Trips and Tips Tuesday

Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

Boo to You!! October in the Disney Parks is my family’s favorite time of year to visit and the highlight of that trip is always Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) at the Magic Kingdom. We love it so much that we have traveled there from New Jersey twice in the last three years and will be returning to visit the happy haunts once again this October! (Technically, the only reason that we didn’t go last year is because we went down for the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party instead. More on that later.) Due to my fascination with the special events, I am often asked if attending one of these after-hours parties is worth the extra cost and my answer is always a resounding YES! Here are the details to help you decide if attending the MNSSHP is for you… 

The party starts at 7:00 p.m. at the Magic Kingdom and you are given a wrist band which identifies and separates you from the regular day crowd. The Magic Kingdom will close at 7:00 p.m. for daily passholders. It’s an unofficial statement, and is always subject to change, but we have been able to enter the special events as early as 4:00 p.m. Keep in mind that it can get really crowded in the parks if you try to enter early because the day crowd hasn’t left yet and the party crowd is moving in. The MNSSHP concludes at 12:00 a.m. and can cost anywhere between $52.95 (for DVC and annual pass holders) and $69.95 (for a day of event purchase on Halloween day). As with regular Disney passes, children under 3 are free and children ages 3-9 receive a discounted rate. For more information or to purchase tickets you can call 407-WDISNEY (407-934-7639) and speak to a cast member or you can place your order online by clicking here.

Mix & Mingle

Mix & Mingle

If the Magic Kingdom wasn’t magical enough for you during the day, wait until you see it all decked out Halloween-style. Mickey’s “Boo To You” Halloween Parade is my favorite Disney parade of all time. I just love seeing all the classic Disney characters in costume and the ride-themed floats with their accompanying ensemble such as the Haunted Mansion ghostly ballroom dancers and the shovel-wielding gravediggers. Be sure to get there early so not to miss the Headless Horseman who rides about 15 minutes before the parade begins! And be prepared to be singing the ultra-catchy Boo To You theme song for the rest of the night, if not for days. The Happy HalloWishes fireworks and the Villain Mix and Mingle (along with the villain photo opportunities after the show) are also lots of fun and shouldn’t be missed. 

Keep in mind that Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is not simply “trick-or-treating” in the Magic Kingdom, as I’ve heard it described, it is so much more. In fact, my family doesn’t even really bother that much with the trick-or-treating aspect of it. Of course, we hit a few of the candy stations but I just wouldn’t recommend making this your primary goal. Buy yourself some candy instead and take advantage of all of the other cool stuff that’s available to you because there sure is plenty of it! 

My favorite part of the MNSSHP is that there are character meet-and-greets everywhere! Some of them you will only see at the special events, like having your photo taken with Snow White and all seven dwarfs! There are also character dance parties where the kids can dance for hours with their favorite characters. There is usually a constant rotation that keeps these parties going all night with a live DJ and at least 2 to 3 characters on the dance floor at any given time. These dance parties are always a big hit with my daughter and it’s often hard to pull her away. They are usually not too over-crowded and she ends up dancing song after song while holding hands…or paw...or hoof (well, you get the idea) with one of her favorite Disney characters. It's things like this that you don't want to miss because these opportunities are only available during the special events and they are so much fun!

Dance Party

The rides are open! Although we don’t try to ride all of the rides during our limited time in the parks for the special events, we do ride our favorites as the wait times are typically very minimal. My daughter loves Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and rode it four times in about 20 minutes!! (Yes, we timed it) If you only have time for one ride, do The Haunted Mansion and then get your photo taken by the Photopass Photographer in front of the haunted carriage! They add extra surprises to both that you will love. 

To dress up or not to dress up? Simple: Dress up! Of course, not everyone does, but this is Disney after all and it’s the only time that adults are permitted to wear costumes. Have fun with it and you will find that wearing a costume might just get you some extra attention from the characters and cast members plus it adds fun and excitement to the whole experience. We have had so much fun getting ready as a family and interacting with other guests plus our photos are that much more memorable and unique. 

Tip: If you see a long line for something, wait a little while and come back. Lines for certain characters always seem to dwindle as the night goes on and the younger ones start to fade and head home. On our first experience, we waited to get a photo in front of Cinderella’s pumpkin coach for 45 minutes. We walked by it again around 11:00 and there was nobody there. Disney states that the day crowd is “asked to leave” at 7:00 p.m. but I’m convinced that many of them hide out to try and stay to watch the first parade at 8:15. After that, things seem to miraculously die down. With that said, I recommend waiting to watch the second parade as it is much less crowded. (Unless you want to watch it twice, which I have done…it’s that good.) 

Tip: Make sure you grab a map upon entering the park which will give you lots of information specific to the MNNSHP and plan accordingly. If there’s a character that you absolutely must see, I’d recommend getting in that line before 7:00 that way you won’t lose too much party time. 

If you are going to take anything away from this post, I hope it would be this. Do yourself a favor, and if you are attending the MNSSHP with younger children do not spend all day at another park or chances are, the kids will be too exhausted to enjoy it. Relax that day at the hotel or spend some time at Downtown Disney. This is the perfect excuse to take it easy. It’ll also save you some money and give you an extra park pass to use on another day. 

Attending the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is a must-do (at least once) for any Disney lover. There is so much available to you and by saving your energy and money by relaxing during prior to the party, you will be able to spend a lot more quality time at the event and will realize that the extra cost for the ticket is definitely worth it. So, this time don’t forget to bring a costume to the happiest place on earth and you’ll be sure to have a spook-tacular time! 

Here’s an overview video of the 2010 MNSSHP presented on YouTube by www.wdwinfo.com. Of course there will be small changes every year but they’ve done a great job summarizing the events for you without spoiling too much!   Enjoy!!

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