It may not feel like it, but we ARE halfway to Halloween, believe it or not!
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is around the corner!
Before we know it, Disney World will be covered in Halloween decorations, and it’ll be time to start heading into Magic Kingdom for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party — one of the most anticipated events of the year! If you’re thinking of heading to the party this year, you’re likely gearing up to grab tickets when they go on sale for all guests on May 12th (they’re currently on sale for those with Disney World hotel reservations!). Before you hit checkout, however, these are the things we NEED you to know!
Check Your Calendar (Then Check It AGAIN)
We can’t tell you how many times we hear about guests who are so excited to book their tickets that they don’t check their calendars first. Once they’ve already checked out and are feeling great that they got their tickets for that date before they sold out, then they look at their calendar and realize they won’t be available and need to change their dates. At that point, you need to call Disney to request the switch, and there’s no guarantee it’ll even be allowed, and other dates may be sold out as well.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
To avoid this, we recommend FULLY checking your calendar at least a few days in advance of when you plan to purchase your tickets. We don’t just mean a quick glance, either. We mean you sit down, look at every single day you plan to be gone to attend the event, think about your travel plans, and make sure it can work. As some dates can sell out fast, we also recommend having 2-3 backup plans in place for other dates, that way you don’t get stuck if the one you were looking at is already sold out!
Really Research The Event
Believe it or not, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party isn’t for everyone! While you and I may feel like it’s one of the best ways to spend the Halloween season in the parks, for other people, it may not be their cup of tea. To make sure this won’t happen to you, we recommend reading through the whole page Disney has dedicated to the event on their website to really see if all the offerings are up your alley.
Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular
This event is home to lots of special entertainment, trick-or-treating all over the park, exclusive meet and greets, snacks you won’t be able to grab any other time, but still, it’s sometimes not a fit. We also recommend watching videos and reviews from previous years to get a feel — good news, though, we’ve been EVERY year for at LEAST the past decade, so we’re your one stop shop!
Can You Stay Up Late?
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party officially takes place from 7 PM to 12 AM each night, but guests with a party ticket can enter Magic Kingdom as early as.4 PM. That means it’s going to be a LATE night, and it’s important to take into account if you can/want to stay up that late. Whether it’s because you yourself don’t prefer to be up that long, or you’re thinking that other members of your party (especially kiddos) won’t be able to, it may not be a good fit.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
These tickets are NOT cheap, so, in our experience, to make the most of that price, you’re going to want to stay in the parks for as long as possible to really experience the whole event. Lots of party offerings happen later on in the night, and you can get in line for attractions right up until 12 AM, so while it’s not a full day, there is a LOT you can do to make your ticket worth it. But if you choose to leave the park at 10 PM? You may leave feeling like your ticket wasn’t worth it.
Plan For The Next Day
As we said, this is a LATE night, so we also recommend planning in advance to give yourself rest the next day. The day after the party will NOT be the time to rope drop and spend a park day open to close, or make an 8 AM dining reservation. Instead, we recommend factoring in a rest day, or at the very least, allowing yourself to sleep in and spend a chill morning at your hotel before heading into the parks later in the day.
Jack Skellington and Sally at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
Now, you may think it’s best to go, go, go, and make the absolute most of your vacation, which we understand! But, we speak from experience, you’ll end up exhausted and unable to actually enjoy the rest of your trip, and then you may feel like the whole TRIP wasn’t worth it, solely because you’re exhausted and not allowing yourself to rest.
Watch Out For Those Uber Popular Dates
This year, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party runs from August 7th through October 31st, 2026, and there WILL be dates in there that are more expensive, and therefore more popular, than others. If you’re looking to AVOID those most popular dates, October as a whole will be the month to avoid, but especially as it gets later into the month. Additionally, Friday nights and weekends will be more popular than dates during the week.
Ariel and Eric at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
With that being said, if you ARE looking to book those more popular dates, you’ll want to be ready to go when tickets drop for everyone on May 12th, because they’ll also sell out the quickest! We’ll be sure to keep you updated on all the latest Disney World news during the Halloween season and beyond, so stay tuned to DFB!
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IT'S SPOOK-TACULAR!
Get ready for the spookiest season of the year at Disney World with our guide -- Halloween at Disney World: DFB's Spook-tacular Guide!
From the thrills of Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party to the enchanting resort decorations that'll send shivers down your spine, our guide is packed with tips and tricks to help you squeeze every ounce of ghoulish fun out of your visit. Plus, we've got the inside scoop on all the limited-time-only bone-chilling activities happening across the parks!
Get the Halloween at Disney World: DFB's Spook-tacular Guide to make your frightfully delightful adventure even more magical!
Halloween at Walt Disney World
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Are you looking forward to the party this year? Tell us in the comments!
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I prefer Very Merry over Not so Scary. Why? Not So Scary has the added trick or treating. My kids dragged me all over the park. Back in the 2010s, they had maybe 3 different candies at each stop. My kids didn’t like one of the candies (Werther’s hard candy with artificial apple inside) and we ended up with a lot of it-which they wouldn’t eat. I like the cookies, parade, and holiday overlay attractions.