"Official" 2025 Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

[Disneylover99]

Could we please get some of your MNSSHP touring tips? There will be 10 of us, 6 adults, kids 2-9, no party experience, likely our only party... picked a Tue in mid Sept. We aren't able to be inside MK prior to party (I may be able to separately get in before 4pm). Watched Fri & Sun party wait times to see how the 3 posted character greets and rides progressed. My initial thoughts are that our priorities will generally be 1) select characters 2) parade, fireworks, Hocus Pocus 3) trick or treating and rides (a tie). We intend to figure out which characters we want before hand (don't know yet but think Jack and Sally will scare our 2 yr old even though I think we won't ever see them again). I do think yes to Elvis Stitch and M/M at Townhall. Possibly able to skip Goofy/Daisy/Pluto and maybe the Pooh/friends with going to Crystal P.

Initial Thoughts:
I think I would try to eat dinner around 6 ish so that we're ready for party, hope to eliminate a 2nd dinner like at 10. Maybe wait to get there at like 4pm and miss the huge lineup at like 3pm, and walk in as we get there without a long wait. Especially if skipping Jack/Sally. Thinking we aim for rides from 4-6pm dinner, and shortly after dinner rides as well, all of the ones that are under 30 (skipping Tron, 7D, Tianna's, HM, Pan, and Space), while getting in a character line if it's short enough (i.e. Aladdin or some character that isn't long). Wait until after 7pm for Mickey/Minnie at Townhall, as I saw it drop starting around then down to about 35. Go to first parade but from Frontierland, and go to Tianna's right when parade passes. HM/Pan could be next if reasonable. I'm sort of thinking with 10 of us, 2 strollers, we might want to not even try to go in front of castle for fireworks, and look for spots from behind such as Pinnochio wall, Tomorrowland by Speedway. The issue is even if someone were to wait to save us a spot for 1-2 hrs, our size makes that difficult to work. Trick or treating starting around 10, store bags in strollers, maybe take a mostly empty backpack for candy bags. Try for last Hocus Pocus if the kids don't need to be awake to see it since the 1st one will likely be popular like anything else. Be flexible on Tron. Would it be cool if it were lit up, yes. Would I rather get it done when it's 35 min when it's light out over 60 at night, yes. Hoping to skip most of the themed snacks and merch browsing.

I’d skip the fireworks if you want to do some rides/trick or treat trails. I’d bring some ear plugs for the kids though. The fireworks can be particularly loud if you’re behind the castle.

I always like to go to the last Hocus Pocus show. It is generally packed though. It will be better if the kids are asleep cause it would be too hard for them to see and wouldn’t interest the youngest ones anyways.

 

[kwwdw]

It will be my first time going to the Halloween party... with an AP is it better to go into MK early and get a wristband or wait until 4? Really hoping to hit the Jack & Sally line when it's not 90-120 minutes. Thanks for any advice!

 

[Disneylover99]

It will be my first time going to the Halloween party... with an AP is it better to go into MK early and get a wristband or wait until 4? Really hoping to hit the Jack & Sally line when it's not 90-120 minutes. Thanks for any advice!

If you’re already in the park when the party starts, you’ll need to get your party wristband from Adventureland, Fantasyland or Tomorrowland which is far away from the Town Square Theatre where they meet, so waits will already be long by the time you get there.

I’ve heard that the people waiting outside the park have been lining up at 2pm-ish to have a decent shot at meeting Jack and Sally with little to no wait. Personally, I would not want to wait out in the hot sun that long. I’d rather wait in the air conditioned queue later in the evening during the fireworks or parade.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Anyone have a blogger/you tuber that they'd recommend for a review of this year's party? we seem to have mixed success finding people we like to watch.

We watch ResortTV.

These are the experts you’re looking for
Official 2025 MNSSHP thread

LOL! Are you checking to see if I’m awake? You’re quite correct - and it’s this thread!

 

[HeiHei2018]

We went last night with a focus on rides. Waited out an afternoon storm at our hotel and entered the park around 4:15. No lines through security or the tap points. The bypass was not open, and they told us to go to Tomorrowland terrace for treat bags. If I remember correctly, we did the following (some may be a little out of order)

• Dumbo (waited 5 min)
• daytime sideshow meets (both sides, 15ish minutes each, these close at 5 pm). Barnstormer was posted at 20 min with line to the entrance, so we skipped that.
• Walked on little mermaid, and it still wasn’t 6:00.
• IASW (5-10 min)
• carousel (walk on).
• Mine train with posted 45 min and waited 30-35
• Haunted Mansion, posted 20, waited 15. We entered around 7:10, but there were no live actors in the ride or at the exit.
• Pirates (walk on)
• Jungle cruise (10-15 min). They gave out snickers pumpkins as we exited. This was right before the 8:00 parade, and it was walk on when we got off.
• Magic carpets (walk on and half empty)
• Trick or treating at tiki room
• Walked up to country bears area to catch the later floats of the parade
• Mobile ordered food from sleepy hollow (around 8:50). Ate slowly.
• Watched a few minutes of the 9:05 stage show already in progress
• Trick or treated and then sat in AC at Monsters Inc
• People Mover (walk on)
• Astro Orbiter (just had to wait for elevator) and exited as first fireworks went off
• Watched fireworks near the fantasyland bridge, couldn’t see stage, but saw projections and fireworks
• Teacups (walk on, we found the special projections slightly blinding)
• Halloween meet at sideshow. We met Daisy and Goofy. Posted 15 min, probably waited 20. There was a character break, and the line moves slowly. We didn’t mind sitting in the very cold AC.
• Trick or treating at train station
• Barnstormer (walk on)
• Mine Train (posted 25, waited 20)
• Peter Pan (walk on and empty ships)
• Pooh (walk on and not cars)
• Trick or treating with special guests at Princess Fairy Tale Hall (no wait, got selfies with both guests)
• Mine Train (posted 15, waited 10)
• Mine Train (posted 15, entered line after 11:50, waited 20)
• Got caught in huge crowd exiting the hub after final stage show, but managed to get to buses pretty quickly. Got on a waiting bus and were on our way by 12:30.

The rides we skipped we didn’t want to ride. We wanted to meet Mickey and Minnie, but the line for that was consistently 45 minutes, and we didn’t want to deal with walking down and back on a packed Main Street.

FYIs:

• Bloggers said you could get a treat bag from the trick or treat trails, but these are thick plastic bags instead of the tote bags they give out initially.
• Pinocchio Village Haus closed to everyone before 6 to empty out all the day guests. Once everyone exited, they reopened after 6 with special items.
• They checked wristbands intently between 6-7, so show your right hand at every entrance.
• Mobile Order and wait times in the app are not available 6-7.
• Everyone seems to know the tip to hop in line at closing and watch the last stage show.

 

[musika]

Thanks so much for the detailed report! Question, do you recall the wait times for Jack and Sally early on?

 

[MemoryMakers]

It will be my first time going to the Halloween party... with an AP is it better to go into MK early and get a wristband or wait until 4? Really hoping to hit the Jack & Sally line when it's not 90-120 minutes. Thanks for any advice!

If you don't mind missing the fireworks, if you get to Jack and Salley right before they start (or really, like 15 min before they start), the wait time can be low. We did this during both Halloween and Christmas parites and both times, the wait was 20 min. Now, the bad part...it can be tough to get there as there are a lot of people on main street. We had success cutting through the stores...or staying on the sidewalk. Good luck

 

[CamFam2000]

Hi all! Has anyone heard if the wait at the turnstile to get into the park has been crazy long? I know last year people were recommending to get in line at 3pm, or earlier, as lines were backing up to the boat area. I really don't want to stand in the heat for an hr plus, I mean nobody does.

 

[jods]

Hi all! Has anyone heard if the wait at the turnstile to get into the park has been crazy long? I know last year people were recommending to get in line at 3pm, or earlier, as lines were backing up to the boat area. I really don't want to stand in the heat for an hr plus, I mean nobody does.

Reports are that there's an initial backlog. I plan to go around 430 and hope to breeze in.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Hi all! Has anyone heard if the wait at the turnstile to get into the park has been crazy long? I know last year people were recommending to get in line at 3pm, or earlier, as lines were backing up to the boat area. I really don't want to stand in the heat for an hr plus, I mean nobody does.

Guests who arrive at 3:00 will wait a minimum of 45 mins as gates do not open until at least 3;45. We arrive shortly after 4:00 to avoid the long wait in the sun. Still can be a wait but will not be 45 mins.

 

[HeiHei2018]

Thanks so much for the detailed report! Question, do you recall the wait times for Jack and Sally early on?

180 minutes with a huge line outside as we entered the park

 

[HeiHei2018]

Hi all! Has anyone heard if the wait at the turnstile to get into the park has been crazy long? I know last year people were recommending to get in line at 3pm, or earlier, as lines were backing up to the boat area. I really don't want to stand in the heat for an hr plus, I mean nobody does.

We breezed through at 4:15. It was raining until about 4, so not sure if that affected crowds.

 

[rosie5189]

Hi all - where is the closest wristband pickup to town square if you are already in the park? My 4 year old is dying to meet Jack and Sally, and we plan to get in line as soon as possible. Also - could I grab the wristbands for everyone in my party (showing tickets) and run to meet them closer to TS, or does everyone need to be present? I wasn't sure if they were actually scanning tickets or just looking at them (the later of which means everyone would need to be present). Thank you!!

 

[kylenne]

Hi all - where is the closest wristband pickup to town square if you are already in the park? My 4 year old is dying to meet Jack and Sally, and we plan to get in line as soon as possible. Also - could I grab the wristbands for everyone in my party (showing tickets) and run to meet them closer to TS, or does everyone need to be present? I wasn't sure if they were actually scanning tickets or just looking at them (the later of which means everyone would need to be present). Thank you!!

Tomorrowland IIRC, over by Laugh Floor. But I've heard mixed things about being able to hit Jack & Sally after doing that given the huge crowds trying to "rope drop" them. You'd probably have to be one of the first in line and go super fast to beat the people coming in the front. In years past they would sometimes start giving wristbands out inside the park a little before 4, but they've been stricter more recently.

I'm just going to attempt the line later in the evening tbh.

We breezed through at 4:15. It was raining until about 4, so not sure if that affected crowds.

It's never bad at that time. The huge crowds are to come in earlier than that, driven mainly by Jack & Sally's line opening at 4. It's basically a "rope drop" crowd at the tapstiles for that.

 

[rosie5189]

Tomorrowland IIRC, over by Laugh Floor. But I've heard mixed things about being able to hit Jack & Sally after doing that given the huge crowds trying to "rope drop" them. You'd probably have to be one of the first in line and go super fast to beat the people coming in the front. In years past they would sometimes start giving wristbands out inside the park a little before 4, but they've been stricter more recently.

I'm just going to attempt the line later in the evening tbh.



It's never bad at that time. The huge crowds are to come in earlier than that, driven mainly by Jack & Sally's line opening at 4. It's basically a "rope drop" crowd at the tapstiles for that.

Yeah I thought about that but with my 4 year old not sure how long she will last (i.e., later in the night after fireworks). She just loves NBC so much! I wish they would consider a virtual queue or something similar for people at the party. Thanks for the tomorrowland tip!