It has been a long while since I have gotten to enjoy a true Mickey’s
Not So Scary Halloween Party and the time finally came on Friday,
August 26th. I know, I know, it’s not really Halloween time, but
regardless, the official arrival of the spooky season is here at Magic
Kingdom and frankly, being on an after-hours only diet for events
since Covid, this full return of the MNSSHP was just what the doctor
ordered!

This year is the actual full return of MNSSHP as opposed to the After
Hours shortened and “diet versions” of the holiday parties we
traditionally celebrate. While I love the after hour style events for
other types of themes, I truly prefer the full extended version of
Mickey’s Not So Scary and soon coming Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas
parties, Overall, full style parties are a much better way in my
opinion as well for families with small children to experience these
events without having to stay out so late. The ability to enjoy both
an early parade and fireworks offered during the events make it easy
to escape early if you have little ones that need to crash and get
some rest. And with the early entry of 4 pm for event ticket holders,
there are three more additional early hours to begin enjoying Magic
Kingdom prior to the official kick off of the party itself.

Although this was a sold out party, wait times for most every
attraction were walk on. We were able to ride Jungle Cruise, Pirates,
Big Thunder, Haunted Mansion, and Space Mountain with little to no
line time. As far as parades and castle shows, my recommendation for
getting the best vantage point is you’ll need to pick that spot about 20
mins prior. This way your views are not compromised. It seemed to me
that the crowd focus was more on the castle shows, parades, and
fireworks.

Powerline Max is the newest addition to the party and there are
definitely a few tips I’d like to share if you are interested in going
back to that childhood nostalgia of The Goofy Movie! Max is part of
the parade pre-show but he does not travel the entire parade route
with his entourage of dancers and singers. To get the full show and
maybe even join a dance party with the star himself, you’ll want to
stand anywhere on Main Street from the center entrance to the Emporium
all the way down to the Confectionery! Be prepared to sing along to
several hit songs of Powerline and if you can, you may want to rewatch
the Goofy Movie to brush up on those signature moves so you can join
in the party!

I noticed heavier lines for rare characters and specialty treats
and popcorn buckets. Which is typical of these special ticketed
events. I was able to snag one of the event’s specialty beverages and
I must say, this was one of my favorite party offerings of all Carie
snackdom! The Grave Digger MilkShake was out of this world! It was
offered at Sleepy Hollow. A Coconut and Matcha Milkshake topped with
mixed berry whipped cream, a grace digger shovel, and a chocolate
tombstone top off this ghastly treat! The flavors were literal
perfection. Super light but very flavorful! Definitely recommend
trying this one!! And although not listed as a specialty snack
specific to the party, I also grabbed a “chilling chamber pop” because
it featured the Tightrope Walker and my daughter’s namesake, Lillian
Gracey! The cake pop flavor was dark chocolate with strawberry mousse
and cookie crumble layers. Sort of a dirt cake style. Not my favorite
pick, but the design was perfect!

Keep in mind that MNSSHP ticket holders can enter at 4 pm. The event
schedule includes 3 stage shows, 2 parade opportunities, and one
presentation of Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular fireworks display!
There are also several dance parties in various locations with themes
for all ages! There’s a Disney Junior Jam in Storybook Circus, a
Scream-O-Ween ball with the boys from Monsters Inc in Tomorrowland,
and you’ll find a celebration of Disney Channel’s Zombies 3 at the
Zom-Beats Bash at Cosmic Ray’s! I definitely recommend the second
parade performance just my opinion here, but I feel like the first
parade step off had a few kinks to work through.

Overall, it was great to be back in the mix of a true Mickey’s Not So
Scary Halloween Party. It’s just one more step back toward normal and
I am living for that! In truth, I will always recommend you experience
this event at least twice! Once with a ride focus and perhaps another
time with a character focus if that’s your thing. Even with the
extended entry time, I do find it hard to complete all the activities
in just one night. My best suggestion is to go in prepared! Study the
event map and schedule and look into making a list of priorities for
your group and I think you can make it work to your advantage! The
event is definitely a breath of fresh air even with all the spooky fog
creeping around!