2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Guide
Our guide to the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party offers tips & info for Magic Kingdom’s fall special event at Walt Disney World. This includes available & sold out 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 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, the bad news is that Walt Disney World has yet to release dates, tickets, or other details. On a positive note, we do know that MNSSHP will return, with more info coming soon. If you want to be notified when dates & tickets for the 2024 party are released,, subscribe to our FREE email newsletter. For now, here’s everything you need to know about the event…
One of the most common questions we hear from readers is when will Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party dates be announced and tickets go on sale? Our expectation is sometime between now and May 2024. It could occur within the coming weeks or not for several more months. Historical precedent supports both.
Looking back, last year’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party was announced in late April during “Halfway to Halloween” in each of the last two years. The three parties before that were announced in mid-February, mid-January, and mid-March, respectively. That’s quite the scattering of months, and it’s honestly difficult to say what’ll happen in 2024.
Walt Disney World has been seeing an exhaustion of pent-up demand, and concerns of that dying down further mean tickets go on sale earlier so there’s more time for them to sell out. Then again, every single date did sell out last year, and that was even as the parks were otherwise slowing down. There’s really no reason to believe MNSSHP tickets will sell slower in 2024, so there shouldn’t be a sense of urgency.
With all of that in mind, we’ll just make the very broad prediction that an announcement will come no later than April 20, 2024. Beyond that, it honestly wouldn’t surprise us if they went on sale as early as mid-January; even if there is no urgency, capturing that revenue as soon as possible and locking people into travel plans is win-win for the company.
As for the event itself, our prediction is that the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party will start on or around August 9, 2024 and continue several nights per week until November 1, 2024. Last year, dates were August 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, 29; September 1, 4, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29; October 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 27, 29, 31; and November 1.
Ticket prices for the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party will likely range from $125 to $225 depending upon the date. Costs have skyrocketed in the last several years, and it doesn’t help that all dates sold out last year. That alone was unprecedented, but the fact that it happened despite huge price increases could mean even more expensive tickets for the 2024 MNSSHP.
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 2024…
Our tips and tricks for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) are based on our experiences attending the party over 30 times since 2007. You can read about our experience the first night last year in our Review & Photos: Mickey’s Scary HOT Halloween Party Report.
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 and crowd info.
We also have a look at all of the food items in the Halloween Snack & Dessert Food Guide to Magic Kingdom. Finally, 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.
Now, let’s turn to a brief summary of what’s new at the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party season, just in case you don’t read our MNSSHP report above…
There have been a handful of recent additions to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. First, the Sanderson Sisters as Disney characters. This version of the Sanderson Sisters from Hocus Pocus appear in Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade. They are NOT meet & greet characters–so you’ll be able to see them, but not get your photos with them. There have also been other changes to the Boo To You Parade that repeat visitors will appreciate.
Additionally, Max Goof and his Powerline party pack will appear at new pop-up parties throughout Magic Kingdom before this popular crew dances onto Main Street U.S.A. ahead of Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade. This is a nice addition, and is a good way to see Powerline up close outside of the parade.
There’s also what’s essentially a “pirate takeover” of Adventureland, with the Rusty Cutlass singing sea shanties while their shipmates roam the land sharing tales of their explorations at sea. This adds atmospheric entertainment to Adventureland, similar to what’s already in Frontierland thanks to the Cadaver Dans and Country Bears.
The big character news is that the Seven Dwarfs have returned to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, appearing in their former meet & greet location back in Storybook Circus. See How to Waste the Least Time Meeting the Seven Dwarfs at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party if you plan on attending to do this meet & greet. It’s insanely popular and will take a ton of party time if you don’t plan properly.
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!
Spanning portions of 4 different months, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party “season” is the longest special event at Walt Disney World. Last year, the event was held on 38 select nights August 11 through November 1. The 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is likely to start a couple of nights earlier, and have 1 more night over the course of party season. If that prediction is accurate, it’ll once again set another new record for duration and number of parties.
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. We explain why here.)
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.
Also during the party, you may have the opportunity to experience some of your favorite attractions, including the newly opened TRON Lightcycle Run. Here’s the list of attractions that will be open during the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party:
Adventureland
- Jungle Cruise
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Swiss Family Treehouse
Frontierland
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
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
- Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
- Space Mountain
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority People Mover
- TRON Lightcycle / Run
TRON Lightcycle Run will use a virtual queue during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, allowing guests to enjoy all the festivities while they wait to enter the Grid.
Not only have ticket prices skyrocketed, but crowd levels at the events have also gone up dramatically. With every single night of the event sold out, attendance levels absolutely exploded, and crowds were very bad at times. We would strongly recommend “Is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Too Crowded?” for a look at what we mean.
At this point, it’s impossible to say whether the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party will follow that pattern. It could, but it’s also possible that Walt Disney World lowered the attendance cap after complaints and price increases. Our anecdotal perception is that MNSSHP has been less overcrowded the last 2 years than it was in October 2019, but it’s still busier than years (or even the two months that year) prior to that.
We also believe that Disney typically increases the capacity cap in October each year when the earlier sunset allows extra entertainment to be added to the schedule. So it’s entirely possible that crowds will feel worse during the October parties than they d0 during the August and September ones. (On the plus side, the heat shouldn’t be nearly as bad!)
If you have questions about what the event does and does not include, crowds, and much more, see our Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party FAQ. We wrote that 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.
As for entertainment, here’s the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party schedule:
Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular
- August & September: 8:35 pm, 10:45 pm, 12 am
- October: 7:40 pm, 8:35 pm, 10:45 pm, 12 am
Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular
- 10:15 pm
Mickey’s Boo to You Halloween Parade
- 9:15 pm and 11:15 pm
Cadaver Dans Barbershop Quartet
- 7 pm, 7:45 pm, 8:30 pm, 9:50 pm, 10:30 pm
Storybook Circus Disney Junior Jam
- 7 pm until midnight
Monstrous Scream-O-Ween Dance Ball
- 7 pm until midnight
Rusty Cutlass Pirate Band in Adventureland
- 7:15 pm, 8:15 pm, 9:15 pm, 10:30 pm, 11:20 pm
Max Goof’s Powerline Party Pack
- Unscheduled Appearances
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)
- 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)
- Seven Dwarfs – Storybook Circus (second-most popular meet & greet; line forms at 4 pm)
- Timon – Storybook Circus
- Vamprinia – Storybook Circus
- Doc McStuffins – Storybook Circus
- Fancy Nancy – Storybook Circus
- Witch Minnie, Princess Daisy & Pumpkin Donald – Dumbo
- Pirate Goofy – Barnstormer
Adventureland
- Abu and Aladdin – Agrabah
- Genie – Agrabah
- Jafar – Near Agrabah
- Jack Sparrow – Near Pirates of the Caribbean
Frontierland
- Country Bears – Country Bear Theater (roaming)
Tommorrowland
- Elvis Stitch – Buzz Lightyear’s Star Command
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 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. The last few years, every single night has sold out. Prior to that, it was common for only the first couple of nights plus most of October to sell out. It’ll be interesting to see whether this trend continues with the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. We’d bet that it will.
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. (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 at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party 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. 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.
If i have reservations for magic kingdom the same day as not so scary halloween, will i be able to stay at the park
Not unless you also have a not so scary ticket, you will be made to leave at 7 unless you also have a party ticket, you cannot stay without one, the park closes to everyone without a ticket for the event at 7, and they will escort you out if you try to stay
I would love to read a post featuring all of the special PhotoPass opportunities during MNSSHP.
Huge fan of the blog & Twitter really appreciate your insights and of course the photos!
Im glad to hear from an expert that my train of thought was on its tracks.We decided to add the MNSSHP and at that I made it a 5 park day trip instead of our original 4 day plans. We have 8 people and it basically came out to the same price as a day at the parks for everyone. Gives us a sleep in kinda morning with late brunch and getting costumes ready before heading in to the park at the 4 pm time!
Do you just need to have a resort reservation for the early ticket sales or does your vacation package need to be paid in full to qualify for the early ticket sales?
What time will the Halloween Party tickets go on sale tomorrow May 12? Thanks!
Thank you for the great detailed information. What time will tickets be released on May 12th?
If I remember correctly, DVC members were able to enter the park at 2 with their party ticket. Is this still the case? Thank you!
Do you think the NSSHP on Friday September 19th will be significantly more crowded than Tuesday September 16th? Friday fits our schedule better so try to decide if we should rearrange our park days.
I AM INTERESTED IN A POST ABOUT SPECIAL PHOTO PASS PHOTOS!
I hope this was un-subtle enough. 🙂
Me, too!
Yes please!!! Post on photopass stops would be great!!
Same!!
What happens if you have regular tickets for Magic Kingdom the same day of the party? Are you kicked out at 7PM?
Yes you are escorted out if you do not have a wristband specifically for the event
Can I buy more tickets than the number of guests I have booked for my room? There are two of us but a third will be joining for the party.
I can’t find this info anywhere online! Thanks for all your help!
Tom, the early purchase for tickets is May 12 for Disney Resort guests. We only have 2 guests booked at our hotel but a third will be joining us. Can we buy three tickets on May 12, or only 2?
Thanks so much for your tips!!
On a separate note if not attending the event, what are the park attendance levels like during the day for MK generally. Or the other parks in the evening.
We won’t be going to the event but want to plan our park days around it. Thanks
Absolutely agree on this with this blog as it is a huge question to answer whether is it costly to sell a house or not. It certainly depends on the market and some other factors which are stated here. Lets have a look at it.
Hi Tom,
We have reservations for Oct 5 thru Oct 9 — We also would like to get tickets for “Not So Scary Halloween Party” for same visit. –When will we be able to secure those?
I’ve been following the WDW website closely for new developments in regards to MNSSHP. Anyone else notice the the Halloween after hours into was removed from the enchanting extras tab? Christmas info still remains. I think this is a good sign announcements are coming!!!! Fingers crossed for the real deal to return.
Good catch! I had not noticed that, but see exactly what you’re saying now. Thanks for the heads up!
Sometimes this means absolutely nothing (there have been lots of weird quirks with the Disney Dining Plan), but other times it’s a significant behind-the-scenes change. Here’s hoping this is the latter!
I’d capacity limited like boo bash? Also are there free snacks around too? We did our first after hours event in boo bash last year and had a blast with the low crowds and snacks. Wondering if these carry over to this party?
Disney allows more people in for MNNSHP. There is free candy, but no free drinks, popcorn, and ice cream. You have to purchase those.
Trying to plan my early September trip and speculating about dates for MNSSHP. 99% of our previous trips included MNSSHP and usually on a Friday. The last time it ran pre-Covid (2019) there was a party every Friday during the month of September while last years dates didn’t include a single Friday. I need a crystal ball right about now!
We’ve been vacationing at Disney for the last 10-15 years. Generally, we travel around mid-October, mostly to attend MNSSHP. We skipped 2020 and attended the Boo Bash last year, which was a big disappointment. No parades, no entertainment, no 4pm park entry, not to mention the staying up so late part is not as easy as it used to be. We have reservations at Port Orleans Riverside for 3 nights and Wilderness Lodge for 3 nights this October. Our plan is to not attend the party unless it’s back to what it was before. Boo Bash just wasn’t enjoyable.
I agree with you Chris; although I will go back again. That is just because my kids are almost out of the house and I only have a few years left. I liked that the popcorn, ice cream, and pop was free, but goodness they may have spent an extra $5 per person on this. The ticket prices were crazy.
I am assuming that we will know what’s going on with Halloween sometime after April 13th, I believe Disney is doing a trial of moving extended hours to Hollywood studios to see if it works well. Giving them more options during the ticketed parties.