- Disney Channel has been streaming plenty of spooky, fall-staple movies for the past few decades.
- Insider rounded up all of Disney Channel’s Halloween-worthy and Halloween-themed movies and ranked them using audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.
- “Twitches Too” (2007) and “Halloweentown” (1998) are two audience favorites.
- Audience reviewers didn’t really care for “Mom’s Got a Date With a Vampire” (2000) or “Invisible Sister” (2015).
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
As October approaches, it’s the perfect time for streaming Disney Channel original movies (DCOMs) that have been autumn staples for decades.
To help you narrow down your spooky made-for-TV selections, Insider ranked the seasonal DCOMS using audience reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Notably, these scores are subject to change but were accurate at the time of publication.
Here is every Halloween-worthy Disney Channel original movie, ranked from worst to best.
“Mom’s Got a Date With a Vampire” (2000) wasn’t a huge hit with audiences.
Audience Score: 51%
Starring "Sabrina the Teenage Witch" actress Carolina Rhea, this horror-comedy is about two grounded teens who decide to set their mom up on a blind date so that they can sneak out of the house.
There's only one problem: their younger brother realizes that the charming stranger is actually a vampire who wants to place mom under his vampy spell. Hijinks ensue as the kids join forces with a vampire hunter to save their mother.
User reviews on Rotten Tomatoes are almost evenly split, with over 5,000 reviews resulting in a 51% audience score.
Some called it a "diamond in the rough" and "a good movie for the kids and family," whereas others said the made-for-TV movie was "corny" and a "complete waste of an hour and 25 minutes."
Audiences say "Tower of Terror" (1997) is not as iconic as the attraction it shares a name after.
Audience Score: 53%
This film, which shares a name with an iconic theme-park attraction, stars Kirsten Dunst and "Police Academy" actor Steve Guttenberg.
Guttenberg plays a photojournalist who decides to investigate the legend of The Hollywood Tower Hotel, where five people supposedly once got onto an elevator and were never seen again.
With over 7,500 reviews, "Tower of Terror" has an audience score of 53%.
"It has that made-for-TV cheese about it," wrote one Rotten Tomatoes super reviewer who said they liked the film anyway. Another viewer called the movie "cheesy and pretty uninventive" and said that it was "a lazy TV movie that will be forgotten as soon as it ends."
"Invisible Sister" (2015) shows what can happen when science goes wrong.
Audience Score: 56%
"Girl Meets World" star Rowan Blanchard stars in this Halloween-based comedy about a young science whiz who accidentally makes her sister disappear.
It's a race-against-the-clock adventure to reverse the experiment before the effects become permanent.
With a middling audience score of 56%, the movie has been called family friendly and a "safe pick for Halloween night."
According to audiences, the screams were virtually non-existent in "The Scream Team" (2002).
Audience Score: 56%
A young Kat Dennings, from "2 Broke Girls," stars alongside Eric Idle and Kathy Najimy, from "Hocus Pocus," in this film.
After the death of their grandfather, two kids move to a new town and discover a building in the woods with a mirror that leads to the afterlife. They must team up with the Soul Patrol in order to free lost souls from an evil ghost.
The DCOM has received mixed reviews, with some audience members saying they loved the film at first but later stopped liking it after they watched it a few times.
"Phantom of the Megaplex" (2000) retells a classic horror story for the new millennium.
Audience Score: 56%
Trade in the opera for a popular 21st-century hangout spot for teens, and you have yourself a movie.
Mickey Rooney and Taylor Handley star in this G-rated mystery about a boy who gets a job at a movie theater only to experience a series of weird events on the night of a major premiere.
Although the film was initially released in early November, its haunting themes have turned it into a Halloween staple for many.
"Phantom of the Megaplex" was well-received by critics but it divided audiences - nearly two decades later, it has a 56% audience score.
"Under Wraps" (1997) started it all but did not set the bar that high, according to audiences.
Audience Score: 57%
"Under Wraps" is widely considered to be the first DCOM ever released. It premiered on October 25, 1997.
The movie follows a group of pre-teens as they discover a sarcophagus with a living mummy inside. They take the friendly mummy home before learning that if they don't return him to the now-missing sarcophagus before midnight, he will disappear forever.
After 1,500 audience reviews, "Under Wraps" has a score of 57%. Reviewers mostly applauded the movie's "cool Halloween-themed scenes" and said it was a fun film for kids.
"Girl vs. Monster" (2012) blends songs of empowerment with old-fashioned monster hunting.
Audience Score: 58%
This movie proves that it's always awkward when you have to tell your daughter the truth about her monster-hunting heritage on the eve of Halloween.
Olivia Holt from "Marvel's Cloak and Dagger" stars and sings in this fantasy teen comedy about family and overcoming fears.
Not all of the audience reviews are glowing, but most viewers seemed to agree that Holt's performance and the film's songs were the best parts of the film.
"Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge" (2001) brings back a familiar foe and places the entire town under a spell.
Audience Score: 62%
The second of four films in the series, Kalabar's Revenge stars Debbie Reynolds and Kimberly J. Brown and involves a stolen spell book, the return of the villain from the original film, and a spell that has turned all of Halloweentown black and white.
According to Rotten-Tomatoes users, "Halloweentown II" didn't match the quality of the first film but it got pretty close with over 15,000 reviews and a 62% audience score.
Some reviewers enjoyed the film, praising its "clear focus on writing a story of the battle between good and evil."
Read More: 12 interesting things you didn't know about 'Halloweentown'
Audiences were ready to "Return to Halloweentown" (2006) ... but perhaps would have preferred if the cast had, too.
Audience Score: 62%
The fourth and final film in the franchise (for now), "Return to Halloweentown" focuses on the young witches Marnie and Dylan Piper as they attend Witch University in Halloweentown.
Actress Sara Paxton from "The Innkeepers" stars as Marnie (who was played by Kimberly J. Brown in the previous films ) and Debbie Reynolds reprises her role as Aggie.
Audiences felt this "Halloweentown" movie was on par with the second one, giving the fourth installment the same 62% user score with over 15,000 reviews.
Several reviewers said they wished that Brown had returned to play Marnie and many noted that this entry in the series seemed to be very "different" from its predecessors.
"Twitches" (2005) has the familiar charm of the Mowry twins but with magic.
Audience Score: 65%
Tia and Tamera Mowry had done the twins-separated-at-birth plot before on "Sister, Sister," but on that series, they weren't powerful witches tasked with defeating Darkness in their homeland of Coventry.
In this novel-inspired film, the two sisters discover their otherworldly powers and try to save their family and home.
A popular criticism of the film was that it did not remain faithful to its source material (novels by H. B. Gilmour and Randi Reisfeld), but viewers still seemed to enjoy the twins and found the story to be cute and fun.
Witches head to class in "Halloweentown High" (2004).
Audience Score: 65%
Still not on par with the original but more highly regarded than the sequel, "Halloweentown High" is the third installment in the witchy series.
In the flick, Marnie convinces the Halloweentown Council to let magical students attend mortal school. But, if something goes wrong before midnight on Halloween, Marnie's entire family will lose their powers.
With over 18,000 reviews, "Halloweentown High" has an audience score of 65%. One super reviewer called it "entertaining" and a "Halloween classic."
Per audiences, "Don't Look Under the Bed" (1999) is just the right amount of creepy and fun for the Halloween season.
Audience Score: 69%
Erin Chambers of "General Hospital" fame stars alongside Ty Hodges and the Steve Valentine in a film about a high-school girl who takes on the Boogeyman with the help of her little brother's imaginary friend.
Although it has fewer reviews than other DCOMS, "Don't Look Under the Bed" has an audience rating of 69%, which makes it one of the best-rated spooky films on this list.
"So creepy for kids! I remember being thoroughly entertained by this," one person wrote. Another reviewer said that the 1999 film is their favorite of the DCOMs because of its hilarious and mildly scary plot.
Audience members say "Twitches Too" (2007) took what was established in the first film and did it better.
Audience Score: 70%
"Twitches Too" premiered two years after the original film and focused on the twins' return to Coventry to once again help defeat the forces of evil.
The critical response on Rotten Tomatoes was much lower this time around (this film has 40% and the original has 67%), but the audience score was higher at 70% with over 3,600 reviews.
Audience members praised the Mowry twins' acting chops and positively compared this film to classics like "Hocus Pocus."
When it comes to DCOMs, audiences feel "Halloweentown" (1998) will always be the gold standard.
Audience Score: 72%
"Halloweentown" takes the top spot when it comes to spooky DCOMs.
In this famed film, Marnie Piper (Kimberly J. Brown) discovers she comes from a family of witches and must figure out what to do with her powers.
Over 30,000 people have reviewed the film on Rotten Tomatoes, resulting in a 72% audience score and an 89% from critics.
"I love this movie so much, I grew up with it, and it is the best Halloween movie ever," one reviewer posted, with many others echoing the sentiment.
As many audience members commented, no Halloween season is complete with at least one viewing of this certified classic.
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