Interested in Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party?
2023 DATES ANNOUNCED, TRON VIRTUAL QUEUE COMING
The 2023 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party will be held on the following dates:
- August: 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, 29
- September: 1, 4, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29
- October: 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 27, 29, 31
- November: 1
You can buy tickets on the Disney Website.
Disney also announced that TRON will use a virtual queue during the event.
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party returned in 2022 and will be held again in 2023. We expect the 2023 event to be much like to 2022 version, (but now with TRON). We’ll update this guide as 2023 details roll out and again once we’re able to experience this year’s version of the event.
We’ll start with the basics—the schedule, cost, map, and overview of activities for the event. Then we move on to arrival and checking in. That’s a short section, but it’s also important not to overlook the details.
From there, we cover the activities at the party in detail, discussing everything to do at the party. Finally, we close out with sample itineraries you might want to try if you’ve unsure how to begin planning your party.
THE BASICS OF MICKEY’S NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is a ticketed event that happens on select nights (listed below) between August and October (sometimes November) at the Magic Kingdom. It is the premier Disney World Halloween event.
The party takes over the entire park after it is closed to non-ticketed guests. The party hours are 7:00 PM to 12AM, but party guests can enter Magic Kingdom as early as 4PM. The last show is typically at 12AM, and you can hang around and shop for a bit after that.
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party offers unique character greetings, Halloween-inspired ride overlays, unique food items, trick-or-treating, unique shows, fireworks, and a special “Boo-To-You” Halloween Parade. We cover all these items in this guide.
2023 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party Dates & Prices
Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is being held 38 times in 2023. The 2023 dates for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party are: August: 11, 15, 18, 22, 25, 29, September: 1, 4, 8, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19, 22, 24, 26, 28, 29, October: 1, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 22, 24, 26, 27, 29, 31, and November 1.
Prices vary by party date and range from (pre-tax) $109 to $199.
New For 2023 — TRON Virtual Queue
TRON will use a virtual queue for access during the event. There will be no standby line. Here’s the full details, from Disney:
An opportunity to request to join the virtual queue will be available at 6:00 PM for Guests attending Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Guests will need to use the My Disney Experience app to enter this attraction. A standby queue for this attraction will not be available during the event. Each Guest can request to enter this virtual queue no more than once per event.
This is only available for Guests on the day of the event they are attending, and their specific event tickets must be linked to their My Disney Experience account in order to join the virtual queue. Guests attending this special ticketed event do not need to be in Magic Kingdom park to request to join at the time the queue becomes available.
Genie+ And Lightning Lanes At The Party
Genie+ is not available during party hours (7PM to 12AM). Reports are mixed about whether you can purchase Genie+ for use before the party (party guests are let in at 4PM) if you only have a party ticket (i.e. no ticket / reservation for the day). But the app will either allow you to buy and use Genie+ or it won’t. We don’t really think it’s worth buying it just to try and cram a few reservations into the 4PM to 6PM window.
Magic Kingdom’s Individual Lightning Lanes should be available for purchase for the 4PM to 6PM window, and you might want to consider those.
Map & Times Guide
A special combined map and times guide is provided for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. You should check all times and information in this guide against the guide you get when you arrive at the party! You should always get a guide at the event to confirm times for your night.
You can scroll through the below photos using the arrows on the sides:
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party Activities (Overview)
This post will discuss in greater detail the activities at the party, but before we go further it’s good to give a quick overview of some of the things highlighted on the map.
After we discuss the activities in more detail, we have some sample itineraries at the end to help you plan your own party visit. We’re ordering these in terms of how important we think they are.
Entertainment. This is what we consider the cornerstone of the party. The Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular, the Boo To You parade, and the Not-So-Spooky Spectacular are the must-do activities at the party.
Character Greetings. About 10 characters are stationed for greetings throughout the park, most either exclusive to the party or in party-exclusive outfits.
PhotoPass and Magic Shots. PhotoPass is available during the party, and many of the photographers will have special Magic Shots available during the party.
Roaming Characters and Park Atmosphere. Besides the characters who do formal greetings, several characters may roam different areas of the park. You might also encounter the Cadaver Dans performing in Frontierland.
Ride Overlays. Some rides have special overlays for the party. These are worth considering as part of your visit.
Dance Parties. There are a few dance parties around Magic Kingdom. These are an opportunity for (mostly) kids to dance around with some Disney characters.
Trick-or-Treating. Trick or treat stations are setup around the park for guests to bring their candy bags and get handed candy from Cast Members throughout the park.
Food and Merchandise. Exclusive food and merchandise are available during the party. Honestly, I just assume that regardless of whether I tell you its a priority or not, you know whether you’re a food or merchandise person, and you’ll prioritize it accordingly.
“Regular” Rides. Many of Magic Kingdom’s rides remain open during the party without overlays. Generally, we consider these to be the lowest priority at the party because you ideally have a way to visit them another way during your trip.
Costumes At The Party
Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is one of the few times Disney openly encourages everyone, including adults, to wear costumes. There are a few regulations to know, though.
The Disney website lists some key rules, mostly targeted at guests ages 14 and older, but you should remember that Disney Cast Members will always have the final say on your costume.
Notably, for guests ages 14 and over, “layered costumes or costume props that surround the entire body are strongly discouraged and may be subject to additional security screening,” and there are a few others related to costume/cape length, as well. If you have any worry you might be wearing attire that is considered inappropriate, err on the side of caution and pick a different outfit!
We don’t wear costumes, and we’d guess about 50% of adults are in costume on the average date (Halloween and the first party probably see more costumes). Most everyone has some sort of Halloween gear, and those who didn’t usually just paid about $25 for something simple like a light-up necklace.
It’s easy to forget that adults aren’t regularly allowed to dress up as characters at Disney theme parks. So if you’ve been holding onto a costume idea, the Halloween party is your chance to break it out! If you’re not the costume type, don’t worry, you won’t stick out like a sore thumb.
Crowds At The Party
Crowds are a pretty big problem at Magic Kingdom’s parties, but there’s also little you can do avoid them. Generally, getting a weekday party ticket will be better than a weekend, and the farther away from Halloween, the better.
Besides that, all you can really do is arrive as early as possible and prioritize the things that are most important to you.
The 10:15PM Not-So-Spooky Spectacular will always have huge crowds because it is the only showing. As for the other two pieces of entertainment—the Boo To You Parade and the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular—these will have the lowest crowds for their last showings of the day.
ARRIVAL AND WRISTBANDS
Remember, you need a special event ticket to enjoy Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. This means if you’re visiting Magic Kingdom on a party day with just regular park tickets, you’ll have a very abbreviated day. Cast Members distinguish identify event guests by their special Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party wristbands.
The events are scheduled to start at 7PM every night of the party, and party guests can enter as early as 4PM. Just as non-event guests cannot hang out after 6PM, event-only guests will not be admitted before 4PM.
In the past, DVC members could enter as early as 2PM (along with seven ticketed companions), but it doesn’t appear as if that perk is still available.
Starting at 4PM, most of the entry queues are dedicated to party guests. Party guests who arrive after 4PM are shepherded through dedicated queues and directed directly to get wristbands for the evening.
If you have a non-party ticket (or are an annual passholder) for the day (and have a park reservation) and also have a party ticket you are (obviously) welcome to visit Magic Kingdom all day. In that case, you’ll see different spots marked “Wristband Distribution” where you can scan your ticket and grab your wristband.
In 2022, wristband distribution location are: the front of the park, by PhilharMagic, across from Pirates of the Caribbean, and opposite Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor. Ask a Cast Member for the nearest distribution point.
TRICK-OR-TREATING AT MICKEY’S NOT SO SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY
There are about a dozen trick or treat locations on the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party map. You might find Cast Members handing out treats at a few other spots, too. Trick-or-treating is ongoing from 7PM to 12AM.
Almost all of these locations are handing out standard Mars / Wrigley treats (lots of chocolate, some Skittles / Starburst). For allergy friendly options, swing by the Allergy Friendly Centers (indicated on the map) in the front of the park and in Liberty Square.
These trick-or-treat spots are in-and-out situations. You get in a queue, walk up to a Cast Member standing next to a bucket of treats, the Cast Member drops a handful in your bag, you say thank you, you exit.
The queues move quickly and tend to have multiple buckets in case someone holds up on insisting the Cast Member dig for a specific treat. The longest line I’ve waited in was seven minutes (and that was a one-time occurrence for me). Most treat lines—even if they look really long—take less than three minutes.
For the shortest waits, head to the ones in the farthest corners of the park (check the map). Or just wait until after about 8:30PM or 9PM, once everyone is focused on parades and show (more on these below).
While trick-or-treating is a cornerstone of the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party theme, it’s also a pretty big waste of time. You’re not getting amazing candy, and there’s no special element to it (something like characters handing out candy would be cool).
But hey, kids love candy (I love candy, too) and trick or treating. If you need to go through a few stops early in the night to check that box, go for it. We recommend putting this as your lowest priority, because you should be able to find a free three minutes while passing by a treat stop later in the night no problem.
MICKEY’S NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY CHARACTER APPEARANCES
Besides entertainment—which occurs on a fixed schedule—character greetings are the highest priority. This is because most of them are either (1) characters you can’t ordinarily meet in the parks or (2) characters in special holiday outfits. The greetings themselves are pretty typical—the characters pose for pictures or sign autographs.
There are about about a dozen character appearances at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party (depending exactly how you count). Some waits will be less than ten minutes most of the night. Then there are three-hour waits some nights for popular characters like Jack Skellington (from Tim Burton’s “Nightmare Before Christmas”) and Sally, or “Elvis” Stitch.
We met Jack and Sally with an 80-minute wait (6:20PM to 7:40PM) on a moderate-crowd evening.
For the most popular characters you do need to plan to arrive early and count on at least an hour wait. Try and arrive at 4PM and begin asking Cast Members if there is a line you can get in, along with when the character is expected to start appearing. Here are the highest priority characters:
- Jack Skellington and Sally (Town Square Theater)
- (not available in 2022) Seven Dwarfs (Storybook Circus)
- Rock ‘n’ Roll Stitch (Tomorrowland)
- Minnie (Storybook Circus)
- Daisy and Donald (Storybook Circus)
- Pooh and Friends (Outside The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh)
Some characters—usually Jack and Sally—begin greeting as early as 4:30PM on the busiest days. Most characters are present from 7PM to 12AM, but their lines may close earlier than that, with closes of 11PM being common for some popular characters.
There are many characters with much shorter waits, particularly later in the night. We met Minnie at 10:45PM after a 15-minute wait that could have been five if not for some very slow groups. Everyone wants their special Halloween photos with characters, but try to be reasonable!
If you’re interested in them, character appearances are going to take a big chunk of your time. We’d suggest putting the ride overlays on the backburner and planning to visit the 12AM Hocus Pocus show to carve out some time if you’ve got a long character list.
Finally—some characters aren’t available during the parades (9PM to 9:30PM and 11PM to 11:30PM). I unfortunately don’t know which, so I’ll just have to suggest you check with Cast Members stationed at the greetings.
2022 RIDE OVERLAYS AT MICKEY’S NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY
In 2022, Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party features four attraction overlays. Rides are operational until 12AM.
Pirates Of The Caribbean
While the Pirates of the Caribbean overlay has five actors added throughout the queue and ride.
It’s fun to see something a little different, and we got a kick out of the two in the queue. It was a little disappointing for a ride with so much spooky potential, though. The big problem is that the unique characters around the park are much more special, so it’s tough to say you should prioritize this ride.
Waits are typically posted around 30 minutes, but can be less (even if the posted time doesn’t change) right at open or during a parade.
“Deep Space” Mountain
The Space Mountain overlay is two simple changes. First, the ride lights are turned off, setting the ride in an almost pitch black environment. Second, the music is replaced with an alternative soundtrack.
This was our favorite of the overlays. Even though they can’t get the inside of Space Mountain completely black, it’s noticeably darker than the standard ride, and it makes for a very exciting experience. Waits were 25-35 minutes much of the night. If you hop on later, you’ll snag a shorter wait.
Mad Tea Party
The Mad Tea Party overlay consists of Halloween music and lighting. It’s not worth going out of your way for this, but chances are you’ll pass it and get to at least see the overlay (and the wait) at some point in the night.
Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor Halloween
As part of the trick-or-treat spot at Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, that attraction is running with a comedic monster doing a stand-up show. It’s much like the regular attraction, just with a Halloween angle.
It’s worth a few minutes for some laughs. This overlay and the Mad Tea Party have the shortest waits, and they’re both good picks if you just want to add a dash of rides to your evening.
DANCE PARTIES
There are three dance parties at Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. These are mostly geared toward kids—maybe to help them burn off some sugar—but all are free to partake.
There isn’t much to say about them. They’re themed, but mostly consist of characters and guests dancing to a wide variety of music. All three dance parties run from 7PM to 12AM.
Like trick-or-treating, it doesn’t really make sense to prioritize the dance parties simply because they’re ongoing and never have lines. You’ll also probably pass them a few times, so if you want to pop in for a few minutes, just go for it.
Monstrous Scream-O-Ween Ball
The Scream-O-Ween Ball is one of three dance parties that take place for the entire duration of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. There’s really not much to this, there’s a DJ, simple lighting effects, and characters from Monsters, Inc. dancing along.
The Ball takes place at the RocketTower Plaza Stage in Tomorrowland. You’ll inevitably pass by it at some point during its operation from 7PM to 12AM.
Storybook Circus Disney Junior Jam
Storybook Circus Disney Junior Jam is really easy to miss as it’s buried all the way in the back of Storybook Circus. It’s the same concept as the Scream-O-Ween Ball but with Disney Junior Characters. Again, the Jam is ongoing from 7PM to 12AM.
New For 2022! Disney Zom-Beatz Bash
Finally, there’s the Disney Zom-Beatz Bash This one takes place inside Cosmic Rays in the same way as Club Tinsel at the Christmas Party and celebrate the Zombies franchise. The Disney Zom-Beatz Bash runs from 7PM to 12AM.
HOCUS POCUS VILLAIN SPELLTACULAR
The Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular is our favorite part of the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. This is a villain-centric performance with a plot driven by the Sanderson Sisters from the amazing Disney film Hocus Pocus. The schedule varies by date. In October, it is shown four times at 7:40PM, 8:35PM, 10:45PM, and 12AM. On August 12 – September 30 there are only three showings, with the first showtime skipped.
We’re huge fans of this show, even watching it twice some nights. If you watch the 12AM showing, you should be able to get a great view as late as 11:45PM.
If you or your kids haven’t seen Hocus Pocus, bookmark this post and go figure out how you’ll see it ASAP (and definitely before the Halloween Party)! It sometimes plays as part of movie nights at the hotels, and it’s also frequently on Freeform.
If you’re heading to the party in an hour and haven’t seen Hocus Pocus, fear not, you won’t miss out. You don’t need background knowledge to enjoy the Sanderson Sisters, and there are plenty of other villains involved in the story that you and your kids will love.
If there are four showings, we recommend skipping the first as it is typically more crowded than the others.
While we love the show, our suggestion has to be watching the 12AM show. Character lines and ride will close at or before 12AM anyways. If you can’t stay up that late, the 10:45PM show is a fine option between the fireworks and the parade.
MICKEY’S “BOO-TO-YOU” HALLOWEEN PARADE
The feature parade of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is Mickey’s “Boo-To-You” Halloween Parade. This parade features unique halloween-themed floats and appearances from rarely-seen characters like the Gravediggers and Hitchhiking ghosts. This is the only Disney World Halloween parade, and you can only see it at the party.
The parade occurs twice, at 9:15PM and 11:15PM. More esteemed commentators than us suggest seeing the 9.15pm parade because it’s so good you might want to see it twice. While we don’t think you have to see it twice, it is one of our favorite parades and the unique offerings certainly make it worth the hype.
It was tough to get a great spot for the first showing, but the second showing is much easier, especially around Frontierland. The route follows the standard Magic Kingdom parade route and is indicated on the Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party map.
If you think there’s a chance you’ll want to watch it twice, then obviously plan to watch the first showing. But if once will be enough, then target the 11:15PM as part of wrapping up your day.
DISNEY’S NOT SO SPOOKY SPECTACULAR
Disney’s Not So Spooky Spectacular is the once-a-night firework / projection show at the party. This is the only once-a-night show on the schedule, so be sure to plan to see it! It is typically 10:15PM, but you should confirm the time when you arrive.
We’re typically ambivalent about firework viewing, but it’s worth noting that this show has a very cool Jack Skellington puppet on the castle stage. For us, that makes it worth trying to get a spot in the hub, preferably on the castle side of the “Partners” statue (Walt and Mickey).
PARTY-SPECIFIC FOOD AND MERCHANDISE
There is a wide range of food and merchandise items that are available specifically during Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. The Disney Parks Blog has a great rundown of the special food options available at the party. Keep in mind, though, that there is no chance at all that your food item will look as good as the photos the official parks blog was able to get.
As for merchandise, we find our opinions vary by year. Sometimes the party merchandise is better than the general Halloween merchandise, but sometimes the merchandise available to all guests its better.
Merchandise locations are noted on the map, but Emporium will be your best bet for the widest selection
While you can get a ton of Haunted Mansion and Nightmare Before Christmas themed merchandise at any time, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is when you’ll have the widest selection Hocus Pocus merchandise.
Merchandise lines are going to be longest following the fireworks and at the end of the party. Earlier in the party, we were able to walk through the stores with almost no one else, and the exclusive merchandise sections were empty except for us.
That said, once you’re in the store you won’t get kicked out until well after close, so it makes most sense to just pop in near the end of the night and deal with the crowds.
MICKEY’S NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY MAGIC SHOTS
There are four “Magic Shot” locations during the party where you can get special PhotoPass Magic Shots unique to the party. These are indicated on the map.
OTHER ATTRACTIONS AND DINING AT THE PARTY
During Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, a good number of Magic Kingdom rides are operational. You can see the list on the map & times guide posted near the beginning of this post.
Honestly, the party is not a good time to ride rides. With the exception of the above-mentioned overlays, the rides are the same as they are outside the party. It’s just not a good use of your time to be waiting in lines for these rides. Walking around the park to enjoy event-specific decorations, music, and lighting is a far better use of your time (seriously).
A fair number of dining options remain open for the party, as well. These include stops like Casey’s Corner, Cosmic Ray’s, and Pecos Bill. While Disney widely advertises that Mobile Ordering remains active during the party, we had no such luck.
HALLOWEEN PARTY ADD ONS
If paying for one ticketed event wasn’t enough, you could also purchase tickets to an event within an event! There’s a dessert party with special firework viewing—the Not-So-Spooky Spectacular Dessert Party.
BUILDING A MICKEY’S NOT-SO-SCARY HALLOWEEN PARTY ITINERARY
Because it has fewer scheduled shows than the Christmas party, it’s easier to determine your scheduling options for the Halloween party. However, it’s also more difficult to come up with a complete plan because you have large chunks of time that are just totally up to you to choose how to fill.
We’re going to give two sample itineraries for Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, along with an explanation of the pros and cons of each, and our rule of thumb for choosing between them.
For these itineraries, we’re basically going to be talking about shows (Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular, Boo-To-You Parade, and Not So Spooky Spectacular) vs. “other party activities” (rides, dance parties, characters, trick-or-treating, enjoying the park, Magic Shots).
The only other thing to highlight before we go on is that for the most part we think you should plan to shop after 12AM. The shops typically keep their doors open until 12:45AM to 1AM—but obviously try not to push it and never risk missing something important to you (if you must have it, get it during regular hours). Photopass opportunities along Main Street USA also remain available for a bit after 12AM.
Pre-Party Itinerary (4PM To 6PM / 7PM)
This pre-party itinerary covers 4:00PM to 7:00PM and can go before either of the sample itineraries. At 4:00PM, all ticketed guests are allowed to enter the park.
By most reports, ticketed guests should be able to book FastPass+ during this time, so you may want to do that and plan to use one or two of those, particularly during the 4PM to 5PM hour.
Between 4PM and 6PM, some popular characters may be available for greeting—particularly Jack & Sally (Main Street Theater) and the Seven Dwarfs (Storybook Circus). At 5:00PM, you really should at least be inquiring as to any popular characters you want to meet.
If you’re passing on those, it’s a good time to visit some attractions with short waits (Carousel of Progress, Country Bear Jamboree, Enchanted Tiki Room, and PeopleMover are our favorites). Ride overlays won’t be active during this time.
At 6:00PM, the park closes to non-party guests. Many characters will start to appear during this time, and the ride overlays may begin. Once 6:00PM rolls around, you want to pick something to start your night with and line up if you haven’t already.
At 7:00PM, the dance parties will start, trick or treating will start, and the party will be in full swing.
Sample Itinerary 1 — Late Night Entertainment
The first itinerary pushes all the entertainment to the end of the night:
- 4:00PM to 7:00PM — Pre-party
- 7:00PM to 10:15PM — Characters / Rides / Other Party Activities
- [9:00PM to 9:30PM some characters don’t greet because of parade]
- 10:15PM Not So Spooky Spectacular (only showing)
- 11:15PM Boo To You Parade (showing 2 of 2)
- 12:00AM Hocus Pocus Villain Spectacular (showing 3 of 3 or 4 of 4)
- Shopping & Main Street Photopass
The big pro to this is that you have from 4PM to 10:15PM to do whatever you want. That’s six hours, 15 minutes straight, at least three hours and 15 minutes of which will be filled with party activities.
There are several cons to this. First, you’ll spend the most time in line because guests tend to want to get things like rides and characters done earlier rather than later so they can leave. The short lines will be at the end of the night, while you’re watching shows.
Second, if you want to watch a show twice, if you’re running late, or if bad weather strikes against your scheduled showtime, you’re just out of luck. You’re totally counting on catching the very last showtimes of the parade and the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular.
Sample Itinerary 2 — Earlier Entertainment
Our second sample itinerary takes care of the entertainment earlier:
- 4:00PM to 7:00PM — Pre-party
- 7:00PM to 8:30PM — Characters / Rides / Other Party Activities
- 8:30PM Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular (showing 1 of 3 or 2 of 4)
- 9:15PM Boo To You Parade (showing 1 of 2)
- [Maybe time for a character or ride]
- 10:15PM Not So Spooky Spectacular (only showing)
- 10:30PM to 12:00AM — Characters / Rides / Other Party Activities
- [11:00PM to 11:30PM some characters don’t greet because of parade]
- Shopping & Main Street Photopass
The pro to this approach is that you’ll have the shortest lines for characters, rides, and trick or treating between 10:30PM and 12:00AM. Additionally, you can re-watch entertainment if you’d like.
The big con is that your free time is split, so you might struggle to fit characters with longer waits in. The other issue is that you don’t really know how short waits will be to end a given day, and the characters that have the short waits might not be characters you’re interested in anyways.
Personally, we prefer the first approach because we think crowds can make it too much of a hassle to get in and out of good viewing for the different entertainment. Generally, if you have to meet some major characters, you’ll go with the first plan. If you prefer short waits and don’t mind settling for “b-list” characters, the second plan might work better for you.
News Source: Mousinghack.com