Top 5 Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Memories

    Hello everyone and welcome to another countdown blog. Today Disney is celebrating the half way to Halloween mark. On their social media channels they are posting all kinds of special goodies which will culminate in the posting of the Not-So-Spooky Spectacular Fireworks. With the celebration going on I thought this would be the perfect time for me to reflect back on my three Not So Scary Halloween parties I've been to and share my favorite moments.

5.) Trick or Treat 

    Honestly the biggest surprise to me in terms of fun at the Halloween parties was trick or treating. The trick or treat locations are scattered throughout The Magic Kingdom. Many of the locations though are places I had either never been into or tucked away in an almost hidden area. The cast members were always friendly and were always excited to see the Floatsam and Jetsam arm length puppets I had on during my first Halloween party. My favorite memory of trick or treating came when a lady dressed as Ursula noticed the puppets and had to get a picture with them. What made the moment cooler was the backdrop of Pirates of the Caribbean, so the picture had the perfect theme to go with it. I also took way too much candy back to the resort that night. I had brought a standard sized shopping bag with me and when I say that thing plus the tiny bag they give you to trick or treat with was full. I mean it was FULL.

4.) Boo To You!

    Coming in at number four is an experience from my last Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Compared to the other two parties I had been to, including one on Halloween night, this September evening was very very crowded. The weather wasn't the best either as the fireworks show was even affected by a torrential downpour. Still though the night neared its end with an awesome view of the Boo To You Parade. If you have never watched a parade from the start point near Splash Mountain you really are missing out. The sheer amount of energy the cast of the parade has is at its absolute peak and, it could just be me, but the characters seem to interact with the guests more as the parade just starts moving. Having a front row view of this was awesome and sharing it with friends made it even better.

3.) A Pirate's Life for Me 

    When Disney announced that they would be adding live actors to Pirates of the Caribbean during Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, I was beyond excited. Both in the queue and on the ride there were several actors playing as different pirates in the ride. One was stuck in a jail cell, another on the fort firing cannons at Barbosa's ship, and a couple more scattered throughout. These actors really brought a whole new level of fun to the ride as their job was literally to interact with guests. One or two of them even blended in so well with the animatronics that it was a surprise when they suddenly turned and started threatening the boat. I highly recommend experiencing this as it takes a classic ride and sprinkles some new life into it.

2.) Welcome Foolish Mortals 

    In my opinion, the best way to kick off Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party is a ride on the Haunted Mansion. While there are no added features on the ride, time it right and the following can happen. You get into the mansion and the park is pretty much normal. The crowd of the day is still there, the happy go lucky music plays throughout the park (except near the mansion itself). You enter the mansion and take the tour. Upon exiting the park has changed. Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party has started. Having that happen last time with friends was so exciting. Haunted Mansion is one of my favorite rides and exiting it into a Halloween party only added to the experience.

1.) Happy Hallowishes 

    The best memory I have of Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween is the classic fireworks show, Happy Hallowishes. While the show lacked the advanced projection effects on the castle that we see with the new show, there was just something incredible about Hallowishes. The show celebrated Halloween with the various villains as well as the closest thing to a cross between the Haunted Mansion and The Nightmare Before Christmas that Walt Disney World will probably ever see. The show's finale culminated in fireworks surrounding the entire central hub as a mix of Gim Grinning Ghosts and This is Halloween blared throughout the park. To date it is still one of my favorite nighttime shows and it is the video that I will end this blog on. Thank you all for reading and Happy Halfway to Halloween to all! Stay tuned for the next blog coming real soon!