An all-new nighttime fireworks spectacular puts a spirited spin on the 2019 spooky season as Magic Kingdom Park hosts Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party for a record 36 select nights, Aug. 16-Nov. 1.

Here’s a look at all this year’s Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party has to offer.

‘Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular’

The new “Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular” lights the night sky during the witching season in a spellbinding display playing across the heavens. As host of the spectacle, Jack Skellington from Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” spins a not-so-scary tale about how anything can happen on Halloween night.

Jack’s ghost dog, Zero, brings everyone along on a trick-or-treating adventure where four friends – Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Donald Duck – find themselves drawn into a haunted house. Encounters with dancing skeletons, waltzing ghosts and wickedly troublemaking Disney villains make for a hair-raising adventure. It all comes to life with state-of-the-art projection effects, lasers, lighting and dazzling fireworks.

‘Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade’

The galloping Headless Horseman fronts “Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade,” setting the stage for spooktacular fun throughout Magic Kingdom. The parade opens with a flurry of beloved Disney friends, including Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in new Halloween costumes. The spectral Bride from The Haunted Mansion appears in the parade this year alongside waltzing spirits and those famous Hitchhiking Ghosts. Pixar pals join the fun, too, including The Incredibles and designer extraordinaire Edna Mode, as well as Buzz Lightyear and alien explorers on a planetary playset float inspired by Pixar’s Toy Story films.

Wreck-It-Ralph, Vanellope von Schweetz and the girls from Sugar Rush make sure there’s plenty of candy to go around during the parade. In addition, pirates sail in from Adventureland, Clarabelle Cow hosts a square dance during a Frontierland hoedown and a wicked assortment of Disney villains reigns over a Fantasyland-inspired grand finale.

Cruella’s Halloween Hide-a-Way at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant

As only she can, host Cruella de Vil invites guests to mix and mingle with her impossibly hip circle of friends during Cruella’s Halloween Hide-a-Way at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant. This new reservations-only social promises a fun, festive atmosphere with themed music and décor matched with divine hors d’oeuvres, sweets and drinks (including beer and wine). Guests can come and go as they please throughout the night and enjoy prime parade-viewing spot reserved just for them. The party keeps rollin’ until 12:30 a.m.

Cruella’s Halloween Hide-a-Way ($99 per person, plus tax) is available only during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Reservations are required and can be made at Disneyworld.com or by calling Disney Dining at (407) 939-3463.

Candy, Costumes, Special Attractions and More

Enchantments of the season scared up for the party include:

• New this year, when guests follow a treat trail into the Monster World at Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, they’ll interact with a comic entourage of monsters who are learning about the curious human-world holiday called Halloween.
• Among many popular park attractions available to roaming ghosts and goblins, Space Mountain turns out the lights, going completely dark and hurtling guests through the blackness of deep space to the sounds of a new hard-rockin’ soundtrack.
• Guests embarking on Pirates of the Caribbean will encounter a crew of live pirates engaged in a whole new swashbuckling quest for treasure.
• At the Mad Tea Party, special lighting and music enhance the nighttime experience to bring out the maddest hatter in everyone.
• The new DescenDANCE Party takes the stage at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café in Tomorrowland, where guests can groove to a beat inspired by the “Descendants” Disney Channel movies.
• For young park goers, the Storybook Circus Disney Junior Jam in Fantasyland is the place to party with favorite Disney Junior characters like Doc McStuffins, Timon and Vampirina. New this year, Nancy Clancy from the hit Disney Junior series “Fancy Nancy” joins the fun.

Dates in 2019 for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party are:

• Aug. 16, 20, 23, 27, 30
• Sept. 2, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29
• Oct. 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31
• Nov. 1

Tickets for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party start at $79 (plus tax) and can be booked through Disneyworld.com or the Disney Reservations Center at (407) 827-7350. Children are encouraged to dress in costume and enjoy the spirit of Halloween with their families.

As much a magic carpet as a complimentary transportation system, Disney Skyliner will soar above waterways and wooded areas alike on its way to theme parks and Disney resort hotels, while wide-eyed guests will be treated to views never before seen.

This “most magical flight on Earth” connects Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios to Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort and the new Disney’s Riviera Resort, a Disney Vacation Club resort that will open Dec. 16, 2019. With approximately 300 vacation homes, including various accommodation types, Disney’s Riviera Resort will be available for traditional hotel reservations as well as membership sales.

Nearly half of the approximately 300 Disney Skyliner cabins will be wrapped in whimsical Disney scenes – with beloved characters, fan-favorite movies, attractions and more – giving the appearance that Disney pals are riding along with guests. The cabins will be easy to spot overhead, because each gondola will shimmer in one of eight vibrant colors and feature sleek curved lines.

Disney Skyliner guests will discover bird’s-eye views of Disney’s Hollywood Studios, including the Hollywood Tower Hotel. Approaches to Epcot are equally eye-catching, as the countries around World Showcase Lagoon come into view with iconic Spaceship Earth in the distance.

In addition to convenient theme park access, guests staying at Disney resort hotels accessible by Disney Skyliner will have quick-and-easy transportation to a world of other dining and entertainment options. These include all the fun of Disney’s BoardWalk entertainment district, access to Epcot through the International Gateway station, and restaurants and recreation found at the resort hotels serviced by Disney Skyliner.

Disney Skyliner Stations Are Artful Connection Points

The artful stations along the Disney Skyliner route will feature uniquely Disney designs that reflect their surroundings:

• The Epcot International Gateway station is inspired by the nearby European pavilions in the park. Covered metal and glass canopies, hand-painted murals themed to flight and ornate metal detailing are all in the Art Nouveau style.
• The Disney’s Riviera Resort station incorporates influences from the Mediterranean coast to produce an elegant portal for guests.
• The station at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort connects all three routes and extends the architectural details and bright island colors associated with the Caribbean.
• The Disney’s Hollywood Studios station reflects the Art Decostyle of the park’s main entrance area. Guests arriving on Disney Skyliner will be awestruck as a panoramic view of the park unfolds.
• Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s Art of Animation Resort share a Disney Skyliner station at Hourglass Lake. Colorful structural forms create a space that feels whimsical and contextual with both resorts. Departing the station, guests will glide above Hourglass Lake and ascend to thrilling views of both resort hotels.

Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co.^®, the official specialty coffee of Walt Disney World Resort, Disneyland Resort and Disney Vacation Club, will welcome guests with a quick-service location adjacent to the station at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort. The menu of coffees, pastries and specialty items will include the new “Toffee Flight Latte” found initially only at the station. The latte blends sea salt caramel toffee and dark chocolate, topped with toffee and chocolate crumbles and a cloud of whipped cream.

Cast Costuming Takes Flight

Disney Skyliner cast members will sport stylish costumes that reflect the sleek, contemporary lines of the transportation system. Costume designers created a mid-century design that recalls 1960s airline travel marking a new era of flight. Clean, streamlined designs of the gondolas are incorporated into the costumes as style elements.

The Newest Way for Guests to Travel Around Walt Disney World Resort

Disney Skyliner joins the network of complimentary Walt Disney World transportation benefits for resort hotel guests allowing them to travel effortlessly around Walt Disney World with a touch of Disney magic. The gondolas join other favorite options such as the world-famous Walt Disney World monorail system along with ferry boats and water taxis, and one-of-a-kind motor coaches.

It has been an extraordinary privilege to have served on the Apple board for 8 years, and I have the utmost respect for Tim Cook, his team at Apple, and for my fellow board members. Apple is one of the world’s most admired companies, known for the quality and integrity of its products and its people, and I am forever grateful to have served as a member of the company’s board.
Robert Iger’s Statement on Resigning from Apple, Inc.’s Board of Directors

Bob has been an exemplary board member for nearly eight years, and for as long as he has led Disney he has been one of Apple’s most trusted business partners. He is a dedicated, visionary CEO and a role model for an entire generation of business leaders. More than anything, Bob is our friend. He leads with his heart and he has always been generous with his time and advice. While we will greatly miss his contributions as a board member, we respect his decision and we have every expectation that our relationship with both Bob and Disney will continue far into the future.

Disney is launching streaming video service Disney+ on Nov. 12, which will compete with Apple’s Apple TV+ service, scheduled to become available on Nov. 1, which would be the catalyst for this resignation since the companies will directly compete in the streaming space starting later in this year. 

Opening Dec. 5, 2019, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida and Jan. 17, 2020, at Disneyland Park in California, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance will be one of the most ambitious, advanced and immersive experiences ever undertaken by Walt Disney Imagineering. The innovative new attraction will take guests aboard a full-size transport shuttle before they are captured by a Star Destroyer and wind up in the middle of a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance. The harrowing adventure will blur the lines between fantasy and reality on a scale never seen before in a Disney attraction.

Prior to the Aug. 29 grand opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney Imagineering released additional details about what promises to be one of the most thrilling experiences ever created for a Disney theme park:

• Guests will join the Resistance and depart from Batuu in a transport ship to meet General Leia Organa at a secret rendezvous point. However, on their way to the hidden base, guests are intercepted and taken prisoner by the First Order as their ship is drawn into the hangar bay of a Star Destroyer. The action then ramps up as guests seek to escape the clutches of Kylo Ren and the First Order.
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance will bring guests face to face with some of their favorite Star Wars characters, including Resistance heroes Rey, Poe and Finn, as well as Kylo Ren and General Hux of the First Order.
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is one of the largest attractions Disney has ever created. Its massive show building is a world unto itself, housing two full-sized AT-AT walkers and a Star Destroyer hangar bay – complete with a TIE fighter and a garrison of Stormtroopers – plus more thrills and surprises.
• Walt Disney Imagineering will combine multiple ride systems to tell the story of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. In one sequence, a new simulator experience will give the sensation to guests they are falling from space to crash land on Batuu.
• During a portion of the experience, guests will race through a Star Destroyer in a trackless ride vehicle featuring an onboard droid that reacts to its surroundings.

Look for more information on Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance in the coming months at WDWNews.com, DisneylandNews.com and DisneyParksBlog.com.

Guests can shop for mysterious and unique galactic artifacts collected by Dok-Ondar, a legendary antiquities dealer who is as mysterious as many of the objects he collects. The Ithorian’s den is packed with racks and crates of items with their own stories to tell:

• Legacy Lightsabers – This elegant weapon from a more civilized age is most commonly associated with the Jedi and Sith. Dok-Ondar has collected replicas of some of the most famous – or infamous – warriors in the galaxy’s history, including Luke Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul.
• Lightsaber Accessories – Lightsaber clips, carrier bags and display stands are used to carry or display a lightsaber when not in use.
• Kyber Crystals – At the heart of every lightsaber is a kyber crystal. This crystal is attuned to the Force. Colors include blue, green, purple, red, yellow and white.
• Holocrons – The Jedi and Sith have curated enormous amounts of information about the galaxy and the Force. Holocrons store this valuable data, which when paired with kyber crystals can be unlocked and accessed by the owner of these rare artifacts.

The Walt Disney Company, led by Disney Cruise Line, has committed more than $1 million in cash and in-kind support to help relief and recovery efforts for those in The Bahamas affected by Hurricane Dorian.

The Walt Disney Company stands with the people of The Bahamas affected by Hurricane Dorian. We hope our $1 million donation will provide much-needed relief and help our neighbors, colleagues, and all those impacted by this devastating storm begin the long process of recovery as they work to put their lives and communities back together.
Robert A. Iger, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Walt Disney Company

Disney’s commitment includes a $1 million donation to non-profit relief agencies who will be undertaking recovery and rebuilding efforts, as well as the provision of supplies – including food staples and basic construction materials – to those in impacted areas.

Additionally, Disney employees with immediate needs in impacted areas of The Bahamas will have access to a range of resources. Disney Castaway Cay, which experienced only tropical force strength winds, employs more than 60 Bahamians from Abaco and Grand Bahama, as well as several employees from other Bahamian islands.

The Bahamas is such a special place to us and our guests, and we have watched the devastation created by Hurricane Dorian with concern and heartache. We stand with the Bahamian people, and especially those in Abaco and Grand Bahama, as they recover from the worst storm to ever make landfall in The Bahamas. As the needs in these communities are assessed, we are prepared to aid the relief and recovery efforts through funding, the provision of supplies and by providing support to our Bahamian Crew Members.
Jeff Vahle, president of Disney Cruise Line

Disney continues to monitor Hurricane Dorian and will coordinate on an ongoing basis with nonprofit organizations on emergency response efforts. This includes sharing lifesaving information with families before and during emergencies, prepositioning supplies at-the-ready to respond rapidly to natural disasters, and providing resources to activate large-scale responses as needed in the event of a disaster.

Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run is an anchor attraction inside the new Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, opening Aug. 29, 2019, at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida. It combines immersive storytelling with interactive gameplay to make guests the protagonists of their own Star Wars adventures in a way never before undertaken by Disney Parks.

Lovingly described at various times as a “piece of junk” or “bucket of bolts,” the Millennium Falcon is the most famous of all Star Wars starships. On Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, guests 38 inches or taller climb aboard the Falcon in all her ramshackle glory and settle into the cockpit to operate “the fastest hunk of junk in the galaxy.” They could just discover the ship has a few surprises left in her, because the Millennium Falcon may not look like much, but she’s got it where it counts.

Following the events of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” Chewbacca brought the Falcon to Black Spire Outpost for repairs at this spaceport on the edge of the galaxy. In exchange for some much-needed replacement parts, Chewie is loaning the Falcon to Hondo Ohnaka, a smuggler who is now making good use of the ship that made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs. It is at this point guests enter the story of Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.

Who Is Hondo Ohnaka and What Does He Want? 

• A fan-favorite miscreant from the “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” and “Star Wars Rebels” animated television series, Hondo is a Weequay pirate always looking for the next big score.
• Hondo is running a “legitimate business” out of the spaceport, called Ohnaka Transport Solutions. When guests meet Hondo in Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, he tells them he has more cargo than he can handle and needs extra flight crews to make some runs for him – especially crews that won’t ask too many questions about the cargo or how Hondo acquired it!

Step Aboard the Falcon

• When guests accept Hondo’s offer, they enter the Falcon via an access hatch on the ship’s port airlock. Once aboard, they spend some time in the ship’s main hold and lounge, where they can sit at the famous Dejarik (chess) table or poke around at other equipment in the room.

Three Roles to Play – One Goal

• When it’s time for the mission to begin, guests strap themselves into the Falcon cockpit in groups of six. Each person is assigned one of three critical roles to complete their mission, and guests know it’s their turn to act when buttons light up in the cockpit:
  • Pilots (2) – Work together to steer the ship – the left pilot controls horizontal motion, the right pilot controls vertical motion – avoiding obstacles that could cause damage
  • Gunners (2) – Use blasters and missiles to defend the Falcon and its precious cargo (switching to manual targeting creates an even greater challenge!)
  • Flight Engineers (2) – Keep the Falcon from falling apart on its mission by managing the ship’s systems, repairing any damage the ship encounters and take control of the “special modifications” Hondo installed for these unusual missions

Interactive Gameplay

• Industrial Light & Magic (the visual effects division of Lucasfilm) collaborated with Walt Disney Imagineering to create the gaming platform and interactive media for Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run.
• Guests begin their adventure by powering up the Falcon and making the jump to lightspeed. From there, Hondo Ohnaka (with occasional input from Chewbacca) helps guide guests along their mission.
• If the Falcon sustains damage – such as smashing into obstacles or taking enemy fire – and is not properly repaired, the ship’s handling is affected.
• At the end of the mission, Hondo informs guests how well they accomplished their objectives.

Authenticity in the Details

• Walt Disney Imagineers worked with Lucasfilm to ensure authenticity in every detail of the Millennium Falcon – down to the hoses, pipes, switches and even the stickers on the exterior hull. Imagineers visited Pinewood Studios in the United Kingdom to study Falcon film sets and pored over archival Lucasfilm photographs of the ship.
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run marks the first time Hondo Ohnaka has been seen in any form other than an animated on-screen character. Walt Disney Imagineering consulted Hondo’s creator, Dave Filoni, in designing the smuggler’s physical look, ensuring the essence of his character was authentically captured in his Audio-Animatronics figure inside the attraction.
• Over time, the Millennium Falcon has undergone many modifications. For this mission, Hondo altered the control sticks for the pilot and co-pilot and supplemented the Falcon’s arsenal with a harpoon, among other tweaks.
• If guests’ mission aboard the Falcon doesn’t go quite as planned, the ship’s hallways will show damage as they leave the attraction.