Disney is planning to reopen its US parks in July [1], but unfortunately, the Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party [2] events that were set to take place on select nights between Aug. 13 and Nov. 1 have been cancelled [3]. The ticketed event is a fall staple, especially for families, but with Disney taking precautions as it reopens [4], events that draw big crowds won't be happening seeing as they would make social distancing efforts difficult.
"Many of its hallmarks — stage shows, parades and fireworks — are unable to take place in this new, unprecedented environment."
"As we prepare for the reopening of our theme parks next month, we're taking a measured and deliberate approach to our planning that applies appropriate new health and safety measures. We continue to follow guidance from government and health officials for responsibly operating our theme parks, so we can make the right adjustments to our offerings, including our upcoming fall events," reads a June 18 statement on the Disney Parks Blog. "While assessing . . . Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, we determined that many of its hallmarks – stage shows, parades [5] and fireworks – are unable to take place in this new, unprecedented environment. With that in mind, we have made the difficult decision to cancel this year's Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party."
Disney also shared that Disney H2O Glow Nights at Disney's Typhoon Lagoon will be cancelled, and that any guests who have already purchased tickets for the two fall events will be offered refunds.
Even though Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is cancelled IRL, you can safely enjoy the spooky magic from home right now, thanks to this virtual fireworks show [7] that features 13 minutes of Halloween magic (and is completely free!).
The phased reopenings of Disney's US parks [8] will be staggered, with Walt Disney World opening Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom on July 11, followed by Hollywood Studios and Epcot on July 15. Meanwhile, Disneyland will reopen Downtown Disney on July 9 and its parks on July 17. Overseas, Shanghai Disneyland reopened its doors [9] on May 11, Hong Kong Disneyland reopened on June 18, and Disneyland Paris will begin its phased reopening on July 15.