Is Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Worth The Extra Ticket?

If Disney does anything well, they excel at celebrations (but they do lots of things well, let’s be honest). In August, just as middle Florida is thoroughly baking in the summer heat, Disney Cast Members send forth a bewitching spell of all things autumn over Magic Kingdom. You might be dripping sweat, but the carved pumpkins and golden leaf wreaths will make you positively pine for October.

Joining the fall decor is one of Disney’s biggest after-hour seasonal events, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP). When it first launched in 1995, this party was a one-night event, but as demand grew, so did the invitations. Now, the party launches in early August and goes right up until the Sanderson Sisters fly into Salem on Halloween night.

My family and I attended MNSSHP in early August, for one of the first parties of the season. It was also the first time any of us had attended the party at all. We were lucky to have excellent weather and a steady crowd. We took in the shows, the parades, and the candy—oh, boy the candy! We took home almost 10 pounds of candy, and the TSA agents at Orlando’s airport got a good laugh at our bag of sweets. (Allergy-friendly treats are also available.)

Since returning home, I’ve found myself recommending everyone go to MNSSHP if they can swing it. I’ve come away thinking it’s one of the best experiences you can have in Orlando. If you find yourself on the fence about purchasing another ticket on top of the regular Disney expenses, rest assured, I think I can make a good case for why you should put those tickets in your cart before they sell out—and they are going quickly.

Magic Kingdom Will Be Like You’ve Never Seen It

As the sun sets on the theme park, the light posts go dim, and all the jack-o’-lanterns begin to glow. Let me be clear that Magic Kingdom is not scary and no one is going to jump out to give you a fright—it’s right there in the name after all—but it’s very on theme with the holiday through the lighting and decorations. Even Cast Members appeared to have unique uniforms for the event while we were there.

In addition to most rides and shows, dance spaces open up. This year, the DescenDance Party, which is inspired by the Disney original movie Descendants: The Rise of Red on Disney+, was rocking in the Rockettower Plaza Stage in Tomorrowland as we strolled by to Tron and Space Mountain. Another dance party was going down in Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café, joined by friends from Disney Jr. We spotted Vamperina dancing the night away.

Characters, Characters, Characters!

This year’s map (which you can pick up as you walk in the gates) shows there are 13 “Character Greetings” opportunities across the park, including Moana in Adventureland and Stitch in Tomorrowland. And as a fun Halloween party bonus, many are dressed for the occasion! Stitch, for example, was in his beloved Elvis costume when we met him. For the first time, Bruno from Encanto joins Mirabel at their casita, too.

The lines can be just as long as normal park hours to start the evening, but by the final hours, the queues had started to shrink, as had all the crowds. So if you can work up the energy to hang around into the witching hours, you’ll be able to zoom through rides, meet-and-greets, and trick-or-treat locations.

Speaking of costumes, keep your eyes open for Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in their brand-new costumes. Each outfit is covered in neon spiderwebs.

Wear Your Halloween Spirit

The characters won’t be the only people in their Halloween finery. Kids and adults alike can dress up (there are some rules still, of course), but this is a contrast to the regular park hours when adults can’t wear costumes. We saw entire families in themed ensembles from The Incredibles and Inside Out 2. And even if you’re not eager to drag a whole costume to Florida, plenty of folks had picked out excellent t-shirts and were donning glow-in-the-dark necklaces or light-up Mickey ears to get into the spirit.

The Villains Are Out and About

Lest you think Disney is only all about candy and laughs on Halloween, you will be thrilled to know some of your favorite villains will also make an appearance during MNSSHP. The first outlaw we encountered was none other than Cruella de Vil. She was holding court just off Main Street U.S.A as everyone grabbed their treat bag.

The Sanderson Sisters host the Villain Spelltacular on the stage at Cinderella’s Castle. They’re joined by Oogie Boogie and the Shadow Man from The Princess and the Frog, among other bad guys (and gals).

"The Best Parade of the Year"

But where you’ll catch sight of the most villains is in Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade. Characters like Alice in Wonderland and Mad Hatter will start the entertainment, but they quickly give away to sinister pals including Captain Hook, Jack Sparrow, Maleficent, the Evil Queen, and others.

I knew this parade was really going to be impressive because a handful of people had assured me this was the best parade Disney does. I haven’t seen all of them, but this will certainly be hard to top. This year, the start time has moved up an hour to 8:15 so if your family will want their heads on their pillows before the second parade at 11:15, this is a great opportunity to make sure you do not miss this entertainment.

Shorter Lines and Halloween Twists

I may have saved the best for nearly last. When we first arrived, lines for most rides remained as long as they had been during the day, but that quickly changed. You may be able to jump on favorite attractions more than one time or get to rides you can’t during a typical day.

On top of that, several rides have a “Halloween Twist,” which is a fun change keeping with the party’s theme. This year, Space Mountain, Mad Tea Party, and Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor all have some “bewitching surprises” waiting on you.

Party-Exclusive Treats

If the buckets of Halloween candy weren’t enough, most restaurants and snack stands have food and drinks you can buy only during MNSSHP. Some, like the Dole Whip mango and chamoy float, are available during regular park hours and the party. But the real fun comes when the park switches to spooky.

You can’t possibly taste everything, but you can try! Don’t miss some of our favorites: Mickey-shaped cheesecake at Casey’s Corner, corn dog with spicy violet mustard and spicy chips at Sleepy Hollow Refreshments, and spicy pork spring roll with charred pineapple and scallion dust. (If anyone gets the Minnie Mouse Hocus Pocus Halloween Dress-up Sipper from Sleepy Hollow and doesn’t want it, I’ll gladly take it off your hands. We were too late for our own. Some food and souvenir supplies are limited.)

The Bottom Line

Ticket prices vary by the night, but you’ll get all this fun for about $25 an hour. The official party times are 7 p.m. to midnight, but we observed party guests getting in earlier. And as long as you grab your band, the Cast Members will let you continue walking around Magic Kingdom while non-party guests are asked to leave by 6 p.m. So that’s up to 8 hours of fun and entertainment and 8 hours unlike anything you’ll ever experience at Disney any other time.