As predicted in our Halfway to Halloween post, Disney announced Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party for the Halloween season. We are hoping this will prompt Universal to say something about Halloween as well, but that is a different story.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, or MNSSHP , is returning this year!!! This will undoubtedly excite a lot of fans. This post will talk about what was announced, and also we will chime in with our thoughts.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Details
From Disney officially:
This fall, ghosts and ghouls of all ages are invited to don their favorite costumes and celebrate all things haunted during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Taking place on 37 select nights, Aug. 12 through Oct. 31, 2022, this special event haunts Magic Kingdom Park after normal park operating hours from 7 p.m. to midnight.
As a part of this limited-capacity event, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party attendees will encounter event-exclusive entertainment, notorious Disney villains, frightfully delicious menu items and more! Here’s some of what’s in store:
- The Headless Horseman will ride his ghostly steed down Main Street, U.S.A. as a prelude to “Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade,” which features floats filled with Disney Characters dressed in their Halloween best, Disney villains and the Haunted Mansion graveyard diggers.
- What’s Halloween without candy? During Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, guests can go trick-or-treating for M&M’S, SKITTLES, SNICKERS, and other Halloween favorites at locations throughout Magic Kingdom Park. And new this year, guests will also receive a reusable trick-or-treat bag featuring a keepsake 50th Anniversary celebration and Halloween design.
- Join the Sanderson Sisters during the “Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular” stage show at Cinderella Castle as they call upon their frightening colleagues to conjure the ultimate “Hocus Pocus” Party Potion.
- Celebrate the season alongside favorite Disney characters as they take over the park for their favorite party of the year.
- Overlays themed for the occasion will return to several popular Magic Kingdom attractions: Space Mountain, Mad Tea Party, Pirates of the Caribbean and Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor.
- The Pumpkin King himself, Jack Skellington, will host “Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular.” This can’t-miss nighttime extravaganza features projections, special effects and lighting mixed with fireworks, music and Disney characters.
- Discover sweet and savory menu items inspired by fall flavors and the Halloween season.
- NEW! In honor of the 50th Anniversary celebration, we’re adding even more fun to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party this year in the form of event-exclusive step-in photo opportunities. And in addition to the reusable trick-or-treating tote bag, guests will also receive a Halloween-themed 50thAnniversary celebration commemorative print.
Important Dates
Tickets for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party may be purchased online or by calling 407-939-4240 beginning May 18. Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels can begin purchasing tickets as early as May 12. Ticket prices will range from $109 – $199. The event dates are:
- August: 12, 16, 19, 23, 26, 30
- September: 2, 5, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30
- October: 2, 4, 6, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28, 30, 31
Walt Disney World Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club members may purchase specially priced tickets for select dates.
Conclusion and Our Thoughts
We couldn’t be more excited about Halloween time, furthermore with the return of MNSSHP we are ecstatic! Our history with these parties are from Disneyland, but we look forward to our first take on the Disney World version of the party.
The inclusion of the Sanderson sisters from Hocus Pocus, makes total sense with the sequel coming out this year. I would expect a lot of cool merchandise this year surrounding Hocus Pocus 2. No complaining on that from us. To that point Hocus Pocus has grown on us over the years. It started out as we sort of liked it, and transitioned to we watch religiously during the Halloween time.
If you want to spend the money for MNSSHP, you will enjoy yourself. It offers lower crowds and also it is the only way to see the fireworks that time of year. Essentially putting the fireworks and nighttime entertainment behind a paywall.
To drive the point home, our recommendation is if you are at Disney World during the MNSSHP, we would definitely book this. It will make your Magic Kingdom park visit pleasant and give you access to special offerings.
You will find the crowd levels to be acceptable, and you won’t feel as crowded during these after parties. Boo Bash may not be the best comparison as there was the virus going on during 2021. Boo Bash parties were very comfortable to attend crowd-level wise.
We attended 4 Boo Bash parties at different points of the season last year, and typically the crowds weren’t too bad at all. Also a lot of the attractions that offered had minimal waits as people were concentrating on the candy lines, or parades.
We found that we were able to accomplish a lot of attractions while also watching the parade, and getting through the candy lines. There were no fireworks during Boo Bash, but had there been we are confident that we could have watched those and accomplished the same.
We enjoyed “Boo Bash” Last year but it definitely felt like MNSSHP lite, just one calorie versus the sugary goodness of MNSSHP with a full slate of entertainment. What are your thoughts? Will you be riding down Main Street USA with the Headless Horseman? Let us know in the comments!