2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Guide
Our guide to the 2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party offers tips & info for Magic Kingdom’s fall special event at Walt Disney World. This includes dates, ticket prices & discounts, schedule & strategy for seeing the parade, fireworks, and characters, plus our review of MNSSHP and whether it’s worth your time & money.
For those unfamiliar with it, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) is a special event that occurs after Magic Kingdom closes for the day. It is separately ticketed, meaning you have to pay extra for the party if you’re already in the park as a day guest and want to stay through MNSSHP.
If you’re already wanting to plan ahead for the 2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, the good news is that Walt Disney World has now released dates, prices, and select details (see below). Additionally, 2026 tickets are now on sale. If you want to be notified when what’s new for this year is announced, subscribe to our FREE Disney email newsletter. For now, here’s everything you need to know about the event…
As noted above, tickets for the 2026 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party may now be purchased by calling 407-939-4240 or online at disneyworld.com.
Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can save $10 per ticket to the 2026 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party—valid only for event nights from August 7 to October 2, 2026. Cast Members can also save on select nights. More details can be found on Cast Life Web or My Disney Today.
Here’s a handy list of dates & prices for this year’s MNSSHP:
August 2026 MNSSHP Dates & Prices
- August 7, 2026 – $159
- August 11, 2026 – $119
- August 14, 2026 – $119
- August 18, 2026 – $129
- August 21, 2026 – $139
- August 23, 2026 – $139
- August 25, 2026 – $144
- August 28, 2026 – $149
- August 30, 2026 – $149
September 2026 MNSSHP Dates & Prices
- September 1, 2026 – $149
- September 4, 2026 – $154
- September 8, 2026 – $154
- September 11, 2026 – $159
- September 13, 2026 – $159
- September 15, 2026 – $164
- September 18, 2026 – $169
- September 20, 2026 – $169
- September 22, 2026 – $169
- September 24, 2026 – $174
- September 25, 2026 – $179
- September 27, 2026 – $179
- September 29, 2026 – $184
October 2026 MNSSHP Dates & Prices
- October 1, 2026 – $189
- October 2, 2026 – $199
- October 4, 2026 – $199
- October 6, 2026 – $199
- October 8, 2026 – $204
- October 9, 2026 – $209
- October 13, 2026 – $209
- October 15, 2026 – $214
- October 16, 2026 – $219
- October 18, 2026 – $219
- October 22, 2026 – $219
- October 23, 2026 – $224
- October 25, 2026 – $224
- October 27, 2026 – $224
- October 29, 2026 – $224
- October 31, 2026 – $229
More generally speaking, MNSSHP tickets are almost always more expensive on weekends and as the event gets deeper into Halloween season. On average, September is more expensive than August and October is more expensive than September. This is again the pattern for 2026, so no surprise there.
Unless you’re planning on attending October 29th or 31st, you probably do not need to worry about 2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party tickets selling out…yet. Even with the last few years setting the record for sold out dates, it’s very uncommon for most dates to sell out before June.
The first date to sell out is always October 31st. Last year, it sold out the morning that tickets went on sale to the general public, which was far and away the fastest it had ever sold out. We would expect this to be true once again, with the possibility that October 29th also goes fast as a ‘consolation prize’ if Halloween itself is unavailable.
Expect the trio of $119 and $129 dates to be among the first to sell out, especially with so few of them. Last year, the next date to sell out was August 19th, which sold out on July 13th. This was one of the lowest-priced dates for MNSSHP, and those less expensive dates all sold out by early August. Opening night was next to sell out, which occurred on August 1st.
While tourists are largely locked into whatever travel dates they’ve already chosen, there’s a growing fanbase in Central Florida along with weekend warriors who take quick last minute trips. Many of them (or at least, enough of them) are budget-conscious, and they’ll take the tradeoff of cheaper (or rather, less expensive) tickets in exchange for miserable, costume-unfriendly weather.
Last year, many more dates sold out between early August and mid-September. There’s often a “run” on tickets around the time of the first party. Meaning that if you’re wanting to attend, we’d strongly recommend purchasing your tickets by or before August 7, 2026. A few dates will be sold out before then, but another half-dozen or so could sell out by that weekend.
Every single date has sold out for the last few years, with MNSSHP sales increasing even as the parks have otherwise slowed down post-pent-up demand. There’s really no reason to believe MNSSHP tickets will sell slower in 2026.
You might find that difficult to believe, but part of the Halloween Party’s popularity is because of the slowdown. Meaning that Floridians, fans, and other guests are “trading down” from expensive Annual Passes and regular tickets to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.
On top of that, an increasing number of guests are purchasing MNSSHP admission instead of regular day tickets, rather than in addition to regular admission. Part of this is the simple fact that MNSSHP tickets aren’t that much more expensive than regular tickets to Magic Kingdom for many dates. Plenty of guests will gladly take lower crowds, shorter wait times, and better weather in exchange for fewer hours.
For reference, last year’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party was held on the following dates:
- August 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 29
- September 2, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30
- October 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 23, 24, 26, 28, 30, 31
The first MNSSHP was a full week later than normal, which we believe was a one-off due to Starlight. Walt Disney World never officially stated as much; that’s purely speculative on our part.
There were 38 parties each of the last two years, and again in 2026. This year, the event starts on August 7th, which is earlier than ever before and a full week before last year. Despite that, there are the same number of parties by virtue of lower concentration earlier in the event.
With that in mind, what follows is background and planning info for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, based on last year’s event. It’s unlikely that much will change for 2026…
If you’ve attended in the past, you might simply be wondering what will be different in 2026. That’s not yet known since nothing has been announced, but probably not a whole lot. If you’re wondering what was new last year, we covered all of that in What’s New for 2025 at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.
During last year’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Princess Fairytale Hall was not a meet & greet location for the princesses. Instead, it was an enhanced treat trail that features two villains, Maleficent and the Evil Queen. These villains were in the queue in front of a portrait of their tale’s princess, as they mingled with guests and pose for selfies. It’s our understanding that this was a test to gauge guest response and potentially expand upon the concept for the 2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.
If it’s been a few years since you last attended MNSSHP, another change has been to the Boo to You Parade. It has received a number of updates, the most notable of which was the addition of Minnie Mouse as Winifred Sanderson, Daisy Duck as Sarah Sanderson, and Clarabelle Cow as Mary Sanderson. That wasn’t all–there were also major changes to the Halloween Hoedown unit (new scarecrow dancers and more) and an expanded Villainous Finale, among other things.
Still, calling these “major” changes is probably a stretch. The bottom line is that last year’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party wasn’t materially different from the one in 2019. Given that tickets continue selling out without changes, we’re guessing the MNSSHP of 2026 won’t change a whole lot, either.
If you’ve already purchased MNSSHP tickets and want something that synthesizes all of the basic info about the event into a step-by-step plan, see our Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Itinerary. That’s more concise, leaving out a lot of background, crowd info, and the event is worth attending in the first place, all of which is covered in this post.
That party plan has also been updated based on our experiences at last year’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, meaning it incorporates everything that’s new and different this year. Even though the list of what’s changed is relatively short, it has major impacts on party planning and strategy.
Here’s everything else you need to know if you’re planning on attending the event…
Spanning portions of 3 different months, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party “season” is the longest special event at Walt Disney World. But in fairness, the only reason that Christmas isn’t longer is because the timing of Halloween prevents it. Disney probably would start celebrating Christmas in July–literally–if they could!
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party takes place from 7 pm until midnight on evenings when it’s held. On MNSSHP dates, Magic Kingdom is open to regular guests from 8 am until 6 pm. (Despite the significantly shorter hours, these are good days to visit Magic Kingdom if you’re not attending the party.)
Ticket holders are admitted to Magic Kingdom as early as 4 pm on the valid date of their ticket–giving you more time to enjoy park favorites before the event begins. These date-specific event tickets do not require an additional day theme park ticket or theme park reservation.
If you do plan on entering the park as early as possible to take advantage of that ‘bonus’ time, we do have to warn you that the line gets long and you should probably arrive well in advance–or wait until the initial rush is over. See this post about Magic Kingdom “mix-in” crowds for photos of the lines and strategy.
Also during the party, you may have the opportunity to experience some of your favorite attractions, including the newly opened TRON Lightcycle Run and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. Here’s the list of attractions that are open during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party:
Adventureland
- Jungle Cruise
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- Pirates of the Caribbean
Frontierland
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Liberty Square
- Haunted Mansion
Fantasyland
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
- “It’s a small world”
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Mad Tea Party
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Storybook Circus
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- The Barnstormer
Tomorrowland
- Astro Orbiter
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Space Mountain
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover
- TRON Lightcycle / Run
As for entertainment, here’s the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party schedule:
Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular
- August & September: 9:05 pm, 10:35 pm, 12 am
- October: 7:35 pm, 9:05 pm, 10:35 pm, 12 am
Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular
- 10:00 pm
Mickey’s Boo to You Halloween Parade
- 8:15 pm and 11:15 pm
Halloween in Storybook Circus
- 7 pm until midnight
Descendents Dance Party
- 7 pm until midnight
Disney Jr. Dance Party
- 7 pm until midnight
Cadaver Dans Barbershop Quartet
- 7:00 pm, 7:45 pm, 8:45 pm, 9:35 pm, 10:30 pm
Rusty Cutlass Pirate Band in Adventureland
- 7:15 pm, 8:15 pm, 9:15 pm, 10:30 pm, 11:30 pm
Max Goof’s Powerline Party Pack
- Pre-Parade Appearances along Main Street USA and Town Square (front of park) only
The map does not list specific meet & greet locations, but we have you covered:
Main Street USA
- Sally & Jack Skellington – Town Square Theater (most popular meet & greet, line forms at 4 pm)
- Minnie & Mickey Mouse – Town Square Theater
Fantasyland
- Ariel and Prince Eric – Prince Eric’s Village Market
- Belle and Gaston – Maurice’s Cottage
- Tigger, Pooh, Piglet, and Eeyore – The Thotful Spot near the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Drizella and Anastasia – Fantasyland (roaming)
- Pirate Goofy, Princess Daisy & Pumpkin Donald – Storybook Circus
Tomorrowland
- Elvis Stitch – Across from Monsters Laugh Floor
Adventureland
- Abu and Aladdin – Agrabah
- Genie – Agrabah
- Jafar – Near Agrabah
- Jack Sparrow – Near Pirates of the Caribbean
Frontierland
- Country Bears – Country Bear Theater (roaming)
Speaking of locations, here’s where you can find trick or treating at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party:
Main Street USA
- Market Street Welcome Trick-or-Treating (open until 8:00pm)
Fantasyland
- Fantasyland Train Station
- Gaston’s Tavern
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- Princess Fairytale Hall
Adventureland
- Tortuga Treasures
- Jungle Cruise
- Sunshine Tree Terrace
Frontierland
- Tom Sawyer Island Dock
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Liberty Square
- Columbia Harbour House
- Diamond Horseshoe
Tomorrowland
- Carousel of Progress
- Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
- TRON Lightcycle Run
Upon entering the park or picking up event wristbands, guests will be given a themed trick-or-treat bag (if you fill it up, trick-or-treat stations will have more available, so don’t worry). Candy is complimentary and unlimited–there’s no limit to how much trick-or-treating you can do during MNSSHP and it’s all free!
The above locations could vary slightly during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, so look for the giant inflatable pylon with M&Ms on it. These are brightly illuminated and should be near all of the above-referenced restaurants or rides–you can’t miss them!
If you have a food allergy, please see a Cast Member to pick up a teal-colored treat bag. When you trick-or-treat with your teal bag, you’ll receive a teal token at treat stations. Later on, you can redeem these teal tokens at the Allergy-Friendly Centers for special treats. Allergy-friendly treats can be found at the Liberty Square Ticket Office (available until midnight) and Chamber of Commerce on Main Street (available until 12:30 AM).
If you’re visiting Walt Disney World and are hoping to purchase last-minute tickets to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party on sold out dates, you might be able to do so outside the park at the Guest Relations window or inside City Hall on Main Street.
On occasion, there are same-day tickets available as a result of cancellations or other circumstances. If so, instead of the ‘sorry folks, tonight’s event is sold out’ sign pictured above, you’ll likely see one advising that a limited number of tickets are available for purchase.
For what it’s worth, we are not aware of any same-day MNSSHP tickets being sold recently. The most likely scenario for this to occur is when there are hurricane or other weather scares causing people to cancel their trips or plans. In other words, it’s a longshot–but worth trying, nevertheless!
As for the enhancements to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party from the past few years, the first is a replacement for Happy HalloWishes: the new “Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular.” These fireworks feature projections, pyro, and Jack Skellington from Nightmare Before Christmas as host.
Jack’s ghost dog, Zero, flies off to start this trick-or-treating adventure, where four friends — Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy — find themselves drawn into a mysterious haunted house. The journey takes them from one room of the house to another, encountering dancing skeletons, waltzing ghosts, and a series of troublemaking Disney villains.
There are also several attractions across the park receive special enhancements just for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party…
Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor – When you follow the treat trail into the Monster World at Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, you’ll interact in spooky ways with the comic cast of monsters, as they learn about the curious Human World holiday we call Halloween.
Mad Tea Party – The teacups take you for a colorful ride with added lighting and effects providing a different nighttime atmosphere.
Space Mountain – Rocket ships hurtle through deep space as a special soundtrack and effects transform the adventure.
So you can prepare for the Halloween Party now, here is our analysis based upon the last several years to help you determine whether this expensive hard ticket event is worth it to you, and if so, what your “Plan of Attack” should be to efficiently conquer the various offerings. Between this party and Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival, plus improving weather, the fall months at Walt Disney World are one of our favorite times of year to visit!
Also note that this guide covers Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, not Mickey’s Halloween Party (now Oogie Boogie Bash) at Disneyland Resort. For info about the latter, read our comprehensive Guide to Halloween Time at Disneyland!
Should You Attend?
Given the high cost of the hard ticket event, you might be trying to determine, “is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party worth the money?”
Our opinion on this question has changed over the years. It used to be an unequivocal yes. Then, as prices for the event nearly doubled, it became “yes if you want to splurge.” Now, with prices up and Walt Disney World, it’s harder and harder to justify. Tickets have nearly tripled in price in the last decade.
On a positive note, our anecdotal perception is that MNSSHP has been less crowded the last few years than it was in October 2019, but it’s still busier than prior to that. It’s hard to say whether the 2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party will be more or less crowded than last year. It could be worse, but it’s also possible that Walt Disney World lowered the attendance cap after complaints and price increases.
We still love the event. We don’t love the crowds or prices, but we go anyway. Probably in part because of nostalgia and in part because we have a good time enjoying the experience at a more relaxed pace. We don’t follow our own itinerary in this post since we’ve seen/done 75% of these things in previous years, so the stakes aren’t as high for us, so to speak. It’s simply a fun, albeit overpriced event.
If you can approach it from the perspective of not having to accomplish it all and being willing to overpay a bit for a truly fun and spooky evening in Magic Kingdom, we say go for it. Just don’t expect to leave thinking, “that was really worth the money.” At this point, it’s hard to come to that conclusion.
There’s a lot of special entertainment including one of Disney’s best parades and a great fireworks show, a great ambiance to the party including special decorations and lighting, lots of unique character meet & greets, and even seeing other guests in Halloween costumes makes for a fun experience.
If you do decide to do the Halloween Party, make sure to buy your tickets in advance, and use any available discounts (Disney Vacation Club member, Annual Passholder, etc.). Tickets are more expensive on the day of the party, and several nights each year sell out completely. It’s wise to purchase party tickets early if you know you’re going. It would stink to wait until the last minute and have your dates sell out.
As for what you should do during the event, here are some of our favorite tips & tricks…
General Tips
The first important tip is to pick the best day on your trip for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Some nights are busier than others, and that post covers our tips for choosing the least-crowded dates. Disney prices these parties based on historical demand, so going on the cheapest party night you can is generally the best idea from both the perspective of saving money and avoiding crowds. Win-win!
The second most important tip is to arrive early. The event officially starts at 7 p.m., which is when all of the entertainment actually begins, but guests can enter with their event tickets as early as 4 p.m. If you do plan on taking advantage of this, plan to arrive by 3:30 pm, as there will be a long line to enter and it’ll likely take close to 30 minutes to get into the park around that time.
Before we were Annual Passholders, we’d plan on doing Disney Springs or a water park the morning we went to the Halloween Party, which allowed us to purchase 1-day less on our park tickets. We highly recommend that you do the same! In other words, if you normally would buy a 5-day ticket for your trip, buy a 4-day ticket and do something besides one of the 4 theme parks before 4 pm.
The additional day you’re not purchasing would have only added on ~$30 in cost to your total package, so we’re not talking a substantial amount here, but it makes the Halloween Party more economical. To save even more money on multi-day Walt Disney World tickets, we recommend buying from an authorized ticket broker selling cheaper tickets than you can buy directly from Disney.
Read our Tips for Buying Discount Walt Disney World Tickets Guide for more information about saving money on park tickets. You can’t buy Halloween Party tickets from these authorized ticket sellers, but the amount you save on your regular park tickets plus the savings on that extra day you’re not purchasing will help offset the added cost of the party tickets.
The next biggest tip is to wear a costume–and one that’s appropriate for Florida weather! Although Disney has had some tweaks to its security policy over the last few years, costumes are allowed for all guests.
Here’s Disney’s official word on costumes: “while costumed attire may be worn, guests ages 14 and older are strongly discouraged from wearing layered costumes or costume props that surround the entire body as they may be subject to additional security screening. Additionally, costumes may not contain any weapons that resemble or could easily be mistaken for an actual weapon.”
At least half of the Guests who attend the party wear costumes, and it’s a lot more fun if you do. You’re spending a fair chunk of change to attend one of these parties, make sure you get as much value for your money as possible by wearing a costume.
You don’t need to buy some expensive costume from the store–make one at home from items you buy at a thrift shop. Sarah and I attended Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party as the following: astronauts; an elf and princess; and “Cute Minnie” and a Toy Story Alien, among other things. Most of the time, our costumes are pretty lame as compared to other guests, but we still have a lot of fun!
For costumes, go inexpensive, simple, and most importantly…LIGHTWEIGHT. We have a Guide to Halloween Costumes for the Disney Parks that covers the nuts and bolts. Suffice to say, we have worn heavier costumes, and let me tell you what a mistake that was. It may be cooler at nighttime in the fall, but it’s still Florida, and it’s still humid and hot.
A final tip is to pass on the Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular Dessert Party at Tomorrowland Terrace. This is comparable to the regular fireworks dessert party, except with Halloween-decorated desserts. (Read more in Dining & Dessert Parties During Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.)
Beyond being a waste of money, the dessert party is a waste of time. There are just too many other great things to do at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (it’s unlikely you can do all of the regular entertainment in a single night) to justify attending a dessert party. It’s just not worth taking the time from the regular awesome entertainment of the Halloween party to do this. Plus, the idea of another upcharge event within an upcharge event just makes us cringe.
With that said, let’s start to get into the details of arriving with a plan for how you should approach the evening entertainment and characters. We have a Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Itinerary on Page 2.
Arrive at 4 p.m., grab an event map for a refresher as to what is located where and entertainment showtimes, eat an early dinner, do an attraction or two, and knock out a couple of daytime PhotoPass Magic Shots for Halloween. If you’re interested in ‘collecting’ all of the exclusive images during the event, see our Guide to ALL PhotoPass Magic Shots at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.
If at all possible, find a way to avoid trick or treating or save it until the end of the night. It is a major time drain, and you could buy a bag of candy yourself for like $3. It may be difficult to convince kids not to trick or treat, but if you can, find a way. There is so much entertainment during the Halloween Party that you won’t get everything done even if you don’t trick or treat and don’t do any attractions.
Hi Tom, thanks for this blog, it’s GREAT! I have a question – if we are NOT going to the Halloween party in the evening, do you suggest that we avoid the MK that day (because of the early closing time and the extra crowds that will enter the park at 4:00)? Trying to work out which parks to visit on which dates of our trip. Thank you!
I would. Unless you have park hoppers and you are able to do another park on that day. You’ll want to see the fireworks at the MK which you won’t be able to leaving at 7. However if you can, the MNSSHP is totally worth it. We go every year and have a blast. I’m 30 and along with my sister her family and my parents we dress up and pretend we are all kids. Haha. It really is something to think about. But to answer your original question, yes plan your MK day around the party if you can. You’ll get more time, get to see the fireworks, and just have a better experience over all 🙂
Thank you Jenn!
Hi! My sister and I (27 and 31 yo) are going to Disney on Halloween (oct.28 to nov. 3). If we go to MK for the day (until 7pm), are we going to see some halloween costumes and decorations (for example between 4pm and 7pm) even if we do not go to the MNSSHP? :/ Not that we don’t want to spend a lot of money on our vacation, but we are actually hesitating with the Horror night that cost half price on week days while we are at Universal…
We know that these 2 events are completly different, but we wonder if we would really enjoy the MNSSHP for that much money and if visiting the MK would just be enough with decorations :/
Thanks!!
I was there *before* MNSSHP last year. When 7pm arrives and they are herding non-ticketed members out of the park, they turn on the lighting package and music that isn’t present during regular hours. So yes the park looks and sounds very different during MNSSHP versus regular hours.
I did attend the Christmas party last year and I was disappointed. You could see the same Christmas parades and fireworks during regular hours in the weeks following the party. But that’s not the case with the Holloween party.
That said, my favorite place to view perimeter fireworks is from the Ferry dock at the TTC or the beach at the Polynesian, neither of which require park admission. When you are in the park, you can’t take it all in because it is all around you. But, from those locations you can see everything, plus you get the water reflections.
Two other great out-of-park fireworks viewing choices are the viewing platform from the Contemporary Hotel (go up to the 3rd floor where Chef Mickeys and the gift shops are, head towards the gift shops and out the doors at the end), or if you are staying with DVC the Top of the World Lounge at Bay Lake Towers. The only problem with those locations is that they are at a 45 degree angle to the fireworks display. They are designed for viewing along Main Street. If you watch from the Poly beach that’s best for getting the full symmetry of the fireworks show design.
Great tips! We mention the Top of the World Lounge location in our article on the “Best Magic Kingdom Fireworks Views” – https://www.disneytouristblog.com/magic-kingdom-best-fireworks-views/
Hi! AWESOME review! We took our kids last year to Magic Kingdom. They loved it, and we decided to go again this year. We were just going to go all day like last year and the kids stressed that they wanted to ride specific rides, Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain, Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Car. Seeing this review made us completly change our plans. We will be doing this instead. So, my question is 1. Are all rides open? 2. Are there “fast pass”? 3. If not fast passes, how long of a wait do you suspect the rides are before and after the fireworks? Thank you again.
I don’t recall whether FastPass is available after 7 pm (I believe it is), but if you arrive at 4 pm, it’s definitely available then. Waits depend upon the day you go to the party. On a sold out party night, waits can be almost as bad as normal. On a light night, pretty much everything will be a walk-on after the fireworks. Go in September on a school night for the lowest crowds.
If you already hold a FP for after 7pm it will be honored, otherwise to the best of my knowledge they weren’t available. But most of the waits, we always go in September and on Tuesdays were walk on’s or 15-30 minutes. We would watch the first parade, then ride rides during the second as many of the littles (under 3-6) have crashed by then.
Hey! Love your blog! Planning a trip to the Halloween Party for 2014, will have an 8yr old and 4yr old girl at that time. When is the best time to go to park for lowest crowds, shortest lines etc?
The earlier in the cycle of the event (so, September), the better. The closer you get to Halloween, the busier the parties. School nights are best for avoiding locals, too.
Hey there! I tried to read all the comments to see if my question was already answered, but just can’t do it. X.X sorry!
So I’m actually from California and wanted to go to the one in Disneyland (I don’t know if it has the same name). Anyway, I was wondering if you’ve ever seen people dressed in really elaborate, convincing costumes. Or if that’s not allowed…I plan on making a fancy Belle dress and wearing it (if I do actually go) but if I actually LOOKED like Belle, would they tell me I couldn’t wear it? That will make me sad ): haha
Of course now I just started reading from the bottom and found one similar…lol sorry!
we are planning to attend this year, and my question is….having been there for new years eve…is the crowd to the same level on Halloween if you go on the 31st? is it better to go not on the 31?
I know normally Disney tends to be pretty strict, but during the MNSHP, does Disney have any special restrictions about the costumes the guests can wear? For example, can one dress up as a Jack Sparrow or Cinderella?
The only restrictions are in the form of “decency,” although I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t look too kindly upon guests posing as the “real” character and signing autographs! 🙂
My last MNSSHP my father and I (the rest of the family was slacking getting to the MK on time haha) saw three Tinkerbells and two Minnie Mouses turned away because of the length of their costume. I’m pretty sure if they added shorts or something they would be allowed in. It’s kinda up to whom ever is at the turnstile. Just keep in mind it’s Disney, it’s a family park and not a frat party. Nobody wants a wardrobe malfunction on Space Mountain! 🙂
You can’t have your face covered.
How do i buy these tickets? And when? My entire family would like to go sense itll be my grandmothers first time in america
THanks so much Becca! That changes our plans a bit. I had been thinking we needed to use a day on our park ticket PLUS the halloween party ticket to get in! But, now, we will have an extra day on our ticket! I am thinking the same as yoy – go to AK in the morning and then head to the halloween party at 4:00! Enjoy!
Thank you for all of this info. It is a huge help in my planning. I have just one question, though. If I have a 4 day base ticket, so no hopper, can I go to another park earlier in the day and then to MK at 4:00 for the MNSSHP?
I know the answer to this one! Yes, you can go to one park earlier in the day and then use your MNSSHP ticket to get into MK that night–we’re doing that on our AK day! 🙂
Has you been to the MNSSHP on Halloween.. we r going on on Halloween 2013 (Oct 30 -Nov 5) with a 7 and 9 year old… How are the crowds the week after Halloween? We were there last Augst . Had a blast but sweat the whole time!!!!
Never done Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party ON Halloween, but it’s the busiest and most expensive night of the party. Crowds AFTER Halloween in the parks generally aren’t that bad. It’s actually a nice time of year to visit!
Hi! Great post– thanks for the tips! Do you know if Tony’s Town Square Restaurant is open during the party? They have great parade-viewing from their patio and I wonder if that is an option during the Boo to You parade.
My fiance and I went to MVMCP last December for our engagement celebration. Our favorite part of the entire night was meeting all of the rare characters and interacting with them! Especially Mickey and Minnie! They interacted with us for almost 10 min and we got THE most awesome pictures with them!!! Plus getting to see the princes WITH their princesses was great 🙂 We had such a fantastic time that we decided to go a second night while we were still at Disney (That and we didn’t have time for all the characters in one night)
This year we are going to Disney for our Honeymoon and we CAN’T WAIT for the MNSSHP!!! We already bought tickets for 2 different nights because we know there is going to be too much we want to see and do to fit in one night! It’s expensive, but I think it’s completely worth the money (at least for one night) especially if character meet and greets are something you love to do 🙂
Great article!!!
Can you please advise where do I buy these tickets. I am from Australia and will be there during Halloween which will be a real treat for my kids.
many thanks
Margaret
Just call up Disney reservations. (407-939-7675 was the number I used. I don’t know if there’s a toll free one, you can check the Disney parks site for one.) You can buy the tickets right over the phone. That’s how I purchased mine. Then they just mail them to you.
We went in 2012 and thoroughly enjoyed it. We carried out costumes with us all the way from Australia and it was worth it. We picked easy costumes and threw them away at the end. My tip is to wait until all the little kiddies get tired and then do your ‘trick or treating’ and hit the candy barrels (our kids are teenagers so they can go the distance). We stepped straight onto to every ride. No waiting we just meandered through the barricades and hopped on – fantastic. Worth the money if you are travelling as far as we were. Thanks for your blog I read basically all the information before we went!!!
My husband and I are taking our kids (2 girls who will be ages 4 and 6 and our toddler son, who will be 18 months) to Disney World for the first time in mid October . Right now, we have dinner reservations for Cinderella’s Royal Table for Friday evening at 7:10 (the only one we could get!), which I now realize is basically when the “party” begins. Will we miss the first parade? (By the way, we don’t mind missing the headless horseman because it would probably frighten them anyway; honestly, I’m wondering if some of the parade itself might be a little too “scary” for them…). What about the fireworks – will they at least be able to see those? Also, I was wondering if you knew whether the character dinners like Cinderella’s Royal Table are different that night – I.e., Halloween themed. I hope not – we really want dinner with the princesses to be a “princess” experience for them! And the same as it would be any other night of the week. Thanks for your help!
You could be out of there in time for the parade if you eat quickly. I wouldn’t count on it, though. Any chance you could do the party a different night? You would still be able to eat at Cinderella’s Royal Table that night (just make sure you get to the check-in stand by 7pm), so it would actually be a great way to stay in the Magic Kingdom past the start time of the party!
Two years ago we were at MK for the Christmas Party and I also made reservations at Cinderella’s castle for that night. My thinking was we’d do all this special, wonderful stuff on the same night. But we were really pressed for time and had to rush through the entire party. Didn’t get to see alot of the character (that is something that was really important to me since so many are only out for the special parties) I would do the party on a different night if I were you.
What a great website. We are going to Disneyworld in October 2013 with son and his family and we are suptising the two grandaughters. This webiste and people’s comments and questions have made it so easy to work out what to see and do and as it costs a lot of money for us to all get there(from Australai), I really am most appreciative of all the information I have been able to gather.
The only question I have is that we will be staying at the Sheraton Vistana Resort and wonder what it is like to get transport back there at mignight after the MNSSHP,are there cabs/taxi’s or buses?
Keep up the great website!
There are taxis. Not sure about buses to that particular hotel.
Thanks so much for all this information! I was very lucky to stumble onto this website – which is EXACTLY what I was looking for. My husband and I will be taking our 4 & 5 year old this October for our very first WDW experience!! I just wanted to make sure that the Boo-to-You extra cost, was in fact worth it.
And given the way you’ve presented it – you’ve also answered whether or not the purchase for the Holiday Extravaganza will be worth it on our next trip (in 3 years – we live in Michigan).
Thanks again for taking time to upload all this wonderful information! Really excited!!! Going to show the kids all you great pics (now that I know we are doing it, and hubby is on board 100%)!!
Angela-
We LOVED the Christmas party with our (then) 2.5 y.old and are looking forward to this year’s Halloween party. He will be 4 and loves all things “scary”. It is so worth it. The “snow” is magical and even though we also see a lot of that in MI, Disney makes it feel really special. Parade and fireworks were just awesome! Make sure to follow Tom’s guide for the no cost holiday hotel tour to see the decorations around Disney. We did it on a rest day and it was really festive and cool. My son still talks about getting a gingerbread cookie at the real Gingerbread house. One thing to note, during our visit from Dec 5-12, the weather was nice but a bit chilly. Only one day felt like a pool day. Your older kids might not care and the pools on property are always heated….
Hi, my husband and I are visiting Disneyland in September and I was wondering if they do Mickey’s Halloween Party there? Or is it just WDW? Thank you!
Hi! We are headed down to WDW and will be there for Halloween. We have been to the MNSSHP a few years ago and LOVED it. But this trip we are on more of a budget and were wondering if you knew of other events at Resorts or Parks that they offer on Halloween? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks!
It’s not an “event” but campers at Fort Wilderness decorate their sites for Halloween. Some of them really go all out in their decorations. It’s very cool to go through their and look at it all.
We stayed at the Pop Century for Halloween once and they had a party poolside for the guests. It was geared towards kids, a great alternative if you don’t want to pay for the Not so Scary Halloween Party. I’m not sure what the other resorts offer. We are going to the Not So Scary Halloween Party this year. I can’t wait!,
I am SO excited for Mickey’s Not So Scary this year! I’m going in late September! I’m plotting ways to get my mother, father and brother to dress up. It’s going to be difficult because we’re all adults here! Lol.
As for people asking how deterring party crashers is enforced, I don’t know about the entire park, but I worked on Main Street during my Disney College Program. We always crowded the doors at exactly 7:00 and did not let anyone in without a wristband. They change the appearance the wristbands for every party so there are no copycats. So you cannot get into any attractions or stores because they are heavily guarded.
As for just watching the parade and fireworks, I would assume the parade cast members would handle that, but I’m not sure. Didn’t work outside the stores.
Husband and I were at Cinderella’s castle for dinner during the holiday party last December. We were at the holiday party as ticketholders a few nights earlier, and I so loved the fireworks, I wanted to catch another show and wondered how they could possibly spot us in the crowd in the dark, and figured if we were on our way out anyway and saw the show, how bad could that really be? I wasn’t going to try to get cookies or cocoa or ride anything… well! I was really just savoring our window-seat table in the castle, but we were the last to leave dinner, and people were lining up to watch the fireworks. They asked us at the door if we were staying for the party, and we were not, so they had us sit in the entrance hall for about 10 minutes while they called in a cast member to escort us out. I didn’t mind extra time in the castle, but wondered how this escort could be possible! It was! The fantasyland cast member came, and personally escorted us not just out of the castle, but out of the entire park until we were out of the gate. It was very courteous and we made conversation on the way, but even through the crowds, she had her eye on our place behind her. Not that I would have gotten purposely lost. As it were, because the holiday show is so spectacular, we saw the whole thing outside the gate. 🙂