We went to Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party this year! My best friend of 20 years Morgan and I took her almost 3 year old, Ellie, to Disney to see all of her favorite characters in their halloween costumes. We attended the party on Friday night, and spent Saturday and Sunday visiting the parks. I will break down our itinerary, as well as packing tips and other useful information!
*Disclaimer- there are a few affiliate links in this post.*
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party
Disney Accommodations:
Disney has 3 levels: value, moderate, and deluxe.
Value Resorts are typically a little over $100 a night, smallest rooms, and have a food court on site rather than a restaurant. These are great options for those on a low budget, or if you plan on only using your room to sleep (like us!)
- Disney’s Pop Century Resort
- Disney’s Art of Animation Resort
- Disney’s All-Star Movies, Music, and Sports Resorts
Moderate Resorts cost a little more, but have better rooms, more themes, and a mix of food options.
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – French Quarter
- Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside
- Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
- Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
Deluxe resorts cost the most, but they have more perks. They are typically closer to the parks, have full service restaurants, and give access to extended hours at select parks on certain nights.
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort
- Disney’s Beach Club Resort
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Resort
- Disney’s Boardwalk Inn
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
- Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
- Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
- Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
Transportation varies among the resorts. The “better-than-bus” options that may be available include monorail, skyliner, walking path, and boat.
Where We Stayed:
We stayed at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort, and really enjoyed it! It was budget friendly, clean, and the bus took us right to each park! There are 5 different sections of the resort- 101 Dalmatians, Toy Story, Fantasia, The Mighty Ducks, and Herbie: The Love Bug.
The World Premier Food Court is located in the main building and has several different places to eat. Click here to see the food options (including allgeren friendly items!)
The Silver Screen Spirits Pool Bar has a few quick bites, as well as drinks available to enjoy at the bar, or take to go. Check out their options here.
There are two swimming pools at the resort. The Fantasia Pool with a Sorcerer Mickey fountain (with a smaller kiddie pool and water play area are located nearby) and the Duck Pond Pool designed to look like a hockey rink, which is based on The Mighty Ducks movie. Complimentary towels are provided at all pools.
Our Itinerary:
Friday:
Travel day/Mickey’s Party
We took the Mears bus from the airport to our resort and got there around 3pm. The day of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, guests are required to leave the park by 6, and party ticket holders are permitted to start entering at 4pm. After unpacking and a quick change into our park clothes (Disney shirts and shorts for me & Morgan, Halloween costume for Ellie) we stopped by the food court in our resort for a bite to eat we were ready to head to Magic Kingdom!
We had tickets to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, and got there around 6. Trick-or-treating started at 7, so we explored a bit until it started. We let Ellie take the lead, so she got candy at some of the checkpoints, but we also got to meet Donald and Daisy, Minnie, Stitch, and ride several rides before the parade and fireworks. Overall it was a really fun night! My biggest advice is to decide what your top priorities are, and do those first. There’s no way to get it all done in one evening, and that’s ok!
Saturday:
Epcot/ Hollywood Studios
We got up and went to Epcot in the morning. We only did a half day here, but it was CRAZY! The food and wine festival was taking place, and we didn’t realize. Oops! They had limited time options available, with authentic global cuisine and beverages. There is an allergen friendly menu available! However, we did not take part in it- the lines were insane, and there’s no way we could have waited with a 2 year old.
What we did in Epcot:
- Explored Mexico, China, and Norway
- Met Ana and Elsa
- Rode Frozen Ever After (Used Genie+)
Took the Skyliner to Hollywood Studios:
- Got a snack while Ellie napped
- Went to Toy Story Land and walked around until our dinner reservations
- Ate at Hollywood and Vine- met Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, & Pluto
- Rode Toy Story Mania (Genie+)
Sunday:
Magic Kingdom/Hollywood Studios
Magic Kingdom-
- Rode the Pooh ride
- Peter Pan Flight
- Carousel
- Small World
- Aladdin Carpet Ride
- Got lunch at Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe
Rode the bus to Hollywood Studios
- Got dinner at Round Up Rodeo
- Mickey’s Runaway Railway
- Watched the Wonderful World of Animation Firework show
Monday:
Travel Day
We got up and finished packing, then went over to the food court to grab a bite to eat before heading to the airport. We used MEARS transportation, so we had a scheduled pick up time for the bus to come get us and take us back to the airport. We arrived to the airport a bit early (which was great because … traveling with kids- yanno?!) so after security, we checked out the gift shops in the airport and grabbed some coffee for ourselves and a snack for Ellie.
Disney World Parks Break Down:
Magic Kingdom: The Main Park- known for the big castle, this park has the most family friendly rides, and includes famous fireworks experience.
Epcot: Known for their incredible food and drinks, this park allows you to travel around the world and get a small glimpse of different cultures. In my opinion, this park is more adult friendly, but there are several rides for children, as well.
Hollywood Studios: This park has the most shows and movie based experiences. There are quite a few rides, but it is well known for the Star Wars attractions, as well as the Tower of Terror and Toy Story Land.
Animal Kingdom: As an animal lover, this is my favorite park! It is the biggest, but does not have a ton of rides for littles. There are many animal encounters, Avatar experiences, Moana, Dino land, and much more!
Disney Parks Q&A:
How Much Are Disney Tickets? Ticket prices can vary by day and based on the season. For the 2023 season, ticket pricing was as follows:
- Magic Kingdom ticket price: $124 to $189
- EPCOT tickets: $114 to $179
- Disney’s Hollywood Studios tickets: $124 to $179
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom tickets: $109 to $159
- Park hopper add on- $60-80 per ticket
Park Hopper– HIGHLY recommend! This allows you to visit multiple parks in the same day without buying multiple full price tickets beginning at a designated time. Check the Park Hours calendar for details on times!
My Disney Experience App: An all inclusive app where you can add your itinerary, order food, view your tickets, join virtual queues, see your photos taken in the park, check ride wait times, and so much more! Be sure to download it before you arrive at the park. Starting January 9, 2024, ticket holders with Park Hopper benefits or an Annual Pass will be able to visit other parks at any time during park hours.
Genie+: Gives access to most of the lightening lanes (skip the long lines!) for the rides. Another perk is receiving digital downloads of select Disney PhotoPass attraction images taken in the park on the day of your purchase, special Disney PhotoPass Lenses, and Audio Tales giving fun facts and insights about the parks during your visit.
Rider Switch: If Guests in your party can’t or don’t want to board an attraction, you don’t have to skip your favorite rides! With Rider Switch, one adult can wait with the non-rider, while the rest of your group enjoys the attraction. When the other adult returns, they can stay with the non-riders, and the waiting adult can get on the ride without having to go through and wait in the regular line again!
Allergen Menu: Disney is VERY allergen friendly, and they take it very serious. Most restaurants on site are great about accommodating to all of the top common allergies and intolerance’s, and are very willing to work with the uncommon ones, as well. You can read more about special diets here.
Stay at Disney Resort for Perks– There are quite a few benefits to staying at a Disney property.
- You can enter the parks 30 minutes prior to the posted opening time.
- Extended evening hours if you stay at Deluxe Resorts, Deluxe Villas, the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotels or Disney’s Shades of Green Resort.
- Complimentary Transportation
- Transportation from the Airport to your hotel via MEARS
- Quick travel time from the parks to your hotel
- Early access to dining reservations
- Really neat swimming pools if you want to have a rest day between park visits
- Early access to lightening lane selections
Book Dining in Advance: they can book up quick! If you’re staying at a Disney Resort Hotel you can make reservations for your entire length of stay (up to a 10-night stay) up to 60 days in advance of arrival. All other guests can make reservations up to 60 days in advance (so you wouldn’t be able to bulk book unless you wait until 60 days from the last day of your trip.) New reservations are made available at 6:00 AM daily for select Walt Disney World restaurants.
Click here to book reservations for your upcoming trip.
Photo Ops: There are quite a few photo opportunities throughout the park- both with characters, and without for you and your family to enjoy. There is a Disney photographer at each spot, and they will scan your wrist band and upload the photos to your account, allowing you to purchase the package. (Unfortunately you are not able to buy individual photos- but we took so many that it would have been WAY cheaper to get the package, anyways!)
Little known tip: as long as there aren’t a million people in line behind you, they will also take the picture for you on your phone/personal camera!
Packing Tips:
- Apple Air Tags
- Adult Sunscreen
- Kids Suncreen
- Adult Sunglasses
- Kids Sunglasses
- Handheld Fan
- Misting Fan
- Filter Water Bottle
- Autograph Book
- Portable Charger
- Travel Backpack
- Ponchos
- Hand Sanitizer
- Reuseable Straws
- Cash for tips
- Be sure to save space in your luggage for purchases at the park
If bringing littles:
- Stroller (this is the one we took- SO easy to collapse for boarding transportation!!)
- Glow Bracelets For Kids/Stroller
- Busy Games For Lines
- Snacks
Transportation Options:
- Skyliner– Ariel Gondola that goes to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, EPCOT, Pop Century Resort, Art of Animation Resort, Caribbean Beach Resort, and the Riviera Resort
- Monorail– Magic Kingdom park, Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Polynesian Village Resort, and the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC)
- Water Transportation
- Minnie Vans
- Bus Services
Disney Outfits:
Summary:
Our timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Being there during this time of the year meant fewer crowds and lower temperatures compared to the peak summer season, offering us a chance to explore the park much easier.
My favorite part of our trip was attending the Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. The park came alive with a Halloween fun, as families embraced the Halloween season with their costumes and excitement. The illuminated jack-o’-lanterns, haunting music, and the occasional ghostly encounters made the evening even more memorable. We found ourselves fully immersed in the fun, watching Ellie Trick-or-Treat, riding our favorite rides, and meeting some of the best Disney characters dressed up in their spookiest attire.
If I could change anything, it would have been to extend our stay for an extra day or two. There was so much to explore and countless more memories to be made!
In conclusion, our weekend in Disney World was nothing short of magical. We left with hearts full of memories, and a 2 year old that hasn’t stopped asking when we are “going back to the castle.”❤️
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