Can you feel it? The crisp, autumn breeze passing through the wind as trick-or-treaters gear up for the spookiest time of the year? Yep, you guessed it — it’s Halloween season in full swing.
It’s the monumental time of the year when children bob for apples, pick pumpkins, and adults run around frantically trying to assemble pieces of their child’s selected costume for the season. But while those activities are positively enjoyable, the spooky season is also the time of the year for folks to gather around the sofa to adhere to an onslaught of spooktacular television.
Of course, kids from the ‘90s and 2000s in particular are major fans of traveling down memory lane and binge-watching nostalgic Halloween episodes of their once-favorite television series — and the best of Nickelodeon can already be found here. With that said, everybody knows that the OG Disney Channel was one of the best places for Halloween lovers to snuggle under the blanket and enjoy some spine-tingling television.
With a strong lineup of must-watch series during the “Monstober” timeframe and the otherwise booming era following, the Disney Channel provided a handful of unforgettable episodes that spook us right back to our childhood with each rewatch.
Jonas: “The Tale of the Haunted Firehouse” (season 1, episode 17)
Although the Jonas series was relatively short-lived and only lasted two seasons, it provided one of the most entertaining Halloween specials Disney Channel had to offer. In this episode, the brothers investigate the possibility of a ghost in the firehouse, leading them to band together and try to catch the phenomenon themselves. In the end, the episode is the first depiction of people who believe in the supernatural and those who don’t. Either way, the episode is chock-full of spookiness that is perfect for this time of the year.
Even Stevens: “A Very Scary Story” (season 2, episode 11)
In regards to the best Disney Channel shows airing in the early 2000s, it’s difficult to argue with the popularity and general allure of Even Stevens, especially its feartastic Halloween special. The episode focuses on students disappearing during a Halloween party, with elements of supernatural and plenty of spook tossed into the mix. It’s easily one of the genuinely scary episodes on this list, while the others can be seen as relatively tame and campy. You’ll definitely need to add this one to the autumn watchlist.
Lizzie McGuire: “Night of the Day of the Dead” (season 1, episode 24)
You’d absolutely be lying if you said you didn’t enjoy watching Hillary Duff making a total goof of herself (in a good way) on Lizzie McGuire in the early 2000s. Of course, it would actually seem bizarre if one of the best OG Disney shows didn’t have a knockout Halloween special. In the fun-filled episode, Lizzie brilliantly portrays a zombie at a Halloween party while the whole experience perfectly showcases serious Day of the Dead vibes. It’s certainly an episode worth watching.
Phil of the Future: “Halloween” (season 1, episode 16)
There’s a reason why OG Disney Channel was a fan-favorite among kids, and this special by Phil of the Future is a prime example. The head-twisting episode revolves around delicious cupcakes and a wacky Halloween party. Those elements are hardly a surprise, of course, seeing as parties and sweets is a common occurrence during fall festivities. But if there were ever an episode to jolt us right back to our childhood, it would be this one.
Gravity Falls: “Summerween” (season 1, episode 12)
If you’re a typical TikTok scroller, then chances are you’ve heard the infamous “Summerween” sound bite on the platform during the June and July months as a way to prematurely celebrate the fall festivities before October. As to be expected, the spooktacular special centers around the entire Gravity Falls’ town celebrating the fun-filled holiday. From supernatural spooks to a variety of appealing costumes, it definitely wouldn’t be Halloween without giving this episode a watch.
Wizards of Waverly Place: “Halloween” (season 3, episode 2)
Let’s be honest, could the Disney Channel have possibly had a series about witches without including a spooktacular Halloween episode? I think not. As nostalgic as one episode can possibly get, the Wizards of Waverly Place‘s infamous witches and warlocks decide to throw a realistic Halloween party by inviting some real-life ghouls and ghosts from beyond the wizarding realm. So if there’s an episode that perfectly depicts the magic of Halloween, it’s certainly this one.
Hannah Montana: “Torn Between Two Hannahs” (season 1, episode 17)
Everybody makes mistakes, everybody has those days — but for Hannah in one particularly bone-chilling episode, she had a feartastic day. Back in the early 2000s, it was seen as a total sin if an OG Disney show didn’t boast an incredible Halloween episode, so luckily, Hannah Montana continued the trend. Considering the special revolves around Miley’s secret double life being exposed, it truly is a scary scene.
Kim Possible: “October 31st” (season 1, episode 14)
Indulging in a Halloween binge marathon without including the Kim Possible spooky episode would feel like absolute blasphemy. With Kim, Ron, and the rest of the gang centered around a trick-or-treating sesh, the stakes reach an all-time high when the sinister Dr. Drakken becomes involved in all of the ever-growing chaos. And while it might be the only animated episode on this nostalgia-inducing list, there’s simply no denying how much it kicks us directly back to our Halloween-charged childhoods.
That’s So Raven: “Don’t Have a Cow” (season 2, episode 2)
OK, so remember when I mentioned iconic Disney Halloween episodes? I’d be a complete fool if I didn’t mention the Halloween special from That’s So Raven near the top of this list. The spine-tingling special centers around Raven and her best friend Chelsea accidentally turning themselves into real-life cows while trying to select costumes for a Halloween party. The episode is a perfect glimpse into childhood for folks who once watched Raven moo like a cow during spooky seasons of yore.
The Suite Life of Zack & Cody: “The Ghost of Suite 613” (season 1, episode 19)
It should hardly come as a surprise that one of the most iconic staples from the 2000s era of Disney Channel would sit at the top of this list. In the spooktacular Halloween special, Zack and Cody embrace their inner courage by attempting to spend a night in the Tipton Hotel’s most haunted room. In doing so, a whirlwind of chaos, jump scares, and genuinely creepy moments occur — all of which help to make this episode completely nostalgic and unforgettable.