Plan Ahead for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party

If you're planning to visit Orlando this fall, it's a good idea to make your plans early, especially if you want to take the kids to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. This after-hours event at the Magic Kingdom requires a special ticket, and quantities are limited so it often sells out.

This year, the event starts on September 10 and runs on select nights through November 1. You can buy your tickets in advance online through the Disney World website.

Is Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party worth paying extra to attend? There are three things about the party that tend to draw excited families year after year:

1) Costumes: This party is the only time of year that all guests, including adults, are allowed to wear costumes in the Magic Kingdom. While young kids are welcome to dress up as their favorite princess, pirate, or other character at any time, older kids and adults cannot do the same except during the party.

Disney fans get very creative at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Whole families come in coordinated costumes, and some are so well-made that it's almost impossible to tell the guests from the official Disney characters.

The Disney characters get into the spirit of the holiday, too. You'll find Mickey and his friends out and about in special costumes for photo opportunities. There's even a Halloween parade packed with costumed characters, a villain show, and a spooky fireworks display.

2) Trick-or-treating: Costumes are fun, but what would a Halloween party be without plenty of trick-or-treating? During the party, there are multiple trick-or-treat stations set up all around the Magic Kingdom. Kids (and adults) can bring their own bag or use one provided for free by Disney. The amount of candy is limited only by the number of times you can hit each trick-or-treat station and trail.

3) Limited admission: Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is an after-hours event that takes place once the Magic Kingdom has closed for the day. The crowd is limited, which often means shorter lines for the rides. Of course, the kids might not be quite as excited to hop on Splash Mountain or Dumbo when they can be out collecting mountains of candy instead.

Traditionally, your party ticket lets you get into the Magic Kingdom a few hours before closing time. You get a special wristband that lets you stay in the park after the day guests are swept out. This is a great way to maximize your regular Walt Disney World ticket. You can do something different during the day, like heading over to Downtown Disney, visiting an off-site attraction, or just enjoying the pool at your hotel or vacation home. Then head to the Magic Kingdom and enjoy a couple of hours of regular park time without using up a day on your regular ticket.

Just as the name implies, Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is suitable even for young kids. It's a bit spooky, but in a fun way that delights youngsters rather than scaring them. The party runs late, so you'll probably want to let younger kids take a nap before heading over to the festivities. If you stay at a hotel right on Disney property, like the Best Western Lake Buena Vista Resort inside Walt Disney World, it's easy to get from your hotel to the park.

There are plenty of other nearby Orlando hotels, like the Holiday Inn Resort Lake Buena Vista, Grand Beach Resort at Lake Buena Vista, Grande Villas Resort at Lake Buena Vista, Celebration Suites at Old Town, Holiday Inn Maingate East, Royale Parc Suites, Baymont Inn and Suites Celebration and Mystic Dunes Resort, that are very convenient to Disney property, allowing you to easily get back and forth from the parks to your lodging throughout the day, whether you're going to a special party or just taking a midday rest.