Spooky season has arrived at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom earlier than ever before, and we’ve got your Unofficial Guide to four shows you simply must see at the 2024 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.
This year, the annual Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party started its run on August 9th, and it continues on select nights through October 31st. Party guests get after-hours access to the Magic Kingdom, plus exclusive live entertainment and meet-and-greets with rarely seen characters.
There are also over 50 different sweet or savory seasonal snacks—from cookies and cakes to piggy wings with cherry cola barbecue sauce—if you still have any room left after collecting mounds of Mars-brand candy from the trick-or-treat stations.
You get all that, in addition to shorter standby lines (which flow far faster with no Lightning Lane) at most of the park’s top attractions, including TRON and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, which don’t require Virtual Queue reservations during the party.
In fact, there’s so much to do at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, it’s difficult to pack it all in before the clock strikes midnight. To help you plan out your party priorities, here are four live shows and spectaculars that we suggest you shouldn’t miss while attending Disney’s spooky soiree:
Hocus Pocus Villain Spectacular
Fans of Disney’s sinister characters in general—and the witchy Sanderson Sisters to be specific—won’t want to miss this musical production on the Cinderella Forecourt stage. Winifred, Mary, and Sarah (from Hocus Pocus) have awoken once again, and this time they’ve enlisted Disney’s biggest baddies— including Dr. Facilier, Oogie Boogie, and Maleficent—to spice up their cauldron’s bubbling brew.
The easiest way to see this show is to walk up right before the final performance of the night, which kicks off just as the party ends. Alternatively, see the performance just before the fireworks, then find a good spot and stay put for a half hour until the show starts.
Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular
Speaking of fireworks, Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular is one of the best in Walt Disney World’s arsenal, especially if you are a fan of The Nightmare Before Christmas. Jack Skellington—portrayed by a towering puppet—hosts the show, with a little help from his ghost dog, Zero, who comes to the rescue when Mickey and pals get surrounded by spooks and skeletons.
The fireworks show is only performed once per party, so you may want to plan your night around it, but be prepared for cancellation in case of inclement weather. The ideal place to watch is between the Partners statue in the hub and the Castle (as seen in our video above), but anywhere along Main Street U.S.A. should give an acceptable view.
Boo-To-You Halloween Parade
With so much entertainment to enjoy at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, it’s difficult to single out which one is the best, but it’s fair to say that the Boo-To-You Halloween Parade is easily the biggest. Running about 25 minutes, from the Headless Horseman preshow to the villain-filled finale, this is a huge procession involving scores of performers and dozens of exclusive characters. Some of our favorite elements of the parade include Disney friends dressed up in Halloween costumes (including Minnie, Clarabelle, and Daisy as the Sanderson Sisters); the huge pirate ship with flag-twirling scallywags; and the Haunted Mansion tribute, complete with shovel-spinning gravediggers and ballroom-dancing ghosts.
The parade runs twice each night, and the second showing is usually less crowded (unless the first is rained out). Rather than camping out to watch it on Main Street, find a spot near the starting point in Frontierland, then head to a nearby ride (like Tiana’s Bayou Adventure or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad) as soon as the parade passes you by, while everyone else is still waiting for it to arrive.
Cadaver Dans and Hitchhiking Ghosts
Finally, the party’s smallest and least-publicized piece of live entertainment is among our favorite moments of the night. The Cadaver Dans Barbershop Quartet takes everything we’ve always loved about the Dapper Dans singing group, then adds zombie makeup and groan-worthy “deadpan“ jokes.
Exact showtimes and locations for the Cadaver Dans aren’t published in the event guide, but it’s worth hanging out around Frontierland for an appearance. We saw their last set of the night at 10:30 p.m., on the elevated balcony right outside the Country Bear Musical Jamboree. If you’re especially lucky, you may catch a cameo appearance by the new Hitchhiking Ghosts characters (who made their debut this year) like we did in the video above!
What’s your favorite exclusive entertainment at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party? Let us know in the comments below!
For all there is to see and do at Walt Disney World, check out The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe to our YouTube channel and sign up for our newsletter here. Be sure to follow us on Threads, X, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube.
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