It’s no secret that fall is a wonderful time to visit Disney World – the weather is cooler, the crowds are down but the magic is in full force.  In October, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party is the place to be!

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a Halloween-themed special event held from 7 p.m. – midnight on select dates in in the Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World.  Purchase of an additional event admission ticket is required to attend Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.  In 2012 the ticket prices ranged from $50 – $65, depending on the date of your visit.

Main Street WDW

Disney describes the event as follows:

During Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Guests of all ages are encouraged to dress up in their favorite Halloween costumes. Even better, you can collect delicious candy as you trick-or-treat around Magic Kingdom theme park.

In addition to many favorite Disney attractions, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is filled with special entertainment, including:

• Mickey’s “Boo-to-You” Halloween Parade—including Disney Characters and the stars of the Haunted Mansion attraction. The parade begins with a spook-tacular ride by the Headless Horseman.
• Happy HalloWishes—a spectacular fireworks show where the Disney Villains go trick-or-treating in the sky.
• Many favorite Disney Characters and Disney Villains in special Halloween costumes.
• Special lighting, music and theming effects transforms special areas of Magic Kingdom theme park into happy haunted hollows.

The tone of the event is, well, “Not-So-Scary”, and is appropriate for children of all ages.

As with everything involved with a Disney vacation, this is not a cheap experience but, in my opinion, it was well worth the price.  Here are some tips and tricks to make your Halloween trip a blast!

1. The event get more crowded (and more expensive) the closer to Halloween you get.  The week before Halloween is a perfect time to visit – close enough that you already have costumes but far enough that it isn’t overly crowded.
2. Leave the trick or treating until the end.  When you first arrive, you will find lines at all the candy stations but virtually no lines for the rides.  We literally would get off a ride and run around to the entrance and hop right back on – a rarity on rides like Thunder Mountain Railroad and Splash Mountain.  A few hours in, the candy stations have plenty of candy and no lines – plus you don’t have to lug the candy around all evening.
3. The parade starts near Splash Mountain and this is a great place to find a spot and watch.  There seem to be a lot of really little kids that don’t venture to the back of FrontierLand.
4. The Spooky Mansion is the most crowded ride – get there early!
5. The dance parties are fun if you are in the area where they are being hosted; however, one is probably enough.
6. I loved the Villain’s show but if your little one is scared of the Disney Villains, it’s best to avoid (it isn’t scary but sometimes seeing them on stage is enough to trigger nightmares).
7. The crowds really begin to thin after the 8:15 parade and 9:30 fireworks.  With the park open until midnight, these last few hours are some of the best you will ever spend in the park – no lines and candy everywhere!
8. There is a limited amount of Halloween themed merchandise available for sale each night so if you see something you simply must have (the orange ears, for example) buy it when you see it!
9. For younger kids, consider a quiet period from around 4 – 6 (maybe catch a Disney movie in your hotel room) so they have plenty of energy for the party.  Also, plan on a late morning the next day to give everyone a chance to recover.
10. HAVE FUN!!

Happy Travels!

Disney halloween · General Travel With Kids

Emily did a second review of the Planet Explorers Walt Disney World guide book after we returned home.

Hi I’m Emily, (almost 10), and we (my family and I) just returned from a trip to Walt Disney World. These are the things I wish Laura Schaefer had mentioned in her wonderful E-book (Planet Explorers Walt Disney World, a guidebook for kids): 

• The E-book was helpful but I wish she told you when the four most popular parks (Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood studios, and Epcot) opened and closed.

• I also wish the author told about the special hours (on certain magical nights) for guests staying on Walt Disney World property.

• I think most people would appreciate knowing there are cards (which are very helpful) you can pick up (found with the park maps) which have the magic hours (regular park hours), times and what kind of shows and parades, where you can meet characters and at what time.  An important thing to remember is there is a separate card for all the parks.

• I think she should have mentioned the Disney Meal Plan, or the Disney snack plan. It can save you money and is worth considering.

Now you know my opinion on what I think the author should of changed. Overall, she did a wonderful job, and I still recommend that you read this book!

I also found the book a fun way to let kids help with the overall trip planning.  She included just the right amount of information to be useful but not overwhelming.

The book costs $3 and you can find the ebook here: http://www.planet-explorers.net/.

Legal note:  We purchased a copy of the guide for review and received no compensation monetary or otherwise for our reviews.

disney · planet explorers review