Tips for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is one of the best events at Walt Disney World.  It is two of my favorite things in one place~ Walt Disney World and the fall season!  Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, aka MNSSHP, is a must do for your whole family! I am excited to share my Tips for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party with you!

From costumes, to dining, to how to tour the park, there are so many tips you need to make Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party a magical experience! Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is my favorite hard ticketed event at Walt Disney World. Having enjoyed Villains After Hours at Magic Kingdom, Boo Bash, and Disney’s Very Merry After Hours, I have had my fair experiences of several Walt Disney World hard ticketed events. Of all, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is still my favorite. Having the opportunity to enjoy this when it has returned in full force reminded me of how magical it is, and that it really is a fun experience!

If you are at Walt Disney World, and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is happening, I think it is definitely worth getting tickets! Trick or treating, the Boo to You Parade, an appearance of the Headless Horseman….and did I mention exclusive Disney treats?  Yes!  Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is amazing! Plus, at least in our experience, the attractions are literally walk ons and the exclusive character meet and greets are SO fun!

What is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party?

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party {MNSSHP} is a hard ticketed event. This means that your normal Walt Disney World theme park ticket does NOT grant you access. You must buy a completely separate ticket if you would like to attend. Tickets for this event usually go on sale in the spring, around April/May.

The party takes place on select nights, and typically the first dates are mid August. The party dates extend to October 31, and sometimes even November 1. Of these, October 30 and 31 will be the most crowded.

This event takes place at Magic Kingdom theme park. The party officially is from 7PM-12AM. However, guests with a party ticket can enter the park as early as 4PM. Between 4-7PM, they are starting to sweep the park. During these two hours, guests without a party ticket start leaving, and those who do have one start entering.

Dining Tips for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

Book a nice, sit down lunch reservation.  This will help you maximize your time at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. The Magic Kingdom opens at 4PM for guests with a party ticket.  If you book a good, filling lunch, you can arrive at the party with a full stomach! Later, you can possibly eat Quick Service or some of the Halloween snacks for dinner as you are making your way around the park.

Make a list of snacks. Before the first party, Disney Parks Blog will post the food offerings for the party. These are exclusive to the party, and you will want to try some! Make a list of snacks or drinks you want to try, so you can prioritize those while you are at the party.

Costume Tips for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

Keep your costumes fun, but simple. For our first Mickey’s Not So Scary, I made matching Ariel t-shirts for us to wear for the party.  This corresponded with our Mermaid Makeover at the Pirates’ League.  She wore black leggings under her tutu, and halfway through the night, it ended up in my park bag. On our most recent trip, I found some cute Tinkerbell shirts on Etsy ~ “I Don’t Spook, I Sparkle” and we wore those with shorts. Super comfy and cute!

There are a lot of ways to make your own Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween costumes, yet keep it simple and Disney themed.  Getting on and off the rides is so much easier, when you aren’t in super elaborate costumes. Plus, it can still be hot in Florida during the fall.  Stay cool and comfortable in an easy costume!

Book an experience at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.  This was probably the best thing we did, in regards to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Our first party, we booked Mermaid Makeovers at the Pirates League. So fun! Most recently, I booked my daughter for the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at the Magic Kingdom. This was perfect.

If you book a time between 4:30-5PM, it will work out well. It also makes your costumes that much more festive, and you don’t have to spend a lot of time doing your own hair or make up for the party.  Since the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is not ALL princess makeovers, it’s a wonderful option if you have a little girl or boy who wants to be made up in a fun way for the party!  It’s also a great use of time between your 4PM entry time and when the party actually begins.

How to Best Use Your Time at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

Save your trick or treating for later in the evening.  Trick or Treating at Magic Kingdom is part of the fun, for sure!  Where else can you trick or treat in a magical atmosphere?  However, it is a good idea to save your trick or treating for later in the evening.  First, you don’t have to carry around all the candy as you are enjoying the party. They give you a lot of candy, and you may even want to bring your own bag since the ones they pass out are really small.  Second, you can enjoy the attractions with little to no wait, whereas the trick or treat stations get crowded at the beginning.  We like to hit some on the way out of the park, and we still get a lot of candy!

Take advantage of the early entry privilege.  Queuing up to enter the park around 3:30PM or so is a great idea. Entering the park at 4PM or shortly after gives you an extra 3 hours to enjoy Magic Kingdom before the party officially starts.  You can eat a quick meal, visit some characters, get a makeover at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Or, if characters are your priority, this is a great time to get in line to see them.  There will be very popular, exclusive character meet and greets during the party. You will want to queue for characters such as Jack Skellington as early as possible if you would like to see him.

See the First Showing of the Boo to You Parade. Most parties, the parade runs twice.  While it can be a bit more crowded, I prefer the first showing of the parade. First, it assures we see it. If we are procrastinating and seeing the second one, I am always afraid we will get caught up doing something else and then not get a spot to see it. Second, it’s our favorite part of the party. So once we have seen Boo to You, we can go on with our night, and if we feel like going back to our Walt Disney World Resort before the party ends at midnight, so be it. Also if a Florida rainstorm pops up and the first one is canceled, then we can see the second. Or, if we see the first and the second is canceled, we didn’t miss it!

My favorite parade viewing spot, no matter what parade, is outside the Christmas Shop in Liberty Square.  This is hands down the best, in my opinion, and we sit {or stand} there every parade. The Boo to You Parade is one of the highlights of Mickey’s Not So Scary, and you will want to see it.  This is the only time you will see the Headless Horseman.  And it is SO cool!

General Tips for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

Set your priorities.  There is SO much to see and do, and this is SO important.  7PM-12AM seems like a long five hours, but it will go quickly. Some guests go just to meet exclusive characters such as Jack and Sally and the Seven Dwarfs.  Others take advantage of the low crowds and enjoy head liner attractions over and over again amidst the party atmosphere. Take a look at the event guide and map, and have a plan and your “must dos”.  We make it a priority to enjoy attractions, see Boo to You, and meet at one or two character meet and greets.

Bring anything that glows.  Glow sticks, necklaces, bracelets….even the light up toys you can buy in the parks. Magic Kingdom is always so amazing at night! These accessories are something you must have in your park bag! They add so much extra fun to the evening!

With these helpful tips for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, your family will have an amazing time! What can you add to the list?

More Posts You May Enjoy:

• Visiting Walt Disney World in Fall
• EPCOT’s Food and Wine Festival
• Best Splurges at Walt Disney World

Carrie Hurst

Not only do I love sharing all my vacation tips and ideas here on A Princess and Her Pirates, but I also work alongside families to create magical vacation memories year after year! Email me at carrie@destinationsinflorida.com to begin the planning process, and join hundreds of families on my current guest list.