Watch the frightfully fun fireworks display featuring Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy.  

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Arrival and Entry

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party takes place 7pm-midnight, however guests are allowed entry into the park as early as 4pm...that’s eight full hours of park time! If you have never been to Magic Kingdom, plan on arriving about 30-45 minutes ahead to allow time to park and take the monorail or ferry from the Transportation Center to the Magic Kingdom gates. Upon park entry, guests receive a party wristband; anyone without a wristband is escorted out when the park closes to day guests at 6pm. You do not need park reservations for the Halloween party because your ticket is your park reservation.

After getting your wristband, be sure to grab a park map. I highly recommend following the signs to the right (before going down Main Street), which lead party guests to get their trick-or-treat bags and candy in Tomorrowland. 

Watch the sneaky Sanderson Sisters in Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Entertainment

Mickey’s Boo to You Halloween Parade takes place twice during the evening (9:15pm and 11:15pm -- check your park map to confirm times. The parade begins in Frontierland and ends on Main Street. These characters don Halloween costumes, an assortment of Disney villains, hitchhiking ghosts from the Haunted Mansion, pirates, and on clear nights, a headless horseman leads the parade. Note: The parade is dependent on weather. Unfortunately during our visit, the first parade was canceled due to rain, and the second parade was postponed, so we missed out on both.

Located right in front of the castle, catch the Sanderson Sisters and other Disney villains at the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular show. Check your map for show times, but typically the show takes place three times a night in August and September, and four times a night in October. This show is also dependent on the weather.

The highlight of our night was the Not-So-Spooky Spectacular, featuring dazzling fireworks, lasers, lights, and magical castle projections. Be sure to get there early to get a good view of the castle. There is only one chance to catch this fireworks show on event nights (10:15pm), so plan accordingly!

RELATED: 16 Great Things to Do and See in Disney Springs With Kids

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Character Meet and Greets

Most partygoers have character greetings at the top of their to-do list, meaning the lines can get quite long. For example, Jack Skellington and Sally (from The Nightmare Before Christmas) greet guests in Liberty Square, and the wait time can be up to three hours long (be sure to get in line early)! Other characters this year include Elvis Stich, Winnie the Pooh and friends, Alice in Wonderland and Mad Hatter, Jack Sparrow, Prince Eric and Ariel, Belle and Gaston, Mickey and Minnie and their friends, all in costume! Characters are generally available to meet during the party, however the lines may close early to accommodate everyone.

Take a eerie ride through the Haunted Mansion.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Rides

Since there's a cap on party attendance, ride wait times are typically shorter than normal daytime openings. All of the rides we rode had shorter wait times than what was posted at the entrance and in the app. The longest we waited was about 20 minutes for the Haunted Mansion (posted time was 45 minutes). Most of the rides were walk-on or a short 5-10 minute wait. With little ones, this is a huge plus!

This year, four of the attractions have Halloween overlays specific to the party. Pirates of the Caribbean has live pirate actors stationed throughout the wait line and during the ride. Space Mountain’s overlays include themed music and the lights goes out so that it is pitch black during the ride (may be a bit scary for younger guests). The teacups features Halloween music and special lighting effects. And lastly, Monster’s, Inc. Laugh Floor features Halloween jokes and a themed backdrop (FYI this one is located in the middle of a trick or treat station).

Get your fill of Halloween sweets and snacks as you trick-or-treat throughout the park. 

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Trick-or-Treating

Trick-or-treat stations are located throughout the park and open during the party (7pm-midnight). They are easy to spot, with large inflatables marking the entrance to each one. Both adults and kids can trick-or-treat, and you are free to use your own trick-or-treat bags or the free bags provided. The free bags are cute but small, so you may want to bring another bag or a backpack to fill with extra candy. Disney cast members don’t skimp on candy so you will get a lot! Tip: Trick-or-treat later in the evening so you don't have to lug candy around all night and wait in shorter lines.

If you or a family member have a food allergy, cast members can provide teal-colored treat bags. With that bag, guests receive a token at each station, which can be redeemed for allergy-friendly treats.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Dance Parties

There are three dance parties this year, where families can boogie the night away with some special characters. In Tomorrowland, jam with Mike and Sully from Monster’s, Inc. at the Scream-O-Ween Ball, which takes place outdoors at the RocketTower Plaza stage. In Storybook Circus, party with Disney Junior characters such as Fancy Nancy and Doc McStuffins. And new for this year, partygoers rock on with characters from the Disney Zombies films at the Zom-Beatz Bash located inside Cosmic Rays.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: PhotoPass Magic Shots

There are fun magic photo spots throughout the park that are unique to the party, taken by Disney’s PhotoPass photographers. These include Oogie Boogie overlooking the castle, hitchhiking ghosts, a headless horseman, and more. Find a full list of photo spots here. Because it rained most of the night during our party and we were soaked (even with ponchos), we didn’t get any Magic Shots.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Dining

While many of the walk-up dining options are available during the party, I’ve read that the food lines can get long. Because of this, I booked a dining reservation on the night of our party. We ate at Liberty Tree Tavern, which is family-style dining. The food was very good, and I highly recommend it! It also gave us a chance to get out of the rain for a bit, which was nice.

Reservations are also available for Be Our Guest Restaurant and Cinderella’s Royal Table (who wouldn’t love dining inside of Cinderella’s Castle?!), as well as other table service options. For a splurge, guests can also purchase tickets to Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular Dessert Party, featuring a buffet of treats with an amazing view of the fireworks.

Specialty themed food and drinks are available throughout the night; Disney Parks Blog has a great breakdown of what’s available this year. If you don’t want to waste precious party time on dining, plan to eat a late lunch/early dinner before arriving, and bring snacks or grab snacks in the park as you go...or just snack on ALL the candy you get!

RELATED: The Best Disney Character Breakfasts for Kids: The Ultimate Guide to Disney World Character Dining

Enjoy popular rides—some with spellbinding surprises!

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Tickets, Tips, and More

• Ticket prices range from $109-$199 (dependent on party date). Parking is a separate cost and is $25 for standard parking or $50 for preferred.
• This time of year is Florida’s rainy season. When purchasing tickets for any Disney event, know that weather conditions may not always be in your favor. Come prepared with ponchos, umbrellas, or rain jackets, and shoes that can get wet.
• Many guests plan out elaborate costumes for this event, and we absolutely loved seeing them throughout the park! If planning to don costumes, be sure to check out Disney’s costume guidelines ahead of time. Note: It is still very HOT, even into October, so plan your costume accordingly.
• Be sure to visit shops before midnight (and know that some things may be sold out if you wait until later in the evening). Even though the last show starts at midnight, stores close promptly at midnight and will not be open after the show.
• If you are visiting with littles, bring or rent a stroller! I am so glad that we brought ours, as my 4-year-old fell asleep around 9:30 and woke up for the fireworks at 10:15. We also brought a waterproof stroller cover, which definitely came in handy during our rainy night!
• Upon exiting the park, be sure to grab a commemorative print for Walt Disney World's 50th anniversary. Castmembers hand them out as guests leave.
• I strongly recommend downloading the “My Disney Experience” app ahead of time to access your account, tickets, make dining reservations, and get ride wait times right on your phone.
• Planning ahead is key for this event, and prioritizing what you want to do. You most likely won't be able to do it all, but if you have a plan it makes the night easier and more enjoyable.

Unless noted, photos by the author