Top Tips for Enjoying the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party 2025
Why This Party Tops Disney’s Fall Lineup
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) is Walt Disney Worlds signature fall event it’s a night of costumes, candy, and exclusive entertainment at Magic Kingdom.
In August 2025, we attended one of the first sold-out parties of the season. From dinner at Skipper Canteen to candy trails, fireworks, and the Boo-to-You Parade, it was a packed evening full of highlights and lessons learned.
Here’s everything you need to know to plan your familys night at MNSSHP.
10 Things to know about Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is a hard ticket event at Magic Kingdom Park, offering exclusive Halloween-themed entertainment and experiences.
The event is separate from regular park admission and requires date specific event tickets.
Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party takes place on select nights from Mid-August - Halloween.
You will not need a theme park reservation for the party.
You can enter the park as early as 4pm on the day of the event though the party begins at 7pm.
Party prices vary by date and popular nights sell out early.
Costumes are allowed for all ages, no masks are allowed.
Tickets grant access to special party activities, including trick-or-treat stations, character meet and greets, and themed shows like Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular.
Treat bags are provided, but you may want to bring a larger bag to consolidate the families treats into one bag.
Allergy friendly treats are available. Stop by City Hall or ask the castmembers on the treat trail for assistance with teal tokens and teal colored treat bags.
What Is Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party?
MNSSHP is a separately ticketed, after-hours event at Magic Kingdom that runs on select nights from mid-August through Halloween.
During the party, guests can:
Wear costumes (yes, adults too, with some guidelines).
Party guests can enter the Magic Kingdom at 4:00 p.m. (the party officially runs 7:00p.m - midnight).
Trick-or-treat at candy stations throughout the park.
Experience exclusive entertainment: the Boo-to-You Parade, Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular fireworks, and the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular stage show.
Meet rare characters and enjoy limited-edition snacks.
Tickets sell out quickly, especially early-season and Halloween week dates. Plan to book well in advance.
Planning Your Visit
Ticket Prices
The ticket prices will vary depending on the date that you attend. However, Disney Vacation Club Members and Annual Passholders may be eligible for discounts on select nights.
You may purchase your event tickets online, by phone or check with your travel agent for assitance. Tickets early in the season tend to be less expensive with the price increasing the cloer you get to Halloween.
Getting the Most Out of the Party
In order to get the most out of this or any Disney hard ticket event you absolutely must do your research in advance and make some decisions about what you'd like to priroritze. For instance, you need to decide are you going to focus on riding all of the rides or take advantage of the treat trails and all of the other special events at the party.
We promise you will not be able to do it all in an evening so you must decide what's most important to you and prioritize those items first.
Party Highlights You Can’t Miss
Boo-to-You Parade
The Boo-to-You Parade is the crown jewel of MNSSHP. It opens with the Headless Horseman’s ride and rolls through Magic Kingdom with floats featuring Mickey Mouse and friends in costume, Disney Villains, Haunted Mansion characters, and more.
Watch our Boo-to-You Parade Short to see highlights from the parade.
Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular Fireworks
Hosted by Jack Skellington, this show combines castle projections, pyrotechnics, and a family-friendly spooky storyline. Highlights include:
Jack appearing as a life-size puppet.
Villain-themed fireworks timed to music.
Castle projections that set the mood for Halloween.
Fireworks at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party
It’s one of the most impressive nighttime shows at Walt Disney World and only available during MNSSHP.
Rare Character Meet & Greets
There are plenty of places to meet and greet characters around the park. You can meet Mickey and and Minnie Mouse at Town Square Theater, dressed in their Halloween costumes. Sally and Jack Skellington are also meeting and greeting at the Theatre.
Pro tip: decide early if character meets are a priority, they can take up a lot of party time.
Our favorite part of the party this year was seeing characers at the treat trail stops. We were thrilled to see Malificent and the Evil Queen out at Fairytale Princess Hall. We ran into Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb, the evil stepmother and her daughters Anastia and Druzela.
Malificent on the treat trail at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party
Even Pluto was out dancing in Storybook Circus. This party is just chocked full of rare charcters walking around the park.
Trick-or-Treat Trails
Candy stations are scattered throughout the park. Kids and adults alike love filling their bags, but here’s the reality:
You’ll get plenty of candy (we had overflowing bags).
Don’t let it dominate your night. Candy is easy to find at home, but Boo-to-You and fireworks are once-a-year.
Party-Exclusive Snacks
Disney rolls out special treats each Halloween. At our party, we tried a Cheshire Cafe exclusive. While we enjoyed it, we ran out of time to sample more treats, that’s a reminder to prioritize what matters most.
Check out our MNSSHP Snack Short for a quick review.
Dinner Before the Party
We made a smart choice by dining at Skipper Canteen before the event began. Eating early saved valuable party time for entertainment and rides, and gave us the energy to enjoy the late night. If you'd like to enjoy a table service restaurant, remember that you will need to make reservations in advance. Cinderalla's Royal Table and Be Our Guest are also open for dinner with both offering a special dinner menu for the party.
Skipper Canteen at the Magic Kingdom
If you are interested in making dinner reservations for any of the table service restaurants, you can do through the My Disney Experience app.
Favorite Attractions
If you have prioritized rides and attractions, you should make sure you're aware of what rides and attractions are open. For instance, Hall of Presidents and Mickey's Philharmagic will not be operating as normal.
That said, we did make sure to ride our favorites, like Pirates of the Caribbean, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Haunted Mansion. And while we're talking about Haunted Mansion, you should definetly stop by as this is one of the rides with a special Halloween themed overlay or experience. Here you will find happy haunts in the graveyard chatting with you. Something you'll only see at a Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party.
The other tip we have for you is that if you are prioritizing rides, ride them during the parades and fireworks. You can take advantage of shorter lines during these times and hit multiple of the popular rides with lower waits.
Our Sold-Out Night Strategy
This was one of the first sold-out MNSSHP nights of 2025, and the crowds were heavy.
Here’s what worked for us:
Pick Priorities in Advance - You can’t do it all. Families should decide: snacks, shows, rides, or characters.
Dinner Beforehand - Saved us from wasting time on meals.
Limited Trick-or-Treating - We timed our stops at the treat trails to avoid the crowds, grabbing treats later in the night once the lines were lower.
Parade & Fireworks - There's only one fireworks show, so make sure you don't miss it and we suggest the later parade especially if you have older littles that can until hang later into the evening.
Watching the Parade at a Sold-Out Party
Boo To You Halloween Parade at the Magic Kingdom
Here are some tips for viewing the parade:
Main Street offers the best atmosphere but fills quickly.
Frontierland is less crowded and often easier for families to find a spot.
Arrive 30-40 minutes early if you want prime spots, especially on sold-out nights.
Balance candy trails and parades. Candy is fun, but Boo-to-You is one-of-a-kind.
Navigating the Park
Be sure to grab the special guide map for the event. It is filled with helpful information that you will need to know to get the most out of your experience.
In the map you will find helpful information like:
Which rides and attractions are open during the event
Which eateries are open and when they close for the evening
Which treats are event exclusives
Where you can find the treat trails including allergy friendly treats
The timetables for shows and where you can find character meet and greats
Where you can find photopass photographers
General Tips
Consider visiting on a weekday or during the earlier part of the season.
Be sure to check the party schedule and plan your day accordingly, as some attractions and shows may be closed or have limited hours.
Consider resting during the day, especially if you’re planning to stay for the entire party.
Verdict: Is MNSSHP Worth It?
For our family, the answer is yes. Even with sold-out crowds, the combination of Boo-to-You Parade, Jack Skellington fireworks, exclusive snacks, and rare characters made the ticket worth it for our family.
If you’re planning a Disney trip around the Halloween season, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is the ultimate add-on for Halloween fans.
Until next time, enjoy the journey!