10 tips for Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland
It is no secret that Disneyland is one of our family’s favorite destinations, especially at Halloween time. Enjoy these 10 tips for Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland to get the most out of the not so scary event.
In case you do not know, our family loves Disney. The profile picture I created for Twitter and Facebook with the Minnie Mouse ears might give it away for those who do not know.
One of our favorite times of the year to visit Disneyland is Halloween time. We went three years in a row and are sadly not going this year. So please, indulge my memory lane as I share adorable pictures from our fun.
Disneyland is the only place my children will encounter family friendly costumes. Truly, there is no place like Disneyland, as they transform the park with Mickey Pumpkins and Mickey Mouse ghosts.
10 tips for Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland
1. Go early and buy your tickets in advance.
Buying your ticket online assures that you will be admitted to the event. There is nothing worse than standing outside the gates with your daughter dressed up as Cinderella crying because she cannot get in.
Admission is set for a specific time. Go early to get in line to enter. At least an hour early was our plan and we were still behind about 50 people in the line.
The event goes late into the evening but little ones do not always make it. Go and have fun before they tucker out.
2. Dress the entire family in costumes and wear them as you enter the gate.
Right after we entered the gates we were given a treat sack, but it was only given to those in costume.
Mickey’s Halloween Party is the only time adults are allowed into the park wearing costumes. Take full advantage of it. Some go all out and look almost authentic.
My children still remember when I dressed as Mrs. Incredible and my husband dressed as Mr. Incredible. Make those great memories for your children, even if the people who are not dressed in costumes look at you funny. The children love it and appreciate it.
Be sure to visit Disneyland’s website to view the rules about costumes.
3. Costume selection makes or breaks the visit.
Make it easier for young children by shortening long capes so they do not trail the ground and accidentally get stepped on. We took it even further and did not bring capes.
Do the get in and out of the car test. After 25 times of getting in and out of your car you might think differently about bringing hats, gloves, or anything cumbersome. Then add what the children will inevitably hand you to carry for them.
Leave the masks at home. When I dressed as Mrs. Incredible the mask was hot and I could barely see. I ended up taking it off and only putting it on just for pictures. We were able to stash the extra pieces in our stroller, which was very handy to have. Now that the children are older, this is simply not an option.
4. Space Mountain is changed into Ghost Galaxy.
This one piece of information was not something we knew about when we attended prior events. Our oldest son and my husband went on one of our favorite rides, Space Mountain, but it was not quite the Disney experience we have come to love and expect. If you like haunted houses or ghostly sounds then this may be the ride for you. During the month of October this is one our family skips.
5. Plan your events ahead of time.
If you go early and enter at the beginning of the event, many of the shows or activities during the day will still be going on for the rest of the visitors. This is your time to take advantage of it.
We were able to get in a quick fight with Darth Maul and my son was dressed as Peter Pan. He didn’t know what to do with his hat so he put it on top of his Jedi Robe.
6. Figure out which pictures you want the most.
There are many photo opportunities available throughout the park and are clearly marked on the map. If you are looking for certain characters, ask a cast member and they will help you.
This is usually the time to have your picture taken with a villain or ones that may be rarely seen. Lines tend to be a bit long, so I recommend selecting the ones you really want to see first.
One year my boys dressed up as Peter Pan and Captain Hook. I {Wendy} dressed up as Wendy and my husband dressed up as a pirate. What fun we had taking pictures with the cast of Peter Pan, even if my children thought my wig looked more like Hannah Montana’s hair. True story.
Characters do switch out after a few minutes so you might not have the same people. The Peter Pan group switched out with Captain Jack Sparrow.
7. Attend the parade.
Two of the special Halloween parades invited children to join them and dance. My older son was picked for both of them. Definitely a fun thing to do, especially when they handed him a special button to wear.
8. More candy and fruit than you could imagine.
The cast members give out the candy by the handful. Your children’s eyes will grow big with amazement and quite frankly, so will yours. Visit just a few of the treat stations and there is more candy than anyone could possibly eat in a year.
Go through your candy as soon as you return to your hotel. The first time we went we totally missed the bags of carrots and sliced apples. By the next morning they were not edible. We definitely remembered that for the next year and happily ate the fruit during breaks in the park.
9. Use your pass for a day at the park on a day other than a party day.
Disneyland closes down the park early so it is exclusively open just for guest for Mickey’s Party. There is a three hour gap of time where both sets of tickets are valid, at least when we went. Once the party starts, the lines for the rides get incredibly short.
If your family budget cannot afford Disneyland, attending the party is one great alternative. If you stay until the very end of the party you will be exhausted, but you will have a wonderful opportunity to experience Disney.
10. Visit Walt Disney’s statue in front of the castle.
Surrounding Walt Disney’s statue are pumpkins carved with different characters. If you have ever carved a pumpkin you will appreciate the artwork.
When we went in early October and came home from the party, we could not believe people were still celebrating Halloween. We had the best experience ever, three years in a row.
After one Mickey’s Halloween Party at Disneyland, you will be hooked and so will your children.
Some of these pictures were taken from 2008 and 2009 when it was at California Adventure before the party moved to Disneyland in 2010, where the rest of the pictures were taken. My all time favorite picture of my boys was taken during the 2010 Halloween Party.
Disneyland did not ask me to write this post and has never heard of me or my blog. I am just a Disney nut that dreams of being a Disneyland photographer who spent 28 days in one year at Disneyland, 5 of which were by myself with my very young children. All photographs and opinions are my own.
