Happy Hallo-Holidays!
Boo to You and a Very Merry Christmas too! I know, I know it’s confusing. We’re all planning our Halloween trips to Disney Parks and here comes Disney dropping all these holiday news bombs on us. How do they expect us to keep both of those festive parts of our brains focused?!
Take a deep breathe. We’ve pulled together all of the details you need to know for planning both your Halloween and Holiday trips to Disney.
Halloween 2023
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party – Disney World
Halloween celebrations in the Magic Kingdom start this year on August 11 and run through November 1. Tickets are on sale now.
2023 Dates:
August: 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, 29
September: 1, 4, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29
October: 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 27, 29, 31
November: 1
The event takes place from 7:00 PM to midnight and guests with event tickets can enter the park as early as 4:00 PM without a separate theme park ticket. If you want to visit the park earlier than 4:00 PM you will need to purchase a theme park ticket and make a park reservation for that day.
Ticket prices range from $109 to $199 plus tax, depending on the date selected. Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can save $10 per ticket to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, valid for select event nights in August and September.
Confirmed party-exclusive entertainment and activities:
- Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade
- Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular stage show
- Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular fireworks show hosted by Jack Skellington
- Meet-and-greets with characters in their Halloween costumes and rare character appearances
- Trick-or-Treat trails
- Access to most Magic Kingdom rides and NEW in 2023, guests will have a chance to join a Virtual Queue for the new TRON Lightcycle / Run in Tomorrowland
- Special Halloween ride overlays on many attractions including Halloween music on Space Mountain, live actors on Pirates of the Caribbean, spooky lights and music on the Mad Tea Party teacups, and the pièce de résistance – spooky lighting and special cast member costumes on the Haunted Mansion and live “ghostly” story tellers outside.
- Disney Junior Jam Dance Party at Storybook Circus and more character-themed dance parties
- Cadaver Dans Barbershop Quartet
- Party-exclusive snacks and merchandise
- Event-exclusive PhotoPass Magic Shots
The Not-So-Spooky Spectacular Fireworks Dessert Party has not been announced yet, but we have no reason to believe that they will not be returning this year.
Oogie Boogie Bash – Disneyland
The Oogie Boogie Bash will run on select nights from September 5th until October 31st for a total of 25 nights.
2023 Dates:
September: 5, 7, 10, 12, 14, 17, 19, 21, 24, 26, 28
October: 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 29, 31
Tickets go on sale to the general public on June 29 (no earlier than 9 a.m. PT). Magic Key Holders can purchase special pre-sale tickets on June 27 (no earlier than 9 a.m. PT).
Ticket prices range from $134 to $189, depending on the date selected. Tickets must be purchased online and are not available on the day of the event. There’s a limit 8 tickets per person, per event date. Tickets are not required for guests ages 2 and under.
Dining Packages:
Sonoma Terrace will be holding The Oogie Boogie Bash Dessert Party with exclusive reserved seating for the Frightfully Fun Parade. This is a separately purchased package and not included with event tickets. Each person in your party must purchase a package in order to enter the preferred seating area.
The package includes:
- A special selection of haunting Halloween-themed desserts
- Alcoholic and Nonalcoholic Beverages
- Reserved seating in front of Sonoma Terrace for Frightfully Fun Parade on Oogie Boogie Bash party nights
Disney has not announced pricing details or dates yet but the 60-day public dining reservation window for the first Oogie Boogie Bash date of September 5 will be July 7.
There’s been no information released yet on the Plaza Inn Halloween Dining Package but we have no reason to believe it will not be an option again this year. I have a hunch that after the July 4th Dining Package passes we’ll see the restaurant page information update to include Halloween information.
Holiday Season 2023
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party – Disney World
This After Hours event will take place on select nights from November 9 through December 22.
2023 Dates:
November: 9, 10, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 26, 28, 30
December: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22
Tickets will go on sale for Disney World hotel guests on June 29th. Tickets will go on sale to the rest of the public on July 6th. Tickets will range in price from $159 to $199 per person, depending on the date.
Confirmed party-exclusive entertainment and activities:
- Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade
- Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration stage show
- Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks
- Meet-and-greets with characters in their holiday costumes and rare character appearances
- Access to most Magic Kingdom rides and NEW in 2023, guests will have a chance to join a Virtual Queue for the new TRON Lightcycle / Run in Tomorrowland
- Special Holiday ride overlays on many attractions including guest favorites Space Mountain – Holiday Run! and the Jingle Cruise transformation of the Jungle Cruise ride
- Party-exclusive snacks and merchandise
- Event-exclusive PhotoPass Magic Shots
No official mention yet of the Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Dessert Parties, but I think it’s safe to assume we’ll see those details released at a later date.
Jollywood Nights – Disney World
Disney World is hosting a brand new after hours holiday event in Hollywood Studios that will take place on select nights from November 11 through December 20 from 8:30 PM to 12:30 AM.
Party Dates:
November: 11, 18, 20, 27, 29
December: 4, 6, 16, 18, 20
Tickets will go on sale for Disney World hotel guests on June 29th. Tickets will go on sale to the rest of the public on July 6th. Tickets will range in price from $159 to $179 per person, depending on the date.
Confirmed party-exclusive entertainment and activities:
- Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! nighttime spectacular
- A musical variety show hosted by Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy at Theater of the Stars—with special appearances from Princess Tiana, Belle and more
- Two limited-capacity entertainment experiences – a jazz lounge at The Hollywood Brown Derby and an other-worldly soiree at The Hollywood Tower Hotel Courtyard
- A Nightmare Before Christmas inspired sing-along experience
- Meet-and-greets with characters in their holiday costumes
- Latin Street Fair on Commissary Lane
- Access to most rides and attractions – a virtual queue will be in place for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- Party-exclusive snacks and merchandise
- Event-exclusive PhotoPass Magic Shots
EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays – Disney World
The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays starts November 24 and runs through December 30 2023. This holiday celebration is open to all guests with a valid park ticket and features spirited storytellers, joyful musical acts and performers sharing holiday traditions from around the world. And of course the guest favorite outdoor Holiday Kitchens will return this year as well sharing international flavors of the season.
The nightly Candlelight Processional performances will return this year, as well as the accompanying Candlelight Processional Dining Packages. Each performance features a celebrity narrator, 50-piece orchestra and massed choir. These performances are incredibly popular and fill up quickly, with people lining up hours in advance for a seat. By reserving a Candlelight Processional Dining Package you can guarantee a seat at a performance.
The list of celebrity narrators and their performance dates has not been released yet – nor has the list of restaurants participating in the Candlelight Processional Dining Packages.
Christmas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom – Disney World
The festive animals of the Merry Menagerie will return to Disney’s Animal Kingdom again this year. This is a newer holiday tradition for the park, only a few years old, and includes life-sized artisan-sculpted puppets of creatures like polar bears, penguins, and reindeer that interact with guests in Discovery Island throughout the day. This band of festive animals are accompanied by live musicians.
Disney Festival of Holidays – Disneyland
Disneyland Christmas runs from early November to the first week of January.
Disney recently announced lots of holiday information and dates for Disney World, but didn’t share much for Disneyland holiday celebrations. The dates for Disneyland Christmas will likely be released later in the summer, but here’s what we know so far.
Confirmed Disneyland Holiday Celebrations:
- “it’s a small world” Holiday ride overlay
- Festive Foods Marketplace in Disney California Adventure Park
- Disney ¡Viva Navidad! Street Party
- “World of Color – Season of Light” seasonal nighttime spectacular in Disney California Adventure Park
- “Believe… In Holiday Magic” seasonal fireworks show which includes snowfall in several areas of the park
- Mater’s Jingle Jamboree ride overlay in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Park
- Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl ride overlay in Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Park
- A Christmas Fantasy Parade
- Haunted Mansion “Nightmare Before Christmas” holiday ride overlay
I know everyone is wondering if Disney will bring back Disneyland’s Merriest Nites this year. This Disneyland Christmas after-hours event did not return last year and we haven’t seen any indication that it will be returning this year either.
Whew… that was a lot. I need to go relax by the pool… with a pumpkin spice latte…or some eggnog? I really don’t know anymore.