Quick answer
Fall 2026’s non-negotiables: EPCOT Food & Wine (Aug 27 – Nov 21, included with admission), Mickey’s Not-So-Scary (Aug 7 – Oct 31, $119–$229, key nights sell out), Halloween Horror Nights (Aug 28 – Nov 1, from ~$92), then the holiday double-header: Very Merry (Nov 8 – Dec 22) and Universal Holidays (Nov 14 – Jan 3). Book party nights before you book flights.
Fall is the villa corridor’s secret season: the weather breaks, the crowds dip between events, and every park runs something special. The full calendar, with prices and the sell-out truth:
The calendar at a glance
| Event | Dates | Cost | The word |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (Magic Kingdom) | Aug 7 – Oct 31 (38 nights) | $119–$229 + tax | Party ticket gets you in from 4pm; Oct 31 already gone, Fridays go next |
| EPCOT Food & Wine Festival | Aug 27 – Nov 21 | Included with admission | ~30+ global booths; weekday afternoons are the calm window |
| Halloween Horror Nights 35 (Universal Studios) | Aug 28 – Nov 1 (48 nights) | From ~$92 by night | 10 houses, Stranger Things S5; teens+ only |
| SeaWorld Howl-O-Scream | Sept 11 – Oct 31 | From $34.99 early-sale | The budget scare ticket; separate from day admission |
| Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (Magic Kingdom) | Nov 8 – Dec 22 (25 nights) | $189–$229 + tax | Free cocoa & cookies, snow on Main Street; early-Dec nights sell out |
| Disney Jollywood Nights (Hollywood Studios) | Nov 7 – Jan 5 | $169–$199 + tax | The grown-up-leaning holiday party |
| EPCOT Festival of the Holidays + Candlelight Processional | Nov 27 – Dec 30 | Included with admission | Dining packages guarantee Candlelight seats |
| Holidays at Universal (incl. first Epic overlays) | Nov 14 – Jan 3 | Included with admission | Macy’s parade, Grinchmas, plus Epic’s first holiday season |
How to stack a fall villa week
- Pick the party first. Not-So-Scary and Very Merry nights are date-specific and sell out, so anchor the trip to the party night, then fill around it.
- Party-night hack: party tickets admit from 4pm, so skip a full park ticket that day, do a long villa-pool morning, arrive at 3:30.
- Food & Wine strategy: go on a weekday at opening, graze early, and be poolside when the Saturday drink-around-the-world crowd arrives.
- Halloween splits: HHN for the teens one night, Not-So-Scary for the littles another, and the villa’s themed rooms handle the costume energy in between.
- Water-park check: Typhoon Lagoon closes Sept 9 and Volcano Bay closes Oct 26, so Blizzard Beach and Island H2O carry the fall. Details here.
Good questions, honest answers
When is Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party 2026?
Select nights Aug 7 – Oct 31, 2026, 7pm–midnight with party entry from 4pm. Tickets run $119–$229 by night; Halloween night sold out on the first day of sales, so book target nights early.
When is Halloween Horror Nights 2026?
Aug 28 – Nov 1, 2026, across 48 select nights at Universal Studios Florida, the event’s earliest-ever start. Ten houses this year, including Stranger Things Season 5. It’s a separate night ticket, from roughly $92.
What fall events are included with regular park admission?
EPCOT’s Food & Wine Festival (Aug 27 – Nov 21) and Festival of the Holidays (Nov 27 – Dec 30), plus Holidays at Universal (Nov 14 – Jan 3). The parties (Not-So-Scary, Very Merry, HHN and Jollywood) are separate tickets.