It’s officially spooky season, and the Halloween-themed releases just keep coming. This week, McDonald’s joined the festive fun by announcing that its Boo Buckets are back.
Starting Oct. 20, McDonald’s customers nationwide can get their hands on a brand-new Boo Bucket with the purchase of any Happy Meal at participating McDonald’s locations. But instead of the traditional lineup of generic ghosts and goblins, this year’s collection showcases five iconic Disney villains: Ursula, Jafar, Cruella, Scar and Maleficent.
What comes with the 2026 McDonald’s Boo Buckets?
Each collectible pail features an illustration of its respective bad guy or gal, but McDonald’s is leaving the final design up to you. Every bucket includes a movie-specific sticker sheet so you can customize the look. The company says these sticker sheets contain clever details that only true Disney fans will spot.
While the base colors of the pails vary to match each character’s aesthetic, they all share one unifying feature: a bright yellow handle shaped like the chain’s recognizable Golden Arches. Just remember, these are only available while supplies last, so plan your drive-thru run before trick-or-treat season hits its peak.
A brief history of the McDonald’s Boo Buckets
If it feels like these buckets have been around forever, that’s because they have! The fast-food giant originally launched the concept in 1986 as “Halloween Pumpkin Happy Meals.” (You can still find some of these on eBay.) According to Nightmare Nostalgia, that first run included three orange pails, each printed with a slightly different jack-o’-lantern expression. They were affectionately known as McPunk’n, McBoo and McGoblin.
Over the next few decades, the seasonal offering expanded. McDonald’s introduced green witches and white ghosts, and eventually started experimenting with physical upgrades like glow-in-the-dark plastic and lids that doubled as Halloween cookie cutters. Then came the pop culture collabs: Minions, Mr. Potato Head, Scooby-Doo, Monster High and the Peanuts crew.
The buckets, though popular, haven’t had a consistent release schedule since their launch. They weren’t available in 1988 and were officially cut from the menu in 2016. Fans begged for their return for years, and McDonald’s finally caved in 2022. This new Disney villain rollout is the first movie-themed collection to hit the menu since the relaunch.
Some of Amazon’s ‘hot new releases’ in kitchen this week
If you’re planning to host a Halloween movie marathon and show off your new Disney villain buckets, you’ll need the right tools to feed your guests. Check out some of Amazon’s “hot new releases” this week to find the perfect countertop gadgets, like high-capacity air fryers for quick party appetizers, or fresh bakeware sets for your spooky desserts.
