2018 Mickey’s Christmas & Halloween Party Tickets Now on Sale!
2018 tickets went on sale today for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween & Very Merry Christmas Parties in Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. Naturally, prices are up across the board, and tickets are only available by calling right now.
We tried to do that to find out prices but were met with a multi-hour wait, so hard pass on that. Not a single party date will sell out today, tomorrow, or even within the next few weeks. If you value your time and sanity–no matter how badly you want to lock-in your party dates–just hold off until the phone lines are not so jammed.
With party pricing, the past is the best predictor of the future. Expect the parties closest to both Christmas and Halloween to be the most expensive. Halloween night is likely to hit a new record high price (it was $115 per adult and $110 per child last year). With Halloween night selling out every year and ticket resellers routinely selling them for ~$200/night, don’t expect this trend to change anytime soon.
2018 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party tickets start at $75 (likely for August and early September dates), which is actually not much of an increase over last year ($1 more on the low end). Children’s tickets will likely set you back ~$70 to $100. So, still not exactly cheap.
Party dates are as follows: August 17, 24, 28, 31; September 3, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, 30; October 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30, and 31. It’s actually a bit surprising to see more dates added in August, as many of last year’s parties before October were not exactly crowded. (It turns out most people don’t want to celebrate Halloween in late summer?!)
If you’re going to attend Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and have flexibility on which date you can attend, read our Best and Worst MNSSHP Dates post to help choose the potentially least-crowded party.
If you’re still on the fence, debating whether the party will be worth the money, we can help you answer that question in our Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Tips & Review post. That post offers party strategy (including an approach to rare characters), and also analysis as to the value for money.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party tickets are also now available, with prices starting at $95 for adults, which is up $6 from last year’s low. Expect prices for most Christmas Party dates to be above $100, as these prices have steadily increased the last several years and it hasn’t had a noticeable impact on attendance.
Party dates for MVMCP are November 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, 25, 27, 29, 30 and December 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21. To our recollection, almost every MVMCP sold out last year, and even the “slow” parties were not nearly as slow as Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. It probably doesn’t hurt that almost no one is thinking about Halloween in August, whereas Christmas is on the minds of many guests by mid-November. (Sorry, “turkey before tree” crowd.)
We likewise have a post detailing the Best and Worst MVMCP Dates, so check that out if you want to avoid crowds. (Spoiler alert: stay away from that last week. Not just for Christmas Party crowds, but crowds in general.)
As for whether the Christmas Party is worth the money, read our Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Tips & Review post for insight into that. In addition to a review, that post offers comprehensive tips on everything from the best free cookies during the party to strategy for the parade and fireworks. (Note: none of these resources have been fully-updated for 2018, but they will be soon.)
Overall, we cannot say we’re too surprised by party ticket prices. Even with the lack of Halloween Party popularity for some dates last year, the dates aren’t surprising, either. These parties are incredibly lucrative for Walt Disney World, and with an increased focus on up-charge offerings and hard ticket events, the safe money is always on “more dates” rather than fewer for any special event. While we happen to love both of these events–and have every intention of doing them again this year–these prices are a bit difficult to stomach when we recall paying less than half of these amounts not too long ago.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
Will you be attending the 2018 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party? If not, are the latest round of price increases keeping you away, or would you not tend regardless? Any thoughts on this year’s special events for the Halloween and Christmas seasons? Share any questions, tips, or additional thoughts you have in the comments!
Any news when dinner reservations will be available for MNSSHP?
All other dining you can book 180 days out, I’m sure it’s the same with mnsshp
Tom- If you had to pick between DL or MK for a Halloween time, which one would it be. Not going until 2019 or 2020. We went to WDW in 2015, DL in 2017 and going back to WDW this May.
Halloween is going to be totally different this year at DL, as the parties are at California Adventure this year, for the first time ever. That makes it a tough call, as it’s an unknown. I think I recall reading other posts on Tom’s site that seem to give the nod to MK over DL when they were in the comparable parks. Just my two cents. Cheers!
My mom and I went to the MK, then stayed for the MNSSHP later in the day. Looooonnng day, but so fun. And we found the MK crowds pretty light that day, too. Then it got more crowded after 4pm as party guests got there. But we rode everything twice before 4pm and then our favorites during the party and both parades.
We have gone to WDW the week after Thanksgiving in 2016 & 2017 and we attended the MVMCP during the first trip. Although, we had fun and enjoyed the parades, I really don’t think the cost is worth it. The lines for the rides were not much different than a typical day in the park (they are actually much shorter if you go to MK during the day of MVMCP) , so you are basically paying for the parades and character experiences and atmosphere, which is somewhat limited due to the overcrowding.
We are scheduled to go after Thanksgiving again and it looks like there will be 4 parties scheduled during our stay. This kind of stinks since it will limit our available evenings at MK, but taking advantage of the low crowds during the day at MK will be worth it.