It’s officially fall - although the temperature may not feel like pumpkin season where you live. At the Magic Kingdom, it’s been fall since August 17, the first of this year’s Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Parties. We attended the September 11 party, and not surprisingly, we had a spook-tacular time. What’s not to love about an after-dark special event at our favorite Walt Disney World park? Before we present our five favorite things about Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, we wanted to provide you with some background on and tips for getting the most out of the event.
This year, Magic Kingdom is host to the parties until Halloween night itself. Ticket prices range from $75 to $125 plus tax per adult - the closer to Halloween, the more expensive the party ticket. We each paid $79.88 in early September, for example.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
Trick-or-Treat Bag and Entry Bracelet
Although the party officially kicks off at 7 pm, party-goers can enter the Magic Kingdom at 4 pm - giving you three additional hours of fun! This would be a great time to eat an early dinner while the regular crowd exits the park. If you’re already at Magic Kingdom before the start of the party, you can get your admission bracelet and trick-or-treat bag at one of the check-in spots inside the park. If you’re coming from another park or your resort, you’ll enter Magic Kingdom at the turnstiles like any other visit, but be sure to get your bracelet from cast members. The bracelet signals that you are entitled to attend the party as cast members will escort anyone out without a bracelet approximately one hour before the start of the party.
Hi-Ho, Hi-HO - Meeting Seven Dwarfs at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
How should you maximize your time? You should definitely enter the party knowing what is most important to you: taking advantage of lower wait times for attractions (we only waited 15 minutes for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train!) or enjoying the meet-and-greets with exclusive Halloween Party characters like Jack Skellington and Sally, Moana and the Seven Dwarfs (lines can be two hours long - yikes!) and the ghostly entertainment like the Hocus Pocus show. Of course, you can do a bit of both, particularly if you can stay awake until the end of the party at midnight (hopefully your little ones can stay awake that long too).
5. Spirited Party-Goers
It was fun to see people fully embracing the spirit of Halloween at our resort and on the monorail on the way to the party. From families dressed as The Incredibles and characters from Toy Story, friends dressed as the happy haunts from Haunted Manion to couples dressed like Doug and Russell from the Disney movie “Up”, we saw a variety of creative costumes that put smiles on our faces. (We were totally lame-o and did not attend the party in costume.) Disney provides costume guidelines to ensure guest safety and a family-friendly environment, including that guests wearing inappropriate attire will be denied admission and that guests 14 and older cannot wear masks. For what to wear, click here.
WE ARE NOT EXAMPLES OF SPIRITED COSTUME-GOERS (At least Kristen wore a Halloween-themed shirt!)
4. Terrifyingly Tantalizing Treats
One of our favorite things about Walt Disney World in general is the food! At Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, there is an abundance of spooky sweets and savory treats to savor - from the Jack Skellington Cake Push Pop to Hades Nachos. Even if you don’t attend the event, you can partake in seasonal-specialty snacks offered daily during the fall throughout Walt Disney World Resort.
Sweets to Eat at Walt Disney World’s Boardwalk Area
3. Low Wait Times
Disney sells a limited number of tickets to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, meaning you can take advantage of lower wait times for your favorite attractions. As we mentioned earlier, we only spent 15 minutes in line to board Seven Dwarfs Mine Train which typically has a 90+-minute wait! In a three-hour span, we also rode Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Haunted Mansion, Peter Pan’s Flight, Pirates of the Caribbean, Space Mountain (we waited longer than normal as the ride experienced malfunctions during our wait) and Splash Mountain. We also sat down for a leisurely dinner, enjoyed many snacks, watched fireworks, some of the Hocus Pocus show and Boo-To-You Parade, and perused the seasonal merchandise. You can accomplish a lot during the party - making it ideal for your only day at Magic Kingdom (recommended only if it’s not your first Walt Disney World visit) or as a supplemental Magic Kingdom day during your trip to experience your favorites again or to focus on the Halloween party exclusives.
2. Boo-to-You Halloween Parade
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party showcases amazing live entertainment. Fans of the movie will adore the Hocus Pocus Villians Spectacular featuring the scandalous Sanderson Sisters as well as Maleficent and other Disney bad guys. The performance runs a number of times per party - with the last showing being the least crowded. The Happy HalloWishes fireworks includes Disney’s creepiest crooners like Ursula singing “Poor Unfortunate Souls”. (We had a great view of the fireworks as we exited Haunted Mansion!) But our favorite entertainment is the Boo-To-You Halloween Parade. The Headless Horseman kicks off the fun proceeded by a crew of frightening floats of Disney characters in Halloween attire. We can’t get the catchy Boo-To-You song out of our heads.
1. Fiendish Fun
During Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, there are special touches throughout that create a fiendishly fun environment. We danced to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” on the way to Adventureland. The fall décor takes on a new ambiance as the night progresses. Space Mountain takes some new turns for the party - riding in complete darkness to rock music! Pirates of the Caribbean and Haunted Mansion added performers to elevate the rider experience to a new level. And let’s not forget the opportunity to Trick-or-Treat in the Magic Kingdom! Halloween candy never tasted so devishly delightful!
We had an absolute blast at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Do you have a favorite snack, ride or memory from the party?
