Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween with Toddlers

We just returned to Playa Del Carmen from a week and a half in Orlando, and it was a blast. The main reason for the trip was to go to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, which after two years of being canceled, is back at Magic Kingdom.

Our little guy loves everything Halloween, so we thought this would be perfect for our son and to help other families wanting to visit Mickey’s not-so-scary Halloween with toddlers.

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I must admit I was thoroughly impressed with the Halloween Party. We aren’t a Disney family, but we’re starting to get there.

Our time at Mickey’s not-so-scary Halloween party with our toddler was a blast. He had so much fun, and honestly, we did too.

One of the main reasons is Hocus Pocus. I’ve always loved the movie growing up; I even watch it now every year. I had the DVD for a while, so I am excited they finally included Hocus Pocus this Halloween season at Disney World.

Spoiler alert. The show and fantastic!! I challenge anyone to say they did not enjoy the show.

Hocus Pocus was full of surprise guests and felt like a walk down memory lane. I may be getting a little ahead of myself, so let’s start from the beginning.

Here is everything you need to know about attending Mickey’s not-so-scary Halloween with toddlers.

Table of Contents

Is Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Toddler-Friendly?

Most of the activities during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween are great for little ones. I do not believe everything is toddler-friendly, so you may need to skip a few things if your little one is scared.

Depending on your goal, your little one can get through the part without getting scared. If you want to avoid the spooky encounters, we recommend sticking with character meets, trick-or-treating, and the Boo-To-You parade.

Although the Hocus Pocus Spelltacular isn’t scary, your little one may get scared because of the noise and effects.

Our little guy watched for a few minutes, then he wanted to watch YouTube during the show, so that kept him busy while we took a stroll down memory lane.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Events

A lot is going on during the party. To help get a better idea of the festivities throughout the night.

Here is a quick overview of the Halloween party activities/entertainment.

Character Greetings (Areas)

Fantasyland (near Brainstormer, Dumbo, Winnie the Pooh, Princess Fairytail Hall, and Mad Tea Party)
Tomorrowland (near Peoplemover)
Adventureland (Swiss Family Treehouse, Pirates of the Caribbean)

There may be more characters floating around, but these are the areas to get some great pictures.

Entertainment

Hocus Pocus Villian Spelltacular
Mickey’s Boo-To-You Halloween Parade (Begins in Frontierland)
Disney’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular (above Cinderella’s Castle)
Storybook Circus Disney Junior Jam (Fantasyland)
Monstrous Scream-O-Ween Ball (Tomorrowland)
Zom-Beatz Bash (Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe)

Rides with a Halloween Twist

Pirates of the Caribbean
Mad Tea Party
Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
Space Mountain

Things to Know Before Visiting Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party with Toddlers

If you plan on visiting Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party with toddlers, there are a few things that you need to know.

Here are some quick things to know to get your time at Disney started on the right foot.

1. Admission starts earlier than the event

Like all theme parks in Florida, little ones under three years old do not need a ticket. If your little one is two, this is the perfect time to take them tick-or-treating at Magic Kingdom.

The official kick-off time of the Halloween festivities is 7 pm, but you can enter the park as early as 4 pm.

We recommend letting your little one nap late because it will be a long night full of fun. I also highly recommend eating an early dinner; so your family is not hungry when you get to Magic Kingdom.

If you arrive at 4 pm, there will be a line, but it moves somewhat slowly because you need to receive a wristband to prove you are allowed in the park after the park officially closes.

2. Costumes for everyone

Calling all families that love to dress up for Halloween, this is your time to shine. Disney does not allow guests over 13 to wear costumes, but for Mickey’s not-so-scary Halloween party, everyone is welcome to dress up.

Of course, there are some rules, but if you plan to attend with a toddler, I am sure your costume is Disney-appropriate.

A piece of advice is to bring a cool change of clothes for your little one. It may be hot, so your toddler may need to change into something cooler until the party starts at 7 pm.

We packed a pair of shorts, but our little guy refused to take off his Buzz Lightyear costume.

He didn’t want to wait to eat his snacks

3. Scary? No. Loud? Yes!

If your little one is sensitive to loud noises, I recommend bringing noise-reduction headphones to help reduce the sounds.

There is a lot of loud music and fireworks, so although the part isn’t scary, the loud noises may frighten your little ones.

Our little guy isn’t usually sensitive to sound, but it was a lot for him even though he had fun.

4. Have a little one with allergies, no worries

If you have a toddler with allergies, they can still attend Mickey’s not-so-scary Halloween Party and trick-or-treat. After getting your wristband, you will receive a reusable bag for your candy.

Disney provides teal bags for kids with allergies to collect tokens to redeem at the end of the night. Your little one will receive candy with no peanuts if they are allergic (like our little guy).

We went through his bag halfway through the night, and it was 85% Snickers, so we had to switch out most of his candy.

Since this was his first time trick-or-treating, I collected the tokens at the candy stations so he could get the Halloween experience.

5. Halloween Treats

We like to stay on a budget. This time we let ourselves splurge. Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween is the perfect time to get some exclusive treats.

As you can see (picture above), this is a chocolate lover’s paradise. I will caution you if you plan to purchase anything that can melt; I recommend waiting until closer to the end of the night.

I got the apple pie candied apple, and it was fantastic. Honestly, I’d go back just for that.

The good thing about getting your little ones hopped up on candy here is they will burn the excess energy walking around the park.

Tips for visiting Mickey’s Not-so-scary Halloween with toddlers

1. Secure a spot for the Boo-to-You Halloween Parade early

The Spooktacular Boo-to-You Halloween Parade took a while to start, but it was certainly worth the wait.

Be on the lookout for the headless horseman. He kicks off the parade. Families with little ones will want to see the first parade, so get a spot early.

We recommend getting a spot in Frontierland. This way, you can see everything and get to the rides before everyone at the end of the route.

There are two parades, but most families with little ones leave the park by 1030 pm, so you will likely miss the other ones later in the night. Remember, the party lasts until midnight, so if you have a toddler, you want to get everything you want to be done by 8:30 or 9 pm.

We watched the Hocus Pocus show and stayed in the area until the parade started to avoid getting stuck in the back.

We’re less than 5’5, so getting stuck in the back means our little guy wouldn’t enjoy the parade, but luckily we got a decent spot and put him on our shoulders.

The parade was phenomenal. Disney brings their A game with so many character appearances. Some of the characters include (of course Mickey and friends),

Clarabelle
The Incredibles
Toy Story crew
Jack Sparrow
Winnie the Pooh,
Snow White (and the seven dwarfs)
Aladdin + Jasmine
Alice (from Wonderland) with the Mad Hatter
Rapunzel
Peter Pan (and friends)
Wreck-it-Ralph + Penelope
Disney villains

It wouldn’t be Halloween if the villains didn’t make an appearance, which I love. The Shadow Man is my favorite, he really gets into character.

If you want to see the show, I embedded a video below. It isn’t scary, but it is a little loud, so your little one may need noise-reduction headphones if they are in the front.

We’ve been back home for a few days, and the song is still playing in my head, so you have been warned.

2. Visit characters early

If you want your little one to get photos with characters, we recommend getting them early.
Our little guy got photos with Fancy Nancy, Buzz Lightyear, Stitch, Doc McStuffins, and Timon before the party started.

Other characters are available for pictures, but we decided to skip them because we had reservations at Chef Mickey‘s, so we knew we’d see the main cast there.

The lines can get long, so I recommend one parent wait while the little one trick-or-treats nearby and meet with the other parent when they are closer to the front.

We didn’t bother with some character meets because our little one isn’t familiar with them.

Getting a picture with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs would have been nice, but he has no idea who they are, so we wanted to stick to characters he would be excited to see.

3. You don’t need to visit every trick-o-treat location

If there is one thing your toddler will get from Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is candy.

There are 14 trick-or-treat locations throughout Magic Kingdom. You do not need to visit them all for your little one to get lots of candy.

We stopped at five stations, and our son’s bag was filled to the top with candy.

4. Spend plenty of time at the Disney Junior Jam

The Disney Junior Jam was, by far, our son’s favorite part of Mickey’s not-so-scary Halloween Party. He loves to dance, so when he heard the music and saw other kids dancing, he ran to the Storybook Circus.

This is the perfect time to get photos and videos of your little one dancing with their favorite Disney Junior characters.

They can dance with Vamparina, Fancy Nancy, Timon, and Minnie. A cast member told us Minnie makes her way to the Storybook Circus before Mickey’s Not-So-Spooky Spectacular.

5. Get a photo with Mickey during the fireworks show

We decided to leave the party during the fireworks because our little guy was exhausted. On our way out, I decided to swing by the theatre to check the wait to see Mickey, and there was less than a five-minute wait.

We got some great pictures with Mickey without waiting in a long line. When we arrived, the wait to see Mickey was over 45 minutes, so it was a steal.

As we were leaving, one of the cast members told us it was one of the best-kept secrets. If you want to see Mickey without waiting in a wrap-around line; stop by during the fireworks show.

Hocus Pocus Spelltacular Show

I’ve mentioned quite a few times how much I love Hocus Pocus.

The Hocus Pocus Spelltacular Showtimes:

August 2nd – September 30th – 8:35, 10:45, 12:00
October 2nd – November 1st – 7:40, 8:35, 10:45, 12:00

For parents wondering if the show is toddler-friendly, I embedded a video of the 2022 performance for you to determine if it is toddler-friendly for your little one.

Is Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party with Toddlers Worth It?

I am not a Disney fanatic, but yes!!! MNSSHP is absolutely worth it, especially if you have toddlers.

The park is less crowded, your little one can get more time with characters, you get unbelievable pictures, and the parade is fantastic.

We’ve been home for a week, and our little guy is talking about meeting Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy. He wants to return to Mickey’s Halloween Party (he watches Mickey Halloween on Disney+), so I think it was a success.

It will be a long night, but certainly a memorable one. Remember, it’s really not so scary.

Happy Halloween!!

Mickey’s Not so Scary Halloween Party with Toddlers

Is Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Toddler-Friendly?