Where Was Hocus Pocus Filmed?

The Short Answer

Hocus Pocus was filmed mainly on soundstages at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, with only two weeks of principal photography in Massachusetts. Key exteriors were shot in Salem and nearby Marblehead and Plymouth. Filming began October 12, 1992, and wrapped February 10, 1993, across a four-month production.

The Sanderson sisters may haunt Salem on screen, but the film's production split its time between Massachusetts and California. Only two weeks of the four-month shoot actually took place in Massachusetts with the principal actors, capturing exteriors in Salem, Marblehead, and Plymouth. Everything else, from the Sanderson cottage interior to the nighttime graveyard, was built on soundstages in Burbank.

That makes a location visit a tale of two experiences. Salem offers real, walkable spots fans will recognize instantly, including Pioneer Village, Ropes Mansion, and Old Town Hall. The studio side, meanwhile, remains closed to the general public, though some nearby facilities offer limited access.

Every Location At A Glance

Location	Where	What was filmed	Access
Pioneer Village	Salem	Opening 1690s scenes including Thackery Binx's village and Sanderson sisters' cottage exterior	Ticketed
Ropes Mansion	Salem	Allison's house exterior; Halloween party arrival scenes	Ticketed
4 Ocean Avenue	Salem	Max and Dani Dennison's house exterior	Outside only
Old Burial Hill Cemetery	Marblehead	Daytime cemetery scenes with bullies and Max	Free to see
Phillips Elementary School	Salem	Jacob Bailey High School exterior	Outside only
Old Town Hall	Salem	Halloween party exterior and town hall scenes	Free to see
Plimoth Patuxet (formerly Plimoth Plantation)	Plymouth	Aerial flyover and 17th century Plymouth Colony replica for prologue	Ticketed
Salem Common	Salem	Various outdoor scenes including school and park moments	Free to see
Walt Disney Studios Stage 2	Burbank	Interiors including Sanderson house, graveyard, Max's room, and many sets	Private property
Warner Bros. Ranch	Burbank	Additional exterior shots	Private property

Filming Locations Map

10 locations. The map loads when it scrolls into view.

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors

Location By Location

Pioneer Village stood in for the 1690s prologue, including Thackery Binx's village and the Sanderson sisters' cottage exterior. Built in 1930, it is America's first living history museum. It is open to the public seasonally for tours and events, with admission around $5, making it one of the cheapest and most atmospheric stops for fans.

Allison's house appears when the characters arrive at the Halloween party, and Ropes Mansion in Salem is that real location. The property is owned by the Peabody Essex Museum. Its gardens are free and open to visitors, while tours of the house itself run seasonally, so check ahead if a interior visit matters to your trip.

Max and Dani Dennison's house exterior was filmed at this private Salem residence. There is no public access beyond the street, and the owners are used to film fans stopping by. View it from the sidewalk, take a photo, and be respectful. It is a quick stop that pairs well with nearby Salem Common.

The daytime cemetery scenes, where Max encounters the bullies, were filmed at Old Burial Hill in neighboring Marblehead. It is a historic public cemetery and one of New England's oldest graveyards, with free access during daylight hours. Note that the eerie nighttime graveyard scenes were actually shot on a soundstage in Burbank.

Jacob Bailey High School's exterior is the former Phillips Elementary School in Salem. The building is closed or repurposed, so it is an exterior-only stop, best viewed from Salem Common across the way. It requires just a few minutes and sits conveniently near several other filming locations in the downtown area.

Old Town Hall in Derby Square hosted the Halloween party exterior and town hall scenes. It remains a public building that hosts events and a museum, with free or low-cost access. Because it sits in the heart of downtown Salem, most walking tours pass by it, and it is easy to combine with Ropes Mansion and Salem Common.

The aerial flyover and the 17th century Plymouth Colony replica seen in the prologue were captured at Plimoth Patuxet in Plymouth. It is a living history museum requiring admission and operates seasonally. It sits farther from Salem, roughly an hour's drive, so it suits travelers already exploring the wider Massachusetts coast.

Salem Common served as the backdrop for various outdoor scenes, including school and park moments. Today it is a free public park that hosts community events, including film screenings. Its central location means visitors will likely pass through it anyway, and it offers the view of the former Phillips Elementary School used in the film.

Stage 2 at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank held most of the film's interiors, including the Sanderson house, the graveyard, and Max's room. The Sanderson sisters' house was entirely built here and does not exist in real life. The studio lot is not open to the public without special access, so this location remains a behind-the-scenes footnote.

Warner Bros. Ranch in Burbank supplied additional exterior shots for the production. It is an active studio facility with limited public access, sometimes available through studio tours. For most travelers this stop is impractical, and the Massachusetts locations deliver far more of the film's recognizable atmosphere.

Where It Is Set Versus Where It Was Filmed

The story is set in Salem, Massachusetts, with a prologue in the 1690s, and Salem leans into that association heavily, especially each October. In reality, the production was based in California. The Sanderson sisters' cottage, the school interiors, and the nighttime graveyard all lived on Burbank soundstages, while Salem, Marblehead, and Plymouth contributed the exteriors visitors can still stand in front of today.

The Studio Side

Walt Disney Studios in Burbank anchored the four-month production, which began October 12, 1992, and wrapped February 10, 1993. Stage 2 housed the Sanderson house set, built entirely from scratch, along with Max's room and the graveyard used for night scenes. Warner Bros. Ranch provided additional exterior shots. Neither site offers routine public access, though the ranch sometimes appears on studio tour itineraries.

Tours That Visit These Locations

Salem's walking tours are the practical way to see the filming sites, since many cluster downtown within easy reach of one another. Guided options range from official licensed walks to budget alternatives and multi-film tours, so the right pick depends on how deep the fandom runs.

Official Locations Tour

The Official "Hocus Pocus" Movie Locations Tour of Salem

Another officially branded locations tour for travelers who prefer a different operator or departure time for the same core itinerary.

4.7 out of 5 · 775 reviewsSalem

PriceLive on listingCheck availability

Official Licensed Walk

Salem, MA: The Official Hocus Pocus Movie Walking Tour

The official walking tour with 293 reviews behind it, priced at $50, and the safest bet for fans who want the sanctioned version of the story.

4.7 out of 5 · 293 reviewsSalem

From$50Check availability

Budget Movie Walk

Salem: Hocus Pocus Movies & More Walking Tour

At $25 with 75 reviews, this covers the same movie trail for half the price of the official walk, a solid choice for casual fans.

3.7 out of 5 · 75 reviews

From$25Check availability

Amuck Locations Tour

Amuck Hocus Pocus Locations Tour

An amuck-themed locations tour for fans who want the mood played up along with the movie facts.

4.8 out of 5 · 57 reviewsSalem

PriceLive on listingCheck availability

Two-Film Movie Walk

Salem Movie Magic Tour: Hocus Pocus and Bewitched locations

Bundles Hocus Pocus sites with Bewitched locations, a good fit for travelers with broader Salem screen interests.

4.5 out of 5 · 37 reviewsSalem

From$43Check availability

Downtown Walking Tour

Hocus Pocus Downtown Walking Tour

A downtown-focused walk that keeps things compact, ideal for visitors short on time in Salem.

4.8 out of 5 · 11 reviewsSalem

From$40Check availability

Frequently Asked Questions

Was Hocus Pocus actually filmed in Salem?

Partly. Only two weeks of the four-month shoot took place in Massachusetts with the principal actors. The exteriors at Pioneer Village, Ropes Mansion, Old Town Hall, and other Salem spots are real, but most interiors were shot at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California.

Can you visit the Sanderson sisters' house?

No. The Sanderson house was entirely built on a soundstage at Walt Disney Studios and does not exist in real life. The closest on-screen equivalent is the 1690s cottage exterior filmed at Pioneer Village in Salem.

When was Hocus Pocus filmed?

Filming began October 12, 1992, and wrapped February 10, 1993. The film was released in 1993.

Where is Max and Dani's house?

The Dennison house exterior is at 4 Ocean Avenue in Salem. It is a private residence, so view it from the street only and be respectful of the owners.

Which cemetery was used in Hocus Pocus?

Daytime cemetery scenes were filmed at Old Burial Hill in Marblehead, a free public cemetery and one of New England's oldest graveyards. The nighttime graveyard scenes were shot on a soundstage in Burbank.

What was filmed at Plimoth Patuxet?

The Plymouth living history museum provided the aerial flyover and the 17th century colony replica seen in the prologue. Admission is required and the site is open seasonally, about an hour from Salem.

Salem rewards a Hocus Pocus pilgrimage more than most filming destinations, because the key exteriors sit within walking distance of one another and the town embraces its movie fame. A guided walk covers the highlights in a single outing, while independent travelers can string together Pioneer Village, Ropes Mansion, Old Town Hall, and Salem Common at little or no cost. The Burbank soundstages, where most of the movie actually happened, will have to stay on the screen.

Sources

The Short Answer

Every Location At A Glance

Filming Locations Map

Location By Location

Pioneer Village

Ropes Mansion

4 Ocean Avenue

Old Burial Hill Cemetery

Phillips Elementary School

Old Town Hall

Plimoth Patuxet (formerly Plimoth Plantation)

Salem Common

Walt Disney Studios Stage 2

Warner Bros. Ranch