When Does Disney World Start Decorating for Halloween?

In addition to the everyday magic of Disney parks, Disney World puts on multiple special events each year that center on the Holidays. 

Christmas, New Year, and Halloween are the biggest draws, bringing people to the parks from across the world to join the celebrations. 

Disney World begins decorating for Halloween in the first half of August and leaves decorations up through Halloween night. During select evenings during this period, special festivities take place to celebrate the event. 

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Every year, Disney World puts on Halloween festivities, usually starting in the month of August and going through Halloween night. 

The closer you visit near Halloween, the more decorations and events will be ready. 

Characters will be in various costumes, decorations are put up around the parks, and spookily themed events and games go on for guests to participate in. 

For 2022, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party begins on August 12 and runs through October 31. Events will be held on select nights for guests to enjoy. 

The party starts at 6 PM and runs until midnight.

In order to attend the festivities, you’ll need a special event ticket. If you happen to visit the parks with a normal ticket, you’ll be asked to leave in the evening before the special events begin. 

This year, the Halloween event is back and bigger than ever. You’ll be able to find limited edition foods, special characters in the parades from Haunted Mansion, and massive fireworks shows. 

Is it Worth Visiting Disney World During the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party?

While the holiday events are incredibly fun and give you a fresh look at the parks, is the extra cost associated with event tickets worth it?

For people who really love and get into the spirit of Halloween, the event is an opportunity that can’t be missed. 

Combining a love of Halloween, the costumes, the decorations, and a love of Disney is hard to beat.

There are fewer people in the parks at night as well. Special event tickets are sold in limited numbers.

What this means is that all the lines in the park will be shorter. It’ll take less time to get onto rides or get pictures with characters. 

Speaking of characters, many rarely-seen ones show up during the events. 

From Jack Sparrow to the Seven Dwarfs and Jack Skellington, if you want your picture with any of these characters then the only time to go is during the Halloween event. 

There are also special parades, firework shows, and other attractions that only special event goers get to enjoy. 

If you don’t want to pay for special event tickets, you can still visit the parks like normal. 

Only select nights include the Halloween festivities and by avoiding those days you won’t have to leave the parks early. 

Overall, it’s worth visiting the parks during the Halloween events, just as much or more than during the rest of the year. 

How Crowded Disney World During Halloween?

Tickets are sold in limited numbers for the event, so there will be fewer people in the parks than on a normal crowded day. 

One thing to remember about this though is that most of the people in the park will be centered around whichever events are going on. 

While overall there are fewer people, those people will be less spread out, making the areas around events much more crowded than normal. 

If you’re looking to get in during the least-crowded times, it’s pretty easy to do so. 

The closer it is to Halloween, the busier the events will be. The crowds are also usually lighter between Monday and Thursday during the week. 

The beginning of the week and during the month of August is the best time to go to avoid bigger crowds. 

You can also use a crowd calendar to check the expected park attendance for future dates. 

When Does Disney World Decorate for Christmas?

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a Christmas event that takes place in Disney’s Magic Kingdom park. The event begins in November and Runs through Christmas. 

As with the Halloween event, the festivities begin in the evening, usually running from 7 p.m. until midnight. 

Dates for 2022 have not yet been released, but the event usually begins one or two weekends after the Halloween event comes to an end. 

During the party, it begins snowing on Main Street, characters don Christmas outfits, and a special parade takes place on select nights. 

In order to stay in the parks during the event, you’ll again need a special event ticket. 

Crowds will be concentrated around special holiday events in the park, making lines away from those events much easier to navigate. 

For guests who love Christmas and want to get into the Holiday Spirit, there’s not a better time to visit Magic Kingdom. 

When is the Least-Busy Time to Go to Disney World?

Special events and big crowds aren’t for everyone. 

While Disney World is the most popular theme park in the world and sees the highest guest numbers of any park, there are times you can go to avoid the largest crowds. 

Special events and summertime tend to be peak attendance times in the parks. The experience is amazing, but the downside of that is how many more people visit during these times. 

January is one of the slowest months at all of the Disney World parks. The holiday events are over, kids are back in school, and the weather has cooled off. 

This also makes it one of the best times to visit!

The crowds will be much lighter and you can expect below-average attendance levels throughout much of the week. 

January in Orlando is also incredibly mild, with most days reaching at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Make sure to bring a jacket if you plan on being in the parks at night. While it doesn’t get too cold and it’s usually dry in January, it can get chilly the later in the day you stay. 

Weekdays throughout the year are also generally slower, even during special events. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday see the largest crowds. 

Mondays are usually slower than Thursdays as well. 

If you want to avoid the biggest crowds but don’t want to go in the dead of winter, try to plan on visiting the parks at the beginning of the week. 

Conclusion

Mickey’s No-So-Scary Halloween Party begins in August and runs through Halloween night. 

Decorations go up in the first half of August and progressively get more lavish and finished the closer you get to Halloween. 

Remember that the crowds also get bigger the closer it is to Halloween, but attendance during events is always lower than on a busy park day thanks to requiring a special event ticket.