13 Disney Movies to Watch If This Halloween Was Way Too Scary

Do you breathe a sigh of relief on Nov. 1 because now, no one can make you watch “It”? Do you wish you could enjoy scary movies but have, like, an absurdly low horror tolerance? Great news: Oct. 16 was Disney’s 100th anniversary, which is the perfect excuse to open Disney+ at your next movie night. And since watching “The Haunted Mansion” in November feels off, these 13 not-so-spooky Disney flicks are watchable year-round and perfect for the extremely faint of heart.

1. “Enchanted” (2007)

If you want princesses and genuine fear in the same place, look no further than this classic New York City fairytale. The film follows Giselle, a princess from an animated fairyland who falls through a well into a terrifying world where people don’t burst into song and “true love” doesn’t exist. If you don’t find yourself genuinely afraid for Giselle’s safety (and Robert’s engagement), then you’re looking at the wrong list.

2. “Finding Nemo” (2003)

Traditionally understood as a heartwarming animated film about talking fish, this movie is actually full of scary details. A father’s search for his abducted son. That aquarium scene. Sharks. What else could you want?

3. “The Good Dinosaur” (2015)

Arlo is a young apatosaurus (yes, that’s a real dinosaur!) who gets separated from his family, and if that ever happened to you in a Costco as a child, you already know this is a horror movie. This hugely underrated interspecies friendship story is liable to produce more tears than fear. But without being seasonal, it’s still sci-fi enough to be a great Halloween do-over; dinosaurs count as monsters, right?

4. “The Little Mermaid” (2023)

“The Little Mermaid” is the story of a young mermaid whose love for all things human (Prince Eric in particular) is enough to tempt her into a Faustian bargain in exchange for legs, and the recent live-action remake is a must-watch if you haven’t seen it already. And while it’ll give you your Halloween fix — there’s literally a witch — no one can get mad at you for watching this in November.

5. “Cruella” (2021)

This is another one you might not have seen yet, and it actually has a pretty spooky vibe without being “scary” or a “Halloween movie.” “Cruella” truly has it all: a creepy manor, high-society murder, and Dalmatians. Plus, everyone loves Emma Stone. Everyone.

6. “The Parent Trap” (1998)

If you’re in the mood for twins but not sold on “The Shining,” “The Parent Trap” has you covered. It’s definitely not Halloween (they’re at summer camp), and Lindsay Lohan is so much fun to watch that you’ll forget it was supposed to be a scary movie night in the first place.

7. “Pete’s Dragon” (2016)

A mysterious, supernatural creature that lives in the woods? That’s a formula for horror right there, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. The movie follows the classic boy-meets-dragon structure, and is a surprisingly powerful found-family story. The original 1977 animated version is pretty cute, but arguably not as good as the remake.

8. “Pirates of the Caribbean” Marathon (2003-2017)

Pirates are a classic Halloween costume, but they’re still safe for November viewing. The whole marathon would take 726 minutes, which is probably unhealthy, so maybe pick your top two or three and be sure to call out skeletons whenever you see them to assure your friends that this is a seasonally appropriate film franchise for post-Halloween frights.

9. “Tron” (1982)

Tron, which tells the story of artificial intelligence operating systems fighting for dominance and freedom within a computer, was unbelievably ahead of its time. “Tron: Ares,” the third installment in the franchise, is delayed on account of the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes, but you can still rewatch the underappreciated original, which holds up against any sci-fi horror movie of the same decade.

10. “Up” (2009)

When a hapless Boy Scout accidentally joins a grumpy old man on a balloon-powered trip to live out the latter’s lifelong dream, fantastical creatures, nefarious forces, and an extreme emotional roller coaster ensue. In addition to being one of the only movies that can make you cry in the first five minutes, “Up” has its genuinely frightening moments, and is just otherworldly enough to give you Halloween vibes without crossing the line.

11. “Muppets Haunted Mansion” (2021)

Ok, so this is definitely a Halloween movie, but the Muppets transcend seasonal logic. Clocking in at 49 minutes, it’s a great option when you don’t have time to watch a longer film, or even if it’s just one of those days when you’re feeling less like a man and more like a Muppet.

12. “The Secret World of Arrietty” (2010)

Based Mary Norton’s 1952 children’s novel “The Borrowers,” “The Secret World of Arrietty” is about a family of tiny people, who live in a regular house and get by “borrowing” small items humans won’t notice are missing. “Arrietty” is such a perfect film that it transcends holiday distinctions, but tiny strangers secretly living in your house are particularly apt for one last taste of Halloween.

13. Maleficent (2014)

Last but not least, “Maleficent” is easily dark and spooky enough to qualify without being seasonal. This modern retelling of the classic story of “Sleeping Beauty,” in which a jealous fairy curses a newborn princess to sleep for one hundred years, takes the perspective of the villain, played by Angelina Jolie. After all, nothing’s scarier than prosthetic cheekbones (seriously, they could have been used as weapons). Plus, “fairy” is an underrepresented villain species. If we want to make evil fairies happen next Halloween, we’ve got to start planning now.