Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

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Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a separate-admission (a/k/a hard ticket) Halloween-themed event held annually during the months of September and October at the Magic Kingdom theme park of the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, outside Orlando. The party began as a response to the Halloween Horror Nights event at Universal Studios Florida. Disney's event caters to a family atmosphere, whereas Universal's has more of a "fright-centered" event with their monsters (Dracula, Frankenstein, etc.)

The event encourages guests to dress up in Halloween costumes and celebrate the season with themed events throughout the park. Normal rules prohibit guests over the age of nine years old from dressing in costume, however, this rule is waived for the party, although anyone dressed as a Disney character is prohibited from signing autographs or posing for pictures with other guests so as not to be confused with regular cast members (the Disney term for employees) in those roles.

[edit] Events

[edit] Halloween events

Unlike regular hours, the events include trick-or-treating throughout the Magic Kingdom, featuring a Alice in Wonderland-themed trail on the bridge between Mickey's Toontown Fair and Tomorrowland titled "Alice and Mad Hatter's Treat Party". In previous years, the candy has been sponsored by Nestlé, though in recent years, Mars' M&M's and Snickers brands has been a sponsor, and the assortment includes a mixture of those brands and others, including the in-park "Goofy's Candy Company" brand. Additionally, a stage show and meet-and-greet with villains from Disney animated movies and other attractions are held on the Cinderella Castle Forecourt Stage. Other meet-and-greet opportunities exist during the party, including two Disney Character dance parties, one in Fantasyland at Ariel's Grotto featuring supporting characters such as Chip and Dale titled "Get Down and BOOgie" hosted by DJ Sir Herald Mix-A-Lot, and "Stitch's Cosmic Dance Party", held at Tomorrowland inside Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe Starlight Room.

[edit] Parade and fireworks

As with Disney-themed parks, a parade and a fireworks show are the centerpieces of the event. The holiday-themed parade, entitled "Mickey's Boo To You Halloween Parade," features a pre-parade ride by the Headless Horseman from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The parade, which runs in place of SpectroMagic, also features various Disney characters in Halloween costumes and a live-action version of Ezra, Gus and Phineas, the three hitchhiking ghosts from the Haunted Mansion attraction. The fireworks show that is shown in lieu of the regular show, Wishes, is titled Happy HalloWishes: A Grim Grinning Ghosts' Spooktacular in the Sky, which is based on the Haunted Mansion and features Halloween-related music from the Disney library of animated films. Prior to the show's debut in 2005, a revival of the classic fireworks show, Fantasy in the Sky, was shown along with a three-minute holiday-themed finale featuring the voices of cackling witches. The soundtrack for both the fireworks and parade are available on an in-park CD as of 2008 titled "Magic Kingdom Event Party Music", which also includes music from Mickey's Pirate and Princess Party.

Many fans of Disney theme parks believe that this event is much better than the Disneyland version of these activities, called "Mickey's Halloween Treat", which since 2005 has been held at the California Adventure park.