While it may seem a little early for Halloween, Disney hosted the first Mickey’s Not So Scary Party on Friday, August 17. The party included some new events and treats as well as lots of old favorites.
Park guests can enter the park at 4:00 even though party events don’t actually start until 7:00. Guests are routed through a special VIP entrance full of special photo ops and decorations. I loved the M&Ms inflatable! Photopass photographers are on hand to capture photos with party frames and button props. There are a few kiosks selling a small selection of party merchandise and novelty items as well. After the photo ops and merchandise carts, each guest is given a sack for trick or treating. Special teal sacks are available for those with allergies or special dietary needs. Since chocolate is one of my main food groups, I opted for the regular treat bag, but the allergy friendly treats included Enjoy Life goodies, lollipops, and small craft kits.
While the party foods and events don’t appear until 7:00, merchandise becomes available at 4:00. The Emporium and Big Top Circus both have a roped-off area with party exclusive clothing, ornaments, and other items. Before entering that part of the shop, guests are asked to show their party wristbands. The merchandise for this event just gets better every year! Several of this year’s items were themed around celebrating the 25th anniversary of Hocus Pocus. The Sanderson Sisters costume tees were especially popular as was the Amuck, Amuck, Amuck Spirit Jersey! Other items featured Mickey, Minnie, and a few of their friends enjoying the Halloween season. I especially love the Minnie tee; her spiderweb tutu is “tutu” cute! There is even a magic band just for the party! A complete guide to all the party merchandise can be found HERE.
The Emporium is also home to the Annual Passholder party exclusives. Exclusive merchandise is such a fun perk to being a Passholder! The most popular of these items seemed to be the Hocus Pocus tote bag and the Orange Bird pin, but my favorite was the Mickey and Minnie raglan (that tutu pulled me in again!) Guests are asked to show both their party wristband and their AP card before purchasing any of this merchandise. You can see all of the AP items HERE.
Last year, Alex and Ani surprised us with a party exclusive bracelet, and this year they went a step further and released two different designs! One features the same Mickey and Minnie Halloween design found on several other items while the other bracelet celebrates the Hocus Pocus Villains Spelltacular. Each bracelet retails for $34.99. The Hocus Pocus bracelet was especially popular! Hocus Pocus merchandise has been quite rare in the past, so fans are snapping up everything they can possibly get right now!
It was only a couple of years ago that I realized what a huge deal pin trading is at Disney (excuse me while I hang my head in shame.) I have since been educated, and now I really look forward to seeing the special event pins! I think these may be my favorite set ever released. Each character is dressed as a different treat. Cupcake Minnie is #goals! To see all the pins released for the event, click HERE.
Not all merchandise is found in a shop, however. Two of the most popular items of the night were the Oogie Boogie popcorn bucket and the Headless Horseman Straw Glow Clip. I love this year’s version of Oogie Boogie with the neon base! It retails for $17.99 and can be found in Liberty Square. The Headless Horseman clip rides on a reusable plastic straw. His pumpkin head glows lights up. This straw can be found at Storybook Treats for $5.99.
While shopping is undoubtedly my favorite part of the parties, food rates a close second! As soon as Disney released the special treats for the event, I started making my list. The Zero Pumpkin Waffle Sundae ($6.49) from Sleepy Hollow wins the taste award for me. This is a party classic although Zero’s appearance on the waffles was new this year. I get this every year, and it remains my favorite. Another classic is the Pumpkin Cheesecake from Main Street Bakery. I have a slight obsession with all things pumpkin, so the pumpkin flavored treats always end up on my list. The Maleficent Waffle Cone ($5.29) from Storybook Treats was the most unique treat of the evening. A chocolate cone filled with lime flavored soft serve and purple sprinkles delighted party goers. The chocolate “horns” represented Maleficent perfectly, and this was one of the most popular treats of the evening. I saw several people strolling through Fantasyland enjoying this one. The Madame Leota Tart (5.99) was highly anticipated, but it was very hard to actually make out the design on this one. The colors were beautiful though! There are so many specialty treats at the party that it is almost impossible to try them all. In addition to the ones I’ve already mentioned, there is also a Jack Skellington Push Pop, a Hitchhiking Ghost Cream Puff, an Oogie Boogie Meringue, a Caramel Stuffed Pretzel, and a Worms and Dirt pudding. If you’re looking for something more savory, Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn offers Hades Nachos and Cosmic Ray’s is carrying the Muenster Smash Burger.
The Not So Scary Party offers three main pieces of specialty entertainment: the Hocus Pocus Villains Spelltacular stage show, the Happy Hallowishes Fireworks, and Mickey’s Boo-to-You Parade. The Hocus Pocus show has three different showtimes during the party. I recommend seeing the midnight show. That lets you use every bit of your party time and it has the added benefit of letting the park crowds clear out while you watch the show. Even though this show is centered around the Sanderson Sisters, tons of other villains make appearances. The parade is offered twice a night, at 9:15 and 11:15. It’s much easier to get a good spot for the later show (although this one is so good that I’ve been known to watch it twice.) It includes grave diggers, Disney villains, dancers and ghosts from the Haunted Mansion, and some favorite Disney characters as well. It makes me smile every time I watch it! The fireworks are only shown at 10:15 and this is definitely a can’t miss experience! There are fun castle projections, spooky music, and of course, amazing fireworks! Disney even adds perimeter fireworks for the parties which elevates an already amazing show!
Halloween is all about trick or treating, and Disney makes this a big part of the event. Trick or treat stations are set up in each land, and the candy is the good stuff! I only went to a few stations, but ended up with a bag full of Snickers, M&Ms, Dove, Skittles, and Starburst. My kids were super happy when I got home! Trick or Treat lines are pretty long at the beginning of the party, so I would recommend saving this for later in the evening.
I usually skip attractions on party nights. There is so much extra stuff that I tend to skip the things I can do on any random day. This year, however, Disney dressed up four different attractions with a Halloween overlay. Spooky lights and music were added to the Mad Tea Party and Space Mountain, live pirates made appearances on Pirates of the Caribbean, and Carlotta told stories outside the Haunted Mansion while Master Gracey walked the grounds. The Haunted Mansion Cast Members were all extra spooky too!
Special characters were available during the party as well. Lines for these characters can be quite long, so I recommend choosing your favorites rather than trying to see them all. Jack Skellington and Sally always have long lines, but this year, the Hundred Acre Woods friends were just as popular! Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum were so entertaining; I enjoyed watching them interact with guests! Mike, Sully, and Boo dance with guests at the Tomorrowland Stage for Monstrous Scream-o-Ween. They don’t pose for pictures but you can get some wonderful videos!
Photopass photographers are also scattered around the parks with special props and magic shots. I always have fun with these!
The party lasts for four hours, but that isn’t nearly enough time to experience everything! Disney really knows how to pack a ton of fun into these events! A little advance planning will help you get the most out of your evening, but remember to be flexible! My best tip is to get your shopping done early since the merchandise appears at 4:00. Then you can spend your actual party time enjoying the shows, treats, and events!
Will you be attending Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party this year? What is your favorite part? Tell us in the comments!
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