I look forward to going to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party every year. This after-hours event is one of Disney’s most popular and is full of exclusive snacks, one-of-a-kind entertainment, and rare characters to cross off your bucket list.

Unfortunately, prices continue to rise every year, and it’s making us question if it’s worth the cost. You only have access to the Magic Kingdom for a limited time, and not everything in the parks is open. Should you buy a party ticket this year? Let’s find out!

Prices and Basics

It’s hard not to talk about whether it’s worth the price without talking about the price. Tickets cost $119 to $229 plus tax, depending on the date you pick. Parities are on select nights between August 15th and October 31st, and there are discounts on select nights for Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members.

With your ticket, you can enter Magic Kingdom at 4 PM, even though the party doesn’t start till 7 PM. It runs till midnight, which means you get 8 hours of party fun. It’s important to note that this is a separate ticket from a normal park ticket, so if you plan on going to Magic Kingdom earlier in the day, you’ll need to purchase both tickets.

Here’s a full look at dates for the party!

• August 15th, 17th, 19th, 22nd, 24th, 26th, and 29th
• September 2nd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 19th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, 26th, 28th, and 30th
• October 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 10th, 13th, 14th, 16th, 17th, 19th, 23rd, 24th, 26th, 28th, 30th, and 31st

What’s Included?

There are tons of exclusive party night-only experiences during the night, including:

• Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade
• Dickey’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular (fireworks show)
• The Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular (stage show)
• Trick-or-treating around the parks with a free bag and candy
• Ability to ride attractions, including three with Halloween overlays
• Rare character meet and greets
• Access to exclusive snacks and merchandise (for an additional cost)

Why You SHOULD Go to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

The Halloween party has truly some of the best entertainment offerings we’ve seen. Mickey’s Boo-To-You Parade is always super popular, and as soon as the Headless Horseman runs down the road, you know it’s time for something magical. The fireworks are also not to miss as Jack Skellington takes you for a (kid-friendly) spooky adventure.

Can we talk about the characters? We love seeing our favorite characters in their own Halloween costumes or characters we never get to see, like Gaston and Jack and Sally.

There are also SO many snacks to try. You won’t have enough time to try them all (unless you have a secret strategy that you need to share with us), but we love being able to try exclusive food and get fully into the Halloween spirit.

Speaking of the Halloween spirit, in Florida, it can be pretty hard to feel fall in the air. Going to seasonal events helps remind us that there are different seasons and holidays to celebrate, even if the air isn’t getting any colder.

Why You Might Want to SKIP

Really, it’s going to depend on your preferences. If characters and entertainment aren’t your thing, you might get bored after doing the candy stops and riding a few rides. If entertainment is your thing, you might get overwhelmed or stressed trying to fit in all the different shows.

There’s also a bunch of other people! While there are fewer people than on a normal park day, it sometimes feels about the same. There are usually long lines for characters, merchandise, food, and rides, and you’ll likely have to stake out your spot for entertainment earlier than you would prefer. Who wants to spend their evening waiting in lines?

Florida might be known as the Sunshine State, but I’ve seen plenty of rain clouds ruin a perfect day in Magic Kingdom. It can be very hot to be experiencing Halloween, especially if you decide to wear a costume and wait in line for characters and shows. If it rains, sometimes entertainment can be canceled, and it can feel like you wasted money for only getting free candy. Sometimes (emphasizing sometimes), they give us “rain check” tickets to come back another night, but you might not be able to come another night, and comped tickets aren’t always offered.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is also usually the same every year. While there might be new snacks or an additional character or two, most of the classic meet and greets are the same, along with the fireworks show and parade. If you’ve done it before, you might not feel the desire to experience the exact same event.

Is Anything New Coming this Year?

While the Jack and Sally meet and greet is not new, they are getting an updated look. This is usually the best meet and greet during the party, and people will literally wait hours for this. Because of the new look, it might even be busier!

The pirates-themed tavern, Beak and Barrel, will also be open during the party this year after August 29th. If you want a full themed experience or you’re dressing up as pirates for Halloween, this can be a great way to take your party to the next level. Keep in mind this is an additional cost and will take about 45 minutes to an hour during your party, by the time you check in and pay the bill.

There are also new snacks to try (which is what I’m most excited for). New snacks come every year, but if there’s something you can’t live without, most of these are only available during the party, after 7 PM, so if you’re a huge foodie like us, it can be perfect.

Is It Worth It?

That’s really going to depend on your priorities. Be honest about what you want to get done and if you have the patience for this event, or if long lines and crowds are going to frustrate you (and hey, I get it!). And it can get crowded, so keep that in mind. Also, if you plan on going to the party in its earlier months, it’s going to be very hot, so plan and dress accordingly.

It does have some of the best entertainment we’ve seen, especially that Boo-to-You Parade, and while we have fun every year, we can’t deny that every year is similar. However, there is a LOT to do, so you might be able to find new things every year. This was also the first year that Storybook Circus was so active with party activities and entertainment, plus we appreciated the new treat trail near Dumbo. We also love that Magic Kingdom has decorated more this year for the party, with each land getting land-specific decor.

The highest price at $229 per person is a lot, which means it would cost $916 for a family of four to attend. If you’re on vacation and buying day tickets, this cost can add up fast, but maybe if you’re an Annual Passholder, you don’t mind buying a ticket occasionally.

With all that said, if we had to choose, we think Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party offers more bang for the buck than Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. There’s just so much to see and do, plus you’ll get a ton of candy if you hit up the treat trails.

No matter what you decide, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a fun event and something we look forward to every year. Make sure you keep following Disney Food Blog for more!

OVER 45 NEW TREATS ANNOUNCED FOR MICKEY’S NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY AT DISNEY WORLD

Are you going to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party this year? Tell us what you’re looking forward to in the comments.