After the previous installment received criticism for being too dark in tone, this one was made to be more family-friendly.
The high school used in filming interior (and exterior carnival scenes) is located in Salt Lake City, UT - Juan Diego High School, a Catholic High School. Carefully placed posters and filming angles were necessary to obscure Catholic-related artwork and statues.
For the Halloween carnival, Marnie wears the same witch costume that she summoned in Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge (2001).
Olesya Rulin, Lucas Grabeel, and Todd Michael Schwartzman would all co-star in the High School Musical movies.
The final film role of Emily Roeske (Sophie Piper), she retired from acting in 2004.