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Disney World is a magical place any time of year. But, it becomes even more so during the Christmas season. One of the highlights of Disney World’s holiday celebration is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom. We experienced the Christmas party for the first time in November 2015. We had a blast. Here is everything you need to know about Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. (Updated July 22, 2019.)
The Logistics
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is held on select nights in November and December at the Magic Kingdom. It is a hard ticket event, meaning that you must have a special ticket for the party. The event is from 7 pm to midnight, but you can use your party ticket to get into the Magic Kingdom as early as 4 pm. On party nights, the Magic Kingdom closes at 6 pm to regular park visitors. You will need to get a wristband for the party upon entering the park or before the party begins. Keep your wristband visible because Cast members will be checking for them throughout the night.
Some of the parties sell out because there are only a select number of tickets for each one. So, if you want to go on a particular night, you need to get your tickets early. Tickets range from $99-139 for adults and $94-134 for children ages 3-9. The price varies depending on the date you attend. You can order tickets directly from Disney here.
The Characters
The parties include event-exclusive entertainment, including special character appearances. Some of the characters can only be found at the parties. And some of them, like Mickey and Minnie, appear at the party in their Christmas outfits as opposed to their normal clothes. For us, these special character meets are a big reason to attend the Christmas party. Besides the characters listed below, other characters you may see at the party include Moana and the Country Bears.
Seven Dwarfs
The only time the seven dwarfs are out is during the Christmas and Halloween parties. They were at the top of our must-see list for the party. Even though the dwarfs don’t come out until the party starts at 7:00, you should get in line to see them early if you want to meet them. When we went, we got in line at about 5:30, and by the time the dwarfs came out, the line was over 2 hours long! The dwarfs are all together in one picture, and you definitely get to see their personalities. It’s very cute! But, don’t expect them to sign autographs though.
Jack Skellington as Sandy Claws
Another very popular character appearing at the Christmas party is Jack Skellington dressed as Sandy Claws. His line tends to be pretty long too. We waited for about 45 minutes to meet him. He talks and is so funny! Sometimes, Jack is by himself and sometimes Sally is with him. When we met him, my son was wearing a birthday button, and Jack discussed favorite cake flavors with him. This meet and greet is a lot of fun!
Scrooge McDuck and Donald Duck/Minnie Mouse and Daisy Duck
Another favorite character meet at the party is Scrooge McDuck and Donald. They share a line with Minnie and Daisy, who are in their Christmas dresses. This is great because it allows you to meet four different characters while only waiting in one line.
The Fireworks
During Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, the Magic Kingdom has special holiday-inspired fireworks. This year, a brand new fireworks show, Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks, will debut during the Christmas parties. The show is hosted by Minnie Mouse. It combines fireworks that can be seen across the park with classic Christmas music. It will be interesting to see how this new fireworks show compares to the old Holiday Wishes.
One of the advantages of attending a party is smaller crowds, making it easier to get a nice viewing spot on Main Street. Normally, Main Street becomes a wall of people during the fireworks, so you would need to stake out a spot on Main Street at least 30 minutes prior to the start of the fireworks in order to find space. But during the parties, you have more room to watch.
The Parade
Another highlight of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade. The parade is shown twice during the party, once before the fireworks and once after. The parade includes favorite Disney characters and Santa Clause, of course. It also includes toy wooden soldiers, playful reindeer, and dancing gingerbread men.
My favorite part of this parade is the wooden soldiers. I was so impressed with them! They march in formation, with some playing instruments. On their feet, they have taps, so you can actually hear them stepping in unison! The gingerbread men were also cute. Another fun part of the party is the snow which falls on Main Street USA during the parade and fireworks.
Entertainment
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party also offers a variety of entertainment, including three stage shows, an a cappella concert, and two dance parties. On the stage in front of the castle, you will find Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration where Mickey and friends enjoy the holidays. In Tomorrowland, you will find Buzz and other Tomorrowland friends celebrating in the Totally Tomorrowland Christmas stage show or you can get your groove on at the Club Tinsel dance party. As night falls, Queen Elsa transforms the castle with icy lights.
Cookies and Cocoa
At various locations throughout the park, you can get complimentary cookies and cocoa to help your tummy get into the spirit of the season. Such a fun little way to add some extra holiday warmth to the party!
Tony’s Most Merriest Town Square Party
If you want even more celebration in your Christmas party, then Tony’s Most Merriest Town Square Party may be for you. For $99 per person, in addition to the ticket for the party, you can attend this party within a party at Tony’s Town Square. From 9:30 pm to 12:30 am, visit the restaurant as many times as you want to get savory hors d’oeuvres and sweet treats, as well as complementary beer, wine, and non-alcoholic drinks. You also get access to a reserved viewing area for the 11:00 parade.
Conclusion
While 5 hours sounds like a lot, the party actually goes pretty fast. There isn’t enough time to do everything, especially if you plan to meet characters. So, you will need to carefully choose how you spend your time. We chose to focus on the characters, parade, and fireworks. Because we attended the party on the first night of our trip, we decided to save the rides for later in our trip.
I am so glad we went to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. We enjoyed all the special Christmas offerings. The party definitely had a festive feel to it. The parade and fireworks alone were worth the price of admission. It was nice to experience the park without the crowds. Anyone who is a fan of Disney and/or Christmas should experience it at least once. It is a great way to enjoy the season with your family.
For more information on Disney and Christmas, see my Christmas tips for Disney and gift ideas for Disney travelers. For help planning your trip, see my step-by-step guide, my best resources for planning your trip, and my quick tips for planning. For tips on meeting characters, see where to meet characters and tips on meeting them. Happy travels!
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