I’ve already told you why you should go to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. But after my most recent trip, decided I should pass along some of the tips and secrets.

1. Get there early. For the party, you can get to the Magic Kingdom as early as 4 p.m. and get your wristband.  Take advantage of the crowded park to eat.  Also use this time to explore and rides or shows you want to see that won’t be open for the party.  Example: Tom Sawyer’s Island, Country Bear Jamboree.
   

   Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

2. Go to the left!  At some point you will need to decide…do you start or end with Tomorrowland?  You should end with it…I’ll explain more later.  But most importantly, if you start in Adventureland, you will be avoiding the majority of the crowds that start in Tomorrowland.  You can also hit Jungle Cruise before it closes for the night – and perhaps sneak a Dole Whip.
3. There are a few candy stops in this area – Jungle Cruise, Pirates…all good ones to hit early.
4. At 7pm – all non-party guests have to leave the park.  You will see some stragglers, but Disney does a good job of getting them out.  Expect to show your wristband many times to people, but it’s worth it.  Because the ride lines are going to be short.
5. From here, head up to Big Thunder and Splash  Mountain.  The splash area also has a great long candy line.  This is also where you’ll find some popular Disney characters…but not many people know they are here!  Hidden at the exit to Splash Mountain, Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs.  It’s so rare that you get the chance to see them all together – so take it while you’ve got it!
6. At this point in the night, it’s most likely parade time. I would recommend skipping the first parade.  Everyone watches this one, so hit some more rides – because after this parade, people with small kids are most likely heading out of the park.  It’s a good time for Haunted Mansion, and then head up to FantasyLand.  Be sure to hit the teacups before heading into the new Fantasyland area where “Mickey’s Toon Town” used to be.
7. If you have  kids, this new Fantasyland section will be great.  The lines won’t be too long at this point in the night, and they can ride the Goofy coaster for hours.  Dumbo should also be open and not have much of a line.
   

   Pumpkin Mickey light at Walt Disney World

8. Get ready for some serious candy!!!  This is one of the big secrets that people miss ALL THE TIME.
   There is a candy stop at the Fantasyland train station.  Once you exit that stop, take a left and head down a dark sidewalk.  This is the back path that is a shortcut from Fantasyland to Tomorrowland.  It’s also FULL of Halloween candy!  By this point in the night your bag should be FULL.
9. This is a perfect time to find a great place to watch the fireworks.  Be sure you are in a spot with a good 360 degree view of things, because fireworks will come at you from all angles.
10. Wrap up the night in Tomorrowland with Space Mountain and Buzz Lightyear.  There are a number of candy spots here as well, and it didn’t even look like people knew about them.  They were empty!
11. At this point, find a place for the second parade down Main Street.  There should be plenty of place to sit and enjoy.
12. If you are exiting the park, be sure to see the people right outside the gates, they have even more candy for you…and this year…Peeps!  But if you are a theme park junky, this is a perfect time to do another round of the park, as most people will empty out after the second parade.

We took home so much candy!