One of the best special events in Walt Disney World is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. It includes many unique experiences and often has lower attraction wait times than a regular park day. Is the Not-So-Scary Halloween Party worth the extra cost? What else can you do at the party? Will adults and kids have a good time?
My experiences over the last few years with this party have shaped all of my tips and recommendations for you. I hope that your Disney World Halloween trip will benefit from my expertise.
Is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Worth It?
Image Credit: Disney Parks
I believe Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is worth it for Disney fans of all ages. With exclusive Halloween-themed entertainment, trick-or-treating, character meet-and-greets, and a unique Halloween parade, it’s a worthwhile experience that offers a themed twist on the traditional Disney park visit. It is only available to enjoy on select nights each year, so don’t pass up the opportunity if you can attend!
What to Know When Planning Your Party Day
Just because it’s a party doesn’t mean you can go in without a plan. The event is from 7 pm-12 am, but with so much to do, there actually might not be enough time to do it all! Find out exactly what you need to do and when you need to do it with my best Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party planning tips.
Do I Need a Special Ticket? When are the Dates?
Image Credit: Disney Parks.
First of all, the party is a separately ticketed event, so make sure you purchase a ticket! This is not part of the package booked with a vacation, so don’t let that confuse you. You will be turned away at the gate if you do not have a party-specific ticket.
Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club members can save $10 off of their ticket price when purchasing in advance. Advanced purchases are recommended because special events do sell out! Tickets are available for the following dates:
- August: 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, 27, 30
- September: 2, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 26, 27, 29
- October: 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31
When are Tickets on Sale for Halloween?
When Should I Get to the Magic Kingdom?
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The party officially starts at 7 pm, but you can get in as early as 4 pm with your event tickets. Take advantage of that! You do not need to use one of your other park tickets to get in at 4 pm, just your party ticket. It is also unnecessary to make a Park Pass Reservation for the party, as your party ticket serves as your theme park reservation for the event.
Expert Tip: Plan your Magic Kingdom Lightning Lanes between 4-6 pm so you can do other things besides ride rides during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party! Alternatively, use the beginning of your party day to relax and enjoy other Disney World activities and save your park ticket for another day. Remember, ticket holders will be admitted to Magic Kingdom park as early as 4:00 pm on the valid date of their ticket, without requiring an additional day theme park ticket. However, it is important to purchase tickets in advance as they may not be available for purchase on the day of the event.
Can Adults Wear Costumes at Disney World?
Yes! Adults can wear Halloween costumes during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. This was the best part of our experience with this specially-ticketed event. It was great fun interacting with guests and Cast Members while in costume. I highly recommend taking advantage of the relaxed costuming guidelines because this is the only time (save a runDisney event) when adults can dress in costume!
Here’s what you need to know about the costume policy during the party:
- Halloween costumes must be family-friendly and may not be obstructive, offensive, objectionable, or violent.
- All Guests may dress as their favorite character but may not pose for pictures or sign autographs for other Guests.
- Costumes may not contain any weapons that resemble or could easily be mistaken for an actual weapon.
- Costumes may not contain sharp objects, pointed objects, or materials that may accidentally strike another Guest.
- Guests who do not adhere to these guidelines may be refused entry into, and/or removed from, the park unless their costume can be modified to meet the above standards.
GUESTS AGES 13 AND UNDER
- Costumes and some masks may be worn as long as the mask does not cover the entire face and the eyes are visible.
GUESTS AGES 14 AND OLDER
- Layered costumes or props surrounding the entire body are strongly discouraged and may require additional security screening.
- Costumes may not reach or drag on the ground.
- Capes may be worn if the length does not go below the waist.
- Themed T-shirts, blouses, sweatshirts, and hats are acceptable.
- Acceptable accessories include transparent wings, plastic light sabers, toy swords, and tutus. Headwear may be worn as long as it does not cover the face.
- No masks.
Exclusive Halloween Party Entertainment
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The special experiences at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party are a must-do. The Boo to You! Halloween Parade is among the best in the parks! If you can stay up late, I’d recommend seeing the parade during its second run when it’s less crowded. The parade runs at 8:15 pm and 11:15 pm each party night.
For an even more exclusive experience, consider attending Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular Dessert Party. This special event includes a viewing of the fireworks from either Plaza Garden or Tomorrowland Terrace, as well as access to desserts and drinks, including alcoholic drinks for those over 21. Reservations for this experience open on June 7, with more details to be announced in the coming weeks by Disney Parks.
Seeing rare characters (especially villains) is a fun treat in and of itself, so make sure you stop and watch Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular again this year on the castle stage. This show occurs at 8:30 pm, 10:45 pm, and 12 am on party nights in August and September and at 7:40 pm, 8:35 pm, 10:45 pm, and 12 am during October. The singing and dancing extravaganza features some beloved Disney characters and villains in addition to the Sanderson Sisters.
What Characters Can I Meet During Halloween at Disney World?
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Make sure to save time to meet and greet some of the characters waiting for you in the Magic Kingdom during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party! Some of the rare characters you might see on party night include:
- Jack Skellington and Sally
- Lots-o’-Huggin Bear
- Moana
- Cruella DeVil
- The Queen of Hearts
- The Seven Dwarfs
- Abu and the Genie
- Jafar
- Donald Duck in his Halloween costume
- Mickey Mouse and Minnie in their new costumes
New this year will be a special appearance by Bruno, the clairvoyant character from Encanto. For the first time during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, you can meet Bruno and Mirabel together at their Casita in Fairytale Garden (right outside Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe).
Finally, don’t miss out on the dance parties! Last year, Storybook Circus hosted a Disney Junior Jam party for little ones with some of their favorite Disney Junior characters like Vampirina and Fancy Nancy.
Tomorrowland will host the new DescenDANCE Party at Rockettower Plaza Stage. This party is inspired by the new Disney Channel original movie, Descendants: The Rise of Red.
Plan Your Purchases in Advance
Tees, pins, special edition MagicBands, and more will be available for purchase during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Once the party is over, your chance to buy these things is gone! Don’t wait until midnight to purchase as the shops will all close at midnight.
Unique merchandise can be found in the Emporium on Main Street, Big Top Souvenirs in Storybook Circus, and the Frontierland Trading Post in Frontierland.
Specialty food is also available for an extra fee. Some of it is awesome (mostly the desserts), but some are just ok and not worth the extra cost.
How to Do Trick-or-Treating at Magic Kingdom
Trick-or-treating is already part of the price you paid for your ticket, so don’t think you’re “too old” to ask for candy. It’s good candy too! We had so much that we were able to save some of it to use in our neighborhood trick-or-treat event. Yay for stretching our investment!
For those with food allergies, be sure to grab a teal-colored treat bag and collect teal tokens at the treat stations for special treats at the Allergy-Friendly Centers, located at the Liberty Square Ticket Office (available until midnight) and Chamber of Commerce (available until 12:30 AM). The teal bag helps Cast Members see that a guest needs allergy-friendly treats.
Expert Tip: Bring your own bag to haul your goodies. The bags handed out by Cast Members are small, and you will get a lot of candy if you visit all the trick-or-treat trail stops!
Unique Disney World Halloween Party Features
Image Credit: Disney Parks
Jack Skellington hosts the fireworks show “Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular.” This show features state-of-the-art projection effects, lasers, lighting, and fireworks—it has replaced “Happy HalloWishes.”
I was sad to see “Happy HalloWishes” replaced as it was my favorite fireworks show in the parks, but the new show is much better technologically. The fireworks show will commence each party night at 10:15 pm.
The Dapper Dans perform near the Haunted Mansion ride in Liberty Square as The Cadaver Dans. They are quite good, even if their “cadaverous pallors betray an aura of foreboding.” In addition to the Cadaver Dans, a spirited pirate band called Rusty Cut Glass will perform sea shanties throughout Adventureland during the event.
I’m Sarah, and you’ve landed on my website, On the Road with Sarah. This is where I share travel stories, tips, and so much more!
