The 2025 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration season is about half over, and now all remaining dates by means of October thirty first are offered out. This isn’t in any respect shocking, however we’re however going to cowl the promote out and, far more importantly, what this might imply for the 2026 MNSSHP.
Should you’re new to the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration scene, the laborious ticket occasion has offered out each single evening for every of the three earlier years. Should you depend Boo Bash, each single spook season occasion has utterly offered out from 2021 by means of 2024. Now with the 2025 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration offered out, you can also make that every of the final 5 years.
That is the ‘new regular’ for Walt Disney World occasions, even after revenge journey and elevated pent-up demand spending have run their course. It’s not distinctive to MNSSHP, both. Most particular occasions promote higher now regardless of most additionally affected by staleness and better costs.
That is fairly the reversal from pre-COVID. Again in 2019, Walt Disney World supplied the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration Go. This was primarily an Annual Go for the Halloween Celebration that allowed entry to 35 nights–each get together evening in August, September, October, and November apart from Halloween itself for $299.
This was actually a last-minute providing that rolled out the day of the primary MNSSHP, as Walt Disney World scrambled to buoy ticket gross sales for August and September as a result of a scarcity of demand. Even setting apart 2019, it was widespread for a lot of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration nights to not promote out. There have been a number of years a decade or extra in the past when most events didn’t promote out!
Quick ahead to 2025, and the ultimate date of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween that beforehand had availability (September thirtieth) is now offered out as of September 24, 2025.
For these preserving rating at residence, October 31, 2025 was the primary date of this 12 months’s MNSSHP to promote out, and that occurred in file time regardless of file costs. The All Hallow’s Eve date of MNSSHP offered out someday round noon on Could 22–lower than one full day after basic public gross sales started, which is the primary time ever that any date has offered out on the day basic public gross sales opened.
The following date to promote out was August nineteenth, which offered out on July thirteenth. This was one of many lowest-priced dates for MNSSHP, and people inexpensive dates all offered out by early August. Opening evening was subsequent to promote out, which occurred on August 1st. As soon as the primary evening rolled round, there was a “run” on tickets with many extra nights in August and September, and even some in October, promoting out.
There have been a few misconceptions about 2025 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration ticket gross sales. The primary was that ticket gross sales have been slower as in comparison with final 12 months. That is partially true, however provided that you don’t regulate for tickets occurring sale later this 12 months and the occasion beginning later. When measured from the time of gross sales beginning, it’s fairly comparable year-over-year.
The second and extra vital one is that, for the primary time within the final 3 years, one evening of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration did not promote out! Though unavailable for a few days, August twenty fourth tickets reopened for same-day gross sales and, from what we noticed on-line, have been out there by means of the beginning of the get together.
Loads of websites that observe MNSSHP missed this since tickets have been offered out at one level, however reopened over the weekend when few have been paying consideration. And actually, it’s unclear whether or not or not August twenty fourth did find yourself promoting out organically with same-day gross sales, or if Walt Disney World simply reduce off gross sales as soon as the occasion began.
Regardless, even having availability as much as 2 days earlier than the occasion is unprecedented in recent times, and means that perhaps demand is lastly beginning to die down–even only a bit–for these expensive laborious ticket occasions. So on steadiness, these dueling misconceptions primarily cancel one another out. All issues thought of, demand was barely softer for the 2025 Mickey’s Not Scary Halloween Celebration than final 12 months or the 12 months earlier than.
Final 12 months, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration offered out for the season by September twenty fourth. Earlier than October even began, there was nothing left. Coincidentally (?), the 2025 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration has offered out on the very same date–September 24, 2025. That’s arguably forward of final 12 months if we’re benchmarking from the time ticket gross sales began, though I’d say that’s extra significant for occasions in August than at this level.
In 2023, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration was offered out by September thirtieth. The 2022 occasion offered out the earliest ever, with all dates passed by September eleventh. Notably, that was the return of MNSSHP for the primary time since 2019, so there was pent-up demand for the occasion. There was additionally pent-up demand extra broadly, as that was the peak of “revenge journey” at Walt Disney World.
Earlier than that, Disney After Hours Boo Bash offered out by August 26, 2021. Nevertheless, it’s price mentioning that was an After Hours occasion at its coronary heart, and had considerably decrease capability because of this. (Additionally price noting that it occurred throughout a interval of excessive cancellations for Walt Disney World, and ticket gross sales reopened on a number of events–it’s potential there have been tickets out there sporadically after August twenty sixth.)
As we’ve defined elsewhere, there are quite a lot of causes for MNSSHP promoting out quicker than earlier than. Whereas some critics assume it’s diehard Disney followers consuming up the identical stale occasion 12 months after 12 months, we view this as lazy and largely incorrect evaluation. Greater drivers are virtually definitely locals who’ve dropped Annual Passes (however need an occasional Disney repair) and vacationers choosing MNSSHP tickets as an alternative of 1-day Magic Kingdom park tickets. Which means that, a minimum of to some extent, company are buying and selling day visits to Magic Kingdom for get together time.
That is mirrored in attendance patterns, and it’s pretty well-established that the recognition of the get together is divorced from general crowd ranges. I’ve visited Magic Kingdom on a number of events in August and September 2025, and the park has been useless on non-party days however busy on 11 pm closing nights–fairly according to 2022-2024. The Slowest 3 Weeks at Walt Disney World in 2025 simply occurred, and Magic Kingdom was not proof against these decrease crowd ranges.
Additional reinforcing all of that is that Magic Kingdom’s mix-in window from 4 pm to six pm has been busier than ever. This is because of fewer company having each MNSSHP and day tickets, with locals and different purchasers of get together tickets attempting to maximise their park time. See Finest & Worst 2025 Dates in Magic Kingdom for extra perception.
What’s Subsequent for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration in 2026?
For this part of the submit, we’re going to function below the belief that Walt Disney World management want to capitalize on the recognition of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration, and use that to extend income in 2026.
The underlying premises are pretty well-established. Walt Disney World likes to search out methods to extend income, as evidenced by quarterly earnings calls and value will increase. There’s unhappy demand for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration, as evidenced by promote outs. There aren’t quite a lot of different avenues for income development till 2027, particularly if there’s an financial downturn subsequent 12 months, so Disney has to grab clear-cut alternatives wherever out there.
The obvious, and least fascinating, change for 2026 will likely be value will increase. This occurs yearly, and it’s barely price discussing on a primary degree, to the extent that it in all probability means a better distribution of dates on the increased finish of the spectrum. This can quantity to efficient value will increase of 5-10%, which occurred for 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The extra fascinating angle is the potential for resetting the value ceiling once more with the 2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration. Regardless of October thirty first seeing a large improve to $229, it offered out quicker than ever. As we wrote previous to gross sales even beginning, Walt Disney World might in all probability value the final couple of nights at $299 and nonetheless promote them out. It’s all a matter of optics, and whether or not that a lot of a rise is well worth the adverse headlines.
Normally, there seems to be extra runway for value will increase in October than there may be August or September. Relative to occasion dates, the primary two months offered out slower than October 2025; that is once more regardless of October having increased costs. That is probably as a result of October being by far the busiest month of the three, and the precise coronary heart of Halloween season. Suffice to say, there’s in all probability room for many–if not all–different October dates to be priced above $200. Worth will increase appears like a reasonably secure guess.
A bolder guess is that Walt Disney World will host 40+ Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration nights in 2026 for the primary time ever.
There have been 38 events final 12 months–and there are additionally 38 events this 12 months. Previous to that, the variety of events had elevated by 1-2 per 12 months for a number of years. The rationale the variety of events didn’t improve in 2025 is as a result of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Celebration began a full week later than final 12 months. This isn’t regular. It’s widespread for MNSSHP to begin earlier and earlier, however I don’t recall a time when the beginning date was pushed again previous to 2025.
In all probability, this choice was pushed by the delayed Disney Starlight Evening Parade, and giving {that a} longer runway of uninterrupted efficiency dates earlier than Celebration Season begins. That new nighttime parade wanted as many efficiency dates as potential as a launch valve on demand and crowds earlier than Celebration Season begins, and causes Magic Kingdom to shut early a number of nights per week. Clearly, this state of affairs received’t repeat in 2026.
The 2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration might break the 40 evening barrier merely be including that early August week again to the schedule, beginning the occasion on August 7, 2026. If that occurs, and nothing else adjustments, that’s a simple 40-41 events.
Walt Disney World stored the identical variety of events monthly this 12 months, and completed the week later begin by including two Sunday evening events within the second half of August. These dates nonetheless managed to promote nicely and didn’t trigger loopy crowding on non-party dates, so it appears probably that Walt Disney World will revisit that playbook for 2026.
Including extra August dates additionally introduces the chance for extra of the least costly dates. In concept, Walt Disney World might maintain the beginning value the identical as 2025, simply improve the October ceiling, and market extra of the “most cost-effective” dates. (Disneyland has executed this with $104 ticket days.) That may be a win-win for company and the corporate, growing income whereas additionally nudging these with versatile journey dates to August for (primarily) half-priced tickets as contrasted with October.
Together with considerably increased costs, Walt Disney World has lowered the attendance cap for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration, which is a part of the rationale extra dates promote out. Should you final skilled MNSSHP in October 2019 when this downside peaked, it is best to discover the distinction within the 2022-2025 crowds. (See “Is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration Too Crowded?” for extra on how dangerous October 2019 was.)
That is no assure that Walt Disney World will follow the decrease attendance cap for the 2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration. They might decide that, on steadiness, visitor satisfaction is increased if the occasions don’t promote out as simply. (Clearly, visitor satisfaction is increased amongst attendees with a decrease cap, however that doesn’t account for company who get shut out and are disenchanted. You might be an outlier by studying this weblog; many Walt Disney World company don’t begin serious about or planning for Halloween till October.)
In order that’s one potential change for 2026–the next attendance cap to scale back offered out dates. This strikes me as unlikely to occur. Walt Disney World has hit the goldilocks zone for crowds–not too gentle or too heavy–at each MNSSHP and MVMCP. This doesn’t imply there’s zero congestion or strains–you’ll nonetheless encounter each, particularly for uncommon characters and in entrance of Cinderella Fort between the parade and fireworks, however there’s no fixing for that.
One other wildcard is bringing again extra upcharges throughout the 2026 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration. Walt Disney World has been actually gradual to revive quite a lot of ‘Enchanting Extras’ for causes unknown, however 2026 may be the turning level on that if there’s in any other case a slowdown. Bringing again the Cruella’s Halloween Disguise-a-Approach at Tony’s City Sq. Restaurant or including one other premium parade viewing bundle can be one approach to accomplish this.
An much more outlandish thought may be pulling a web page from the Christmas playbook and introducing a extra adult-oriented get together at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. One thing that is so scary (or is barely scary) and will slot between MNSSHP and Halloween Horror Nights at Common on the scariness spectrum. There’s undoubtedly an viewers for this, and Disney might look to occasions held in Paris or Hong Kong for inspiration.
I’m skeptical of this occurring for quite a lot of causes, nevertheless it’s a minimum of price discussing as a “only for enjoyable” risk. Having executed Halloween at Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland again once they had this extra grownup vibe, I might love to see this. Amongst different impediments, messaging can be an enormous one. (Don’t need one other Alien Encounter state of affairs!)
The larger concern, although, is that solely October might realistically maintain a second Halloween occasion at Walt Disney World. Perhaps they may do one evening per week from mid-August by means of late September, however that’s an enormous perhaps. Such a celebration would in all probability take a number of seasons to interrupt even, and dangers a repeat of Jollywood Nights’ inaugural season.
Though Walt Disney World has pushed ahead with Jollywood Nights, I can’t assist however wonder if that’s as a result of recouping upfront sunk prices. That if they may make the unique choice with the data they’ve right this moment, perhaps they’d decide towards ever doing Jollywood Nights within the first place.
If something, a summer-time laborious ticket occasion from Could by means of July at Magic Kingdom might be the extra surefire, bankable idea. Maybe the actual answer right here is bringing again Villains After Hours at Magic Kingdom for these months, versus one other get together throughout Halloween at DHS that would cannibalize attendance from MNSSHP and create confusion amongst company.
Personally, I’d like to see a summer-time particular occasion return to Magic Kingdom. It’s been practically 20 years for the reason that failed Pirates & Princesses Celebration, which was truly a ton of enjoyable. That was additionally poorly timed proper through the Nice Recession, and though we’re below no delusions that it’ll return, it may very well be an enormous hit in 2025, particularly with the resurgence of pirates! The newer Villains After Hours is certainly the smarter guess, particularly with Villains Land on the horizon.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever attended Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration at Walt Disney World in the previous few years? What did you consider the ‘offered out’ crowds? Assume it was well worth the excessive ticket value? Any adjustments you count on in 2026? Assume Walt Disney World will add a second Halloween get together at Disney’s Hollywood Studios or a summer time occasion at Magic Kingdom? Agree or disagree with our evaluation? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even if you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!