So, if you are like us, you may have moved your spring break Disney trip to the fall because of Covid-19 and the stay-at-home orders. Even though we were disappointed to lose out on the beautiful spring weather and the gorgeous, EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival, visiting Walt Disney World during the autumn also has its own perks. In addition to the Food and Wine Festival in EPCOT, guests who are visiting the Walt Disney World resort during August, September, or October have the option of buying a special after-hours ticket for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. If you’ve never been to the Halloween party, it’s a lot of fun, but there are some rookie Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party mistakes to avoid.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Mistakes: What NOT to Do
Number 1: Not making sure your tickets are attached to your My Disney Experience account.
Last year, four out of our party of ten people had issues with their tickets. We wasted an hour of prime party time figuring it out. Our friends had purchased the tickets online, but had never received the physical tickets in the mail. They had no tickets attached to their account. Luckily, they were able to show the bank transaction, and the problem was eventually resolved. However, we did waste a big chunk of party time.
Number 2: Wasting time dining during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
When we went to our first Halloween party, we had a late lunch around 2:00 at the Polynesian Resort and then took the boat to the Magic Kingdom. During the party, we snacked, but never sat down for a meal. That worked perfectly. Last year, however, we spent the day at the Magic Kingdom. We had lunch at the Crystal Palace, but the kids were hungry again at 8:00 p.m. Instead of snacking and walking, we sat down and spent another 45 minutes eating at Pecos Bill’s. This was a huge time-suck.
Number 3: Using a park ticket that day.
We’ve had easy, relaxing mornings and then gone to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in the evening, and then we had last year. Last year, we had annual passes, and the rest of our party had regular tickets. Because the difference between five and six day tickets was only about $15.00, we all decided to use a park ticket the day of the Halloween party.
It was a great morning–the park was not crowded at all, and we were able ride several rides. However, by the time evening came, we were tired. The kids were exhausted and cranky. We ended up leaving the party well before midnight. Adding that to the time we wasted eating and fixing tickets, we probably only actually used two hours of actual party time participating in Halloween party events.
Number 4: Showing up at the time on your ticket.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is from 7:00 until midnight on selected nights. Many people don’t realize that you can actually enter the Magic Kingdom at 4:00 p.m. with your party ticket those days. If you line up at 3:30, the cast members may even open the gates a little early. We’ve been able to get in twenty until four before. This is one of the biggest Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party mistakes there is!
Number 5: Thinking adults can’t dress up.
Believe it or not, adults are allowed to dress up for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. So, if you’ve ever wanted to be Cinderella, this is your time to shine! However, be aware that you may not pose for photos or sign autographs. You aren’t the real Cindy, you know.
Because it’s Disney, costumes must be family-friendly. You also can’t have any sharp objects or look-alike weapons that could be mistaken for real ones.
Number 6: Wearing a hot or confining costume.
It’s Florida. Temperatures in October can easily be in the 90s during the day. Make sure your costume makes allowances for the Florida heat and humidity. You’ll also need comfortable shoes and a costume that allows you to walk without restrictions. Last year, our group of ten dressed as Cruella DeVil and nine of the 101 Dalmatians wearing simple t-shirts and shorts. Since it was 90 degrees out that afternoon, we were happy to be in cooler clothing.
Number 7: Assuming the Magic Kingdom will be empty
While party dates in the past may have had low crowds, lately they have seemed packed, especially the later you go. The new party pass has really upped the number of locals at each event, especially on weekends. As usual, the party dates with the lowest crowds will be your August and early September dates. The number of people rises as we get closer to Halloween. No one knows how this will work with Covid-19 yet; we’ll have to wait and see.
The later shows and parades will be less crowded than the earlier ones, but you should still find a good viewing spot with plenty of time to spare. Pick up a special holiday treat and enjoy it while waiting.
Number 8: Skipping the trick-or-treating
Trick-or-treating is for everyone, including the adults. What’s more, Disney provides special treats for those with allergies. The trick-or-treat lines may look long, but they go quickly.
Number 9: Missing out on the special entertainment, photo opportunities, characters, and snacks.
Make sure you check your times guide for the special entertainment, snacks, and ride overlays. The Boo-To-You parade is my favorite Disney parade, and our night is never complete without watching it. Admittedly, the song is still stuck in our heads months later–every once in a while, Dennis just breaks out singing it. We enjoyed the Cadaver Dans show, the overlays with real people at the Pirates of the Caribbean, and the Haunted Mansion host’s special make-up, and more. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party also has a lot to offer with rare characters and special shows.
If you come for the characters, make sure to line up early for your favorites. The lines can be long, especially for the Nightmare Before Christmas characters (Jack and Sally) and the Seven Dwarfs.
Final Thoughts on Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Mistakes
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is fun for ghosts and goblins of all ages. It’s a great time with special entertainment, candy, and characters. It’s really something that everyone should experience at one time or another. Avoiding these nine Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party mistakes will help you have fun and make the most of your time at the Halloween party.
Such a great one, Tracy! I love Disney in the fall. There’s nothing worse than experiencing disappointments on such an expensive family day- thank you for all of your helpful tips so we can minimize any missteps!
Sounds like something my kids would love!
Nice!
I’m not much into the Disney scene but I truly appreciate the planning and relatability of your tips! Loved this post, thanks for sharing 💖
Sounds like you know how to make a proper party.
I love this!! haha! What a fun post!
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party looks like a really fun opportunity for the whole family! I’m sure my toddlers would love it. Don’t wear a hot costume. Noted.
I am a HUGE Halloween lover and keep telling my husband that we have to check this out. Reading though this is going to be really helpful. It’s going to help us avoid making some of these mistakes (which I’m sure that I would have made had I not seen this). Thank you!
I didn’t even know Mickey had a not so scary Halloween party! But it sounds like a ton of fun, it just requires good planning and time management. But that doesn’t seem any different than any other part of a Disney trip. I’m curious to see when Disney will open back up and if there will be restrictions on how things work. It will certainly be interesting.
Great tips! and now I definitely want to visit Mickey’s Not So scary Party myself
Hoping and praying that the parks will be open soon so that we can enjoy our trips to DisneyWorld again. We’ve been to the Very Merry Christmas Party several times but not the Halloween Party. It’s on our list …great tips!!
These are all awesome tips, you are so right about them letting you in early, that is a well kept little secret there.
Im dying to get back to Disney!! I would love to go around Halloween. Thank you for the great advice!!
I didn’t even know Mickey had a Halloween Party. I will look into this for next year. EPCOT is my favorite Disney park so I know everything will be on par.
I LOVE this post. This was the first ticketed event that i did in disney. Its my all time favourite. Brings back so many good memories. We always tend to visit disney around halloween its amazing, as we don’t celebrate it in the uk like they do in america its so special. Thanks for sharing these tips for next time we go!
Thanks for these.
Ok this is awesome!! Definitely saving this for later! I have always wanted to go for Halloween
This post makes me want to go to Disney so bad right now. I did the not so scary on Halloween about 6 years ago and it was one of my favorite things ever! Thank you for these tips, even after going myself I wouldn’t have thought of a few of these.
This sounds like an awesome party and definitely worth getting dressed up for. It’s awesome that they let you go in so early, so you really have enough time to explore and soak in the Halloween vibes.
Thanks for sharing tips based on real experience. Being able to avoid mistakes that you don’t think about, but others have inadvertently made, really is worth its weight in gold. We all have such limited time there, so everyone wants to make the most of it.
My next spot to visit in my hotlist.
I would love to visit Mickey not so scary Halloween party later in future, thanks for sharing.
There are some really good tips here for sure. We have been to this party and it is such a good time in the party x
When Disney encounters this way of entertaining I love it even more.
I never ever go under the assumption that the park will be empty as every time I think it will be it isn’t. What better excuse to dress up than the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party, children or adults! I hear the food is fantastic and the parade is pretty cool as well.
This is getting added to my list of places to visit (once traveling is allowed again).