Let the ghoul times roll! Here's what to expect at Mickey's Not-So-Scary party at Disney

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is back, with more enchanting delights for the spooky season. The family-friendly Halloween event is happening at Disney's Magic Kingdom park on select nights through Nov. 1. Although the festivities officially go from 7 p.m. to midnight, event guests may enter the park as early as 4 p.m.

Guests of all ages - adults included - are encouraged to dress in not-so-scary costumes as they enjoy the night of bewitching fun. Just make sure to review Disney's costume guidelines before you dress up.

Tara Anderson, show director with Disney Live Entertainment, says that for Halloween, the Haunted Mansion is a must-see, even with a few extra surprises. "We have some of the 999 happy haunts out there entertaining folks, as they're waiting to go in," she said. "Haunted Mansion is a must for me."

Disney World has embraced Halloween around the park, with special decorations and characters in costume. Even some of the rides are decked out for the spooky holiday.

"Some of the attractions get tweaked a little bit," Anderson said. The Mad Tea Party ride is illuminated with purple and green lights, and brave guests will ride Space Mountain completely in the dark.

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The park's thrills are not just for the little ones. Guests who want to go on the TRON Lightcycle/Run thrill ride will need to plan in advance, since there is no standby line during the Halloween event. Instead, riders will have to join a virtual queue for the ride, starting at 6 p.m. But be ready to join immediately: On opening night, virtual queue groups were filled and closed by 6:01.

If you plan to attend in the early weeks of the event, be prepared for Florida's oppressive heat. The waiting areas for some attractions are blissfully air-conditioned, but it is still hot while you're walking around the park. Some guests found relief with cooling towels and wearable neck fans, but definitely consider the temperature as you are choosing a costume.

Anderson had more good advice to beat the heat. "Drink a lot of water," she said. "Find time to just sit and watch for a while. Soak it all in, don't try to do too much too fast. And really just enjoy the atmosphere."

Here's what you can expect at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party this year.

The characters

Favorite characters dressed in their own Halloween costumes are everywhere, including some characters that you may not see during a regular park visit. This year's party will feature exclusive character photo opportunities, including the Seven Dwarfs. Be prepared to wait in line to visit the more popular characters. A good time to get in line is when the queue first opens or during the parades or fireworks.

The rides

Most of the attractions are open during the party, and some of them even have special Halloween additions after 7 p.m. Space Mountain and The Mad Tea Party have some chillingly fun surprises.

The parade

The "Boo-To-You" Halloween parade takes place at 9:15 and 11:15 p.m. Catch a glimpse of Disney's dastardly villains and other iconic characters, including the Hitchhiking Ghosts and spectral Bride from the Haunted Mansion. As a special treat this year, guests can see Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, and Clarabelle Cow dressed as the Sanderson Sisters from Disney’s “Hocus Pocus.”

The treats

Partygoers will receive a reusable trick-or-treat bag to collect candy at treat stations throughout the park.

In addition, Disney's culinary team has conjured up a selection of specially themed Halloween treats available exclusively at the party. From savory to sweet, there are ghoulish goodies to satisfy every taste.

Daniel Contreras, one of the chefs for the Halloween event, says that the culinary team spends months planning the specialty menus.

"They plan this months before," he said, "and I'm pretty sure they've probably already started planning for the following year. A lot goes into it. But you know, it's a great feeling when we see the guests are enjoying our treats."

Here are a few highlights:

• MMMummy Treat: Found at the Cheshire Cafe, this flaky pastry is filled with chocolate-hazelnut filling and topped with white icing stripes and sugar eyes.

• Zombie Fingers: Available at Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe, these almond cookie fingers come adorned with Key lime pie white chocolate ganache, salted caramel crisp pearls, and sugar eyes.

• The Snarling Sub: Also found at Cosmic Ray's, this meatball sub comes with spicy marinara, pesto and pearl mozzarella “teeth” served on a black roll.

• Hades Cone: At Storybook Treats, look for this DOLE Whip mango and habanero soft-serve topped with blue raspberry shell and chili-lime seasoning.

• Skull Brownie: Found at the outdoor vending cart near the Haunted Mansion, this Mexican-spiced chocolate brownie comes with dulce de leche filling and sugar eyes.

The entertainment

The Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular features the three sinister Sanderson sisters bewitching the audience at the Cinderella Castle stage at 8:35 p.m., 10:45 p.m. and midnight. Enlisting the help of Disney villains, the sisters conjure up a potion to cast a spell over the Magic Kingdom.

Over in Frontierland, look for the Cadaver Dans Barbershop Quartet as they sing haunted melodies throughout the night. In Adventureland, a spirited pirate band regales guests with spooky sea shanties.

Pop-up parties featuring Max Goof and his Powerline party pack will appear throughout the park before they join the "Boo-to-You" parade.

And of course, the party isn't complete without a frightfully fun fireworks display. Jack Skellington from "The Nightmare Before Christmas" hosts "Mickey's Not-So-Spooky Spectacular," a dazzling show of fireworks, lasers and projections above Cinderella's castle at 10:15 p.m.

If you go

Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party

Where: Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World

When: Select nights through Nov. 1

Tickets: Prices vary by date, starting at $109 for adults and $99 for kids ages 3 to 9. Children younger than 3 do not need a ticket. Only a limited number of tickets are available for each night, so reserve early.

On the web:  disneyworld.disney.go.com

Christina LaFortune is the Entertainment and TGIF Editor at FLORIDA TODAY. Follow her on Facebook at facebook.com/christinalafortune or send her an email at clafortune@floridatoday.com.

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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party offers fun for all ages