A First-Timer’s View of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Even in 95-degree Florida heat, we were ready to get into the Halloween spirit as soon as 4pm hit.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is in full swing at the Magic Kingdom!

On select nights now through November 1st, ticketholders will have exclusive access to the park – already decked out in its festive fall best – including parades, fireworks, performances, and spooky menu items created special for the party.

While many MVT agents have attended the party in past years, this was a first for myself and my husband. We’ve been to Walt Disney World at least every, if not multiple times a year since he brought out the “Disney Adult” in me. We’ve been to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, rang in the New Year at EPCOT, walked through the Osborne Family Lights, and somehow, this was the first time either of us were in Orlando for MNSSHP.

We decided August would be a great time to cross it off the list, not accounting for the record-setting heat wave that descended on Orlando just days before we arrived. So keep in mind, our experience may not be exactly the same as what we might have had in “regular” Floridian heat and humidity.

And while there’s no shortage of “must-dos” and “top tricks” out there, here’s what we took away as first-timers at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.

As a ticketed event, you don’t actually need a park ticket for the day of the party. The event runs from 7pm-midnight, and you can enter the Magic Kingdom as early as 4pm to get a few attractions under your belt before the witching hour starts.

We were ushered through a dedicated party line at the park entrance, and promptly fitted with fabric tie wristbands (Pro Tip: these tighten, but do NOT loosen… so try to contain your excitement unless you want to ask a Cast Member to cut it off and start anew).

Once in the park, Cast Members greeted us with treat bags, M&Ms, event guides, and comforting jokes about the heat.

Because the party was still a few hours off, and we were sharing the park with day guests, we really didn’t know where to start. Luckily, crowds were pretty low during our trip, so we were able to bounce between the PeopleMover, Under the Sea, It’s a Small World and Pirates of the Caribbean, all within the first hour.

The biggest “unknown” we encountered was the transition from park day to party night. On a roll from walking on so many rides already, my husband and I were eager to head to Mickey’s Philharmagic or Carousel of Progress (if you’re keeping track, we followed a theme of air-conditioned rides.)

Instead, we were surprised when so many queues were “down” as the attractions were being changed over to character meets or trick-or-treat stations. There was still plenty to do and see, just something I wish we knew before hustling from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland in 95-degree heat.

Once the clock struck 7pm… the whole evening picked up speed. Suddenly, quick service stations propped up party menus, novelty popcorn buckets were up for sale and lines had formed for the character meets.

My husband and I had mapped out our game plan ahead of time, aiming for 10:15pm fireworks, 11:15pm Boo to You Parade, and 12am Hocus Pocus Villain Spectacular. With a few hours to spend doing everything else, we took advantage of the MUCH-shorter-than-normal lines for rides like Buzz Lightyear, Big Thunder Mountain and Jungle Cruise.

While three attractions had Halloween Party overlays – Space Mountain, Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor and Mad Tea Party – We opted to stick to Space Mountain, where we rode the indoor coaster in complete darkness. Had we known earlier how much we’d enjoy the thrill, we’d have hopped right back on line.

Cast Members across the park were so lively, playing games and music as we shuffled through queues, scooping candy into our bags and dancing through the heat. They made all the difference in keeping energy sky-high and helping the party stand out from a typical evening in Magic Kingdom.

We had two big takeaways from attractions at this event. First, Lightning Lanes don’t apply during the party, and honestly, you don’t need them. Second, if you’re looking to ride TRON, you’ll still need to get a boarding group before they close out for the evening. We missed the memo, but hung around the grid for a while listening and watching the park’s newest coaster.

Because it was so hot, I didn’t expect either of us to touch the Halloween candy we’d been collecting… and was very wrong. Everyone seemed to be snacking on Starburst and Twix bars as they made their way between rides and character meets. (Just be careful where you set down your bag full of chocolate during a heat advisory.)

We kept nibbling as we waited for the Not-So-Spooky Spectacular. The projection and fireworks display was so intricate, with dancing skeletons, Disney Villains and commentary from Jack Skellington himself. Since time seemed to speed up during the party, we fled the hub right as the last fireworks erupted and walked on to Winnie the Pooh before parking ourselves front row in Frontierland for the Boo to You Parade.

Now… I’d heard a lot of talk about this parade. The promise that it would be my favorite part of the event, if not my favorite performance or parade that Disney offers.

They. Were. Right.

From the opening trot of the Headless Horseman, we were hooked. The music was spooky and catchy, the floats were ornate, and moreover, the characters and Cast Members were simply mesmerizing. I was so entranced by the choreography and commitment of the performers, it was hard to tear my eyes away to get some clips for the MVT social media channels. A full week later and my husband and I are still catching each other humming the melody, wishing we’d watched both showings.

After a quick encore on Jungle Cruise – a MUST if you ever get a chance to ride at night – and some corn dog nuggets from Casey’s Corner, we settled on the hub once again for the Villain Spectacular. By this point, the heat had taken its toll, and we were genuinely sad the night was nearly over.

Main Street was still bustling with partygoers squeezing in last-minute shopping and PhotoPass pictures, but we made our way to the monorail and called the night a success.

We both had high hopes for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. We pictured characters milling about, Cadaver Dans singing atop the Country Bears balcony, and endless attractions in between bites of candy.

We simply wished there was more time. Even with loads of planning and research, the party flew by before we realized there wasn’t much time left for rides or character meets.

In fact, the only character we DID see was Jack Sparrow at the very start of the night, and we weren’t willing to spend precious minutes waiting in line for others. An event like this, with such fun and interesting character meets, would be the perfect opportunity for a VIP Tour if ever we get the chance.

Next time around, I’ll also want to prioritize festive party exclusives, like the PhotoPass stations and performers sprinkled around the park. They’re such fun details to recall and I’ll hope to share them with our daughter in future years.

Even wishing we had more time to do it “all,” we had an incredible first experience with Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Even in the steamy heat, we felt the spooky spirit throughout the night, and can’t wait to do it all over again next year.