One of the best parades at Disney…Many people have told me recently that Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party has been extremely crowded this year. Some of these people are wondering if the party is still worth it. Only you can decide, but personally I think that it is.
Let me state right off that I have only been to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party one time this year, and I was hosted by Disney. That said, it was the first party of the year, and it was sold out. Even with the crowd, I had a fantastic time.
In my opinion, one of the most important things to do when attending Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (or Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party) is to arrive at 4:00. That gives you three hours to hit rides and get something to eat. I’ll usually check the My Disney Experience App and head to the rides with the lowest Wait Times.
Another thing that you need to do is to have a plan. If meeting characters is important, get into line early. If you’re there to ride everything, use FastPass+ the two hours before the party starts, then start on your other favorites. (Don’t miss Space Mountain, the Halloween overlay might be my favorite thing at the Magic Kingdom.) If it’s trick or treating that you’re there for, start at the spots in the back of the park. I’ve found that those lines are shorter than those in the front.
In my opinion, the parade and the fireworks alone are worth the price of admission. Remember that the parade is held twice each party. The second one is less hectic. Walk the parade route (it’s on the map) and secure a spot, you don’t have to watch in front of Cinderella Castle.
I like to do everything in the back of the park before the fireworks, then make my way forward. I’ll find a spot for the fireworks on the Frontierland side of Main Street, U.S.A. about half an hour before the fireworks. I’ll then grab a spot for the second parade along the Frontierland part of the route.
The party ends at midnight, which is also the time that the last Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular starts. I like to watch the last show, because I feel like I’m getting an extra half hour of the party for free. Sometimes I miss it, though, because I might be in line for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. I’ve gotten into the line for it at 11:59, encouraged by a Cast Member.
To answer my original question again, even on a crowded night I think that Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is worth the price. It may not be empty like some people expect, but it is still a lot of fun. Just don’t complain to me if the Boo to You song from the parade gets stuck in your head. It happens to me every year. In fact, it’s stuck in my head now.