Spooky season starts early in Orlando. Disney World and Universal Orlando kick their Halloween festivities off before Labor Day, so guests have more than two full months of limited-time events, seasonal eats, and fall-themed fun to enjoy.

Disney’s fan-favorite Halloween event, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, started at Magic Kingdom on Aug. 9, and I was there on opening night. This special event requires its own ticket and is not included in standard daily park admission, but I think it’s worth the extra cost; during the five-hour party, we went on eight attractions with minimal waits, hit several trick-or-treat stops, snagged some of the specialty party foods, and saw the parade, fireworks, and stage show. 

Here’s everything you need to know — from can’t-miss entertainment to the best snacks — to plan the perfect night at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.

Entertainment

At only five hours long, it’s impossible to see and do everything at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party in one night, but you can check most of the must-dos off your list — if you go in with a game plan.

Pause the trick-or-treating, character greetings, and rides for one thing: Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade. The parade starts with an appearance from the mysterious Headless Horseman, galloping his way from Frontierland to Main Street, and features iconic classic Disney characters in their Halloween best, alongside unique cavalcades of spooky characters — like the hitchhiking ghosts from Haunted Mansion. The stunning floats, special character appearances, and catchy theme song make this my favorite Disney World parade, and I highly recommend making it a priority as you plan your night at the party. 

The parade happens twice a night at 8:15 p.m. and 11:15 p.m. and travels from Frontierland (starting near Tiana’s Bayou Adventure) up to Liberty Square and then around the hub in front of Cinderella’s Castle, before heading down Main Street, U.S.A. We found a spot around 7:45 p.m. in Frontierland, but the first show Is typically busier, and people were waiting well before that for prime viewing spots. 

Creepy emcee Jack Skellington hosts Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular at Cinderella’s Castle at 10 p.m. Fireworks, projections, and music from “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas” will have you singing “This Is Halloween,” even in August. 

The “Hocus Pocus” Villain Spectacular features a mashup of notorious Disney villains who come to help the Sanderson Sisters from “Hocus Pocus.” The show takes place up to four times nightly (depending on the date), so you have plenty of chances to check it out — I recommend catching the midnight showing on the way out of the park. There are also dance parties in Tomorrowland, singing pirates in Adventureland, and the Cadaver Dans Barbershop Quartet in Frontierland. 

Rides and Attractions

Rides are open during the party, so guests can expect short wait times for many of Magic Kingdom’s top attractions. Both Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Tron Lightcycle/Run offer standby lines during the party — something you won’t see during typical park hours when you need a virtual queue or paid Lightning Lane to access them — so this is a great time to ride these sought-after attractions to your heart’s content. 

A few rides offer special theming for the event: You can ride Space Mountain in complete darkness (with eerie tunes to up the thrill factor), spin around the Mad Tea Party with a festive ambiance, or listen to some Halloween-inspired jokes at Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor. If Space Mountain is too intense for you, hop on the PeopleMover for an aerial view of the party and a peek inside Space Mountain, where you can see and hear the overlay without so many twists and turns. 

Although it can be a long wait during the party, definitely make time to ride the Haunted Mansion. A duo of delightful ghosts entertain guests in the cemetery portion of the queue, and I found the ghosts’ interactions with the guests to be funny and clever, making for one of our favorite parts of the evening. 

Party Food and Drinks

Along with event-exclusive merchandise, there are bites and sips that you can only snag during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.

You can find them at quick-service locations throughout the park, and it’s wise to read about every available option on the Disney website beforehand so you can plot out your snack plans. At Aloha Isle, the Dole Whip Mango and Chamoy Float (also available during regular park hours this season) was a personal favorite; it combines refreshing mango-flavored Dole Whip with pineapple juice, chamoy, and tangy chili lime salt. The Spicy Meatball Arrabbiata Flatbread at Pinocchio Village Haus was a tasty and satisfying option for a quick dinner between rides. The Friar’s Nook has several party-exclusive eats, including the ominous-sounding Bowl of Bones and the Buffalo Chicken Hand Pie; we tried and enjoyed both, but the hand pie was my favorite here. There are dozens more unique food and beverage offerings available, so make a list of your must-try treats and check them off as you work your way around the park. (Don’t forget that many locations offer mobile ordering via the Disney app.)

For guests looking for a more relaxing meal in a table-service setting, Be Our Guest, Cinderella’s Royal Table, and The Plaza Restaurant are open and offer some party-exclusive eats. This party was the only time I have ever seen a wait as short as 10 minutes to eat at Cinderella’s Royal Table without a reservation — though you can make reservations for these table-service restaurants ahead of the party if you’d like.

Dessert parties are also available to book (for an extra charge) if you want snacks and access to a reserved area for the fireworks. 

Character Appearances 

Watch for characters decked out in their Halloween best throughout the park. You can take photos with Mickey and pals in their festive attire, Stitch in his adorable Elvis costume, and Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet, and Tigger in their almost-too-cute outfits — plus more characters (including some “rare” characters that you don’t usually see at the parks) in their typical attire. 

Jack Skellington and Sally from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” are very popular, and their lines often exceed an hour. 

Trick-or-Treating

Ready for the best trick-or-treating ever? When you arrive at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, you’re given a bag and your first treat of the night, a full-size bag of M&Ms. The event offers more than a dozen trick-or-treat locations around the park, where cast members load your bag up with Mars Wrigley candies (think Twix, Snickers, Starburst, Skittles, and more — all the name-brand candies you always hoped to score when trick-or-treating around your neighborhood when you were younger).

Each location is indicated on the map and by a trick-or-treat pylon. Lines may look long, but they typically move fast—just have your bag open when you get to the front. We went to about half of the treat locations and ended up with a ton of candy (I think we counted about 70 pieces each), so kids and adults alike will love filling their bags with all the candy they’d like. The ticket price includes all the trick-or-treating, so there’s no additional cost. 

And if you or your kids have allergies, don’t worry — you can still enjoy trick-or-treating. Guests with allergies receive a teal treat bag and will get tokens from cast members at each trick-or-treat location that they can exchange for allergy-friendly treats at the Allergy-friendly Centers in Liberty Square and Main Street, U.S.A. Although we don’t have food allergies, we poked our heads in to see how it worked, and knowledgeable cast members explained which treats suited different needs so guests could pick which they’d like. I’d expect the Main Street location to get pretty busy toward the end of the night as people exchange their tokens before leaving the park, so consider swapping some out halfway through the night or head to Liberty Square to avoid the rush (it was empty when we visited at around 9:30 p.m.).

Tickets and Dates

Magic Kingdom will host nearly 40 nights of spooky fun this year. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party started on Aug. 9 and runs through Oct. 31. (After that, the park will undergo a magical transformation from Halloween to holiday). This is a separately ticketed event, so you won’t be able to access the party on a standard Magic Kingdom day ticket. Ticket prices vary by date from $119 to $199, with the most expensive tickets around Oct. 31, but annual pass holders and Disney Vacation Club members can score a $10 discount on party tickets in August and September.

The event lasts from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m., but guests with party tickets can get in the park earlier — more on that below. Tickets are still available for some September and October nights on the Disney World website. 

Tips for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Get there early. 

Even though the party doesn’t officially start until 7 p.m., party ticket holders can enter the park beginning at 4 p.m. Plan to get there just before 4 p.m. to get in line for the party entrance and knock out a few attractions before the party starts — though event-specific experiences at attractions won’t start until 7 p.m. Some guests take this early entry opportunity to hop in line for their favorite characters (Jack and Sally are a very popular choice) so they can be among the first when the party meet-and-greet begins. 

Wear a Disney-inspired costume. 

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is one of the few times guests ages 14 and up can wear costumes inside the park, but there are rules you need to know about, especially for guests over 13. For guests 14 and up, costumes must be family-friendly, costume masks aren’t allowed, and costumes can’t reach the ground. For more details about what can and can’t be worn, check out the official rules on the Disney World website. Even if you don’t dress up, seeing other guests in their best Disney-inspired outfits is so fun. 

Stay at a resort on the monorail. 

Wondering which Disney World hotel to book for your Halloween getaway?  Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney’s Contemporary Resort are all located on the monorail that goes to Magic Kingdom, making for an easy ride to and from the party. Disney’s Contemporary Resort is just a 10-minute walk from the park, making it the most convenient option for visitors who don’t want to deal with the crowds leaving the park when the party is over. 

American Sign Language interpretation is available at some shows on select nights. 

American Sign Language interpretation is available at select shows on three dates (Aug. 23, Sept. 26, and Oct. 24). Check the Disney World website for more details about accessibility during the event.