Are you wondering what to wear to Disneyland in October? In this guide we round up what to expect for the California weather in October as well as what to pack for Disneyland at Halloween to make sure you have a spooktacular trip.
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What is the Weather at Disneyland in October
When you are considering what to wear to Disneyland whatever month or season you are visiting the number one thing that will affect your Disneyland Outfit is of course the weather.
Is it cold at Disneyland in October?
While the weather at Disney World changes dramatically season by season, Disneyland is more consistent.
Compared to September and Summer at Disneyland, October does feel cooler as the temperatures in this shoulder season start to drop.
Generally speaking you can expect the average high in Disneyland in October to be around 76F and the average low is around 63F. However you do still get some unseasonably hot days with the weather being known to touch over into the 80s.
Therefore I would say it is worth preparing for the average but having some lighter clothes with you for an unseasonably hot days at Disneyland in October.
Does it rain a lot at Disneyland in October?
Disneyland in October isn’t particularly rainy with on average only having one day of rain in the month. However just because it doesn’t rain doesn’t mean you don’t need to be prepared to get wet.
There are lots of wet water rides at Disneyland so read on to know how to pack for these as well as the weather.
Note: If your Disneyland vacation spans two months then be sure to check out our
- What to Wear to Disneyland in September or
- What to wear to Disneyland in November guide.
Also if you are visiting Disneyland as part of a California road trip the below posts may also be of interest to you!
Visiting Disneyland in October
So now you know what you can expect from the weather in October, we will turn our attention to what you can expect if you are visiting Disneyland in October including special events.
October is actually in my opinion one of the best months to visit Disneyland because the HAlloween season is in full swing.
The parks at halloween have special events and offerings that make for a special visit including but not limited to:
- Character Meet and greets with classic Disney characters in halloween outfits,
- Halloween theming throughout the park i.e. pumpkins everywhere through the Magic Kingdom
- Unique Halloween meet and greets such as Jack Skellington
- Villians being out in forces and of course
- Oogie Boogie Bash – a special Halloween after hours party held at Disney’s California Adventure Park.
And although it is not compulsory, you will find that these events and activities will have a bearing on how a lot of people dress in the parks in October.
It is worth noting however that with these special events comes larger crowds, particularly the closer you get to Halloween and for the Columbus day weekend.
If you are worried about crowds and have some flexibility in time of travel we recommend traveling in Early October vs Late October, and checking the Disneyland crowd calendars.
What to Wear to Disneyland in October
Note: This guide is intended to be used at Disneyland California in October (for both the original Disneyland Park and California Adventure).
If you are looking for one of the other parks around the world in October please check out the below guides:
- What to Wear to California Adventure
- What to wear to Disney World in October
- What to wear to Disneyland Paris in October
- What to Wear to Magic Kingdom
- What to wear to Hollywood Studios, Orlando
- What to wear to Animal Kingdom, Orlando
- What to wear to Epcot.
And now we will turn our attention to what to specifically pack for Disneyland in October for men, women and kids.
What to Wear to Disneyland in October for Women
Shorts
Whenever I visit Disneyland my favorite type of bottoms to wear are quick dry shorts. The reason for this is that they will dry off quickly if you get soaked on a water ride such as Splash Mountain aka Tiana’s Bayou Adventure or the Grizzly Gulch rapids at California adventure.
I like to go for a darker color in case they get very wet so they don’t go overly see through and they match with most things.
I think these are great whether you are looking for a Disneyland outfit for men, women or children.
T Shirt
Whenever I travel to Disney I always love a themed t shirt. In my opinion you can’t go wrong with a Mickey ear t shirt no matter what time you visit but in October I love a Halloween themed t shirt.
One of the best things about visiting Disneyland in October is the unique meet and greets such as Jack Skellington, classic characters in Halloween outfits and this year the Sanderson sisters.
Therefore I try to add a t shirt with one of these in mind to my Disneyland in October Packing List.
Given the weather in October I would personally pack mostly short sleeve t shirts and tank tops. However having one long-sleeved shirt is a good idea for colder days, or days when you plan on having an Early morning in the park to rope drop or plan to stay late for the fireworks.
Click here to shop Disney Halloween T Shirts.
Note: if you are going with a large group then there are lots of matching family Disney vacation t shirts available that have an added Halloween touch which would be perfect for visiting Disneyland in October.
Jumper or Sweater
Although October is starting to usher in the cooler California weather it still isn’t cold in October. However if you are waiting around for a parade or fireworks it can get chilly. We therefore recommend wearing a sweater.
Any sweater will do but there are some fantastic Halloween themed ones out there.
What to Pack for Disneyland for Men in October
The packing list for men for Disneyland is very similar to the ladies Disneyland Packing List. Therefore we recommend adding the below to your Disneyland October packing list:
T Shirts
Again we recommend getting a fun Disney themed one if you can. A Halloween one is even better if you are visiting Disneyland in October.
Shorts
For men we also recommend getting a pair of quick dry shorts to prepare for getting soaked on the water rides.
Sweater
The nights get chilly so if you are waiting around for parades, shows or fireworks having an extra later for the evenings is a good idea
What to Pack for Disneyland in October for Kids
If you are traveling to Disneyland with kids then on top of the layers we recommend above, we would also add the following to the packing list:
Costumes
My kids never like to travel to any Disney around the world without costumes relating to their favorite characters.
Now costumes for adults are on the what not to wear to Disneyland list. However it is worth noting that there are exceptions to this at special events like Halloween so keep reading on for more information in the Oogie Boogie Bash section.
However if you are only going on a regular day in the park, do not wear a costume as a teenager or adult.
But for children (not teenagers) costumes are perfectly acceptable. In fact it is a highlight of my children’s trip to dress up as their favorite character.
Though costumes are sold throughout the parks you will be paying a premium to buy these on site. We there ore recommend bringing them from home.
We have found the best prices for kids Disney costumes to be from Target or Amazon.
Click here to shop Disney costumes from Amazon.
If your kids don’t want to wear costumes that is fine too. A themed t shirt is also a great and will be a great talking point at character interactions. Or why not commemorate your Halloween Disney World trip with a family matching tee.
Best Shoes for Disneyland in October
Whatever time of year you visit Disneyland whether it be Disneyland in Fall or Spring, there will be a lot of walking involved. Last time we were in the park we clock over 30K steps a day. It is therefore essential you have comfortable walking shoes with you.
For this reason we recommend sneakers as our number one walking shoe for Disney.
Sneakers
Our top shoe pick for Disneyland has to be a comfy and well bedded in sneaker. Whenever I go to Disneyland I top over 25K in steps every day at least. Sneakers offer better arch support, and comfort for this much walking.
However if your sneakers aren’t waterproof be sure to pack a pair of shoes for on the water rides. As nothing can make a sneaker uncomfortable quicker than being wet.
While I don’t recommend wearing flip flops for walking around the park they are perfect for n the water rides. So usually when I wear a sneaker I will keep a pair of flip flops in my Disneyland day pack to swap into as I reach the ride boarding section. That way I can still enjoy the water rides, but keep my shoes dry for the rest of the day.
For more information on wearing flip flops at Disney check out this post!
Crocs
As an adult I am not a fan of Crocs from a fashion point of view. But obviosuly this is just personal style preference.
However there is no denying they are comfortable shoes especially for walking in. In fact, for kids I don’t think you can beat a pair of Crocs at Disney.
They are breathable because of the air holes, cope well when wet and are food for walking in. They also come in lots of great Disney themes which can add a nice Disney touch to your outfit. Just be sure that you use the heel strap if you plan to ride rides where your feet are dangling i.e. Soarin’.
For more information on whether Crocs are comfortable at Disney check out this post.
Even better is that there are lots of Disney designs. Click here to shop Crocs.
But if you don’t want to go to the expense of buying specific Disney crocs then you could always add some Crocs charms known as Crocs Jibbitz to Disneyfy your outfit. Click here to shop Jibbitz.
However if your kids don’t like then a comfortable pair of sneakers will be just fine.
What Else to Pack for Disneyland in October
Disney Ears
We love wearing ears whatever month we go to Disneyland and October is no exception. The only difference for me is I like to lean into the Halloween and villain theme for this time of year.
Click here to shop Disney Halloween Ears
Backpack
You should always pack a day bag for anytime you visit Disney. You can find what we pack in our Disney day pack here. You can of course take any regular backpack with you but if you want to go all out DIsney we recommend a Loungefly Disney backpack.
They have them themed to pretty much every Disney film and character out there. This includes the villains which make them perfect for What to take to Disneyland in October
Click here to shop Loungefly backpacks.
Sunscreen
The sun in California is strong and there are plenty of sunny days in October. I recommend you bring sunscreen with you and use it at regular intervals as there is nothing worse than sunburn at the parks.
Ponchos
Ponchos are a really handy thing in your Disneyland day pack. Now I personally don’t wear them when I am on a water ride like Splash Mountain or the Rapids however they are great if you want to protect your ourtfit and plan to ride early or late in the day, when you may not dry off naturally.
Now if you forget your poncho they are readily available at the parks however they are much more expensive so try and remember to bring one from home.
Click here to buy Disney ponchos
Stroller
If you are travelling with a baby or toddler we recommend taking a stroller with you even if you don’t use one at home. Your average day at Disney takes more steps than your average day at home so even if your little one has moved on from the stroller they may like to use at the parks. And it will save you carrying them too.
Just remember to check the dimensions of your stroller, particularly if you plan on bringing a double stroller with you. That is because Disney has strict rules about stroller sizes.
Click here to shop strollers for Disney.
Carrier
Although strollers are very useful at Disney we also recommend bringing a carrier with you. That is because although strollers are useful for walking around the park, they can’t be used in the queues.
If you do pack a carrier, we recommend packing one that is good in hot weather. Our favorite carrier is the Ergo Baby OMio Breeze, as this has a cooling mesh.
Snacks
We love all the Mickey themed snacks in the park however these can get expensive. Be sure to pack plenty of snacks in your Disney day pack for October.
Swimwear
While this isn’t one for the at the parks themselves as Swimwear at the parks is a bit of a no no. However you may want to pack swimwear if you are staying at a hotel or resort with a pool and plan on heading back to cool off in the afternoon.
What to Wear at Disneyland for Halloween Events / What to Wear to the Oogie Boogie Bash
If you are visiting Disneyland for Halloween during the day then the rules are the normal Disneyland dress code rules. However if you get tickets for a special Halloween evening event at Disneyland (usually held at the California Adventure park) the rules are slightly different.
The Halloween Evening event at Disneyland is called the Oogie Boogie Bash whereas at Disney World it is called Mickey’s Not so Scary Halloween Party.
Both are suitable for the whole family but given the late hours you will see less toddlers than during the day. The event has a limited number of tickets so be sure to have the dates when tickets are released in your diary if you want to attend.
The biggest difference from a dress code point of view between Halloween during the day and for the special ticketed event is that adults can wear costumes as part of the Oogie Boogie Bash dress code.
Oogie Boogie Bash Dress Code
The guidelines for what to wear to Oogie Boogie Bash are:
For children under thirteen
- Costumes and costume masks can be work providing that vision isn’t obstructed.
Adults and Over 13s
- Costumes may be work providing you do not sign autographs or pose for pictures with guests.
- That costumes can not be offensive or violent and must always be considered family friendly.
- Costumes can not include anything that could be mistaken for a weapon
- Nothing that can endanger yourself or another guest
- Costumes can not drag on the floor i.e. floor length princess gowns.
- No Masks of any kind
- Accessories may be work providing face not covered, that they cant be mistaken for weapons and wings must be transparent. If you wear a cape it can not go below the waist.
For a more complete list of rules please see the Event website.
Disneybounding
If you decide against wearing a costume to Disneyland but still want to pay homage to your favorite character then you should consider Disneybounding. Check out out post on how to disneybound here or why not check out some of our character Disneybound ideas.
The best Disneybounds for Halloween have to be the Disney Vilains – we have lots of Villain Disneybound ideas so click on the characters below for more information:
FAQs about what to pack for Disneyland in October
What clothes to pack for Anaheim in October?
Anaheim in October packing lists should always include clothes for hot weather such as shorts and t shirts. But for evening events I recommend also packing some layers such as jumpers and sweaters.
Can you wear a dress up at Disneyland in October?
The dress code rules for October in Disneyland are exactly the same as any other months. The only exception to dressing up at Disneyland is at special evening ticketed events such as the Oogie Boogie Bash.
Can adults wear costumes to Oogie Boogie Bash? What is the oogie boogie bash dress code?
Yes Adults can wear costumes to the Oogie Boogie Bash. This is one of the only times that adults can actually wear costumes at Disneyland. That is because the oogie Boogie Bash has an entirely different dress code to a regular day at Disneyland.
However saying that there are rules about what can be worn with costumes i.e. no masks, no weapons, nothing that drags along the floor etc.
Please see our info above on What to wear to the Oogie Boogie Bash for more info.
Can you wear Halloween masks at Disneyland?
No you can not wear Halloween masks at Disneyland either during the day or for the Oogie Boogie Bash so be sure to leave these off your Disneyland in October Packing List.
What should I wear to Disneyland as a Plus Size?
For more information on what to wear to Disneyland when plus sized check out this post.
Have you been to Disneyland in October? Let us know in the comments about what you wore to the Oogie Boogie Bash.