It’s hard to believe, but the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular premiered 10 years ago at the 2015 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP)! Since then, the show has seen minimal changes despite the release of Hocus Pocus 2 on Disney+, plenty of new Hocus Pocus merch, and the announcement of a Disney Villains Land at the Magic Kingdom. There’s no doubt Hocus Pocus is just as popular as ever, but with little changes to this year’s MNSSHP, is it time for an update to the now iconic show?
The Sanderson Sisters (Winifred, Mary and Sarah) from Disney’s film Hocus Pocus return to the mortal world each Halloween season for one night. The three sisters take over the Magic Kingdom to throw the best Halloween party before the witching hour strikes!
Of course, to throw a great party, you need a great guest list. The Sanderson Sisters call on infamous Disney Villains to show the sisters a frightfully good time and to add their own magic to the “Hocus Pocus party potion.”
Once Winifred finds the party spell hidden in her chocolate bar, the ingredients start to come to life. The parade of Disney villains kicks off with the “shadow man” himself, Dr. Facilier from The Princess and the Frog. Dr. Facilier puts on a spell-binding performance of “Friends on the Other Side” complete with tarot cards and a green bubbling cauldron, which activates the “shadow sinister” ingredient of the spell. Dr. Facilier is definitely a highlight of the show with impressive choreography and an epic song that gets the crowd excited every single time.
Next on the spell list is “nefarious nightmares” and there’s only one villain for the job, Oogie Boogie from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. It’s always a treat to see the “gambling boogie man” at a Disney Park, and it’s that much sweeter with a performance of “Oogie Boogie’s Song.” It’s hard not to smile and sing along with this shimming, lovable sack of bugs.
It should come as no surprise that the “mistress of all evil”, Maleficent, then shows up to the party to get down to business. Maleficent, of course, has all the connections needed for the last spell ingredient, “frightful friends.”
The Hocus Pocus Party really starts to pick up with the introduction of The Evil Queen, Hades, Cruella De Ville, Captain Hook, Jafar, and the Evil Stepmother. Each character makes a grand entrance and brings a token of their evil deeds to add to the party potion. When else can you see all of these villains dancing together??
And with the spell complete, the party is in full swing with lighting effects, fireworks, and an iconic performance of “I’ll Put A Spell On You.” Honestly, the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular still has all the right ingredients – a perfect soundtrack, impressive dance numbers including stunts and dancing villains, a wide-range of rare characters, and plenty of witty banter from the Sanderson Sisters. The show may be 10 years old, but it has both staying power and repeatability. I can confidently say it should still be a must-do during your visit to MNSSHP! Would I love for something new and innovative? Yes. Would I be devastated if the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular was replaced? Yes.
If you’re hoping to catch this year’s show, a great tip is to watch the show right after the fireworks. Just make sure you are close to the castle for Disney’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Spooktacular, both to have the best view of the firework effects and projections and to be able to then stay in the same spot for the Hocus Pocus show. Or if you’re a night owl, seeing the midnight Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular show allows you to not take time away from any of the other Halloween Party activities.
You can watch the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular exclusively at the 2025 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at the following times –
August 15 – September 26 – 9:05 P.M., 10:40 P.M., and 12:00 A.M.
September 28 – October 31 – 7:35 P.M., 9:05 P.M., 10:35 P.M., and 12:00 A.M.
To watch the show from home, be sure to check out our full video below of the 2025 Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular!
