Disneyland Announces 2016 Halloween Time

Dates and details for 2016 Halloween Time and Mickey's Halloween Party

Disneyland is holding Mickey's Halloween Party to 17 nights this year, and celebrating Halloween Time September 9 through October 31, according to today's much-anticipated announcement.

Halloween Time – Friday, September 9 through Monday, October 31

Halloween Time brings the return of the Haunted Mansion Holiday and Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy overlays, plus the Dia de los Muertos displays in Frontierland and the Main Street Pumpkin Festival. This is always a fun time to visit Disneyland, with the Disney characters dressed in Halloween costumes and the park decorated for the season.

The bad news is that there will be 17 Mickey's Halloween Party nights during that period, which means Disneyland closes early to the public for the special event.

Disney has not yet disclosed the nighttime entertainment schedule for the fall. We expect that the Paint the Night Parade and Disneyland Forever fireworks show will be performed even after the 60th anniversary celebration wraps up on September 5, but that has yet to be confirmed. There is also no word whether the World of Color – Celebrate show will continue at Disney California Adventure, or if the show will revert to the pre-anniversary version.

Mickey's Halloween Party

This after-hours event takes place on 17 nights this year, and requires a separate event ticket to attend. The special event includes trick-or-treat stations, themed entertainment, a performance of the event-exclusive Halloween Screams fireworks, and a brand-new entertainment offering: the Ride of the Headless Horseman down Main Street, U.S.A. The Headless Horseman is a crowd favorite at Walt Disney World, and West Coast fans are sure to be equally excited.

Disney said the Headless Horseman will “herald the arrival of a procession of frightfully delightful fiends down Main Street, USA,” but we don't yet know if Disney will bring back Mickey's Halloween Cavalcade for 2016, run the Paint the Night parade as they did in 2015, or present an entirely new Halloween parade.

Prices jumped quite a bit again this year, with Halloween night tickets now $99, up from $84 in 2015 and from $77 in 2014. The least-expensive advance purchase ticket available with an annual passholder discount now $72, up from $63 in 2015 and $56 in 2014.

We note that there are no discounts for the first event of the year. Disney usually offers at least an advance purchase discount for the first party; this year those who want to be first to see the Headless Horseman will pay full fare. 

There's also a “hidden” price increase this year, in that parking is no longer included with the purchase of the Halloween Party ticket. This won't matter to some annual passholders, but the policy change represents an additional expense of $18 per car for everyone else. 

Dates and prices are as follows:

• ADV – Advance purchase discount for general public
• AP – Discounted price for Annual Passholders, Disney Vacation Club members and Disney Visa cardholders
• GATE – Day of event price

As we've noted in past years, Disney seems to have realized that some locals are taking advantage of the three-hour “early” admission offered on party nights, and are using the party as their semi-annual trip to Disneyland. 

Someone planning to visit on a Friday during Halloween Time can choose to buy a one-day ticket valid from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (11 hours) for $105, or buy a Halloween Party ticket, valid from 4 p.m. to midnight (8 hours) for $89. Going the party route offers a slightly higher cost per hour, but a lower absolute price. The party also offers smaller crowds and access to exclusive Halloween entertainment.

Someone planning to visit on Halloween day this year can choose to buy a one-day ticket valid from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (10 hours) for $95, or buy a Halloween Party ticket, valid from 4 p.m. to midnight (8 hours) for $99.

The math is much more favorable for Monday and Wednesday events, when the choice is a $95 one-day, one-park ticket valid for 10 hours, or a $89 event ticket valid for eight hours, which again includes the exclusive event entertainment and smaller crowds. The exception is Halloween night, where the party ticket is $4 more than one-day admission.

Advance purchase tickets for the Halloween Party go on sale Thursday, July 21 for Disneyland Resort Annual Passholders, Disney Rewards Visa card holders, and Disney Vacation Club members. Passholders can purchase tickets online by logging into their account on the Disneyland website. DVC members and Disney Visa card holders can purchase by calling (714) 781-4400, or in person at a Disneyland Resort ticket booth. Tickets go on sale Thursday, July 28 to the general public.

Costume confusion

As we noted earlier this month, Disneyland.com had published updated costume guidelines for the 2016 events. The guidelines are very similar to those that went into effect earlier this year for all runDisney events, and to those already released for the Halloween parties in Walt Disney World.

For attendees 13 and under, the rules are pretty straightforward: “Costumes and some masks may be worn, as long the mask does not cover the entire face and eyes are visible.”

There are also universal guidelines that apply to all guests regardless of age:

• Costumes must be family-friendly and may not be obstructive, offensive, objectionable, or violent.
• Guests who dress like characters may not pose for pictures or sign autographs for other guests.
• Costumes may not contain any weapons that resemble or could easily be mistaken for an actual weapon.
• Costumes may not contain sharp objects, pointed objects, or materials that may accidentally strike another guest.
• Layered costumes or costume props that surround the entire body are strongly discouraged and may be subject to additional security screening.
• Costumes may not reach or drag on the ground. (for example, full-length Princess dresses).

The actual policy for guests age 14 and up is less obvious, and it's not a stretch to believe Disneyland would rather have adults leave their costumes in the closet. The description for the event reads, “You’re invited to dress up your little ones to trick-or-treat at the ultimate neighborhood—Disneyland Park.” The costume guidelines for adults don't mention actual costumes one way or the other, and instead focuses on accessories:

• Capes may be worn if the length does not go below the waist.
• Themed T-shirts, blouses, sweatshirts, and hats are acceptable.
• Acceptable accessories include: transparent wings, plastic light sabers, toy swords and tutus. Headwear may be worn as long as it does not cover the face.
• Masks of any kind may not be worn.
• Adults who want to wear costumes into the park during the event need to pay attention to all of the rules, and err on the side of caution to avoid any problems at the gate.

These guidelines do not give any information about when costumes may be worn, and unfortunately nothing in today's announcement clears up that confusion. In the recent past, adults and children could wear their costumes all day if visiting on a day for which they held tickets to that evening's Halloween Party. In practice, that really meant anyone could dress up on party days, because Disney wasn't exactly pulling people in costume aside to ensure they had a Halloween Party ticket or that day.

However, the rules were more strict in prior years, with guests allowed to enter the park in costume only during actual party hours. That meant that visitors who were spending the day in the theme parks but also had tickets to that night's party had to leave the parks and change into their costumes when the party began at 4:00 or 5:00. We don't have any indication of which policy Disney intends to implement this year, but with recent changes to the overall security practices in the parks, don't be surprised to see the more stringent rules in place again.