When Does Disney World Decorate for Halloween?

Halloween at Disney World is one of the most popular times of the year to visit the resort. Magic Kingdom is the center of all the Halloween decorations and celebrations as this is where Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is held. Guests can also expect to see Halloween decorations in Disney Springs and at select Disney resort hotels. So this begs the question, when does Disney World decorate for Halloween? The answer may surprise you!

Keep reading for the full breakdown of Halloween decorations at Walt Disney World and what to expect.

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is the main event for Halloween at Walt Disney World. This ticketed party takes place on select nights at Magic Kingdom. Since the party takes place at Magic Kingdom, this is where you will see the bulk of the Halloween decorations.

The surprising part of answering the question of when Disney World decorates for Halloween is how early these decorations can go up! Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween typically begins in mid-August before many guests are even thinking about Halloween. The 2024 party dates show that the first party of the year at Walt Disney World starts on August 9th. This is a long season for Halloween at Walt Disney World with the party taking place August 9th through October 31st.

Here are the 2024 Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party Dates:

• August: 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, 27 and 30
• September: 2, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 26, 27 and 29
• October: 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 29 and 31

In past years, we have seen Magic Kingdom fill with Halloween decor overnight shortly before their first Halloween party. In the past, Disney Parks Blog shared footage of this rush to transform Magic Kingdom for the event with decorations appearing overnight.

Based on this year's party dates, the latest you can expect to see Halloween decor at Magic Kingdom is August 9th as the park will need to be ready for the first party event. It is likely you will start to see decorations pop up in the few days before the party date with the majority going up the night before the party.

This is far earlier than many other theme parks. Disneyland's Halloween decorations and events do not begin until August 23, so Walt Disney World begins a couple weeks earlier. The other comparison may be Universal Orlando since they are the closest theme park to Walt Disney World but even their Halloween Horror Nights do not begin until August 30. Walt Disney World is easily the most well-known for kicking off the Halloween season early.

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Magic Kingdom Halloween Decorations

You can find the bulk of the Halloween decorations at Magic Kingdom since this is where Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is located.

You will see the famous Mickey pumpkin wreaths on lamposts up and down Main Street and in front of Cinderella Castle. There will also be pumpkins decorating the shops on Main Street which typically reflect the store they are located near. There are also fall wreaths and other decorations at the front of the park like scarecrows around the entrance to Main Street.

This is the main area of Walt Disney World to enjoy Halloween decorations. The rest of Walt Disney World does not put up large Halloween displays like you might find in Magic Kingdom.

Hollywood Studios Halloween Decorations

The only Halloween-themed activity you will find in Hollywood Studios is the character dining experience Minnie's Halloween Dine at Hollywood & Vine. Characters at this location will be in their Halloween costumes including Minnie Mouse in her witch outfit.

Otherwise, there are no specific Halloween decorations at this park although taking a ride on the always spooky Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is a fitting addition to your Halloween trip.

EPCOT Halloween Decorations

During Halloween at Disney World, the popular International Food & Wine Festival is taking place which is often themed as a fall festival. Despite a few autumn-themed treats, this is not a Halloween-focused festival but is still a great addition to a Disney Halloween trip.

The most obvious Halloween addition to EPCOT is the Halloween-themed scavenger hunt called Pluto's Pumpkin Pursuit which takes guests around the park looking for specific pumpkins representing different Disney characters.

And the best ride in EPCOT (perhaps just to me) Living in the Land, has pumpkins growing year round but sometimes the cast members working in the greenhouse will put up fall harvest displays with all the pumpkins, squash, and guards grown there.

Animal Kingdom Halloween Decorations

Like the other parks aside from Magic Kingdom, you won't find Halloween decorations at Animal Kingdom. The closest you might see are pumpkins added to the animal exhibits closer to Halloween day.

The best choice for finding Halloween decorations at Walt Disney World theme parks is at Magic Kingdom.

Disney Springs Halloween Decorations

You can find Halloween decorations and merchandise in Disney Springs like a large Mickey inflatable pumpkin and Halloween displays in the Disney stores.

Disney Springs will typically put up their decorations around the same time as Magic Kingdom so you can expect Halloween decorations around mid-August. You might even see Halloween merchandise in the stores as early as July!

Do the Disney World hotels Decorate for Halloween?

The Walt Disney World resort hotels do not officially decorate for Halloween although you will see Halloween displays and merchandise in the resort hotels.

There is one resort that does display Halloween decor but this is actually due to the guests decorating! The Fort Wilderness Campground is known for guests decorating their campsites for the holidays including Halloween with their own trick-or-treat events organized by the guests. The Fort Wilderness campsite decorations are put up by guests so you may see cute decorations more in line with Disney's style or you might see horror and scarier decorations.

The holiday events have drawn so much attention at Fort Wilderness Campground that Walt Disney World has put stricter limits on guests not staying on-site from showing up on days like Halloween to participate. Some might be familiar with the golf cart parade the guests put on for the holiday season, you will also see guests decorate their golf carts for Halloween.

If you're looking to stay at a resort that is embracing the Halloween spirit, The Fort Wilderness Campgrounds might be a good choice! Or book a carriage ride through Fort Wilderness, the closer to Halloween you visit, the more campsite decorations you will see.

What day does Halloween start in Disney World?

The biggest indicator of the start of the Halloween season at Walt Disney World is the first date of Mickey's Not So Very Scary Halloween Party. This year the first Halloween party takes place on August 9th. Magic Kingdom will have its decorations complete by the first party date. Disney Springs decorations might come later.

What dates does Disney celebrate Halloween?

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is the best guide for the length of the Halloween season at Walt Disney World. This year the party begins on August 9th and runs until October 31st which means the resort will celebrate Halloween for about two months.

How long do Halloween decorations stay up at Disney?

Halloween decorations will stay up at Magic Kingdom for the duration of Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. The decorations will start coming down immediately the day after the last party date as the parks will begin rushing to put up the Christmas decor.

Which Disney World parks decorate for Halloween?

You can expect to see Halloween decorations solely at Magic Kingdom although Disney Springs will also feature some light decorations. The other three theme parks will sell Halloween merchandise in their resort stores and some may feature large displays but this is as elaborate as it usually gets. The main focus of Halloween at Walt Disney World is at Magic Kingdom.

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