Happy Hallowishes!
Happy Hallowishes - Walt Disney World Resort
By: Jennifer Romano
Sadly, summer is coming to an end soon, but the fall also brings with it slightly cooler temperatures and excellent decorations at Walt Disney World. Not only does Disney decorate its parks for the change in the season, WDW is also home to a hard ticket special event called Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. This party is offered on select nights in the Magic Kingdom starting September 10, and it runs until November 1. Tickets start at $59.00, and they are less expensive if you buy them ahead of time. This ticket includes your park admission into the event, which usually commences as the sun is going down and lasts until shortly after midnight. Now that we have the nuts and bolts out of the way, let’s talk about the fun stuff!
First, this event is a safe way to celebrate the Halloween season for families. As the name implies, this is not scary in any way. Most of the gags are funny like many of the ghosts that inhabit the Haunted Mansion. Disney invites all guests to wear costumes and participate in the Halloween frivolity. Of course, you cannot wear anything that is too violent or too suggestive; this is a family event. When you first arrive at the Magic Kingdom, a castmember gives you a wristband that is specific to that night’s event. This wristband lets the castmembers know that you have paid for your ticket, and you will not have any trouble getting on attractions or navigating trick-or-treat stations. On Main Street, everything is decorated for Halloween; there are jack-o-lanterns lining the streets, and the Town Hall even has a projected lightning effect every few minutes. Over the speakers, your ghost host can be heard as he welcomes you to the party. Once you are in the park, you have a few options as to what you want to do next. You can take advantage of the shorter lines for attractions, or you can take a stroll down one of the many trick-or-treat trails. By the time the night is over, you will have a seriously large amount of all types of candy.
Now, the real treat of the night is the Boo-to-You parade that travels the park twice during the party. This parade is a must-see part of the evening. The first parade tends to be a little crowded, so I would go and enjoy the rest of the park first, and then make your way back to Main Street in order to view the parade. Before the parade starts, the Headless Horseman rides down the street, and words cannot describe the effect that this ghoul has on the crowd. I would not miss this! After the Headless Horseman’s ride, the rest of the parade follows, and there are some unique floats and characters in this parade that you cannot see at any other time of the year. The butlers from the Haunted Mansion are fantastic as well as the hitchhiking ghosts from the Mansion. As the night draws to a close, the fireworks, Happy Hallowishes!, take to the sky, and these pyrotechnics do not disappoint.
All in all, I fully recommend the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Even though it is an extra fee, I think it is well worth the money for the candy, the parade, the short wait times, and the special fireworks. If you find yourself in the Magic Kingdom this fall, give the Halloween party a try; it will fill you with ghoulish delight!
This was my costume for the party.
My husband dressed as the 10th Doctor from Dr. Who.
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