Once Popular Disney Parties Are Now Struggling

One of the really fun things about visiting Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort is that the fun doesn’t stop when the theme parks close for the night. Both the Southern California and Central Florida resorts have after-hours events that take place throughout the year, and, over the years, they have really skyrocketed in popularity.

At Walt Disney World, after-hours parties are currently taking place at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. On select nights during the summer, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon lights up at night with its special H20 Glow party.

Then, every year, guests can celebrate the spooky season and the merriest time of the year at the Magic Kingdom with Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Jollywood Nights premiered at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and will be back again this year.

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At Disneyland Resort, several Disneyland After Dark events take place throughout the year. The events can vary from year to year, but some of the more popular ones are Star Wars Nite, Pride Nite, and Sweetheart’s Nite. Sadly, there is no annual Christmas party; Merriest Nites was introduced in 2021, but only lasted one year.

However, Halloween is an entirely different story. During select nights from August through October, guests can head into Disney California Adventure Park and celebrate Oogie Boogie Bash. Oogie Boogie Bash features interactive trick-or-treat trails, the Frightfully Fun Parade, dance parties, and more candy than you can shake a stick at.

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Related: “Murder” at Disneyland’s Oogie Boogie Bash Show Leaves Fans “Terrified”

Last year, guests waited in the Oogie Boogie Bash online queue for hours, hoping for the chance to buy some tickets. The event was so popular that the entire event was sold out in just 12 hours.

But this year could not have been more different.

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This year, on June 25, Inspire Magic Key Holders were able to purchase tickets before anyone else. The next day, all Magic Key Holders had access to the presale.

Finally, on June 27, Oogie Boogie Bash tickets went on sale to the general public. Unlike last year, tickets did not sell out in a matter of hours. In fact, the queue had almost no wait, and it took almost two weeks before the event was completely sold out.

Has Disney Finally Out-Priced Itself?

While tickets to events like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party never sell out as fast as Oogie Boogie Bash, there are dates that sell out faster than others. However, this year, just one month before Not-So-Scary begins, there are only two dates that are sold out — August 13 and October 31.

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Related: Incredibly RARE Characters Coming to Popular Disney Party!

Jollywood Nights and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party both take place on select nights in November and December, and there are currently no sold-out nights.

This has to make one wonder if Disney has finally out-priced itself, leaving guests no choice but to skip out on the extras.

In the past few years, a Disney World or Disneyland vacation has become more expensive than ever. Theme park tickets are at an all-time high, and many guests feel forced to pay for extras like Lightning Lane Multipass (formerly Disney Genie+), so they can do everything they want.

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Between the tickets, the MultiPass, getting to and from the resort, buying food, and paying for the hotel, fewer and fewer people can splurge on things like Oogie Boogie Bash or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

Guests have been voicing their discontent with Disney’s nickel-and-diming, and holding off on purchasing or not buying party tickets altogether could be their way of showing Disney that they have had enough.

Do you think Disney’s after-hours parties have become too expensive? Let us know in the comments!