How “Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire” sank its teeth into Disney Channel history.
Twenty-five years ago, Disney Channel gave fans a frightfully fun treat with Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire. Premiering on October 13, 2000, the Disney Channel Original Movie became a staple of the network’s early-2000s lineup and one of its most beloved Halloween-themed films.
A Family Night Gone Wrong
The film follows the Hansen siblings—Adam (Matt O’Leary), Chelsea (Laura Vandervoort), and Taylor (Myles Jeffrey)—who find themselves grounded and unable to enjoy their weekend plans. Their mom, Lynette (Caroline Rhea), a single mother just trying to find time for herself, surprises them with news that she has a date.
At first, the kids are thrilled—her date means they can sneak out. But when the youngest, Taylor, suspects Lynette’s charming new suitor, Dimitri Denatos (Charles Shaughnessy), might actually be a vampire, the siblings embark on a wild mission to save her. With help from a quirky vampire hunter named Malachi Van Helsing, played by Even Stevens star Robert Carradine, the kids must expose Dimitri’s secret before sunrise.
A Cast of Familiar Faces
Caroline Rhea, known for her role as Aunt Hilda on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, brought warmth and humor to the role of Lynette Hansen. Matt O’Leary, who would later star in Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams and Brick, perfectly captured the mischievous energy of Adam. Laura Vandervoort, who went on to play Supergirl on Smallville and starred in Bitten, provided Chelsea with the perfect blend of sass and teenage realism.
Charles Shaughnessy, best remembered as Maxwell Sheffield on The Nanny, brought sophistication and menace to the vampire Dimitri. And Robert Carradine, already a Disney Channel fan favorite from Even Stevens and Revenge of the Nerds, added comic flair as the vampire-hunting Van Helsing.
Disney Channel’s Halloween Magic
Released during Disney Channel’s golden age of original movies, Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire fit right in with other fan-favorite spooky titles such as Halloweentown, Phantom of the Megaplex, The Thirteenth Year, and Don’t Look Under the Bed. These films defined a generation of family-friendly horror and fantasy storytelling, giving young viewers fun thrills without going too dark.
With its playful tone, light scares, and a cast full of rising stars and TV icons, Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire became an October tradition for many fans.
A Nostalgic Bite That Still Charms
Twenty-five years later, the movie remains a nostalgic gem. Its mix of humor, heart, and harmless horror captures everything that made early-2000s Disney Channel so special. It’s a time capsule of Y2K-era fun—with chunky cell phones, teenage scheming, and a vampire who could have walked straight out of a ’90s sitcom.
For longtime Disney Channel fans, Mom’s Got a Date with a Vampire isn’t just a Halloween throwback—it’s a reminder of a time when staying home on a Friday night for a new DCOM premiere felt like an event.
Stream now on Disney+.
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Sean Tajipour
Sean Tajipour is the Founder and Editor of Nerdtropolis and the host of the Moviegoers Society and Reel Insights Podcast. He is also a member of the Critics Choice Association. You can follow on Twitter and Instagram @Seantaj.
