Lake Buena Vista, FL — Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party will return to the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World for 38 select nights from August 7 through October 31, 2026, marking the earliest start date ever for the annual spooky fun celebration.
The separately ticketed event will include exclusive entertainment, Halloween-themed food and beverages, photo opportunities, event merchandise, character greetings, and trick-or-treating for children and adults alike.
Disney announced the dates as part of its annual “Halfway to Halloween” promotional moment, alongside a first look at 2026 Halloween merchandise for Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort.
New This Year: A Masquerade with Stitch
The party will introduce A Masquerade with Stitch (NEW), a Stitch-hosted dance party at the Rockettower Plaza Stage in Tomorrowland, with Lilo and Angel joining the festivities. According to Disney Parks Blog, “after getting his paws on Lilo’s Costume Trunk, every accessory he tries on will spark a theme swap and keep the party playfully unpredictable all night long.”
Returning Entertainment
Disney Parks Blog confirmed the return of:
- Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade (Returning) at 8:15 p.m., featuring Mickey, Minnie, the waltzing ghosts, Disney Princesses, Disney Villains, and Vanellope von Schweetz
- The Cadaver Dans (Returning), the barbershop quartet, performing what Disney Parks Blog described as “soulful harmony”
- Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular (Returning), with Winifred, Sarah, and Mary Sanderson joined by Hades, Cruella De Vil, Jafar, Dr. Facilier, and the Evil Queen
- Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular (Returning), a fireworks and castle projection show featuring Jack Skellington, Zero, Ursula, the Queen of Hearts, and Oogie Boogie
- The Headless Horseman (Returning) appearance through the Magic Kingdom
- Halloween-costumed character meet-and-greets including Sally and Jack Skellington, Mickey and Minnie at Town Square Theater, Pooh in a bumblebee costume, Ariel and Eric, and Aladdin and Jasmine
Select attractions will receive overlays, including Space Mountain running “in pitch-black darkness while listening to spooky tunes,” special lighting on the Mad Tea Party, and trick-or-treat stops at Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor. More than a dozen trick-or-treat stops will be marked on the party map, with Mars Wrigley brands including M&Ms, Snickers, and Starburst distributed across the candy stations.
Halfway to Halloween Merchandise
Alongside the date announcement, Disney revealed a 2026 MNSSHP merchandise collection that includes a crewneck sweatshirt, adult tees with double-sided artwork in a gray, black, and orange palette featuring Mickey, Minnie, and the Headless Horseman, a baseball cap, a Mickey Mouse Vampire plush keychain, a novelty mug with lid, a castle ornament, and a magnet frame. The collection is part of a broader “Shriek Peek” Halloween merch drop that includes apparel, headwear, accessories, plush, and home goods featuring characters from the Haunted Mansion, The Nightmare Before Christmas, the Disney Villains, and other classic Halloween properties.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party 2026 Event Dates and Ticketing
The party runs 38 select nights from August 7 through October 31, 2026, at Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World. The party operates from 7:00 p.m. until midnight, with ticketed guests entering Magic Kingdom as early as 4:00 p.m. The Magic Kingdom closes earlier on event nights to accommodate the party.
2026 dates:
- August: 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, 30
- September: 1, 4, 8, 11, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22, 24, 25, 27, 29
- October: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 13, 15, 16, 18, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31
Tickets are priced from $119 to $229 per person, varying by date. Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club members receive a $10 discount on event nights from August 7 through October 2. Tickets go on sale May 5, 2026, for guests staying at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin, and Shades of Green, with general public sales beginning May 12, 2026. Reservations can be made by calling 407-934-7639.
For more information, visit the official Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party website. Watch HAN’s past coverage of MNSSHP on YouTube.
What This Means for the Industry (Analysis)
The August 7 start date is the earliest in MNSSHP history, and it continues the pattern of Halloween creep we were watching last year. At Walt Disney World, Halloween decor will go up the first week of August and stay up until early November, when the Christmas overlay follows. That is roughly three months of Halloween, which is the point; Halloween has expanded to fill a full season at the world’s largest theme parks.
It’s worth noting how little has actually changed at this event between last year and this year. Changing the dance party is hardly a large lift, so while they are moving the start date up, it seems like very little expense is going into the event for any sort of rehaul. That works in Orlando, where most guests are tourists, but it wouldn’t work as well at an attraction that depends more on locals.
This announcement follows Universal Orlando’s announcement that Halloween Horror Nights will open on August 28 this year and will also feature returning icon characters. Universal Orlando always changes HHN, but the return of iconic characters combined with Disney’s lack of investment could signal concern about softer fall demand (something Universal alluded to in recent earnings).
