Walt Disney World Halloween: 3 Pros & 2 Cons of Visiting Disney World During the Halloween Season (in 2024)

There is no Fall celebration quite like the Walt Disney World Halloween festivities.

With the arrival of autumn comes a magical transformation – from Walt Disney World Halloween decorations to exclusive events and more!

In many ways, this is the best time of year to visit Disney World.

However, there are a couple of reasons why this is a super frustrating time to visit Disney World.

Join us as we dive into the pros and cons of experiencing Walt Disney World during the spooktacular Halloween season.

This post is all about the pros and cons of visiting during the Walt Disney World Halloween season.

Walt Disney World Halloween

When is the Walt Disney World Halloween season?

The Walt Disney World Halloween season typically begins in late July-early August and runs through very early November.

While exact dates may vary slightly from year to year, guests can generally expect Halloween decorations to start appearing throughout the parks and resorts between the end of July and early-ish August.

The Pros of Visiting Walt Disney World Halloween Season

1) You can go to the Walt Disney World Halloween Party, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

One of the most significant draws of visiting Walt Disney World during the Halloween season is the opportunity to attend Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.

During Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Magic Kingdom transforms into a spooktacular wonderland filled with themed entertainment, and exclusive character meet-and-greets.

You can dress up in your favourite costumes and trick-or-treat around the park, collecting candy from various treat stations.

One of the highlights of the party is the Boo-to-You Halloween Parade, featuring beloved Disney characters in their Halloween best, along with “eerie” floats and catchy tunes.

Additionally, the night concludes with an enchanting fireworks show, “Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular,” illuminating the sky with dazzling lights and special effects.

2) You can enjoy some of the Fall Events

Experiencing Halloween at Walt Disney World allows you to immerse yourself in the festive atmosphere of autumn.

Firstly, the Magic Kingdom Halloween decorations! There are A LOT of iconic Mickey pumpkins – and more!

You can also find Walt Disney World Halloween merchandise sold at the majority of gift shops at the Disney Parks and Resorts.

Furthermore, you can enjoy seasonal treats.

The speciality beignets are one of the most popular Disney World Halloween treats.

For more information on Disney World Halloween events, check out our post that details all the events you wouldn’t want to miss!

3) This can be one of the least expensive times to visit

Believe it or not, visiting Disney World during the Halloween season can be one of the least expensive times in terms of ticket prices and hotel rates.

Late August into September can be one of the cheapest times for hotel rates (and August-September is usually one of the least expensive times Disney World ticket-wise).

As it’s a less popular time to visit, you can often find better discounts and deals on hotels/packages.

October gets more expensive and busy as it approaches Halloween, but earlier in Disney’s Halloween season, it can be pretty affordable. By Disney standards, of course.

The Cons of Visiting Walt Disney World Halloween Season

1) Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (if you’re not attending all the parties during your visit)

While Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is certainly one of the Walt Disney World during the Halloween season, it can also present a significant inconvenience if you’re not planning to attend all the parties during your visit.

Magic Kingdom hours are majorly affected by Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party nights – with the park usually closing at 6 pm for guests without a ticket to the Halloween Party.

So, if/when you’re not attending the party, you may need to adjust your park plans to avoid Magic Kingdom on party nights or make alternative arrangements for evening entertainment and dining outside of this park.

There may be a lot of nights, you can’t visit with your regular Disney World tickets, as there are A LOT of Halloween Party nights.

Here are the 2023 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party dates:

Friday, August 11th, 2023
Tuesday, August 15th, 2023
Friday, August 18th, 2023
Tuesday, August 22nd, 2023
Friday, August 25th, 2023
Tuesday, August 29th, 2023
Friday, September 1st, 2023
Monday, September 4th, 2023
Friday, September 8th, 2023
Sunday, September 10th, 2023
Tuesday, September 12th, 2023
Friday, September 15th, 2023
Sunday, September 17th, 2023
Tuesday, September 19th, 2023
Friday, September 22nd, 2023
Sunday, September 24th, 2023
Tuesday, September 26th, 2023
Thursday, September 28th, 2023
Friday, September 29th, 2023
Sunday, October 1st, 2023
Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023
Thursday, October 5th, 2023
Friday, October 6th, 2023
Monday, October 9th, 2023
Tuesday, October 10th, 2o23
Thursday, October 12th, 2023
Friday, October 13th, 2023
Sunday, October 15th, 2023
Tuesday, October 17th, 2023
Thursday, October 19th, 2023
Friday, October 20th, 2023
Sunday, October 22nd, 2023
Tuesday, October 24th, 2023
Thursday, October 26th, 2023
Friday, October 27th, 2023
Sunday, October 29th, 2023
Tuesday, October 31st, 2023
Wednesday, November 1st, 2023

Yeah, pretty frequent alright!

Also, let’s not forget how expensive Disney Halloween tickets are for this party (based on 2023 prices):

Ages 3-9: $99-$189 + tax

Ages 10+: $109-$199 + tax

2) The Walt Disney World Halloween Season coincides with Hurricane Season

One of the drawbacks of visiting Disney World during the Halloween season is that it coincides with hurricane season in Florida.

Hurricane season occurs between June and November, which overlaps with the Disney Halloween season.

While Disney World has policies and procedures in place to handle severe weather situations, including flexible cancellation policies, the risk of encountering adverse weather conditions during the Halloween season is something to consider when planning Disney World trips during this time.

Ta Ta For Now

Visiting Disney World during Halloween offers exciting opportunities and potential challenges.

Ultimately, with careful planning and consideration of both the pros and cons, you can make the most of your Halloween-themed adventure at the most magical place on earth.