2019 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Tips
This post offers our strategy guide to the 2019 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Parties at Walt Disney World and tips for making the most of the Magic Kingdom party nights, which occur August, September, and October 2019. (Last updated March 19, 2019.)
Our tips and tricks for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) are based on our experiences attending the party every year before that for the last decade, and we update this post regularly. This year, we’ve had a couple of early updates, as there are rumors of new entertainment and fireworks this year, plus 2019 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party dates have already been released and tickets have gone on sale.
To our surprise, that occurred earlier than ever before for the 2019 MNSSHP–with dates and tickets released in January. The 2019 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party dates are as follows: August 16, 20, 23, 27, 30; September 2, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27, 29; October 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 24, 25, 27, 29, and 31, plus November 1st.
Prices start at $79, with October 31, 2019 being the most expensive night, priced at $135 per ticket. Most nights in August and September cost $85 per adult, with most October nights costing $105 per adult. There are some lower and higher prices here and there, but those are the most common price points for 2019, which sees ticket prices increase around $5 for most nights as compared to last year.
Most Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party dates are unlikely to sell out for months, so there should be no rush to purchase tickets now. This is especially true if you’re on the fence about your travel dates, and want to wait and see when Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is going to open at Walt Disney World.
As for the rumored enhancements to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, the first is a replacement for Happy HalloWishes, featuring projection mapping and visual effects utilizing the infrastructure installed for Happily Ever After a couple years ago. This has been expected for a couple of years, and we’re honestly surprised it has yet to happen. Even though it’s only a rumor at this point, we’re very confident it’ll occur.
The second rumor is that Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Frontierland, plus the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover and the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor in Tomorrowland will receive party overlays. As noted below, three other attractions had ride overlays during the party, and it’s unclear as to whether any of those return. (We hope the Mad Tea Party one does…the rest won’t be missed.)
It would be a savvy move on Walt Disney World’s part to increase the number of attraction overlays. Last year’s Halloween Parties were consistently overcrowded, especially on Main Street and at character meet & greets. The attraction overlays are a good way to help absorb and redistribute some crowds, easing congestion elsewhere and (hopefully) improving the experience at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.
It’s unknown what the new ride overlays will entail, but we’d expect ‘spooky’ lighting and perhaps a new narration for the TTA, Halloween jokes in Monsters Laugh Floor, and an eerie ‘curse’ at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad somewhat akin to the Ravenswood storyline at Disneyland Paris. (Hat tip to WDWNT on these rumors.)
With that said, please note that this guide hasn’t been fully updated with new photos and tips from last year’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Parties (you can read our Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Photo Report for more thoughts and our experience attending last year’s MNSSHP). We’ll update this guide again around Summer 2019 when more substantive details are released for this year’s MNSSHP.
With that said, 95% of this information will be accurate for the 2019 MNSSHP. We’ll offer more thoughts on pricing and cover whether we think the Halloween Party is still worth the money later in the post. First, let’s detail some of the other changes to the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party…
What’s New?
In an average year, about 80% of the party is the same as it was the previous year. It’s rare for major entertainment and features of the party to change. This parade is spectacular and receives minor tweaks every year, but some are not particularly noticeable.
Typically, the changes to the party occur in terms of meet & greets, special food & merchandise, and other smaller enhancements. This year, the most heavily-touted addition is the attraction overlays:
Mad Tea Party – The teacups will take you for a colorful ride with new lighting and effects providing a different nighttime atmosphere.
Pirates of the Caribbean – New pirates will invade the attraction, interacting with sailing guests who will join the search for “Gunpowder Pete” who is a live actor in the ride.
Space Mountain – Rocket ships will hurtle through deep space as a new soundtrack and special effects transform the adventure.
As far as new characters go, you can expect to see Elvis Stitch, Pirate Goofy, Frontierland Costume Promenade, and Storybook Circus Disney Junior Jam dance party. Other character highlights will be a photo op with the Gravediggers (always a highlight of the Boo to You Parade!), Moana, and Lotso the Bear.
On the specialty food & merchandise front, there’s an Oogie Boogie Premium Popcorn Bucket will be available exclusively during the Halloween Party. Expect long lines for that–these buckets are highly collectible and there’s limited inventory for each party (it sold out at the first party).
There are also a ton of new snacks for the event this year–with some returning favorites from last year, too. There are so many special menu items that you could spend the entire party going from restaurant to restaurant ordering these items. That wouldn’t be a cheap or wise way to spend your MNSSHP time, but if you love cool Walt Disney World foods, you might have a good time doing there.
In the Boo To You Parade, there are minor differences. Exact same floats, just with tweaks to the characters and performers. New projected lighting effects and pyro were added to Hocus Pocus Villains Spelltacular (the big recent addition that we love), but this was not a major change.
Beyond those three attractions, the biggest ‘difference’ for 2019 is that there are more Halloween Party nights than ever before: 36 parties. This is up from 34 parties last year and 32 parties the year before that, which was up from 29 parties the year before, and so on. Every year for the past 5 years, there has been a record number of parties.
This is not necessarily good news. While it gives you more choices in terms of when to attend, it’s a bummer for guests who aren’t attending the party, because it means the Magic Kingdom closes at 7 p.m. several nights per week to guests who haven’t not purchased tickets for the Halloween Party.
So you can prepare for the Halloween Party now, here is our analysis based upon the last several years (we go to it yearly) to help you determine whether this expensive hard ticket event is worth it to you, and if so, what your “Plan of Attack” should be to efficiently conquer the various offerings. Between this party and Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival, plus improving weather, the fall months at Walt Disney World are one of our favorite times of year to visit!
Note that this guide covers Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, not Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland. For info about the latter, read our comprehensive Guide to Halloween Time at Disneyland!
Should You Attend?
So at over $70 a pop for tickets to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, you might be trying to determine, “is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party worth the money?”
Our opinion, as Disney-biased tourists, is that it is worth the price at least once if you can afford the splurge (and, ideally, if you can go to one of the cheaper September nights). We do not recommend the $100+ Halloween night party. It’s simply too much money and more crowded–you’re better off attending a less expensive party earlier in the week and doing (free) trick or treating at a resort hotel on Halloween night.
Once you’ve experienced the party once (it doesn’t change much year-to-year), you might determine that it’s simply too expensive to experience again. For a one time event, it’s worth it if your budget allows. In our updated Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Tips post, we do not make the same claim about the Christmas Party, which is more expensive for most dates.
Aside from the higher price, the biggest difference between the two parties is that the Halloween Party offers more special entertainment and character meet & greets. Personally, I enjoy the Christmas Party more, but I think it’s undeniable that there’s more to do at the Halloween Party.
There’s a lot of special entertainment including one of Disney’s best parades and a great fireworks show, a great ambiance to the party including special decorations and lighting, lots of unique character meet & greets, and even seeing other guests in Halloween costumes makes for a fun experience.
If you do decide to do the Halloween Party, make sure to buy your tickets in advance, and use any available discounts (Disney Vacation Club member, Annual Passholder, etc.). Tickets are more expensive on the day of the party, and several nights each year sell out completely. It’s wise to purchase party tickets early if you know you’re going. It would stink to wait until the last minute and have your dates sell out.
If you’re still not convinced one way or the other as to whether it’s “worth it” for you, read our review at the end of the post. As for what you should do during Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, here’s our guide to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party…
General Tips
The first important tip is to pick the best day on your trip for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Some nights are busier than others, and that post covers our tips for choosing the least-crowded dates. Disney prices these parties based on historical demand, so going on the cheapest party night you can is generally the best idea from both the perspective of saving money and avoiding crowds. Win-win!
Note that last year, MNSSHP attendance was, generally speaking, lower than in past years. This was the second consecutive year of lower crowd levels, and is undoubtedly tied to the dramatic spike in party ticket prices. Many of the events–even dates in October–didn’t even sell out. That could totally change for 2019, but we suspect it won’t given that Disney didn’t budge on prices (and actually increased them again).
The second most important tip is to arrive early to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. The Party officially starts at 7 p.m., which is when all of the entertainment actually begins, but guests can enter with their Halloween Party tickets as early as 4 p.m. This is not something Walt Disney World advertises, but it absolutely is true, and you will see plenty of other guests arriving at 4 p.m., and Cast Members in their Halloween outfits at the turnstiles.
This earlier entry offers you potential savings to offset the cost of your tickets. Before we were Annual Passholders, we’d plan on doing Downtown Disney or a water park the morning we went to the Halloween Party, which allowed us to purchase 1-day less on our park tickets. We highly recommend that you do the same! In other words, if you normally would buy a 5-day ticket for your trip, buy a 4-day ticket and do something besides one of the 4 theme parks before 4 p.m.
The additional day you’re not purchasing would have only added on $10-30 in cost to your total package, so we’re not talking a substantial amount here, but it makes the Halloween Party more economical. To save even more money on multi-day Walt Disney World tickets, we recommend buying from an authorized ticket broker selling cheaper tickets than you can buy directly from Disney.
Read our Tips for Buying Discount Walt Disney World Tickets Guide for more information about saving money on park tickets. You can’t buy Halloween Party tickets from these authorized ticket sellers, but the amount you save on your regular park tickets plus the savings on that extra day you’re not purchasing will help offset the added cost of the party tickets.
The next biggest tip is to wear a costume! Although Disney has had some tweaks to its security policy over the last few years, costumes are allowed for all guests.
Here’s Disney’s official word on costumes: “while costumed attire may be worn, guests ages 14 and older are strongly discouraged from wearing layered costumes or costume props that surround the entire body as they may be subject to additional security screening. Additionally, costumes may not contain any weapons that resemble or could easily be mistaken for an actual weapon.”
At least half of the Guests who attend the party wear costumes, and it’s a lot more fun if you do. You’re spending a fair chunk of change to attend one of these parties, make sure you get as much value for your money as possible by wearing a costume.
You don’t need to buy some expensive costume from the store–make one at home from items you buy at a thrift shop. Sarah and I attended Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party as the following: astronauts; an elf and princess; and “Cute Minnie” and a Toy Story Alien, among other things. Most of the time, our costumes are pretty lame as compared to other guests, but we still have a lot of fun!
For costumes, go inexpensive, simple, and most importantly…LIGHTWEIGHT. We have a Guide to Halloween Costumes for the Disney Parks that covers the nuts and bolts. Suffice to say, we have worn heavier costumes, and let me tell you what a mistake that was. It may be cooler at nighttime in the fall, but it’s still Florida, and it’s still humid and hot.
While you will see a lot of guests in complex and really creative costumes, unless you have a specific costume in mind that you really want to make, simpler and lighter is better as far as costumes go.
A final tip is to pass on the HalloWishes Dessert Party. This is comparable to the regular Wishes dessert party, except with Halloween-decorated desserts. It costs $84 per adult ($50 for kids ages 3-9) on top of the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party ticket. So, if you’ve been thinking that the Halloween party is just too darn cheap, this option is for you!
There is not a reserved viewing area for the Boo to You Parade from Town Square, and the lack of this is a big deal. For most Halloween Parties, reserved viewing for HalloWishes is totally unnecessary. It is nice for the Boo to You Parade, though. Plus, the reserved viewing area is not a good spot for viewing the fireworks (for the best spots, check out our Magic Kingdom Fireworks Viewing Locations Guide).
Beyond being a waste of money, the dessert party is a waste of time. There are just too many other great things to do at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (it’s unlikely you can do all of the regular entertainment in a single night) to justify attending a dessert party. It’s just not worth taking the time from the regular awesome entertainment of the Halloween party to do this. Plus, the idea of another upcharge event within an upcharge event just makes us cringe.
With that said, let’s start to get into the details of arriving at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party with a plan-of-attack for what you should do. We have a step-by-step Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Itinerary on Page 2.
Arrive at 4 p.m., grab an event map for a refresher as to what is located where and entertainment showtimes, eat and do an attraction or two before 6:00 pm. Once 6 pm hits, it’s time to get ready to party, and time to initiate your Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party attack-plan to do and see as much as you can.
If at all possible, find a way to avoid trick or treating or save it until the end of the night. It is a major time drain, and you could buy a bag of candy yourself for like $3. It may be difficult to convince kids not to trick or treat, but if you can, find a way. There is so much entertainment during the Halloween Party that you won’t get everything done even if you don’t trick or treat and don’t do any attractions.
From here, we will start with our plan of attack to efficiently accomplish as much as possible during MNSSHP on PAGE 2.
I didn’t see anything in the article about where Moana is and what time she starts meeting? Any helpful info on her? She is our PRIORITY LOL
Does disability access work during parties? It was a big help this year with our daughter on the spectrum.
Sadly no…. we were just there end of October and it did not work during the party but we got it anyway and used it for a few rides before the party started.
I didn’t notice anything about the Dapper Dans doing spooky songs & being made up spookily like they are in Disneyland. Is that not something that’s done at WDW? I have decided to make the trek from the West Coast of Canada to WDW for Halloween-time next year! Thanks for all the great advice. I’m very excited, even though it’s a year away!
Does anyone know if you can get a hard ticket to the event? Something to keep as a souvenir? Do you have to buy them at the gate?
We got cards in the mail but we orders in advance. They were not Halloween Party specific cards though….. the bracelet you get for the party could be the souvenir. It is just a plastic band that had candy corns on it, very Cute.
Have fun!
I just wanted to let you know that the dessert party does include a parade viewing spot. There was reserved viewing in the town square.
I did the party with my twin on Sept 17. We got fast passes from 4-6:30, waited for almost nothing, rode everything we wanted to ride twice, had candy bags filled to the brim with only 5 stops for candy, got a character pic with 10 min wait, had staff and visitors interact with us based on our German beer girl costumes, saw a parade and the fireworks and stopped for a snack. The only things we didn’t do were Hocus Pocus show and jack S meet. I’m amazed when people say they didn’t get to do much. We did it all (almost)! Perhaps whiny kids, stroller pushing, etc might have slowed us down a bit, but I’ve been three times and always did everything I set out to do. Worth the money!
Although I am not there this year, but the idea is cool. We like to make a Disney party. Also this year on Halloween we dress up as Mickey Mouse and co.
I have always enjoyed your posts, but I have to say this was a waste of money for our family. We went opening night, our first day of the trip. Our first selected character was late to the party. Waited in line well over an hour for each character we saw and no it was not the Dwarfs or Jack and Sally. Sadly my kids came out of the event with maybe 5 pieces of candy each. To me very poor planning on Disney and have expressed my disappointment to them directly. In my opinion, not worth of the money!
WOW! simply sounds like a lack of planning on your part. Just ask the cast member to fill up your kids bag that was your only stop. You had 8 hours in the park 4-12pm .
To be honest i feel Meet and Greet are a complete wast of time. so much happening at party. Anyone can get a photoshop picture with jack or sally for $10
We are headed to our first MNSSHP on Friday Oct 20 so I suspect it will be busy – and we will have our 3, 6 and 9 year old with us. Already plan a good nap that afternoon and hope to arrive at the park around 5ish. Does anyone know if the parks will sell the Halloween treats prior to 7pm? Or give out the sorcerer’s card early? Plan is to grab some candy, see the first parade and dance at the monsters party – and if we can squeeze a character meet and a ride or two (Buzz and Dumbo) that would be great. Any good strategies or plan of attack? Thanks!
On Sept 29th, they were handing out the Sorcerer cards when we arrived at 4pm.
Thanks!
just plan on being well rested before you enter the park. you have little ones sounds you know their limits. there is no candy before 7pm have to get the holdover riff raff out of the park. disney has different halloween treats all day in confectionary but the party trates at specific places in MK i am sure you may be able to coax a cast member at 6ish to sell you one. but they are not worth the $7 they charge. Parades are good for kids it is about the experience. I would not do the meet and greet. none of them will ever remember it nor will they care when they are 15 and look at the picture
Thank you!
TL;DR – Put your candy in your checked bags or eat it before leaving!
Important note for people intending on bringing candy home with you: TSA is now checking ALL food in carry-ons. If a handful of your candy gives an alarm (as one of mine did), they will have to check ALL of your candy. Minor inconvenience for me and my wife, but I could see it being a major hassle for a larger family.
Can you use a Disney Dining Plan snack credit for the party exclusive snacks?
You sure can!
Hi Tom,
Does your entire party have to stand in line to meet the seven dwarfs or can you have a couple people get in line early and have others join later when they start greeting people.
Thank you!!
Umm, that’s a dirtbag move, just like when you do it during regular operating hours.
Do you ever stay for the 3rd showing of Hocus Pocus at midnight? Was thinking of doing the latest version of each Hallowishes @ 10pm, Boo to You parade @ 1115pm and then Hocus Pocus @ midnight!
This is will my first time going to the MNSSHP and I was wonder if Tinkerbell will still fly out of the castle during HalloWishes or a witch or something related to the Halloween theme?
Thanks for all of your blog posts! They’re very helpful!
Do they still have the reserved seating for the parade viewing? I noticed that the article mentions it, but Disney said they weren’t doing that this year :/
Just curious how early we have to get in line to meet Jack Sparrow. We want to meet him and the 7 dwarfs then scoot on over to the monster’s ball for a little bit before enjoying any of the other activities
I noticed you mentioned that there was free trick or treating at the Disney resorts ON Halloween. Is that true for all the resorts? We will be at Disney from October 29-November 4 and will be attending MNSSHP on the 29th. If there’s trick or treating at our resort, though, that’ll make our party experience better! We won’t have to worry about letting the girls trick or treat!
Hi Tom. All your posts about Disney are very helpful. Thank you.
I took my kids to not so scary party on SEPT1. We went to buy our rain coat after Disney anounced twice the party been delayed. When we head back. We not only lost our good spot also the parade is done. The kids didn’t want to do trick or treating. My party tickets are totally a waste. So parents check the weather before you go.
Are stich or baymax in the parade? Or at least doing the meet and greet?
I didn’t see either character in the parade or otherwise. Bummer because my kid loves them!
Baymax does meet n greet at Epcot neither are at MNSSHP
I am trying to figure something out. I was planning on price bridging to annual passes on the first day with arrive later this month and then purchasing our MNSSHP tix for later in our trip that day so we would get the AP discount. Is the Undercover Tourist Discount more than the AP discount?