#12 - Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Category: Seasonal
Category Rank: 2

Park: Magic Kingdom
Park Rank: 6

We are in the midst of a Magic Kingdom lull, here.  This is one of two entries in a 16-entry run here, which is a bit of a surprise, since we had quite a few of them in the previous 16 entries.

And, what an entry it is.  The Not-So-Scary Halloween Party might be the best item on this entire list.  The party is a seasonal event that takes place every September and October at Magic Kingdom, and it features special decorations, events, and costumes.  Lots and lots of costumes.  Oh, and some trick or treating as well.  This special event requires its own entry (with its own fee), and doesn't start until 4:00 pm, at which point they start ushering out the individuals who were there during the day.

So, you could easily ask yourself, what other items on this list are you willing to pay $60 to go do?  The answer is, not many, if any.  That is why we can say is might be the "best" item here.

So, what makes this so special?  When you enter the park, you will notice the unique decorations everywhere.  There are pumpkins and fall-colored garlands and additional things like gravestones and such sprinkled around.  In addition, there are some special characters that only come out for meet-and-greets during this party, in addition to special Halloween-themed shows (even the fireworks show has a special Halloween theme to it).

The thing that truly makes this special is the costumes.  More than half the visitors are in them.  This includes adults.  In fact, it is like adults have waited the entire year to finally dress in that crazy costume they would have already if there weren't societal expectations against doing so.  Darn those societal expectations.

The costumes range from cheap, to inappropriate, to classic, to unbelievably creative and remarkable.  Some of the time spent on the makeup alone is considerable.  As you walk around the park, taking in the festivities, all the participants seem to be in a festive party mood, which you don't get at a normal amusement park.  It makes for a special visit.

We already had the Boo-to-You parade earlier, which takes place on non-party nights as well.  We are also separating out the special shows... those would have had to make this list on their own merits.  So, this may seem a high entry given that it primarily covers decorations, costuming, and trick-or-treating.  That is how electric the atmosphere is.

We move upwards to #11, and it features another park ambiance within Epcot.  This is our top land within Epcot, and its rank as the top is a bit unique.