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 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 2026 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 2026 party are released, subscribe to our FREE Disney email newsletter. For now, here’s everything you need to know about the event…
The latest development in the 2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Watch is that Walt Disney World posted casting calls for the event. While the party itself had been confirmed as returning this year, we previously had zero details about the substance of the event. Two marquee entertainment offerings are now confirmed as returning.
Walt Disney World is now accepting applications for vocalists and dancers performing in Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular, including performers to portray the Sanderson Sisters. Online auditions are due by Thursday, March 12, 2026. It’s a similar story with the flag corps performers for Mickey’s Boo to You Halloween Parade, which are part of the pirates parade unit.
None of this is surprising. As discussed below, Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular and Boo to You Parade are the tentpole productions during MNSSHP. Confirmation that they’re returning is nice, but there was no reason to believe they wouldn’t. More realistically, we’d expect changes to the existing entertainment–new villains in the stage show or a new parade unti–and that would not be reflected by the aforementioned casting calls.
This also doesn’t really change the equation on an official announcement from Walt Disney World.
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 still sometime in April or May 2026. It could occur earlier, as Disney has announced dates in March or earlier in the past, but it’s been a long time since that happened.
Last year, dates and details for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party were not revealed until May 12th. This is late by historical standards. In each of the three years prior to that, dates were announced between late April and early May during “Halfway to Halloween.” Disney didn’t do that marketing ‘event’ last year, and we don’t expect it to return in 2026.
The big reason that dates were announced and went on sale earlier in past years was to provide a longer runway for the event to sell tickets. That’s no longer a concern–the new normal is for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party to sell out.
In fact, every single date has sold out for the last two 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 MNSSHP. Epic Universe will hurt (and benefit!) Walt Disney World in a variety of ways, but it’s probably a non-factor when it comes to MNSSHP.
With all of that in mind, the likely reason why last year’s MNSSHP was announced later than normal is Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away. That new nighttime parade was delayed until late summer, and it’s our strong suspicion that a desire not to start the parties too soon after it debuted pushed back both the original announcement of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party dates, as well as the first evening of the event.
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
As suggested above, 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. We’ll know one way or the other once 2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party dates are released–based on whether it starts late or earlier.
With all of that in mind, we’ll make the very broad prediction that an announcement will come no later than May 5, 2026. We’d actually expect the reveal in the last two weeks of April 2026, but the reality is that there’s zero sense of urgency. Barring a recession, the 2026 MNSSHP is going to sell out (and even then, it still might).
As for the event itself, our prediction is that Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party will start on or around August 7, 2026 and continue several nights per week until October 31 or November 1, 2026. These dates ignore 2025 and follow past precedent prior to then. If last year’s start is used instead, the first event would be one week later, on August 14, 2026.
There were 38 parties last year–we’d expect 39 to 41 nights of the 2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Disney usually tries to squeeze in another date or two, and there’s plenty of room earlier in the season. A greater density of dates in August and September could easily push 2026 past the 40 night barrier.
Ticket prices for the 2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party will likely range from $125 to $250 depending upon the date. It’s actually difficult to predict prices–they skyrocketed a few years ago, but haven’t gone up much since then despite all dates selling out. So Walt Disney World could stick with the current range ($119 to $229) or blow past it, resetting the floor and ceiling (~$150 to $250).
Last year, the price of the last two parties shot up from $199 to $229, but that increase only applied to those two dates. Every other night was below $199. Despite the increase, October 31st sold out faster than ever. At the other end of the spectrum, the cheapest dates also sold out incredibly quickly.
The dates with the slowest sales were the in-between ones. Nights in late August and early-to-mid September that were priced around $139 to $159. These are too expensive for bargain-hunters, but also way before most normal people start celebrating Halloween.
It thus might behoove Walt Disney World to leave the middle dates unchanged, while increasing the price floor and ceiling–both of which could go higher. There’s probably a lot of room on the high end–I could easily see Halloween night costing $250 or $275. There’s likely less bandwidth for the least-popular August dates, which probably can’t go above $129 in 2026.
Disney might also be worried about getting too aggressive with price increases. Both from a brand damage/guest goodwill perspective, and also one of FOMO. Dates selling out might very well lead to more dates selling out, as people see this trend and don’t want to miss out on something special. The reverse is also true–that more people might have pause about purchasing tickets if many dates remain available.
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.
Once they go on sale, tickets for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party may 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 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party—valid only for event nights in August and September.
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. 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.
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
- Swiss Family Treehouse
Frontierland
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Liberty Square
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
- 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
Mickey’s Boo to You Halloween Parade
Halloween in Storybook Circus
Descendents Dance Party
Disney Jr. Dance Party
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.