When hinges creak in doorless chambers, and the Florida sun becomes less oppressive… that is the time when ghosts are present and Halloween descends upon the Magic Kingdom, presenting its visitors with ghoulish delights…
In years past, we had the wonderful Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. But this year offered a higher priced event with less offerings and a new name, the Boo Bash. So, How does it compare to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party? Is it worth the Boo Bucks?
After Hours Boo Bash Basics
After Hours parties have less capacity than traditional holiday parties of the past. This means fewer lines and more rides. They also provide you with lots of treats. Mickey Bars, and Popcorn you can consume to your heart’s (or stomach’s) content.
After Hours Boo Bash is a limited nighttime offering, for 3 hours after park close. Tickets allow you entry into Magic Kingdom 2 hours prior to the start of the event.
When you enter the park you’ll get a wristband. At park closing, if you’re not wearing this wristband, cast members will direct you back to the entrance… so don’t remove them!
Grab a treat bag to take part in trick-or-treating throughout the park. The bag promotes The Muppets Haunted Mansion special, now streaming on Disney+. There is also a special Boo Bash map outlining the night’s festivities, treat stops, and specialty items ONLY available at the event… such as the Apple Ginger Dale Frozen Drink and the Maleficent Churro.
The Decor
As you enter, the train station is cast in an eerie light, setting the mood for all who enter along with spooky holiday projections.
As in years past, Main Street instantly brings those PSL vibes with pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere high and low! Colorful banners of orange and yellow adorn Main Street with haunting lighting to add to the event.
At the Partners Statue, Walt and Mickey look ready for the spooky fun to come as the sun goes down.
Cinderella Castle itself is beautiful as always, especially with its 50th Anniversary adornments, now cast in changing Halloween lights throughout the night… Green and blue, yellow and orange, and so forth, giving plenty of great opportunities for photos.
The Halloween decor is focused around Main Street and Cinderella Castle with few exceptions. There are some uplights and projections here and there, but other than that it’s almost another regular After Hours night in the Magic Kingdom. That said, the entrance to Tomorrowland and Space Mountain are given the Halloween treatment.
But there is no better time to ride the Haunted Mansion than during Boo Bash in the Magic Kingdom. The mood is perfect and cast members REALLY bring their A-game. They lurk, keep a lingering dead eye on you, and do their darndest to be as unsettling (and helpful) as ever. Just be sure to bring your death certificate.
In the past, there have been special event merchandise for the parties and after hours events. Sadly, there isn’t any this year, but there is plenty of Halloween merchandise to choose from. If you want to see what Halloween goodies are to be found around the Disney Parks, take a look at the article below:
Event Entertainment & Trick or Treating
Perhaps we need to address the flying elephant in the room as entertainment is where the After Hours Boo Bash is in stark contrast to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. There is not a Halloween-specific fireworks show. With the two-hour early entry window, you can see the current everyday nighttime spectacular, the brand new Disney Enchantment.
There are also no stage shows or the popular Boo To You Parade. The latter has been replaced with three character cavalcades (and one impressive dragon) we have become familiar with.
Beyond the cavalcades and the always-awesome Maleficent dragon, there are only two other entertainment options: the Tomorrowland DJ Dance Party and four performances of everyone’s favorite barbershop quartet, The Cadaver Dans… if you can find them, that is. They’re located atop the walkway into Adventureland, just to the left of Country Bear Jamboree.
The big question: is Boo Bash worth the money?
Starting at $129 for earlier dates and reaching up to $199 on Halloween weekend, that’s a lot to ask for such a limited Halloween offering. The 2019 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party pricing was $85 to $149 for adults and $5 less for children for day-of tickets. Comparing prices to the Villians After Hours in 2019 might be a better comparison which was $144 for day-of tickets.
Disney Theme Park Ticket & Travel Deals
It’s time to give the family something to look forward to. Our travel partners at Get Away Today are here to help you plan a future theme park vacation. There are all sorts of new theme park tickets and travel deals, including 25% off select rooms at Walt Disney World & Disneyland, ticket deals to Disney and Universal theme parks, and special vacation package deals: More details and to get a quote (HERE)
Let’s Hear From You
What do you think? Does the ability to watch Disney Enchantment before the event, free treats, and lower crowds make up for the missing elements from Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party? Should Madame Leota’s crystal ball summon back the swinging wake we’ve enjoyed in years past? Send us a comment from somewhere beyond…
Editor’s Note: We would like to thank MiceChat contributors Zachary Kern and Laura Gonzalez for their hard work on this article.
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