Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (aka MNSSHP) started in 1995 and was originally only held on Halloween night. The party gradually grew in popularity from year to year and is now offered on select nights August-October at the Magic Kingdom. It is my children’s favorite event and one we try to attend every year. If you are on the fence, it is 100% worth it! Over the years, we have come up with a great list of Dos and Don’ts.
DO : Dress up
This is the only time when adults are allowed to dress up in the park. Have fun with it. Take something your kids want to be and take this opportunity to match them. You will DEFINITELY not be alone. A large portion of adults are in costume from something simple to more elaborate. In years past, my family has been various monsters from Monsters Inc, Star Wars characters and Toy Story characters. It makes it even more memorable to dress up and the pictures are priceless.
DON’T : Forget the costume guidelines
While you are encouraged to dress up, do not forget to check the costume guidelines. These can change from year to year, but here is a helpful video from a past year. For the most part, use common sense and be sure to take in to consideration that it is Florida. There is heat and humidity which can make some costume choices less enjoyable than others.
DO : Try some of the party only treats
There are certain treats at various locations that can only be purchased and enjoyed during the party. Some of these are completely different than what is offered during normal park hours and some are variations. Personally, I LOVE the ice cream sandwich at Plaza Ice Cream Parlor during previous year’s parties. During regular park hours it is made with 2 chocolate chip cookies, but during the party they made it with 2 sprinkle sugar cookies and just that little change made it my new favorite (also just 1 snack credit for those on the dining plan)
DON’T : Trick or Treat first thing
I know you and the kids are excited… CANDY. However, wait. Try to wait as long as you can hold off the kids. I promise they will NOT run out of candy. They will be giving out candy all night long. The big difference is that the lines prior to 9pm will be looooong. Sometimes these lines will take you 10+ minutes just to get candy. If you wait, the novelty has worn off to everyone and the lines are super short. You can then go through the same line multiple times and get as much candy as you want and not waste time in line for it.
DO : Get in line for special characters early
Like the special party treats, there are some characters that are only available to meet during the Halloween Party. Research before you go and see if there are any you want to meet. Some popular ones from past years are all seven dwarfs, Jack & Sally and various villains.
DON’T : Arrive late
The party starts at 7PM. In past years, you can arrive as early as 4PM and still get in the park with your party ticket. Take full advantage of this, especially if you don’t have a park hopper ticket or aren’t using a park ticket for this day. You will get more time in the park and therefore more out of your party ticket cost.
DO : Watch the Parade
The Halloween Parade is another favorite. Again, it is special only to the party with floats and dancing that you will only see during party time. I am typically not a big parade person, but am a huge fan of this one. Be sure to get your spot early to see the headless horseman ride.
DON’T : Watch the first parade time
If you and your kids can make it the entire night, try to catch the second parade. It is exactly the same as the first parade, but less crowded. It will still have a crowd, but not nearly as many people as the first parade.
DO : Get the special (FREE) Sorcerer of the Magic Kingdom card
This is a limited edition card included with your party ticket. However, you have to go to the Firehouse near the bathrooms and guest services when you first enter the park. They will mark your wristband and you can get one per wristband. Even if you don’t play the Sorcerer of the Magic Kingdom game, these are a fun and free/included keepsake of your night. (There is also a card offered for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party)
DON’T : Eat a table service meal
This is a waste of your time. Unless you are only paying for the party ticket to get a hard to get dining reservation (I’m looking at you, Be Our Guest), then don’t ever do a table service meal during the party. The meal takes so much time and while you may think 5 hours is plenty of time, it’s not. I always leave MNSSHP wishing I had more time and considering going back on another party night.
Note: Exception to this — I do think it is nice to do Chef Mickey’s prior to the party, if your reservation is between 5-5:30. This especially applies for the earlier parties because it can be a little hot in your costume at the park at 4pm.
DO : Buy tickets ASAP
This is a limited ticketed event. That means it WILL and DOES sell out! If you are planning to go, buy your tickets. I learned this one the hard way. While the August and September dates are less likely to sell out, the dates close to Halloween will and do sell out. Halloween night will sell out MONTHS in advance.
DON’T : Miss the special magic photo spots
If you have purchased the memory maker, all your photopass photos are included. Some special magic shots are another special offering only to MNSSHP. We’ve had our pictures taken with hitchhiking ghosts and various other fun shots. The kids are always excited to see what magic pops in to the pictures with us.
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Vacation Ever After by Lauren 