How Disney World is celebrating Halloween this year

• Disney World’s annual Halloween party was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Disney announced on August 27 that the park would still be offering Halloween tricks and treats.
• There will be themed food, merchandise, and decorations, while guests of all ages can wear costumes during regular park hours.
• Even if you aren’t visiting Disney World this fall, much of its Halloween merchandise is available on the shopDisney website.

Despite Walt Disney World's annual Halloween celebration being canceled this year due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the theme park has found a number of ways to keep the spooky season alive.

Beginning September 15, Disney is conjuring the spirit of Halloween with festive decorations, fall-flavored treats, socially distant costumed characters, specialty Halloween merchandise, and more.

Here's how Disney is planning to pull off a safe and fun Halloween.

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party may be canceled, but you can still dress up for the holiday

In June, Disney announced on the Disney Parks Blog the theme park would be unable to hold this year's Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party in this "new, unprecedented environment."

Aside from the trick-or-treating, Halloween-themed ride overlays, fireworks show, and parade, this after-hours event is usually one of the few times that guests over the age of 13 are allowed to wear a costume inside the Disney parks.

Though the official party is canceled this year, Disney is permitting guests of all ages to wear a costume during regular Magic Kingdom park hours from September 15 to October 31. In previous years, adults could only wear costumes during the party.

You're still required to wear an approved face covering and follow Disney's normal costume guidelines, and only guests 13 and younger can wear costumes with full face masks.

Mickey, Minnie, and other characters will be wearing Halloween costumes

When Magic Kingdom reopened on July 11, the theme park did so without the parades it usually holds at various times throughout the day.

Instead, the park has been running unscheduled character "cavalcades," short, mini parades with a handful of performers that allow guests to see their favorite Disney characters without encouraging large crowds.

This fall, those cavalcades are going full-on Halloween. According to the Disney Parks Blog, characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Pluto, and more will be wearing Halloween costumes.

Meanwhile, Disney Parks Blog says there will be "other Disney character friends dressed up and riding the horse-drawn trolley down Main Street, U.S.A." Even Chip 'n' Dale may be making a socially distant appearance in Frontierland, according to Disney Parks Blog.

Magic Kingdom's Main Street, U.S.A., is dressed up for fall

Disney usually spends months planning for Halloween before giving the parks a ghoulish overnight transformation.

This year's decor will be scaled down, but the iconic Halloween-themed Mickey wreaths that line Main Street, U.S.A., will still be there to welcome guests to Magic Kingdom.

Halloween-themed merchandise including spooky masks and headbands will be available

Halloween merchandise has already started popping up on the shopDisney website, but you can check it out in person at select shopping locations throughout the Disney World parks this fall. Disney also has an entire Amazon store that sells Halloween-themed merchandise, including a light-up Jack Skellington pumpkin and poison-apple mug.

According to Disney Parks Blog, Disney will be adding a collection of Halloween-themed face masks to its face-covering collection as well.

There'll be Halloween treats all over Disney World

While most of this year's Halloween surprises will take place at Magic Kingdom, there will be festive menu items available for visitors to Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom, according to Disney Parks Blog.

Pumpkin-spice fans can enjoy a Pumpkin Spiced Waffle Sundae or a Pumpkin Spice Milkshake at Magic Kingdom. If you'd rather take your chances with a poison apple, there's a Not So Poison Apple Cupcake also at Magic Kingdom and a Poison Candied Apple at Hollywood Studios.

And if you want to take a piece of Halloween home with you, there's a collection of themed popcorn buckets and drink sippers, too.

Disney mentioned that it may be sharing more fall and winter celebration details soon, so keep an eye on the Disney Parks Blog for further details.

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Disney has an entire Amazon shop dedicated to Halloween, selling everything from a Jack Skellington pumpkin to a poison-apple mug