Christmas starts EARLY in Walt Disney World, but that’s a great perk for you! The first Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party starts November 9th and runs through December 22nd this year!

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WHAT IS IT?

This is a special ticketed event in Magic Kingdom full of holiday fun! There are loads of special offerings like fireworks, characters, and shows and it’s a great way to see the park in a little different way. Tickets run from $159-$199 per adult and $149-$189 per child (ages 3-9) depending on the night. Weekends and dates closer to the holidays are going to run more expensive while most dates in during the weekdays are going to run on the lower end.

You do NOT need a normal park ticket to attend this party, but you MUST have a party ticket. Guests without a park ticket can enter the parks as early as 4pm and the party officially starts at 7pm after normal closing time!

If you are planning on going to the parks as a normal day guest on these days, just be aware that the park closes at 6pm and ONLY does fireworks for the party. If you do not have a party ticket, crowds can be a little lower during the day, but you will miss out on fireworks, so plan accordingly.

CHECK-IN

If you are already in the parks for the day, you can check-in starting at 4pm at one of the stations around the park. Typically these will be in Adventureland across from Pirates of the Caribbean or in Tomorrowland to the left across from Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor.

If you are NOT already in the park, you will do your check-in at the front of the park. Make sure to look for the signs for the party and the cast members wearing the holiday costumes!

You will receive a wristband and party guide. DO NOT LOOSE YOUR WRISTBAND! Once the park closes, this is what will allow you to stay in the park and participate in the party activities including riding attractions. (so no, you cannot sneak into a party lol) Just a heads up, these fabric wristbands DO NOT loosen after tightened, so make sure to tell your kiddos not to mess with them so that they don’t get too tight.

Your party guide is also very valuable as it will show you where cookie stops are, showtimes, locations for specialty treats and characters, and more.

Cookies & Hot Cocoa

Special to this party is the ability to get complimentary cookies and hot cooca! And even better, it’s not just for kids! I recommend bringing a small bag in case you don’t eat all of the cookies that you get. They are all pre-packaged, so can be a great souvenir to take home.

If you have allergies, no worries! There are even select stops that have allergy friendly cookies. (you can find info on where those are in your party guide)

You can find the cookie stops at various locations around the parks. Locations are Columbia Harbour House, Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe, The Lunching Pad, Pinocchio Village Haus, and Tortuga Tavern!

DRESSING UP

Deck out in your holiday gear whether it’s your Christmas best or favorite holiday pajamas! You’ll want to get some great holiday photos, so don’t be afraid to deck yourself out. There are some attire guidelines to be aware of, so be mindful of that. You can find the full costume guidelines HERE.

SPECIALTY TREATS

Most everything at the party is included with your ticket, however there are some specialty treats that you can get for an additional price! Be warned, this is usually alot of sweets and the restaurants don’t do mobile order for the party, so make sure to eat a good dinner before the park closes at 6pm!

You can find locations for available treats in our Foodie Guide HERE.

CHARACTERS

One of the most popular things at this event are the characters! This is a great time to meet some of your favorites dressed in their Holiday Best like Santa Goofy, Minnie & Mickey! This is also a great time to meet some more rare characters like the super popular Jack Skellington.

These lines can get insanely long and they may not be out through the end of the night. The best way to take advantage of these is to get in line around 6-7pm right before the party starts so that you can hopefully get a jump on the line. The line for Jack as well as Mickey, Minnie & the gang tend to be longest, so I would prioritize those first if that is important to you.

Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration

This live stage show features Mickey Mouse and the gang in a musical magical palooza of holiday fun! You can see this on the stage right in front of Cinderella Castle and it performs multiple times throughout the night. The later shows tend to be less busy BUT if it rains, you do run the risk of missing it or the show getting canceled, so be sure to plan accordingly!

Additionally, at the beginning of the evening (not exclusive to the party) you can watch the brand new castle lighting ceremony featuring Anna, Elsa, Olaf and more!

Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade

Probably the most memorable part of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is the Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade! This is a parade filled with all your favorite characters with an added holiday flair. My favorite part is definitely the Toy Soldiers! These larger than life toys are super cool to watch as they march down the street in tandum.

There are usually two parades, so I recommend going to the later one to avoid crowds! The route starts in Frontierland and goes through Liberty Square, past the Castle, and down Main Street USA to finish. My favorite spot to watch is in front of the castle, but if you watch in Frontierland, you won’t be waiting as long and you can get back to the other activities much quicker!

Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show

What is a party without fireworks? This is a fantastic show that features tons of your favorite characters, fireworks, and Pyrotechnics! Seriously, this show is one you don’t want to miss!

If you are looking for something a little extra, there are TWO dessert parties that you can purchase. One at Tomorroland Terrace with special seating during the fireworks, and the other will also had desserts at Tomorrowland Terrace and your viewing area is on the hub grass. If you are wanting to avoid the crowds, this might be a great option! Just be aware that viewing is further back, so you might have a slightly obstructed view depending on where you stand.

RIDE OVERLAYS

I don’t really recommend using the party for rides since there are so many other things to experience, BUT there are a few attractions that have overlays that can be a super fun way to experience them! Mad Tea Party has some fun holiday music and a special lighting package and Space Mountain is has some holiday flair with red and green lights set to Christmas jams!

My FAVORITE is the Jingle Cruise! This is the Jungle Cruise attraction you love with holiday jokes thrown in. This one is available both during the day AND the party, so this is a great option to do when you arrive to the park at 4pm.

Also, if your dream is to ride TRON at night, you can join the virtual queue during the party! A special virtual queue opens just for party guests at 6pm. Remember, Genie+ and Lightning Lanes are NOT available during the party.

If rides are something you want to do, I recommend doing party specific things first and then towards the end of the night once crowds die down, you can hit up those attractions with little to no wait!

DANCE PARTIES

Another great way to jump, shake, and get out that energy are the Dance Parties at Club Tinsel and Disney Junior Jingle Jam! These are family friendly dance parties inside Cosmic Rays and on the Tomorrowland Stage and are come & go, so you can spend as little or as much time as you like.

MERCHANDISE

Disney has FINALLY brought back party specific merchandise! You can find shirts, mugs, pins, and lots more JUST for guests attending the party! Items like pins can sell out, so it might be a good idea to make this your first stop and then you can always store it in a locker while you enjoy the party.

MEMORY MAKER

This is Disney’s photopass system where you can collect photos all around the park. one thing that makes this way better than your typical castle selfie are the specialty props and Magic Shots! This is essentially where special character or other elements are photoshopped into your photos and can make for some super cute memories!

If you are planning on visiting the other parks and purchase Memory Maker with your package, it will work for the party too. If you are just there for the party, you can get a single day Memory Maker at a reduced price so that you can still take advantage of those special shots.

Remember! Memory Maker is $185 for the length of your vacation when you purchase ahead of time and $210 if you wait, so be sure to purchase early!

There is so much to experience, see, and do at this year’s party and it isn’t too late to plan a trip! Let me know in the comments what you are MOST excited to experience at this year’s Christmas Party!

Ultimate Guide to Mickey’s very Merry Christmas Party 2023