My 18 Tips to Enjoy Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party 2024 at the Magic Kingdom

Hi everyone!

We attended Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party 2024 at the Magic Kingdom and I have a new tips article to share! This is my 12th year of posting tips for the party. I’ve been attending the event since the mid-90s! It’s always fun to see what is new or different.

We are attending another party night tomorrow, and I will add a bit to the article as needed.  We do recommend booking Disney vacations with our partner travel agency MEI Travel & Mouse Fan Travel.

First, here is our Mousesteps Weekly #518 show with a recap of our first Not-So-Scary night.

Here are my Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party 2024 tips!

This way to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party!

Tip 1 – Plan ahead and prioritize what is important – There is a lot to see and do during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party! You could stay on Main Street U.S.A. much of the evening watching Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade, viewing the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular and experiencing Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular fireworks show and not spend as much time in the rest of the park. Or you could spend all evening riding attractions and visiting characters. There are a lot of ways to experience the party.

I have often recommended booking two party nights if possible.

The Hitchhiking Ghosts appear this year at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Tip 2 – Dress as your favorite Disney character – While I personally don’t follow this tip, a lot of guests – adults and kids – love wearing Disney costumes and cosplay. Rules on what costumes are and aren’t allowed can be found here. In August, there are fewer costumes since it’s early in the season and it’s hot.

Tip 3 – Make the most of your ticket and arrive at 4:00 pm – Guests can enter the Magic Kingdom at 4:00 p.m. on the party ticket. There is a special area behind Main Street (to the right) called the Market Street Welcome, where guests can pick up a reusable Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party bag with a pack of M&M’s. Arriving at 4:00 p.m. allows for 8+ full hours of fun! Market Street Welcome is open through 8:00 p.m. and you may even experience a Disney character (we saw Cruella). There is also a Digital Event Guide QR code in the guidemap this year.

Cruella at the Market Street Welcome

Note: If you are already in the Magic Kingdom, you do not need to leave the park to secure your party wristband. Pick up a wristband starting at 4:00 p.m. at  #1 – Tomorrowland across from Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor. #2 Adventureland at Tortuga Tavern. #3 – Fantasyland at Philharmagic.

Tip 4 – Meet characters before the Party starts – Jack and Sally are among a number of characters meeting prior to the 7:00 p.m. start time. We used to always meet Jack and Sally first, but their line can get very long (even at just after 4:00 p.m.). During the first party, we entered the line for Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goofy early – they started at 6:45pm and we were finished by 7:00 p.m. We did meet Jack and Sally later, a bit before fireworks with a 15 minute wait.

The Winnie the Pooh characters (in Halloween costumes) do meet a bit early as well. The Seven Dwarfs do not meet this year.

Our meet and greet with Minnie, Goofy, Donald and Daisy

Our Jack and Sally 2024 meet and greet video

Tip 5 – Pick up your character autograph cards – Jack and Sally have an autograph card, as do the Winnie the Pooh characters and more. Disney characters with autograph cards don’t sign autograph books. The cards make wonderful souvenirs!

Jack and Sally autograph card

Tip 6 – Adults can Trick-or-Treat too – Take a themed reusable bag for everyone, since all guests are welcome to collect candy. And while I am talking candy, I recommend collecting it later in the evening. The lines are much shorter and I tend to find the amount given can be more as well. (Don’t wait until near midnight for all of your trick-or-treating as some locations may have closed). There are unique candy locations at The Diamond Horseshoe, Gaston’s Tavern, Princess Fairytale Hall and more.

Diamond Horseshoe trick-or-treat location

Tip 7 – Allergy friendly offerings are available – Guests can pick up a teal treat bag and trick-or-treat around the park. Cast Members will give out teal tokens, which can be redeemed at an Allergy-Friendly Center in the Magic Kingdom.

Tip 8 – Ride TRON and/or Tiana’s Bayou Adventure with a standby line – Last year, TRON had a virtual queue. This year, the attractions are both are available for standby for party guests (I believe starting at about 6:00 p.m.).

TRON Lightcycle / Run

Tip 9 – Choose a spot for Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade –  Mickey’s Boo-to-You Parade is a favorite of guests! Watching in Frontierland allows for a quick return to other party activities. But Main Street U.S.A. is a great location, and we like Town Square even though it is the final area the parade arrives to.

Mickey’s Boo-to-You starts earlier this year, with the first parade kicking off at 8:15 p.m. The second parade is at 11:15 p.m.

Rapunzel in Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade

The Headless Horseman rides the entire parade route ahead of the parade.

Headless Horseman in Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade

Tip 10 – Don’t wait until the second Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween parade – For years, the second Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade was much less busy. This wasn’t the case last year during our three party nights and it was not our experience this year either.

Tip 11 – Don’t miss Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular –Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular debuted in 2019 and became a quick fan favorite! This is a fantastic fireworks presentation that includes a life-sized Jack Skellington puppet hosting the show, and there are projections on the castle. It’s best seen from close to Cinderella Castle, but you can watch the fireworks from many areas in the Magic Kingdom.

Our Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular video from 2024

Tip 12 – Ride Space Mountain in the dark and more– There are several unique attraction experiences with “Halloween twists” that have returned for 2024 – the Mad Tea Party, Space Mountain, and Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor. The latter has a treat station inside. We also enjoy riding the People Mover, which goes through Space Mountain – it offers some of the Space Mountain experience with darkness and the spooky music.

Mad Tea Party with a Halloween Twist

Tip 13 – Check out entertainment offerings and characters around the park – Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular at Cinderella Castle is a must-see! The Cadaver Dans, Hitchhiking Ghosts (new for this year) and more can be also be found around the park. I was surprised to find the Evil Queen and Maleficent in Princess Fairytale Hall while trick-or-treating. And Mickey Mouse has a new costume in Town Square Theater (Minnie has a coordinating costume, but meets in Storybook Circus). Bruno and Mirabel are also new for the party this year.

Our Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular 2024 video

Disney Villains Maleficent and Evil Queen in Princess Fairytale Hall 2024

Tip 14 – Enjoy attractions with shorter wait times – Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a good night to ride attractions with much shorter wait times. Some of the busier rides can have even shorter lines during Mickey’s Boo-to-You Halloween Parade and Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular as well as later in the evening.

Tip 15 – Stop at PhotoPass locations through the park – There are many special PhotoPass photo opportunities throughout the park. Some are Magic Shots, and there are are also step-in photo frames.