It’s August, which means that fall has officially arrived in Disney World. 

Halloween decorations are already gracing the buildings that line Main Street, U.S.A., ghoulish merchandise now fills the shelves of some merchandise shops, and now, we’re only a few days away from the very first Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party of the year! Disney has already shared several details regarding these special-ticketed parties in Magic Kingdom, but there are still a few things that they’ve left unsaid.

This year’s Halloween party season will begin on August 11th. We are anxiously awaiting the first party so that we can finally see all the spooky details that this year’s events will entail. There are a few BIG questions that we still have, and this post is going to serve as a roundup of things we’re still wonderin’ about. Let’s talk about it!

WHICH characters will be at the party in costume?

So, one of the best things about the Halloween parties is that you have the chance to meet several beloved characters while they’re in Halloween costumes. Disney said that characters will be in the park and that they’ll be all dressed up, but we’re DYING to know if some of our favorites will be there this year.

We’re especially hoping that Winnie the Pooh and his friends from the Hundred Acre Woods will be there in their costumes. (Eeyore as a clown? We’re dying at the cuteness. We cannot handle it.) We’re also hoping for Jack and Sally, and even the Hyenas from The Lion King!

WHICH Magic Shots will return?

Each year, Disney offers specially-themed Magic Shots that you can only get during the Halloween parties. This year, Disney confirmed that there would be some available, but they didn’t mention any specifics other than a shot that features the Hitchhiking Ghosts from the Haunted Mansion.

In the past, we’ve seen some great Magic Shot opportunities, including ones with a glowing lantern in front of the Haunted Mansion and even one featuring the Headless Horeseman (who, by the way, is a HOT COMMODITY at these parties).

Is table service dining even worth it?

Disney has shared that select table service dining will be available during the Halloween parties, specifically Cinderella’s Royal Table and Be Our Guest Restaurant. What Disney hasn’t really touched on is that these table-service dining experiences can last anywhere from 1.5 to 3 hours. That’s a LOT of time to spend eating when you only have 5 hours to experience everything else that the party entails.

We recommend scheduling these dining experiences for BEFORE the party starts so that you can have as much time as you want to Trick-or-Treat, enjoy rides with low wait times, and meet all your favorite characters. Seriously — PLEASE don’t waste that precious Halloween party time at an experience that you could easily schedule for a different time!

Which quick service dining locations will be available?

Disney has shared a wide array of snacks and beverages that will be available during the Halloween parties, but they haven’t shared how long the dining locations will stay open. In the past, many dining locations have closed at 6PM when the park closes to guests who don’t have a party ticket, and the locations are then used for Trick-or-Treating or to sell the limited-time, party-exclusive treats.

The places that remain open to sell the special Halloween snacks and beverages typically only sell those, and they might not even remain open for the entirety of the party. This has been our experience in the past, and we’re wondering if it will be the same this year. Just to be prepared, we recommend eating dinner beforehand, unless you want to survive on Starburst and Snickers bars for the night.

Click here to see all the party-exclusive treats coming this year!

WHICH allergy-friendly treats will be available?

Disney has confirmed that allergy-friendly options will be available at this year’s party, of course, and that they can be attained via the same process utilized in years prior. You’ll get a special treats bag to let the Cast Members know you have an allergy, and at each of the treat locations, you’ll get a token instead of candy. At the end of the night, you can grab treats in exchange for your tokens at the allergy-friendly treat location.

Last year, some of the allergy-friendly options included apple sauce, dark chocolate bars, rice milk chocolate bars, and chocolate chip cookies made with rice milk — among a few other options.

Will we see our favorite characters at the Boo To You Parade?

Disney has confirmed a few of the new and returning characters that will appear in this year’s Boo To You parade, from Mickey and Minnie to the Sanderson Sisters to the Hitchhiking Ghosts.

Some beloved characters that are usually there but haven’t yet been confirmed include the Headless Horseman and the Haunted Mansion Gravediggers, among a few others that we’re REALLY hoping to see — because we love and miss them.

Well, at least we know our questions will be answered in a few days, when the first party happens on August 11th. If you’re hoping to celebrate Halloween with Disney, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party could be your only chance, as Disneyland’s Oogie Boogie Bash has officially sold out.

We’ll continue to keep you updated with any and all Disney and Halloween news, so make sure to follow along for more!

Looking for outfit ideas for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party? Click here for some inspiration!

Will you be attending a Halloween Party this year? Let us know in the comments!

The post What Disney’s NOT Telling You About Its Halloween Party first appeared on the disney food blog.