The city of Orlando has been a central point of attention since October 1, 1971, with the opening of Magic Kingdom, the first of four theme parks that now make up Walt Disney World. Since then, the nickname “The Most Magical Place on Earth” has become synonymous with Disney World and in return, Orlando. Throughout the year, the wonderous parks blossom with joyous crowds and smiling children, and every fall, Magic Kingdom shows the city a different type of magic; the magic of Halloween.
Starting on Halloween Night in 1995, sold as a special one-night ticketed event, the park of Magic Kingdom underwent an overnight change, creating Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. “With a focus on fun rather than frights, the event was designed to provide a safe and entertaining environment for guests of all ages and interests,” says Brittany DiCologero of WDW Magazine. Since then, it has continued to grow rapidly, now spanning from August to Halloween Night, as it entrances children of all ages with its several trick-or-treat locations, a special parade, a fireworks show only offered during the event, and more.
This year, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is offered on select nights from August 9 to October 31, from the hours of 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. The five-hour event offers guests the opportunity to explore the park of Magic Kingdom in costumes (some rules apply), not only at night but with a limited crowd, allowing top attractions such as The Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train and Tron Lightcycle Run to be more accessible for those who prefer not to wait in the standard long lines. In between rides, guests can bring light-up Mickey Mouse pumpkin pails or bags supplied to the guests to trick-or-treat locations scattered throughout the park as well as have photo-opportunities with characters only offered during the event.
On top of special character meet and greets, guests can find several limited engagement shows and forms of entertainment throughout the night: Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade, Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular, Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltactular, and Moonlight Melodies. The two most popular events often are Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade and Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular Fireworks.
Cast member, Michael Battista, spoke on their experience at this year’s party. “Something that was unique were the character interactions. The lines were pretty long for characters like Jack and Sally, so we went early. The reason it was so long was that they gave more tailored character interaction. Jack from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ made incorrect guesses about my partner’s costume (Lightning McQueen) before having Sally correct him. It was a several-minute-long interaction versus the regular ‘talk briefly, take a pic, and then move onto the next guest,’” said Battista.
The character meet and greets are not the only types of cast engagements to look forward to. “The cast interactions are also great! I think they enjoy having a party crowd to spread their wings. The cast at the Star Traders gift shop even gave us a ‘best group costume’ button!” said Battista.
Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade is a fifteen-minute parade starting toward the back of the park in Frontierland and ending in the front of the park between the fire station and the gift shops on Main Street. The parade opens with the Headless Horseman galloping on a black horse across the path of the floats carrying a pumpkin head.
“I think it was the quietest I’ve heard Main Street,” said Battista on the Headless Horseman’s entrance.
Following the horseman, the parade features an array of lovable and well-known characters such as Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder, Constance and the Hitch Hiking Ghosts from The Haunted Mansion ride, Minnie, Daisy, and Clarabelle (all three dressed as the Sanderson Sisters: Winifred, Sarah, and Mary), Chip and Dale, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, and a section full of iconic villains of the company, including Ursala, Cruella de Vil, Queen of Hearts, Gaston, Oogie Boogie, Dr. Facilier, and Maleficent. Each features special music and accompanying choreography individualized for the character/section of the parade. Some of these characters, such as the grave diggers, will actively engage with the crowd either vocally or with facial expressions and gestures. This parade appears twice throughout the night, once at 8:15 p.m. and a second time at 11:15 p.m.
Between the two parades, Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular Fireworks fills the gap centered in the park at Cinderella’s Castle, starting at 10 p.m. every night of the event. The best view is in front of the castle on Main Street. The fireworks begin with a Disney World cast cover of Danny Elfman’s “This is Halloween” from the fan-favorite movie “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” Throughout the song, the Magic Kingdom utilizes 3D mapping technology to change the beloved castle’s physical coloring and appearance and fit the event’s song and theme and event. Some changes guests can look forward to include tap dancing skeletons dancing across the rotten and rickety flooring of an old wooden haunted house and interludes of Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy appearing in animated form as secondary narrators of the spectacle. The event’s main host is a Jack Skellington puppet that towers over the stage and the audience. He is large enough to get a good view of anywhere in the crowd, but being close allows guests to take in his grand stature and the choreography of the puppeteers. Guests are once again greeted to the Disney World cast cover of “This is Halloween” as the fifteen-minute show ends, signifying the hour and forty-five minutes of the event remaining.
Before rushing out of the park, the event also allows guests to purchase exclusive merchandise specific to the event, such as classic Mickey Ears, cups, shirts, sweatshirts, and more.
From enchanting decorations and unforgettable character encounters, Mickeys Not-So-Scary Halloween Party brings a unique festive cheer to the spooky holiday.
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