Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration is a tough ticket particular occasion that happens after Magic Kingdom closes for the day on choose nights in Fall 2024. This put up covers what’s new and completely different in the course of the 2024 MNSSHP, with our evaluation as to the nice and unhealthy of varied adjustments, additions and subtractions.
The very first thing you want to know is that not a lot adjustments from yr to yr. In case you’re planning on attending the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration and final did it 5 years in the past, it’s nonetheless going to about 90% the identical. The truth is, chances are you’ll not discover any adjustments in anyway, as a bunch of the variations are pretty minor and simple to overlook…otherwise you merely might have forgotten specifics as a result of passage of time.
However, there are “loads” of adjustments for the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration–at the very least, loads relative to regular years when next-to-nothing is completely different. Compounding issues is that a number of of those seemingly insignificant shifts have a huge impact on technique and the way it is best to strategy the occasion. That’s the place this put up comes into play–so you already know what has modified (since a number of of this stuff are unadvertised and aren’t even listed on the map or within the app!) and learn how to plan accordingly…
Principally, this put up is for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration veterans who need to prioritize the issues which might be completely different for the 2024 occasion. Since you can’t probably meet each single character and see all the leisure at MNSSHP in a single evening, such a prioritizing is paramount. You’re going to must make troublesome choices, since you merely can not do all of them.
With that stated, when you’re a first-timer attending the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration, this put up just isn’t your finest or singular useful resource. For every thing you want to learn about this occasion–past what’s new–see our Final Information to the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration!
On that word, let’s flip to what’s new & modified on the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration…
Extra Villains – From the second the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration begins, you’ll be capable of spot your favourite sinister villains and ghoulish foes all through Magic Kingdom. Lots of them can be found for selfies or fast interactions.
This begins within the Predominant Road bypass hall, which as soon as once more serves because the opening act of the occasion–and a strategy to separate social gathering company getting into the park from these exiting. On the finish of this path, you’ll discover Cruella de Vil.
This can be a good addition, however actually, we really feel like Walt Disney World oversold the villains presence on the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration. Apart from the following entry, all the different villain meet & greets aren’t new.
Villains Deal with Path – Through the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration, Princess Fairytale Corridor just isn’t a meet & greet location for the princesses, however as an alternative a deal with path. In case you take a look at the MNSSHP map, there’s no distinction between this and the remainder of the trick-or-treating places.
In truth, it’s an enhanced deal with path that options two villains, Maleficent and the Evil Queen. Every villain is positioned within the queue in entrance of a portrait of their story’s princess, as they mingle with company and pose for selfies. There are two separate traces right here, so that you’ll need to do that twice in order for you up shut photographs with every of the villains.
This is a superb little shock plussing, particularly later within the night (anytime after the fireworks) when deal with path traces begin getting shorter. There’s no PhotoPass or perhaps a character attendant, however it is best to have time for selfies and transient interactions. Once more, that is very true later within the evening when the group is extra sparse–earlier you’ll want to maneuver via quicker so that you don’t maintain up the road.
It’s my understanding that it is a check for the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration, and I actually hope it goes effectively and is expanded upon in 2025. One enormous benefit Oogie Boogie Bash has is its immersive deal with trails with villains that improvise and work together with company. That is nonetheless not even remotely on par with that, however it’s a step in the fitting route.
Mickey’s New Costume – Mickey Mouse has an all-new costume this yr, that includes a neon spider net design. Whereas this costume has been redesigned and look fairly good, it follows a well-known components and doesn’t actually reinvent the wheel. Mickey isn’t the one one to obtain a contemporary look–Minnie additionally acquired one.
Frustratingly, it’s nonetheless solely Mickey Mouse assembly in City Sq. Theater. This caught me abruptly, as Walt Disney World made an enormous deal out of the brand new costumes and featured Mickey & Minnie collectively of their official publicity photographs. Accordingly, I anticipated Mickey and Minnie Mouse to lastly meet collectively once more. They don’t. Mickey greets company at City Sq. Theater and Minnie continues to look in Storybook Circus.
Seven Zero Dwarfs – Talking of Storybook Circus, we’d as effectively bounce again there as a result of there are numerous adjustments to those character meet & greets. The primary is that, after making their triumphant return final yr amidst a lot fanfare, we’re unhappy to report that the Seven Dwarfs wouldn’t have a meet & greet on the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration.
That’s proper, layoffs hit Disney’s dwarf division onerous, lowering the headcount from seven to zero. Because it seems, issues about automation changing labor are well-founded, as an abundance of Audio Animatronics dwarfs (greater than seven, even) can nonetheless be discovered at Seven Dwarfs Mine Practice.
Joking apart, it stays to be seen whether or not the Seven Dwarfs will return for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Celebration–nothing has been introduced by hook or by crook. Our hope is that they’re again, as the opposite adjustments again in Storybook Circus don’t justify the lack of the Seven Dwarfs.
And for what it’s price, we’re on the report saying that Walt Disney World ought to substitute the Seven Dwarfs with separate meet & greets. That, cool because it was, having all the dwarves collectively wouldn’t be pretty much as good as a half-dozen or so separate meet & greets of their place. The issue is that this isn’t the commerce Disney has made.
Minnie and Associates Meet & Greet – To that time, the opposite meet & greets again in Storybook Circus have additionally been consolidated. In earlier years, you could possibly meet Pumpkin Donald and Princess Daisy Duck, in addition to Witch Minnie Mouse in a single meet & greet–within the interactive queue for Dumbo. Separate from them, Pirate Goofy appeared outdoors Barnstormer in Storybook Circus.
For the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration, all of those characters have been consolidated inside Pete’s Foolish Sideshow the place the Seven Dwarfs used to fulfill. The one character receiving a brand new costume is Minnie Mouse, who continues to be a witch however has the brand new neon inexperienced shade scheme. The backdrop is sweet and it’s cool to have one thing contemporary, I suppose, however the tradeoff simply isn’t price it.
In a nutshell, there’s now one meet & greet again right here as an alternative of three, and the character depend has been diminished by 7. That’s a foul change, in my e-book. There are fewer meet & greet characters on the 2024 MNSSHP, and that’s unlucky.
Hitchhiking Ghosts Materialize – On a constructive word, the Hitchhiking Ghosts now seem as a personality sighting in the course of the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration. These grim grinning ghosts might be discovered above the breezeway between Frontierland and Adventureland, adjoining to Nation Bear Musical Jamboree. The Hitchhiking Ghosts alternate with the Cadaver Dans at some point of MNSSHP (7 pm to midnight).
Ezra, Phineas, and Gus are among the many most iconic characters within the Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom, so it’s superior to see these spectral spirits on the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration. The character sighting is numerous enjoyable, as they carry out pantomime and work together with company whereas music performs.
Curiously, I used to be fairly shocked to listen to a sure music as a part of the Hitchhiking Ghosts’ set that I beforehand thought was outlawed within the frontier and throughout Walt Disney World. I’m not going to say the identify of stated music, because it looks as if a reverse-Beetlejuice kinda state of affairs the place saying it will get it eliminated. So my lips are zipped…but when you already know, you already know. Oh, and this wasn’t the one time I heard it in the course of the evening–or throughout this week at Walt Disney World. Coincidence, or has Disney backed down on its verboten standing?
All Standby Strains – TRON Lightcycle Run and Tiana’s Bayou Journey are the 2 latest sights in Magic Kingdom, and each use digital queues (for now) throughout common operations. Final yr, solely TRON Lightcycle Run was open throughout MNSSHP, and it used a digital queue. For 2024, each supply standby traces (solely) throughout Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration.
Not-so-coincidentally, they’re additionally the 2 longest traces all through the social gathering, and among the many solely wait instances which might be often hover above half-hour all through the whole occasion. Nevertheless, I’d anticipate precise wait instances to be a lot decrease, assuming no breakdowns (huge assumption).
I didn’t do both TRON or Tiana’s in the course of the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration as a result of I’ve accomplished each a dozen-plus instances, and social gathering time is restricted, so its distinctive leisure is my emphasis. However, I view this as a constructive change–not each social gathering visitor has the identical priorities as me (which is an efficient factor!), and if others need to journey TRON Lightcycle Run or Tiana’s Bayou Journey on loop, they need to have that choice.
New DescenDANCE Celebration – Get able to let unfastened and exhibit your finest villain DescenDANCE Celebration, happening at Rockettower Plaza Stage in Tomorrowland. This new rave is impressed by the Disney Unique Film “Descendants: The Rise of Pink” on Disney+, so belief me once I inform you it is a date you don’t need to be late for.
Really, don’t belief me. I copied and pasted the above from Disney’s press launch concerning the DescenDANCE Celebration. I did see it myself, however I’ve no clue who any of those individuals are or what they’re from. Properly, I suppose I do know they’re from the Disney Unique Film “Descendants: The Rise of Pink” on Disney+, however I haven’t the slightest inkling as to what that’s about. Villains, dancing and teenage angst, most likely? Regardless, I’ve no opinion on this.
Extra Merchandise – I’m not likely a merchandise particular person, so I’m not the most effective particular person to report on this (I principally simply purchase Tervis cups and occasional mugs, save for Figment stuff), however I used to be pleasantly shocked by the range, high quality, and intelligent designs of the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration merchandise.
Only a couple years in the past, each the Halloween and Christmas events had a restricted variety of very primary designs that appeared to purposefully draw back from the identify of the occasion in order that they may very well be offered throughout common hours, if needed. Not the case this yr, and I hope MVMCP follows swimsuit. (We nonetheless want a Tervis from that.)
Bruno Madrigal Meet & Greet – Sure, we’re going to speak about one other verboten subject: Bruno. For the primary time in the course of the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration, you’ll be able to meet the clairvoyant character from Encanto alongside Mirabel at their Casita in Fairytale Backyard throughout from Cosmic Ray’s on the fringe of Tomorrow(land).
Oogie Boogie Bash has had Bruno for the previous few years, and he’s a surprisingly good face character for meet & greets. We’re not the most important followers of Encanto, however actually have loved assembly him on the occasion–he’s a enjoyable character with a sly persona who’s nice for amusing interactions. Having simply met Bruno a number of days earlier than with solely a 5 minute (photograph above), I elected towards becoming a member of the quoted 45+ minute line throughout MNSSHP.
Since Encanto stays well-liked and that is actually a new-for-2024 addition to MNSSHP, this may stay one of many highest demand meet & greets with common wait instances round 60 minutes all through the Celebration Season. On the plus facet, Bruno and Mirabel is likely one of the meet & greets that begins earlier than Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration formally begins, so you’ll be able to meet them as early as (roughly) 6 pm. Simply beware that the road will likely be lengthy even then.
Earlier Begin Time for Mickey’s Boo to You Parade – This yr, the fan-favorite Boo to You Parade takes place a full hour earlier, at 8:15 pm. That’s when it steps off, that means you would possibly see it at 8:30 pm or later when you’re on Predominant Road. In keeping with Walt Disney World, that is excellent for these company attending with little ones who need to benefit from the spooky enjoyable earlier than it’s bedtime. Sometimes, the primary parade is at 9:15 pm and the second parade is at 11:15 pm.
This can be a vastly constructive change. Clearly, it’s nice information for households that already wrestle to make it midway via the occasion. I’ve seen so many strollers with sleeping children by the primary parade in earlier years. It’s additionally a doubtlessly huge win for photographers attending the earliest events–taking pictures in Frontierland would imply photographs simply after sundown. Even the considered Headless Horseman on Predominant Road at nightfall made me salivate (sadly, he didn’t run in the course of the first parade once I first attended).
The sooner Boo to You Parade can be an enormous win for park operations. Since 2018-2019, we’ve bemoaned the downright harmful crowds in entrance of Cinderella Fort between the primary Hocus Pocus and fireworks, since there are a number of stage exhibits, Mickey’s Boo to You Parade, and the fireworks all basically offered again to again.
That’s not the case for the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration. This space continues to be congested between performances–we’re not suggesting in any other case. However spacing them out extra means fewer individuals are camped out for the period, which helps mitigate the problem in a significant means. Kudos to Disney for lastly doing one thing about this (and killing two birds with one stone within the course of). Higher late than by no means.
Busier Second Parade – For years, one of many “secret hacks” of the occasion was watching the second Mickey’s Boo to You Parade. Endurance paid off, as crowds would usually be half the scale–maybe much less–in the course of the later exhibiting. That hasn’t been practically as pronounced in recent times, at the very least partially as a result of Disney has proactively shared the “secret” with in-park bulletins encouraging company to do the later parade for simpler viewing.
With the transfer to the 8:15 pm efficiency of the primary Mickey’s Boo to You Parade, this distinction is gone solely. Though the sooner exhibiting is simpler for households with young children, that is greater than offset by it being so early within the occasion and being much less handy for everybody else. Visitors are nonetheless making their means via meet & greet traces, deal with trails, consuming dinner, and many others–at 8:15 pm, leading to a much less busy first parade and a busier second. The truth is, I’d go so far as to say that I discovered barely bigger crowds for the 11:15 pm parade.
Don’t anticipate this to final without end. Walt Disney World followers are creatures of behavior, and it takes a very long time for phrase to get out and conduct to alter. That means that most of the company doing the 11:15 pm parade are nonetheless working below the outdated assumption that it’s far much less busy. That’ll change over time. Most likely not earlier than the tip of the 2024 MNSSHP season…however in 2025 or 2026 if these showtimes keep the identical.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Have you ever attended the 2024 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Celebration? What did you consider the brand new additions and adjustments? Disenchanted that there wasn’t extra to the villains presence, or the lack of meet & greets? Which character meet & greets are your high priorities? Do you agree or disagree with our evaluation of the adjustments? Any questions? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
