We had the good fortune to visit Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida earlier in September. Quite a departure from some of the other Halloween-themed events we typically visit in Florida, MNSSHP is an annual event with a heavy emphasis on family-friendly fun. You won’t find blood, gore, or scary haunted houses. Rather, Walt Disney World decorates with fall and Halloween themed goodness, Mickey shaped pumpkins, and adults and children alike are welcome to trick or treat in the happiest place on Earth!

On select nights in September and October, the Magic Kingdom converts to MNSSHP as a separately ticketable event in the evenings (even during select weekday nights, which is great for avoiding weekend crowds, I’d imagine). The majority of visitors to the park attend in costume, already making the event have the feel of a family friendly Halloween party. I dressed as Batman … well, I wore a Batman shirt that had a cape on it.

The main events of MNSSHP include:

• Trick or Treating: There are a number of trick or treating stations located around the park. One of the stations we hit took us directly into the Enchanted Tiki Room for THREE candy stations. The candy stations themselves have huge barrels overflowing with different types of candy (you get a treat bag when you enter the park), and you get handfuls from each station. Some stations have different types of treats, including a Peeps station, and a Craisins station. You can’t help but get wrapped up in the excitement of trick or treating, especially if you haven’t done so since you were a kid!
• Boo-to-You Parade: You absolutely need to check out this awesome parade, led by the Headless Horseman (who pops up a couple of minutes BEFORE the parade, FYI). It’s a definite highlight of the event, and I recommend trying to catch it in Frontierland, near the beginning of the parade. It allows you to hit other attractions while most other folks are waiting for the parade near the front of the park. And you can’t help but get that “Boo To You” song stuck in your head for days after.
• Hocus Pocus Villains Spelltacular: I will admit I’ve never seen Hocus Pocus, so the introduction of the three witches into the Villians stage show is a little lost on me. However the show itself is always a great deal of fun, especially seeing characters you are unlikely to see anywhere else.
• Hallowishes Fireworks: I love fireworks, but rarely go to see them because I’m not a huge fan of the crowds that come with them. The Hallowishes fireworks are some of the most impressive I’ve ever seen, and I love them in conjunction with the light show on the castle and the seasonally appropriate music.
• Rides: Though no rides are changed for MNSSHP, the ability to walk on rides like Haunted Mansion (a “13” minute wait, which was awesome), Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Space Mountain is an added benefit of the event. Though obviously you don’t want to waste time doing stuff you can normally do at the Magic Kingdom, with no wait, and if you’ve hit most of the other stuff, check out some of the rides near the end of the night. Special attention to the Haunted Mansion, which has exclusive photo opportunities for the event.
• Special Photo Opportunities: Everyone knows about Jack and Sally, but there are a number of exclusive photo opportunities, including Winnie the Pooh and the entire gang in their Halloween costumes, the Seven Dwarfs, and more.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a special time at the Magic Kingdom – the joy of the Halloween season is fully on display, and you can’t help but feel like a kid again, trick or treating and interacting with the beloved characters you grew up with. Whether you’re a parent or not, I highly recommend checking it out.

For more information and specific dates and pricing, check out the official site. Also check out our video from the event below!