Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

2013 SPECIFIC DATES, TIMES AND PRICES ARE LISTED AT THE BOTTOM

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (MNSSHP) is a family-friendly night of fun for trick-or-treaters of all ages. In addition to trick-or-treating and dance parties with the characters, the Boo To You Parade, the Villains Show and Hallo-Wishes delight visitors at this "hard-ticket" event get to dress up and play all night.

*a hard-ticket event is an event which requires a separate ticket...meaning you cannot get in with just a regular park or annual pass.

MNSSHP Highlights:

The Boo To You Parade is put on twice nightly (8:15 and 10:30 respectively with the second often being much less busy) but be sure to get a good spot early because the headless horseman will ride through about 10 minutes before the parade starts.

The parade route starts in Magic Kingdom's Frontierland, goes through Liberty Square, circles in front of Cinderella's Castle and ends down Main St near Harmony Barber Shop.

*there is an official area for wheelchair viewing located across from the Riverboat and Hall of Presidents in Liberty Square but be sure to arrive early to get a good spot

The Villains Show takes place on the stage in front of Cinderella's Castle four times a night: 7:45, 8:50, 10:05 and 11:15. The show is spectacular and immediately after, guests get a unique opportunity to meet and greet some of the greatest Disney Villains.

*some of the more rare Disney characters-at least in terms of how often their seen in the parks, are available to meet and greet (example: all seven Dwarfs can be found in Frontierland)

Two separate Dance Parties keep kids partying all night long. Rock-It-Out in Tomorrowland has Chip, Dale, Stitch, Pluto and Goofy.  Woody's Happy Harvest Roundup at the Diamond Horseshoe in Liberty Square has Woody, Jesse and Bullseye.

Upon entering the Magic Kingdom, guests are given a treat bag-although you're welcome to bring your own if your little Pirate or Princess has a favorite. Candy stations are scattered throughout the park so be sure to check your MNSSHP maps. If you have a medical or dietary restriction and need sugar-free or treats without nuts, simply collect the amount of candy you want and take it to City Hall on Main St and exchange it.

*as fun as trick-or-treating in the Magic Kingdom can be (and the candy is usually pretty good), the lines can be long so you may want to limit the number of candy stations you visit

Hallo-Wishes is fantastic! A special, MNSSHP-only version of Magic Kingdom's Wishes, Hallo-Wishes dazzles. The show starts at 9:30 nightly and for the best viewing, get a seat in front of the Castle on Main St.

Children and adults alike are encouraged to come to the party dressed up. There are some dress code standards (remember, Disney World is a children's theme park-no naughty nurses!). Weaponry (swords and the like) is not permitted to be sharp or too realistic and those dressed in Disney costumes are not allowed to sign character autographs.

Dressing up and going to MNSSHP can be the highlight of a vacation. Just remember September and October can still get quite hot on some day so plan accordingly. And have a blast. We sure did.

*Don't forget to look into booking your little one at either the Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique or Pirate's League the day of the party and have your little one all dressed and ready to go.

2013 SPECIFIC DATES, TIMES AND PRICES

The official time for the party is 7pm to midnight but ticket holders are permitted into the park as early as 4pm. Regular park attendees who do not have the MNSSHP tickets will be asked to leave at 7pm.  

September 10, 13, 17, 20, 24 & 27th

Advanced purchase tickets: 

Adult: $59 Child: $54

Same day tickets:

Adult: $65 Child: $60

Passholder/DVC discount (advanced purchase) tickets:

Adult: $56 Child $51

Military Discount tickets:

Adult: $41.30 Child: $31.80

September 29th

Advanced purchase tickets:

Adult: $62 Child: $57

Same day tickets:

Adult: $67 Child: $62

Passholder/DVC discount (advanced purchase) tickets:

Adult: $58 Child: $53

October 3, 6, 10, 14, 17, 20, 22 & 24th

Advanced purchase tickets:

Adult: $62 Child: $57

Same day tickets:

Adult: $67 Child: $62

Passholder/DVC discount (advanced purchase) tickets:

Adult: $58 Child: $53

October 4, 11, 18, 25, 27 & 29th

Advanced purchase tickets:

Adult: $62 Child: $57

Same day tickets:

Adult: $67 Child: $62

October 31st

Adult: $73 Child: $68

*chances are good that tickets will sell out long before the 31st so be sure to order as soon as you can if you wish to go on Halloween

November 1st

Advanced purchase tickets:

Adult: $62 Child: $57

Same day tickets:

Adult: $67 Child: $62

*all prices are before tax

Order your tickets by calling 407-WDisney or online. You can pay to have the tickets mailed to you directly or you can pick them up at the Ticket and Transportation Center (or TTC-where you park to get onto the monorail if you are not staying at a Disney Monorail Resort). At the TTC, you will need to present a valid photo ID, your confirmation number and the credit card with which you originally purchased the tickets). 

Tickets are non-refundable and often sell out early.

Overwhelmed? Start your Disney World planning HERE!

You've decided to go to Disney World...now what?

Where do you start? How much will it cost? When should you go? Where do you buy tickets? There's more than just the Magic Kingdom??? 

The questions can be overwhelming and it's probably one reason so many people end up not going at all. They think it sounds like a good idea but then someone like me tells them to start planning and that restaurant and special extras can book up six months out, suddenly Disney-phobia sets in.

Relax. You can do this. It can be complicated but you just have to take it one decision at a time. 

Let's get started with a quick overview for those just starting out with planning their very first (or first in a long time) vacation...

There are four theme parks and two water parks...

Magic Kingdom is the original and has Cinderella's Castle. If this is your first time planning, Magic Kingdom is probably the theme park you're thinking about when you think Disney World.

Epcot connects to Magic Kingdom via monorail and was the second park built. For years it wasn't considered very kid-friendly and it still caters to adults (eat and drink your way around the world) but has certainly grown to be a favorite for many kids with attractions like Turtle Talk with Crush where kids actually do get to talk with Crush and he talks back.

Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM Studios) is probably the park that is the most balanced between what kids and what adults want. There's stunt shows and thrill rides but also Disney Jr characters and a Woody and Buzz Lightyear meet and greet spot.

Animal Kingdom is a double-edged sword. It's awesome but it will ruin your ability to just go to your local zoo and have a good time. The Kilimanjaro Safari is worth the price of admission alone but there's also Expedition Everest-a roller coaster that will have you running to the single-rider line over and over (thereby skipping the regular line which can get pretty long even in the slowest of seasons).

Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon are Disney's two water parks and each offers a lot for those that are so inclined. If you have very small children and want to do a water park, we recommend Typhoon Lagoon as Blizzard Beach has more of the high-adventure type water coasters. Typhoon Lagoon does, however, give you the opportunity to swim with sharks...yup, sharks. We've done it a few times and it's a blast. Just be sure to bring your underwater camera (the Kodak Sport C123 works great).

Now that you're excited about where you're going, let's talk about all those planning decisions you have to make..

First you should decide when you want to go. Most people ask us "what's the best time of year to go?" which generally translates into "when are the crowds the lowest, the temperatures the best and the prices the cheapest?"

Crowd levels-

Historically, the lowest crowd levels are...

January (just after New Years) to President's Day in February 

*tip-all US national holidays are times that will be much busier as both locals and families from around the nation who don't want to pull their kids from school will opt for these times

September (the week following Labor Day) to the week BEFORE Thanksgiving

*tip-if you opt to go in late September/October keep in mind that Magic Kingdom will close early at least twice a week for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Epcot will be MUCH busier-especially at night because of the annual Food and Wine Festival 

The week AFTER Thanksgiving to mid-December

*tip-this time can really be hit or miss, there's Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party in Magic Kingdom and the Candlelight Processional in Epcot BUT it's a great time to go with pretty low crowds if you're wanting to see the parks decorated for the holidays

Moderate crowd levels...

The week of Thanksgiving

*tip-the crowds may not be as packed at the peak season where you're just sardines in a can but moderate crowd levels can still be overwhelming and if you plan to have a nice Thanksgiving meal, you MUST call 407-WDW-DINE 180 days in advance at 0700 est. Disney restaurants-especially American themed restaurants like Liberty Tree Tavern and the popular Character meals like Cinderella's Castle will book up first and fast!

Late April through early June (with the exception of Memorial Day which falls into the peak season)

Highest crowd levels (aka insanity...at least 90 minute wait times for most attractions)...

President's week in February

Mid-March until late April

Memorial Day Weekend

About the second week of June through Labor Day

Thanksgiving Day Weekend

Christmas Eve through New Year's

*tip-New Year's Eve is the single busiest day of the year. The parks often reach capacity and shut down the front gates mid-day. Go during any of these peak times only if you must, you don't want to see our family or you're just a big fan of waiting two hours for a 60-second ride.

It may go without saying but resort stays are cheapest during the seasons with the lowest crowds and highest during the peak seasons. Check out our break down of the resorts by clicking on one of the resort links on the left. We've included a general idea of what to expect to spend. As for temperature, that's all up to you. We prefer early fall because we still get that summer feeling without melting into the pavement.

Second, figure out your budget. Someone asked us yesterday if they're family of four can go to Disney World for less than $10,000. I choked a little when I heard the question because as many times as we've been and even though we've gone for as long as 15 days and have always stayed on Disney property, we've never spent anywhere near that much. In fact, I'll level with you. The most we've spent from our front door to Disney and back is less than $5,000. Granted, we're on a budget and we are vigilant about seeking out the best deals. My husband is in the military and I'm a stay-at-home mom-it goes without saying that we have to be wise about what we spend and where it goes. Can you go and spend $10,000? Absolutely. Do you need to? No. However, if you'd like to, I have a few ideas of what you can do to make it an amazing time...and if you decided to take me along, I'd be ok with that too...just throwing that out there. Once you know your budget, you can start on the third decision you have to make...

Where will you stay? We always recommend staying at a Disney-owned resort on property but you can check out your options with our comparison of on-property/off-property and even Shades of Green (for all our military friends and family) for more details.

Next, where do you buy your tickets/package? I know people who ONLY use a travel agent because they're afraid they'll make a mistake on their own...understandable but stay informed because more than once, we've known about a discount someone qualified for but didn't receive because their travel agent either didn't know about it or didn't bother to do the work to get them the discount. If you want to plan it on your own...as I suspect since you're here...keep in mind some of the biggest discounts...free dining, room-only discounts, and Disney's Military discounts CANNOT be purchased or added to a reservation online. You MUST call into the reservation center at 407-WDW-7675. In fact, if you call that number and ask them, they'll help you start your planning and the great thing with Disney is that when you're ready to book your vacation, you only need a $200 deposit. The rest of your package is due 45 days before you check-in so you can make monthly payments or save up and pay it all off at once...just be sure to book as soon as you can so rooms fill up fast. If you're looking for just tickets...for example, you've decided staying on property just isn't for your family, and you don't qualify for the greatly discounted military tickets, check out websites like Undercover Tourist for discounted tickets. However, generally speaking, you'll only find discounted tickets when you purchase a minimum of three of four days worth of tickets. 

Lastly, if you have children...especially small children, be sure to take a little more time and do some extra planning-particularly check out the height restrictions. Also, click on our Bibbidy Boppidy Boutique and Pirate's League pages for the fun extras to add to your trip.

As always, if you have any questions, email me by clicking on the profile (where it has my name), I'm happy to help.

Magic Kingdom Overview with Tips

When people think of Disney World, the first thought is generally of Magic Kingdom. It is the iconic first theme park of the Disney World Resort. The history of Magic Kingdom could take up an entire post (or several posts) in and of itself but today we're just going to focus on some of our must-do current attractions and extras.

Oftentimes considered Disney's most child-friendly theme park, Magic Kingdom still has a lot to offer adult visitors; although, it should be noted that Magic Kingdom is the only dry park. All three of the other parks and all of Disney's hotel resorts are happy to pour you an alcoholic beverage but the strongest thing you'll drink at Magic Kingdom is a Dole Whip. 

(photo credit: disneyinsidertips.com)

Magic Kingdom is designed much like a wagon wheel with the impressive Cinderella Castle at the center of the theme park and various "lands" extending out from there. Circling the entire park is the Walt Disney Railroad. You enter the park by crossing under the Main Street Station. On the left you'll find the Harmony Barber Shop where many little ones have had their first hair cuts (less than $20 plus tip) and older brothers and sisters and some moms and dads have had colored hair gel (about $7) used to make some super fun designs.

*tip: Remember to call and book your appointment at the Harmony Barber Shop because although they take walk-ins, you'll spend valuable park time waiting your turn.

Across the way on the right side of Main St is the Town Square Theater which is where you can find Mickey in a magic show...or you can meet the Princesses who are temporarily set up there while much of Fantasyland is under construction during the largest expansion in Magic Kingdom history. They're building the Beast's Castle from Beauty and the Beast-complete with a new Be Our Guest Restaurant, doubling the Dumbo attraction and adding a new meet and greet Princess Fairytale Hall, among other additions.

Anyway, as you walk down Main St, the quaint shops entice you inside where you're able to buy just about any Disney souvenir, candy, baked good or old fashioned ice cream your heart could ever desire. One of our favorite things is to stop just before the Castle at Casey's Corner and grab a hot dog (all beef, just fyi), cotton candy and watch a few old school black and white Mickey Mouse Cartoons while cooling off in the air conditioning.

Of course, at the end of Main Street is the Castle. It makes for a great photo op but it's more than that. It also houses the Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique (aka just about every little girl's dream).

Before you get to the Castle, there are five streets that turn off. The first two on the left merge and direct visitors to Adventureland where you can take a ride with some shady characters on the classic Pirates of the Caribbean attraction. Another favorite is the Jungle Cruise, where, if you like corny jokes, you're in great company. Our must-do in Adventureland is most definitely the Pirate's League. The prices are more than reasonable and it's a blast for boys and girls. 

*tip: advanced reservations are a MUST for Pirate's League

If you turn on the last street on the left, you'll find yourself winding your way through the Liberty Square area-home to the ever-popular Haunted Mansion (another must-do) and ending up in Frontierland which in our house is a big favorite. Frontierland is home to two of the most iconic Disney attractions...not to mention our favorite rides! The Wild Wild West is brought to life with Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Runaway Railroad.

If instead of taking one of the roads to the left, you take the first right off Main St, you'll find yourself in Tomorrowland. Tomorrowland is an ever-changing image of what tomorrow may bring. Today, when you go to Tomorrowland, you're presented with the opportunity to battle aliens in Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. It's certainly a must-do-especially if your family is like ours and you enjoy some healthy competition. If you're looking for some down time, go straight to the Monster's Inc Laugh Floor and be prepared to be "that guy."

*tip: have a joke of your own in mind when you visit Mike Wazowski...while waiting for the theater doors to open, you'll be presented with the opportunity to text your very own joke and if you're lucky, it'll be used in the show

Tomorrowland's big attraction is Space Mountain. It's also the attraction in Magic Kingdom with the tallest height requirement. 

*tip: be sure to measure and remeasure your little ones before your trip-knowing what they can and cannot do will be a life-saver!

*tip: keep your eyes open in all the parks for little bits of extra magic...in Magic Kingdom you might find "water painters" like the one shown above or you might even find a trash can rolling down the street chatting with park guests

The second star on the right....wait, wrong navigation...the second street on the right from Main Street will lead you to the dividing line between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland which as we said earlier is undergoing a pretty massive explansion which, when completed, will almost double Fantasyland. All the classic kiddie attractions are there...Prince Charming's Carrousel, Dumbo, It's A Small World and the Mad Tea Party Cups.

Just because Fantasyland is home to so many of the kiddie classics, don't let it stop you from visiting if you're kid-free and not really feeling the Tea Cups. Mickey's PhilharMagic is an amazing 3D experience and one of the best attractions at Magic Kingdom regardless of your age. 

Magic Kingdom has other great attractions, restaurants and more shopping opportunities than you could ever manage in a trip but the most important thing to remember is to just have a great time. Pick what you think will be the most fun for you and your group and make those the priority. Anything else is just icing on the cake.