It may still be August, but Halloween is underway in the Magic Kingdom. You heard me right…the fall decorations are up and parties are in full swing!
2018 Party Dates
- August 17, 24, 28, 31
- September 3, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, 30
- October 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30, 31
Don’t have tickets yet? It’s not too late, but they’re selling fast! You can purchase them straight from Disney or enlist the help of your travel agent.
Tickets start at $75, if bought ahead of time, or $85 if you purchase them at the gate (upon availability). Of course, the closer you get to Halloween, the more expensive the tickets get, with Halloween night being the most expensive ($125/ticket).
Common Questions Regarding the Parties
“Do I also need a Regular Park Ticket to attend the Party?”
Nope! If you’re only going for the Party, then you’re all set! The only way you will need a Regular Park ticket and a Party ticket is if you want to spend all day at the Magic Kingdom. A regular park ticket will be needed for entry in the morning and your Party ticket will be needed at night.
“What time does the Party Start?”
The Party doesn’t officially start until 7PM. You will know when it’s that time because all the lights on Main Street turn “Spooky”. At that time, you will see Cast Members guiding Guests without a wristband to the exits.
While the party doesn’t start until 7PM, Guests with party tickets are allowed to enter the Magic Kingdom at 4PM. The Party ends at midnight, so if you arrive at 4PM, that’s a full 8 hours of Halloween happiness in the Magic Kingdom!
“Can I use Fastpass during the Party?”
Fastpass is not available during the Party. However, attendance tends to be a lot lower than a regular operating day, so it’s not really needed anyway. The longest lines will be Guests waiting for Special Characters. There are some you will not find any other days of the year, so these lines will be very long. If you want to see these characters, get in line EARLY!
Best time to attend
In my opinion, if you’re looking for the best time, meaning less crowds and less money, I suggest going in August or September. The ticket prices go up as it gets closer to Halloween, so you save a few dollars by going early.
It’s also hard for some to get in the Halloween Spirit until October hits, so by going early, you also get lower crowds. Since Fastpasses are not available during the party, this is a great time to ride your favorite rides with lower wait times. 7 Dwarfs Mine Train is the only ride that I consistently see the highest wait times…and by “highest”, I’m talking 30 minutes. Not a bad wait at all!
Dressing Up
Disney has rules against adults wearing costumes in the parks, which is why many adult Disney Fans like to Disneybound. What is Disneybound? Basically, it means that you pay homage to your favorite characters using your everyday clothes. Disneybounders (Is this a word?) use color, accessories, etc to make reference to characters without actually looking like the characters. There are so many great outfits on Pinterest, if you need ideas.
However, for parties, they encourage everyone of all ages to dress up and have fun. That doesn’t mean that you should go all out and find the biggest, poofiest Princess dress you can find. If you can pass for a Cast Member, then it’s a big no-no. Here are Disney’s guidelines on dressing up at the parks, but basically it’s pretty simple. As long as your clothing is family friendly, not offensive, and you do not carry anything resembling a weapon, you should be fine.
You should also remember that Fall in Florida is still very warm. While kids look adorable in Halloween Costumes, they will get hot very quickly if they’re completely covered up. Also take into consideration how long it will take you to get in and out of rides due to your costume.
Thinking back at previous Halloween Parties, I remember a group of cute girls dressed up as characters from Inside Out. They wore the cutest tutus. But, I also remembered seeing them getting in and out of rides, fiddling with the tutus as they got in and stuffing them in whatever space they could to keep it inside the ride.
If you’re there for the candy, the, character interactions, and Halloween photos, then by all means, go all out! But, if your night will consist of taking advantage of the low wait times and riding as many of the rides as possible, I’d suggest something more practical and skip the tutus.
Entertainment
Of course, it wouldn’t be a party without the entertainment…and Disney spares no expense.
Trick or Treating – What kid wouldn’t want to say that they went trick or treating at Disney World. Disney has barrels and barrels of candy to hand out at these parties! So much sugar! You will be given a special map that marks out the different candy stations around the park.
Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade – Led by the Headless Horseman, watch your favorite characters sing and dance in Halloween Costumes in this 20-minute parade.
While it does feature gravediggers, the Haunted Mansion, and Villains , Disney makes it light and fun as not to scare younger viewers. This is also the chance to see our favorite characters dressed up in their own Halloween Costumes.
Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular – Who doesn’t love the movie, Hocus Pocus? Taking place in front of Cinderella’s Castle, the Sanderson Sisters come out for All Hollows Eve with their villainous friends, to create mischief, as they often do. The sisters are exclusive to the Halloween Party, but unfortunately they are not available for Meet and Greets.
Happy HalloWishes – A wonderful Firework display starring your favorite Disney Villains and is hosted by your favorite “Ghost Host”.
There are also new experiences coming to the parties this year! Curious? Check out what we’ll be able to see this year -> Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Is Getting Some New “Spooky” Experiences
