5 Tips for MNSSHP
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Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is one of Disney World’s biggest after-hours events. Starting in August, Disney rolls out the Mickey pumpkin lanterns and fall buntings at Magic Kingdom for a family-friendly party.
This is a separate-ticketed event that is available on select nights, and prices this year range from $144-$224 with some October dates already sold out. Even though some dates and prices are cheaper than a regular park ticket, the downside to this party is that it’s only from 7 p.m. to 12 p.m. Because of this time crunch, I’m here to let you learn from my mistakes and make a plan.
We attended our first Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in 2022 and went in blindly, which really impacted our experience. While we absolutely had fun, we didn’t maximize our time for the amount of money we spent. So, here are 5 tips to help make sure you can make the most out of Disney’s Halloween celebration.
Eat a Big Meal Before You Arrive
Even though the official party and celebrations start at 7 p.m., you are allowed park entry at 4 p.m. This is helpful as you can knock out some rides if that’s on your list, but the park closes to non-party guests at 6 p.m. Why does that matter to you? Well, in order to start moving guests out, things temporarily shut down, including food services.
Our very loose plan was to meet some Princesses we weren’t sure would be at the party, ride a couple of rides, and then grab our dinner before the party started. As we wrapped up on Dumbo around 5:45, we went to eat at Pinocchio Village Haus (don’t judge, my daughter has a dairy intolerance, and they had a dairy-free pizza!) and found it was already shut down.
They do open back up around party time, but we were trying to avoid eating our dinner during the party so we could enjoy more party-exclusive activities.The plus side is that there are exclusive items only available during the party, so if you want to try something different, you can wait until the party starts. Here is a list of quick service locations that are open for the 2026 parties via Undercover Tourist:
Aloha Isle Refreshments
Aunty Gravity's Galactic Goodies
Casey's Corner
Cheshire Café
Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café
The Friar's Nook
The Lunching Pad
Liberty Square Market
Golden Oak Outpost
Main Street Bakery
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Café
Pinocchio Village Haus
Plaza Ice Cream Parlor
Sleepy Hollow Refreshments
Storybook Treats
Mobile order should still be available, and more party-exclusive treats will be an option for your party experience. But, if you’re trying to maximize your time and get ahead of lines without being so hungry, grab a bite to eat before 5:30!
Prioritize Your Characters
One of the many perks of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is that you get to see characters in their Halloween costumes and meet some that are typically not out during the day, including Jack and Sally from The Nightmare Before Christmas. These lines can get very, very long. Meeting Ariel and Prince Eric was important for us because my son was dressed as Prince Eric.
For our experience, it worked a lot like the cruise where you’d show up for a character and the line would already be capped. We kept circling back around to catch them…and then it started raining. We spent so much time trying to catch them, we ended up standing in line for a total of an hour and 20 minutes, which really cut into our party time.
If there is a character you want to meet, either get there early, or go during off times like the parades or shows. And just be realistic about who you want to officially meet. I’d pick one or two and really plan your time wisely.
Stay for the 11:15 Parade
The Boo to You Parade is by far one of the best entertainment offerings at Mickey’s-Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. It’s filled with unique floats, characters, and the infamous Headless Horseman. Disney offers two times for this parade, 8:15 p.m. and 11:15 p.m.
People will camp out for a spot VERY early, especially for the earlier parade. If you can make it work for your family and the weather is cooperating, skip the first one and go enjoy the other activities with less crowds. Families with little ones tend to head out by 11ish and skip the second parade, so it’s less crowded.
Also, if you’re not interested in Max’s Dance Party on Main Street before the parade, try grabbing a seat in Frontierland, where the parade starts. Viewing areas tend to be better, and you can head to ride one last ride or grab more candy before the party ends.
Bring Your Own Candy Bag
Trick-or-Treating is also available at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. When you receive your party wristbands, you will also be given a small tote to carry your candy around.
And if you aren’t a big sweets person, that small tote will be just fine. However, the cast members are usually more than generous with their candy distribution. You will more than likely fill up your tote by stop two or three. So if you or your kids want to collect as much candy as possible, bring your own tote.
We are loving this one from Old Navy, as it is packable. You can also grab some others listed above, or even from the Dollar Tree!
Wear Comfortable Costumes
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween party is the one event of the year where adults and teens are allowed to dress in costumes. There are still some rules you will need to follow, which we break down over on this blog. You also do not have to dress up! It’s totally up to you, and we always say wear what makes you happy.
It’s so much fun to dress up for this event, but remember, even though you’re celebrating Halloween and the fall season, Florida is still Florida. It will more than likely be hot and humid well into October. If you plan on arriving early to the party around 4, your cute and well planned costume can become a hot mess by the time the party starts.
We have a few ideas for DisneyBounding over on this blog if you still need some last-minute ideas. It’s still a good idea to wear breathable fabrics and go easy on the layering. Cute photos are always fun and Disney provides fun PhotoPass opportunities, but you don’t want to pay a lot of money to be hot and miserable the entire time.
If Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is on your list this year, we think you will have a blast. There are so many fun shows and party-exclusive activities for all ages. My family had a great time despite our terrible planning. I would love to hear about your experience down in the comments. Until then, Happy Spooky Season!
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