A Firsthand Look at 2022 Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party at Disney World

Halloween time has arrived at Walt Disney World, and guests are lining up in droves to take part in the ghoulishly good time. Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, a ticketed after-hours event at Magic Kingdom, is back for the first time since 2019 and takes place on select nights from Aug. 12 to Oct. 31. The spellbinding soiree runs from 7 pm to 12 am and includes trick-or-treating, a full parade, stage show, fireworks, dance parties and more. I went with my family to the second party of the season and the evening flew by faster than a witch on a broomstick. Here's how we managed to get the most frightful fun out of our five hours.

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party officially starts at 7 pm, but party guests can enter Magic Kingdom as early as 4 pm when wristband distribution begins. We lined up at the park gates at 3:30, entered the park and got our wristbands at 4 pm, and headed straight to the Town Square Theater to tackle our top party priority - meeting Jack and Sally from "The Nightmare Before Christmas."

Jack and Sally are by far the most popular character meet-and-greet during the party and begin meeting guests at 4:30 pm - well ahead of any of the other party festivities, so this is a great way to knock out this character experience without missing any actual party time.

The last performance of the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular stage show begins at midnight, so doing everything else before closing out your evening with that show will ensure you've squeezed every last minute out of your party ticket.

Though we're nearing the end of the wettest Florida season, when it rains nearly every day, you can be sure it will be steamy, and showers are always a possibility. The first party of the season was largely rained out, with multiple stage shows canceled and other entertainment elements modified. Officially, there are no refunds, even for weather, so know that you're taking a chance on the forecast when you buy those tickets.

Our night was dry as one of Zero's bones, but it was a sweltering 95 until after 6 pm. Costumes are definitely encouraged and will make your night more fun - but this probably isn't the time to go all in on a furry Chewbacca getup or multi-layered Hitchhiking Ghost suit. We kept it cool in Jack Skellington costume T-shirts and Loki and Maleficent headpieces - just enough to feel dressed up without overheating.

The top-notch entertainment is the number-one reason to attend Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and this event could be your only opportunity all year long to see certain characters.

Mickey's Boo-to-You Halloween Parade happens twice a night - at 9:15 pm and 11:15 pm and features iconic Disney villains like Oogie Boogie and Maleficent, grim, grinning ghosts and gravediggers from the Haunted Mansion, favorite Disney pals in adorable Halloween costumes and an earworm of a soundtrack. We watched the 9:15 parade in Town Square, but a smarter move would be to visit characters or do rides during this time and watch the later parade, because this is definitely the more popular parade time.

The Sanderson Sisters are having a big year with the forthcoming premiere of "Hocus Pocus 2" on Disney+ Sept. 30. They're also the stars of the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular stage show, which happens three times a night on the Castle Forecourt Stage for party dates through Sept. 30; four times a night on October dates. The witchy sisters will put a spell on you alongside other famous Disney villains. This show is some of the best live entertainment you'll see in a Disney theme park and it's not to be missed. For an easier time getting close to the stage, choose a later showtime - ideally the last show at midnight.

Magic Kingdom fireworks are typically best watched in the hub with a little bit of distance from the castle to better take in the projections and fireworks, but Jack Skellington fans simply MUST get a spot close to the stage for Disney's No-So-Spooky Spectacular at 10:15. A magnificent life-sized Jack Skellington puppet holds court as the evening's emcee for a fireworks and projection show packed with segments from "The Nightmare Before Christmas," animated Disney Halloween classics, the Haunted Mansion, and more.

Our 6-year-old loves Jack and our biggest regret from the night was watching the fireworks from an otherwise wonderful spot in the hub in front of Casey's Corner, rather than getting a spot near the stage to better see the puppet.

Elsewhere around the park you'll find cute but okay-to-miss dance parties that only need to be on your must-do list if you love the featured characters. Storybook Circus Disney Junior Jam stars Vampirina and other Disney Junior friends; Zom-Beatz Bash in Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe features zombies, cheerleaders and werewolves from "Zombies 3" on the Disney channel; and - the best dance party of the bunch - Monstrous Scream-O-Ween Ball in Tomorrowland is hosted by Mike Wazowski and Sulley and is a must-visit if you adore the Pixar monster gang.

Pick up a reusable trick-or-treat bag as you enter the party and you'll never have to travel far to find one of more than a dozen trick-or-treating locations. Disney World regulars will find the most novelty in visiting locations housed within attractions that are closed for the party, like Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress and Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room.

Don't be deterred by the treat lines, they move quickly and it's easy to load up on candy without wasting much time trick-or-treating for the run-of-the-mill candies offered, like Snickers, Milky Way and Starburst.

Allergy-friendly treats are available to guests who pick up a teal allergy-friendly treat bag and, instead of candy, collect tokens that can be traded for allergy-friendly treats at designated locations.

We've already warned you to visit Jack and Sally early. The other characters in highest demand are Pooh and Friends in Fantasyland, but they don't start meeting until just before the party starts. Character lists aren't posted in advance but character greeting spots are designated on the event map and you're sure to find a mix of the usual suspects (Mickey, Minnie, et. al.) in Halloween garb, plus more rare characters like the Queen of Hearts and the Mad Hatter.

While I'm often big on prioritizing meeting rare characters and do recommend starting your night with Jack and Sally, character meets here fell lower on our must-do list, behind shows and some unique ride experiences.

A few Magic Kingdom rides get special "Halloween twists" during the party and these are the only ones we prioritized since there are so many other unique offerings and so little time to do everything. Space Mountain runs in total darkness with a different soundtrack and Pirates of the Caribbean includes live actors in the queue and on the ride. The best times to ride these are right away when the party starts, during the 9:15 parade, or as late as possible.

Haunted Mansion also looks extra eerie after dark on party nights as do the made-up Cast Members working the attraction.

There's plenty of trick-or-treating to give you your sugar fix, but leave room for some of the party-exclusive treats too. In my opinion, the weirder it looks, the more intrigued I am. Cases in point: the Hades Hot Dog topped with violet mustard from The Friar's Nook; Winifred's Elixir of Youth - a black tea slushy with kiwi foam and a Winifred chocolate from Casey's Corner, and the Almond Sweet Corn Cake, that you'd swear was an actual corn cob but is really a cake topped with icing and candy corn.

We tried the corn cake because it was just too fascinating to pass up (it's sweet and doesn't taste like corn at all, despite appearances!), but to save time, skipped the rest of the party-exclusive treats. We still managed to try a few limited-time Halloween treats though - at Magic Kingdom, many of the special Halloween menu items are available all day outside of party hours.

Get your caffeine fix so you can make it to that midnight Spelltacular by picking up a Cold Witches' Brew Coffee from Cheshire Cafe before the party starts. Another must-try treat is the Sweet Corn and Vanilla Soft-serve from Auntie Gravity's Galactic Goodies - this one really does taste like corn!

Party-exclusive merchandise is available at the Emporium so be sure to pop in and peruse at some point during your evening. You'll also get a free take-home souvenir on your way out - a Walt Disney World 50th anniversary celebration Halloween-themed commemorative print.

Our family loves Disney PhotoPass service - we get professional-quality photos of the whole family without having to ask someone to take it for us and hand over a phone. Disney PhotoPass photographers are stationed at most character meet-and-greets and around the park. Some of our favorite photos from the night were the Magic Shots that add digital props and eerie backdrops. Get unlimited digital downloads by purchasing Memory Maker.

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party tickets are going quickly but there are still plenty of dates available. View available dates and book.