Halloween is one of the most popular seasons at Walt Disney theme parks. Disney’s California Adventure park in Anaheim, California, hosts a ticketed nighttime event called Oogie Boogie Bash, and it’s already sold out for all 2024 dates. In Orlando, Florida, Magic Kingdom’s Halloween event — dubbed Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party — draws in crowds of revelers. There are still tickets available, though some days are already sold out.
The 2024 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party — which is held on about three dozen evenings between Aug. 9 and Oct. 31 — kicks off even earlier this year than it did in 2023, when the first party occurred on Aug. 11. The opening date is closer to Fourth of July than to Halloween.
But perhaps more frightening than the crowds is the cost. Adult tickets start at $127 per person including tax, but run as high as $212 on some nights. Party guests can arrive as early as 4 p.m., so you’ll also need a separate ticket if you want to spend the earlier part of your day in the theme parks.
That said, here are six ways to save money at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.
Visit on cheaper nights
Ticket prices vary by date, with the cheapest nights mostly in August or on weekdays. Weekdays can be a more ideal time to visit anyway, as you may find lower prices for other travel expenses such as hotel rooms.
Buy your ticket ahead of time
Some nights of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party — even in August — are already sold out.
If the after-hours Halloween bash is the primary purpose of your Orlando trip, don’t book other travel arrangements until you’ve confirmed your intended date is available. You don’t want to get saddled with an airline change or cancellation fee or lose money on a nonrefundable hotel because the party sold out.
Flex discounts from other Disney membership programs
Disney World Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club members receive a $10 discount on certain party nights. Neither of those two membership programs are exactly cheap to join, but if you’re already a member, you might as well link your account at checkout to save.
Maximize your hours
The party technically runs from 7 p.m. until midnight. Five hours of festivities shakes out to as much as $42.40 per hour if you bought the priciest ticket. But, Disney lets you enter the theme park as early as 4 p.m. (To arrive earlier than that, you’ll need a separate day ticket).
Arriving early maximizes your time in the park, but expect lines even before the 4 p.m. entry time.
The Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular show. (Photo courtesy of Disney)
Maximize closing hours, too. The Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular, a show held a few times each night in front of Cinderella Castle, holds its final performance of the night at midnight. Technically, the party ends at midnight. But audience members at this roughly 20-minute-long show won’t get swept out of the park until the show ends.
Spending the maximum included 8.5 hours at the party breaks a $212 admission ticket down to about $25 per hour, which is slightly easier to swallow.
Make a game plan
Have a strategy for how you’ll spend your hours in the park. There are a few schools of thought:
Some partygoers use the Halloween parties to soak in all the other things that you can’t do during the rest of the year. That includes a fireworks show and a parade with characters who you won’t otherwise see in the parks, such as the Hitchhiking Ghosts from the Haunted Mansion and the Headless Horseman. Among the new activity additions in 2024 is a dance party themed to the movie, “Descendants: The Rise of Red.”
The other camp comprises attendees who take advantage of the park’s smaller crowds to ride as many rides as possible. According to theme park tracking website Thrill Data, the average wait time across all attractions during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in 2023 was 14 minutes. Meanwhile, the average wait time for the rest of October 2023 — not accounting for the party hours — was 28 minutes.
Visiting the parks during the Halloween party likely means you can experience more rides with less time waiting in the queue. For visitors seeking to hop on as many rides as possible, visiting during the party rather than with a standard ticket might prove more valuable.
Bring a backpack
The treat bag that attendees received in 2023. (Photo by Sally French)
Candy is abundant during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Across the many places to trick or treat, employees serving the packaged sweets are generous. Past attendees have reported getting 20, 30 and sometimes even 40 or more pounds of candy in one night. Some guests save the candy collected from the party to pass out to their own neighbors on Halloween night.
Attendees receive a complimentary treat bag at check-in. Though it’s big enough to tote a decent sugar haul, people trying to maximize their candy stash will need something bigger. Bring a backpack, which according to the Walt Disney World Resort property rules, can be up to 24 by 15 by 18 inches in size.
Though if you’re flying versus driving home, don’t forget to account for your stash of candy and any special Halloween-themed souvenirs you picked up. You may have to pay another airline bag fee.
Is Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party worth it?
Disney employees use shovels to hand attendees candy, served out of massive barrels. (Photo by Sally French)
No matter how much candy you collect, attending can be worth it — especially for seasoned Disney veterans who’ve otherwise seen it all. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party offers unique experiences including party-exclusive parades and shows. There’s also the ability to wear costumes inside the parks (adults usually are otherwise prohibited from wearing costumes).
Certain classic Magic Kingdom attractions are transformed into trick-or-treat zones. For example, rather than, say, sit through yet another presentation of Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room, party guests are free to wander through the open doors of the tropical hideaway and collect candy instead.
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Sally French writes for NerdWallet. Email: sfrench@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @SAFmedia.
The article How to Save on Disney World’s Halloween Party originally appeared on NerdWallet.
