Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party with Little Ones!
Two babies at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party? Yup! I did that!
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a ticketed special event held at Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World. From Trick-or-Treating to the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular, Disney Junior Dance Jam, exclusive food, and merchandise, Not-So-Spooky Spectacular fireworks, and rare character meet-and-greets, THIS IS THE PARTY OF THE SEASON!
Some additional highlights of attending the event include low ride/attraction wait times and the rare opportunity for adults to dress up in costumes. This year I braved the party with TWO 1-year-olds. This, of course, was a very unique experience and I'm here to give you all of the details, and a few tips and tricks for attending the party with little ones. Here we go!
Let’s get this party started!! Pick your Poison.
The Party starts at 7 pm after the park closes at 6. However, you can enter the park as early as 5 pm. But I decided to enter at 7 pm so I could conserve my little ones’ energy. However, if I would have entered the park earlier I could have taken advantage of the opportunity to ride more rides, shop (particularly looking for items exclusively sold in Magic Kingdom), and try more foods. That way you can spend the party time enjoying the party’s exclusive offerings and events. Overall, this is a personal decision and the child’s sleep schedule should be considered in making this decision. Make sure if you enter before the official party start time that you get your MNSSHP wristband.
Boo To You Parade
We got to the parade viewing area at about 9:10 PM; the first pre-show (the headless horseman) reached us at about 9:17 PM. I would recommend viewing the parade in Townsquare near the train station/entrance as it is less crowded. Max Goof kicked off the parade with throwback Goofy Movie Powerline hits, Stand Out, and Eye to Eye! If you’re standing right in front of the train station, you should have a good chance of being able to jump into the parade line and showcase your “Perfect Cast” alongside Max at the end of the parade (pro-tip for any millennial Powerline fans wanting to feel some real nostalgia). If you catch the first parade then you can watch the fireworks immediately afterward.
A Fiendish Frenzy of Fireworks
At 10:15, Jack Skellington delights with this not-so-scary tale that proves anything can happen on Halloween! During a frightfully fun fireworks display, Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy are spirited away to a mysterious haunted house where they encounter dancing skeletons, waltzing ghosts, and a gathering of Disney villains! Don’t miss this dazzling spectacular featuring state-of-the-art projection effects, lasers, lights, and fireworks! This show is AWESOME! My little one had her mouth completely open!
Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular
With the help of Disney villains like Dr. Facilier, Oogie Boogie, and Maleficent, the Sanderson sisters use the nefarious powers of their frightening colleagues to put on quite the spectacle! This performance includes amazing dancers, wild visual projections, and special effects to make Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular a not-to-be-missed Halloween treat! This show happens THREE times during the party! I’d recommend saving this for last. Ending the night with this show at midnight helps maximize your time in the park! My daughter was asleep by 11:30 but that’s ok! Hocus Pocus is for mommy’s enjoyment anyway!
Dance Parties
Not only can you interact with the character during photo ops, but you can also find dance parties throughout the park. You’ll get to experience the fun hype of a live DJ and special character interactions. We found the Disney Junior dance party inside of Storybook Circus where our toddlers hit the dance floor up-close with Doc McStuffins, Timon, and Fancy Nancy. The DJ definitely kept the energy going which made it way too hard to just watch from the sidelines and not jump into the groove!
Low Wait Times
One of the hardest things to do with a little one is waiting in long lines. During the party, we experienced very minimal (10 mins or less) waits on all of the rides. The lines were short but moved slow enough for the kids to enjoy the queue activities and entertainment like what you will find in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh.
Halloween Overlay Rides
If you want a not-so-scary spinning thrill, I suggest heading over to the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party! The overlay brings a fun experience with spooky lighting and music. If you want to be fully immersed in the overlay, head to this ride after sundown so the lighting isn’t drained out by the daylight. Other attractions that toddlers can enjoy with Halloween Overlays/Additions include Monsters Inc Laugh Floor and Pirates of the Caribbean. (This is in addition to the numerous other rides operating without overlays.)
Trick-Or-Treat!
What’s Halloween without Trick-Or-Treating?! Trick or Treating is located throughout Magic Kingdom and located near your favorite attractions and experiences. There are also Feel free to bring a larger bag to collect your treats. A complimentary 50th Anniversary Celebration Halloween bag is provided. If you need allergy-friendly candy, be sure to let a cast member know. They will give you a teal bag in which you'll receive a teal token at the treat stations. Later on, you can redeem these teal tokens at the Allergy-Friendly Centers for your special treats!
Costumes
This event is one of the very rare times in which adults can wear costumes. You can also meet some characters dressed in their own Halloween costumes. My daughter, her best friend, and I dressed as Cruella and the cutest Dalmations ever. We got our obligatory pictures in front of the castle out of the way before the sun went down. Reminder, costumes can not be worn before 4 pm!
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!
Do not wait until you get to the party to try to figure out what snacks you want to try and what merch you want to buy. There are so many options and you don’t want to miss out as a lot of offerings are exclusive to the party! My favorite snack was the Not-So-Posion Apple Pie Milk Shake. It gave all of the perfect fall tastes including cinnamon doughnuts!!
Overall
I attended this spooky event in 2019, but that does not compare to the fun I had with my two little Dalmations. Would I do this party again with little ones? YES! Not only are they free under three to attend, but they also had a BALL!! Seeing the magic of Disney through their eyes always melts my heart. So as always, don’t think too hard. Just take the trip. Make memories while you can!
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