Hunt For Pumpkins at Disneyland with ‘Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit’

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While on a Disneyland vacation, most guests tend to focus primarily on riding as many attractions as possible. No judgements here as for a while, that was the same goal my wife and I had. However, there’s something to be said about the non-attraction offerings at the resort that many miss out on.

If you’re someone who visits regularly, or you just want to add a little variety to your Disney trip, consider participating in Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit, a scavenger hunt of sorts taking place at Disneyland park, Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney during the Halloween season.

It works the exact same way Eggstravaganza (the annual Easter egg hunt at the resort) does. In each park and in Downtown Disney, there are a dozen or so themed pumpkins inconspicuously placed in random spots and it’s up to you to locate them. When you’ve found them all, you get to select a prize.

It’s a great way to kill a couple hours in the parks while allowing the kids to burn energy and stay occupied. Or, if you’ve ridden most of the attractions already, it’s something different to do and allows you to see the park from a different perspective. Let’s get into it.

*NOTE: We did the pumpkin hunt in Disneyland, so this post will be primarily focused there

Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit Price and Purchase Locations

There are a number of locations where you can purchase a card for Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit and they depend on where in the resort you’ll be hunting in. In Disneyland, you can purchase the cards at the following locations:

• Disneyana

• Disney Showcase

• Emporium

• EngineEar Souvenirs

• Eudora’s Chic Boutique

• “it’s a small world” Gift Shop

• The Star Trader

• Westward Ho Trading Company

In Disney California Adventure:

• Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff

• Elias & Co.

• Gone Hollywood

• Ramon’s House of Body Art

• Rushin’ River Outfitters

• Seaside Souvenirs

• Trolley Treats

In Downtown Disney District:

• Acorns Gifts and Goods

• The Home Store

• Disney Pin Traders

• The Dress Shop

• Disney’s Fantasia Shop

• STOR-E

• WonderGround Gallery

• World of Disney

The price for one card is $9.99. Again, this is per card and per location. So if you wanted to do the scavenger hunt in both parks and in Downtown Disney, you will need to purchase a card at each one. Honestly, unless you have a large group, one card would do just fine. There’s no real reason for each kid or adult to have their own, unless they’ll each want their own prize, as you only get one per card.

When you complete your purchase, you’ll be given a two-sided card in the shape of a pumpkin. One side will feature a Mickey head graphic, with thirteen locations printed in white bubbles. On the other will be the stickers you’ll place on the front side as you locate the pumpkins.

The front side gives a general location as to where you’ll find the pumpkins. Some, such as “Emporium” and “Red Rose Tavern” are pretty straightforward. Others, like “Frontierland Stagecoach”, require some thought and aren’t so easy to spot.

The stickers on the back are images of the actual themed pumpkins, so you’ll have some reference to go by. If you get stuck, simply ask a cast member and they’ll give you a few clues to help narrow it down.

Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit Locations

I’m not going to totally reveal the exact locations, as that would defeat the entire purpose of the game. What I will tell you is, at Disneyland, there are thirteen of them and they’re all themed after a Disney character. For example, there’s a pumpkin themed after BB-8 in Star Traders and a Tiana-themed one at Tiana’s Palace.

One thing I will tell you is the pumpkins are almost always on the exterior of their respective locations and more often than not, you’ll need to look up in order to spot them. There are two or three that are placed in the interior, but that isn’t the case with most of them.

Main Street and Fantasyland have the most with three pumpkins each, Tomorrowland comes in second with two, with the rest spread out between Frontierland, Adventureland, New Orleans Square and ToonTown. There are none in Galaxy’s Edge, though. I guess the citizens of Batuu didn’t feel like participating this year.

Additionally, you will not have to ride any attractions or enter their queues to find the pumpkins. They’re all completely visible from the walkways. There are a few that are located in highly trafficked areas, though. So keep this in mind while hunting.

Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit Prizes

Once you’ve located all the pumpkins and have completely filled your sticker card, simply return the card to any Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit location and select your prize. The included prize is your choice of one of five character-themed pumpkin sippers.

Honestly, the prize is pretty cheap. Though considering you’ve only spent ten bucks, it’s to be expected. In addition, they have several pieces of merchandise themed for Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit available for purchase, including a pin. The pin is nice, but it’s a highly bloated price of $39.99.

All in all, we had a lot of fun. It was a nice break from the norm and it gave us a chance to enjoy ourselves without having to spend a bunch of time in a queue. Definitely give this a try when you visit.