Is Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party worth it?

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is Disney World’s Halloween event at Magic Kingdom. It runs on select nights, needs its own ticket, and is built for families: candy, a parade and fireworks, with no real scares. Everything below comes from the official Walt Disney World website, checked in October 2026.

When is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party in 2026?

In 2026 the party runs on 38 nights between August 7 and October 31. These are the dates Disney published:

Month	2026 party nights
August	7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28 and 30
September	1, 4, 8, 11, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22, 24, 25, 27 and 29
October	1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 13, 15, 16, 18, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29 and 31

Source: Walt Disney World, official event page.

The most important point: Disney says every 2026 date has sold out. If your trip is this October and you do not have a ticket yet, plan your evenings without the party. Be careful with anyone selling tickets outside Disney’s own channels, since each ticket is tied to a specific date.

If you are thinking about 2027, here is how this year’s sale worked. Guests of Disney Resort hotels and a few partner hotels (Swan, Dolphin, Swan Reserve and Shades of Green) could buy first. Everyone else could buy starting May 12, 2026. If you stay in a vacation home, you are in that second group. As of this writing, Disney had not announced 2027 dates.

For American families, Columbus Day falls on Monday, October 12, 2026, according to the federal holiday calendar. If your kids have that day off, the nearest party night afterward was Tuesday, October 13. If you travel in November, the Halloween party is over, and the Christmas one, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, starts November 8, 2026, according to the official Magic Kingdom calendar.

How much are Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party tickets?

Tickets for 2026 cost $119 to $229 per person, plus tax, with the price set by the night. Annual Passholders and eligible Disney Vacation Club Members saved $10 per ticket on nights from August 7 to October 2.

Three things that change the total:

• No park ticket needed. Disney states the party ticket works on its own for that date and does not require a regular theme park ticket or a park reservation.
• Parking is extra. Standard theme park parking at Disney World is $35 per day for a car. It is included only for Disney Resort hotel guests and select Annual Passholders.
• Paid add-ons. The fireworks dessert parties, dinner reservations at Be Our Guest and Cinderella’s Royal Table, and the Memory Maker photo package all cost extra.

What time does the party start, and when does Magic Kingdom close?

The party runs from 7 PM to midnight, and ticket holders can enter Magic Kingdom as early as 4 PM. On party nights the park closes early for guests with a regular ticket. Here is the official calendar for October 6, 2026, a party night:

Time	What happens
8:30 to 9:00 AM	Early Entry for eligible guests
9:00 AM to 6:00 PM	Park open on a regular ticket
From 4:00 PM	Party ticket holders can enter
7:00 PM to midnight	Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

Source: Walt Disney World, Magic Kingdom park hours calendar.

So a regular Magic Kingdom ticket on a party day means no evening in the park. Check the official calendar for your exact date before you assign parks to days. General timing advice is in how to make the most of Magic Kingdom from a vacation home.

What is included with a party ticket?

The ticket covers the attractions that are open plus entertainment that only exists on party nights. From Disney’s 2026 page:

• Trick-or-treating across the park, including a candy stop at Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor. Guests with food allergies can pick up a teal treat bag at arrival and find allergy-friendly options.
• Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade, opened by the Headless Horseman, with costumed characters, Haunted Mansion ghosts and a villains finale.
• Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular, a fireworks and laser show hosted by Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas.
• Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular, a castle stage show with the Sanderson Sisters and Disney villains.
• New for 2026: a Stitch masquerade with Lilo and Angel in Tomorrowland, and Captain Jack Sparrow in Adventureland.
• Characters in Halloween costumes for photos, such as Donald, Daisy and Pluto at Storybook Circus, plus a Descendants dance party and the Cadaver Dans quartet in Frontierland.
• Attractions with a Halloween twist, like Space Mountain in total darkness with spooky music and Mad Tea Party with special lighting.

Disney notes that entertainment can change without notice.

Can adults wear costumes to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party?

Yes. On a normal day, guests 14 and older cannot wear costumes in Disney parks, but this party is one of the exceptions. The official rules depend on age.

Ages 13 and under: costumes are fine, and some masks too. A mask must leave peripheral vision clear and show the eyes fully.

Ages 14 and older:

• no masks of any kind;
• nothing that touches or drags on the ground, such as a full-length princess gown;
• capes only if they stop at the waist;
• headwear is fine as long as it does not cover the face;
• transparent wings, plastic light sabers, toy swords and tutus are allowed;
• layered costumes or props that surround the whole body may get extra security screening.

Everyone: nothing that looks like a real weapon, nothing sharp or pointed, nothing offensive, and if you dress as a character you cannot pose for photos or sign autographs for other guests. Disney can refuse entry or remove guests who do not follow the rules.

Is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party worth it?

It is worth it if you want the party-only experiences, and it is a harder call if you have just one Magic Kingdom day. It comes down to what your family wants.

Usually worth it if:

• your kids will love dressing up and collecting candy, which a normal day does not offer;
• you want the Halloween parade and fireworks, which only happen at the party;
• you already have another Magic Kingdom day, so the party is an extra evening;
• everyone can stay up until midnight.

Maybe skip it if:

• this is your only Magic Kingdom day on a first visit. On the October 6 party day, a regular ticket gave nine hours, 9 AM to 6 PM. The party ticket gave eight, 4 PM to midnight, most of them after dark;
• your kids are little and go to bed early;
• money is tight, since the priciest 2026 night reached $229 per person before tax and parking.

If your teens want real scares, compare it with Halloween Horror Nights at Universal, a very different event. The whole season is covered in what Halloween is like in Orlando, and the weather in what Orlando is like in October.

In practice: on party day, keep the morning slow at the house, let the kids rest after the pool, and leave for the park mid-afternoon already in costume. You get there fresh for the 4 PM entry and still have energy for the fireworks.

How do you get to the party and back from a vacation home?

You park at the Magic Kingdom lot, take a tram to the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC), then ride the monorail or a ferryboat to the park entrance. That extra leg is part of every Magic Kingdom visit by car, and it matters most on the way out after midnight.

What Disney’s official pages say:

• Parking: $35 per day for standard. It is valid all day at all four theme parks.
• Trams: run between the parking lot and the TTC.
• Monorail: starts 30 minutes before Magic Kingdom opens and stops one hour after it closes.
• Ferryboats: connect the TTC with the park entrance. Hours can vary with weather and water conditions.

At the end of the night everyone leaves at once. Expect lines for the monorail and ferry, and expect to carry sleeping kids. Leave car seats installed, pick a driver who is not drinking, and save your parking spot in your phone. Rates and lot details are in Disney World and Universal parking.

If you are driving down from Georgia or the Carolinas, the drive home on party night is only the short one from the park to your rental. The closer the house is to Disney, the shorter it gets. Browse vacation homes near Disney.