Boo to you! Already past the Halfway to Halloween mark, I can't help but get excited about one of my favorite times of year — Halloween at Disney World! Main Street, U.S.A. becomes a frightfully fun alley with pumpkins, scarecrows and more. Most decor can be found at Magic Kingdom Park and Disney Springs, though all of the theme parks and resorts offer specialty food and drink and merchandise.
Most people plan to attend Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, a separately ticketed event with exciting entertainment, trick-or-treating and a chance to wear costumes! It's one of our favorite events of the year and is a big reason to visit in the fall!
We've created our top 10 tips for planning a Halloween trip to Disney World so you can enjoy all the seasonal offerings. Here's everything to know for Halloween at Disney World!
Tips for Halloween at Disney World
1. Pick Your Trip Dates
While most places only celebrate Halloween on Oct. 31, it's a whole season at Disney World! Halloween at Disney World starts Aug. 9 and runs through Halloween night. September traditionally offers some of the lower crowd levels of the year (check out our best times to visit Disney World). We recommend most days in September and weekdays in October (except Columbus Day weekend).
Here are the dates for Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in 2024:
- Aug. 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, 27, 30
- Sept. 2, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 26, 27, 29
- Oct. 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31
With 2024 dates now available for Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, you'll want to think about which party you would want to attend and how that might affect your other park days. Some people like to attend a party on their arrival day (though be weary of possible flight delays) or on their "rest" day.
2. Book Your Tickets
Once you decide when you are visiting, you'll want to purchase your tickets and book your park reservations (did you know your favorite frogs offer discount tickets?).
Party dates typically do not sell out on the first day of sale but nearly all dates will sell out at some point. The first party and Oct. 31 are often the first dates to sell out. As of Aug. 6, 2024, the first five parties, Sept. 13 and Oct. 31 are sold out. If you are at all considering attending the party, we highly recommend booking tickets as soon as possible. There are often only a few parties that overlap your trip dates, so don't delay too long on booking your party tickets!
3. Know the Weather
Florida in August and September is very hot and humid, with temperatures often in the 90s. It cools down a little in October. Be sure to bring sunscreen and reapply often. In the afternoons especially, try to include some indoor attractions and activities to help cool off.
It also can be extremely rainy during the fall, so be sure to have ponchos or umbrellas. It is also during hurricane season, so there's always the chance a tropical storm could affect operations (here's what to do on a rainy day at Disney World).
Fall at Disney World is still a great time to visit, you just want to be prepared for a variety of weather situations.
4. Pack Appropriately
Due to the weather, you'll want to be sure to adjust your packing list. As we mentioned, sunscreen and rain gear are a must, along with refillable water bottles, extra socks (trust me) and a cooling fan. Here's our year-round packing guide for more details.
If bringing Halloween costumes, consider the climate and try to opt for short-sleeved, light-weight material. While small trick-or-treat bags are provided at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, some people like to bring larger tote bags to get lots of candy!
5. Understand the Costume Rules
Another reason Halloween at Disney World is so special is adults have the opportunity to wear costumes! During regular park hours, costumes are not permitted for guests ages 14 and older — the exception being Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party! Costumes are strongly encouraged for this separately ticketed event, so the whole family can get dressed up. Be sure to follow any costume guidelines and keep the weather in mind. With high temps and humidity (especially in August and September), be prepared to modify your costume to be more weather-friendly, or opt for a themed shirt or DisneyBound.
6. Make a Plan
You'll want to have a plan in place when attending Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, as the hours will fly by! The separately ticketed event runs on select nights from 7 p.m. to midnight and offers rare characters, special entertainment, trick-or-treating and more!
As a treat to you, we have our complete guide on what to expect, as well as our park plan for a step-by-step guide to a fun yet efficient party. We've also created the list of characters, a foodie guide and even have specific tips on attending with tweens and tweens.
7. Note the Park Hours
Whether you are planning on attending Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or not, you'll want to be aware of party dates during your trip. Parties fall on select Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. On party nights, Magic Kingdom closes at 6 p.m. to day guests. This means those without a party wristband will be directed to the exit. If you have a park hopper ticket, this is the perfect time to hop on over to another park!
Some people avoid going to Magic Kingdom on the day of the party since there are shorter park hours. If you have a park hopper, you can often find slightly lower crowds that day, but you'll want to depart in the afternoon to avoid peak crowds. Party guests may enter at 4 p.m. and the park gets significantly more crowded with the overlap of guests, especially on Main Street.
On party nights, there are also no showings of regular fireworks, so you'll need to be strategic on what nights to watch the beloved nighttime spectacular, Happily Ever After!
8. Savor Themed Food and Drink
All of the theme parks, resort hotels and Disney Springs offer spooktacular treats during the Halloween season. From sweet to spicy, there's plenty of specialty food and drink to enjoy. Check out our Halloween foodie guide for all the delicious details!
9. Enjoy Other Halloween Activities
While Magic Kingdom is the focus of Halloween at Disney World, you can still experience the fall fun throughout the resort. Disney Springs also decorates with fun seasonal displays and photo-ops. On select dates during EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival, partake in a scavenger hunt to find character-inspired pumpkins with Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuits! Over at Disney's Hollywood Studios, meet Mickey and friends in special Halloween outfits with the seasonal character dining at Hollywood & Vine.
Some of the resort hotels may have limited decor and themed activities. Some people will decorate their windows or, better yet, deck out their campsites at Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground.
You'll, of course, find lots of Halloween merchandise throughout the resort. The larger merchandise displays can typically be found at the Emporium at Magic Kingdom and World of Disney at Disney Springs.
10. Have Fun!
This goes without saying, but Halloween at Disney World is such a fun time to visit! We recommend doing at least one fall trip for some not-so-scary festivities. Combining Halloween AND Disney — yes, please!
What's your favorite thing about Halloween at Disney World? Let us know in the comments below!
Related: Prepare for Spooky Season With This DIY Halloween Countdown
Related: Tips for Planning Your Terrifying Trip to Halloween Horror Nights Orlando
Hoppy planning!
