Fall is finally here!
Well, close enough and if we are going by Disney standards, it was actually last month. Halloween madness has officially kicked off and we were able to finally attend one of the special events, Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party last night. We have been to Christmas parties before but never to anything Halloween.
As you enter Magic Kingdom guests are given a fabric wristband which separates partygoers from regular guests, and you will get a small bag for candy. I suggest packing a larger tote. You can thank me later for that. The party kicks off at 7pm but guests can enter starting at 4 pm. Of course, the park is decorated impeccably as you would expect for Disney caliber. The traditional Mickey pumpkin wreaths adorn the lamp posts and various pumpkins and scarecrows are scatted throughout the entrance hub. There is plenty of signage directing party participants where to go. We had the unfortunate evening of torrential rain which literally put a damper on everything.
After the initial downpour subsided, we headed straight for Space Mountain. Our youngest decided to ride it for the first time. It was one of the attractions themed for the evening. This attraction was fully in the dark. The ride was a walk on (thankfully) which gave her no time to change her mind. She successfully handled Space Mountain and loved it so much we ended up riding twice. Next, we decided to grab some food and wait for the first parade. This was a smart move on our part because little did we know that the second parade was going to be cancelled later that night. We secured a spot in Frontierland (another smart move). The Halloween Parade was one of my favorite parades and probably my favorite experience of the night. Unfortunately, the Headless Horseman did not get to ride because of the weather but all things considered it was still enjoyable. After the parade, we bolted over to Tiana's Bayou Adventure which was another walk on attraction.
After Tiana's and some Trick-or- Treat stops it was time for the fireworks. This was the worst part of our evening. Just as we got our spot another torrential thunderstorm let loose. The fireworks ended up being delayed. We opted to navigate towards Fantasyland since no official announcement was made about when the fireworks would be happening. Unfortunately, they started abruptly, about 30 minutes after they were initially planned. We did not get a good viewing area and sadly, most of the umbrellas were still up obscuring any views anyway. I wish that Disney would have made an announcement of some sort. Sadly, Jack Skellington was also missing from this show as well. But, the weather can't be helped.
After seeing what we could of the fireworks, we ended up heading towards Tomorrowland. We hopped on the Teacups that were themed for Halloween, did some more trick-or-treating, and made our way towards Tron. Tron was a walk on and our youngest decided to try this one as well. When I'm telling you this was a big deal, it was a BIG DEAL. She was scared of attractions with hills for years. She not only rode Tron but she ended up loving it. We could have walked on again but chose to head towards the castle since it was nearing the end of the party but not before doing some MORE trick-or- treating.
We ended the evening with a castle show featuring the Sanderson Sisters, Villains, and more. By this time, we were sopping wet, had every bit 30 pounds of candy, and were just exhausted. While we did not opt to do any meet and greets we still saw a variety of unique characters. My best tips if you are planning to do an after hours event:
1.Set your expectations low. Even though it's an "exclusive" event I felt it was more crowded than the actual park was earlier in the day.
2.Rest before you go. We took it easy that morning and afternoon which was to our benefit.
3.Pack a larger tote bag for your candy, bring an umbrella or poncho regardless of the forecast and dress for hot and humid weather. It's more uncomfortable now than in June.
Overall, it was a fun time. I feel a little sad I did not get the full experience but again, we cannot help the rain. Would I do it again? Probably. If you are considering this event or a Disney trip, let us help you plan. Follow the link at the bottom of the blog to our Travel Agent Page Magical Vacation Planner by Matthew Crawford.
