Going to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary With Kids? We Have Tips!

Are you headed to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary this year with little ones? If so, we’ve got a few tips to help you plan for the best night possible.

1. Wristbands

If your child is very little (3+) or if they experience sensory issues that might make the party wristband a problem, alert a Cast Member when you’re getting your own. The CM will fit you for both bands so that your child doesn’t need to wear one. If you decide to let your child wear their own band, keep in mind that they just get tighter when pulled – there is no way to loosen the band without cutting it off. If this happens (my daughter has done this twice), you can stop at a wristband distribution location or at the Main Street Chamber of Commerce to have it replaced. You’ll need to show your child’s party ticket to get a new band.

2. Eat a real meal before the candy starts.

The party-exclusive food is fun, but much of it is spicy and the lines can be long. We were pleased with the Halloween menu at the Plaza Restaurant in the Magic Kingdom. Reservations look plentiful on party nights as of now, and they serve the Halloween menu all day.

• Pumpkin-spiced Coffee Barbecue Pork Sandwich – $19.00
  Coffee-rubbed pork featuring Joffrey’s Pumpkin Crème Brûlée Coffee Seasonal Blend, cold brew barbecue sauce, and a slaw with pumpkin-spiced aïoli on a purple sweet potato bun.
• Ghostly Delight Sundae – $9.00
  Chocolate ice cream topped with chocolate cookie crumbs, marshmallow cream, almonds, sugar cookies, and sprinkles.
• Goblins and Ghoulies – $16.50
  Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, Disaronno Originale Liqueur, apple cider, and pomegranate juice.

The sandwich had a tiny bit of heat but was really nice – sweet and tangy. The slaw was very fresh and crunchy, and the bun didn’t taste worse for all of the purple food coloring.

We just loved the Ghostly Delight Sundae, and it’s big enough for at least two. Annual pass discounts apply and the A/C is solid here. Consider this a reminder that the Magic Kingdom is the only Disney World Park that doesn’t sell alcohol at quick service or cart locations.

3. Bring wipes.

If you’re bringing a child to MNSSHP, you probably already always have wipes on hand. Double, nay, triple whatever you were planning to bring. Everything is sticky. The air is humid, as you know, but nearly every single bite or sip of party-exclusive food is dipped or doused in heavy food coloring. You’ll need more than a few wipes to get the sticky residue from your skin. Check out the bites we thought were worth the mess and wait: Review: Everything We Ate at the 2025 Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party.

4. Take A/C breaks but make them count!

Disney has really improved on making some indoor places more welcoming than the parties last year! There are several spots where you can find some combination of A/C, food, characters, treat spots, and fun. Here are our favorites:

Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café in Tomorrowland

• A/C and lots of seating inside and out.
• Restrooms: There are restrooms inside the Café and outside next to the Cheshire Café.
• Food: They have a Halloween menu AND the basics for younger or less adventurous eaters. You can get the purple Minnie Witch Hat above for $7.49 or a standard Chicken Strip Kids’ Meal with fries and a drink for $8.49.
• Dance Party Location: Disney Jr. Jam starts at 7 pm. You can dance with some of your favorite Disney Jr. pals during your break.

Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe in Frontierland

• A/C and lots of seating inside and out.
• Parade Views: If you can find a spot near the window or out on the patio facing Tiana’s, you might be able to manage a decent view of the 8:15 pm parade. Pecos Bill closes at 10 pm on party nights, so if you want food with your view it will have to be the earlier parade.
• Restrooms: There are large restrooms inside.
• Food: They have a pretty decent Halloween menu with the Buzzard Wings, $11.99, being the real standout here. The regular menu, which is also available during the party, has one of our most favorite quick service meals in the Magic Kingdom! The Coca-Cola Cherry Braised Pork in a Rice Bowl, $12.99, is so lovely.

Dumbo queue

• A/C: A necessity to make this list.
• Restrooms: The Fantasyland Railroad restrooms are just steps away. These restrooms are some of the coldest in the summer, which is especially nice if you need to change a fussy child in the companion restroom located here.
• Play! The play area in the Dumbo queue is open and decorated! Parents can catch a rest on one of the many seating options, and kids can burn off some of that candy. There is only one entrance/exit, so you shouldn’t have a hard time keeping track of your child.
• Two treat stops, characters, and entertainment: There are treat stops at Dumbo and the Fantasyland Train Station. You’ll find Pluto at the entrance to Storybook Circus just steps from the Dumbo entrance, and Daisy and Goofy inside Pete’s Silly Sideshow. You’ll see rotating circus performers and photo opportunities throughout the night in this location. It’s a lot like the Cool Kid Summer fun, but make it Halloween.

Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor in Tomorrowland

• A/C, seats, and entertainment! Sit down and get a break from the humidity, but stay for the jokes. There is live, Halloween pre-show type of banter that happens all night at this indoor treat stop pathway. The wide, carpeted queue offers a decent place for little ones to stretch out a bit if they’re not ready to be still.
• Treat Stop: more candy!

Mickey’s PhilharMagic

• A/C, a dark theater, Donald Duck, and cartoons! You won’t need special glasses to enjoy the cartoons that run on loop all evening at Mickey’s PhilharMagic. This is a favorite spot for folks with sleepy little ones to nap while the older siblings make the treat rounds. You’ll find the most precious pumpkin, Donald Duck, in the lobby as you enter to get your candy. We love that Disney is adding more characters in special costumes to trick-or-treat locations this year. You can find a more extensive list of these character-hosted stops here.
• TWO Treat Stops! You’ll get two scoops of sugar at this location.

5. What to wear and what to pack.

⭐ Girl in Pumpkin Tee – I refuse to acknowledge the amount of money I’ve spent over the years on outrageously gorgeous and EXPENSIVE costumes for my child that she has worn for less than an hour at MNSSHP. We’d hype her up, get three or four great pictures, and she’d go from the most beautiful Princess Tiana you have ever seen, to “girl in pumpkin shirt” real fast. I would end up carrying her gown, shoes she insisted she would wear that I knew would hurt her feet, and all of the accessories she had to have to complete her costume. All before the first parade!

That’s showbiz, baby, and I don’t regret a thing except not packing more bags to haul it all or not getting a locker sooner. If you’re planning on a costume for your child, plan light. Maybe focus on a t-shirt-based idea if you can sell it. The humidity doesn’t disappear when the sun goes down, and any synthetic costume or wig is likely going to feel uncomfortable, so plan for a change of clothes.

⭐ Sun Stuff – If you’re arriving at 4 pm when your party ticket allows, you’ll still need sunscreen and the usual heat helpers. Water bottles, cooling towels, and fans. You know the drill.

⭐ Strollers – Heads up about strollers at treat stops! During the first two MNSSHP nights, we heard Cast Members strongly encourage guests to leave their strollers outside at the Country Bears and Diamond Horseshoe trick-or-treat locations. If you’re hitting these locations with your stroller around the 7 pm hour – when they’re busiest – plan to take more time because of how they’ll direct you with your wheels. It can be done, but you’ll get through faster if you’re all on foot.

Are you headed to MNSSHP this year with kids in tow? Let us know if we missed any tips!