Last night was the very first night of 2019’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, and we got to check it out! As a bonus, we also got to check out the brand new add-on party, Cruella’s Halloween Hide-a-Way. Let’s see what 2019 has to offer at these great events!
Disclosure: Disney invited us out to this event, but these opinions are our own!
While Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is an annual tradition for my family, I will admit, I was never really one for the shows that would play each year in front of Cinderella Castle. I know that may be blasphemy for some Disney fans, but I just always wanted to spend our time during the party collecting candy, enjoying the decorations and other unique offerings, and riding attractions with limited waits.
However this year, Disney has changed the way I do MNSSHP! I was able to see the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular at the first party, after being chosen to attend the Disney Parks Blog meet-up. During that event, we were given VIP viewing for the show and the Boo-to-You parade, and as we waited for the brand new show to begin, the anticipation and excitement were palpable. We were surrounded by cast members who were involved in the show’s creation, from costumes to scripts to dancing and music, so it was extra special to see their proud reactions of the amazing show. And amazing is exactly what the show was.
From the opening song, “The Season of the Witch” the mood was set for a very different, very visual and audible treat. The projections and lighting on the castle were fantastic, the costumes and dancers even better. Soon the Sanderson Sisters took the stage, and the crowd erupted in applause. From that point on, the show was a mix of lines and actions straight from the movie, to more subtler nods that hardcore fans would recognize. The first two villains who came out to sing just happen to be two of my favorites, Dr. Facilier from Princess and the Frog, and the elusive Oogie Boogie from Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas. Maleficent rounds out the trio of Disney villains, but also leads an entourage of additional Disney baddies onto the stage. The show culminates with the show-stopping “I Put a Spell on You,” originally sung by Bette Midler in the film version of Hocus Pocus, and the crowd once again went wild, singing along and enjoying every moment. I was left in awe of the level of performance, costumes, music and effects in the show. I immediately wanted to see it again, and again, and again.
I put together a few highlights from the show to give you a feel of what to expect:
Of course, the rest of Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party gave us plenty to do, from the much beloved Mickey’s Boo to You parade, to HalloWishes with its eye (and ear)-popping 360-degree perimeter fireworks – themed to Halloween and villains music, to the candy stops and special snacks and merchandise. One disappointment for me this year was on the snack front. Gone is the pumpkin waffle sundae from Sleepy Hollow, which was my favorite thing to ever eat in Magic Kingdom, as well as a few of the other specialty drinks and snacks. What was left was the candy corn soft serve at Storybook Treats, and a few themed cupcakes. I know cupcakes are easy to make and everyone loves them, and perhaps the pumpkin waffles were not an efficient item for the party, but I still missed them nonetheless. Aside from that, if you are able to get to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party this year, I don’t think it will disappoint. I’ll be back soon with another post about the party, but until then, it’s time to run amok, amok, amok, amok!
Trick-or-Treat!
Pumpkin photo opp on Main Street, U.S.A.
The castle lighting is always eerily spooky on party nights
The Sanderson Sisters in the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular
That familiar inflatable Mickey pumpkin at the Magic Kingdom toll booth let’s you know it’s a party night!
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is one of my favorites each year, an annual tradition to kick off the Halloween season. I’ve written about the event each year that Zannaland.com has been around, and enjoying all the party has to offer never gets old. In fact, it only gets harder to fit it all in. If you have a family with varying age ranges, it may be a “divide and conquer” night to make sure everyone sees and does all they want to do. Because of that, I thought I’d write up a Top 5 this year, of my personal favorites.
1. Get there early. While the ticket for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party (or MNSSHP for short) starts at 7pm, you can actually enter the park as early as 4pm, to get the most out of your night. The trick-or-treating and official events don’t begin till 7, but you can grab a bite and get on rides beforehand.
2. Get your Sorcerer’s of the Magic Kingdom card. If you are a sorcerer and enjoy the game, there is a special card just for the event. You can pick it up at the Main Street Fire Station or the Liberty Square sorcerer’s desk. You must have both your wristband for the event AND your event ticket to get the card, so make sure your whole party is together for this. There is a limited amount for each party, so this should be first on your list!
3. Trick-or-Treat. This is what most people are here for. They dress up, yes, they see the parades and fireworks, ride on attractions with almost no wait, but this is FREE CANDY! And with over 40 different kinds this year, you are sure to get your fill. You can find all the treat locations on your MNSSHP map, or by looking for the giant light up treat location signs. Don’t forget the Treat Trails over by Splash Mountain’s queue and the walkway between Storybook Circus and Tomorrowland for the most treats per square inch. My favorite is always the Werther’s Caramel Apple candies over at Pinocchio’s Village Haus!
4. Try the event-specific treats too. This year, the food and beverage team really went out of their way to create some delicious treats for MNSSHP. Caramel Apple Slush, Candy Corn ice cream, Pumpkin Waffle Sundae and MORE! These new Halloween treats are so yummy, I wrote a whole post on them. But after trying the Candy Corn ice cream and the Pumpkin Waffle Sundae (which I’ve heard is now available full time at Sleepy Hollow Treats) I was in love. I shared both of these with my family at midnight sitting on the new castle wall area. Perfect ending to a perfect Halloween party.
Two words: Get This.
5. Watch Mickey’s Boo-to-You Parade and HalloWishes Fireworks Spectacular! The Boo-to-You parade is many people’s favorite parade at Walt Disney World, and I am no exception. It is hard to top the dramatic entrance by the Headless Horseman as he trots down the parade route while Flight of the Valkyries plays around you. The floats are top notch and the Haunted Mansion ballroom dancers and Gravediggers with their sparks are always a crowd favorite. There are two parades each party night, and the second always has less guests. And don’t forget HalloWishes! This is one of the most exciting fireworks displays of the season, with 360-degree perimeter fireworks around the park and your favorite villains and villainous songs.
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party runs on select nights in September through November 1st. A few nights are already sold out, so check with DisneyWorld.com to purchase your tickets in advance. Some nights are available at a discounted rate of $62 per adult.
Jack Skellington balloons are sold only during the party
Available at Cosmic Rays!
Candy Corn ice cream!
Amazing pumpkin waffle sundae!
Mickey Pumpkin projection
Boo to You!
The Mansion caretaker doesn’t look too confident!
Gravediggers!
Dancing ghouls
The Haunted Mansion always looks best on party nights!
Carlotta provides extra fun
A spooky mist descends from Rapunzel’s tower…
Disclaimer: I was provided with complimentary tickets for MNSSHP for my family and me, but my opinions are my own.
Once the holiday decorations appear on the train station and light posts at the Magic Kingdom, the best time of the year begins in the place where dreams come true. The crowds are drastically reduced after Labor Day, and some really unique events start up for lucky visitors. One of my favorites to attend each year is Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. The “Not-So-Scary” is important because so many area theme parks do offer super-scary events for those looking for a more haunted Halloween experience. However, in the Magic Kingdom, the tradition has always been to offer family fun with a sprinkling of Haunted Mansion-style spookiness.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a hard-ticketed special event, which means on certain dates, the Magic Kingdom will close early and a special ticket will be required to attend the party. Is it worth it? I always answer a resounding “YES!” when asked. Here’s a quick run-down of why:
No Crowds – The party is limited to a certain number of guests, which means you can ride Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Splash Mountain and yes, even Peter Pan’s Flight with almost no wait. Pro Tip: If you go during the parades or fireworks, it’s virtually walk-on.
Free Candy – That’s right, you can trick-or-treat during the event, and not just little ones. Adults and grumpy teenagers with no costumes alike can all fill their bags with candy at various locations throughout the park.
It’s a zip-a-dee-doo-dah day for treats!
Carved pumpkins in the Splash Mountain candy trail
Mr. Bluebird approves of trick-or-treating!
Back again this year is a treat station down by the river boat – loved this addition last year.
“Boo-to-You” Parade – Veteran Disney guests may think, “eh, a parade, how exciting could it be?” but let me tell you, this is the best parade of the season and worth the party ticket! First, you get a visit from the Headless Horseman who trots down the parade route prior to its start. It’s always an exciting sight to witness and gets everyone fired up for the parade to follow. The parade itself is full of unique and amazing floats. The Haunted Mansion attraction is brought to life, with dancing gravediggers who make quite the “spark” followed by hitchhiking and ballroom dancing ghosts. Next up, the villains we know and love pass by, and just for fun, some cowboy and cowgirl action followed by Clara Cluck, a crowd favorite. Goofy rounds out the parade with his Candy Company contraption, as more candy is handed out among the crowd. Pro Tip: visit attractions during the first parade and stick around for the second one at 10:30.
Here is the Headless Horseman’s ride:
The Gravediggers are my favorite part of the parade!
Clara Cluck waves to her fans
Happy HalloWishes Fireworks Spectacular – You may have seen fireworks, you may have even seen Wishes, but HalloWishes will blow them all away. Favorite spooky music and villains’ voices fill the air as fireworks fill the sky, and I do mean FILL the sky. HalloWishes is known for its perimeter fireworks, meaning you are surrounded by them at various points in the show, especially the finale. It’s a truly amazing experience.
Highlights from HalloWishes – we actually watched from Tomorrowland this year.
Costumes – one of my favorite parts of attending the Halloween party is just people watching. You see some real creativity on display as folks appear as their favorite Disney or other characters, sometimes as a group theme. It’s just so fun, especially when you see really obscure things that you have to try and guess. There are always some great Hitchhiking Ghosts on hand, and over the last few years I’ve seen quite a few characters from Disney-Pixar’s UP, including young Carl and Ellie, Russell and Carl, and more. It’s a unique experience at every party of the season! Also – you’ll find some of your favorite Disney characters in their own costumes for photo opportunities too, so keep an eye out.
In addition to the above, there is a fun Villains Mix & Mingle show at the Castle stage, and a few Character Dance Parties throughout the park, if your little ghosts have some sugar to burn off. Speaking of, there are healthy non-candy choices available for trick-or-treating as well, just ask the costumed cast members where those options are as you get your treats.
The spooky gets spookier during the Halloween party – as do the Haunted Mansion cast members…keep an eye out!
Some of my other favorite parts of attending Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party are the unique decorations and lighting designs throughout the park. Keep an eye out for spooky shadows projected on the ground – new this year is a skull shining on Big Thunder Mountain, and the Halloween-colored lighting down Main Street, U.S.A. is a fun sight to see.
Watch out for web-surfers!
Bottom line, get thee to the Halloween party! It is so worth it and I think it’s virtually impossible not to have a good time. I haven’t even touched on all of the things you can only see during these special events, some of them, you’ll just have to head over and experience for yourself. I did mention the free candy, right?
Advance savings of $6 per ticket are available for select dates. Special after-hours tickets are required. For additional information, guests may visit www.disneyworld.com/halloween. Tickets may be purchased online or by calling 407/W-DISNEY.
Disclosure: Disney provided me with four tickets to this event, but did not ask me to write about it. All opinions are my own.
In addition to meeting Duffy the Disney Bear this past Saturday, some fellow Disney bloggers and I also got a chance to enjoy one of my very favorite special events at Walt Disney World – Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party! It’s so so hard for me to decide between this and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party…but MNSSHP as it’s commonly abbreviated has candy AND the Headless Horseman, so it might win.
I’ve reported previously about the fun that is MNSSHP – check out part 1 of my “Boo to You!” Parade pictures, part 2 with the “Boo to You” Villains from the parade and my Headless Horseman video from 2008. Last year and now this year again, the Horseman has slowed to a trot from an eerie gallop (perhaps for safety issues) but it’s still impressive nonetheless! New to the parade this year is the evil Dr. Facilier from Princess and the Frog fame. My favorite are still the gravediggers with their shovels!
When will the Fall decorations appear on Main Street, U.S.A. in the Magic Kingdom? This was one of our first “Speculation Station” segments on our Up the Waterfall LIVE! show (Thursdays at 8p on Facebook and YouTube!) and now I can’t even remember what my guess was, but if you guessed September 15th, you win!
Autumn at Magic Kingdom is always one of our favorite times of the year. The Fall season is very different this year, with the cancellation of the usual Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, due to Covid-19. However, the return of the classic Halloween Mickey pumpkin lamp decorations is somehow comforting. This season, we will see those happy jack-o-lanterns against the new Cinderella Castle Royal Makeover as a backdrop. In addition to decor, Disney has just announced that there will be some new surprises. We are happy to see Disney going above and beyond. According to Disney:
…There will be some bewitching surprises this year, including a special Halloween-themed cavalcade with Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and pals wearing their favorite Halloween costumes. Guests may even spot those rascally chipmunks, Chip ‘n’ Dale, in costume over in Frontierland, and look for other Disney character friends dressed up and riding the horse-drawn trolley down Main Street, U.S.A.
And speaking of costumes, you will want to get yours ready! To bring some Halloween party fun into the park this year, for the first time guests of all ages can wear their funniest, Disney-ist, most creative costumes during Magic Kingdom regular operating hours from Sept. 15 to Oct. 31. As an important reminder, costume masks are not permitted for adults; only children younger than 14 years old are permitted to wear costume masks. In addition, all guests are required to wear approved face coverings during their visit.
Autumn at Walt Disney World Resort wouldn’t be complete without our popular fall treats, such as the famous Pumpkin-spiced Waffle Sundae at Magic Kingdom. Check back soon for our official Foodie Guide to Fall at Walt Disney World, which will contain all of the yummy details.
Festive Halloween-themed merchandise will be available in select locations around the park. Featured items include a new spirit jersey, Loungefly backpack and candy-swirl Minnie Mouse headband, along with a selection of apparel inspired by Disney Villains and more. *NOTE – be sure to be following Zannaland on Instagram! We’ll be giving away some sweet & spooky ears in the coming weeks!
And be sure to capture special moments with Disney PhotoPass! Photographers will be available throughout the park for themed photo opps. But beware – happy haunts may materialize in the pictures!
We are very excited to see Fall and Halloween returning to the Magic Kingdom (even if we are still observing from afar). What’s your favorite part of autumn in Magic Kingdom? Stay tuned for more news on the ever-changing new Disney park updates.
We were able to check out this super quick preview of Epcot International’s Food and Wine Festival for 2019, and MAY have made a very special new friend! This preview was pretty brief because we also got to attend Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, so we will DEFINITELY be back when the Food & Wine Festival begins on August 29. Subscribe now to make sure you don’t miss it!
Disclosure: Disney invited us out to this event, but these opinions are our own!
At this year’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Disney debuted a brand new firework show, the Not So Spooky Spectacular! This is the full show, and more content from the Not So Scary party this year will be coming to our channel VERY soon, so be sure to subscribe so you never miss a thing.
The newest offering in the hard-ticketed after-hours events at Disney Parks is the Villains After Hours event at the Magic Kingdom. This is sort of a combination of the existing After Hours events, the various villains events that have happened in the past such as “Club Villain” at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, where Lightning McQueen’s Racing Academy is currently housed, the villains parties that took place a few years back also at the Studios, and even a little Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party thrown in for fun. But what makes this new event different, and is it worth it?
Let’s start with that last question – is it worth it? At $144 per person for day-of tickets, it’s one of the more pricier after hours events, with 3 hours in the park, that comes out to a little under $50 an hour to experience. But, tickets are $133 if purchased in advance, and available even more discounted for annual passholders and DVC members at $109. All those prices do not include tax. And what exactly is included in that ticket?
TIME!
Well first off, you can enter the park with your Villains After Hours ticket as early as 7pm, giving you essentially 3 EXTRA hours to your 3 hour party. However those extra hours are with regular park guests, so you can enjoy all the rides and dining etc, but you won’t have the park pretty much to yourself, as you will after 10pm.
SNACKS!
Once 10pm hits, you can now enjoy complimentary popcorn, ice cream novelties (Mickey Bars!) and select bottled beverages throughout the night. (You always think you can eat 5lbs of popcorn or 27 Mickey bars until they are free, then suddenly that’s really hard to do! 😉 ) There are specialty food and drink items sold at the event too, if you want to get that perfect insta-food photo, this is a great place to do that.
Disney Villains After Hours Map
SHOW!
Also included in Villains After Hours is an all-new villains stage show, hosted by the king of the underworld himself, Hades. This is a new spin on the villains stage shows we’ve seen in the past, this time focusing on what each villain has to offer to take over the world. So less singing, more fire and ax spinning and that sort of thing. But it’s a fun show, which runs three times during the party. You can watch the full Villains Unite the Night show here:
FIRE BREATHING DRAGON!
Also unique to this event is “Maleficent at Night” which happens twice throughout the night. This gives you a chance to see the fire-breathing dragon at night, which looks amazing against the night sky and with Cinderella Castle as a backdrop. The first time, Maleficent departs from Frontierland and circles the hub in front of the castle, and on the second visit, she goes all the way down Main Street, U.S.A. A definite must-see and really makes me miss a night-time parade in the Magic Kingdom!
EXTRAS!
Lastly, there are special photo-op backdrops happening throughout the park, but no character meet and greets. (They are all practicing their moves for the show!). There is also limited release merchandise exclusive to the event, along with more villainy fun items available to purchase at the event.
BOTTOM LINE:
So is it worth it? I’ll say what I’ve said before regarding the After Hours parties. If you are able to afford it and use one less regular ticket on a day you’re doing this hard ticketed event, it totally is, for the ride times alone, along with all the specially themed fun going on around you. It’s a good time, but it does come at a price, so if it works for your next visit, great. If not, that’s what YouTube is for!
Disclosure: Disney invited us out to this event so it was complimentary to us but our opinions, thoughts, and reviews are, as always, our own.
Ok yes, I know, Halloween is SO 24 hours ago…but if you’re reading this, you probably know that planning a Disney cruise isn’t really a last minute thing, and something you should plan in advance and prepare for…unless you’re me and my family of course. I’d say about 75% of the Disney cruises I’ve been on have been booked within a couple of months of cruising, which, I’m not recommending. I’m just a spontaneous kind of gal, and when my daughter says in August, “Ahhh, a Halloween cruise would be so funnn!” I think, “yes, yes it would. Let me look into that.” And here we are. I don’t recommend this, because with Disney especially, prices usually go UP the longer you wait, not go down. It’s very rare that Disney Cruise Line is thinking, “gee, I sure wish we could fill these empty staterooms…” It happens, but not on a 3-night Halloween on the High Seas cruise, ya know? So my first piece of advice, is plan ahead. I personally recommend MouseFanTravel.com* for all your travel planning needs!
Now let’s get to the point of this article – IS IT WORTH IT?! Well, let me digress here a bit and say that I am a little biased in that I do love Disney Cruise Line. It’s who I’ve cruised the most with, and who my children (2 of which aren’t children anymore I guess at 18 and 20) have cruised the most with, and we are all therefore extremely spoiled by the impeccable service but down to earth fun, and just overall experience of a Disney Cruise. We as a family tend to cruise for the ship, not the itinerary. [Unless it’s somewhere new that we haven’t been, we don’t even get off the ship until Castaway Cay. [We always stay onboard in Nassau (it’s the best time to visit Senses Spa!), and don’t really disembark in the Mexico ports either. In fact, last time we went on a Western Caribbean itinerary to Grand Cayman, I couldn’t convince them to get off the ship then either, and I actually love Grand Cayman. I of course love traveling to new places, but I feel like most cruise ports, especially in the Caribbean are extremely homogenized to the tourist experience: duty free shops that are the same in every port, locals trying to make a quick buck, and even dining that isn’t really authentic. I know there are places to find real experiences, and with research or talking to locals, you can then explore like a local, but that hasn’t really been a priority for us as a family up to this point.] For us, we have traditions that we love to continue on the ship. The familiarity of the dining rotation, the Cabana’s buffet, the pizza-or-ice-cream-whenever-you-want-it…ok I just realized these are all food related but what can I say…we also enjoy killing it at Disney Trivia every single time we sail (Trivia Winners 4 cruises running :P).
Our Disney Trivia prizes!
Anyway, my point is, we like the experience of a Disney Cruise. What better way to enjoy a Disney Cruise that much more, than a themed cruise? Here’s what I thought of Halloween on the High Seas:
First, we went on a 3-night cruise on the Disney Dream. Due to Disney cruises being more expensive to begin with, our last minute booking, and the fact that we had pretty much just come back from summer vacation when I booked it, I thought this would be a good quick getaway with minimal time away from work/school. A 3-night is my least favorite cruise to take, we always feel like we just got on board and then have to get back off again. Now add to that Halloween activities, and it felt even more rushed. But a cruise is a cruise, we had fun. Let’s run down all the Halloween extras on board.
Characters:
We aren’t usually into waiting in line for characters, we can do that down the street any time, but for those that are into that, the lines were long but moved pretty quickly, and there are many, many opportunities to meet various characters in regular and Halloween attire. Keep in mind there are some character greetings on Disney Cruise Line where you can make a reservation to receive a ticket to meet with them. You can find more about reserving Disney character meetings here. You can also see the characters in their Halloween costumes during the smaller shows on board your sailing.
Photo courtesy of Disney
Halloween Decor:
This is what I was most excited about, just because it was new to us. I loved the Pumpkin Tree, which apparently used to “grow” jack-o-lanterns overnight on HotHS sailings, but either they don’t do this any more, or don’t do it on 3-night cruises because when we got on board, the pumpkins were all fully grown. It’s still super fun to see, and we did enjoy the Pumpkin Tree show that happened the first night, with the Caretaker narrating and kids chanting to bring the tree to life. You can see the full video of the Pumpkin Tree Lighting on the Disney Dream below!
Click to see more Disney Dream Halloween decor:
Admiral Donald
Overview of the Dream atrium
The Pumpkin Tree
Gio with the Jack-o-Lantern portholes
I also got the Halloween decor package (along with the Birthday package) for the cabin for extra festiveness
Door magnets that came with the packages
A special trick-or-treating bag that came with the Halloween package
More birthday decor
It was a fun obstacle course to walk in the cabin!
Halloween Activities:
There were plenty! Crafts for kids in the Oceaneer’s Club and Lab, The Pumpkin Tree show above, Trick-or-Treating, Mickey’s Mouse-querade Party, Nightmare Before Christmas Sing and Scream-along movie showing, and even adults-only Halloween events and a costume contest. I honestly thought there was a family costume contest which is part of why we went with a group costume and were dressing up, but since we had gone to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party in the Magic Kingdom in costume, we were okay with just dressing up and letting my 10 year old trick-or-treat. I can definitely see how having a family costume contest with THAT many kids involved would be a subjective and “let me speak to your manager”-nightmare with some parents. We couldn’t compete in the contest without our Bert, so we chose not to leave him behind and go to the adult events.
Click to see more of our costume night!
Walking to the Mouse-Querade
A silly game Scott played with Gio during the party
Our fancy photo
Mary Poppins before dinner
Halloween Food Items:
Honestly, I didn’t realize there were specialty food items until I took the Disney Cruise Line survey that arrived in my email this week. Ooops. I did see a fun Pumpkin cupcake in Vanellope’s, my youngest son, who was celebrating his birthday early on board, was given a special spider dessert, and I noticed the Oogie Boogie and Cauldron popcorn buckets and Poison Apple cup for sale at the Walt Disney Theatre, but I totally missed the themed drinks or anything else. That said, I really wasn’t looking anyway. If that’s your thing, you’ll find plenty of ways to spend your money and get an instagram-worthy photo!
Pumpkin Spice cupcake at Vanellope’s
The Spider chocolate mousse dessert
Halloween Merchandise:
I have a confession. I did not buy one piece of merchandise on this cruise. I know. I know. Who even AM I? I’ll tell you who I am, a crazed mother of 3, on a 3-night sailing with so much going on, I never even had the TIME to go to the shops. I walked through a few times after the shows, and said “Oh, I’ll come back when it’s less crowded.” But we had late dining, and were so tired after, we usually just went to the cabin. Then on the last night, “I said I have to go!” but that was also the night for Disney Trivia, at 10:45, and while it was only 15 minutes long, with the stores closing at 11pm, that was just enough time to not be able to go. At all. I could stare through the closed gates, cry my invisible tears, and wonder if I knew anyone going on a HotHS cruise in the next few weeks. I always get a t-shirt, and usually one for my son or husband or mom too. I always get a Christmas ornament. I was really debating getting a giant Tervis Tumbler themed to the cruise. ARGHHH. It really took me a moment to get over it. But at the end of the day, it was the universe saying “you spent enough….you have 4329 t-shirts….” but the tumblerrrrrr. Ok, I’m over it, I swear. I’ll just have to go back. I know there’s ebay, but with a cast member husband getting 35% off, I cringe at paying not only sticker price, but MORE because it’s on ebay. I’ll survive. Anyway, there is a ton of themed merchandise, make sure you go before 11pm when you are in international waters! 😉
••••
So much to do! So much to do!!
Sooo, that was mostly a list of what there is to do or eat or buy, but what did I really think? Well, I’m glad we did it. It was a fun family adventure. And let’s be honest, they could have a Superstar Limo on the High Seas sailing, and we’d have fun. It’s a Disney Cruise. What I will say is that it’s a LOT of stuff going on for 3 nights. Things are already action-packed without adding in additional, this-sailing-only activities and events, and it’s hard to do it all. The Halloween Mouse-Querade and trick-or-treating happens the same night as Pirate Night on the 3-night, so there was a lot of hemming and hawing about wanting to be in costume or pirate attire for dinner that night and the show before dinner too. There are of course, no wrong answers about what to wear or participate in (except forgetting to go shopping), it’s all fun, you’re going to have a great time, whether you are in full costume participating, or just watching it all around you. We did a little of both and it was a great mix. It did feel rushed, but if we were on a longer sailing, I’m sure that wouldn’t be an issue.
My final ruling would be, definitely go, but maybe not as a first time Disney Cruise Line experience. I think there are sometimes too many things going on for the theme and it felt like you constantly had to make sure you didn’t miss something. But again, a longer sailing probably wouldn’t have that problem. If it is your first sailing, try to go for a longer cruise so you can experience the best of both worlds.
Things to Consider:
Costume Storage: We had quite a few articles of clothing and accessories for our group ensemble. A penguin suit, 2 full suits, 3 hats, dresses, a petticoat, high heels, dress shoes, and accessories (and that was with leaving Bert’s cane in the car by accident). SO, keep in mind you may need more luggage than normal. I also had shark onesies for my older two for Pirate Night, so we had a whole huge suitcase just for those items. We also are locals, so it wasn’t a big deal in any way to have one extra suitcase for us. If you’re flying in, it’s definitely something to organize and plan for ahead of time.
What’s Most Important to Everyone: Back when I was on the Walt Disney World Moms Panel, this was my main piece of advice for people overwhelmed by their first visit. It’s impossible to do it all. So make sure each member of your party figures out what they don’t want to miss, and try to plan those things into your schedule. If you want to take photos with characters, do some of that. If you want to see all the special shows, or play BINGO, figure out when to do those things. The best way to make sure you don’t miss anything is to download the Disney Cruise Line Navigator app. It has all of the info from the paper Navigators placed in your cabin each night, organized in your phone. You can set up notifications, and favorite items to get notified before they are about to start. You can also easily text everyone in your party, with nary a wi-fi package charged to your stateroom. Also make sure to plan in some down time. It is a cruise, it’s supposed to be a relaxing way to unplug from the real world. Don’t forget to actually do that, despite using your phone for the Navigator app, it’s so freeing to have no emails piling up in your notifications.
Crowds watching the Pumpkin Tree show
It Will Be Crowded: There were definitely more small children than I’ve noticed on our other sailings. The Pumpkin Tree lighting and the Mouse-Querade Party were swarming with tiny princesses and Captain Americas and Jedis and various Disney Channel characters in miniature form. All Disney Cruise Line sailings will have a lot of kids, but it seems this is amplified with the Halloween theme. I’ve sailed the Merrytime Cruise as well and didn’t find that to be the case here. The draw of costumes and candy are too great. Here are the dates Halloween on the High Seas sailings will be next year:
2019 Sail Dates
Disney Magic
September 25, 2019 – October 27, 2019
Disney Wonder
October 4, 2019 – October 27, 2019
Disney Dream
September 9, 2019 – October 28, 2019
Disney Fantasy
September 7, 2019 – October 27, 2019
All in all, it was yet another wonderful time on Disney Cruise Line. This sailing was especially memorable as it was my oldest two children’s first time sailing as adults. They got to experience Palo brunch for the first time, and the Senses Spa as we enjoyed the Rainforest during the Nassau day in port. It was a wonderful day with them and I’m sure the first of many times they stuff themselves at Palo and sweat it all out in the sauna!
What about you? Have you been on a Halloween on the High Seas sailing on Disney Cruise Line? What did you think? What was your most and least favorite part?
Bye for now!
*I also work for MEI & Mouse Fan Travel but I paid full price for my cruise and my opinions are my own. ☺️
