NOTE: We were having some camera problems during our foray into MNSSHP, so, unfortunately, a lot of our pictures didn't come out very well. Sorry in advance for the lack of photo reference!
It's just about that time of the year again. Well, in Central Florida it's more like temperatures are finally starting to average in the 80's instead of the 90's, but no matter where you're from, Pumpkin Spice Lattes are becoming the rage and the merchandise in your local stores is starting to become more spooky and sugar-filled. That's right, with October just around the corner, Halloween is upon us. And with Halloween comes my favorite Disney hard ticket event - Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.
When we arrived at the event, early (around 5:30, and the event started at 7 PM, there was a heavy downpour on. A few members of my family were wearing ponchos to keep the rain off, including my brother, who remarked in a glum voice, "great, everyone else has the same costume as me."
I remarked to a cast member that I didn't know that they were planning on moving the event to Typhoon Lagoon this year, which he very politely chuckled at. I do always appreciate a polite chuckle. On this day, the expedition included myself, Tabby, our friend Theresa, my sister Ashley, my brother Nathan, and my mother. We camped out in the Emporium for a while to hide from the rain, but eventually decided to venture out to grab a bit of the specialty grub that the party had to offer. The thing that caught my attention most?
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| This little beauty |
After we finished our treat, we headed over to the last showing at the Hall of Presidents, and were treated to a bit of a Presidential trivia contest put on by one of the cast members - always great at keeping people busy in less-than-pleasant circumstances, as they're being driven indoors by the elements. After Morgan Freeman finished introducing us to the long list of executives of these United States, we headed back outside to find even more rain. Those who had not been issued the party's wristbands were being filtered out of the park so the festivities could begin.
At this time, we decided that the rain wouldn't let up for a while, so we began to trick or treat. That's right, if you're not familiar with Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, a large part of what makes the event fun is going from land to land, opening up a big bag (you can bring your own, buy one in the shop, or take one of the smaller ones that they distribute as part of your admission [They will also supply more bags if your first one fills up]), saying "trick or treat" to the cast members, decked out in special Goofy's Candy Company costumes, and getting a handful of candy. This is unlimited, so if your goal is to hit every single stop multiple times during the night and bring home ten pounds of candy, I highly recommend going for broke. As you wander around, you'll see bright orange balloons that signal the presence of candy distributors.
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| Like a siren call for sugar addicts... |
This is what most of our night consisted of, as well as the fantastic Boo to You parade, which is one of my favorites in the park. Many of your favorite characters appear in special costumes, as well as some special surprises from the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean. If you want to check out the whole parade, hop over to YouTube and watch Inside the Magic's video. Just a warning, though - the theme song is catchier than It's a Small World and One Little Spark combined, and will stick in your head just as fiercely.
Speaking of characters, if they are your thing, you'll find friends around that you might not normally meet - such as all Seven Dwarfs not too far from their mine train, Tarzan in Adventureland, Jack and Sally on Main Street, and others. You might even spy Bowler Hat Guy (Disney hipster points if you recognize him easily) at the dance party in Frontierland. Characters were not our priority that night, so we didn't take the time to visit them - and we also didn't take the opportunity to get our groove on either in Frontierland or at the Monsters Inc dance party in Tomorrowland.
As I said, there is a lot to take in at the party, and if you endeavor to do so, you can see all of it. Our main priority was trick or treating, the parade, and the fireworks, also Halloween themed and featuring guest appearances from the citizens of Halloweentown and some of your favorite Disney villains (including an instrumental version of "Court of Miracles" from Hunchback, which was another point of Disney hipster glee for Tabby and I).
Following the fireworks, we took advantage of the thinner crowds (only a certain number of people are admitted into the park during the event - many, many fewer than capacity), and headed onto some rides, including a walk-right-on trip to Splash Mountain, since we were wet already. MNSSHP also offers some treats at the bakery, Gaston's Tavern, and other locations that are a little spookier than normal, but we were so full of candy that we didn't bother to pick any up, no matter how fun they looked.
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| I particularly like the Maleficent candy apples |
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| Enough to fill a reusable grocery bag, that's how much. We won't need to buy Halloween candy for this year, that's certain. |
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