I made a huge blunder yesterday at Mickey’s Halloween Party, the Halloween Time seasonal event going on at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim.

I thought the party tickets were for trick-or-treating. We were tired, so we left before the parade thinking we’d catch it next month. I didn’t realize that we wouldn’t get to see the Halloween parade AT ALL without this special ticket.

So I unknowingly blew our chance to see this special parade (unless I want to spend $89 x 2 to get the party tickets again the next time we go, which I don’t).

Here are the details. Hope they help you understand how it all works.

How Much Does it Cost to Go to Mickey’s Halloween Party?

Mickey’s Halloween Party tickets are $72 to $99, depending on what night you want to go and whether you are a Passholder.

Who Has to Buy a Separate Ticket?

Everyone. Annual passes and regular admission tickets are not good after the starting time of the event (6pm or 7pm, depending on the day), and you will be asked to leave Disneyland if you don’t have a special wristband.

If you have a ticket to Mickey’s Halloween Party, you can enter the park up to three hours before event time.

What Do You Get?

Besides admission to the park, which includes all of the usual rides, character experiences and other entertainment, you will also have access to trick-or-treating stations all over the park. You’ll wait on line for these, but each station has anywhere from three to six candy stops. True to Disney spirit, the candy-givers are generous. After waiting on just two lines, we each had a heavy bag of candy in hand (enough that we decided we were finished with trick-or-treating).

We also got to trick-or-treat and meet-and-greet Halloween characters in ‘Toontown from 5pm to 7pm.

You also get to see the special Halloween Parade (featuring the Headless Horseman) and Halloween-themed fireworks show.

You can view a few other perks on Disney’s website.

Should I Buy a Ticket if I’m a Passholder?

If you’re a passholder, you should purchase a Mickey’s Halloween Party ticket if you want to see Disney Halloween characters, do some free trick-or-treating, and see the special Halloween-themed parade.

Should I Buy a Ticket if I’m Not a Passholder?

If you live in the area, you should purchase a Mickey’s Halloween Party ticket if you want to visit Disneyland during a fun special event and for a little less than the normal ticket price. The regular one-day price on October 26, 2016, for example, is $95/adult. You can get a party ticket for $89 and be in the park from 3pm to closing. The one-day price for kids aged 3-9 is $89, and the party ticket is the same.

If you are planning to visit Disneyland on vacation during the Halloween event days, you should buy the Halloween tickets for one day of your visit so that you don’t miss out on this after-dark Disneyland experience.

You don’t need to also buy a park admission ticket for the day unless you want to be in the park prior to the special event admission time. If you only buy the Mickey’s Halloween Party ticket, that is your admission ticket starting three hours before the event begins.

Important Details about Mickey’s Halloween Party

You can NOT view the Halloween parade without the special Mickey’s Halloween Party ticket.

A dining package is available from the Blue Bayou restaurant – this gets you a 3-course dinner and access to the preferred viewing area for the parade. The viewing area is at the end of Main Street, near the park entrance.

The dining package is pricey ($65/adult) but it does NOT get you admission to the park OR Mickey’s Halloween Party. This is a separate purchase. Call (714) 781-DINE to see if there is a table available on the day you want to visit (many of the dates are already sold out).

I realize that for many Disney pros all of this information is obvious. But for a person who is new to the annual passholder life, these terms and details can be confusing and overwhelming. I am beyond disappointed to have missed the major feature of this special event. I’m now the proud owner of some very expensive Halloween candy.

If you have any tips that could help a Disney visitor make the most out of their Disney Halloween experience, please do share them with me here.

Have fun!