Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Adults-Only vs. Family Trip

Two Trips. Two Vibes. One Party.

This fall, we did what any Disney-obsessed family might do — we went to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party twice. Once for a fun adults-only trip on opening night, and again during fall break with our girls (ages 4 and 8). Read the full re-cap of our opening night trip here.

The verdict? Both were magical — just in very different ways. One night was full of lightning-lane speed, pirates, and snacks past midnight. The other? A stroller, steady rain, and a little one falling asleep after a mini-meltdown at 10pm.

Let’s break down the two nights. Don't forget to check out the real time hour-by-hour schedules we kept at the end!

The Adults-Only Adventure: Opening Night 2025

Our adults-only crew arrived at Magic Kingdom around 4:00 p.m., ready to make the most of opening night. We entered through the party line to get our wristbands and trick-or-treat bags early, then hopped right into the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary pre-party path to start the night strong.

Before the official party even began, we managed to ride TRON Lightcycle/Run and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train using Lightning Lanes. Dinner at Tony’s Town Square gave us enough real food to keep our blood sugar from tanking, and we stopped for photos on Main Street before the real Halloween fun kicked off.

By 6:45 p.m., the first trick-or-treat lines opened, and we hit them hard — Tiana’s, Country Bear Jamboree, Harbor House, Mickey’s PhilharMagic, and Princess Fairytale Hall all before 8:30. We even had a Pirates of the Caribbean boat all to ourselves!

The rest of the night flew by with Space Mountain’s Halloween overlay (.. pure darkness—do NOT recommend if you are calustrophic!), Monsters, Inc. trick-or-treat stops, and a perfectly-timed spot for fireworks at 10:00. We met Genie and Jasmine, grabbed a late-night snack, and caught the parade as it rolled into Liberty Square. Just before midnight, we snapped final photos on Main Street — tired, happy, and completely candy-loaded.

✨ Highlight: It was smooth, spontaneous, and full of energy — the kind of Disney night that feels effortless when you don’t have to think about nap schedules or strollers. Highly recommend!

The Rain Fight: Fall Break Family Trip

A few weeks later, we returned with our two girls, Gemma (8) and Pippa (4), ready to do it all again—only this time, Florida’s weather had other plans.

We entered Magic Kingdom around 3:00 p.m. and started strong with a visit to Ariel’s Grotto, but by 4:00, the skies opened up and we found ourselves hiding out in the Big Top for nearly an hour. When the rain eased up, we picked up our trick-or-treat bags, rode Peter Pan’s Flight, and squeezed in castle photos before dinner.

To avoid meltdowns, we ate at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café before the official party start at 7pm, then started our party loop in Tomorrowland. The girls danced at the Zombies Dance Party, trick-or-treated at Monsters, Inc. and Carousel of Progress! Gemma finally got her first chance to drive solo on Tomorrowland Speedway! Unfortunately, the first parade was cancelled due to rain, so we kept on going with candy lines and rides.

Gemma braved Barnstormer on her own, and we hit up an amazing Hula-hoop show in the Carnival tent! We trick-or-treated at Dumbo and PhilharMagic, and even met Pippa’s teacher in the park! 

By the time we reached Haunted Mansion just before 10, Pippa was nervous about the extra "Halloween" element in Haunted Mansion—which turned out to be nothing! The fireworks started when we were in line, and it just sent her over the edges, so Rudy took her out. She fell asleep in the stroller while Gemma and I took rainy photo ops by the mansion. We squeezed in one last treat stop at Diamond Horseshoe, rode a very soggy Jungle Cruise, and finally called it a night. As we were browsing the store on our way out, we heard the second parade had officially been cancelled, too!

Even with the rain, the cancellations, and the chaos, the girls were troopers! But, I am here to say it is possible to still have fun through the rain! It just slows you down a little bit if you're trying to keep your costumes from getting drenched and your costume make-up on!

Lessons from Both Nights

For Adults

• Prioritize big kid rides later in the night—the crowds thin after 10 p.m.
• Prioritize fun photos—the Halloween overlays are worth it! Your kids likely will tire of these quickly.
• Punish those candy lines! Remember you can go around as many times as you want, and they hand out so much more candy at the end of the night because once the box is open, they can't save it for the next party.

For Families

• Plan for rain: bring ponchos, a stroller cover, extra socks, and snacks.
• Eat early—hungry kids and party lines don’t mix.
• Focus on early activities: character meets, trick-or-treating, and photos before bedtime hits.
• Don't force it. There's nothing worse than screaming kids at 1am in line for the bus home.

Final Thoughts

Two trips. One party. Two totally different experiences. Our adults-only night was all about spontaneity and late-night magic. Our family trip was about flexibility, laughter, and making the best of a soggy situation

Would we do both again? Absolutely. Next time, we’ll just pack a few more ponchos.

P.S. Disney was 100% aware of the bummer of the cancellations of both parades. I ran into a friend the afternoon of the next party night, and they were BACK for another party.  My friends were offered tickets to the next party, but others found "magical" park hoppers in their app too. Don't be afraid to speak up to a cast member about your sadness, but as always, speak with respect and you're a lot more likely to get what you're asking for. "Honey attracts more flies than vinegar"

💜 — The Gils at Marceline Mercantile