Last year we had to cancel our trip to Disneyland for the Disney Social Media Moms conference. To say that was a bummer would be a gross understatement, but between my husband’s medical situation, and an impossible work schedule, we just couldn’t make it happen. Last fall he had a short break between jobs and I suggested we drive down and attend Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party. I wanted to make up for missing the last vacation.

The drive down to Florida from Jersey is one I hadn’t done since I was a kid. It was challenging, even with an overnight stay between driving. We dealt with torrential downpours, bad traffic and we even got lost took a detour somewhere in Maryland. But it was all worth it in the end, because we had the chance to spend a few days in paradise, Walt Disney World. It feels like coming home.

This was our first time with tickets to an annual event, other than Disney Social Media Moms. We were so excited to go trick-or treating in the park after seeing it all decorated for Halloween. It was an amazing experience. For those who aren’t familiar, you must purchase passes for the event separate from any theme park day passes. They actually close the park to anyone without a ticket at 6pm, so you not only enjoy the fun festivities, but fewer crowds.

Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

5 Tips

Tip #1
Buy your tickets in advance. Once you figure out which day you want purchase those tickets. They sell out fast, so I definitely don’t recommend buying them when you get there.

Tip #2
Wear those costumes. This is the only time WDW allows people of all ages to go all out and dress up in the park. We saw a ton of fun costumes donned by adults and children.

Tip #3
Get to the park at 4pm. Even though the party doesn’t officially start until 6, if you have a ticket you can get into the park as early as 4pm. We were very lucky to find this out. If someone hadn’t told us, we would’ve missed out on those two hours.

Tip #4
Get on the rides with usually long wait times. We decided to take advantage of the fact that the park thinned out a bit once the party started, and we got on a ride that had been near impossible to get on without a ridiculous wait time until then – the seven dwarfs mine train. Don’t get me wrong, it was still a long wait, just not as long as usual.

Tip #5
Bring your own trick or treating bag. See that little bag Emma’s holding on the bench next to Walt and Minnie? That’s the bag they give you, and it will get filled fast. What we did was dump the contents into a larger shopping bag each time it got filled. We just tucked the larger bag in our stroller basket.

There were stations throughout the park where we amassed about a ton of candy. This was one of the few benefits to driving – we could take it all home.

Bonus Tip
Don’t miss the extras. There were several areas where you could find villiains throughout the park, dance parties, and of course an amazing parade and the Hallowishes fireworks display. Get to these events earlier for the best seat/view.

This was such a wonderful evening for both adults and children alike. I recommend attending at least once in your life. Next up is the Christmas party!

Want more Walt Disney World Posts? Check these out: