2022 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Guide: Dates, Info & Tips
Our Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party guide offers tips & info for Magic Kingdom’s fall special event at Walt Disney World. This info guide offers tips, strategy, photos, 2022 dates, ticket prices, and our review having attended MNSSHP over 20 times in the last decade-plus. (Updated May 1, 2022.)
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.
Last year, Walt Disney World cancelled Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party last year and replaced it with Disney After Hours Boo Bash. The good news is that Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is COMING BACK FOR 2022! We have more details here, but if you want to be notified when all info about the 2022 party is released, subscribe to our free email newsletter for instant alerts.
Not everything has been announced yet, but here’s some of what to expect from the 2022 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party:
- Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular! – Watch 3 sinister sisters bewitch and bedazzle the residents of Magic Kingdom park.
- Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular – A wickedly wild fireworks display featuring Disney characters and hosted by Jack Skellington from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.
- Disney Junior Jam at Storybook Circus – This dance party features some favorite friends from Disney Junior shows for young partygoers.
- Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade – Disney characters and iconic floats inspired by Haunted Mansion and other Halloween scenes appear during this beloved parade.
- Collect a bag full of candy as you roam the trick-or-treat trails in search of some of your favorite sweets.
Tickets for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party may be purchased online or by calling 407-939-4240 beginning May 18, 2022. Guests of all Walt Disney World resorts and other select hotels (see below) can begin purchasing tickets as early as May 12, 2022. Ticket prices will range from $109 – $199. The event dates are:
- August 2022: 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30
- September 2022: 2, 5, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30
- October 2022: 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party will take place from 7:00 PM to midnight. Ticket holders will be admitted to Magic Kingdom park as early as 4:00 PM on the valid date of their ticket–giving them even 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.
Below is date-by-date pricing for the 2022 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom:
Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can save $10 per ticket to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, valid for select event nights.
Guests of select hotels at the Walt Disney World Resort can begin purchasing Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party tickets as early as May 12, 2022. The advance purchase window is available to guests of ALL Disney-owned resort hotels, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin (including Swan Reserve), as well as Shades of Green at Walt Disney World Resort. All other guests may purchase tickets beginning on May 18, 2022.
Following the announcement of the 2022 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, we’ve been inundated with questions. This isn’t surprising, as it’s dramatically different from last year’s Boo Bash, and many readers never attended MNSSHP in the past. Even if you did, Walt Disney World has changed a lot in the last few years.
If you still have questions about what the event does and does not include, when tickets go on sale, eligibility to purchase, crowds, and much more, see our 2022 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party FAQ. We wrote that MNSSHP FAQ in response to the most common questions in the comments to this post. If you have a question, there’s a strong probability that FAQ answers it.
Here’s everything else you need to know about MNSSHP if you’re planning for 2022, including strategy and our review of whether the Halloween party is worth the high price tag…
Our tips and tricks for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) are based on our experiences attending the party every year for the last decade. The last year the event was held, we attended over 10 times thanks to the Unlimited Halloween Party Admission with the Not So Scary Pass!
You can read about our experience the first night in our Review & Photos: Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Report. We also have a look at all of the food items in our Halloween Snack & Dessert Food Guide to Magic Kingdom.
Let’s start with a brief summary of what was new during the most recent Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party season, just in case you don’t read our MNSSHP report above…
What’s New
As for the enhancements to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, 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 30+ PhotoPass opportunities throughout Magic Kingdom during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, including returning favorites and a few new offerings. Many of these are cheesy and goofy (lowercase g), but they’re still a ton of fun and most will give you a good laugh, at the very least.
Our favorites are Headless Horseman in front of the Main Street Train Station and the variety of ‘magic shot’ options at and around Haunted Mansion. (Let us know if you’re interested in a post that covers all of the special PhotoPass opportunities during MNSSHP!)
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 will take you for a colorful ride with added lighting and effects providing a different nighttime atmosphere.
Pirates of the Caribbean – Pirates will invade the attraction, interacting with sailing guests who will join the search for “Gunpowder Pete” who is a live actor in the ride.
Space Mountain – Rocket ships will hurtle through deep space as a special soundtrack and effects transform the adventure.
It’s a savvy move on Walt Disney World’s part to increase the number of attraction overlays. Recent Halloween Parties have been consistently overcrowded, especially on Main Street and at character meet & greets. The attraction overlays are a good way to help absorb and redistribute some crowds, easing congestion elsewhere and (hopefully) improving the experience at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.
The final added piece of entertainment is the Disney DescenDANCE Party at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe. This is being offered to roughly coincide with the release of “Descendents 3.” You can join Mal and the VKs to save everyone in the kingdom by dancing the night away, naturally.
Next, there’s Cruella’s Halloween Hide-a-Way at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant, which is ironically fitting in Walt Disney World’s Lady and the Tramp-themed restaurant. Cruella’s Halloween Hide-a-Way will feature themed background music and decor, all you can eat food & drinks (including alcohol), a reserved viewing area for Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade, and a chance to mingle with Cruella de Vil.
Cruella’s Halloween Hide-a-Way at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant begins at 9:30 p.m. and runs until 12:30 a.m. (after the party ends) and will basically function as a ‘Club Level’ party lounge you can pop into and out of at your leisure for a per person cost.
Normally, we do not recommend these upcharges-within-upcharges. First of all, because they put the total event cost at or above $200 per person, which is obviously a lot. Second, because they distract from what’s already a busy night and jam-packed itinerary. (On the flip side, the reserved seating area is a big asset.)
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?
So at $100 a pop (and up!) for tickets to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, 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 having raised the attendance cap, it’s harder and harder to justify.
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.
Another question we often receive is whether we prefer the Halloween Party or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. We are total suckers for Christmas, so we can’t answer that without bias. With that said, we prefer the Christmas Party, but probably two-thirds of people we know prefer the Halloween Party. Your mileage may vary.
Aside from the higher price, the biggest difference between the two parties is that the Halloween Party offers more special entertainment and character meet & greets. Personally, I enjoy the Christmas Party more, but I think it’s undeniable that there’s more to do at the Halloween Party.
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 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, here’s our guide to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party…
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!
In recent years, MNSSHP attendance has been, generally speaking, dramatically higher than previously. Many of the events–especially dates in October–sold out. That could change for 2022, but we suspect it’ll again be a busy year barring a downturn in Walt Disney World attendance for whatever reason.
The second most important tip is to arrive early to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. The Party officially starts at 7 p.m., which is when all of the entertainment actually begins, but guests can enter with their Halloween Party tickets as early as 4 p.m. This is not something Walt Disney World advertises, but it absolutely is true, and you will see plenty of other guests arriving at 4 p.m., and Cast Members in their Halloween outfits at the turnstiles.
This earlier entry offers you potential savings to offset the cost of your tickets. 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 p.m.
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! 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. It costs $84 per adult ($50 for kids ages 3-9) on top of the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party ticket. So, if you’ve been thinking that the Halloween party is just too darn cheap, this option is for you!
There is not a reserved viewing area for the Boo to You Parade from Town Square, and the lack of this is a big deal. For most Halloween Parties, reserved viewing for Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular is totally unnecessary. It is nice for the Boo to You Parade, though. Plus, the reserved viewing area is not a good spot for viewing the fireworks (for the best spots, check out our Magic Kingdom Fireworks Viewing Locations Guide).
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 at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party with a plan-of-attack for what you should do. We have a step-by-step 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 and do an attraction or two before 6:00 pm. Once 6 pm hits, it’s time to get ready to party, and time to initiate your Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party attack-plan to do and see as much as you can.
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.
From here, we will start with our plan of attack to efficiently accomplish as much as possible during MNSSHP on PAGE 2.
Hello! Thank you so much for your insightful information in this post and others. I am wondering your opinion on days of an “after party”, does there seem to be less regular attendance due to the park closing a bit early? We are trying to decide if we would want to make MK reservations on a day that had an after party (if less crowded) or is it best to avoid those days (more crowded). We are early park goers and wouldn’t be interested in an after party or even staying until the parks close on a regular night. Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks again for your blog posts!
Kendra, I’d like to know too. I thought Tom mentioned something about this at one point but I can’t remember.
It really depends on when Magic Kingdom closes. Last year with After Hours, there was almost no impact. With MNSSHP, there is usually a huge impact.
Tom,
Do you recommend enjoying MK on the days the party is held? I feel like I read in a previous post that you recommended MK on nights it closes early. Correct me if I’m wrong on that, please.
They do close early and hoards of people are allowed in at 3 or 4pm before the cut off. I have done the park those days about 5 years ago and it was very quiet during the day, but these days nothing is quiet. It will just be massive hoards followed by more massive hoards on party day and shorter regular hours.
Hey Tom- Any insight as to when details for
Halloween offerings will be released, whether it be After Hours or a party? Seems like Not So Scary info, in the past, would have been released around this time, but maybe I’m wrong…. Thanks for the awesome work you and Sarah do, as always!!
hold on a second, i guess with the new design and platforms in the castle stage, this could probably mean that the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular might be replaced with a new Villains themed stage show for the Halloween Party.
I hope not. That was my wife’s favorite show!
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Great info and tips. Never been to MNSSHP and I live in Florida (I know sad, right?!?) but I would love to get alerts on any updates regarding this event and Mickey’s Very Merry (which I have done …lol)
Hi Tom,
Love the blog. Have there been any updates for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party? We’re traveling in September and we’re hoping to catch one of possible.
Tom, you mentioned an overlay for Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor. Has this been confirmed to come back? I was concerned this week when I saw all the signs removed and it’s no longer listed on the Magic Kingdom map. This is one of our favorite attractions in MK!
Tom HELP! I am signed up to receive emails & newsletters but have not received any emails from you for months! I signed back up for the newsletter again but got 1 email & then nothing! What do I need to do to start receiving emails again??? I can check the site, but when there is “breaking news” I like getting those emails! PLEASE HELP!
Thank you!!!!
We’ve had issues with Yahoo, Hotmail, and AOL email addresses flagging our emails as spam. If your email address is one of those, check your spam folder and unflag (or use a different email account, if you have one).
Tom,
I have checked spam & nothing. I’m just not getting the emails for some crazy reason.
I am going to sign up with a different email address & see if that works.
Thanks for replying & keep up the good work!!!
Happy Easter!
Every year we go to two NSS and two MVM. It’s true you can’t do it all in one night and have a better chance of seeing everything on multiple nights. Even though The Sorcerer’s game is gone (or at least being reworked) I think they should still issue game cards as a reminder of “the good old days”. We are more into The Celebration and so aren’t too worried about the total cost. We enjoyed the Christmas add-on party and really appreciated the reserved viewing are. We also liked going back in to sit down , have a snack or drink , and go out to attack the party again. Between midnight and 1230 it was fun to have a drink and watch the park empty out. Since we were staying on property we weren’t concerned about the ride home.
I would love a post about all the photo op spots available during MNSSHP!
Tom, what are your thoughts on two things…
1- With the 50th Anniversary beginning on October 1st, do you think they will decorate Main Street for Halloween as in years past?
2- If they do hold the MNSSHP character meet&greets, do you think they will be more in line with the current Covid safe distance meet&greets?
I can’t see the US getting back to any kind of normalcy that soon, even with a vaccine.
The year before last we bought tickets to the dessert party you don’t recommend. We just wanted to chill out for fireworks since we stand in line for character meet and greets. About 2 weeks prior to our trip, I got at least 3 phone calls directly from WDW. The message that was left for me was that we were entitled to a reserve location for the parade that was included with our dessert tickets and instructions on where to go and what to show to watch. Since the Halloween parade is our absolute favorite parade by far, this made the dessert party expense totally worth it, at least for us. Headless Horseman was up close and personal. Loved it.
Thanks for all the great information! I would LOVE. a post dedicated to Halloween PhotoPass spots and photos. When you say things will largely be back to normal, do you mean character meet & greets? These are a highlight for our family, so I’m interested in when they’ll return.
Thanks, Tom!
I would love an article outlining Magic PhotoPass opportunities, especially during the Halloween party. That would be excellent as I don’t recall finding a guide anywhere else, just stumbling across them at random!
I wonder if the parades & fireworks will be presented even if MNSSHP is scheduled. I hope so. I’m hoping to come for MVMCP this year but if there are no parades, fireworks or Candlelight Processional that is a deal breaker for me. Fingers crossed! If anyone can figure out how to deliver it all and do it safely. Mickey and the gang can. They have done a fabulous job from the start on this.
Do you know when they usually announce the dates of the mnsshp?
In 2020, pre-Covid, they were announced and went on sale in February. Not sure about this year. I think Tom is optimistic about there being a Party this year, based on what Universal is doing.
We are going to be at Disney World the first week of October. We have already reserved our days in each park. Does Magic Kingdom close early for the Halloween Party? We normally stay at Magic Kingdom from the time it opens until closing time. I guess I am confused since what I am reading says you have to buy a separate ticket for the event. Please advise!
yes, The MNSSHP is a separately ticketed event, so the park closes for regular ticket holders.
However if you have a regular admission and a MNSSHP ticket you don’t have to leave (unlike UO for HHN)
The third option is that (well in the past) MNSSHP ticket holders were allowed to enter the park at 4 pm, 2 hours earlier than the event!
I am going to be going to Disney World this year october 27th through november first, whaty day would be best to go to Magic kingdom to experience any of the halloween attractions and the night time party? did i book bad days to go?
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party may or may not happen this year (it was canceled last year). I suppose it will depend on the vaccine rollout and how well the nation is doing with transmission rates. In 2020, tickets went on sale in February, but I assume they will not make tickets available quite so early this year. I believe the usual days for MNSSHP are tues, thurs, fri, sun. Tuesdays and Thursdays will be less crowded, generally speaking, so if I were you I’d aim to get tickets for Thursday the 28th (when and if they are made available).
Is MNSSHP suitable for a 6 year old and a 3 year old? We’re going in late September before the 50th and will likely avoid the parks for a year or two afternoon we want it to be extra special for the kiddos. Love the site and have been a long time subscriber. Your RunDisney posts were a big help when I was training for Wine & Dine two years ago. Thanks
Oh my gosh!!! Yes!!! You must take them. It’s not so scary after all. It’s so much fun. They will remember it forever!!