This past Friday was the first Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party of the year and we were in attendance to take in all of the not-so-spooky happenings throughout the crowded and hot first event. In this article, we’ll take a look at what’s new, what’s refreshed, and what has disappeared from the 2023 version of Mickey’s “Boo-To-You” Haloween Parade.
We’ll start by saying that the “Boo-To-You” parade is old. The most recent overhaul of the parade was in 2005, but it was starting to feel a bit stale. Yes, the soundtrack is great and the parade is a Halloween staple at this point, but it’s been 13 years since the last refresh of note and we were ready to declare that it was time for a new parade when we went into the first night of the event.
Before we get into the details of the refresh, here’s what Disney World told guests would be new this year:
New for 2023, partygoers can see Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, and Clarabelle Cow dressed as the Sanderson Sisters from Disney’s “Hocus Pocus” in Mickey’s “Boo-To-You” Halloween Parade.
Going into the parade, we didn’t have high hopes based on that one blurb, but as it would turn out, the parade received a soft refresh of sorts to breathe some new life into it as it continues to age. Now, the parade has certainly received updates in the past including new floats, adjusted scenes, and the like, but it has been some time since there was a refresh as significant as the one we saw on Friday night. Keep in mind that we called this a soft refresh, not a hard reset which would’ve been something to the effect of new music and mostly new floats/scenes. Ok, with that caveat out of the way, let’s jump in and see what’s new and different this year!
VIDEO
If you want to simply watch the full parade and spot the differences yourself, here’s our full video of the 2023 Mickey’s “Boo-To-You” Parade.
Mickey & Friends Trick-or-Treat
The parade begins as it has for more than a decade – with the classic “Boo-To-You” sign (introduced in 2011) and some of your favorite characters dressed up for Halloween trick-or-treating.
The first parade unit is where we see the most publicized addition – Minnie Mouse, Clarabelle, and Daisy dressed up as the Sanderson Sisters. Before they arrive, there is one removal from this unit – Goofy. Don’t worry, he’ll actually play a bigger role as we continue through the parade.
The gazebo float has been replaced by a cavalcade float to hold the additional characters. On the cavalcade float, we see Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck at the front, the “Sanderson Sisters” atop the float, and then we find Chip & Dale at the back of the float with new costumes compared to last year.
While we’re fans of the Sanderson Sisters costumes for Minnie, Daisy, and Clarabelle, we are not fans of the float. Their wonderfully designed costumes are hidden behind a maze of metal and they are barely tall enough for someone over 6′ to be able to see more than just a head, let alone a child sitting on Main Street USA. As the only publicized addition or change for 2023, this was a disappointment.
Here’s a look at Pirate Chip and Vampire Dale.
Pirates & More Pirates
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life for me! The next two minutes or so are dedicated to all things pirates. Characters from Peter Pan serve as a transition from trick-or-treating to pirates. No changes to the Peter Pan section of the parade. From there, flag-twirling pirates entertain before the large Pirates of the Caribbean ship rolls down the parade route.
On the ship, guests will find Barbosa at the front, Angelica in the midship, and Captain Jack Sparrow at the helm.
Haunted Mansion
It wouldn’t be a Halloween celebration without the most famous haunted house in the world. The ever-popular gravediggers drag their way through Magic Kingdom ahead of a float with a tombstone that might just be more alive than it appears at first glance.
Waltzing ghosts are joined by the bride again, who was introduced in 2019.
The hitchhiking ghost unit closes out the Haunted Mansion section. There are no notable changes here besides the fact that the 2022 debut version of the parade was out of order a bit, but it was later fixed and the 2023 version of the parade has the correct ordering.
Halloween Hoedown
The Halloween Hoedown is really where we start to feel a shift in the parade. The western dancers are replaced by scarecrows this year, which we think is an upgrade from years past. The scarecrows have some fun choreography and can emote more than the western dancers of years past. Jean shorts and cowboy hats have been traded for straw and overalls as the scarecrows bring some whimsy to this section of the parade.
Remember how Goofy was missing from the trick-or-treat unit? We find him anchoring the Halloween Hoedown unit now, replacing Clarebelle who has moved to the front as a Sanderson Sister. Updated audio brings Goofy into the soundtrack of the “Boo-To-You” Parade.
The Country Bears can be found in their usual spot ahead of the Clara Cluck barn float. Instead of being accompanied by Chip & Dale who we saw in the lead unit, they are joined by Horace Horsecollar.
Tomorrowland Unit (Cut)
The Tomorrowland parade unit featuring Buzz Lightyear and The Incredibles has been completely cut from the parade. We’re not saddened by the loss as it didn’t make much sense in a Halloween parade. That said, we wish that there would’ve been a notable replacement in this section of the parade that would use the rockwork float instead of a complete removal.
Sugar Rush
Next up is Vanellope and the Sugar Rush unit. Both run-throughs of the parade on Friday night did not feature Ralph in the Sugar Rush delivery truck, which is probably just a mistake. We imagine that Ralph will be back, and if he’s not, it’s a silly-looking truck to be running without him. Vanellope is still atop her candy machine.
Expanded Villains Finale
With the loss of the Tomorrowland unit, an expanded Villains unit is in place. Ultimately, this is a win for a Halloween-themed parade.
New to the 2023 version of “Boo-To-You” is Ursula, joined by Flotsam and Jetsam puppets. Ursula replaces the three hyenas from The Lion King.
While Cruella DeVil is not new to the parade, the fact that she’s riding in a car driven by Jasper and Horace is new for 2023.
Similarly, the Queen of Hearts has an expanded role in the 2023 edition of “Boo-To-You” and is joined by her card army.
The high-energy skeleton band returns and is looking as good as ever!
New to the 2023 villains section are Anastasia & Drizella Tremaine, Gaston, and Honest John (Foulfellow) & Gideon. The classic villains finale float featuring Maleficent, Jafar, and the Evil Queen concludes the parade.
Mickey’s Boo-To-You Parade Changes
Overall, we’re fans of the changes to Mickey’s “Boo-To-You” Parade. Yes, it’s an aging parade, but it remains a Walt Disney World staple. We were this close to calling for a new Halloween parade but with no new nighttime parade at the park in years (including, shockingly, nothing for the 50th anniversary of Magic Kingdom), it’s clear that nighttime parades aren’t a top priority. That said, kudos to the Halloween parade team for making some story changes as well as some necessary cuts to create a better version of Boo-To-You.
More villains and less Buzz Lightyear seems like an obvious choice, but it’s still a choice that had to be made and implemented nonetheless. The pacing of the parade seems to work better now and we are fans of the costume changes made throughout the parade. Overall, the refreshed “Boo-To-You” Parade is a welcome change that strikes a balance between keeping what’s great about the parade and breathing a bit of new life into the long-running offering.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!