Last month we found out that Disney World will scrap Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party for the year in favor of a (sort of) new event called Disney After Hours Boo Bash. Today more details were released including pricing and dates. This post we’ll fill you in on those details and offer some commentary along the way.

Starting with the details, as previously announced Boo Bash will be a special ticketed event with limited capacity that lasts three hours. Guests will be able to enter Magic Kingdom three hours prior to the event, along with the park day guests, for a total of six in park hours. Along with most of Magic Kingdom’s rides being open and having low wait times, the party will include a few unique entertainment options.

Throughout the night, special cavalcades will pop up throughout the night including “Mickey’s Happy Halloween Cavalcade,” with Mickey Mouse and friends dressed up for the occasion. In the “Disney Villains Halloween Cavalcade,” villains will take to the street and celebrate their favorite time of the year. “Jack’s Nightmare Cavalcade” will feature Jack Skellington, Sally and Oogie Boogie riding down the parade path to “This is Halloween.” Maleficent, the fire breathing float from Festival of Fantasy, will also make appearances.

Other characters will be throughout the park for guests to interact with including Goofy and Chip n’ Dale in their Halloween costumes and Miss Carlotta outside of Haunted Mansion. The Cadaver Dans will also be out and about, performing for guests. This is total speculation but I’m guessing the Country Bears will be around and what else does anyone need?

Select complimentary snacks like ice cream novelties and popcorn, along with select beverages, are included in the cost of the event. There will also be specialty food items to buy including an Apple Ginger Dale frozen drink and Foolish Mortal Funnel Cake. What is on a Foolish Mortal Funnel Cake? I’m hoping it’s one of those things where the foolish mortals are the people eating the dish and not what’s served on top of the funnel cake. Cannibalism would be a different avenue for Disney to explore.

Disney After Hours Boo Bash tickets will grant admission to Magic Kingdom Park as early as 7 p.m., giving you time to enjoy even more of your favorite Magic Kingdom Park haunts before the event begins. These dated event tickets do not require an additional day theme park ticket or Disney Park Pass theme park reservation.

Guests can dress in costume for the event and you can get your fill of Halloween candy while trick-or-treating around the park. Costume masks are not permitted for adults; they can only be worn by children under 14. If you have questions on that front you can consult Disney’s Know Before You Go page and Costume Policy for the most up-to-date information.

Tickets for the event will go on sale June 15th and can be purchased online or by calling 407-939-4240. Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels can book their tickets as early as June 8th. Tickets start at $129 – $139, plus tax for August/September nights and $159 – $169, plus tax for October nights, and $199, plus tax for Halloween. Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can take advantage of a $10 discount for event nights in August and September. There are a limited amount of tickets but I don’t expect the event to sell out extremely fast aside from maybe Halloween night.

These are the dates for Disney After Hours Boo Bash:

• Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021
• Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2021
• Friday, Aug. 20, 2021
• Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021
• Friday, Aug. 27, 2021
• Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2021
• Friday, Sept. 3, 2021
• Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021
• Friday, Sept. 10, 2021
• Tuesday, Sept. 14, 2021
• Friday, Sept. 17, 2021
• Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2021
• Friday, Sept. 24, 2021
• Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2021
• Friday, Oct. 8, 2021
• Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021
• Friday, Oct. 15, 2021
• Tuesday, Oct. 19, 2021
• Friday, Oct. 22, 2021
• Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021
• Tuesday, Oct. 26, 2021
• Friday, Oct. 29, 2021
• Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021

The price point is the main source of commentary here as it’s already been a source of consternation across the Disney fan community. Truthfully the price is extremely high, especially compared to past Halloween parties. With this release from Disney, it’s clear that the Halloween party is the wrong comparison for this though. Instead, this is an After Hours Event with a Halloween twist and it is priced accordingly so.

I’ve always thought the After Hours Events were outrageously priced and that is why we’ve never taken part in it. Yes, they can be an absolute blast and there are ways to get some value out of the offerings but swallowing a price tag of at least $130 is simply too much for me. Whether it’s worth it for you is dependent on how much you want to pay to avoid waiting in lines and staying away from any crowds.

The other interesting thing to note is the gap in events from September 24th to October 5th. This is likely for the anniversary on October 1st as Disney will use the lead up to decorate and then will likely keep the park open late to guests in the second half of that break.

All in all, it’s clear that this event is more of an After Hours Party than it is a Halloween Party. That’s disappointing but understandable considering the circumstances for this year. Hopefully, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party will return in 2022 and this is a temporary change.

What do you think of the After Hours Boo Bash replacing Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party? Let us know your thoughts, along with any questions you might have, in the comments below. Planning a trip to Walt Disney World? Check out our WDW Trip Planning Guide to help you out. If you enjoy what you are reading here on Wandering in Disney please share this post with your friends and like our social media pages. You can also subscribe to the blog via WordPress or email. All of those links are on the right side of this page. Thank you for reading, we really appreciate it!