14
Credit: DisneyIt’s the busiest and best time of the year at Walt Disney World, but guests may not be able to enjoy the seasonal festivities anymore.
Walt Disney World’s Constant Battle
Walt Disney World has been stuck between a rock and a hard place this past year, battling with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, dealing with a shocking drop in attendance and low crowds, and The Walt Disney Company as a whole facing backlash on all sides. Splash Mountain closed in January to make way for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, inspired by The Princess and the Frog (2009). Disney faced outrage from Splash Mountain fans, including online petitions urging the company to save the iconic attraction.
Related: Ron DeSantis Scores Significant Victory as Disney World Faces Setback in Landmark Lawsuit
CEO Bob Iger has fallen in popularity since taking the company back over from Bob Chapek late last year as his comments regarding the ongoing writers and actors strikes have stirred outrage. As it was revealed that Iger plans to remain in leadership until 2026 along with his $27 million paycheck, he was behind comments calling the strike demands “unrealistic.”
Just prior to the strikes, it was announced that over 7000 Walt Disney employees from across several departments were laid off and Disney+ announced it would be removing dozens of original movies and series previously available on the streaming platform. Disney’s streamer hasn’t been profitable since debuting in 2019 despite seeing the highest amount of initial subscribers. It recently announced that it would start cracking down on password and account sharing in the new year amid the loss of millions of users.
Now, fans have started to speculate on the intentions of The Walt Disney Company in regard to its U.S. parks following the announcement that $60 billion will be invested into the expansion of the parks. Universal Orlando Resort is quickly making progress on its upcoming third gate, Epic Universe, which has been nicknamed the “Disney Killer” park.
Related: Gross Incident Brings Disney Parade to a Complete Stop
Disney World hasn’t unveiled a new park since Animal Kingdom in 1998 (not including the water parks), and hasn’t so much as hinted at a major attraction, expansion, or addition to its Florida park to try and compete with Epic Universe. Since 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic, Universal has been seeing a steady increase in attendance as Disney World has declined, with Universal Orlando attendance beating every Disney World park except for Magic Kingdom over the last two years.
However, as the parks head into the holiday season, its possible that that trend may change, with Disney World officially selling out of one of its most popular events halfway through the season.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
Halloween at Disney World officially starts in August with Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party dates extending from early August to the first weekend in November before the park is switched to Christmas overnight. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary is an after-hours, separately ticketed event at the Magic Kingdom available to guests on select dates throughout the season.
Related: Ice Nine Kills and More Preemptively Banned from Disney Venue
The event allows guests (including adults!) to wear costumes and trick or treat throughout the park, featuring iconic villains and rare characters for special meet and greets, the Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular fireworks show, Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular castle show, and the “Boo-To-You” Parade.
Tickets went on sale in May, shocking fans with its outrageous $200 ticket price, the highest the event has cost yet. However, tickets for the event started to sell quickly, and it was clear that the popularity of the event wasn’t diminished by its steep price tag. And now, any guest that hadn’t yet bought a ticket is out of luck.
With over a month left of the Halloween season to go, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party has officially sold out every night except November 1, although it’s unlikely to be available for much longer. With new costumes for the Fab Five characters, a slightly reimagined parade, and the overall sense of excitement at the exclusive event, it’s clear that Disney World’s year-long battle against controversies hasn’t made the Halloween event any less popular.
Related: Disney’s Park Changes Raise Questions: Is Six Flags the New Standard?
Although you may have missed out on the frightfully fun experience of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary, tickets for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party are still available! The Christmas Party is also an after-hours, separately ticketed event, running on select dates from November 9 to December 22. Tickets cost anywhere from $160 to $200 depending on the date. Act fast though, because if Not-So-Scary is anything to go by, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas won’t be available to future guests for much longer.
Were you able to attend Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party this year? Let us know about your experience in the comments below!