With Halloween just around the corner, you are no doubt already planning your Halloween movie marathons, and if you are a Disney fan, one of those marathons will definitely be devoted to spooky Disney Channel original movies (DCOM). Halloweentown, Mom's Got a Date with a Vampire, Underwraps — these are modern classics that you will never outgrow. Still, while I love all of these junior fright fests, even I have to admit some are better than others. That's why I decided to do a complete ranking of the Halloween DCOMs from the just OK to the must watch every single year.
From your old favorites to the new classics, every DCOM featuring mummies, aliens, or monsters lurking under beds is on the list. Sadly, only one Halloween DCOM can be number one, no matter how much I would love to bend the rules and proclaim them all the best — and yes, that means I will be busting up the Halloweentown series. My apologies to Grandma Aggie.
Are you ready to find out which Halloween DCOM is the most frightfully awesome of them all? Before you get too deep into planning your marathon, consult this list to discover which Halloween DCOMs are full size candy bars and which ones are the TV movie equivalent of Candy Corn.
13. Return To Halloweentown
Trying to replace Kimberly J. Brown as Marnie was a terrible mistake, but I'm not even sure Brown could have saved the fourth installment in this beloved series from its college growing pains.
Return to Halloween Town, $8, Amazon
12. Under Wraps
Under Wraps holds the special distinction of being the first official DCOM, but it hasn't aged well. The movie is fun in its own way, but it's more silly than scary. Mummies just aren't the most entertaining of monsters, but if you enjoy slapstick, you may have fonder memories of Under Wraps than I do.
Under Wraps, $6, Amazon
11. Twitches Too
Tia and Tamera Mowry are '90s queens, for sure. Still, as charming as Twitches was, the sequel never had a chance of standing on its own and it's royal storyline just wasn't as entertaining as it should have been.
Twitches Too, $8, Amazon
10. Halloweentown High
I love the idea at the center of Halloweentown High — Marnie tries to forge an understanding between the Halloween world and the real world — but the execution of the premise never lived up to its promise.
Halloweentown High, $6, Amazon
9. Stepsister From Planet Weird
While this DCOM was released in June, it still has Halloween cred thanks to the whole finding out your future stepdad and stepsister are aliens thing. This is just a genuinely sweet movie that is way more fun than it has to be. It's not going to scare you, but it is still a worthy supernatural DCOM to add to your Halloween list.
Stepsister From Planet Weird, $6, Amazon
8. Girl Vs. Monster
This is a newer DCOM you need to see as soon as possible (it's on Netflix, guys). It's basically Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Jr. and I promise you will love every minute of it even without having any fond childhood memories attached to the characters.
Girl Vs. Monster, $8, Amazon
7. Twitches
Secret twins played by Tia and Tamera Mowry discovering they are also witches? This movie was always going to be a winner.
6. The Scream Team
An amazing cast — Kat Dennings and Kathy Najimy — anchor this underrated gem full of ghosts and kids searching for answers about the afterlife.
The Scream Team, $6, Amazon
5. Don't Look Under The Bed
There is a deeper story about a young woman reclaiming her ability to believe in the impossible lurking under the trappings of Halloween spookiness, but the movie also finds a genuinely creepy monster in the Boogeyman.
Don't Look Under The Bed, $6, Amazon
4. Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge
Following in the footsteps of a classic like Halloweentown is no easy task, but the sequel does an excellent job of expanding Marnie's universe. The use of black and white to turn the Halloween town normal pairs beautifully with the full on monster mash going on in the regular world, and this continuation of Marnie's story just works on every level.
Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge, $6, Amazon
3. Mom's Got A Date With A Vampire
Caroline Rhea is always brilliant, but the kids and the vampire Dimitri completely walk away with this DCOM. At times, Dimitri veers toward actual scariness, but the real joy of this movie is watching a centuries old vampire be outsmarted by a group of kids.
Mom's Got A Date With A Vampire, $6, Amazon
2. Phantom Of The Megaplex
A love letter to the monster movies of Hollywood's Golden Age, Phantom of the Megaplex has only gotten better with age. It is a mystery movie more concerned with twists than scares, and it thrives on all the things that make DCOMs great: family, nostalgia, and the life lessons you learn while growing up. Also, Mickey Rooney is there.
Phantom Of The Megaplex, $6, Amazon
1. Halloweentown
Halloweentown is a classic for a reason. It's part Hocus Pocus, part A Nightmare Before Christmas, with a dash of that DCOM magic for good measure. For so many '90s kids, Halloweentown is as synonymous with Halloween as Jack-'o-lanterns and that's because it captures the spirit of the holiday so well. The joy of engaging in low key spookiness, the freedom of roaming your neighborhood asking for sweets, and all of the possibility of encountering real magic are wrapped up in Halloweentown, making it the ultimate Halloween DCOM.
Halloweentown, $6, Amazon
While it is fun to rank them, all of the Halloween DCOMs are delightful fall treats that will make you feel like a kid again.
Images: Disney Channel
