Update: Free trick-or-treating at Downtown Disney

A Mom and The Mouse, Kristin Ford — By Kristin Ford on October 30, 2009 at 6:00 am

A magician asks a volunteer to try to escape a neck harness outside World of Disney during Happy Haunting in 2008. (Photo by Kristin Ford/Orlando Sentinel)

Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party is sold out for Halloween, but that doesn’t mean you can’t trick-or-treat at Walt Disney World. Downtown Disney’s Happy Haunting! event offers free sweets and entertainment from 5 to 9 p.m. today and Saturday.

The Treat Trail includes 22 stops from the West Side, through Pleasure Island and into the Marketplace. The young and young-at-heart can collect treat bags and candy at these locations:

West Side — Cirque du Soleil Store, Disney Quest Emporium, Wolfgang Puck’s, Pop Gallery, Hoypoloi, Pin Cart West Side, Wetzel’s Pretzels and Mickey’s Groove

Pleasure Island — Celebrate Tonight!, Curl, Portobello and Fulton’s Crab House

Marketplace — T-Rex, World of Disney, Team Mickey, Once Upon a Toy, Disney’s Pin Traders, Mickey’s Pantry, Disney’s Days of Christmas, Rainforest Café, Pooh Corner and Pearl Factory

Entertainment includes Mystifying Magic at the pumpkin patch, storytelling next to Pin Trading in the Marketplace, a DJ dance party, stilt walkers, variety acts and live music. Photo opportunities are set up at the Fountain in the Marketplace; between the Lego store and World of Disney; in front of T-Rex; and on the Westside near Wetzel’s and across from Candy Cauldron.

Last year, the group of kids we shepherded loved the trick-or-treating, of course, and but also enjoyed the magic show and dance party. The parents were impressed with the creative backdrops for photos. We found the crowds to be manageable and the events to be laid-back and fun. I would recommend getting there early, if possible, because parking gets worse as the night goes on.

See more photos from last year’s Happy Haunting! here.