The Halloween season starts in August at Walt Disney World. Can you believe it? Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party 2023 dates are August 11 to November 1, 2023. This awesome after-hours Disney Halloween party is offered on select nights. With a price tag averaging $150 it's quite the expense – and yet if you're a Disney fan or love Halloween, it's hard to beat.
So to maximize your Disney dollars and give you the spookiest time ever, read over our Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party Tips and Guide. We'll go over tips to save time and make the most of the party, must do experiences, good treats to try, and ideas just for couples looking to have a spooky date night.
Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party Tips
- Get there at 4:00pm
- Eat a good meal before loading up on Halloween candy and treats
- Hit some rides during the first parade
- Rest your feet while you watch the Not-So-Spooky Spectacular Fireworks
- See the second parade
- See the last performance of Hocus Pocus Villian Spectacular at midnight
- Monsters Inc. Comedy Laugh Floor – a double trick or treat station, with ongoing performances and seats
- Try at least one party exclusive food – the Sweet Corn Almond Cake was our favorite
- Stop for at least one Halloween photo opportunity with special Disney's PhotoPass effects
- Pace yourself so you can stay all the way to the end of the night
Party nights in August cost less than September and October. There's even a party date on Friday the 13th, October 13, 2023 and it is one of the most expensive night available. Some nights are already sold out!
Trick or Treat Stations
As you can see from our tips above, we recommend some trick or treating during the party. Yes, adults can trick or treat without kiddos along. It's totally okay. And costumes are enthusiastically encouraged so come up with a cute couple's costume or at least wear something festive.
The candy is provided by Mars Wrigley company so stop by the trick or treat stations anytime you see one. Your bag will be filled with treats like Snickers bars, Milky Ways, Starbursts, M&Ms, and more.
There are 14 stations throughout Magic Kingdom. Each land has at least one. Frontierland and Adventureland have the most trick or treat stations and are close together. The stations are marked on the Halloween Party Guide Map with an orange lollipop.
Allergy-friendly: If anyone in your party has food allergies and would like allergy-friendly treats, ask for an allergy-friendly treat bag when you arrive. During the trick or treating these guests will receive a teal allergy-friendly token to redeem for allergy-friendly treats.
There are two redemption locations one in Liberty Square (which closes by midnight) and another on Main Street USA near the front of the park, inside the Chamber of Commerce building.
Guests can tell the Cast Members which options they would like, which include allergy-friendly gummy bears, lollipops, sunflower butter and chocolate cups, and much more. My son has multiple food allergies and I really enjoyed this process with him. Just be sure to visit the allergy-friendly centers before the party is over.
Disney Halloween Attractions with the Longest Lines
- Jack Skellington and Sally characters at Town Square Theater
- Seven Dwarves meet and greet
- Pirates of the Caribbean (live actors for a Halloween touch)
- Space Mountain (in complete darkness for a Halloween touch)
- Most Halloween character greetings have super long lines, consider the dance parties as an alternative
TRON Lightcycle / Run presented by Enterprise – Virtual Queue Access Only
An opportunity to request to join the virtual queue will be available at 6:00 PM for Guests attending Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Guests will need to use the My Disney Experience app to enter this attraction. A standby queue for this attraction will not be available during the event. Each Guest can request to enter this virtual queue no more than once per event.
What time does Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party start?
Officially Mickey's Halloween Party starts at 7:00pm and goes until midnight. However, you can actually get into the Magic Kingdom for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party as early as 4:00pm. For the best date night we recommend taking advantage of the extra time.
Just pay very close attention to the signs at the Magic Kingdom entrance to be sure you use a designated entrance for the Halloween party itself. And you must get a wristband after entering.
When you get into the park at 4:00pm with your Halloween party ticket, get your wristband, then go get your trick or treat bag and enjoy being in the park early. The Halloween festivities will not take place until 7:00pm, but you can ride some rides or get something to eat before the party begins.
Tip – Consider making a dining reservation at one of the table service restaurants before the party begins so you've got some good fuel to keep going for the whole party.
Jack Skellington and Sally characters at Town Square Theater are by far the most popular greeting of the party. The line actually begins forming at 4:00pm and the characters usually start greeting around 6:30pm. Personally, that's too much for me and I would rather go enjoy other activities in Magic Kingdom. So be sure to discuss this with each other and decide what you prefer to do.
Rides with Special Halloween Effects
- Mad Tea Party (aka the “tea cups”)
- Monsters Inc Comedy Laugh Floor (continuous interactions)
- Space Mountain
Special Halloween Effects 2023
Something super fun to do together is to ride at least one of the rides with special Halloween effects. These special effects only happen during Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.
This year all the Halloween special attractions are in Tomorrowland. You can go into deep space as Space Mountain is in complete and utter darkness. The projections and lights that are normally shining within Space Mountain are turned off. Do you dare give it a try?
If the lines are too long then Mad Tea Party is a great choice. Special Halloween songs and party lighting are used to make the tea cups a little spooky. Remember to decide beforehand just how much you do, or do not, want to spin the tea cups. Personally, I find the ride to be pretty mild if I don't spin the teacup myself and just ride it out as it swoops around the platform.
Must do – Maybe I like corny jokes too much now that I am a mom, but I love Monsters Inc Comedy Laugh Floor during the Halloween party. It's actually a trick or treat station with not one, but two doses of treats.
And you can sit and rest your feet for a few minutes while the monsters interact with the audience telling Halloween themed jokes. You can get up and walk out anytime you wish. I enjoyed resting my feet and nibbling a few bites of the Halloween candy I had earned.
Note that this year Pirates of the Caribbean does not have
Mickey's Halloween Party Exclusive Food 2023
Speaking of corny, one of the new party-exclusive treats we're looking forward to trying is the Candy Corn Milkshake: Sweet corn soft-serve topped with whipped cream and sweet potato corn bread nuggets.
There are now 30 different No So Scary Halloween Party exclusive food and drinks!
Here's what we loved and some that sound awesome:
- Apple Fritter Sundae: Apple fritters topped with choice of ice cream, whipped cream, and sprinkles (New – Plaza Ice Cream Parlor)
- Jack Pop: Chocolate fudge brownie with marshmallow filling and topped with a Jack chocolate piece (New -Churro Cart near Cinderella Castle)
- Sally Pop: Yellow pop with raspberry filling topped with a Sally chocolate piece (New -Churro Cart near Cinderella Castle)
- Skull Brownie: Mexican-spiced chocolate brownie with dulce de leche filling and sugar eyes (New -Outdoor Vending Cart near The Haunted Mansion)
- Cajun Burger: Cajun-spiced all-beef patty topped with fried green tomato, Cajun Andouille dip, and Creole remoulade served on a black bun (New – Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Café)
- Bowl of Bones: Bone-in piggy wings fried with fresh jalapeños tossed in Coca-Cola Cherry barbecue sauce(New – Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Café)
- Buffalo Chicken Hand Pie with spicy ranch drizzle and blue cheese powder (NEW – The Friar’s Nook)
Watch this video below to get more details on the delicious Halloween Party FOOD AND DRINKS from last year
Special Halloween Photos
Disney's PhotoPass is a great way to capture some magical photos together on your spooky date. There are five main Halloween magic shot opportunities during Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.
Our favorite Halloween photos spots should be on your to-do list during the party:
- Hitchhiking Ghosts Magic Shot
- Oogie Boogie Magic Shot
- Headless Horseman Magic Shot
The Hitchhiking Ghost Magic Shot is perfect for Haunted Mansion fans. It is near the exit of Haunted Mansion as well as behind Sleepy Hallow in Liberty Square. You'll also find the Headless Horseman Magic Shot near Hall of Presidents at Liberty Square. The lines may seem long, but they usually take less than 10 minutes and you can entertain yourselves by watching other guests get their photos and practice your poses.
Near Cinderella Castle we found a PhotoPass Cast Member and asked for a photo. Little did we know when the photo showed up in our My Disney Experience app that Oogie Boogie from The Nightmare Before Christmas would show up as a spooky moon in our photo.
Whether you attend the party with friends, family, or on a date these fun photos will be the perfect keepsake of your spooky night.
Halloween Fireworks and Parade
The Halloween fireworks are an absolute must-see! Do not skip this, and do not settle for a view off to the side of behind the castle. The entire show is more than fireworks. There are super cool projects and effects on the castle plus special fireworks effects. The finale is not to be missed.
I suggest viewing the fireworks near Casey's Corner or the Ice Cream Parlor. The sweet spot is watching the fireworks with a good view of the castle without being too close.
Be sure to check out these essential tips for viewing the Disney Halloween Fireworks.
Skeletons on the Castle Disney's Not-So-Spooky Spectacular Fireworks – image by Dani Meyering
Get your spot for the fireworks on Main Street USA about 20 – 30 minutes before showtime.
- At 9:50pm get your spot for 10:15 pm Not-So-Spooky Spectacular fireworks
- Stay in your fireworks spot, or nearby, for 11:15 pm Boo to You Parade
- Head close to Cinderella Castle for 12:00 am Hocus Pocus Villian Spectacular
Fireworks Dessert Party
If you’re looking for an extra sweet addition to your evening, the Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular Dessert Party serves up all-you-care-to-enjoy sweet treats and specialty drinks, as well as private viewing for the nighttime fireworks spectacular.
Please note, we attended Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party complimentary. Our group of publications received an invitation to attend the event by Disney Parks.
Attending with kids? Head to Tampa Bay Parenting for A Parent’s Guide to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party 2023
