Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is BACK in Disney World after a 2-year hiatus. This party includes an exclusive parade, a Halloween fireworks show, lots of rare characters, ride overlays, and more. There’s a LOT to keep track of if you want to maximize your time at the party — and we’re here to help you out.

Whether it’s your first time at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary or your 50th, you probably have questions about how the party works, what’s different or new this year, what things you should definitely not miss, what crowds are like at the party, and so on. We’ve gathered up a list of your questions, and we have all the answers!

Click on a question to jump to the answer!

• What’s Included in the Price of Your Ticket?
• What Time Are the Shows, Fireworks, and Parades?
• What’s New at the Party This Year?
• How Crowded Will the Party Be?
• Which Characters Can You Meet at the Party?
• Which Treats Should You NOT MISS at the Party?
• What Kind of Candy Is Passed Out for Trick-or-Treating?
• Should You Bring a Trick-or-Treat Bucket?
• Are there Allergy-Friendly Treats?
• Are Sit-Down Restaurants Open During the Party?
• Which Rides Are Open During the Party?
• Are there Halloween Ride Overlays?
• Is Genie+ Available During the Party?
• What’s Different for the 50th Anniversary this Year?
• Are the Fireworks Dessert Parties Worth the Cost?
• What Should I Do If the Parade or Fireworks Are Rained Out?
• What Kinds of Costumes Are Allowed at the Party?
• Do I Need a Park Pass Reservation If I Have a Party Ticket?
• Do I Have to Leave and Re-Enter Magic Kingdom If I’m Already Spending the Day in the Park?
• What Time Does Magic Kingdom Close for Day Guests on Party Days?
• Are there any Photo Ops or Magic Shots at the Party?
• What Kind of Exclusive Merchandise Is Available at the Party?<

What’s Included in the Price of Your Ticket?

• Trick-or-Treating at designated spots throughout the Magic Kingdom (with allergy-friendly options available — Request an allergy-friendly treat bag from a Cast Member), as well as party-exclusive treats available for an extra cost
• Guest-only access to Magic Kingdom attractions (some with Halloween overlays)
• The Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular show
• Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular fireworks show
• The Boo-To-You Halloween Parade (with NEW 90s pals like Powerline Max this year)

• Disney Junior Jam Dance Party at Storybook Circus
•  ZOM-BEATZ BASH Dance Party at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café
• Exclusive entertainment such as the Cadaver Dans Barbershop Quartet
• Photo opportunities with Disney characters in their Halloween costumes and event-exclusive 3D step-in photo opportunities
• Party-exclusive snacks and merchandise available for extra purchase
• Guests will receive guests a “reusable trick-or-treat bag featuring a keepsake 50th Anniversary celebration and Halloween design” and a “Halloween-themed 50th Anniversary celebration commemorative print!”

What Time Are the Shows, Fireworks, and Parades?

Here’s a schedule of events at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party:

• The Boo-to-You Parade runs twice — once at 9:15PM and again at 11:15PM each night (weather permitting)
• Mickey’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular fireworks show happens at 10:15PM at the Cinderella Castle

• The Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular show takes place at the Cinderella Castle at 8:35PM, 10:45PM, and midnight. (Those times will change to 7:40PM, 8:35PM, 10:45PM, and midnight for parties in October.)
• The Cadaver Dans can be found in Frontierland at 7PM, 7:45PM, 8:30PM, 9:50PM, and 10:30PM.

Remember that shows are subject to be canceled or changed due to weather.

What’s New at the Party This Year?

Take a look at some new additions to the party this year:

• Max Goof has joined the Boo-to-You parade, dressed as superstar Powerline from A Goofy Movie.
• A new dance party this year takes place at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café with a Zombies theme! The dance party is inspired by the Disney Channel original movie ZOMBIES, and it’s called the ZOM-BEATZ BASH. Zombies and Cheerleaders are there, dancing along with party-goers.

• The new treat bags this year are reusable, and they have a Halloween-themed 50th Anniversary design on them to celebrate Disney World’s big anniversary.
• There are Halloween-themed 50th Anniversary prints for people to take home.
• There are 3D photo backdrops throughout Magic Kingdom, which you’ll be able to step inside to take a photo.

How Crowded Will the Party Be?

From our experience at 2 different Not-So-Scary parties this year, Magic Kingdom feels much less crowded during most of the party. There are pretty big crowds at the entrance to get inside around 4PM, and you’ll be surrounded by a lot of people during the fireworks show and parade as well.

But many of the rides had wait times of 20 minutes or less, and we didn’t have to wait in any long lines to trick-or-treat.

Which Characters Can You Meet at the Party?

You can find many rare characters in Magic Kingdom during this party, including a lot of great Disney villains and some classic characters dressed up in Halloween costumes!

Here are some that we spotted:

• Stitch dressed as Elvis (in Tomorrowland)
• Madam Renatta (in front of the Haunted Mansion)
• Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum (in Fantasyland)
• Alice and the Mad Hatter
• Jafar, Abu, and Genie (in Adventureland)
• the Country Bears (in Frontierland)
• Jack and Sally (at the Main Street Theater)
• George Sanderson (from Monsters, Inc.)

And, of course, you can see Max dressed as Powerline in the Boo-to-You Parade. Make sure you’re standing along the front half of Main Street, U.S.A. (closer to the railroad station) or by the Confectionery for the best chance to see him! He doesn’t walk the full parade route.

Don’t miss the Headless Horseman, who will ride ahead of the Boo-to-You Parade, weather permitting.

Which Treats Should You NOT MISS at the Party?

We have full reviews of all the Halloween treats at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party! Check those out to see which treats sound the tastiest to you.

A few of our favorites were the Sweet Almond Corn Cake, Worms and Dirt Funnel Cake, and the Coco Brownie.

Click here to read ALL our reviews of the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween treats.

What Kind of Candy Is Passed Out for Trick-or-Treating?

At most trick-or-treat locations, Disney Cast Members pass out “fun-sized” packets of Mars-Wrigley candy. You’ll get treats like M&Ms, Skittles, Twix bars, etc.

But there was one location offering full-sized bags of M&Ms during the party!

Should You Bring a Trick-or-Treat Bucket?

Disney gives party-goers a free reusable trick-or-treating bag, so there’s no need to bring your own!

However, you’re welcome to bring one if you’d prefer to do that.

Are there Allergy-Friendly Treats?

Yes! If you’re trick-or-treating and you have a food allergy, ask a Cast Member for an allergy-friendly bag. You’ll get a different, teal-colored bag so that the Cast Members at trick-or-treat locations know to give you a teal token instead of candy.

When you’re finished trick-or-treating, simply take those tokens to one of the redemption locations to trade them in for candy that’s safe for you!

Are Sit-Down Restaurants Open During the Party?

Two sit-down restaurants are open during the party, and they both require reservations if you want to dine there. You can eat at Cinderella’s Royal Table or Be Our Guest Restaurant during party hours. Reservations opened for both restaurants on August 9th, so we recommend booking those reservations ASAP if you want a table service meal during the party.

Other sit-down restaurants in Magic Kingdom will not be available during the party. Before you make a reservation at one of the 2 available table service restaurants, remember that these meals are often fairly long and that you may have to take valuable (limited!) party time in order to dine at either of these spots. Your meal is NOT included in the party ticket.

Which Rides Are Open During the Party?

Here’s a full list of which rides are open during the party:

Adventureland

• Swiss Family Treehouse
• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• Pirates of the Caribbean (with a spooky overlay!)

Frontierland

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Splash Mountain

Liberty Square

• Haunted Mansion

Fantasyland

• Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• “it’s a small world”
• Under the Sea — Journey of The Little Mermaid
• Mad Tea Party (with a spooky overlay!)
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Storybook Circus

• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• The Barnstormer

Tomorrowland

• Tomorrowland Speedway
• Space Mountain (with a spooky overlay!)
• Astro Orbiter
• Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor (with a spooky overlay!)
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin

Are There Halloween Ride Overlays?

As you might have seen from the last question, YES there are Halloween ride overlays this year. At Pirates of the Caribbean, you can see live pirate characters in the queue and on the ride.

Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor has a Halloween segment as well, where you might hear some spooky jokes.

Over in Fantasyland, the Mad Tea Cups have Halloween lighting and some spooky music.

And finally, Deep Space Mountain has returned this year!

The ride itself is the same, but the lights are off and there’s Halloween music playing.

Is Genie+ Available During the Party?

We tried to use Genie+ during the party once to find out if it was available, but we can confirm that Genie+ is NOT available during the party. 

However, from our experiences on two different party nights, ride wait times are usually very low. Most rides didn’t have wait times over about 25 minutes, and many (including popular rides like Splash Mountain) were walk-ons while we were there.

What’s Different for the 50th Anniversary This Year?

There are a couple of 50th Anniversary touches this year as Disney World continues its celebrations. First of all, the trick-or-treat candy bag has Disney World’s 50th Anniversary logo on it!

And there’s a special 50th Anniversary souvenir lithograph that’s handed out to guests as they leave the party (while supplies last).

This free souvenir shows the Cinderella Castle with both 50th and Halloween decorations.

Are the Fireworks Dessert Parties Worth the Cost?

If you want to guarantee a good spot to watch the fireworks without spending time reserving your seat, you may want to consider one of the fireworks dessert parties.

They’re located at the Tomorrowland Terrace restaurant, and there are a couple of options:

Tomorrowland Terrace Dessert Party:

• $115 for adults, $69 for kids (ages 3 to 9)
• Includes a buffet of treats and drinks at Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant
  • Treats include chocolate-dipped strawberries, cupcakes, seasonal fruits, cheeses, and other “ghoulish goodies”
  • Drinks are sparkling beverages, signature lemonades, coffee, and tea; beer and wine will be available to Guests ages 21 and over
• Reserved seating in the dining room of the Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant
• Check-in time is 1 hour before the fireworks begin. You will check in at the entrance to the Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant

Plaza Garden Dessert Party:

• $99 for adults, $59 for kids (ages 3 to 9)
• Includes a buffet of treats and drinks at Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant
  • Treats include chocolate-dipped strawberries, cupcakes, seasonal fruits, cheeses, and other “ghoulish goodies”
  • Drinks are sparkling beverages, signature lemonades, coffee, and tea; beer and wine will be available to Guests ages 21 and over
• Reserved standing space in the Plaza Garden, located in front of Cinderella Castle, to watch the fireworks
• Check-in begins 1.5 hours before fireworks begin. Guests can check in at the entrance to Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant.

Whether or not the dessert party is worth it for you will depend on your budget and priorities. It can be nice to save time and not worry about reserving your spot for the fireworks! However, even without staking out a spot hours in advance, we were able to find a great viewing position.

Another factor to consider is the treats. If the desserts sound amazing to you, you may want to pay for the party. But remember that there are a LOT of party-exclusive Halloween treats that can be found at various quick service restaurants around the park. And you can also get candy by trick-or-treating at the various stations around Magic Kingdom! So if you’re going to fill up on those treats, you may want to skip the dessert parties.

Still can’t decide? You can read our FULL review here! 

What Should I Do if the Parade or Fireworks Are Rained Out?

If you’re at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party or another after-hours type event and some of the entertainment is canceled due to weather, Disney might offer you a “rain check.” Head to a Guest Relations desk and ask about this possibility — they may be able to give you a new party ticket for another night as compensation.

On the first night of the party, one of the parade showings was canceled and the fireworks show was delayed. As a result, Guest Relations was offering comped tickets to party-goers. These tickets could work as a ticket for a different night of the party, a 1-day park ticket, or a ticket to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Often, these compensations are offered on a case-by-case basis, and they will not always be offered at all. But it never hurts to (politely) ask!

Click here to learn more about rain checks.

What Kinds of Costumes Are Allowed at the Party?

This is one of the only times when adults are welcome to wear a full costume in Disney World! Disney encourages guests to dress up for the party, and we’ve seen some awesome costumes already.

However, there are some rules when it comes to dressing up. Here’s a look at Disney’s guidelines:

For kids (ages 13 and under): “Costumes and some costume masks may be worn; masks must provide unobstructed peripheral vision at all times with openings that allow the eyes to be fully seen.”

For adults (ages 14 and over): “Costumes may be worn according to these guidelines:

• All Guests may dress as their favorite character, but may not pose for pictures or sign autographs for other Guests.
• Costumes must be family-friendly and may not be obstructive, offensive, objectionable, or violent.
• Costumes may not contain any props or accessories that resemble or could easily be mistaken for an actual weapon.
• Costumes may not contain sharp objects, pointed objects, or materials that may accidentally strike another Guest.
• Layered costumes or costume props that surround the entire body are strongly discouraged and may be subject to additional security screening.
• Costumes may not reach or drag on the ground (for example, full-length Princess dresses).
• Capes may be worn if the length does not go below the waist.
• Themed t-shirts, blouses, sweatshirts, and hats are acceptable.
• Acceptable accessories include: transparent wings, plastic light sabers, toy swords, and tutus. Costume headwear may be worn as long as it does not cover the face.
• Costume masks of any kind may not be worn.

Guests who do not adhere to these guidelines may be refused entry into, and/or removed from Disney parks, unless his or her costume can be modified to meet the above standards.”

Need some inspiration? See 17 costume ideas for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party here!

Do I Need a Park Pass Reservation if I Have a Party Ticket?

If you have a ticket to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, you do NOT need a Magic Kingdom park pass reservation or park ticket.

Do I Have to Leave and Re-Enter Magic Kingdom if I’m Already Spending the Day in the Park?

If you choose to buy a park ticket and have a park pass reservation for Magic Kingdom on the day you’re going to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, you will not have to leave Magic Kingdom and re-enter once the party begins. You can stay inside the park and hop right into the celebrations once they begin!

Remember to get your wristband from one of the designated wristband stations so that Cast Members know you’re staying for the party. There are a few different stations throughout the park where you can get your wristband.

What Time Does Magic Kingdom Close for Day Guests on Party Days?

Magic Kingdom closes for day guests at 6PM on days when there’s a Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.

If you have a park ticket and park pass reservation for Magic Kingdom but do NOT have a Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party ticket, you will have to exit the park by 6PM. Disney hands out wristbands to party-goers so that Cast Members know who is staying for the party.

Are there any Photo Ops or Magic Shots at the Party?

Yes! There are a few different 3D photo backdrops throughout the park, and you can find several Magic Shots as well.

Just ask a PhotoPass photographer which Magic Shots they have available at each location, and they’ll help you pose with a jack-o-lantern, ghost, or other spooky props!

Click here to see ALL the Magic Shots available at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.

What Kind of Exclusive Merchandise Is Available at the Party?

We’ve found all kinds of exclusive merchandise at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. For example, you can get a black and orange tie-dye Spirit Jersey, some candy bowls, an ornament, and more.

However, we haven’t yet seen a party-exclusive MagicBand or Minnie ears. We’ll be sure to update you if we find those!

Check out all of the exclusive Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party merchandise here.

Have a question that’s not on this list? Reach out to us on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook and our wonderful Social Media team will be able to help you out. If you’re looking for more information about Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, you can check out our full video about the event or read our complete guide!

Click here for our complete guide to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.

We’ll continue to bring you all the latest updates from Disney World as well as tips and tricks to help you make the most of your upcoming vacation. Stay tuned to DFB!

Click here to find out why you need to arrive EARLY at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.

What other questions do you still have about Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party? Let us know in the comments.