For the first time, Disney will allow Halloween costumes in Magic Kingdom

Although Walt Disney World has canceled its after-hours Halloween party at the Magic Kingdom, the official parks blog has announced that for the first time ever, guests will be allowed to wear Halloween costumes during regular park hours Sept. 15-Oct. 31, an activity typically reserved only for party nights.

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party would typically already be underway at the Magic Kingdom. The popular separate-ticket event was held after the park closed. It allowed both adults and kids to wear costumes, visit trick-or-treat stations around the park, see themed parades and fireworks, and find indulgent treats like a Not So Poison Apple Cupcake made of spice cake and cinnamon candy.

But one of the best features of the Disney Halloween party wasn’t produced by the park, but its fans.

You’d see a family dressed as Mary Poppins, a chimney sweep, a Suffragette and penguins. The family from The Incredibles would roll through the turnstiles, including baby Jack-Jack with a black eye mask and a fiery mohawk headpiece. One year, there was a group of five men all dressed as Snow White roaming around the park together. Another time, two couples were seen boarding the It’s a Small World ride — but the men were dressed as Tinkerbell and Wendy and the gals were Capt. Hook and Peter Pan.

There are still some restrictions. Full-face costume masks are not permitted for anyone older than 14. And all guests are still required to wear approved face coverings during their visit. Disney set up a Know Before You Go page and Costume Guidelines on its website.

Seasonal food items will be available, such as a pumpkin-spiced waffle sundae and that poison apple cupcake, available at the Pinocchio Village House.

Festive Halloween-themed merchandise includes a selection of apparel inspired by those kooky Disney villains, such as the Queen of Hearts, Cruella de Vil and Captain Hook. And the Headless Horseman may not be leading a Halloween parade, but you can buy a strawberry Dole Whip at Sunshine Tree Terrace that comes with a Headless Horseman novelty straw.

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Though the park isn’t doing parades these days to limit crowds gathering, it does have unannounced pop-up entertainment. The parks blog said there will be “a special Halloween-themed cavalcade” with Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and pals wearing their favorite Halloween costumes. “You may even spot those rascally chipmunks, Chip ’n’ Dale, in costume over in Frontierland, and look for other Disney character friends dressed up and riding the horse-drawn trolley down Main Street, U.S.A.”