I know right now it’s hard to think about parties at Disney but I have hope things will return as quickly as they can. Halloween Season at Disney is so much fun and very popular, so much so, that in the past few years they have had to add more and more party dates starting as early as August. It also doesn’t hurt that Food and Wine runs around the same dates at Epcot. I am going to tell you all about Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party often referred to as MNSSHP. If you ever get the chance to go- you should definitely look into it. I have been twice once at the end of September beginning of October and once for the week of Halloween leading into the start of Christmas season.
2015
Choosing a time to go is often the biggest question anyone asks when going to Disney. Halloween time is a great time to go if you have more time to enjoy. What I mean is if you know you want to go for 4-5 days hit all the parks once this probably is not the best time to go- I would recommend going in January or February. Unless your Magic Kingdom day is a party day and you plan on staying all day. Park hours will vary during the party season. Parties are almost every other day so if you have 4-5 days planned you can assume 2 or more days will be party days. Parties will be announced and ticket sales will begin usually around May for the upcoming season. On party days the park closes at 6pm for non-party guests. Party guests will have a bracelet Cast members (employees) look for. You will want to plan going one day to see the regularly scheduled fireworks and one day for going to the MNSSHP if your budget and time allows. Beware non-party days have a much higher traffic rate compared to party days.
I have a few recommendations:
a. Arrive to Orlando early in the day and go to a party the evening of arrival.
b. Park hop and go to Magic Kingdom the evening of a non-party day to enjoy the regular fireworks.
c. Go to Magic Kingdom 2 days one party day and one non-party day
d. Try to visit Magic Kingdom on a party day for the low crowds- it’s amazing
e. Try to avoid weekend party dates as they are busier
Our first Halloween party trip we went in September and spent 9 fun filled days! Our second Halloween Party we went for 7 days over Halloween itself and this was long enough for my sister, haha! No matter how long your trip is you will have a different experience each time and you will NEVER be able to do everything. Each of my trips we pick our favorites and try to add in a few new experiences.
Things to keep in mind: Disney usually offers some sort of Discounted rate and sometimes they offer Free Dining between August and September. I book as early as I can to lock in the lowest rate then wait for the discounts to come out and ask if we can modify the reservation to whatever is cheapest once the discounts are released. Why does Disney offer great discounts during this time? Because kids are in school it’s a slower time. Keep in mind it is also Hurricane Season June-November. Disney only shut down one day for Hurricane Rita- they took down all the decorations and put them back up within one night! Another hurricane tidbit- I’ve heard Floridians usually evacuate to Disney since they have their own solar power, water, food, and great customer service to accommodate.
In September when we went it rained often, a shower or downpour here and there then it cleared up. It didn’t stop us, in fact it made the park more fun since people usually cleared out but you have to be prepared to be wet. Magic Kingdom even has a Rainy Day Parade we were lucky to see. Speaking of luck, we were there when the Houston Astros won the World Series and came to Disney the next day for a parade. The end of October was definitely busier than September, it was still manageable and only slightly cooler. I have always heard that the Halloween Party on October 31st is the busiest party of all of them. I read about all the activates going on at the resorts on the 31st so we planned on trick or treating and having fun at the resorts and going to the party on a separate evening. This particular year Disney added a party on November 1st so we chose that day for our MNSSHP. The only reason we went during this time as opposed to earlier was to try to see some of Christmas. After the last party they take down all the decorations and it’s Christmas the next day! Talk about magic! The resorts and parks will continue to decorate over the next week so it is not completely Christmas yet.
Ticket Prices vary but start at $79. The early season parties are less crowded (and CHEAPER!) while the later parties (closer to Halloween) are more crowded, more expensive, and sometimes sell-out. During the party there is a special Parade known as the Boo to You Parade which I love! It is so popular it will run twice during the party once before the fireworks and once after. You will have the opportunity to meet rare characters like Jack and Sally, the 7 Dwarfs together, characters in costume like the whole crew from Winnie the Pooh in costume, and Villains are out as well. The Characters are scattered throughout the park to interact and photograph with. There is a special themed show and Halloween Themed Firework Show. There is special themed food and drinks available at Main Street Bakery and Sleepy Hallow. Some rides may have a special Halloween feel like a completely dark Space Mountain. And then best for last- all the Halloween Candy you wish to carry! There are specially marked areas designated by the glowing sign where there is trick or treating available. You can go to different locations around the park or circle around one a few times if you like.
Party guests are invited to arrive as early as 4pm, the party starts at 7pm. MNSSHP is the only time Adults are allowed to dress up along with kids. There are some rules as to what you can wear since it is a family event. I have seen some AMAZING costumes! Some favorites were Darla with her retainer and a bag of water with a nemo toy. I saw a fully dressed Barbie and Ken from Toy Story with the blue leotard, ankle warmers and pink high heels! I love seeing all the creative family costumes!
Rides lines vary some you can walk on easily and some have a 45 min wait. While the party is limited to a certain capacity, we have seen it busier during the party than the park day itself. With so much to do in a short amount of time you have to have some sort of plan of what you want to do. We looked at character lines if they were too long, we moved on. We trick or treated at the ones that had lines that moved quickly. We rode rides as we passed them if they looked short. We had fun at the Dance party and grabbed our parade spot early. While waiting in your spot you want to make sure to be against the curb away from an area that will be used for a crosswalk. I love being on Main Street for parades, this area will fill up fast. I love having the castle as a backdrop for pictures. The first parade is always busier than the second. People will start leaving after fireworks but for those who can hang the party will continue till midnight.
For a party day we usually eat a brunch around 10am, play, and then rest/change for an early dinner. I recommend not taking away time from the party if you can avoid it. (3-5pm is the optimal time for dinner.) Disney stated offering a Villains’ Dinner and a Dessert Party during the party. If you’ve been to a party before they may be worth looking into but I personally would not take away any time. When you check in you will be given a small candy bag and your bracelet for the party will be put on. There will be special photo effects during the party as well so don’t forget to take some pictures with the photographers. Overall, it is an event I would recommend going for! Disney knows how to make Halloween fun and safe for your little ones.
Tips:
- Research ahead to see Party Guide and Map before going and make a plan
- Wear a costume- keep the heat in mind
- Eat dinner before the party
- Arrive to the party early
- Take pictures with popular characters early
- Get a spot for the parade early or watch the second one after fireworks
- Look for the Headless Horseman as he leads the parade
- Dance at the Dance Party
- Take magic shots with photographers
- If you find a trick or treat location with a short line circle around a few times
- Visit the rides that have a special attraction during the party: Pirates of the Caribbean, Mad Tea Party, Space Mountain
- Look for party specialty treats at Sleepy Hallow or Main Street Bakery
- Have fun
Smee and Hook 
Tinkerbell and Peter Pan 
Tiger Lilly and Tic Toc Crock
