As a Florida native, you can probably assume that I have been to Disney a lot of times in my life. Growing up, I went once during the summer almost every year, and then again in the fall for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. It really became a staple for fall in my life, along with a case of seasonal allergies. This meant going on all of my favorite rides, getting tons of candy, and watching the parade. Recently, they have replaced the Halloween party, with something new- an after hours spectacular, called Mickey’s Boo Bash. Though it is similar, it is not the same as the event I hold so dear to my heart when I think of fall. Today I will be discussing my favorite must-dos at the now retired Mickey’s Not-So-Scary.
There are so many rides that just hit different when you ride them at night. For one, in my opinion, you have to ride The Seven Dwarfs Mine Train both in day time and at night. At night, there is a whole new world with all of the pretty neon lights you see glowing as you go through the cave and see all of the dwarves. Another ride that is a can’t miss is Buzz Lightyear. Like mine train, there is just a special vibe when riding this at night. Something about waiting in the queue line hearing Buzz call into star command and reading all of the board game boxes at night really makes for an experience. But my favorite ride to go on during the halloween season is Haunted Mansion because they have a real-life actor that stands outside for people to interact with. You couldn’t go to MNSS without going on these major players!
It can’t be a Halloween party without candy! Set up in multiple areas in each of the different lands within the park, are people passing out candy for you to collect. I remember at the end of the night, I would start sorting my candy even though I had already started eating 1/4th of it. They also had allergy free options for those who can’t have nuts or chocolate. To this day, I still don’t Know how I didn’t get cavities.
Finally, the night would end with a parade consisting of favorite characters from rides. Most floats would just have the characters sitting and waving, but other more halloween-appropriate rides would really stand out. For example, Haunted Mansion had many “ghost” dancers, craning their necks in back-from-the-dead fashion. Another one is that the pirates of the carribean dancers would twirl private flags to the beat of the music. Seeing aspects of the parade like these really made the trip worthwhile, and created some true nostalgia for me in the long run.
If you ever visit Orlando and Disney World, you should visit in the fall to go to the halloween party at magic kingdom. It’s great for all ages and a great way to make memories. I will always remember MNSS for the nostalgic atmosphere, rides, and of course the candy!