Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a fall tradition for many Disney fans, and 2025 is shaping up to offer both familiar favorites and some unexpected surprises. But before guests start mapping out their trick-or-treat trails, they might want to brace themselves—because the biggest scare this year isn’t from the Haunted Mansion. It’s from the ticket prices.
Disney officially dropped the details for the 2025 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, and alongside the usual festive announcements came a price tag that’s giving fans some serious sticker shock. While the spooky season magic remains, it’s hard to ignore how much more it’s going to cost to be part of it this year.
Let’s start with the basics. The party returns to Magic Kingdom on select nights starting as early as August 15 and running all the way through October 31. As always, guests can expect an immersive evening packed with exclusive Halloween fireworks, the beloved Boo-to-You parade, special character meet-and-greets, ride overlays, and, of course, all the candy you can carry. Partygoers are granted early entry into Magic Kingdom starting at 4 p.m., even though the official event doesn’t kick off until 7 p.m.
What’s different in 2025? Disney is bringing some fresh energy to the event lineup. Mickey and Minnie will greet guests together at Town Square Theatre in their Halloween costumes—something fans haven’t seen since 2012 when they appeared as Pirate Mickey and Princess Minnie. Plus, Jack Skellington will be showing off a brand-new look at the same location. Over at the Boo-to-You parade, there are some new faces joining the spooky spectacle, including rare appearances from Pain & Panic from Hercules (1997) and Vanellope from Wreck-It Ralph (2012).
And for those who can’t resist a good dance party, Disney is leaning into its Zombies franchise again, with an all-new party celebrating Zombies 4 alongside fan-favorite music from earlier Zombies films. Of course, many of the beloved party staples will still be there: trick-or-treat trails, eerie ride overlays, and plenty of villains making their rounds through the streets of Magic Kingdom.
So, with all of that on the table, why are fans grumbling? It comes down to the price. Tickets for this year’s Halloween party range from $119 on select August nights to a jaw-dropping $229 for Halloween night itself. That’s a $30 increase from last year’s top price of $199. To make matters worse, the price range doesn’t include tax, adding even more to the overall cost.
This price jump is part of a broader pattern at Walt Disney World, where ticket increases have become a regular part of the conversation among longtime fans. In fact, across the board, guests have been feeling the pinch, from higher day ticket prices to more paid add-ons and even upcharges for things like preferred hotel views and parking. The pricing model now leans heavily on demand-based strategies. And with every party date selling out in 2024, Disney seems to be testing the waters to see just how much guests are willing to pay for limited-capacity, after-hours experiences.
For many, the real fright is how these price hikes chip away at the accessibility that once made Disney vacations a family staple. Middle-class families, who once built the Disney brand into what it is today, are increasingly finding themselves priced out of these special events. Sure, diehard Disney fans will still make the trip for those once-a-year memories, but more casual visitors are starting to question whether the magic is worth the price tag.
Tickets for this year’s party go on sale May 15 for guests staying at select Walt Disney World Resort hotels, as well as at the Swan, Dolphin, and Shades of Green properties. The general public can snag their tickets starting May 22. Discounts remain available for Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members—but only for certain nights in August and September. And as usual, expect nights like the opening party on August 15 and Halloween night on October 31 to sell out in a flash.
But the creeping costs aren’t limited to the Halloween party itself. The price surge is part of a larger shift in how Disney monetizes its parks. With recent changes such as Lightning Lane Multi Pass replacing Genie+, and hotel perks becoming more tiered and exclusive, many guests feel like they’re paying more while getting less included in the base price. And while events like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party still offer unique entertainment and rare character moments, it’s hard to ignore the growing cost of creating those memories.
In a way, the Halloween party’s soaring ticket prices are a microcosm of the Disney World vacation experience in 2025. It’s still magical, still memorable—but it’s undeniably more expensive. And for families already budgeting for flights, hotels, dining, and souvenirs, the added cost of these hard-ticket events might feel like one more hurdle in an increasingly expensive vacation equation.
Of course, for some, these changes won’t dampen the excitement. There’s something special about wandering through Magic Kingdom under a spooky moon, candy bag in hand, surrounded by glowing pumpkins and Disney villains. And as long as fans continue to fill up those party nights, Disney’s pricing strategy will likely remain unchanged.
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