It won’t be long until Halloween is here once again, and we start thinking about the perfect seasonal decor. A stunning Jack-o-lantern is essential for providing ambiance and keeping kids entertained. However, it is all too easy to leave things too late and create a cliched face in a rush.
The sooner you think about interesting pumpkin carving designs like bats, movie characters and find a good template, the better your chances. The right design will not only please the family but get some great compliments from the neighbors. The perfect solution may be to find the best pumpkin carving ideas Disney fans will enjoy.
Disney is a treasure trove of concepts and ideas that take in all kinds of themes, characters, and demographics. That is why you will find some classic characters, contemporary ones for kids, teens, and adults. You could keep things quite traditional with a beloved character, like a princess or Mickey Mouse, or go for a more modern hero from the Star Wars or Marvel worlds.
There are also lots of Disney films that use Halloween themes, monsters, and other spooky aesthetics. The options are broad, with something for everyone. So, you should have a lot of fun browsing the best Disney pumpkin carving templates Disney offers.
Are Disney pumpkin carving designs difficult to turn into Jack-o-lanterns?
The difficulty of Disney pumpkin designs will depend on what you choose. You can find some simple cut-out designs and outlines of characters that you can work on with kids. Or, you can get more detailed designs with complex tutorials that work with shading and more realistic representations. It all depends on who is making the jack-o-lantern, how experienced and confident you are with the tools, and how much time you have.
20 of the best Disney pumpkin carving ideas:
Classic Disney pumpkin carving designs
You can’t go wrong with a classic Disney design with iconic characters, especially if your young child is obsessed with Disney princesses or has seen a certain movie more times than you can count.
1) Elsa with a snowflake
We’re starting off with a controversial one here. Frozen-themed decorations are better associated with Christmas simply because of all the snow and ice. There is something odd about the Olaf pumpkin templates because surely he would melt with that candle behind him.
Still, lots of kids want to be Elsa for Halloween and will love having an Elsa-themed Jack-o-lantern. This is one of the more interesting designs with the snowflake because it requires more skill and shows more of Elsa’s personality.
2) Snow White Evil Witch
There is a massive list of Disney pumpkin ideas for princesses and heroes out there where kids can pick their favorite. However, it is far more in keeping with the holiday to have some scary villains. Again, there is a massive list with all the evil queens and stepmothers trying to ruin the lives of the protagonists.
The evil witch character from Snow White is a brilliant choice because her profile is so recognizable and scary. She fits in well with other witch-based dé, cor too, such as broomsticks and cauldrons. It shouldn’t be too hard to get this one resembling the character.
3) Scar
Sticking with the villain theme, we have one that still gives children nightmares to this day. Scar proved that the laws of nature aren’t always fair, and we hated him for it. While some kids will love to have Simba pumpkin templates to work from, this Scar design is more interesting and impactful.
It is also a great option for those that prefer animal designs to people or that want something a little different from the usual black cat in their Halloween decorations. With care and attention, you should be able to perfect the snarl, mane, and all-important scar.
4) Aladdin’s Lamp
This is something a little bit different that works on a couple of levels. A lot of people are going to love the more subtle design here as it is a gentle nod towards Disney rather than a blatant design. The clean lines of the lamp and smoke mean it can’t be anything but Aladdin’s lamp, however, and Disney fans will love it.
Also, there is something cool about having a lamp cut out on a lantern with the bright light coming through. This is a quicker project and one that will work well on smaller pumpkins – perhaps as a set with a Princess Jasmine template or one of Genie.
5) Sorcerer’s Apprentice
Finally, for this section, we have a Mickey Mouse design. He had to appear somewhere in this guide, and there is another alternative option later. There are so many versions of Mickey from various films and roles. But, this one is one of the most fitting for a Halloween lantern.
The classic Sorcerer’s Apprentice design shows Mickey in his robes and pointy hat. He is also surrounded by stars to accentuate the light from the candle within the pumpkin. The design requires some clever shading, but it is worth the effort.
Pixar pumpkin carving ideas
A lot of kids are more familiar with the modern world of Pixar
1) Minions
To be honest, we could have ended up with any Minions pumpkin template here, as you can’t go wrong with these characters. You could get a series of pumpkins depicting each individual character, all nicely lined up along a porch, but that might take a while.
This is a better idea for a centerpiece that kids and adults alike will love. The design is complex, but not to the point of any intricate shading, and you get a real sense of their personalities with the light shining through.
2) Toy Story Alien
This is another option that works on a few different levels. Some of the best pumpkin carving templates Disney has are detailed and offer a great depiction of specific characters or scenes. This is one that makes people take a second look at the design – and then brings a smile to their face.
The design is one of the most simplistic to carve, so great for any experienced parents out there. But, it offers just enough of an impression of the cute aliens from Toy Story. Aliens aren’t too far removed from traditional Halloween designs either.
Whether you call it Zootopia or Zootropolis (thanks to those confusing regional variations), there is no doubt that one supporting character stole the show. Everyone loves the sloth in the DMV. Kids find him hilarious and adults all too relatable.
He is also a fun alternative character to add to a Halloween pumpkin this year. The design is detailed and unmistakable, so it is worth taking your time over it. But, with a sloth-themed pumpkin template, why would you want to rush?
4) Inside Out-Fear
Inside Out is one of those
However, if there is only space for one, it has to be Fear. Not only is this a great design that is ideal for Disney pumpkin carving, but the concept of fear and the screaming face looks great beside other decorations.
5) The Up House
Finally, for the Pixar pumpkin designs Disney fans can enjoy, we have something completely different. The obvious route here is to go for a character, such as a princess, villain, cute animal, or weird toy. But, you could also take inspiration from buildings and set designs. A classic choice is a castle from Magic Kingdom, which looks awesome with the light behind it.
But, you could go for anything with the right template. This option is a fun depiction of the house from Up, complete with balloons. It may be too whimsical for Halloween, but it all depends on how much you love the movie.
Spooky pumpkin carving ideas Disney fans will love
As it is the season for all things spooky, why not go for a nice mash-up of Halloween and Disney themes. They make great decorations where your neighbors will smile as they do a double-take.
1) Mike Wazowski
Halloween is the perfect time for monsters and stories of them creeping into your home at night. Granted, the team at Monsters Inc. is actually quite fun and friendly. But, they still make great subjects for Jack-o-lanterns. You could go with any character from this movie or Monsters University.
Sully would look great as a more complex design with fur and shading. Mike is perfect for beginners with the simple outside and recognizable shape. The classic dumbfounded expression is also great with the flame behind him.
2) Jack Skellington
Be honest. You were waiting for Jack to show up somewhere on this list. He might be one of the most obvious choices in Halloween-themed Disney characters. But that doesn’t mean he is ever a bad choice.
The design of his facial features on a pumpkin is enough to transform the traditional decoration into something more interesting. This design is more cheerful and welcoming, but there are others out there that are scarier. Find the one the best captures the mood you want to create.
3) The Nightmare Before Christmas
Because The Nightmare Before Christmas is so spooky and perfect for Halloween, let’s stick with the theme for a moment. There are lots of templates out there depicting the faces of individual characters. But, this classic scene of Jack and Sally in the moonlight has to be worth a try.
This is an iconic image for fans of the film, and the finished pumpkin carving will look beautiful with the light shining through. It is the sort of design to grab people’s attention, whether they know the reference or not.
4) Devilish Donald
Another way to bring a Halloween to feel to your Disney pumpkin carving ideas is to find classic characters in alternative forms. This design of Donald Duck is a great option because it is so obviously Donald, but with a twist. He has an outfit with little devil horns on it.
It finds that line between naughty and cute really well, so there is no problem using this design for kids’ projects. The outline isn’t too difficult to recreate either and is something that you could probably have a lot of fun adapting to suit your needs.
5) Creepy Mickey
The last of these spookier pumpkin carving templates Disney provides is one that will divide opinion. This is an unusual design that makes Mickey’s image in a different direction. There is a stylized design with emphasis on the stitched mouth – not unlike that of Jack Skellington. But, the nose and large round ears are obviously Mickey’s. Kids may find this one a bit too creepy, but teens into that alternative aesthetic could have fun with it.
Grown-up pumpkin carving templates Disney offers
Finally, pumpkin carving can be for big kids, too, and there are lots of grown-up franchises in the Disney multiverse. Check out some great designs from Star Wars, Marvel, and more.
1) The Avengers’ Logo
If you want to start out gently with Disney pumpkin carving for adults, you can’t go too wrong with this classic Marvel logo. This one is actually a little bit deceptive as the design is so clean and well-known that any mistakes in the angles and thickness will stand out. But, the cut-out design with a bright light behind it will look great on any porch or windowsill.
It also works really well if you have a smaller pumpkin sitting next to a grander design. It isn’t the spookiest of the grown-up Disney pumpkin designs, however. The next options are a little more Halloween-themed.
2) The Spiderman Logo
This is another image that has great merit as a piece of graphic design and will look great with the cut-out areas and light behind it. The Spiderman logo is a classic shape for fans of all ages, so you can also use this one as a kid’s design. It is also more complex than the Avengers’ logo in terms of the different marks and shapes you need to make.
Patience does pay off, though. It also has closer ties to the Halloween theme. If you like to decorate with fake cobwebs, then this arachnid design will fit in nicely, so it isn’t entirely geeky.
3) Porg
Are we still sick of Porgs and their related memes? Or have we come back round to thinking they are cute again? Either way, there is great potential in a Porg Jack-o-lantern for Halloween.
You could have one in the home for Star Wars fans to appreciate as an alternative design. Or, you could have this screaming creature sitting on your doorstep to greet trick-or-treaters and terrify the neighbors. The design is a little tricker than some with the amount of work that goes into the shape and expression. It still looks really good, though.
4) Darth Maul
If you want something a little scarier than a screaming Porg (a concept open to debate), then you could go for one of the villains instead. There are lots of different templates out here depicting everyone from Jabba to the Stormtroopers. Anyone with a helmet is great for carving as it is a little easier.
But Darth Maul has to be the one the makes the biggest impression. This one requires some care and attention to get the shapes and patterns right. Still, there is a menacing effect with the light behind it – pun intended.
5) Kermit
OK, this grown-up Disney pumpkin template isn’t quite like the others. But we had to get some Muppets representation in here somewhere. There isn’t much that is scary about a Muppet compared to a creepy puppet. But, there are some brilliant characters that look great carved into pumpkins.
Their simplistic silhouettes are instantly recognizable and will bring a smile to the face of any visitor. They are also perfect for grown-up Halloween parties where older generations recall the original Muppet show. Kermit is a great place to start with the classic Muppet logo.
Conclusion
A great Disney pumpkin carving design can add some more fun to your decor this season. As you can see, there are plenty of design ideas out there, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. The characters and images here all work well for different situations and offer a fun challenge for Disney fans.
Talk to your kids or housemates about the characters they love, figure out how big you want the pumpkin to be, find a design you love and get stuck in! Don’t forget to save the filling for a pumpkin pie for your next Disney movie night.