As the hot, hazy days of summer fade into the sunset, the shorter days and cooler temperatures usher in the Fall season at Walt Disney World. The autumn colors, the Halloween hijinks, and of course, the yummy food all come together to create a festive atmosphere that brings to mind corn mazes, apple cider, candy corn, and creepy creeps with eerie eyes. Even though the Not-So-Scary nighttime celebration is on hiatus this year, we can still celebrate all of the wonderful Fall goodness that Disney has to offer. So join me as I take you on a tour of some of my favorite moments from this hauntingly wonderful time of year!

Fall in Bloom

Yes, this is the time of the year when Mickey jack-o-lanterns line Main Street U.S.A. and the Haunted Mansion gets an extra dose of spooky magic, but Fall is also the time when the Autumn decorations go up around the Magic Kingdom. Orange and yellow buntings adorn the windows of the Main Street shops, and hay bales and pumpkins appear everywhere. Speaking of Main Street, many of the window displays get a Fall makeover (just as they do at Christmas), and statues of Mickey and Minnie and the rest of the gang, all in their Halloween finest, are put on display to add an air of mischief to the Magic Kingdom. (My favorite is the Goofy statue!)

Pumpkin Treats and Other Fall Delights

Fall is the time for pumpkin spice everything of course, and you’ll find no shortage of pumpkin treats at Walt Disney World. You can try a Pumpkin Spiced Waffle Sundae over at Sleepy Hollow, topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel, or a Pumpkin Spice Milkshake in Tomorrowland at Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies, complete with a Mickey-shaped marshmallow straw. While you’re there, you can also try a Pumpkin Spice Soft-Serve Sundae. Over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you’ll find a scrumptious Pumpkin Cheesecake Cannoli at PizzeRizzo, topped with a hazelnut praline crunch, as well as a Pumpkin Tiramisu at Rosie’s All-American Café.

But the treats don’t stop at pumpkin! Every fan of the Haunted Mansion should treat themselves to Constance’s For Better or For Worse Wedding Cake, which you can find in the nearby Liberty Square Market. The Haunted Mansion’s most notorious resident has whipped up a Citrus cake with raspberry Bavarian cream, whipped cream flowers, and even a chocolate axe. Yikes!

Happy Haunts

Halloween is just around the corner of course, and even though we won’t be trick-or-treating at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party this year, the Magic Kingdom is still the place to be. For the first time, you can wear your Halloween costumes during regular operating hours. Show off your best pirate or princess look! You’ll also be able to enjoy a Halloween-themed cavalcade traveling down Main Street, U.S.A. Here you’ll see Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, and the rest of the gang all decked out in their Halloween finest. But that’s not all! Chip ‘n’ Dale can be spotted in Frontierland, and other characters frequently ride down Main Street in a horse-drawn trolley.

Those are just a few of the Fall treats that await you this year at Walt Disney World. So get out your best costume, light up that jack-o-lantern, and get your pumpkin spice craving on as we celebrate the magic of the Halloween season at Walt Disney World!