Throw the Ultimate Disney Hocus Pocus-Themed Party

By Tanisha Rule on August 31st, 2022

As kids, me and my cousin stayed looking for a quick scare. We could be found standing in a dark bathroom reciting the latest ghost-conjuring phrase in front of a mirror. Or listening to DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince’s Nightmare on My Street at dusk. And for sure feeling shook when we saw MJ look back at the end of his Thriller video with those yellow cat eyes.

Now, years later, my kid loves Halloween, and each year my whole family participates in deciding how we want to celebrate. But this year, Disney has made the decision easy by introducing a new generation to the Sanderson Sisters. And what better way to get in the spirit than with a Disney Hocus Pocus-themed party?

We’ve got tons of ideas—just choose your celebration style or mix ’n’ match ideas for a party spanning generations. (Just not 300 years of generations.)

Cast the spell with Disney Hocus Pocus party decorations

The right decorations will go far in recreating that witchy feel for your ultimate Disney Hocus Pocus party. Luckily, most of these ideas are easy to, umm, “bring to life.”

Create a DIY spellbook

Take a journal and wrap it, middle school book-cover-style. For extra creepiness, stick a googly eye on the cover. Then keep a pen near your spellbook so everyone can jot down favourite quotes and best moments throughout the evening. Remember, take plenty of photos to paste in later.

Another option: Keep an array of Crayola crayons or markers by the spellbook for kids to add their drawings and thoughts to the pages in their own creative ways.

Keep some creepy treats around

No Halloween decor would be complete without a few creepy critters. (And no viewing of Disney Hocus Pocus would be, either.) These tissue paper treats will keep friends guessing as to what’s inside.

Grab this free, printable garland to make decorating easy. Hang it near the entrance to create an instant mood-setting welcome or on walls in the TV space to make guests feel like participants in the Sanderson Sisters’ story.

If you want to do more—while still keeping it pretty simple, to be honest—blow up gray or purple balloons in different sizes, use tape or yarn to keep them together and then let them spill over the side of a table to create a bubbling cauldron effect.

Disney Hocus Pocus party games and activities

Indeed, All Hallows’ Eve has become a night of frolic! But that’s a good thing, right? In fact, we came up with a bunch of ideas to kick the frolicking up a notch, Sanderson-Sisters-style, of course.

Witch in the Cauldron

You’ll need a cauldron and these Winifred, Mary and Sarah itty bittys® for tossing. Set the cauldron on the floor or a table, make a starting line and see who can make the most shots. Raise the stakes by wagering Halloween treats and vary the level of difficulty by altering the distance of the thrower from the cauldron.

Light the Black Flame Candle together

To kick up the scary (or fun) factor, gather round to recite a fun mantra for the evening or make a wish for blessings and good cheer.

Inclusivity tips

These easy, thoughtful steps will help make kids and adult guests who have sensory sensitivities feel welcome.

Adjust television brightness and volume to comfortable levels. Check in with guests to make sure the levels are working for them.

Introduce games one at a time and in an orderly fashion to keep from overwhelming.

Offer some food options with simple flavours. Additionally, you can ask in advance about aversions to food textures and spices.

Likewise, if you choose to light candles, consider going with unscented.

Designate a quiet space in case a guest needs a less stimulating environment for a bit.

When guests RSVP, ask if there are sensory considerations they’d like to offer.

If you’re looking for a few more spellbinding activities for the kids, we’ve got ideas for easy painted pumpkins and a black cat paper doll printable.

Find even more Halloween fun for kids here!

Disney Hocus Pocus-themed “BINGO”

Make identical lists of phrases and sightings from the original Disney Hocus Pocus movie and pass them out at movie time. First one to mark off all items wins!

Scary-good sounds for the night

Looking to set the mood with some nostalgia before the movie starts? Add these songs to your playlist for the night and wait for the moment your friends exclaim, “Oh my gosh, this song!”

Friends Music List

“I Put a Spell on You,” Screamin’ Jay Hawkins
“Thriller,” Michael Jackson
“My Boo,” Ghost Town DJs
“One Way or Another,” Blondie
“Party Ain’t a Party (edited),” Queen Pen
“This is How We Do It,” Montell Jordan
“Wannabe,” Spice Girls
“Hand in My Pocket,” Alanis Morissette
“Lovelight,” Robbie Williams
“Whoomp! There It Is,” Tag Team

If you’re throwing a party for all ages, mix in some songs that are serious fun for kids at Halloween. Yes, “Thriller” is on both lists. It’s so you can teach them the dance!

Kids Monster Jam

“Thriller,” Michael Jackson
“Zoombies,” The Pop Ups
“Monster Shuffle,” Pinkfong
“Somebody’s Watching Me,” Rockwell
“I Put a Spell on You (Hocus Pocus Single),” Andrea Mazzarino
“Guess Who?” Pinkfong
“Monster Mash,” Bobby Pickett & The Crypt-Kickers

For more music (and less effort), check out Hallmark’s Halloween playlist on Spotify, “Trick or Treat,” coming in October!

Hocus Pocus party snacks

Spellcasting burns a lot of energy! Choose from these Disney Hocus Pocus Halloween party food ideas—selections vary from healthy and cute to sweet and scary, so guests stay pumped for the movie.

Banana Witch Fingers

Slice a banana in half and then quarter the halves, lengthwise. Make a deliciously decayed fingernail by pressing a candy corn onto the narrow end of each banana slice. A variation on fingers is Banana Ghosts. Supercute and super fun. Take half a banana and add chocolate chips to create eyes and a mouth.

Witches’ Brooms

You’ll need string cheese and pretzel sticks for this one. Take a string cheese stick and cut it into thirds. Peel or cut one side just a little—not all the way to the end since the end gives stability to the “broomstick” pretzel. Poke the pretzel in and you’re done!

Mini “Pumpkins”

If you want something healthy and so simple you can’t believe it, peel some small tangerines. Presto! You’re done, and you’ve got yourself some cute pumpkins. Sometimes witchin’ is easy.

Learn how to make this sweet spiderweb cake here.

And here’s the recipe for our Cookies and Scream Halloween Popcorn.

Need more fun food ideas?

Pick and choose from these sweets to add some variety to your treats table. Recipes range from wipe-it-clean easy to small-dishwasher-load effort. All worth the extra hocus pocus.

Jack O’Lantern Cupcakes—Adorable, silly and cake-mix-easy.

Graveyard Pudding Cups—Put a ghoulish spin on the classic dirt-and-worms treat.

Skeleton Cupcakes—Get the kids involved in decorating for extra fun.

Candy Corn Marshmallows—Hold on to your broom. The cute factor will make you float.

Caramel Apples—Add salty to sweet in three easy steps.

Spiderweb Cake—Buttercream frosting and marshmallow webbing give a sweet scare.

Cookies and Scream Halloween Popcorn—Cookie dust and green-tinted almond bark make a monster mix.

Costumes

Sooo, I’m all for a reason to keep it casual. I go through dressy phases, but that’s not where I am right now. I’m all about comfort these days. And there are some great, comfy ways to dress up in theme for the night that aren’t time-consuming or a big deal. Check out these fun, simple and customizable ideas and take it as far as you want.

Homemade Halloween Costumes

Check out these dead-easy kids’ costume ideas! If you’re handy with a sewing machine, you could alter the colour scheme and ears of these ideas to create an adorable black cat costume out of a sweatshirt, pants and a few sheets of felt.

To skip the sewing but keep the general look and feel of this one, substitute a hot-glue gun for stitching or pick up a pair of black sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Use face paint to draw on cat whiskers…no type of machine needed.

By the way adults, this works for you, too! And for adult costume ideas so simple it’s scary, check out these 10 Halloween costumes.

Stitchless Witch Capes

“Come, we fly!” (You knew I’d work that in somewhere, right?) Make capes in Disney Hocus Pocus character colours: purple, red and green. Just grab material from a fabric shop and fasten at the neck. If you really want to be extra (but in a good way), carry a broom.

Disney Hocus Pocus-themed party favors

Make the witching hour last as long as possible by sending your guests into the night with Disney Hocus Pocus-themed goodies.

Stuff surprise treat bags with goodies, or a special souvenir item for adults, and top with black tissue paper. Or get Hallmark cauldron-cute treat jars to give as mementos your guests will keep for years of scary memories.

You can fill kids’ goody bags with sticker sheets or pencil toppers that they can use year round, 4-count Crayola crayon packs, a handful of Halloween-mix candy or add an itty bittys plush to each bag.

For adults, you might choose a couple handfuls of chocolate bite-size candies, a Disney Hocus Pocus Glorious Morning Cauldron Mug or a Gather Round wineglass. You could also give mugs or wineglasses as prizes for winning party games.

There’s something special about indulging nostalgia as you create new memories! Enjoy reuniting with the Sanderson Sisters and creating a night your friends and family will look back on.

Happy Halloween, Friends!