Hey there! Hi there, Nicole! It won't be long before you are walking down the middle of Main Street, U.S.A. It's so close, I feel like I can smell the popcorn. Nothing beats walking through the gates, seeing Cinderella Castle, taking in all the magical scents and feeling the energy of everyone ready to leave today for the worlds of yesterday, tomorrow and fantasy.
I'm so glad you came to planDisney with this question before your trip. I'm sorry that the information you found on the site did not clearly indicate that the dining reservation you made coincided with the start of
Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Restaurants that offer party-exclusive dining, such as
Cinderella's Royal Table, display "Special" next to the dining times, starting at 6:00 p.m. Other restaurants, like
Liberty Tree Tavern, take their last reservation right at the start of the party, but after the park has closed for the regular day. I can see how it could be easy to forget that the park closes early and make a reservation that is too late.
With Mickey and his not-so-spooky pals celebrating Halloween on
September 16, the Magic Kingdom is open to Guests with regular theme park tickets until 6:00 p.m. Due to your question and conflicting speculation I had stumbled upon on social media last week, I checked with a Cast Member, who then double-checked the rules for me. She shared that the policy states the latest time for a dining reservation for a Guest without a party ticket is 6:00 p.m. Even with a dinner reservation, you would not be allowed to stay in the theme park or the restaurant to wait for your later reservation time without a party ticket.
I know this might be disappointing. I recommend modifying your reservation to an earlier time. I don't know how many people are in your group, but I just did a search for a party of 4, and it looks like all the restaurants had availability (except
The Beak & Barrel).
I will be at the Magic Kingdom on a party day next month. I have a dinner reservation at 5:55 p.m. to make the most of every minute and stay as late as possible. If I couldn't get a reservation before 6:00 p.m., my backup plan was to hop aboard the
Disney Monorail and head to the Polynesian Village Resort for dinner at
'Ohana or
Kona Cafe, followed by a DOLE Whip from the
Pineapple Lanai and views of Disney's Not-So-Spooky Spectacular from the beach. The Grand Floridian and Contemporary resorts also have fantastic dining options to extend the magic. You might consider one of these if you can't get an earlier time or want to spend each minute of park time enjoying the attractions.
I am sorry that this isn't the answer you were hoping for. I applaud your insight in coming to planDisney, which allows us to track down the official policy for you and gives you time to adjust your plans and avoid disappointment at the
Most Magical Place on Earth. I hope the rest of your trip is sprinkled with Pixie Dust and has you singing "Hakuna Matata!"
Thinking of the Happiest Things!
Jana