Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

If you are a long-time Walt Disney World goer, then you are familiar with the beloved Christmas tradition that is the Christmas Party. This magical experience is only held select nights in November and December in Magic Kingdom (since 1983!!!!!). However, we are Disneyland natives, and the Parties are foreign to us! In Disneyland, the Christmas parade and fireworks are all part of the every day magic. But at Walt Disney World, if you want to see these things you have to have a ticket to the Party! This is separate from regular tickets – in fact, if you don’t have a Party ticket, Magic Kingdom closes at 6pm for everyone else!

Besides the Parade and the Fireworks, there is a lot that goes into this event being a memorable and very merry evening! We were lucky enough to experience Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party two years ago. Since then, I’ve dreamed of taking my family back to Walt Disney World to experience the Christmas party too. Honestly, we had BIG BIG BIG expectations for the Party – and honestly, it absolutely didn’t disappoint. We loved every minute of it and are so thankful we could experience it!

I am beyond excited that I have the opportunity to go again this year – and to say I’m excited is a GIANT understatement!

So here are all my tips and tricks to get you to the Party and have the best time ever!

Getting tickets

Tickets are on sale as early as June(!), however they really don’t start to sell out for a few months. Though, to be safe, I purchased them on release date. Note – party tickets are non-refundable, but it’s no problem to change to another date (just pay the price difference) as long as they are available. It’s good to note that if you can’t use them one year, the value never expires. As I’m writing this in October 2024, only the first couple of party dates are sold out at the moment!

Protip: Plan the party for earlier in your trip so that a) you aren’t so tired and b) IF there is an event causing MVMCP (Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party) to be canceled – there is a chance of getting to go to a later date.

Getting into the Park

If you have a Park ticket or a Park Hopper for the day you are doing MVMCP, try to be in Magic Kingdom between 2pm and 3pm to avoid the crowds. Go to the front of Main Street to get your wristband around 3:45pm, and at 4pm walk behind Main Street to the walkway for the start of the party.

Enjoy the moment and pick up your free gift, and get your party brochure.

If you don’t have a regular Park ticket, you want to aim to be in the line at 2:55/3:00pm. Anytime after 3:15/3:20pm the lines are massive and take a very long time! They will let you sit for a bit but then ask everyone to stand to make more room. They open the gates around 3:50/3:55pm and then once you are in, enjoy!

Eating

This – this right here is always going to be a problem for me. The attractions will be SUPER DOOPER low lines before the Party starts so that is going to be the most tempting – but also, there as so many exclusive offerings that making this a priority is what I will be doing this year. Last year I didn’t have a ton of motivation for food – this year, I don’t know if it’s just that it’s so unexpected but I have a SIGNIFICANT list of things i want to try.

Protip: Check out the foodie guide that lists ALL of the options AND where to get them – and make a list of what the MUST DO food items are – and plan around the other party things that you don’t want to miss (more about this later).

For example, here is my list!
Plaza Ice Cream Parlor Hosted by Edy
– Peppermint Ice Cream Cookie Sandwich?
Casey’s Corner
– Holiday Dinner Hot dog
– Holiday Dinner Loaded French Fries
  – Black currant and mint lemonade
Main Street Snacks
– Festive pretzel
   – Gingerbread cola
Aloha Isle
– Holiday pineapple-orange-guava juice float
– Cranberry Citrus float
Golden Oak Outpost
– Holiday chicken nugget platter
– Festive beignets
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn
– Carne asada fries
      – Chocolate eggnog tart
Sleepy Hollow
– szechuan cauliflower
Pinocchio Village Haus
– baked brie flatbread
The Friar’s Nook
– Holiday Pot Roast Hot Dog
Cheshire Cafe
– Cherry Cordial Cold brew
Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe
– Holiday Pot Roast Melt

Now there are only 2 of us so this is obviously not going to happen – but one of my favourite parts is pouring over the foodie guide and dreaming about it haha! Everything bold is my I would rather die than not eat this items – but if I don’t get to all of them, that’s all good.

If I’m remembering correctly, you can get the items anytime after 4pm when you arrive as well, so you don’t have to do this all in the actual party time.

Now, it’s very important to remember that unlimited cookies and drinks (eggnog, apple cider and hot cocoa) are included in your ticket. You can see the 5 stations in the brochure – each station has a different cookie, and three stations have hot cocoa, and each have eggnog and apple cider. You can go back as much as you like! (Bring a bag to store – we found the cookies lasted several weeks).

Character meets

Something that is pretty fun about the Parties is that you will see rare characters that only come out at the party. Be aware: These are very long lines! If someone is important to you, wait! Otherwise just point them out to your kids and keep moving.

Attractions

Something that is a big draw on party nights is that you are going to see much shorter lines than regular days. Ride lines are VERY low! The two newest attractions at Magic Kingdom are going to be a priority for most people – those are going to be Tron and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. If things are the same as with the Halloween Party, then these will be with traditional queues, the same as the rest of the attractions.

Note: There is no Lightning Lane Multi Pass/Single Pass for the parties – but if someone in your party has DAS then that will work during the party (it won’t work from 6pm to 7pm, but it will work the rest of the Party).

Additionally, there are several ride overlays just for the party! Prioritize these!

Space Mountain: Holiday Run
This is EXCELLENT! We did it several times – I don’t want to spoil it, but lets just say it’s the complete opposite of what they do for the Halloween Party (and involves Trans-Siberian Orchestra music!)

Tomorrowland Speedway
A merry version of the drive-yourself-ride!

Mad Tea Party
With a holiday twist! There truly isn’t too big of a difference for this so if you don’t have time, don’t worry about skipping it.

Monster’s Inc: Laugh Floor.
Another holiday twist. This is an interactive show – we did it at the Halloween Party so we skipped it at Christmas, but you may want to check it out. 

Photo Ops

The photographer photos are not included with the party, so use the memory maker to get magic shots – or pay for just the day on the app. (You can also wait to see if you like the photos before purchasing). 
See as many photographers as you can – there are a ton on  Main Street and we got the BEST magic shot in Liberty Square with no wait later in the night!

It’s a really good idea to get a shot or two in the light, especially if you’ve really planned out your outfits.

What to Wear

Speaking of which – you are going to see everything from Disney Christmas pajamas to regular clothes to over the top Christmas outfits. My biggest tips are do something that is completely comfortable for the entire party and warm enough. It’s also not the worst idea to have a bag with ponchos because the weather can turn in an instant!

We chose sweaters that were from the Disney Store (pro tip – the same merch is there for cheaper than in the Parks. If you don’t care that it doesn’t say “Walt Disney World” on it – this is a great money saving tip!) and Christmas accessories. We did dress up a lot more for Jollywood (the other Christmas party that takes place in Hollywood Studios) but for this we went for cute and cozy and then just Christmassy. There are endless options!

Entertainment

Undeniably, this is what is going to make the night the most special. There is just something about the exclusivity of these special shows that make them even better than you can hope or imagine! I highly recommend setting an alarm for the show times you want to see and make this the must-do things on your Party nights. 

Christmas Parade – There are 2 times for this. Your first parade is the most crowded- waiting till the later parade will give you better front row views. BUT, if there is bad weather, there is a chance that it can be canceled! We made this mistake last year and sat in the misty rain. We then got very wet waiting for a parade we weren’t even sure we would get to see as it was very touch and go. I now recommend waiting for the first parade just case!

Fireworks – Only happens one time the whole night at 10pm – don’t miss this! Set an alarm for 9:45pm and head to the hub! 

Stage Show – There are several of these as well. The weather turned for our party so the last 2 were canceled. But! They still brought characters out for the midnight show.

Merchandise – There is exclusive merchandise in several locations around the Park that you can only get during the party like mugs and shirts. There is also a MVMCP Exclusive Popcorn bucket. It’s sold at two popcorn carts in the hub and they do sell out… Also, there is a very long line. Last years was a nutcracker! As long as you have a party bracelet, you can shop anytime after 4pm. We just popped into the store in Tomorrowland towards the end of the night. I did notice that, unlike Disneyland, the shops will close at midnight. So don’t save it for very last and miss out – you won’t have another chance to buy things!

Tips and Tricks

Even if you aren’t a planner, it’s really important to have somewhat of a basic plan for the night. Have a plan to see everything you want. The three main events are the Parade, the Fireworks and the Stage shows. Then there is the cookie stations and some of the rides – especially the party exclusive ones. If there are things that are super important to you, make time for them as early as possible!

If you don’t see the first parade, be mindful that it’s hard to get to the other side of the Park – so make sure you are where you want to be during that so you don’t get stuck! (ask me how I know).

Go with big expectations and know that it’s going to be a wonderful (but very late!) night. It’s also not the worst idea to plan a “rest day” for after the Party. In my experience you will feel tired for certain the next day.

That’s it! That’s everything you need to know about Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Have you been? Are you planning on going? We are excited to hear from you!

Have a (very merry) and magical day!
Erica