McDonald's started handing out its 2026 Halloween Boo Buckets on Tuesday, October 20, at participating U.S. restaurants, swapping the standard Happy Meal box for a themed pail while supplies last, according to ABC News and Attractions Magazine.
Instead of the ghost-face design fans associate with the promotion, this year's buckets are built around five Disney villains: Jafar from Aladdin, Ursula from The Little Mermaid, Scar from The Lion King, Cruella de Vil from 101 Dalmatians, and Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, per reporting from Yahoo News, ABC News and Attractions Magazine.
What each bucket looks like
Every bucket has a colored base tied to its character — red for Jafar, purple for Ursula, orange for Scar, white for Cruella and green for Maleficent — plus a villain-inspired lid, sticker sheets, and the same yellow Golden Arches handle across all five designs, according to Attractions Magazine and ABC News.
2026 Disney Villains Boo Buckets| Villain | Film | Bucket color |
|---|
| Jafar | Aladdin | Red |
|---|
| Ursula | The Little Mermaid | Purple |
|---|
| Scar | The Lion King | Orange |
|---|
| Cruella de Vil | 101 Dalmatians | White |
|---|
| Maleficent | Sleeping Beauty | Green |
|---|
In a statement cited by ABC News, McDonald's described the rollout by saying, "This spooky szn, we're entering our villain era," calling the characters "Disney's most notorious scene-stealers."
A promotion with a 40-year history
McDonald's first introduced collectible Halloween pails in 1986, according to ABC News. The company discontinued the Boo Buckets in 2016 before bringing them back in 2022 with three classic designs — a jack-o'-lantern, a goblin witch and a ghost — Yahoo News reported.
Attractions Magazine notes the Disney villain theme follows other recent Happy Meal collectible tie-ins, including promotions linked to SpongeBob SquarePants and BT21.
Mixed reaction from longtime fans
Reaction to the redesign was divided, based on social media comments collected by Yahoo News. Some users said the villain theme felt disconnected from Halloween, with one writing, "Nothing remotely Halloween about these." Others said they missed the earlier glowing bucket designs and asked for the classic snap-on lids to return.
Other commenters welcomed the new look, with at least one calling the villain buckets "SO COOL," according to the same report.
What is not yet known
None of the reports reviewed specify a price for the Happy Meal that includes the buckets, and McDonald's has not announced an official end date for the promotion; availability is described only as while supplies last at participating restaurants, according to ABC News and Attractions Magazine.
Questions
- When did the 2026 McDonald's Boo Buckets come out?
- They became available on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, at participating McDonald's locations in the United States, according to ABC News and Attractions Magazine.
- Which Disney villains are featured on the 2026 buckets?
- The five characters are Jafar, Ursula, Scar, Cruella de Vil, and Maleficent, each with a different colored bucket base matching their look.
- How long will the Disney Villains Boo Buckets be available?
- McDonald's has not announced a set end date; the buckets are offered while supplies last at participating restaurants, per ABC News.
- Is this the first time McDonald's has done Boo Buckets?
- No. McDonald's introduced the first Boo Buckets in 1986, discontinued them in 2016, and revived them in 2022 before this year's Disney villain redesign, according to ABC News and Yahoo News.
- Do the buckets come with a Happy Meal?
- Yes, the buckets replace the standard Happy Meal box and include character stickers, according to Attractions Magazine.
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