If you’re a Disney fan and you’re headed to the parks around the holidays, chances are you’ve heard of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. It’s one of the special ticketed events Walt Disney World holds throughout the year, and this one is full of Mickey merriment.
The special ticketed events at Disney World offer guests an opportunity to party after the park closes to the general public. Upon entering, each party guest receives a free Mickey’s Very Merry ornament souvenir and a special wristband that lets Cast Members know you’re allowed to stay for the party. (They do check randomly throughout the night!)
Events like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party celebrate fun holiday themes and pull in devout Disney fanatics year after year. With the promise of themed decor, food, merch, and lower ride wait times, guests shell out the hefty ticket prices with the understanding that they can only enter the park after a designated hour but can party until way past bedtime.
This year we attended Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on the first night of the season, and left with plenty of merry memories… but also some constructive Christmas criticism. If you’re considering buying tickets to this party, read on for my top pros and cons so you know what to expect!
PRO: Delightfully Disney Decor and Dishes
My favorite part about this party was the festive decor and theming. In typical Disney fashion, no Disney detail was missed — there was Christmas spirit oozing from every inch of the Magic Kingdom! Twinkling lights, perfectly placed trees, and catchy Christmas tunes created an atmosphere that would even put Scrooge McDuck in the holiday spirit.
The eats were adorable too, with beautiful desserts like this red velvet donut wreath (below left) as well as meals that taste like the holidays (think Thanksgiving dinner favorites but made for quick-service.) And can we talk about how gorgeous Cinderella Castle looks when she changes into her Christmas evening wear?!
I especially loved the “snoap” — Disney World’s Florida version of snowflakes (made out of water and a bit of soap ingredients) that fell from the sky! Well, technically they’re pumped out through blasters on the Main Street rooftops, but you have to use a little Christmas imagination!
CON: Crowds
Technically this is a limited capacity event, but by the crowds we encountered, it felt as though Disney didn’t cut ticket sales when they should have. We attended on the first night, when every Disney vlogger on the planet was in attendance and that probably added to the merry mayhem. I do think Disney overbooked for the first few nights because they expected a lot of media, but I still feel the capacity should be lowered for such high-ticket parties. No matter the date guests attend, I still feel Disney owes us all a low capacity experience for such high-priced parties.
The first night of Mickey’s Very Merry was a stark contrast to the feel of the first night of Disney World’s other holiday party — Jollywood Nights. Because Magic Kingdom attracts kids of all ages, it seems that Disney opens Mickey’s Very Merry up to many more guests than they do in Hollywood Studios. That’s a pro for families who want to get in, but a con for those of us who want a less chaotic experience. Since MVM is probably always more crowded, it’s advisable not to attend at high-peak times in the season!
I will say that certain areas of the park were less crowded than others. While Main Street was sure fodder for anxiety attacks, we spent a lot of time in Tomorrowland because it is more spread out and didn’t seem to have the same crowds as Fantasyland or Main Street.
PRO: Fun Overlays
A big draw of Disney’s themed parties is the way favorite rides receive a holiday makeover — known as “an overlay“. Rides like Haunted Mansion get the Jack Skellington treatment, the Jungle Cruise becomes the “Jingle Cruise,” Space Mountain flies around to Christmas tunes, Tomorrowland Speedway is decked out in lights, and the Monsters of Monsters Inc. tell seasonal jokes on their Laugh Floor. These themed attractions are welcome spins on everyday experiences and a highlight of the party — if you can make your way on them without a long wait.
CON: Long Wait Times
While the overlays are a great pro, it’s a big con if you can’t even experience them because lines are too long. Since lower ride wait times is usually a draw for these special ticket events, I was looking forward to hopping on Peter Pan and Tiana in about 20 minutes or so. On the night we attended, I was certainly wrong about that! As I mentioned above, our MVM party felt overcrowded to me, which resulted in long waits at popular attractions. There were several rides which we simply didn’t get to do because we weren’t willing to spend an hour of our party time waiting on one line. Missing out on Tiana, the Jingle Cruise, and Peter Pan’s Flight didn’t make me feel too merry, and I maintain that this could have been improved by lowering capacity more than they did. In addition to rides, other experiences had long lines too. Meeting Santa at Storybook Circus the night we were there? That was a ho ho NO!
PRO: Unique Entertainment
We had a lot of fun watching some of the festive entertainment that was going on throughout the Magic Kingdom during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. If you attend, it’s definitely something you should not miss! The addition of Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks show and the Once Upon a Christmastime Parade bring some special holiday touches to typical Magic Kingdom experiences.
Throughout the night, two lively DJs also host fun dance parties — “Club Tinsel” in Tomorrowland and the “Disney Junior Jingle Jam” in Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe. It truly feels like a party when you stumble across these hip, family-friendly dance parties sure to make guests of all ages smile. Not until I saw Fancy Nancy and Vampirina dancing to House of Pain music did I know how much I needed that crossover in my life!
PRO: Character Meet and Greets
Special meet and greets are positioned all around the park throughout the party. This gives guests a chance to meet Disney characters in unique attire, like Elf Mickey or Fortune Teller Daisy. Waits for these characters can get long (did I mention that crazy wait for Santa the night we were there?) But if lines aren’t your thing, the holiday dance parties offer a great opportunity to mingle with some of your favorite Disney characters in a relaxed setting. Instead of a huge line waiting to get your favorite furry friend’s autograph, you can cut a rug with Chip and Dale and snap the selfies to prove it!
PRO: Great Photo Ops
PhotoPass Photographers are, in my opinion, the unsung heroes of Disney Parks. They take amazing, professional-quality pictures that you will treasure forever — and no one in your party has to sit out of the pic or bother a stranger to take it! I love that the photos are included with the ticket price at Mickey’s Very Merry, and I appreciated all the photo ops we found throughout the park — especially the one we took in front of the castle while it’s “snoaping!” So if you go, stop for every photo you can to take advantage of this perk. My Disney motto is: “If it’s included, take advantage of it!“
PRO: Free Treats
Speaking of taking of advantage of what’s included… did somebody say “FREE TREATS?!”
One of the BEST pros of Mickey’s Very Merry is the opportunity to sample as many free Christmassy snacks and beverages as you can. Various locations throughout the park (such as Cosmic Ray’s and Gaston’s Tavern) set up stations where you could stop and quickly hop on an efficient line for a free cookie and hot chocolate or apple cider. Just look for the giant inflatable candy cane and you know you’ve found a treat spot! If you time it right, you can even enjoy your treats while watching Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks show at 10pm!
I thought everything was pretty tasty, and who doesn’t love a free treat, especially at an expensive event? My only mistake was not hitting more stations! So if you go, this is another perk you don’t want to skip.
CONS: More Money, Less Attractions
The price of a Very Merry party ticket is more than the typical price of a Magic Kingdom ticket on a regular day, so in short — the cost is a big con. While certain nights of the party are priced a bit lower than other nights, overall the sticker shock is a reality of these special events and there’s no way around that.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party runs from 7pm to midnight. Guests who purchase a party ticket are allowed to enter the Magic Kingdom as early as 4pm — even though the party festivities haven’t begun yet. You should keep this in mind because on party nights your time in the park is limited — and so are some attractions. While the party offers special things that aren’t present during the daytime, some favorite Magic Kingdom attractions and eateries do close during the party. If your must-do Magic Kingdom stops include things like Carousel of Progress and Hall of Presidents, be sure to arrive early and squeeze them in before they close when the party starts.
While I realize that it’s standard for Disney to close certain attractions and eateries for after-hours events, I feel like this needs to be improved upon. No matter how good the theming is, in my mind it’s hard to justify charging more money for less attractions. It’s almost impossible to do everything in one party day, but budget-conscious guests should strategize to get as much as bibbidi-bobbidi-boo for your buck!
So my tip for everyone is: plan to go as early as the event lets you in and start with the attractions that will be closed when the party starts. Then spend the party time doing what will remain open.
CON: Late Night Chaos
This may be my biggest con of all, and it ties into the crowds. As festive and fun as Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is, it is also rather chaotic — and a really late night for families with young kids. All of the noise and activity and people result in an overstimulated bunch of children who are entirely too overstimulated by the time they exit the park. Even if you don’t stay until closing (which we didn’t) it’s still a long, jam-packed night with too many people, which proved too much for many kids. While I may be that Disney Mom who encourages families to try all the Disney experiences, I’m also realistic enough to know that not everything is for everyone. Some little ones can’t handle all the merry mayhem, while some may handle it better than adults! You know yourself and your kids best.
A particular complaint I had at the end of the night was the inefficiency of the resort buses. We waited for about an hour and a half for our bus, and there was very poor supply/demand communication between the Magic Kingdom and the resort buses. The long wait at that bus stop — with nowhere to sit — led to so many tired, cranky, crying kids. It made me realize that: 1) late night events are a lot for families, and 2) Disney really needs to improve their transportation during these events.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a fun, unique way to experience the Magic Kingdom at a special time of year, and I’m glad we did it. But in my opinion, there are definitely some things that need improving to be worth the price. We also attended the first night of Jollywood Nights at Hollywood Studios, and in comparison I felt that was a much smoother experience that made it worth the money. I can see why so many families with young kids attend Mickey’s Very Merry since it’s marketed more toward the “Mickey crowd.” But I feel this party needs to limit capacity a bit better to make it more enjoyable for everyone.
If you’re itching to experience Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, my best tips would be to avoid a high-peak time of the season like the first few nights or dates close to Christmas. Also be sure to take advantage of everything you can by strategizing with the plans I mentioned above. If the price is too much for your taste, I promise that you can still enjoy the Disney Resort at the holidays without a special event ticket! Walt Disney World starts unveiling decorations and treats in the first week of November, so there’s plenty of time to experience some Christmas merriment with or without the party. You can even catch some snoap in the beautifully decorated Disney Springs — without an admission price!
Whether or not you visit Walt Disney World during one of its holiday parties, remember that you and your family are the ones who make your own Christmas magic.
What Lara Wrote 