Midway to Halloween 2024 is sort of right here! Walt Disney World and Disneyland will quickly have fun spook season’s reply to Christmas in July with one other week of bulletins, hauntingly useful planning recommendation, and different enjoyable issues. This put up covers what to anticipate, plus our predictions about what’ll be introduced.
For starters, we should always in all probability talk about when you must count on Midway to Halloween to occur within the first place. Hopefully it’ll occur subsequent week (beginning Might 6, 2024), which is a line we’ve been muttering to ourselves each Friday for the previous couple of weeks. Truthfully, we thought it will’ve been someday within the final month. The second half of April would have been in keeping with previous precedent, or this week on the newest. Clearly, that didn’t occur.
There are doubtless a few causes for that. The primary is the elephant within the room, Tiana’s Bayou Journey, which nonetheless doesn’t have an official opening date. Its debut was moved ahead to Summer season 2024, which was thrilling information…but it surely’s been radio silence from Walt Disney World since. We’re beginning to fear that the brand new trip is having ‘hiccups’ throughout its late phases of take a look at and modify, or simply that there isn’t sufficient certainty to set a date.
It’s additionally our perception that Walt Disney World goes to debut extra alongside Tiana’s Bayou Journey as a part of its Summer season 2024 advertising push to entice company to plan journeys. Already, we all know that CommuniCore Corridor and Plaza and the “¡Celebración Encanto!” sing-along debut on June 10, 2024.
That very same date, additions for Inside Out 2 and Lion King’s thirtieth Anniversary arrive at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom, respectively. Previous to that, there’s the “Disney Desires that Soar” drone present at Disney Springs. However we count on Tiana’s Bayou Journey and probably extra to debut after this, in late June or July 2024.
Provided that Walt Disney World nonetheless hasn’t shared the complete summer season slate, it’s doable that they don’t wish to get forward of themselves and begin speaking Halloween (which really begins in late summer season). Personally, I’m skeptical of this being the reason. Walt Disney World already introduced dates & particulars for the 2024 EPCOT Meals & Wine Pageant, which is post-summer.
I feel potential Walt Disney World company are both making summer season or fall journey plans; the previous group is usually households with faculty aged youngsters who can’t select between the 2 seasons. Some individuals are ready for the TBA date to set dates inside the summer season season, to not choose between early July and early September. My guess is that the opening date for Tiana’s Bayou Journey is a non-factor; merely coincidental.
Extra doubtless, the delay in Midway to Halloween is happening for another purpose. The obvious chance could be a scarcity of sense of urgency. For every of the previous couple of years, the arduous ticket Halloween events at each Walt Disney World and Disneyland have bought out each single evening. If the interior expectation is that occurs once more, Disney merely doesn’t want as a lot runway for ticket gross sales.
I feel that is in all probability the reason. Up to now, Disney launched tickets early when there have been fears of a slowdown (2019 is a primary instance–they dropped in mid-January as a consequence of fears about an attendance lull earlier than Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opened), and Disneyland all the time releases their get together tickets later as a result of they inevitably promote out.
It’s additionally doable that there’s a great purpose for the delay, as Disney hasn’t firmed up all particulars concerning the upcoming Halloween season. Possibly there’s new leisure or the Haunted Mansion Vacation opening date just isn’t but recognized. I’m additionally skeptical of this clarification, as that may very well be sidestepped by merely omitting these particulars. One of the best clarification is that Disney needs to get nearer to Halloween for Midway to Halloween.
Anyway, that is the fourth yr Disney Parks is doing #HalfwaytoHalloween, and the notion of it being ‘midway’ to Halloween makes us chuckle just a bit bit. Don’t get me improper–I like Halloween and love any excuse to have fun holidays prematurely. However being a Walt Disney World common sorta means having a warped sense of seasons.
For regular Individuals, Halloween presumably begins when the air will get crisp, the leaves start altering, and summer season is firmly within the rearview mirror. Possibly round mid-September and even early October. For us, Halloween begins the primary week of August. That is nonetheless very a lot summer season–the most popular, most humid month and coronary heart of storm season. We’re often “over” Halloween by the point it begins for most traditional folks, prepared to maneuver on to Christmas.
Nonetheless, I’m excited to seek out out what the Halloween 2024 season goes to ivolve at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, and am trying ahead to the Midway to Halloween bulletins. I do know quite a lot of you’re, too, as we’ve been getting quite a lot of questions concerning the Halloween events and extra.
Okay, predictions time. The entire purpose this put up exists within the first place, as I wish to make a number of guesses as to what’ll be revealed…
August 9 Begin for MNSSHP – It feels fairly secure to foretell that this yr’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together will begin on August 9, 2024. That’s the Friday of the primary full week of August, and that’s usually when it begins (final yr kicked off on August 11). There’s a obscure chance August 9 is deemed “too early” or, conversely, that Walt Disney World needs to squeeze in one other date of the occasion and begins earlier that week.
Personally, I hope this prediction is improper. August 9 is the beginning of D23 Expo, and I nonetheless haven’t perfected the know-how to be in two locations without delay. If compelled to decide on between the occasions, I’ll need to go along with D23 Expo. That will imply lacking opening evening of MNSSHP for the primary time since perhaps 2015 or 2016? I don’t even bear in mind, that’s how lengthy it’s been!
A part of me is holding out a sliver of hope that Disney gained’t wish to double-book huge occasions on the identical weekend, however I don’t assume that really issues. That’s very true if there’s nothing new (of import) on the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together.
Oogie Boogie Bash in August – Up to now, Midway to Halloween has largely been ignored by Disneyland Resort–it’s been a Walt Disney World-centric celebration. Disneyland has principally simply launched dates and perhaps new character costumes. So we’re not essentially anticipating any main, substantive particulars from Disneyland concerning the Halloween season or Oogie Boogie Bash. That’s the unhealthy information.
The excellent news is that Disneyland is beginning to see pent-up demand exhaust itself and is performing with a higher sense of urgency to maintain folks coming to the parks. Therefore the unprecedented New Disneyland Summer season & Early Fall 2024 Ticket Deal for ALL Friends, which can embody the primary month of the Halloween season.
There’s additionally the truth that Disney launched the Full 2024 Calendar of Occasions at Disneyland, which incorporates Halloween Time at Disneyland beginning on August 23, 2024. That is the primary time ever that Halloween has ever kicked off in August at Disneyland. Halloween is actually arriving two weeks early with the August 23, 2024 begin date.
As a result of that calendar was launched late final yr and Disneyland worrying a couple of drop-off in crowds, I feel we might see a bit extra of a Disneyland presence throughout Midway to Halloween. It’s inside the realm of chance that Disneyland will launch dates for Oogie Boogie Bash throughout Midway to Halloween. I wouldn’t essentially wager on each single date or when ticket gross sales will begin, however the date vary for the events would make sense. One thing like “Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Get together will return on [start date] and be held on choose nights via [end date].”
My hope is that we additionally get quite a few events. With an August begin date, we’d count on to see ~5 dates added to the 2024 Oogie Boogie Bash schedule. Final yr, the arduous ticket occasion was held on 25 choose nights in September and October. This yr, it’s doubtless there will likely be no less than 30 nights of Oogie Boogie Bash in August, September and October 2024. It wouldn’t shock us if there are as many as 33 events. That will be large for spreading out demand and making certain that the get together doesn’t promote out instantly with quite a lot of would-be ticket purchasers developing empty. Talking of which…
All Dates Promote Out – This isn’t actually a Midway to Halloween prediction, because it’s not like Disney goes to name their shot and announce that each one dates of the arduous tickets occasion will promote out. However that is likely to be attention-grabbing from a advertising perspective! Nonetheless, we’re addressing it as a result of it’s a typical query.
Each single date of Oogie Boogie Bash ever has bought out. Final yr, this occurred each throughout AP presales and on the primary day tickets went on sale to most people. Even with extra dates in August, I might nonetheless wager each on all nights promoting out and it occurring on day considered one of gross sales. Final yr’s Oogie Boogie Bash in all probability might’ve bought double or triple the variety of tickets that have been obtainable, and there’s no purpose to consider that adjustments in 2024.
That is true whilst pent-up demand continues to burn out. That’s largely as a result of these arduous ticket events are fashionable with locals, a lot of whom are ex-Annual Passholders who purchase tickets to get their occasional “Disney repair.” It’s additionally true as a result of, as famous above, demand has far exceeded ticket provide for the previous couple of years. So if pent-up demand has led to an round 10% drop, however Disney might’ve bought double or triple the variety of these tickets final yr…properly, you do the mathematics.
There’s so much much less demand with Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together, despite the fact that each 2022 and 2023 bought out all the season. Though the final two years set the report for bought out dates, nothing has been gone till June 30 on the earliest. That’s when Halloween evening bought out in 2022. Final yr, Halloween evening bought out on July 3. In each of the final two years, no different dates bought out till the top of July.
That’s a grand complete of two events annually promoting out earlier than the beginning of August. With that stated, there is often a “run” on dates promoting out between the start of August and the primary occasion. By then, as many as half of all nights have been promoting out. Final yr, the dates that bought quickest (apart from Halloween) have been the most affordable nights.
In different phrases, the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together is not going to promote out inside days of tickets happening sale. That applies to each the presale window and most people window. Whether or not 2024 tickets promote slower or sooner than final yr largely will depend on whether or not any new leisure is added. Even then, we’re dates promoting out in July and August, not instantly.
New Character Costumes – For every of the previous couple of Halloween and Christmas seasons, Mickey & Mates have been getting new costumes annually for his or her meet & greet appearances round City Sq. at Disneyland. These are an enormous hit with followers, and the costumes are often actually good for Mickey, Minnie, Daisy & Donald Duck–and particularly Goofy.
I’d count on this development to proceed for Halloween 2024, particularly if there’s no different new leisure at Disneyland for the spook season. It’s a straightforward method to get company coming again and to hype up the Halloween season. It’s been so profitable that I ponder whether the identical will occur at DCA. (Right here’s hoping that Goofy’s Kitchen will get one other costume replace for Halloween, too.)
As enjoyable as that is, I’d be stunned if Walt Disney World follows Disneyland’s lead relating to daytime character costumes at Magic Kingdom. I do assume it will make sense for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together–and would even be a great way to get company over to Animal Kingdom–so right here’s hoping this development additionally spreads to Florida in some type!
Nothing (Huge) New for MNSSHP – There are three items of tentpole leisure throughout Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together. First is the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular! stage present that includes the three sinister sisters bewitch and villainous residents of Magic Kingdom. Subsequent, the Mickey’s Boo to You Halloween Parade, that includes frightfully enjoyable floats and characters. Lastly, Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular—a wickedly wild fireworks show highlighted by characters and hosted by Jack Skellington.
Boo to You Parade is the oldest of these choices, but it surely’s beloved. It received a refresh final yr that breathed a bit of latest life into it, however I might nonetheless see one other new parade unit and characters added. I wouldn’t think about that “huge.” Then there’s the Hocus Pocus stage present, which is now like a decade previous however has an enormous fan-following. Disney’s angle there has gotta be don’t repair what isn’t damaged.
That leaves Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular, which is only some years previous and by far the weakest hyperlink. Jack Skellington is superior, however the remainder of the present is uneven. Followers would go loopy if Disney introduced again HalloWishes however modernized it and included Jack Skellington. That’s in all probability a pipe dream till MNSSHP stops promoting out so rapidly and an incentive is required to lure again followers. As such, I don’t count on any main adjustments for the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Get together.
$109 to $199 MNSSHP Ticket Worth Vary (Once more) – For the final three years, Disney has flirted with breaking the $200 barrier for the Halloween Get together, however the most all three years has been $199. I feel they may in all probability exceed that worth (particularly for Halloween evening), nonetheless promote out, and face minimal backlash (past what already exists), however I doubt they may.
Final yr, ticket costs as soon as once more ranged from $109 to $199, however there was a higher distribution of dates on the greater finish of the spectrum–which means the common ticket worth elevated by almost $10. That’s what we’d count on to see occur once more–extra dates on the upper finish of the spectrum and fewer cheaper dates. It’s additionally doable that Walt Disney World will get rid of AP and DVC reductions as a method of boosting the common per-ticket value with out really elevating sticker worth.
Or, who is aware of, perhaps they’ll do all of that and lift the vary. Each evening bought out final yr whilst pent-up demand fizzled out, so clearly Walt Disney World has some room to lift costs with out negatively impacting gross sales.
Finally, these are a few of my predictions for the Halloween season at Walt Disney World, not essentially what’ll be introduced throughout Midway to Halloween. Disney might begin with obscure particulars, just like the identify of the occasion, date vary, and a line indicating it’ll characteristic “spooky festivities together with leisure, characters, particular performances, décor, lighting, music, deal with stops, and a lot extra!”
It’s additionally doubtless we’ll get extra particulars about Disney Cruise Line’s Halloween on the Excessive Seas and a few of the worldwide parks’ plans for Halloween. Keep tuned, we’ll hold you posted about what’s introduced–and what isn’t!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Now that I’ve made my Midway to Halloween predictions…what are yours? Assume Walt Disney World will begin MNSSHP on August 9, 2024? What about Oogie Boogie Bash starting early? Ideas on pricing or adjustments for 2024? Assume any of this can NOT be introduced? Will your loved ones be shopping for or sitting the Halloween arduous ticket occasions out? Are you excited for spook season at WDW, DLR, or DCL? Do you agree or disagree with our perspective on this? Any questions we can assist you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each attention-grabbing to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!
