Looking for a night of spooky fun and Disney magic? Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Magic Kingdom is the perfect event for families and Halloween lovers of all ages! With special parades, trick-or-treating, themed shows, and exclusive snacks, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. However, with massive crowds, hot weather, and limited ride access, planning ahead is essential to make the most of your night. In this Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Guide, I’ll cover everything you need to know to escape into the magic! From insider tips to must-try treats, here’s how you can have the best experience possible at this not-so-scary celebration!
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Guide For Newbies
- Event Name: Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party
- Park Name: Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World
- Event Dates & Times: MNSSHP begins on August 11th and runs on select nights through November 1st. Ticket holders can enter as early as 4PM to enjoy Magic Kingdom before the party begins. However, your party starts at 7PM and ends at midnight. Don’t worry though, you won’t have to run out of Magic Kingdom, before 12am like Cinderella. So take your time, and remember to grab ALL of your belongings!
- Ticket Cost: Tickets will range from $109 to $199 per person, excluding tax, depending on the date you choose. Keep in mind that younger children’s tickets are typically cheaper, but prices will increase in cost the closer you get to Halloween. There are also special dessert parties available, for an additional cost.
Best Time To Attend Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party?
Let’s be honest, I’m the “every holiday should get its own month” type, so celebrating Halloween in September was new for me! But the closer to Halloween your party date is, the more crowded (and expensive) it becomes.
So I sucked it up, and grabbed a ticket the first week of September before school started (here in New York) … and it wasn’t bad at all! I didn’t feel weird about celebrating Halloween, while it was still warm!
The early decorations didn’t throw me for a loop. It was just fun to trick-or-treat at Disney! So …
The earlier in the season, you can go, the better.
The park was still pretty crowded though, so that’s just something you’ll have to deal with for the party. It’s not AS crowded, as a normal Magic Kingdom day, however, and the ride wait times were still low, so it’s manageable. But the parade crowds are still a bit extreme if you’re someone who likes your personal space!
And since we went the first week of September, we also noticed that the heat was still intense. It was honestly the hottest night we experienced for our entire trip.
But while October may feel a little cooler, this year I’ve already had two travel clients cancel their MNSSHP tickets, due to storms. So I’ll take a bit of sweat, over a cancellation any day.
Best Time To Buy Tickets for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party?
If you’re looking to plan your trip for a specific date, you’ll wanna buy tickets as soon as they’re released! Tickets sell out every year, so if you’re a late planner (like moi) who plans their Disney trips a week or two before leaving … don’t! Tickets are released a few months in advance. This year they started in May.
So do what you want baby, but keep that in mind.
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Event-Specific Attractions & Activities
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is packed with exclusive attractions and activities that bring the spooky spirit of the season to life! From lively dance parties and enchanting stage shows to villainous meet-and-greets and a hauntingly fun parade, there’s no shortage of entertainment to keep you immersed in the magic all night.
Here are 5 experiences you definitely don’t want to miss …
- DescenDance Party: A highlight for new and long-time fans of the Descendants, and especially the new The Rise of Red movie! This dance party was full of energy! And despite my daughter being the only tween at her “session”, she’s a dance kid, so that didn’t stop her from dancing her heart out with the little ones. Towards the end of the night, I also saw adults joining in on the fun. So it’s a really good time for all!
- Hocus Pocus Villain Spectacular: An absolute favorite of mine, and perfect for those who love the Hocus Pocus movies and Disney Villains! The show was a blast, although you’ll have to get there early to snag a good spot close to the stage if you want to see everything clearly. But it’s fun no matter where you stand.
- Boo-to-You Parade: A fun and spooky parade that runs for 30 minutes, featuring characters in Halloween costumes. And YES, the crowd can get overwhelming! My tween refused to get any closer so we watched from a distance. But there were a few villains so it was totally worth it!
- Character Meet and Greets: Villains are my fave, and as you can see from a few of the photos I managed to grab below, they’re out and about during MNSSHP, which I loved! The lines aren’t as long if you get there early, but they can cut into ride times, so be sure to get to the park EARLY so you can have time for it all.
- Trick or Treating: This might have been my favorite experience hands down, especially since we live in the city, so we don’t have many options for trick-or-treating where we live. We were able to get lots of candy, as we walked around, and jumped in line a few times, which were shorter than I expected!
What rides are open during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party?
While not all rides are open during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, many fan favorites still are! It’s best to plan your rides strategically, so I highlighted the ones in bold below that are perfect for enjoying during the actual party when lines are shorter.
From 4-6 PM, non-ticketed guests are still in the park, so expect longer waits during those hours. But be sure to get some of your faves out of the way, so when the party begins, you’ll have time for more fun.
- Astro Orbiter (Tomorrowland)
- The Barnstormer (Fantasyland)
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Frontierland)
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin (Tomorrowland)
- Casey Jr. Splash ‘N’ Soak Station (Fantasyland)
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant (Fantasyland)
- The Haunted Mansion (Liberty Square)
- “it’s a small world” (Fantasyland)
- Jungle Cruise (Adventureland)
- Mad Tea Party (Fantasyland)
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin (Adventureland)
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (Fantasyland)
- Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor (Tomorrowland)
- Peter Pan’s Flight (Fantasyland)
- Pirates of the Caribbean (Adventureland)
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel (Fantasyland)
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (Fantasyland)
- Space Mountain (Tomorrowland)
- Swiss Family Treehouse (Adventureland)
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (Frontierland)
- Tomorrowland Speedway (Tomorrowland)
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover (Tomorrowland)
- TRON Lightcycle / Run (Tomorrowland)
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid (Fantasyland)
Exclusive Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Merchandise & Treats
- Merchandise: Don’t miss out on event-exclusive Halloween-themed merchandise, like these cute popcorn buckets below. We snagged one for a friend, but my daughter got a lot of compliments while wearing it.
- Snacks: The funnel cake at Sleepy Hollow is a must for peanut butter lovers, and their wings were to die for! We were hesitant at first, but I’m SO glad we bought them. The Dole Whip cones featuring Anastasia and Drizella at Storybook Treats were fantastic as well. I thought Dole Whip with an ice cream cone would be weird, but it wasn’t that bad. Overall, the snacks were a 10/10.
- Treats: We hit the treat stations multiple times, and it was well worth it. My daughter had fun walking around collecting as much candy as she could, and by the time we left our bag was too heavy for her.
Are costumes allowed at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party?
Guests are encouraged to dress up in family-friendly costumes for the event. However, be mindful of the park’s costume guidelines, which prohibit masks for anyone over 14 and anything too obstructive. Since it’s so hot, I recommend lightweight costumes or themed t-shirts to stay comfortable.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Escapism Rating
🎈🎈🎈🎈 (4/5 Balloons for Event Escapes)
Rating Explanation: While the theming and decorations are incredible, the crowd levels and heat made it hard to completely lose ourselves in the experience at times. Plus, MNSSHP is best suited for Halloween fans looking for an escape the entire family can take park in. But with the party happening at night, and Magic Kingdom being so dark, it’s my least favorite time to get on rides, so I can’t say I absolutely LOVE being in this part at night. The lower wait times however are absolutely worth it, I just wish there were street lights or something!
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Event Rating
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 Stars for Overall Entertainment)
Rating Explanation: The event was well-organized, but the parade crowds were a bit overwhelming, and the dark mixed with a few ride closures (*ahem* Jungle Cruise) dampened our excitement. However, the shows, snacks, and trick-or-treating were lots of fun. I’d grab tickets again for next year’s party right now if I could!
Tips to Survive Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
- Arrive early (at 4 PM) to get on as many rides as you can! By the time the party kicks into full gear, it’s better to focus on food, shows, and trick-or-treating.
- Save the popular rides for later in your night, as wait times can drop to 30 minutes or less after 8 PM.
- If you’re keeping track of time, you’ll need about 30 minutes to get past security and into the parks, so keep that in mind when thinking about arrival times.
- Grab a map when entering the park! You’re going to need it! TRUST ME! Don’t just depend on your phone.
- Bring a larger tote bag for all the candy you’ll collect. The kids will want to get in line over and over again, because it’s part of the fun, and you’ll be able to dump their smaller bags into the bigger bag. Our bag below says Disneyland oddly, but I paid for it when grabbing medicine at The Boardwalk the night before.
- Cool off inside at the “theater rides” to escape the heat or rain or just rest your legs at Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor and Mickey’s PhilharMagic which are both trick-or-treat locations that have indoor seating.
- If you plan to watch the parade or shows up close, grab your spot early to avoid the crowd crush.
- Leave before midnight to get ahead of the traffic or mentally prepare yourself for the large crowds while exiting and to wait a long time for the free Disney buses back to your resort. We left after the last Hocus Pocus show ended after 12 AM and we didn’t make it to the bus stop until 12:32 AM! T’was not fun!
- Do what you want, not what you think you have to do! I usually tell my travel clients this tip, but I’m sharing it with you as well. There’s a LOT to see and do at the party! You don’t have to do it ALL. My daughter decided she didn’t want to waste time waiting in line for a ton of rides, because she wanted to focus on trick-or-treating, so that’s what we did! She wanted to watch the parade from afar, so she didn’t have to stand close to others, so that’s what we did. Do what works for YOU!
- Hate fireworks? Visit an indoor trick-or-treating location and stay inside while they happen. It’s quieter and less crowded indoors, plus there’s AC, so you’ll cool off.
- Worried about allergies? Disney has allergy-friendly stations so everyone can trick-or-treat, and it’s all noted on that map I told you to grab!
Key Moments from My Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Experience
- A Dancer’s Dream: Watching my daughter dance like nobody was watching was my favorite part of the night! I was worried I made a mistake buying these tickets (that she requested) when she started to get frustrated due to the crowds and ride lines. But she had a BLAST and visited multiple times.
- Hocus Pocus Show: We loved the show but I wish we had gotten there early to get closer to see it better.
- Cranky Bus Ride Home: We didn’t get back to our resort until about 1:22 AM, after waiting what felt like forever for our bus! By then my feet were killing me, even in sneakers, and we were exhausted!
- Crowds & Confusion: The park felt extremely crowded and confusing, especially with it being so dark. Which made it hard to enjoy, and we honestly almost went home! I’m glad we stayed though.
Final Thoughts
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party offers a fun and festive escape for families who love dressing up for Halloween and trick-or-treating. While the crowds and heat can feel frustrating at times. The unlimited candy, shows and special events make it a memorable night.
If you’re looking for a more relaxed experience, try to attend earlier in the season or on a weekday! Overall, it’s a great escape for those who want to get into the spooky season spirit. I can’t wait to do it again!