The Tips You Need to Have the Best Night at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party has been a HUGE hit with Walt Disney World Resort Guests so far this year. After returning for the first time since 2019, it seems that everybody wants to experience Magic Kingdom Park becoming spooky for the evening. And who wouldn’t?

There’s so much fun to be had at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Our favorite things include:

• The chance to trick-or-treat around some pretty neat Magic Kingdom attractions and areas
• Disney characters dressed in their very own Halloween costumes
• Ride overlays
• One of the most loved Disney parades, Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade
• Celebrations for the Disney villains, who are, otherwise, always overlooked (sigh!)

If you love the Magic Kingdom Halloween Party as much as we do, then you’ll likely enjoy more than one helping each year. However, with tickets selling extremely quickly this year, the chance of doing so may not be possible. With this in mind, we wanted to share with you tips and tricks to make the most of your time at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party this year. They can be helpful for all Guests, whether you are lucky to have tickets for at least two events or for those who will only get to go to the Magic Kingdom event once.

The Haunted Mansion

You haven’t done Mickey’s Not-So-Scary right if you haven’t stopped by The Haunted Mansion. Not only do you get to see Cast Members dressed up for the occasion, but it’s your chance to interact with some of the Ghosts too. Be sure to visit The Haunted Mansion earlier in the evening, though, if you want to see Lady Carlotta and Broom the Butler. Unfortunately, they are hidden inside the queue line before entering the Mansion this year rather than being out on the lawn.

If you’re hoping for a second helping of The Haunted Mansion, during or just after Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular fireworks show is the perfect time to ride. You a very likely to see a line time of 13 minutes – if you know, you know!

Popular Character Meet and Greets

It is no surprise that rare Disney characters attract extremely long lines, and this is something you can expect during the Halloween Party. We are aware that characters such as Jack Skellington & Sally and Winnie the Pooh & Friends begin to meet Guests ahead of the official Party start time of 7:00 p.m. This is likely to help as many Guests meet these characters as possible. If you wish to meet them, be sure to get in line prior to 7:00 p.m.

For Winnie the Pooh & Friends, we joined the line around 6:10 p.m. and were free to enjoy the rest of the evening by 7:05 p.m.; however, their line was at least 90 minutes by the time we had reached the front of the line.

If you like to visit the Town Square Theatre, make sure to stop by during Mickey’s Halloween Party and see Mickey dressed as the cutest vampire you ever did see! The rest of the fab five can be found in Storybook Circus. While you’re heading over to see them, look out for everyone’s favorite Disney villain, Cruella De Vil, around Fantasyland.

Attraction Overlays

While there are four attractions that have a Halloween twist during each Party night, there’s one must-do and one take-or-leave.

If you are a fan of Space Mountain, then you’ll definitely want to ride during your time at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Prepare for a ride experience that is intensified by complete darkness and dramatic music! Line times tend to be shorter later on in the evening.

While Pirates of the Caribbean has the addition of live characters, there are, in fact, only three that you will see. There is a pirate who occupies one of the dungeons in the queue line, who you will pass twice, and two additional pirates on one of the bridges as you are sailing through the Caribbean. While it’s a unique experience to see them, interaction time is limited. For this reason, you may wish to skip this attraction due to the long line it sees throughout the evening in Magic Kingdom.

Expect a line time of around 15-20 minutes for Mad Tea Party during the Halloween Party. To get the full experience of the Halloween twist the attraction has, be sure to ride once the sun has set and it’s dark.

More Treats

If you love to trick-or-treat around Magic Kingdom, you’ll definitely want to stop by the following locations where there are not one but two treat stops inside. You’ll get one lot of treats as you are entering and another as you are leaving:

• Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor in Tomorrowland
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic in Fantasyland
• The Enchanted Tiki Room in Adventureland

Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade

You can’t miss what some (including us!) would say is the best parade the Walt Disney Company has ever created. But there are a couple of tips to bear in mind to get the most out of your parade viewing:

• If you want to see the gravediggers in The Haunted Mansion section do their thing, don’t secure a spot near the bridge that links Liberty Square to the Cinderella Castle Hub. We saw them do a little freestyle here rather than their usual performance. 
• The Headless Horseman will only lead the parade if the ground is dry. If it rains earlier in the evening and you wish to see him, you may need to watch the second showing of Boo-To-You. If there is rain forecasted for later in the evening, we recommend definitely watching the first showing of Boo-To-You. It’s not a bad thing if you watch both shows, after all!
• If you are happy to watch the parade in Frontierland, you won’t need to secure a spot until around 30 minutes before showtime, so take advantage of having a shorter wait for the parade by visiting treat spots or sampling the Halloween specialties from the Magic Kingdom restaurants. 

Powerline Max

While Powerline Max performs ahead of Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade, you will have to secure a spot on Main Street, U.S.A., if you wish to see him, as he does not appear in Frontierland. A perfect spot to see him is in the center of Main Street, U.S.A., just outside of where the Emporium is showcasing the 50th Anniversary merchandise and outside of Uptown Jewelers. Alternatively, see him perform in front of the Magic Kingdom Train Station.

Fireworks Viewing

If you haven’t viewed Disney’s Not-So-Scary Spectacular fireworks show before, you’ll definitely want to see them during the Halloween Party. If you have already seen them, though, and are happy to see them from elsewhere in Magic Kingdom, Frontierland and Liberty Square offer stunning views of the fireworks across the Rivers of America, over The Haunted Mansion.

Shopping

If you are hoping to purchase some special event merchandise during your time at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, make sure to stop by the Emporium between the Party hours. The merchandise isn’t available to purchase until 7:00 p.m. to ensure that only Party Guests can view it and make their selections. The Emporium closes to Guests at 12:00 a.m., so you will need to shop before then. Don’t leave your shopping until after the final Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular! as you’ll have missed out.

Frontierland Fun

Securing a spot for the first Halloween Parade in Frontierland guarantees you a viewing spot for the Cadaver Dans, as well as a chance to interact with the Country Bears from the Country Bear Jamboree. These are great ways to make waiting for the parade go a little quicker.

PhotoPass

If you’re wearing your very own Halloween costume during the Party, then be sure to stop by a PhotoPass Cast Member (or a few). There are several Magic Shot photo opportunities around Magic Kingdom; just look out for short lines around the Disney Park.

Make sure to get a photo at the top of Main Street, U.S.A., too, with Cinderella Castle in the background. Our favorite time to stop by here is just after the sun has set, as it’s getting dark! If you time it right, you may even have the fireworks from the Hocus Pocus Villain Spectacular in your photo too!

If you still haven’t secured your tickets to one of Walt Disney World’s best events, then be sure to book them soon. Most tickets are sold out, with only a few dates remaining. Be sure to check the Walt Disney World website now to see which dates still have availability, and secure your Party ticket now. Happy Hallowishes, everyone!