Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: See What the BOO is All About!

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party:  See What the BOO is All About!

Written by – Jennifer Jamieson, Magical Tripcations Travel Planner

Holidays are celebrated in a big way at Walt Disney World.  The parks are decked out with beautifully themed decorations and some holidays even have a special party.  One of the most spooktacular and hauntedly rated events is Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party held at Magic Kingdom on select nights in the fall.  The party is a special ticketed event and takes place after hours when Magic Kingdom closes to all except those that have a party ticket.  Have you ever thought about attending the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP)?  Or, not even sure what it is?  Is it worth the additional cost?  Is it scary for kids?  What’s included?  Let’s dig in and find out what the BOO is all about!

 

Mickey's Not-so-Scary Halloween Party: See what the boo is all about

Photo credits: Erica E. and Jennifer J.

 

Even though park visitors can enjoy the lovely decorations displayed throughout the park in September and October, only Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party attendees can enjoy and experience the special Halloween themed entertainment and take part in special activities.   On select nights, the party starts at 7 p.m. after non-party guests exit the Magic Kingdom park; however, party guests can enter Magic Kingdom as early as 4 p.m.  The party ends at midnight giving you plenty of time to take in all the special entertainment, attractions and activities.  In true Disney style, the tone of the event is “not-so-scary” which means children of all ages can enjoy all of the party fun!  Let’s take a look at some of the special activities that take place at the party:

 

Mickey's Not-so-Scary Halloween Party: see what the boo is all about

©Disney

Trick-or-Treating

Each attendee upon entering the event will be given a trick-or-treat bag (or you can bring your own) that can be used to trick-or-treat at special stations and trails throughout Magic Kingdom.  Cast members hand out goodies to all trick-or-treaters throughout the night but we suggest holding off until later in the evening to avoid lugging around a sack full of goodies!  Guests of all ages are encouraged to dress in their favorite costume; however, Disney has strict rules and guidelines for costume attire so be sure to adhere to the guidelines to avoid any issues.  Also, keep in mind that Florida weather can be warm even in the fall so plan accordingly.  You can find more on what you can and cannot wear here:  https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/magic-kingdom/mickeys-not-so-scary-halloween-party/

Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade

One of our team’s favorite activities is Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade and it only takes place during the MNSSHP!  The parade is led by the grim grandmaster, the Headless Horseman, who ushers in a stream of fright friendly floats and a cavalcade of Disney Characters decked out in their Halloween best.   Featured prominently in the parade is the hauntingly infamous Haunted Mansion gang who step beyond the mansion to entertain and delight!  A word of caution:  some of the characters featured in the parade are “zombie like” having just departed their haunts in the Haunted Mansion so, beware if your children are afraid of the attraction.  These ghostly characters only appear in a portion of the parade.   Mickey and the gang are heavily featured on floats throughout the parade.  The Mickey’s Boo-T0-You Halloween Parade is scheduled twice during the night and is not to be missed!

 

Mickey's Not-so-Scary Halloween Party: See what the boo is all about

Photo credits: Lizeth L. and Jennifer J.

Happy HalloWishes Fireworks

HalloWishes is hosted by the Haunted Mansion Ghost Host and is filled with fantastic fireworks set to a soundtrack of Disney creepy classics.  To kick off the fireworks extravaganza, Cinderella Castle is transformed with a colorful projection display fit for a wickedly fun event and some of Disney’s most notorious Villains stop by to entertain you and do their best to steal the show!  Villains such as Cruella de Vil, Ursula, Jafar, Maleficent and Oogie Boogie light up the stage with their antics.  Many have proclaimed that HalloWishes to be THE BEST of the best fireworks in all of Disney World!  The show only occurs once during the party and is not to be missed.

 

Mickey's Not-so-Scary Halloween Party: See what the boo is all about

Photo credits: Jennifer J. and Erica E.

Hocus Pocus Villains Spelltacular

Join the 3 Sanderson Sisters and a cast of Disney Villains for this spectacular stage show in front of the castle and see what spell they cast on Magic Kingdom!  The show runs several times throughout the evening so check your times guide for show times.  Following the performance, the Villains are available to mix and mingle with you for fun photo ops!

Special Disney Character Meet and Greets

Exclusive to the MNSSHP are special meet and greets with Disney Characters not seen in the parks at any other time other than the MNSSHP!  Of course the cast of available characters is subject to change but in the past, these characters were available for meet and greets:

Jack Skellington and Sally

The Seven Dwarfs

Several Villains

Queen of Hearts

Gaston

Lotso

 

Mickey's Not-so-Scary Halloween Party: See what the boo is all about

Photo credits: Jennifer J. and Erica E.

 

We suggest that you line up early in the evening to snap photos with any of the special meet and greets as this is one of the biggest perks of attending the party and is quite popular. Other Disney Characters can be found throughout the park decked out in their colorful Halloween costumes or in their designated homes including the princesses who bring along their princes for extra special photos!

Attractions are Open

Another huge perk for attending the party is shorter lines for your favorite attractions!  Many of the attractions remain open during the party and with this limited-ticket event, the lines are shorter allowing you time to enjoy the frights and sights!

Special Treats and Themed Merchandise

From cupcakes to specialty drinks, you will find something pumpkin or candy corn flavored and decorated in Halloween flare available to purchase.  Limited edition themed merchandise is also available to purchase throughout the park.

Mickey's Not-so-Scary Halloween Party: See what the Boo is all about

Photo credits: Lizeth L. and Jennifer J.

Dates and Tickets for 2016:

September 2016 – 2, 8, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 23, 25, 29, 30

October 2016 – 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31

Tickets for 2016 are on sale now and a limited amount will be sold.  The closer you get to the haunting holiday, the higher the price of the ticket as well as the popularity of the event so, plan accordingly.  Weekdays tend to see lesser crowds while the weekends are busier.  We recommend pre-purchasing your tickets as some dates do sell out and you can save a few dollars by doing so.  Tickets purchased in advance start at $72 per adult and $67 per child vs. same day price of $79 per adult and $74 per child.  Tickets start going up in price throughout October topping out at $105 per adult and $100 per child for the party on October 31st.  Ticket information can be found here: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/magic-kingdom/mickeys-not-so-scary-halloween-party/

 

So, is it worth it?  To our team of travel planners, a resounding yes!  To see and experience Magic Kingdom in this spooktacular way is fun and absolutely memorable.   Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade is by far one of our favorite parades and the special characters that make their appearance during the party is so much fun!   Interacting with the Disney Villains ranks as one of our all-time magical moments and catching a glimpse of the Seven Dwarfs was pretty awesome.  Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is definitely an event you need to put on your Disney bucket list.  For more information, check with your Magical Tripcations Travel Planner and they can assist you in planning a hauntingly fun time!