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Halloween Guide for Walt Disney World in 2021 & 2022
Halloween at Walt Disney World is a 3-month celebration, full of night shows to make you boo-gie, fangtastic dining and not-so-scary character experiences for kids. To find out more and for puns as hit and miss as trick or treats, read our guide for Halloween at Walt Disney World below...
When and Where Halloween Happens at Walt Disney World
Halloween at Walt Disney World begins in early August and runs until the big day on 31st October. While the scale of celebrations is smaller than Christmas (see our 2021 festive guide here), the Magic Kingdom theme park and Disney Springs in particular still pumpkin spice things up.
Which Halloween Night Show Is Happening in 2021
Boo Bash replaces Disney’s usual After Hours parade, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, for 2021. This sought after and ticketed event promises low crowds and your favourite Disney characters in a not too-spooky musical procession - Including Mickey’s Happy Halloween Cavalcade. He is joined by Minnie, Pluto and pals in boo-tiful costumes sure to lift your spirits. Or perhaps during the haunting season, you will revel in the villain’s Halloween Cavalcade, when fiends like Jafar and the Queen of Hearts celebrate how wonderful it is to be wicked. For fans of Tim Burton’s classic picture, The Nightmare Before Christmas, look out for Jack’s Nightmare Cavalcade, where the Pumpkin King is joined by Sally in a chilling parade leading up to a thrilling conclusion… Maleficent will take the stage in the form of a fire-breathing dragon!
Across Magic Kingdom, you can also witness character sightings and performances from Goofy, Chip ‘n’ Dale, Foulfellow and Gideon plus Miss Carlotta and friends at the Haunted Mansion. Look out for a special appearance from these songsters, as they emerge from their tombs with a performance that’s to die for. You are also encouraged to join these characters in Halloween costumes. While regular rules only allow children under 14 to dress as Disney characters, everyone can join the fun for Boo Bash.
Another added benefit of Disney’s After Hours Boo Bash is late-night access to attractions. Before night time events, Magic Kingdom usually closes at 6PM. For Boo Bash, guests will be admitted as early as 7PM, giving you time to enjoy rides well before the event starts at 9-9:30PM.
Why Magic Kingdom Has the Best Halloween Decorations
Magic Kingdom’s iconic Halloween decorations line Main Street, USA and give everyone pumpkin to talk about. Jack-o-Lanterns-cum-Mickey-Mouse-wreaths hang from the entrance tunnel all the way down to Cinderella’s Castle. Below them in Town Square are Pumpkin scarecrows and at dusk, the carvings illuminations blend in with Disney’s 50th Anniversary celebrations. Starting from October 1st 2021, attractions such as Cinderella’s castle glow like beacons of magic, beckoning everyone to join the party.
How to Capture Halloween Memories With Disney PhotoPass
Disney PhotoPass is a must-have at Halloween. Whether it be during Boo Bash or at the many other park attractions, Disney will capture picture-perfect memories for your family. However, what truly brings the images to life are the Magic Shots. With a sprinkle of fairy dust, dancing ghosts, flaming pumpkins and many more special effects will take a special place in your photo album.
A fantastic cost-saving feature of Disney PhotoPass is that you can only pay for the photos or videos you want to keep. Or for the convenience of one price and one download, you can purchase Disney’s Memory Maker.
Where to Eat During Halloween at Walt Disney World
Minnie’s Monster Feast at Hollywood Studios
Join the mouse-with-the-mostest, Minnie, as she hosts a Halloween soiree at Hollywood Studio’s Hollywood & Vine. Her “Monster Feast” features a mixture of music, decorations and frightfully delightful meals for lunch or dinner. The American diner cuisine offers a selection of individual plated entrees and desserts. Families have also given Minnie’s cooking the thumbs up on Trustpilot, with a 4/5 rating from over 2,500 reviews. Expect to see Mickey and friends also make an appearance for what Disney class, a “boo-tastic time.”
Breakfast is still on the menu at Hollywood & Vine, but for a Play n’ Dine event with Disney Junior stars Ideal for little ones. Food time is finally playtime at these Character Dining experiences, as kids interact with their favourite stars between fun-themed bites to eat.
Please note, for in-park dining, guests need a book a theme park and restaurant reservation for the day. However, children under the age of 3 are exempt from these requirements.
Disney Springs Halloween Entertainment and Shopping
Outside of Main Street at Magic Kingdom, Disney Springs feels more like Halloween than anywhere else at Disney World. Beyond the enchanting decorations, there is live entertainment, photo backdrops, fancy restaurants and shopping treats for all ages. Its centrepiece is the World of Disney, where you have 12 rooms of merchandise, movie art and animation to explore. Living up to its name, it’s the largest Disney Store in the World and a famous attraction in its own right. For Halloween 2021, must-have merchandise includes Pumpkin Mickey and Hocus Pocus Spirit Jerseys, Pumpkin Mickey Ear Bands, and much, much more. For nightlife, there are also plenty of cocktail bars to play trick or tequila at. Such as at Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar, a 1940s aeroplane hangar turned dive bar and ex-home of Indiana Jones' sidekick.
Halloween Disney Shows Which Could Return in 2022
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
In June 2020, Disney announced that Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party will be postponed for at least another year. This famous event is similar to Boo Bash but larger, featuring fireworks, character-meet-and-greets and stage shows still temporarily suspending during the pandemic. In particular, the character-meet-and-greets are wildly popular, featuring characters who do not typically appear at parks. Such as Jack Skellington or Jack Sparrow. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party typically takes place at Magic Kingdom from August to early November, and 2022 could finally be the year the celebration returns.
Return to Sleepy Hollow
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground has often been a go-to on-site accommodation for the Halloween season. Each year, guests gather around the resort’s ranch stables at night to view the 1949 animated classic, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. However, before your own eyes, you will also witness galloping ghosts and the Headless Horseman himself. After the movie and its unique Character Experience, a dessert party begins! Return to Sleepy Hollow has not happened since 2018 for both logistical reasons and COVID-19. However, watch this space for this fan-favourite event to return soon.
Ready to Treat Yourself to a Disney Holiday?
Make it a December to remember, have fun in the summer sun or have a delightfully frightful Halloween in 2022 and beyond. Whenever you decide to visit Disney World, we have the perfect package. Join over 300,000 people who have fulfilled their travel dreams with Ocean Florida!
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