Disneyland Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween California

What is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Disneyland?  It is a separately ticketed event around Halloween from the end of September to October 31st where guests can celebrate special Halloween events after the park is closed for general admission.

Disney Villains Meet and Greet: The Disney villains can be surprisingly difficult to see on a normal day at Disneyland, not so at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party.

Mickey’s Costume Party’ CavalcadeHalloween Dance Parties: These are a lot of fun! Party with Goofy at Piratepalooza (Rancho del Zocalo) or with Buzz Lightyear at his Intergalactic Space Jam (Tomorrowland Terrace).

You Can Wear A Costume: Disneyland usually doesn’t allow anyone over the age of 9 to wear a costume at any of their parks. Make sure it is tasteful. Disney has very high standards and will not let you in if you are wearing anything questionable!

Halloween Screams: A Villainous Surprise in the Skies Fireworks: This runs exclusively during the Mickey Not So Scary Halloween Party. As you would expect there are lots of references to Disney villains and Nightmare Before Christmas characters also featured.

Mickey’s Hide-and-Go-Treat Trails: There will be candy and healthy snacks available on these fun trails which aim to take guests to parts of the park that they don’t usually explore.

Access to Most of the Disneyland Attractions: Most of the Disneyland attractions are open for the Halloween Party. Particularly worth a visit are the Haunted Mansion Holiday (which runs from September 14th through January 6th 2013) and Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy.

This is a great time to see the special Halloween events, but don’t go expecting that the lines will be short for the attractions.  Sometime this can sometimes be the case, on busy nights tickets for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party do sell out and there will be plenty of other guests in the park celebrating with you. Go for the Halloween atmosphere and not for the shorter lines. For most people though we would suggest that you really have to be a big Disney fan and be looking for a different experience. It is a great event but of course the costs do add up. We think it is something that you want to do at least once!

Event Prices : Advance tickets are $95 and on the day of $105 before the last week of October and after $120 October 27th and 31st.  Be aware that tickets do sell out in advance so it definitely is the best idea to buy before the date of the party.

You can buy tickets for Disneyland Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at the park ticket booths or online at Mickey’s Disneyland Halloween Party.

We hope you have a magical time at Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at Disneyland!

Rapid City, SD

When most tourists visit South Dakota they drive through with a quick stop at Mount Rushmore, but what they don’t realize is that there’s so much more. Growing up in Rapid City we were able to see a lot more of the state and in this post I'm going to share some of my favorite things for a weekend getaway.

South Dakota Road Trip

Rapid City to Spearfish

If you plan on flying to South Dakota you’ll fly into Rapid City Regional Airport. Since we live in Denver it was just a 6 hour drive for us to get there.

Spearfish Canyon Scenic Drive

Make your way down HYW 385 North on the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway through the Blackhills for some epic views. There are several short hikes & waterfalls not far off the road that are worthwhile. There are 3 waterfalls that are easily accessed within a 5-minute walk. We visited Roughlock Falls, Little Spearfish Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls. Our favorite was Bridal Veil waterfall. There is a viewing platform right off the road. I think the best time to go up to Spearfish is in the fall. The colors are beautiful through the canyon in September and October.

Another fun thing to do while in Spearfish is go to D.C. Booth Fish Hatchery. Again really pretty to go in the fall but your family will enjoy going anytime of the year. Admission is free and open 365 days a year. The gift shop and museum is only open during the summer. You can feed the fish, so bring quarters for the feeders, all while learning the history of the area.

Other cities along the way to check out:

• Deadwood (Old gold town, now it's home to several casinos in historic buildings)
• Sturgis ( Sturgis Rally is a week long event usually the first week of August so keep this in mind when planning a trip to Rapid City, SD)

Mount Rushmore

A trip to South Dakota wouldn’t be complete without visiting Mount Rushmore. Head back down 385 on the Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway. You will pass by Lake Pactola. Gorgeous reservoir and their is a campground if you wanted to stay the night after your drive down from Spearfish.

If you travel during the summer months it will be busy no matter what time of day so no need to rush. If you happen to be visiting during the evening try and stay for the evening lighting ceremony of Mount Rushmore. There is a cafeteria, otherwise Keystone few miles down the road has a few restaurants. Mount Rushmore is nothing short of amazing and if you are lucky you might see a mountain goat.

• Cars, Motorcycles, and RVs – $11 per vehicle
• Evening lighting ceremony of Mount Rushmore May 26, 2017 – Oct 1, 2017

Crazy Horse

Crazy Horse Memorial is the world’s largest Mountain Carving in progress. We personally didn’t visit. I went once when I was younger and now just look from the road at the progress. 

• $28.00 Per car – more than 2 people
• $22.00 = 2 people in car
• $11.00 = Per person
• $5.00 = Per person on motorcycles, or bicycles

Custer State Park

After exploring all the things to do near Mount Rushmore make your way to Custer State Park. It’s South Dakota’s largest and oldest state park. There are several scenic drives, hikes, over 1,500 free roaming bison, fishing, and much more. One of our favorite things in the park was driving the Needles Highway. The rock formations on the drive will blow you away.

If you want to stay right on the edge of the park check out Sylvan Lake Lodge. It has some of the best views of Sylvan lakes and the perfect location for exploring Custer State Park.

We highly recommend eating dinner at the Alpine Inn. The Alpine Inn only serves two things for dinner, filet mignon or a Spaetzle Primavera. We opted for the 9-ounce bacon wrapped filet for $13.95 and we weren’t disappointed. This place is a steal, for less than $50 we each got a 9-ounce steak dinner, dessert, drinks. If you visit during the summer expect there to be a line before dinner service even starts. Their lunch menu is much larger and specializes in European cuisine. My family loves getting the Rueben sandwich every time we go back.

Another favorite place is Prairie Berry Winery. Home of the famous Red Ass Rhubarb wine. Start your visit with a complimentary wine tasting and you can pick five to sample. Most of the wines they make are sweet but they do have a few dryer and full bodied wines as well. My favorites are the Red Ass Rhubarb, Strawberry Fusion, and Calamity Jane. Within past couple years they have really transformed the place and serve food and cocktails made from the wines. Last time we were there they made the Red Ass Rhubarb into a margarita, which I would have never thought to do but was really shocked with how delicious it turned out. They also did a blueberry lemonade with the Blue Suede shoes wine and was really impressed with that drink too. Both were refreshing, treat to enjoy on the patio with a flat bread pizza. We joined the Gen 5 wine club and get shipped four bottles of wine a month. Plus 20% off wine in the store when you shop. If wine isn't your thing they have a brewery next door, we haven't had a chance to go there yet.

Badlands National Park

On your way to the park make sure to stop at Wall Drug in Wall South Dakota. You will see sign after sign along I-90. It’s a great place to stop and have lunch before heading into the park.

The Badlands look out of this world. The park is 244,000 acres and is said to contain one of the world’s richest fossil beds. Apparently, even rhinos and saber- toothed cats, once roamed in South Dakota. Now you will find bison, big horn sheep, and prairie dogs. You will find several hiking trails and the sunset and sunrises are phenomenal in the park.

Have you gone on a South Dakota road trip? What would you add?

Assateague island, MD

Assateague Island is south of Ocean City, Maryland and is home to 37 miles of gorgeous ocean beaches. The island offers swimming, beach combing, sunbathing, surfing, paddle boarding, crabbing, and ocean kayaking.

It almost sounds mythical wild horses, campsites just steps from the shore, and camp fires on the beach but on Maryland's Assateague Island, this is just what you'll find. It's easy to fall in love with this island. Who wouldn't bask in the joy of meeting Assateague's wild horses for the first time as they silently approach you. These are the moments that live beyond description and that remain in your memory forever

Camp reservations can be hard to come by. The easiest reservations to nail down are at camping spots on the bay side of the island where you park your car and walk to your site with gear in tote. More difficult to come by, but worth putting in the effort, are individual camp spots with drive up parking, which allows for easy access to gear throughout your stay. These spaces also sit just steps from the beach, offer a little more privacy, and are definitely worth holding out for on your first visit to Assateague. I've been trying to book another trip back and always sold out months in advance!


Assateague is open year round; the most popular time to visit is May through October. Also in the area is historic small-town Berlin, where "Runaway Bride" was filmed, and the famous Ocean City boardwalk, both just under 10 miles away.


Local steamed crab, is a must! My dad went into a local shop and all I remember is him coming out with a big brown bag full of crabs and being from Minnesota was like what is this! It was the most delicious, flavor explosion of crab I've ever had.


Camping at Assateague will be a pleasant experience you'll remember forever and create great family memories. Please share your tips or experiences below.