Whenever someone brings up Disney World, their Halloween decorations always come up in the conversation. Disney’s Halloween decorations are a treat for the eyes. But you can’t help but wonder when it all happens. So, when does Disney decorate for Halloween every year?
Disney’s Halloween decorations normally go up in mid-August every year. This may change from time to time if the circumstances call for it. Other than that, it’s the same every year. You’ll be surprised to know that there are a few decorations that are installed for only a few hours.
A lot more goes around in Disney World during the festive season. There is not a definitive answer to specify the date accordingly. But every year, you will see the decorations at similar times. So, without much further ado, let’s look at some of the breakdowns and timelines of Disney’s Halloween decorations.
When Does It All Start?
When it comes to putting up the Halloween decorations, Disney starts in the middle of August. Even though some installations can be put up overnight, you’ll see that most of the decorations are up by the end of August.
But it’s also important to emphasize the fact that these are just speculations based on observing the past years. No matter how much you try, you won’t find a definitive answer. This is because it all boils down to the parties and other events that Disney is willing to host that year.
For instance, if you’ve been to Disney World during Halloween, you’ll know that they host an event called “Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party” each year.
In 2021, the decorations were scaled back due to Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary Celebration. This was a big event that marked half a century for the famous park.
Are There Any Overnight Decorations?
When it comes to Halloween decorations, the majority of them are put up months before the event. But when it comes to a few events whose decorations are sitting in the warehouse at Disney World, they can be installed in a matter of hours. So, the staff will install them overnight.
Such events include the “Main Street Pumpkin Festival” and “Mickey Head Pumpkin Wreaths”. And as the park now closes earlier than usual due to COVID-19 and many other travel restrictions, it’s a lot easier to get the decorations done overnight.
It’s also very important to know that Halloween decorations are mostly to attract the locals’ attention. Every year, the decorations that surround the Magic Kingdom draw many of the locals.
This has a positive effect on their satisfaction and the overall guest satisfaction level. This makes sense because every year, people highly look forward to Halloween and Christmas. So, it’s important to give the masses an event that they can wholeheartedly enjoy.
When Do They Release The Merchandise?
Every year, before Halloween, Disney releases a set of details on their Halloween merchandise. This is usually before the big events. And the actual merchandise is available on the day of the event for the visitors to purchase.
When it comes to merchandise, Disney has a whole lot of it. Many might not understand the relationship between Disney’s Halloween decorations and merchandise sales. But there is a very close link between the two.
Any form of decorations, be it for Halloween or Christmas; has a significant influence on the snack and merchandise purchase. Chances are, if you see spider-themed decorations inside of Mickey’s House, you’ll be more than willing to buy those spider cookies.
Not only will that feed your hunger, but you’ll also be able to take a very aesthetic picture with the decorations and the cookies for your Instagram feed.
I’m not assuming that the decorations are just there to sell merchandise. The decorations also play a huge role in getting people in the holiday spirit. All in all, one cannot deny the psychological effect that decorations have on a person’s mind when it comes to their satisfaction level and spending behavior.
When Does The Party End?
Since there is no holiday before the start of Halloween, other festive decorations don’t need to be taken down for Halloween decorations. Thus, Halloween decorations are put up very early on and stay up until they have to start planning for Christmas.
And you should also note that Walt Disney World does not put much effort into the other Halloween events as much as it does for “Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.” Disney always does a fantastic job of surprising its guests.
Timeline Of Previous Halloween Decorations
“Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party” always occurs earlier on, so they put up the decorations starting in mid-August. For instance, in 2020, you could see all the decorations on the street by August 15. Strangely, they put up the decorations so early on. But this is because there aren’t any holidays close to Halloween.
So, if you go through records, you’ll see that this has been happening for several years. The big event takes up most of the decorations, which are put up months before Halloween. And then the other ones, such as the “Main Street Pumpkin Festival,” get their decorations overnight.
But when does the rest of America start decorating for Halloween? There was a poll conducted by HalloweenCostumes.com where it was shown that 71% of households put up their wonderful Halloween decorations in the 2nd week of October. And 17% of them put up theirs in September, and the remaining 12% did nothing for Halloween decorations.
And it’s not just households; you’ll also see that other Disney Parks’ times for putting up Halloween decorations do not align with each other. That brings us back to the point that there is no fixed time for any of the parks’ Halloween decorations.
Even businesses tend to stock up on decorations according to their convenience. You can’t expect all your department stores to stock up on Halloween decorations months before the actual event. At the same time, you’ll find Target and Wal-Mart stocking Halloween decorations months in advance.
Even Starbucks starts selling its pumpkin spice latte at the end of August. So, it’s safe to assume that what’s advantageous varies from business to business. Many other Disney theme parks may start decorating at the end of the first week of September.
One of the main reasons that Walt Disney World puts up its Halloween decorations two months before the actual holiday is that the dates match with the tourists’ visits.
Tourists who visit Walt Disney World after July don’t have anything other than Halloween to look forward to. Thus, they’re very much excited and onboard to see the Halloween decorations start early.
Conclusion
The dates may differ a bit from year to year, but it’s typically in mid-August in most years.
If you’re excited about visiting Disney this year, I hope this information helps you in deciding when to visit there. Thanks for giving this article a read. Have a great day!
