Who doesn’t love a party? Now that you have spent a bunch of money to get your family into Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party, make sure you make the most of it by following the top 5 tips below:
1. Get there early! Just as Disney wisdom dictates a rope drop arrival first thing in the morning, you want to be at the Magic Kingdom entrance well before Mickey’s Not So Scary begins. Actually, you want to be there … before the before. The party starts at 7:00 p.m. But your MNSSHP ticket will gain you admission at 4:00 p.m. This is common knowledge, which means you have to be there at 3:30 p.m. to be at the front of the pack! You don’t want to be at the back of a long line waiting to enter the party. And arriving early will give you the luxury of time for …
2. Photos!! Your Halloween party pics might end up being among your all-time favorite Disney photos. You can get some group shots (in front of the train station) out of the way before you even enter the Magic Kingdom. The October sun is relatively gentle, especially in the late afternoon when its rays hit the gala orange bunting, the big pumpkin Mickey heads festooned with autumn branches, and pillars twined with leaves. Main Street, lit up in spooky colors (be sure to set your camera to “night shot”), makes a great backdrop. Don’t miss the special PhotoPass magic shots that are only available during the party. Pumpkin totem poles at the Town Square flagpole will be your first Photopass stop. On Main Street, waltzing Haunted Mansion ghosts can be magically added to your photo. At the Haunted Mansion itself, you can pose with the funeral hearse – to which a skeletal driver will be digitally added. You can get a hitchhiking ghosts Magic Shot nearby. After dark, there are a couple of prop photo ops available. You’ll recognize the watchman’s lantern from the Haunted Mansion’s cemetery – you can hold the lantern up yourself for a photo in front of the attraction. Near Ariel’s Grotto, a scene from the 1929 Silly Symphony “The Skeleton Dance” provides a background. Another favorite party photo op is one taken with …
3. Disney characters in Halloween garb! Who can resist Tigger dressed as a pirate, Pooh as a bumblebee, Donald as a pumpkin? Some guests will line up for popular character greetings as early as 4:00 p.m. Meeting Jack Skellington and his girlfriend Sally may require a large investment of time, though they often begin their greetings as early as 5:00 p.m. to alleviate the long waits. (The wait will still be long! And you must have a party wristband to join the line.) Jack and Sally can be found at the Liberty Square gazebo this year (usually inhabited by Tiana). The Seven Dwarfs are a perennial favorite (now meeting in Storybook Circus), while Moana is a new addition to the party in 2017. The line to see Moana in Adventureland can be two hours long!
There are a few ways to get photos with Disney Halloween celebrities without waiting in a long line. If the purple and lime cast member party outfits with their evocative yellow and orange gingham vests and aprons scream HALLOWEEN to you, bringing back happy memories from previous parties, ask one if he or she is willing to pose with you. (Pick one who is holding a Welcome sign.) They will probably say yes. And don’t forget about the totally ghouled out Haunted Mansion cast members. For Halloween parties, they go all out – becoming cobweb-draped spooks themselves. Also at the Haunted Mansion, Happy Haunts Carlotta, Rinotta, and (new this year) Butler Broome are the highly interactive spooks who reign over the Haunted Mansion line from a bench on the grassy slope above. Even if you don’t plan to enter the attraction, grab a photo here! And look out for the “dead pan” humor of the Cadaver Dans Barbershop Quartet in Frontierland. They will probably be happy to post between sets.
Just as sweet as Minnie in her witch costume is …
4. The candy! Trick or treating at Mickey’s Not So Scary is a highlight of the party – and adults enjoy it as much as the kids. Sturdy, gusseted plastic bags with handles are provided. (Alternatively, some guests plan a bag to theme with their costume to carry their candy haul.) Don’t miss the memorable candy trail sponsored by Mars candies. One of the coolest things about this trail is that it takes you backstage behind Main Street USA, starting at Town Square and letting out near the Tomorrowland Noodle Terrace. This is an area that’s generally seen only after dark, when it’s sometimes used as a bypass to relieve crowding on Main Street after the fireworks. Now you can see this secret path in daylight – and you get a pack of free candy! There are also some photo props on hand and party exclusive merchandise is available. Note that the lines for candy tend to be longer at the beginning of the party. And while a little Disney trick-or-treating will be unforgettable, you don’t want to invest too much time – because at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party you have to …
5. Pick your poison. Given the amount of time required to wait in various lines, you simply can’t do it all on one party night. If you’ll be attending your first Mickey’s Not So Scary, be sure to review your options ahead of time and make a plan of attack. Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular, HalloWishes fireworks, and Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade (preceded this year by the Zootopia Party Patrol on Main Street USA) are all unique and memorable – but they take time. You also need to stop at the Main Street Fire station to pick up this year’s Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom party exclusive card, “The Country Bears’ Moonlight Jamboree.” You may want to shop the party exclusive merchandise at the Emporium, Mickey’s Star Traders, Frontier Trading Post and Big Top Souvenirs. You’re going to want to try at least one of the party exclusive treats. And it’s really tempting to see short wait times on favorite rides! It truly will be less painful if you do your prioritizing before you leave home. As always, time at Disney World is improved with a little (or a lot of) planning! Otherwise, you might end up with some unwanted “boo hoo” along with your not-so-scary Halloween “boo!”
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