Ticketed after-hours events are some of the best ways to experience Walt Disney World, especially the Magic Kingdom. With a limited number of guests admitted, you can experience short wait times on the rides, rare character meet-and-greets and unique entertainment offerings. It’s a guaranteed ticket to a good time, but perhaps the most beloved of these events is the seasonal Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.
This can’t-miss party is held on select nights at Magic Kingdom from Aug. 9 to Oct. 31, 2024. It lasts from 7 p.m. to midnight, though party guests can use their ticket to enter the park as early as 4 p.m.
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The Vibe
You’re walking along Main Street in costume, and suddenly hear the hoofbeats of the Headless Horseman. This isn’t any normal after-hours event, this is Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party!
During Not-So-Scary, the Magic Kingdom transforms into a Halloween hotspot, featuring autumnal decorations, special attraction overlays and a spooky soundtrack. The guests transform, too! Everyone is allowed to dress up in costume for the Halloween fun, within reason. You still have to follow the park dress code rules. For my latest visit, I dressed as Peter Pan (if Peter Pan wore orthopedic sandals). I had a great time, even when people asked if I was dressed up as the fox from Robin Hood.
The Candy
Do you have some little monsters (or even big monsters) looking for trick-or-treat opportunities? Guests of all ages can trick-or-treat at 17 treat stations scattered throughout the park. Treat bags are provided, including teal treat bags for guests with food allergies.
Cast members dressed in festive Halloween-themed costumes will shovel treats liberally, so there’s no need to visit every treat station unless you’re a trick-or-treat completionist.
The Characters
Character meet-and-greets are some of the most popular attractions at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, since it features characters that are rarely seen in the parks. The line to meet Jack and Sally from “Nightmare Before Christmas” is usually the longest of the night. If you absolutely can’t miss seeing them, I would recommend lining up as early as possible.
Other characters may include Mirabel and Bruno, the Queen of Hearts, the Country Bears, the ugly stepsisters, Jack Sparrow, Genie and more. You could even see Stitch all dressed up in his Elvis attire.
The Entertainment
In my opinion, this is the top reason to attend the Halloween party. They pull out all the stops for the entertainment around the park, and there’s something for everyone.
Boo! Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade is so fun, it’s scary. It features floating ballroom ghosts from the Haunted Mansion, a cadre of menacing villains, happy-go-lucky gravediggers, donkeys from Pleasure Island, Mickey and friends in Halloween costumes, racers from Sugar Rush and so much more. The harbinger of the parade, the Headless Horseman, charges down the parade route to signal it’s coming, like a spooky Paul Revere.
The millennials have won the culture war, and “Hocus Pocus” is now a campy Halloween classic. The Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular is a show that takes place in front of Cinderella Castle, starring Sarah, Mary and Winnifred Sanderson. The wicked Sanderson sisters conjure legendary villains, sing some “Hocus Pocus” hits and command the audience to dance the night away. It’s an absolute delight.
The Magic Kingdom’s famous fireworks get a Halloween update for Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular, featuring projections, special effects and dazzling fireworks that could wake the dead. Jack Skellington hosts this show, and you might even see his loyal ghost dog, Zero, fly through the sky.
There’s also some ghoulishly delightful atmosphere to add to the night’s thrills and chills. In Frontierland, it’s possible you’ll run into the Cadaver Dans Barbershop Quartet or the Haunted Mansion’s hitchhiking ghosts themselves. Liberty Square is also welcoming some ghostly figures from regions beyond. In Adventureland, you’ll encounter the pirate band the Rusty Cutlass, who play nautical favorites from the Disney canon. You can also find Disney Channel favorites in Tomorrowland, like the DescenDANCE Party and the Disney Jr. Jam.
The Extras
There are some perks to being a party guest. You can purchase exclusive merchandise and snacks that aren’t sold during regular park hours. You can get on rides without much of a wait. And you can also get a chance to get on some popular new attractions without worrying about virtual queues or Lightning Lanes. During party hours, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure offers a standby queue – no reservation needed.
I took the opportunity to ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and we crested the splash hill just as the sun was setting. We only had to wait 30 minutes, which is a long wait during an after-hours event, but a lot easier than entering the virtual queue for a new ride during regular park hours.
There’s always something going on at the Happiest Place on Earth. To help you navigate your next trip, AAA has travel advisors who specialize in Disney vacations; it’s their job to stay on top of all the latest happenings and help you plan.
Reach out to one of our “magic makers” today!
Have you ever gone to an after-hours event at one of the Disney parks? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Featured image: ©Disney
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