Hi Deborah! I was very surprised to see the early dates for the
MIckey's Not So Scary Halloween Party this year but know that so many more guests will now be able to enjoy this fun and festive party held in the Magic Kingdom.
Your plan on dining at your resort is a definite good one. Club Level allows you to snack heartily on the foods in the lounge so you don't have to spend money each day on heavy dinners. If you do this plan then you would head over to the Magic Kingdom as soon as you can to enjoy the party. There will be trick or treating around the park as well as great photo opportunities with "special" guests and characters. But the highlight of the evening will be the fabulous Halloween parade and fireworks. The parade is preceded by the Headless Horseman so you don't want to miss that. There are generally two parades each party with the first one being around 8:30pm.
Now, a second thought comes to mind when planning for this party. We like to head to the parks in our costumes and enter early. Guests holding this special party ticket can actually enter the Magic Kingdom as early as 4pm. That gives you three extra hours in the park before the party begins. We try to snag a dining reservation for this time at one of the park restaurants such as Tony's, Liberty Tree Tavern, or Crystal Palace. There is also Jungle Navigation and The Plaza. We enjoy having a relaxing dining experience but know we are in the park and not having to worry about buses running slow or late.
If you want to have some extra time in the park before the party begins then consider the second plan. If you wish to just arrive for the party then staying at the resort and munching on the Club Level food is a great way to go. Whatever you do enjoy this fun and new experience for you!