Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration at Magic Kingdom is dearer than ever ahead of, with tickets costing as much as $199 each and every and promoting out every year. We’re right here to lend a hand making a decision whether or not Walt Disney International’s fall seasonal tournament is “price it” for you–plus observation on whether or not MNSSHP provides enough worth for cash to us. (Up to date October 2, 2024.)
One of the crucial difficulties in assessing whether or not Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration justifies the prime worth is that there aren’t any simple comparisons. Purchasing a single-day price tag to Magic Kingdom isn’t an apples to apples identical, nor are there any “Captivating Additional” upcharges (at the moment) which are viable choices to MNSSHP.
As such, figuring out whether or not Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration is well worth the cash calls for a have a look at choices to the arduous price tag tournament, its core elements, previous precedent, and extra. It’s a patchwork method, however that’s sorta the character of the beast with regards to those “is it price it?” questions and all issues Walt Disney International.
Largely, it is because there’s at all times an inarticulable x-factor with regards to Disney. An emotional or nostalgic pull that reasons many of us to forget goal on-paper comparisons. We justify such a lot at the foundation of perceived benefits or substance. If we’re being truthful with ourselves, the truth is that it typically boils all the way down to one thing way more emotional, nebulous, or intangible.
That is true now not simply with Walt Disney International diehards. A big swath of the general public is keen to pay top class pricing for Disney’s product and that’s as a result of there’s the belief that there’s no “replace excellent.” Positive, there are different Halloween occasions–almost definitely a half-dozen of them simply in Central Florida–however none of them have the similar elementary attraction to the objective demo as Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration.
(We are saying this as individuals who love Halloween Horror Nights, however are cognizant of the truth that we’re outliers. The 2 occasions are hardly ever direct competition, which is patently obtrusive to any individual who attends each and easily seems round.)
Subjectively, it’s tough to argue that numerous what Disney provides is price the price on paper. Whether or not that be upcharge choices, rack charges for Deluxe Motels, or a large number of alternative issues. Related “actual global” opposite numbers nearly at all times be offering higher worth for cash. Similar is going for previous incarnations of Walt Disney International’s personal choices–you pay extra and get much less in 2024 than you probably did in 2014.
Objectively, it’s a wholly other tale. Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration has offered out totally for either one of the final two years, and there’s no signal of call for slowing in 2025 or past. Within the clearest and most simple sense, the marketplace has already spoken and Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration is price it.
Whilst enthusiasts like us may bitch about ever-increasing costs, communicate is affordable. We proceed to vote with our wallets and reaffirm that now not simplest is MNSSHP nonetheless price it, however that it’s underpriced–as evidenced by way of the development promoting out sooner and extra steadily than ever ahead of. Walt Disney International has but to search out the ceiling on what visitors are keen to pay ahead of balking at MNSSHP. Truthfully, we’re roughly scared about what that quantity could be.
Mainly, this preface is our cop out. A roundabout approach of claiming that the whole thing at Walt Disney International is worthwhile, and not anything is. Admitting that that is an workout in futility, as emotion and nostalgia are large drivers for Walt Disney International and price for the ones issues may be very a lot within the eye of the beholder.
Nonetheless, it’s an workout we’ll adopt simply the similar, looking to resolve if the ever-increasing price tag costs for Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration can also be justified in anyway.
Costs are almost definitely a excellent position to begin an research of price, so let’s start there. Tickets for the 2024 Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration ranged in worth from $119 to $199. That is up very moderately over the process the final couple years.
Despite the fact that it hasn’t long gone up a lot in the previous few years, those are large worth will increase as in comparison to 2019. Mickey’s No longer-So-Horrifying tickets charge between $79 and $135 again then. That’s an implausible distinction. (For the reason that tickets have offered so smartly for the previous few years, we worry a large build up is coming in 2025.)
At the upside, we’ve seen decrease ‘looks like’ crowds at each MNSSHP and MVMCP within the final two years as contrasted with 2019. After a good reaction and better visitor delight for the Halloween After Hours tournament a couple of years again, we strongly suspect Walt Disney International reduced the capability cap by way of round 20% (give or take). That’s now not sufficient to offset the associated fee build up in share phrases, however it’s noteworthy.
With regards to ancient pricing, Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration didn’t destroy the $100/evening barrier till 2016. We first began attending in 2007, and budgeted ~$50 for each the Halloween and Christmas Celebration for the primary a number of years we went.
I don’t know the way a lot worth there’s in evaluating costs as of late to again within the “excellent ole days” of the Nice Recession. The sector is an overly other position than it used to be in 2007-2009. Whilst we would possibly want pricing from again then, the economic system and actual wages are undoubtedly higher. As a result, call for is so much upper for MNSSHP than it used to be then.
Nonetheless, I additionally don’t suppose it relatively passes the scent take a look at to mention “this tournament that’s considerably the similar because it used to be in 2007, except for extra crowded and dearer, is now higher than it used to be then.” Call for can provide an explanation for Disney’s underlying rationale for worth will increase, however now not solution questions of price. However possibly that’s a little too within the weeds.
What’s almost definitely extra helpful than eager for the previous is dollar-cost comparisons to the provide. We will be able to evaluate MNSSHP price tag costs to the price of a 1-day price tag to Magic Kingdom. Common day admission levels from $134 to $179 throughout the months of Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration.
No longer so coincidentally, day price tag costs are if truth be told similar to MNSSHP price tag costs on a date by way of date foundation for the rest tournament nights. Some are about the similar; Friday nights in October being $20 dearer.
If we had to choose from a complete day in Magic Kingdom and Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration this time of 12 months, we’d select the latter instantly. It provides decrease crowds, higher surroundings, a laugh leisure, and is at evening throughout a time of 12 months that’s regularly scorching.
So long as MNSSHP remains to be comparably priced to single-day Magic Kingdom tickets within the fall, you’ll be able to be expecting it to proceed promoting out temporarily in 2025 and past–barring a recession or different primary exchange. It is because more and more visitors are buying Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween as an alternative of day tickets.
That is enjoying out in some distance giant and small, from vacationers purchasing shorter length tickets (3 days as an alternative of four) to locals skipping out on Annual Passes and getting their “Disney repair” throughout Celebration Season. The latter is a large ingredient, as Floridians are being priced out of APs or opting to take a 12 months off from them, however nonetheless wish to do Walt Disney International every so often. Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration is a approach to scratch that itch, to be able to discuss. That is indubitably going down, as evidenced by way of the bigger mix-in crowds ready to go into at 4 pm.
On the other hand, we will be able to’t lend a hand however suppose that this can be a false selection–or that the dynamic may revert someday within the now not too far-off long term. That’s as a result of Walt Disney International has presented price tag offers for each and every of the final two years for each Floridians and most of the people, providing multi-day admission ranging in worth from $59 in line with day to $99 in line with day (the decrease finish of the spectrum used to be for Floridians).
It’s truthful to mention that enthusiasts on the lookout for a single-day Disney repair aren’t going to need 2-day to 4-day tickets, however some are. And if it’s a decision between 4 days for $235 to $396 or Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration for $149, I’m opting for the multi-day choice, even on the upper worth. (With Epic Universe looming, it’s secure to mention those price tag offers will go back for Fall 2025–possibly even higher than ever!)
Nonetheless, there’s a query of the worth proposition of MNSSHP vs. common 1-day tickets for plenty of visitors.
We’ve been urging Walt Disney International holiday planners to do Magic Kingdom on celebration days, which quantities to as many as 10 hours within the park (plus every other 30-60 mins if you happen to depend Early Access). Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween starts at 7 pm and runs till 12 am, however as famous above, party-goers can if truth be told input the park starting at 4 pm, for a grand overall of as much as 8 hours.
From a qualitative standpoint, the argument may well be made that the ones 8 hours throughout the celebration are awesome to the ten hours throughout the day. If that math is hard to sq., it manner you haven’t visited Florida throughout the months of August via October. Level being, night time hours are extra delightful than the sunlight hours.
That is if truth be told as excellent of some degree as any to deal with crowds. Perceptions of crowds varies extensively in keeping with puts and priorities. As soon as the leisure begins, Primary Boulevard and the world in entrance of Cinderella Fortress can also be congested every now and then. The entrance of Magic Kingdom sees a disproportionate quantity of crowds, so you could suppose MNSSHP may be very crowded–worse than an ordinary day–if you happen to hang around across the entrance of the park looking forward to leisure.
In the meantime, over in Fantasyland, Adventureland, and Frontierland, there are regularly vast open walkways throughout the very same events, at the very same instances. Whilst now not as quick as After Hours occasions, wait instances for many points of interest with out overlays are beneath 10 mins. Visitors who use MNSSHP in an effort to do rides with minimum waits and keep away from Primary Boulevard may understand crowds to be round 2/10 or so.
That’s about on par with an ordinary day in Magic Kingdom throughout celebration season with a 6 pm ultimate. Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween is rather less busy if we’re the use of not anything however the goal measure of wait instances. Conversely, the celebration can worse if we’re the use of the extremely subjective measure of congestion.
Circling again to the subject of price tag charge, a lot of that is inappropriate to maximum Walt Disney International holiday planners. Nearly all of attendees aren’t deciding between a 1-day price tag and MNSSHP, they’re deciding between MNSSHP and (probably) one fewer day on their multi-day tickets.
As such, the incremental charge of including (or subtracting) an afternoon to multi-day tickets is the important thing attention. On this case, that’s an additional ~$10 to ~$30 as in comparison to $139 to $199. All of sudden it’s a large distinction. The qualitative benefit of night time as opposed to sunlight hours in Magic Kingdom melts away.
When assessing worth, MNSSHP enthusiasts regularly level to the “unfastened” trick-or-treating. That is erroneous. In the event you spent all the evening doing not anything however trick-or-treating, you’d finally end up with a sweet haul having an excellent marketplace worth of $8.97 from Walmart or CVS. (Or ~$234 at Walt Disney International reward store costs.) As any individual who enjoys having enamel, I’ll additionally admit to being biased towards eating copious quantities of sugar. However significantly, the real worth of sweet isn’t a successful “argument” with regards to the price of Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration.
Given all of that, we’re left without a higher choices for assessing worth than by way of ascribing worth to the core competencies of Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration: Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular, Mickey’s Boo to You Parade, and Disney’s No longer So Spooky Impressive Fireworks. Those 3 items of leisure are the cornerstones of the development.
Walt Disney International enthusiasts can quibble over whether or not HalloWishes is best than the present fireworks or if Boo to You is as excellent because the Christmas parade, each and every carry one thing other to the desk. They’re all smartly price seeing and each and every be offering one thing spectacular.
If we had been to fake the leisure at Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration offered Lightning Lane get right of entry to, it’s most probably that seeing each and every the sort of would charge round $25. Assuming you don’t wish to repeat any of them, that’s $75 of leisure plus a time charge of about 3 hours of the development itself.
Upload in every other $25 for atmospheric acts and environment, and also you’re at $100. Then there are personality meet & greets, trick-or-treating, appeal overlays, and the time you’re in a position to get right of entry to Magic Kingdom. In idea, that will get you to the typical price tag worth, assuming you worth all of the ones issues.
In fact, you’ll be able to alter the ones numbers upwards and downwards in keeping with your celebration’s priorities and what you worth. It’s conceivable the time beyond regulation in Magic Kingdom or doing common points of interest with quick traces is price considerably extra to you, however the leisure is price considerably much less. Perhaps the person elements had been slightly price it for you 5 years in the past and now in reality aren’t.
In all probability merely being there amongst different visitors dressed in costumes for Halloween whilst your youngsters are in a position to trick-or-treat in a a laugh and secure surroundings is valuable. It’s additionally conceivable you’re wholly excited by having the most productive holiday conceivable and are keen to spare no expense to succeed in that. (If so, now not certain why you even are studying this.) Once more, worth is within the eye of the beholder.
To that time, I figured it’s price sharing our standpoint as attendees for the final decade-plus. We’re overall suckers for those events, and we completely love the ambience on the occasions. That is similarly true for each MNSSHP and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Celebration.
From 11 pm till each time we depart is our favourite time at Magic Kingdom, and the events are immensely fulfilling on a non-public stage in keeping with that end-of-night surroundings by myself. So much in regards to the Walt Disney International enjoy for diehards is revisiting fond reminiscences, and we’ve got a ton of them from past due nights at MNSSHP and MVMCP.
The top of the night time throughout those events transports me again to 2007-2010, and I’d pay a silly amount of cash only for that feeling. It’s now not rational, however it’s what it’s. (In the event you’re an informal visitor or first-timer, it’s price figuring out that so much of the Walt Disney International enjoy boils all the way down to chasing nostalgia for diehards, whether or not they’re keen to confess it or now not.)
With that stated, if the query is whether or not Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration is well worth the cash to us in keeping with the present tournament itself, the solution might not be.
For us, MNSSHP peaked in 2015 or 2016. Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular had debuted, the development used to be reasonably uncrowded, there have been extra meet & greets, HalloWishes used to be nonetheless round, and price tag costs had been considerably decrease. There were adjustments since then by way of journey overlays and different adjustments, however none of that in reality strikes the needle sufficient for me to offset the upper charge.
Frankly, if I may just choose from the MNSSHP of 2016 or 2024 at similar costs, I’d nonetheless select 2016. There were numerous little cuts and different ways the standard of the enjoy has been eroded. All over that very same time frame, nearly not anything of worth has been added to justify the upper costs.
The key is that we splurge on Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration as a result of we wish to do it–with out regard for its worth proposition. It’s a type of issues we all know isn’t relatively what it as soon as used to be, however since we don’t personal a time gadget (but), we proceed attending. It’s a in reality a laugh enjoy and nonetheless “shut sufficient” on worth that we give it a go (for now).
At this level, Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration is one thing we’d do each and every different 12 months if it had been only a topic of private enjoyment. Writing in regards to the tournament is what guidelines the scales for us, and makes it more uncomplicated to justify paying the ever-increasing costs to wait.
In fact, all of that is extremely private. Despite the fact that it’s much more pricey than MNSSHP, I will not consider lacking Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Celebration. The wish to write about it excuse additionally exists with MVMCP, however we’d completely attend every year for private enjoyment. That comes all the way down to much more nostalgia, who prefer Christmas, climate, and the spirit of the season. (Christmas in November is much more a laugh for us than Halloween in August.)
In the long run, the environment, fireworks, plus two showings of each the Boo to You parade and Hocus Pocus display supply enough worth for us to stay returning, with the whole thing else being icing at the cake. We additionally get to revisit fond reminiscences and nostalgia for MNSSHP–however greater than anything else, that are meant to underscore why it’s so tough to resolve whether or not Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration is well worth the cash.
There’s additionally the truth that we ascribed numerous worth to the time after 11 pm, which could be downright laughable to these of you who’re oldsters of babies. We didn’t even scratch the outside there–or of the way pricey this will get for higher events. The purpose is that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. The most efficient we will be able to be offering is the rambling research above, and the hope that it supplies enough “meals for concept” such that you’ll be able to make a non-public resolution on your circle of relatives.
After all, we at all times have a great time at Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration. No longer up to we did again within the day (particularly with the price in thoughts), however nonetheless sufficient a laugh to proceed going 12 months after 12 months. Whilst Annual Passholders who’ve executed the development dozens of instances, we nonetheless look ahead to Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration–the development is indubitably now not as “price it” to us because it was, however we stay going. As with different enthusiasts, the votes we would possibly with our wallets almost definitely say much more than those few thousand phrases.
Making plans a Walt Disney International shuttle? In the event you’re excited by finding out extra about inns, our Walt Disney International Lodges Critiques web page is a superb position to begin. For the place to devour, check out our Walt Disney International Eating place Critiques web page. If you wish to lower your expenses on tickets or resolve which sort you must get, learn our Pointers for Saving Cash on Walt Disney International Tickets submit. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys submit takes a singular have a look at unconventional belongings you must take for your shuttle. While you arrive on the parks, our Walt Disney International “Trip Guides” are nice for figuring out what to do and when to do it. For overviews of all of those subjects and so a lot more, the most productive position to begin is our complete Walt Disney International Travel Making plans Information to take advantage of your enjoy!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever attended Mickey’s No longer So Horrifying Halloween Celebration at Walt Disney International within the final two years? What did you call to mind the crowds? Suppose it used to be well worth the prime price tag worth? Ideas at the Boo to You Parade, Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular, fireworks, or another leisure? Some other guidelines, likes or dislikes? Any questions we will be able to mean you can solution? Listening to your comments–even whilst you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please percentage your ideas underneath within the feedback!
