Caroline Rhea (half of our favorite witch-aunt duo on Sabrina the Teenage Witch) as a single mother of  two grounded children. Both the kids, Adam and Chelsea hatch up a plan to make it possible for them to get out of the house.  The two siblings accidentally set up their mother with a vampire, and their night is not what they had planned!

5. The Scream Team (2002)

The film stars Kat Dennings, Mark Rendall, Tommy Davidson, and Kathy Najimy. When Ian and Clare’s grandfather dies, his ghost hasn’t passed over to the next life. Ian and Clare meet Jumper, a member of the Soul Patrol, who helps them rescue their grandfather from a power-hungry ghost named Zachariah Kull!

4. Twitches (2005)

Twins… separated at birth. Sounds familiar, right? Though it sounds just like Sister, Sister this film starring Tia and Tamera Mowry is about twin witches separated by their protectors. While the witches lead completely different lives they must reunite to fight off the Darkness in their homeland.

3. Tower of Terror (1997)

Disney’s first horror film was based on a ride. Unlike other films based on rides, this particular film was made for television. The film stars a young Kirsten Dunst as the niece of a reporter (Steve Guttenberg) who investigates the story behind an elevator that gets stuck on the eleventh floor causing five people to vanish in 1939. They must embark on a journey to free the ghosts of the hotel, and mend family ties. 

2. Halloweentown (1998)

Perhaps one of the most iconic Disney Channel films stars Kimberly J. Brown as the granddaughter of an eccentric witch. If being a teenager isn’t tough enough, finding out you’re half witch makes it just a little bit harder! After embracing her witch side, Marnie and her siblings follow their grandma to Halloweentown where it is a world beyond their wildest imagination.

1.  Hocus Pocus (1993)

This film was directed by Kenny Ortega (who has also worked on High School Musical, The Cheetah Girls, and Descendants) that stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler, and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson sisters. The Sanderson sisters are accidentally awakened by Max Dennison who must stop the witches from sucking out the souls of children. The most memorable Halloween film was originally intended to be a Disney Channel film, but Walt Disney Studios released it theatrically. In the 1990s, Disney Channels began to air the film annually. It is now a cult classic that makes it #1 on our list.

There are 11 days until Halloween! Until then, get your fill of mummies, ghosts, witches, and vampires on Disney Channel’s Monstober. Which film is your favorite…or favorites?

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