2018 Guide to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party
Halloween is a time for ghouls and the macabre. When people think of the wicked festivities, they certainly don’t associate any of it with Walt Disney World. Disney fans know better, though. They understand that one of the greatest events on the annual calendar takes place in the days leading up to Halloween. Here’s everything you need to know about the 2018 version of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.
Where’s the Party?
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) is a ticketed event that the Magic Kingdom hosts several days each year. For the price of admission, which ranges from $89 to $125 for adults, guests get the run of the park for the evening.
The Walt Disney Company closes Magic Kingdom to the public on these nights. Anyone with MNSSHP tickets can enter the park as early as 4 p.m. The event officially begins at 7 p.m., the time when guests with regular admission tickets must leave. From that point forward, Magic Kingdom holds a private party for a few thousand paying guests. It’s a wildly successful event that has the following 2018 dates:
- August 17, 24, 28 and 31
- September 3, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28 and 30
- October 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 25, 26, 28, 30 and 31
You’ve probably noticed that Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) has already started for 2018. It seems to arrive sooner each year, as Disney realized that guests have a passion for the event. They don’t stress about celebrating Halloween in the summer. Since there’s been a MNSSHP this year, we know the details about what’s new for 2018. Before we get to them, let’s briefly go over the basics of the event.
What Should You Expect at This Party?
First of all, you should expect to see lots of costumed guests. Disney loosens their restrictions on costumes. During a normal day at the park, you can’t wear outfits that could cause confusion among park visitors. The company wants everyone to know who the cast members are. Someone wearing a character costume could seem like a Disney employee.
During the ticketed event, you still can’t walk around in a Winnie the Pooh costume or anything. Disney posts their rules about Halloween costumes. You can read them here. You’ll note that there are two sets of regulations, one for regular park days and another for ticketed events like MNSSHP. During the latter events, most dress-up options are okay, as long as you don’t cover your face or dress similar to something that you’d see at the parks.
You may wonder about the point of relaxing these rules. Halloween is a holiday for children, after all. At Magic Kingdom, adults want to dress like their favorite Disney characters, too. DisneyBounding is hugely popular, but MNSSHP offers participants to go all out with their costumes.
Not everyone dresses up, of course. You’ll see roughly as many guests in Halloween apparel as you will people walking around in regular attire. Should you attend, you’ll decide whether to get into the spirit of the event or not. Personally, I’ve never dressed up in the past, but I’m ready to give into peer pressure this time. Everyone in costume always seems like they’re having a blast.
How Do the Rides Work?
You should understand that some rides won’t be in operation during the party. Magic Kingdom will run 21 attractions during each event. Here’s the full list:
Main Street, U.S.A.
- Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom
Adventureland
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Swiss Family Treehouse
Frontierland
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Country Bear Jamboree
Liberty Square
- Haunted Mansion
Fantasyland
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
- “It’s a small world”
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Mad Tea Party
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
Storybook Circus
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- The Barnstormer
Tomorrowland
- Astro Orbiter
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Space Mountain
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
That’s most of your Magic Kingdom favorites available during the event. The beautiful part is that with only a few thousand guests in attendance, the lines for these attractions are much shorter than normal. Many are walk-ons that require no wait-time. Others like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Peter Pan’s Flight see their regular lines halved during the event.
You can pick and choose your favorites. Understand that Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party runs from 7 p.m. to midnight. That gives you five hours of time to navigate the empty park. Remember that some regular guests will still be in the park during the first hour, as Disney gives everyone in line a chance to ride.
Disney’s doing something different this year, too. Three of the attractions will have holiday-themed plussing. At Space Mountain, you’ll discover a special soundtrack that ties into the subtle alteration to the roller coaster. It’s now pitch black with special lighting during key sequences. It’ll play tricks with your mind, especially if you’ve ridden Space Mountain a lot over the years.
At Mad Tea Party, you’ll find a music show with glowing lights as an accompaniment to your ride. And Pirates of the Caribbean receives the most intriguing change. Live actors will engage with park guests before and during the attraction. Pirates are on the lookout for a scoundrel named Gunpowder Pete. Spoiler: You WILL find him. At a minimum, you’ll want to try these three holiday versions of the attractions during your visit.
What Else Is Available during the Event?
First of all, let’s discuss the holiday aspect. The conceit of the party is that you’re celebrating Halloween, even if you’re doing it in August or September. As such, candy is seemingly everywhere. Disney chefs craft creative confections for the event each year. The Parks Blog has compiled a list that will cause your mouth to water.
To feast on the goodies, you’ll hunt down Trick Or Treat Stations. The locations are:
Main Street, U.S.A.
- Town Square Theater (Allergy-Friendly Center)
- Market Street (Open until 8:00 p.m.)
Adventureland
- Jungle Cruise
- Pirates of the Caribbean
Frontierland
- Splash Mountain
- Dock to Tom Sawyer Island
- Country Bear Jamboree
Liberty Square
- Columbia Harbor House
- Liberty Square Ticket Office (Allergy-Friendly Center)
Fantasyland
- Mickey’s PhilharMagic
- Ariel’s Grotto
- Pinocchio Village Haus
- Walt Disney World Railroad Station
Tomorrowland
- Monster’s, Inc. Laugh Floor
- Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress
- Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café
You’ll find a bunch of special character interactions at this party, too. Here is the full list:
Main Street, U.S.A.
- Mickey Mouse at Town Square Theater
Liberty Square
- Jack Skellington and Sally
Fantasyland
- Anastasia and Drizzella
- Seven Dwarfs
- Rapunzel
- Queen of Hearts, Alice, Tweedle-Dee, Tweedle-Dum, and Mad Hatter
- Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet, and Tigger
- Ariel and Eric
- Belle and Gaston
- Minnie Mouse
- Cinderella
- Cruella De Vil
- Daisy Duck
- Princess Tiana
- Princess Elena
- Goofy
- Donald Duck
Tomorrowland
- Lotso
- Elvis Stitch
Adventureland
- Tarzan, Jane, and Terk
- Moana
- Captain Jack Sparrow
- Aladdin, Abu, Genie, and Jasmine
- Jafar
Magic Kingdom will also offer the Storybook Circus Disney Junior Jam for the first time this year, and it has a new group of characters. Plus, Elvis Stitch will hang out at Stitch’s Great Escape.
Most of the shows are the same as last year. You can read our 2017 write-up for the event to read all the details if you’re interested. It’s in the section entitled The Shows.
The highlight each year is the Boo to You Parade, but the Hocus Pocus Villain Spectacular has soared in popularity in recent years. The other signature event is the Happy HalloWishes fireworks exhibition, which starts with the now-retired Wishes show but then adds a spooky segment starring Disney villains.
Frankly, the entire event is magic, so much so that we rescheduled our vacation this year. We wanted to do Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party on the actual Halloween holiday, something we’ve never done before. As annual pass holders, we’d get a discount on most nights. We’re paying about $80 more to attend on Halloween. This statement alone tells you how my family feels about this ticketed event.
EVERYONE should go at some point. Hopefully, you can make it this year. If you’re interested, speak to a MickeyTravels agent to learn more about the best times to go.
