Food allergies and Halloween have never really been the best of friends. Sure, there are places and times where they have been able to work out a compromise and things ultimately go well. However, for the most part, history has proven their relationship to be frustrating and the one who actually loses out ~ is the child caught in the middle. Fortunately, Walt Disney World has found a way to take food allergies into consideration when planning out the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Now when Guests who have food allergies (or dietary restrictions) attend the special ticketed event, they, too, can receive just as many pixie-dusted treats as anyone else and walk away feeling like they were a part of the action.
I was invited to attend a Disney-sponsored media event as the guest of Angie from Disney Parents. All opinions in this post, however, are 100% authentic and mine alone. This post does contain affiliate links. Please see my Disclosure policy for more information.
Food Allergies at Walt Disney World
Walt Disney World has proven over and over again that they desire to give every Guest the chance to experience something magical. We have been witnesses to this year after year and are grateful for their dedication to food allergy families who come to visit the Resort.
When it comes to the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, the implementation of the teal token system is pure gold. Or should I say pure “pixie dust?” Where once a child with food allergies would suffer loss to another child’s sugar gain, these kids now have the opportunity to receive just as much pixie dust as the princess, prince or superhero next to them.
Knowing how important food allergy awareness and management are to me, my friend, Angie, invited me and Logan to join her and her own son to a Disney-sponsored evening at the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Whoo-hoo! I honestly cannot tell you how excited and grateful we were to be invited and how eager we were to have the opportunity to experience this firsthand. Over the last year or two, we have heard great things from other food allergy friends about the handling of food allergies at this party, but nothing would be able to beat being there ourselves.
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party
As a quick overview, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is a special ticketed event held at Magic Kingdom during the months of August, September and October. This year’s party kicked off on August 17th (I know ~ that’s early!) and takes place on selected nights all the way through October 31st. Tickets for the event do vary in price depending upon the da of the week, how close you are to Halloween and any memberships you may have (DVC, Annual Passholders). The price of the ticket includes late afternoon park entrance until midnight, all the candy you can eat and multiple unique and exclusive entertainment opportunities throughout the evening.
Arriving To The Party
Logan and I arrived early, as is our tradition, but we didn’t meet up with our friends until just before the party. To pass the time, the two of us simply did the Resort Monorail Loop and hung out at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa for a bit. Once our friends did arrive, we met up to obtain our tickets, hopped back on the monorail over to the park and joined the festivities.
As we walked through the train station archway and into the Town Square Center hub, can you guess the first thing I did?
Yup! SNAP PHOTOS!!
We’re talking pumpkins, pumpkins everywhere!! I loved it! They always do such a fabulous job decorating Magic Kingdom around this time of year.
Introducing Something New
Next, Angie and her son introduced us to something we knew existed at Magic Kingdom, but haven’t yet explored. Have you done Sorcerers of the Kingdom?
What’s this?
Sorcerers of the Kingdom is an interactive scavenger hunt Guests can play around the park. The first time you play, you pick up your “key,” map and a set of spell cards at the Town Square Firehouse on Main Street. Once you have your “key” and first set of cards, a Cast Member teaches you how to go from magic portal to magic portal, unlocking them in order to defeat Disney villains. There is a lot more to it, but this was our first time. I’m sure we will learn as we go along.
PARTY TIP: Over by the Town Square Firehouse, there should be a Cast Member handing out a special “party-exclusive” spell card. We were encouraged to use it during the party to see what it does. Don’t forget to pick this up! Also – as long as you play the game once during each visit to Magic Kingdom, you can collect a new set of spell cards the next time you go.
Going Through the Gates
At that point, we were ready to walk through the Party entrance, which is located to the right of the first hub. While Main Street U.S.A. is still open, the intent is to drive the non-party population down and out via that route.
Once Guests pass through the big Disney gates, there are several more photo opportunities for you to embrace! You can snap selfies of your family with Disney statues or visit one of the PhotoPass photographers standing by waiting to help you capture some of those moments.
I love these statues at the entrance! Don’t you?
As you move on down the way, there is a ginormous inflatable archway that welcomes you into the party. This is where Cast Members hand Guests their initial empty treat bag to begin collecting their loot. This year’s bags have The Incredibles logo on one side and Ralph Breaks the Internet on the other.
Not even a minute after we had even the slightest grip on our first bags, other Cast Members began to hand us our very first bag of candy for the evening.
Yes – I said “us.” Adults are kids, too, at Walt Disney World. There is no judgement here. Grab a bag and enjoy the fun. Besides, I was collecting for my other son…..(cough, cough).
A Special Food Allergy Bag
Now, for those with food allergies (which you know is our big deal), there is a different bag given that will visually notify Cast Members throughout the park that they need to take note. These very specially designed bags are primarily teal, which is the official color for Food Allergy Awareness.
Let the Trick or Treating Begin!!
Okay – bags in hand. We were ready! Logan took out his map to start scouting out treat locations while my friend Angie began to share with us wisdom from her previous experience. We had an entire evening of fun ahead of us.
So – here’s the set-up. All around the park, there are giant inflatable, illuminated markers that denote a candy location. In total, I believe there were about fourteen locations throughout the park where trick or treaters can collect their loot. There is a clear-cut entrance and a clear-cut exit o each treat depot. The system works very well. For Guests without food allergies, this means stand in line (which didn’t seem to be that long that night for us), approach the Cast Member standing next to a barrel full of sweet treats, open your bag and let them toss in a handful of goodies.
Let me be clear…
We’re not talking the one or two pieces of candy we normally see being handed out by neighbors on Halloween. No, my dear ~ we’re talking HUGE handfuls!!! HUGE. Name brand, too!!!
NOW ~ for those with food allergies – it may be important to manage the expectations early, especially for the littles. While some with food allergies may be able to have certain selections from the candy barrel (i.e. those that may not have any of the top eight or cross contamination issues), most (like my son) will only get a teal token from the Cast Member. It’s okay, though. Don’t fret. I’m going to share how those teal coins turn into tons of candy and treats in just a few minutes.
Pro-Tip: If you see that the Cast Member located at the front of the treat location is wearing a teal apron, they should have teal tokens to hand out. This does not mean you are done with that location. It just means you collect the coin they give you and then walk through the line to get another from the one at the candy barrel.
It’s okay….it’s allowed. This is Disney.
Let’s take a quick detour for a moment.
Before I get into how to redeem those tokens and make your princesses, pirates and superheroes smile, I wanted to talk about the rest of the park and the other happenings around the party.
Let’s talk attractions!
Most of the attractions are still opened during the event (Tom Sawyer Island is not). The benefits on a night like this are shorter lines and shorter wait times!! There are a few, like Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, which may still have 30-45 minute wait times, but most are a lot shorter. We had no problem getting onto the attractions we selected.
There are also a few that are thematically enhanced for the party. Pirates of the Caribbean, Mad Tea Party and Space Mountain are among those that received temporary makeovers to accentuate the Guests’ experience.
Hungry???
There were a few quick services options still operating during the party, such as Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn & Cafe. Boy – was that place busy!!! However, others, like Pinocchio Village Haus, were closed and used as treat locations.
Of course, as is typical with every Disney Parks special event, there are very special treats available for purchase in designated locations. I have to admit that we did not even think about searching these out. For one, Logan could not have them and, two, we just didn’t have the time! There was too much fun to be had!!
Entertainment:
When it comes to a Disney Parks event, of course there is going to be a spectacular array of entertainment! Why should a Halloween party be any different?
The Mickey’s “Boo-To-You” Halloween Parade is a masquerade of costumed Disney Characters that starts off in Frontierland and ends near the Harmony Barber Shop and Town Square Fire Station. We placed ourselves right near the parade entrance, thanks to some friends, and enjoyed the gallop of the Headless Horseman and the serenade of various Disney Villains.
There are a few dance parties happening around the park, as well. Guests can get their groove on in either Tomorrowland or Fantasyland and dance the night away with either Mike Wazowski or the Disney Junior Characters.
Guests can also meet with various Disney Characters, some of whom only come out on nights like this. The map will show designated locations and which Character can be found there. Of course, keep an eye out! We saw several Disney Villains roaming the park. The problem here is that you have to be quick and catch them. They do not and will not stay in one place for very long. Good luck! (We missed several of these opportunities because we just were not fast enough).
Fireworks – OF COURSE!! During the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, Happily Ever After is replaced by Happy Hallowishes Fireworks. Above the skies of Cinderella Castle, “delightful frights fill the night” with a hauntingly colorful display.
And who can forget the dear Sanderson Sisters? Disney’s “Hocus Pocus” comes to life on stage when the trio and a variety of other Disney Villains take center stage for a wickedly fun celebration. Everybody I know who has attended this event has loved watching the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular!
But seriously…let’s get back to the candy!
Okay….detour over. Let’s talk about how to turn those teal coins into golden opportunities. Shall we?
While there are fourteen treat locations located around Magic Kingdom, there are only two places where you can redeem those teal tokens for allergy-safe treats. One can be found in Liberty Square and the other in Town Square Theater.
When ready (and I’ll share why I said “when ready” in a minute), Guests can simply take the tokens they have collected and visit one of these locations. When it’s your turn, the Cast Member will ask what food allergies you have, show you a laminated sheet that lists their allergy-safe options (disclaimers included) and then proceed to prepare you a brand new bag of individually-selected safe treats to take with you.
PRO TIPS:
#1 – Complete one half of the park (the left side, for instance) and then visit the redemption center at Liberty Square. Then, complete the second half (or rest) of the park and redeem the remainder of your tokens at Town Square Theater.
#2 – Visit the redemption locations multiple times, but only exchanging a portion of the tokens you receive the each time. Go back an hour later to redeem more….etc. While both locations have the exact same loot, it’s fun to visit both locations.
Personally, we did option number one this time around. In the end, Logan left with TWO HUGE bags of allergy-safe candy and treats! Thank you to Enjoy Life, Surf Sweets, Smarties, Free2b, GoGo Squeez and YumEarth for providing such an amazing variety of options!!
NOTE: If treats are not your thing and your little one cannot consume any of what is there – or you just feel safer with them not receiving food, they can trade in their tokens for non-food related items. Of course, they can probably do a mix, as well.
With a heart full of sugar and gratitude…
We cannot thank Disney Parks enough for creating such a unique and amazing system that allows kids who normally cannot participate in Halloween festivities an opportunity to feel “normal” and “included.” While I may never be a huge fan of having tons of candy or sweet treats in my house, I will always be grateful and appreciative of those who go out of their way to “get it.” Food allergies are a life-threatening situation. One deadly bite could change not one life, but many. I know I’m not alone in being grateful that an organization such as Walt Disney World does what it can to accommodate those who have the daily struggle to manage food allergies.
So…yes. Thank you, Disney Parks. You gave my son a chance to celebrate Halloween just like every other kid.
My Final Thoughts…
- Pick up your teal treat bag.
- Collect tokens at each, any and every treat location.
- Redeem tokens at either of the two locations listed above for allergy-friendly treat options.
- DO NOT WAIT until the end of the night ~ the lines may increase exponentially.
Go in with a game plan – manage your expectations – and ENJOY the evening. Do more than just collect candy because this is a unique event that provides multiple opportunities to make forever memories with your family. Study the guide, know which characters you want to meet. Familiarize yourself with the treat locations and redemption centers. I do believe that if you follow the Pro-Tips above, you have the potential to walk away from the party having had an extremely magical and spooktacular night.
PS: The above post is written from our personal experience at the party. I cannot guarantee that your evening will be the same. Cast Members are people, too, and have bad days. There are also occasions where certain items may run empty. Please find a way to enjoy your evening, be grateful, be kind and make magical memories.
PPS: Please also remember that I am not a medical expert. You are responsible for making a clear-cut, well-informed decision whether or not a food item is safe enough for you or your family member with food allergies to consume. Speak up, be clear about the severity of your allergies and be confident in your own decision. Happy and Safe Trick-or-Treating!
CHECK OUT ANGIE’S POST ON 13 REASONS TO ATTEND MICKEY’S NOT SO SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY!!
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We had so much fun with you two and my son loved learning about managing his allergy from watching how your son manages his. By the end of the night he wanted to be in the redemption line “all by himself” and talk to the Cast Member about what he could and could not have. Thanks for hanging out with us!
Great post and I loved all of your photos. We will be in Disney a week from now and I am beyond excited to see their Halloween decorations. Thankfully, we don’t have food allergies, but this is a very educational post for anyone who does.
Thanks, Crystal! Have a magical time on your Disney adventure! Will you be attending Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party while you’re here?
Great detailed post! It’s great that Disney has made it easy for food allergies to still have fun and participate. We’ve been wanting to go to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween but haven’t made it happen yet. Looks like a great time and lots of fun. Great pictures!
Definitely something to add to the bucket list if you can. We had a great time and would love to do it again at some point. It was so refreshing to have my son (and so many others) feel like he (they) was (were) a part of the festivities.
Wow! Halloween at Disney World! So fun! Looks like they do it right! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for reading, Laura! Yes, Walt Disney World has this amazing way of celebrating the holidays…and we’re grateful they have taken the time to figure out how kids with food allergies and dietary restrictions can enjoy them, too.
Very entertaining post with great advice! Love the pictures.
Thanks, Dennis!!! ☺🎃
Perfect info for anxious parents!
It’s posts like these that helped me plan our first Disney vacations, so I’m grateful to be on the end of hopefully encouraging or helping someone else plan theirs!
My daughter has many allergies too so this is all good to know!
Excellent!!! Oh, that makes me happy that this encouraged someone!!
Have only been to the Halloween party at Disneyland, and I was super impressed. Thanks for the detailed report, I love that Disney thinks about these things and makes it a memorable experience for everyone.
It means the world to us that they have implemented systems and programs that make it possible for Guests with food allergies to enjoy special events! ☺
Looks like you had a great time!
We certainly did!! Thanks for the read, Tricia!
This looks like so much fun! And I’m thrilled to see more organizations, like this event, that strive to recognize the needs of food allergy parents and guests. Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure!! Thanks for the read, Veronica!
Great post! Looks like fun!
It was a lot of fun! Thanks for the read, Heather!
Walt Disney World is so good about dealing with food allergies. I would commend them for their amazing consideration and attention to the issue.
They do a fabulous job with Guests who have food allergies. I cannot tell you the number of stories we have of positive experiences. You’re right – they should be commended ☺🎉
We are the allergy family! Name an allergy, and one of us probably has it. Everything from pollen allergies to a nut allergy that’s put one of our kids in hospital three times so far.
So this is really good news. Thank you.
I’m so sorry that you guys have so many allergies with which to contend! It’s not fun, we know! I’m glad that you found this to be good news, though! Thank you for taking the time to read it. Here’s hoping the family member with the nut allergy is able to stay out of the hospital from this point forward (we know how dangerous those nut allergies can be!) and that the rest of you see improvement, as well!
Great blog! I love all of the pictures. It helps bring the story to life! 🙂
Aww – thanks, Arhonda! I appreciate the kind words!
Wowzers! Amazing read! I was very pleasantly surprised to see the extent Disney goes to to make sure those with allergies are safe!
Thanks, Beth!!!! Yes, Cast Members in charge of this portion of the party did their homework and we could not be more thrilled! It was such a fun event!!!
I love that Disney remember kids with allergies! Halloween can be hard for these kiddos with so many treats they can’t have.
While most holidays are packed with obstacles, Halloween is certainly one that is extra difficult for kiddos with food allergies. I’m so grateful Disney Parks took the extra steps to include them in this very fun event. Thanks for the read, Shar!!!
I have been wanted to go to Disney for Halloween, the decorations are gorgeous!
The decorations, the snacks, the treats, the parade, the entertainment ~ oh, my goodness!!! It was so much fun! Keep it on the bucket list!
This is just stinking awesome!! I am impressed by Disney’s effort to make all the kiddos feel included and special. I am also terrifically jealous of your visit. :OD
PS. Those Amazon Disney suggestions at the bottom of the post are evil. Pure evil! ;0)
Oh, goodness! Evil was not what I was going for with those choices. Seasonally inspiring maybe – lol. I’m glad you liked the post, though. Disney Parks does a fabulous job when it comes to food allergies. Thanks for the read (and chuckle), Tiffany!!
Wow, I am really impressed with how Disney works with allergies. I’m a teacher, so I’m often involved in managing allergies, and I can imagine how happy a child would be with the way Disney has thoughtfully prepared this. Way to go!
As the mother of a child who has had severe, life-threatening food allergies his entire life, I can attest that the smile that beamed across his face that night meant the world to both him and me. We honestly can’t thank Disney Parks enough for that ❤ Thanks, Mary! I hope you have a safe and successful school year!
Excellent post! There are so many parents who worry about their kids with allergies. It is so wonderful to find out that Disney really cares!
We do worry – a lot – and I don’t think that will ever stop, but it’s nice to know that we don’t “worry” alone. Disney Parks has done a great job over the years to show that they “get it” and want to make sure that they provide allergy-friendly alternatives wherever they can. Thanks for the read, Vessy!!
This is so wonderful to learn. I love that Disney works so hard to ensure every guest has an amazing time.
We love it, too!! It means the world to families like ours who so often in life have to find creative alternatives or explain to a child the dangers in what would normally seem to be a benign, safe situation. We are fortunate in that our son is older now and gets it. It’s funny – he never really enjoyed Halloween anyway ~ until, of course, we attended this event. LOL!
One of the things I love most about Disney is how great they are at handling food allergies. Both my nieces had them and they NEVER had problems finding treats at Disneyland. Thanks for sharing the word!
Sweet! Oh, I’m so glad to hear that, Kathryn!! I hope your nieces are doing well!!
Oh my goodness, what a great night. This takes me back to our visit – I want to do this night again! I love the treat bags for guests with allergies – what a great way to make it fun for everyone.
OH, YAY!!! You know how much fun this party is then!! 🎃 I think the teal bags and redemption locations for Guests with food allergies were two of the best ideas!
How amazing that Disney goes to so much work to ensure all the kids are safe AND have fun! And what a great time for your son! Great write up too!
Thanks, Michele!!! They do go to great lengths to make sure everyone has fun. Thanks for the read!!
This looks so fun! We love Disney World! My daughter has been to this event with her Grandma, but it’s my turn to go too!
Definitely!!! You will just as much as your daughter at this event. I hope you get to go!!!
Disney just does things right. At every step of your description, it just got better and better! What a fun experience!
Halloween is my favorite holiday. How fun to celebrate it at Disney! I love that ALL kids are included. Having such a great system in place is not only wonderful for the kids, but also a comfort for the parents. Awesome job, Disney!
This is so awesome! My niece has a severe peanut allergy and this would be great for her.
It’s such a fabulous opportunity for kids with food allergies to enjoy a holiday they normally dread approaching. So grateful Disney Parks went to these lengths to include as many as they can in this event.
It’s so great that they are taking kids with allergies into consideration! It may take a little more time, but at least they can feel more included. This seems like such a fun event too!
It really is and it’s amazing the lengths Disney Parks goes to in order to include Guests with food allergies and dietary restrictions! This is HUGE for the food allergy community.
Halloween is so fun at Disney World!
it’s wonderful that they are so thoughtful of those with allergies and dietary restrictions! it seems like more and more places are joining this movement.
It looks like you had such a great time at Not So Scary. I love that Disney is offering Halloween treats that are allergy friendly so that all guests can enjoy safely. I went years ago and hope to go again soon!
I hope you get to go again, too! What a fun event! Yes ~ they took tremendous care of their food allergy and dietary restricted guests this year. Love that they went the extra distance to include everyone! Thanks for the read, Kerri!
Such an informative post!
Thank you 🎃!!! I hope it helps other food allergy families feel more confident about attending this particular event at Walt Disney World.