Tips for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party with Little Kids
Tips for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party 2019
The pumpkins are out at Magic Kingdom and that can only mean one thing, it’s time for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary! This was our first year attending and we had so much frightful fun. Here are my tips for visiting Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party with little kids.
This post was originally published in September 2018 and has been completely revamped and updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Disney invited my family to enjoy this event. All opinions expressed are my own.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party 2019 Dates:
- August 16, 20, 23, 27, 30
- September 2, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29
- October 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 29, 31
- November 1
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party tickets start at $74 for children ages 3 to 9 ($78.81 with tax) or $79 for those over 10 years old ($84.14 with tax).
Arrive Early to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party
While Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party doesn’t start until 7pm, you can enter the park as early as 4pm. If you are an Annual Passholder, you can book FastPass+ reservations in advanced from 4-6pm to maximize your time. This is also an ideal time to grab something savory to eat to keep from wasting party hours sitting in a restaurant. But don’t fill up because there are plenty of treats too!
If you plan to meet Jack Skellington or the Seven Dwarves, they typically start meeting guests at 5pm. Lining up early is a great way to maximize your time and avoid longer lines later. Be sure to pick up a map on your way in too. Mickey’s Halloween Party showtimes, character locations, attraction wait times, etc are not listed in the app so a paper map is essential.
Take Photos & Meet Characters
There are so many fun photo opportunities, especially when it comes to rare character meet and greets. Upon arrival, you’ll be directed to the right through a separate event entrance instead of walking straight down Main Street. This helps avoid traffic jams as other guests are exiting the park. Along this stretch there are lots of photo ops with fun props and magic shots.
Meeting rare characters is especially unique to this event and there are LOTS to meet! It’s impossible to see all of these characters in just one night. Many of the wait times can be 1-2 hours. My advice is to pick a few must-do’s and build those into your plan for the night. Here’s a list of characters you can meet:
Main Street, U.S.A.
- Mickey Mouse at Town Square Theater
- Jack Skellington and Sally at Town Square Theater
Fantasyland
- Anastasia and Drizella
- Seven Dwarfs
- Rapunzel
- Queen of Hearts, Alice, Tweedle-Dee, Tweedle-Dum, Mad Hatter
- Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet and Tigger (dressed in Halloween costumes)
- Ariel and Eric
- Belle and Gaston
- Minnie Mouse (dressed in Halloween costume)
- Daisy Duck (dressed in Halloween costume)
- Goofy (dressed in Halloween costume)
- Donald Duck (dressed in Halloween costume)
- Cinderella
- Cruella DeVil
- Princess Tiana
- Princess Elena
Tomorrowland
- Lots-o’-Huggin’ Bear a.k.a. Lotso
- Stitch (dressed in Elvis costume)
Adventureland
- Tarzan, Jane and Terk
- Moana
- Captain Jack Sparrow
- Aladdin & Abu alternate with Genie & Jasmine
- Jafar
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Shows & Parade Showtimes
Mickey’s Not So Scary includes a special Halloween themed parade, fireworks display and villainous stage show. These are all must sees! The Boo to You Parade has two showtimes. If you plan to see the first one, be sure to grab a spot 30 minutes beforehand. Watching from Frontierland generally has more elbow room than Main Street. The second parade has less people, but if you have young kids they may already be asleep. If inclement weather is forecasted, be sure to catch the early stage show and parade in case the later ones are cancelled.
- Mickey’s “Boo-To-You” Halloween Parade – 9:15 p.m., 11:15 p.m.
- Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular – 10:15 p.m.
- Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular – 8:30 p.m., 10:45 p.m., 12 a.m.
- Dance parties – all night long!
If bad weather is in the forecast, be sure to read my tips for Surviving Disney World in the Rain!
Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular is the all NEW fireworks spectacular for 2019. It’s set to music from Disney villains. For the best view of both the projections and the fireworks, stand at the very end of Main Street between the ice cream and hot dog stores. The Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular castle show is absolutely amazing! The Sanderson sisters bring the fun by inviting a few frightful friends to celebrate Halloween.
I recommend finding a great spot for the fireworks (near Cinderella’s Castle), watching the Hocus Pocus castle show at 10:45pm and then staying for the 11:15pm parade. If there’s inclement weather expected during your visit, be sure to watch the early castle show and parade in case the later ones are cancelled.
Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular
Dance Parties at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party 2019
It’s not a Disney Halloween party without some dancing. Mike and Sulley from Monsters Inc. host the Monstrous Scream-O-Ween Ball in Tomorrowland. See Boo and several Monster characters at this party. The Disney Junior Jam happens at Storybook Circus with Disney Channel favorites like Doc McStuffins, Fancy Nancy, and my daughter’s favorite Vampirina, perfect for little ones! New this year is a Descendants Dance Party too!
Trick or Treating at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party
Disney offers great candy at the Halloween party, however, I wouldn’t recommend prioritizing the treat stops when there are SO many other things to do. Candy can be tempting, but personally, I would rather focus on the event and buy a bag of my favorite candy later. If your kids are excited about a huge candy haul, plan your night around the attractions, characters and shows and hop in candy lines as you pass them along the way. Wait times will be shorter toward the end of the night.
For guests with food allergies, you’ll receive teal tokens. These can be redeemed for special candy at the allergy-friendly locations. Check out these great tips for allergy friendly treats too!
Attractions Open During Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party 2019
There are several attractions open during the halloween party. As Annual Passholders, we typically don’t ride very much since there are so many other party exclusives. However, you can take advantage of really short wait times for the following attractions:
- Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Swiss Family Treehouse
- A Pirate’s Adventure ~ Treasures of the Seven Seas
- Country Bear Jamboree
- Splash Mountain
- Haunted Mansion
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
- “It’s a small world”
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Mad Tea Party
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- The Barnstormer
- Astro Orbiter
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Space Mountain
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
A few classic attractions have a whole new Halloween vibe for the party. There are live pirates on Pirates of the Caribbean, lighting and special effects on Mad Tea Party and a new soundtrack for Space Mountain. New this year, Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor has a fun Halloween comedy element. I also highly recommend riding Haunted Mansion. Is it really Halloween if you don’t pick up a few hitchhiking ghosts?! Most other attractions will have low wait times but I highly suggest skipping anything you can do on a regular Disney day.
Best Food Treats at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party 2019
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is full of spooky tricks and delicious treats. Make sure you plan to grab at least ONE of these exclusive snacks during the event. We loved the Hades Nachos at Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe and the Jack Skellington Cake Push Pop from Sleepy Hollow.
Other delicious options include gluten-friendly Pumpkin Cheesecake from the Main Street Bakery, Madame Leota Dessert from Liberty Square Market, Hitchhiking Ghost Dessert from Aloha Isle, and Oogie Boogie Meringue from Gaston’s Tavern. Check out the awesome popcorn souvenir buckets too! There’s an Oogie Boogie one and a light up bubbling cauldron. See the Foodie Guide to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party 2018 at Magic Kingdom Park for the full menu for 2019.
Tips for Visiting Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party with Little Kids
Wear Costumes
Costumes aren’t required, but it’s a Halloween Party and the ONLY event where adults are ALLOWED to dress up at Magic Kingdom! I loved seeing all of the family costumes. Keep in mind that masks and weapons aren’t allowed. The guidelines also say capes can’t go below the waist and costumes for adults cannot touch the ground. I didn’t see where these two rules were strictly enforced, but be sure to read Disney’s guidelines listed below when planning your costume.
Need some inspiration? Check out my 50+ Family Disney Halloween Costumes ideas!
General Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Costume Guidelines:
- Disney may deny admission to anyone or remove anyone who is wearing attire that is considered inappropriate or could detract from other guests’ experiences.
- Guests may dress as their favorite characters, but cannot pose for pictures or sign autographs.
- Costumes must be family-friendly and not obstructive, offensive, violent or objectionable.
- Outfits must not contain weapons that resemble or could be mistaken for real weapons.
- Costumes may not contain sharp or pointed objects, or materials that might accidentally strike another guest.
- Guests who do not abide by the guidelines may be refused entry or removed unless their costumes can be modified to acceptable standards.
For guests ages 14 and up:
- Layered costumes or costume props that surround the entire body are strongly discouraged and subject to additional security screening.
- Costumes may not reach or drag the ground.
- Capes should not go below the waist.
- Themed T-shirts, shirts, sweatshirts and hats are acceptable.
- Transparent wings, plastic light sabers, toy swords and tutus are OK. Headwear must not cover the face.
- Masks are not allowed.
For guests ages 13 and under:
- Costumes and some masks may be worn. Masks cannot cover the entire face, and eyes must be visible.
Dress Accordingly
Dressing up is fun, but keep in mind, fall weather in Florida is still HOT. Even after the sun goes down, temperatures can be in the 80’s with high humidity. Don’t put your kids in hot and heavy costumes. Dress in something that is fairly cool and comfortable. Consider bringing a change of clothes just in case. Also, keep in mind you will want to wear comfortable shoes!
Bring a Stroller for Little Ones
Since the Halloween Party goes on well into the night, having a stroller will be essential for tired kids. It’s also a great place to store your candy bags, costumes or spare clothes. Even older kids will be tired out by the end of this event. Having a place for them to sit will make them happier and save your back from carrying them back to the car.
Skip Trick or Treat Pails
Upon arrival, everyone (even adults) will receive a trick-or-treating bag and their first handful of candy. I recommend bringing ONE large bag to store everyone’s smaller bags in, or make sure you have a spare hook on the stroller to clip them to. There is no need to bring your own treat pails, especially if you have multiple kids. But these light up ones below would make adorable souvenirs to bring home.
Stay Hydrated
As mentioned above, Florida is still hot during September and October. It’s important to stay hydrated while enjoying all the Halloween festivities. I witnessed multiple people almost pass out due to the heat while in line to meet Jack and Sally. Hydrating before you arrive and keeping plenty of water in your system will help you beat the heat. Ask for free cups of ice water at any quick service restaurant throughout the night, or bring your own water bottles into the park to save time.
Rain or Shine – Be Prepared
Mickey’s Not So Scary is rarely cancelled due to inclement weather (unless there is an impending hurricane). Rain is pretty common in Florida, even during the fall months, so it’s best to be prepared just in case. Pack Dollar Tree ponchos in your backpack or throw a few collapsible small umbrellas in the stroller basket underneath. We always bring a plastic rain cover for our stroller to keep the kids dry. If inclement weather is on the horizon, check out these tips on what to do if it rains at Disney.