Where to Stay for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party

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Are you planning to go to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Disney World this year? Lucky you! If you live outside of the Orlando area, you’ll probably want to stay at least overnight in a hotel.  Allow me to share my favorites with you.

Choose All Star Sports

The Disney Value resorts offer the most affordable rooms and many of the same benefits as the more expensive Moderate and Deluxe resorts on property, including access to Disney World transportation. The least expensive hotel on property is All Star Sports and it is one of my favorites for several reasons.

• It is quite compact. You don’t have to pay extra to stay in a Preferred Room, as any room on the property is close to the End Zone eating hall, pools and bus stop.
• It has a single bus stop and buses arrive frequently, including direct buses to the waterparks. It is the first point of entry for the All Stars resorts, as well, so getting to your room from the parks is that much faster.
• It is walking distance to Blizzard Beach and the Winter Summerland mini golf course. There is also a direct bus.
• The two pools are excellent. I prefer them to those at some deluxe resorts as they are immaculately clean, have spacious pool decks and plenty of chairs and have been recently renovated. In addition, as an All Stars guest, you are allowed to use the pools for All Stars Movies and All Stars Music. That gives you access to six pools.
• The End Zone food court is cheery,  a bit brighter than the Intermission hall at All Stars Music,  and the staff are very friendly, even by Disney standards. The entire resort is efficient and well-run.

  

• It is only two blocks away from the McDonald’s fast food restaurant that is open 24/7. This is a real perk when you get a late night craving after the Halloween party and all other food service locations at Disney World have closed for the night.

I’ve stayed here frequently and have always enjoyed it. I will be staying there when I go to Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party this year.

Consider Fort Wilderness Campground 

The Campground makes sense if you have a motor home or a car and camping equipment, such as tents and inflatable beds, and know how to camp. If you are staying in tents, however, it would only be practical during the second half of October, as September and the first half of October are VERY rainy. Even later in October, be sure to seal your tent seams well!

A campsite accommodates a car, pop up camper or van, two tents and up to 8 persons. There is one available for as low as $132/night October 26-29.

Campers decorate their campsites with elaborate Halloween decorations and displays.  The campground offers bus and boat transportation to Magic Kingdom, a horse ranch, a swimming pool, bike rentals, all kinds of fun activities and a nightly campfire and sing a long with Chip and Dale.

You can enjoy all that, even if you are not staying there EXCEPT during when the campground will be closed to non-guests from Monday, October 26 through Monday, November 2. They have a big Halloween festival on Halloween night and they really want to keep it just for the campers and cabin guests. You also cannot rent a golf cart if you are not staying at the resort…but you can rent bikes.  You can also use the Fort Wilderness internal shuttle bus to travel from one campsite area to another.

I have not stayed at Fort Wilderness but I have visited the ranch and eaten at the Trail’s End Restaurant twice. I plan to visit the campground to see the decorations this year when I make my way back to Walt Disney World.

Stay at Drury Plaza at Disney Springs

I stayed at the well-reviewed Drury Plaza  for the party last year and I think it’s a wonderful option for an autumn stay and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Additional discounts may be available for Florida and Georgia residents, annual pass holders and seniors.

Rooms are least expensive when you book well in advance.  The Drury Plaza offers spacious rooms with two, comfortable queen beds or a King bed and a sofa bed, many rooms with terraces and views, a huge pool and a large fitness center.

Another great perk is the free and frequent bus transportation to and from Disney Springs and all the Disney theme parks. They have their own buses and operate much more often than other non-Disney hotels. I was able to take the Drury Plaza bus back to my room after 12:30 am on the night of the Party last year. Note: if you choose this transportation option, be sure to plan for taking transportation (monorail or ferry) to TTC after the Party, where the Drury Plaza bus will be waiting. Leave the park at 12:30 am or directly after the last Hocus Pocus show to get to TTC and the bus on time.

Some money-saving benefits to staying at the Drury Plaza offers include a free breakfast buffet and a “Kick Back” 5:30 pm – 7 pm dinner buffet, plus 3 drink tickets per evening for adults (wine, beer or mixed drinks with decent alcohol brands, too!) There is also free coffee and soda and even popcorn.  Check out the sample menu. Food at Disney World is expensive. Mixed drinks typically cost between $15 and $20. So, this is a way you can save a lot of money on food, even if you only eat breakfast.

More Money-Saving Tips

Book affordable accommodations early

Disney World’s Halloween celebration is fun but not inexpensive. One of best ways to save money on your trip is to book affordable accommodations as soon as your plans are set.  The Party sells out, the least expensive rooms will sell quickly and room rates will increase over time.

Book Rooms on the Least Expensive Days (Monday – Thursday)

The more affordable rates are offered Sunday-Wednesday and Monday-Thursday. That allows for a three-night, four day stay, with a Sunday night or Tuesday night spent at Mickey’s Not Scary Halloween Party and a Wednesday or Thursday at Epcot’s Food and Wine Festival. Not only will you save money on accommodations when you avoid weekends, you will also avoid the least crowded days in the parks.

Use a Bounce-Back Offer

To save the most money on on-site accommodations, take advantage of Bounce Back offers. If you stay for even one night at a Walt Disney World resort, you will be eligible for a discount of up to 25% on Disney Value Resort rooms, if you book within a week of check-out. For example, I was able to get a room at All Stars Sport for the last week of October for $118/night. Bounce back rates during party dates include July 6 to September 2, September 7 to September 29 and October 26 – November 25. You can book rooms for other dates, but you will pay more. For example, the rate for the All Stars Sports room is $207 on October 25, while on October 26, it is $118.

So, will you be attending Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party this year? Where will you be staying?