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.
Hello, we have been to the Halloween party before, but many years ago and early in September. My family found the lines to be exceptionally short for the rides, as everyone is doing the special occasion activities. Do you anticipate similarly short lines for rides this year if we are there on the Sunday directly before Halloween (which I assume will be likely a sold out event)? My teens only care about bagging as many rides as possible. We only have one day to do MK & I do love the ambiance of MNSSHP.
I have been to a Christmas Party, but not a Halloween one, so our family is going this October 2019 and we are so excited to check it out.
I am a Disney World fanatic. We went to MNSSHP lin early October 2018. After waiting years to go it was a HUGE disappointment. What a waste of money! We’re season pass holders so getting in “early” wasn’t a bonus for us, the park was PACKED. It wasn’t even a sold out party night, but it was felt more crowded than an average day. Partly because the were lines everywhere and partly because there isnt as much to do . People were waiting in character lines before 5 ppm. The Castle hub was mobbed all evening, We parked out in Frontierland more than an hour before the parade. Many of the rides are shut for the party so we went to the parade, a dance party, did some trick or treating and got on 2 rides. We didn’t meet a single character. Basically we paid $400 for three bags of candy and a parade and some fireworks that we had to view from a distance. Never again. We get so much more done and have so much more fun on a regular day. I would never recommend this to anyone.
Agreed. I also went in October. The party was not sold out, but it was certainly very crowded. Personally, I don’t plan on doing these parties again, unless I can go during an off time (e.g., Christmas party in mid-November).
This year you can experience a new soundtrack on Space Mtn and that should help reconcile the increasing prices/crowds.
I have read elsewhere that non-Halloween Party ticket holders are not made to leave the Magic Kingdom before the party starts at 7 PM, so what is the point of buying these expensive add-on tickets?
They absolutely are, we saw a guest escorted out at 7:15ish by a cast member who walked them to the exit,if you don’t have a wristband issued for the party they do not allow you to stay and we even had to show our wristband at some of the rides until about halfway thru the party
Good to know!
I think the problem was largest during the ’16 season. We went twice in ’17 and MK seemed to have a new plan of attack by not letting guests enter new lands without showing party wristbands. Non-party ppl got squeezed to the park front, and out. Cast was actively checking wristbands.
We have only gone 2017 and had an amazing experience. While you could feel the park get busier, we went on rides multiple times, though, we opted out of going to parades/shows, which, when we go this year, is at the top of my priority list. But, it was great! Missed last year due to having to cancel our trip last minute, but soooo looking forward to going this year! 🙂
Hi Deidre:
When I went on a party night, the park was open for nonparty guests until 7pm. Disney let the floodgates open at 4pm for the party goers for early entry. The park was flooded with early admission party goers so much that regular guests (me) could not get on rides without a long, long wait. The pathways were so crowded that it was shoulder to shoulder and kind of scary to try to get out of that mob.
I blame Disney for this. If a party is sold as 7 to 11, for example, then it should be starting at 7 only! Of course, the party goers are going to take advantage of early entry. BUt it is not fair for those of us who paid a lot for the day to have to contend with these crowds. I don’t mind the parties When they don’t interfere with regular guests who pay for a full day.
I know it’s not your fault. I put the blame on Disney for this, just a money grab for what used to be free. shame on them.
Thanks so much for all your articles and reviews. I find them very helpful. We are planning our first and likely only ever trip to WDW beginning of Oct 2019. We have booked a value resort and got free dining for the 4 of us. I have a halloween specific question; there is no way we can afford the mickey not scary party tickets. I worry we are missing all the halloweeness. What else is halloweeney at the parks if one can’t do the party (apart from some decorations). Will there be any villans out? Or spookyness in parades? Or halloween special treats? What is halloween special for just regular ticket holders. Thanks. Julie
As someone that has visited WDW multiple times over multiple years, I’ve never been to the Party. We opted to go as part of our big fall family trip and we actually went on Halloween, so I think I saw the crowds at their possible peak in the past??? Maybe not as it was a school night, so many of the locals may not have attended???
Here is my review, very quick.
Four out of Five Stars.
I’d do it again next year, but would opt for an “off” night, not the night of Halloween itself, we sort of fell into that based on our plans and travel schedule.
Here is what I have to say and we had 12 total family members, including an awesomely well behaved and well rested 2 year old and a trooper of a 75 year old.
Early, Early, Early. We planned for this, but did not accomplish this based on unforeseen events with a check in issue (Dolphin Resort). Thanks Marriott…
Expectations, expectations, expectations… I set the bar at about a 5 out of 10 for this night and we exceeded them. Road many of the Fantasy Land Rides with little or limited wait, got photo with Halloween Mickey at 7pm and saw parade. I (we) even got to eat a Smash Burger, which is actually worth the hype, IMO. Watched the Fireworks from Cosmic Rays and although the audio was low, visual was great, which we wanted with a little one. Great service, very clean, perfect sit down without crowds. It’s about expectations.
The parade was great! Caught the 2nd one. Waited on Main Street for about 20 min prior, well worth it.
We made it into Tomorrow Land, Fantasy Land and obviously Main Street that night.
We DID NOT attempt to traverse to the other side of the park. Only negative was I did not get to do Haunted Mansion on Halloween, but its all about your own expectations and how reasonable they are.
Didn’t see the Hocus show, but caught glimpses of it as we walked around, looked (sounded) awesome. Our party was not too interested in that… more on rides and any characters we could catch.
Our young one loved the dance party in Tomorrow Land. Great opp for us to trade off watching while others used restroom and some did Space Mountain. Its a good event to use a a food or bathroom break. No real “true” photo ops, but well worth the 30 min we spent there.
Crowds were what I expected as I’d compare them to about a 7.5 on a 10 scale, but with most seeking photo ops and other extras, our goals were met, even though we arrived “late” to the party, missing the 4pm entrance for guests and getting in at about 7;00pm.
I found this site to be very helpful in my prep, which started months ago, so I’ll look here for Xmas info too.
We would like to know how Disney distinguished between the people that bought tickets to Mickeys Halloween Party and the people already in the park??? We paid $232 for 2 tickets AFTER paying for our regular park tickets and could have not paid for the party and still participated. Definetly got ripped off and didn’t do anything different or get anything for our money.
The party and your reg park tix are two different things.
We had both on the same night and did NOT use a park tix to enter the Party.
We had a hard tix to enter the party, which we presented upon arrival.
You need to check your purchases for tix and see what was used.
The party admin and the park admin are two different things. I had a four day hopper and a party tix and I arrived at 7:00pm and only used the party tix.
IF your reg admin tix was “charged”, you’ll need to identify the time it was and if it was prior to 4:00pm EST, you may have an issue.
Also, with the party and the WDW Marathon, computer systems are running like crazy so you may want to give it a few days before attempting to make confirmation.
Super dumb question but how do you tell Madame Carlotta and Madam Renata apart? I got to listen to stories up close during a little rain shower and I could have sworn she said she was Renata but all of the photo evidence points to Carlotta. Ha. It was the exact same ‘friend’ that is in your photo.
Thank you!
I want to make sure I am understanding this correctly . If I buy a regular park ticket can I use that at Epcot during the day and then go to Magic Kingdom at 4 PM with my party ticket?
Hi,
I have tickets to the Halloween party for Friday, October 26. I also have a 6:25 dinner reservation at Be Our Guest. Do you think I should cancel my dinner reservation?
My fiance and I spent 230 dollars for our tickets. Given this high amount, I wonder whether spending 90 minutes at a restaurant is the best use of our time, even if it is at Be Our Guest.
Thanks!
This comes down to a personal choice but I would if you are interested in seeing the park and rides. Why not eat somewhere nice outside of the party hours on another day? You only have 8 hours (assuming you enter right at 4pm).
Thanks for the advice. I am leaning towards agreeing with you.
We will actually have well over eight hours at the park since our day will also be spent at Magic Kingdom. I realize this isn’t ideal, but it was our only option.
Still, we want to try to experience as much as the party as we can since it is our first time.
If you are at the park already earlier in the day…try booking breakfast or lunch at Be Our Guest restaurant for those meal times …then for dinner do one of the quick restaurants – we ate at Cosmic Rays on our Halloween night 6:30pm – right between park closing for regular park guests and official start time to Halloween Party – believe me there is so much fun to be had at the Party!!! Have fun!!!
i would cancel you will miss so much and its dinner what i did was eat a lunch 2;30-3;00 remember you can get into the park as early as 4 and there are so many treats that are only offered on halloween party times.
Question…is the parade during day before the Halloween party starts similar to the special Halloween one?
We are going on a day that is not offering the Halloween party. We are undecided if it would be worth going a different day to see the parade. I hate to spend an additional $500 just to see the Halloween parade if it’s similar to the normal one in October.
My kids are older and could really careless for the trick or treating and dance.
“Question…is the parade during day before the Halloween party starts similar to the special Halloween one?”
No, they are totally different. There is no daytime Halloween parade.
We went August 28th – with intentions of no trick or treating for our older kids either…but one stop changed all that and became the highlight of the night …a friendly competition as to who received the most M & M Caramels – a flavor we don’t see here in Canada LOL….The two parades ARE very different and Halloween Boo to you Parade is a must see! Keep in mind – fireworks AND the Hocus Pocus show too are for those older kids..Add in Pirates of Caribbean with real characters and Haunted Mansion – a perfect fit to the occasion worth the money? YES!
I heard upon leaving there are buckets of candy by the exit. Is this true? If so, it may prevent us from trick or treating if we just get candy at the end anyways?
Taking my daughter for her 10th birthday, wondering if the Halloween party is worth it in terms of less crowds? We will only be there for 2 quick days and don’t really want to leave the park at 6pm. In people’s experiences, is the crowd a lot less for those staying for the Halloween party? She will mostly just want to ride the rides…hoping for short waits on the fun rides! thanks for the info
If you go once school is back in (across the country) and on a Sunday or week night it will be worth it.
We went to the August 28th (Tues) party and it was ungodly hot, and poured the first two hours of the party. I thought it would be less crowded because local schools had already gone back but I was wrong. It was crowded. I think now that school is back nationwide the crowds will be much smaller (as long as you don’t go the week of Halloween).
I have an 11 and 5 year old and they loved it, despite the crowds, heat and rain.
If the weather has cooled off it’s a must do. They crowds will definitely disappear by 7pm and you will not have to wait very long for anything.
Is the food included in the piece of the ticket, or do you have to pay for food when your there?
LOL, this is Disney, so no food is not included. The only thing included are Trick or Treat candy stations which open at 7pm the night of the party until closing (12am).
New for 2018 – DVC members and their guests can enter the Magic Kingdom at 2:00 pm for the Halloween party. I saw this announcement on the Disney Vacation Club site.
We rented DVC points for 2019 trip. Technically we are guests of a DVC member but they will not be with us. Would we still get to enter at 2?
Hi! So just to clarify buying the premium dessert party ticket will give you no special seating for the Halloween parade? I only want to do the dessert party if it helps with the parade. My children are 1 and 3 and I will be with no other adults. So sitting down an hour before the parade starts is not an option for me. Any advice?
Going for 1st time to MNSSHP. Are there any restrictions regarding wearing face make up if you choose to dress up in a costume? Disney’s website just says no masks.
I don’t think so because there are pictures with adults and face paint. But I would always call (or bring something to wipe it off if you have to).
Totally confused. For either the Halloween or Christmas night do you need a park ticket or just the event night ticket?
You need a ticket to get into the party which officially starts at 7pm (but you can enter the park as early as 4pm with the party ticket).
If you want to get into the park before 4pm then you will need to buy a regular day time park ticket but if you do not have a party ticket you will be asked to leave the park by 6pm. They will give you a wristband for the party and the Cast members are setup at various pathways to start checking for the wristbands starting around 5-5:30ish. If do not have one you will be asked to leave the park. If you buy both the day and night ticket you will still have to go back to the park entrance and get your wristband (again you can pick it up as early as 4pm).
To be clear if you only plan on going to the party then that’s the only ticket you need to buy (for both Halloween or Christmas) to get into the Magic Kingdom. Again you can get into the Magic Kingdom after 4pm with just the party ticket.
But if you plan on going to the park when it opens on the day of the party (8am or 9am) you will need to buy a park ticket which will cover from opening until 6pm.
The party’s run from 7pm to midnight (but again you can get in as early as 4pm with just your party ticket). So essentially you can get 8 hours in the park with just the party ticket (4pm to midnight). If you feel 8 hours isn’t enough time then I suggest buying the day ticket (at regular price). Personally 8 hours is more than enough for me in the Magic Kingdom considering after the party starts the crowds are almost nonexistent especially if you pick a party night on a weekday far away from the actual holiday. I’ve gone to the last three Christmas parties on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving and by 7pm the wait time on all rides (outside of the Dwarfs) was never more than 15 minutes. By the end of the night Space Mountain is a 5 minute wait time. We always skipped the early parade and hit the rides we wanted to get on as soon as the early parade starts.
Also remember if you enter at 4pm you can use FastPass (with your Magic Band) up until 6pm.
We love this party so much that its become a yearly tradition. We love the character greets with the characters wearing the costumes. The parade is fantastic and I love the cameos during the parade of rare characters such as the Country Bears and Brers. The character greets, fireworks, and multiple showing of the parade are enough where I would skip any rides that do not have special Halloween overlays plus I would minimize time spent trick or treating.
Can you get fast passes during party hours?
No not during party hours. There are literally no lines for the rides during the party because the crowds are much lower.
THat was not my experience at all. We had thirty five minute waits. Couldn’t get near the shows. Long food lines. Long Trick or treat lines. Everything was ridiculously crowded. Disney obviously oversells. It was a Tuesday night… incredibly disappointed. We had far less people in the morning.
This might have already been asked, but if we get in line around 5:30 for the dwarfs, is it feasible to see them by 6:30? I don’t really want to wait over an hour to see characters. Our other option is to hop over and get in line around 11:40 as the 2nd parade is finishing up. Do you know when they cut the line for the dwarfs?
We are going to the Sunday night party on September 9th.
My experiences from late October visit: 5:30 was too late to see the Dwarfs by 6:30 but if the early Sept party doesnt sell out, you could get lucky.