It’s that time of the year at Walt Disney World! Its theme parks are decorated to the hilt with autumn beauty, and the temperatures and crowds are getting lower. No wonder it’s our fave time of the year to visit! Add in Disney World Halloween party fun and I’m doing the happy dance on Main Street U.S.A. And, while you may have your costume locked down and your tickets bought, you may not know about these party hacks. From when to visit to queueing up for character meet and greet fun, here’s our best Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party hacks!
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Get Your Tickets Early and Save Money
If you’re planning on attending on October 31st, get your tickets super early – it’s generally the first night to sell out! If you’re looking for discounts, you’ll find them for Annual Passholders early in the party season, but you can save with Undercover Tourist as well and honestly, it’s the only third party seller we trust. Save up to $19 on Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party tickets!
The Party Lasts from 7pm to Midnight – or Does it?
Yes, tickets for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) tell you that the party is from 7pm to midnight. While that’s five hours to get your fun on, you can add three hours to the beginning of the ticket. Magic Kingdom turnstiles will start taking tickets beginning at 4pm, giving you three hours to eat, take photos, even hop on a few rides.
Queue Up Early for Popular Characters
For MNSSHP, characters come out for meet and greet sessions beginning at 7pm. The super popular ones like Jack Skellington and The Seven Dwarfs will have lines two hours in length or longer. This is where entering the gates early allow you to queue up early for them. Sure, you’ll still be waiting in line for a while, but if you get the one you really want to see out of the early, you’ll still have time to enjoy the party for longer.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Hacks: All the Candy
Two things regarding Halloween candy at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: there’s tons and you can queue up for as much as you want. You’ll get a trick-or-treat bag when you enter and you’ll be able to ask for additional bags if you like. Here’s my tip: bring a non-expensive bag from home (or even a backpack) and keep dumping your candy into it.
If you or the kids have food allergies, ask for allergy tokens in the trick-or-treat queues. You’ll be able to turn them in at a trade-in station on Main Street U.S.A.
Last thing: toward the end of the party, cast members tend to be a bit more generous when it comes to passing out candy. If you want the most candy at the least amount of stops, visit the candy stations as the party winds down.
Tip: If you’re spending Halloween at Disney World, make sure you check the Activities Guide. On Halloween night, there’s free trick-or-treating and other activities at the on-property resorts around the Main Pool area.
Which Witches to Watch and Where?
One of my favorite WDW shows, Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular, is such a fun watch. It’s filled with infamous Disney Villains including The Sanderson Sisters (our faves!). The best tip for the show is that there’s two showings – and the latter is much less crowded.
If you want to catch the first showing, my tip for you is from learning it the hard way. We scored a great spot in front of the castle and couldn’t wait to see it in person. As soon as the show’s music began, our view was completely blocked by kiddos sitting on the tops of their parents’ shoulders. Don’t get me wrong, the kiddos needed to see the show, too. But, our view would have been better a little further back in the hub.
The same goes for WDW’s Boo to You! Halloween Parade. If you’d like a little more elbow room, catch the second showing.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Hacks: Special Photo Ops
Throughout Magic Kingdom during the party, Photopass photographers will offer special photo ops. These include adding in characters and animations to the photos they take. You can view them via your My Disney Experience app almost immediately, too. A perk of having an Annual Pass is free Photopass pics, but even if you don’t have it for the duration of your trip, you can purchase it for a single day. We’ve done it for the party and it was worth it. Tip: At least one Photopass photo must be in your account to purchase a single day Memory Maker package.
Halloween Fireworks Tips
Again, here’s where the early bird catches the worm. Since there’s only one Halloween Party fireworks viewing per night, you’re going to have to find a spot early if you want near the hub or Cinderella Castle. If not, you can generally find a spot along Main Street U.S.A. and Town Square with little effort.
If you’re more interested in the fireworks experience than the projected show on the castle, head to Fantasyland for a 360 degree fireworks show. We’ve done it several times and loved it!
Have you ever attended Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party? What’s your best tips for visiting? Please let me know in the comment section below!
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