We finally made it to a Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, woohoo! (We = my husband and me.)
Ordinarily, I take the day off so we can get there early (for Halloween parties, anyway – this was my first Christmas party). I wasn’t able to do that this year, though, and some last-minute work stuff kept me in the office longer than planned. Plus… Friday night traffic on I-4.
We finally made it into the park just as A Frozen Holiday Wish was beginning (8:15 PM). I LOVE this little show, but I was starving and had a ferocious headache. You can experience AFHW on non-party nights and I’ve seen it several times this season, so food was the priority. Now, though, I’m actually really sad we missed it. It’s such a perfect kickoff to a magical holiday evening!
We decided to grab dinner at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe, which converted to Club Tinsel for the night. You can’t go wrong with a burger, fries, upbeat music, and dancing polar bears, right? Well, Cosmic Ray’s was packed. We waited for about 20 minutes and none of the lines budged. My husband wanted to try Friar’s Nook for Pot Roast Mac and Cheese (mmmm!), but it was closed. We ended up at Pinocchio’s Village Haus (because hanger), which was busy but still much calmer than Cosmic Ray’s.
That night’s party sold out. The park was busy but not intolerable. Cosmic Ray’s and the treat stations were the most crowded bits of the evening.
After dinner, we planned to snag some free hot chocolate and cookies from The Lunching Pad to enjoy while watching A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas. There are multiple free treat stations, and they each have something different! By the time we got to Tomorrowland, treat lines at The Lunching Pad were looooong and we didn’t have enough time to wait before the show started.
A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas was delightful. I saw it last year and loved it; this year was just as charming. Stitch’s little face is just so cute! If you like Mike Wazowski and Buzz Lightyear, they make appearances in this show.
After ATTC, it was time for Holiday Wishes – Celebrate the Spirit of the Season! My favorite viewing spot is the area in front of Casey’s Corner. I don’t remember being especially thrilled with Holiday Wishes last year, but I really enjoyed it this year! The Christmas music and festive colors really helped me get into the spirit.
Next up: pin shopping! We headed to Big Top Souvenirs in Storybook Circus for party pins. I picked Elsa and Stitch. The passholder pin was still in stock, but I wasn’t thrilled with the design – gingerbread people – so I didn’t buy that one.
We were hoping to do the Santa Goofy and Donald Duck & Scrooge McDuck meet and greets. Donald and Scrooge were delightful, but Santa Goofy was on his break and then a looooong line developed. We had to rush to Town Square to catch the parade, which meant skipping Santa Goofy. 🙁
Next, we headed to Town Square to catch Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade. I’m always in awe of the performers. I would have to be carried off 100 yards into the parade route, but they dance enthusiastically all the way from Frontierland to Town Square. The floats are intricate and SCENTED (Mr. EC loved the Clarabelle Cow gingerbread, while I favored the sweet piney scent from Kristoff’s float). There are even real horses! But my favorite part? Seeing the reactions of the little girl (3 or so?) sitting next to us. So. Cute. I love seeing people experience the magic of Disney!
Heaps upon heaps of people leave after the last parade (steps off in Frontierland at 11:00 PM). Just keep that in mind if you’re on Main Street or in Town Square!
And finally: Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration. I was not excited for this show. I’m sad to say I almost skipped it!
While we were waiting for the show, my husband dashed over to the Lunching Pad for hot chocolate and peppermint bark cookies. Bless him. Those cookies were delicious and I’m still thinking about them. Imagine chewy chocolate chip cookies with bits of peppermint bark baked in. Sweet, a tiny bit salty, chocolaty, and pepperminty. Oooh yeahhh. They even had that nice cooling quality, but not in a toothpastey way. I could’ve eaten dozens.
Anyway, back to Mickey’s Most Merriest! Thankfully I caved in my steadfast curmudgeon-ness, because it ended up being my top favorite part of the entire evening. The production was aces; it was like watching a mini broadway show on the castle stage. MMM was adorable, funny, heartwarming, and it featured some of THE BEST Christmas songs. My eyes might even have leaked a little. Pluto barks when the doorbell rings, all of the costumes are stunning, and the integration of pop culture elements was a lot of fun. My favorite part of the night, for sure.️
The last showing was at midnight, so as soon as it was over, it was time to go home!
Oftentimes, the shops along Main Street will stay open past closing time. For the Halloween and Christmas parties this year, they were rolling up the sidewalks at midnight! This is so odd to me, as there are still plenty of people around!
I stopped into Starbucks/Main Street Bakery on the way out – yay, still open! – to pick up a Frozen Holiday Wish cupcake, but they were all gone 🙁 The barista informed me that they are delicious and popular, so they sell quickly. I THINK this cupcake is similar to Anna’s Birthday Cupcake from Epcot, so let me know if you get to try it!
In all, I really enjoyed the party. The shows were my favorite part. We didn’t take advantage of the treat stations nearly enough due to our tight schedule. We also didn’t partake in any rides, but that’s something I can do anytime as a local and a pass holder. I’m a little disappointed we didn’t get a chance to do Jingle Cruise, but there’s still time in the season.
So, is it really worth $100 per person to experience a Christmas party? Honestly, I’m undecided. I think it depends on what’s most important to you. Will I go next year? Almost certainly. The shows and parade become part of daily operations after the last party, so if you’re local and don’t mind braving the crowds, you can see them that way. If you’re visiting before then and you can make it work with your budget, go for the party! Personally, I feel like the parties have a festive holiday vibe you don’t really find during standard operations.
Here’s what I would do differently:
- Take the day off. Get there at 4:00. Eat. Avoid stress and being hangry.
- Decide on character meet & greets and integrate the ones I want to experience into my plan.
- Try to visit every treat station. Visit the peppermint bark cookie station twice. 😉
- Spend more time on Main Street enjoying the music, lighting sequences, and snow
- Get a Frozen cupcake early in the evening
- Catch A Frozen Holiday Wish
And here’s what worked really well for us:
- The show schedule we followed (A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas at 9:20 PM, Holiday Wishes at 10:00 PM, Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade at 11:00 PM, Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration at 12:00 AM)
- Catching the later Once Upon a Christmastime Parade (11:00 PM) and last Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration (12:00 AM)
Annnnd here’s what I recommend for you!
- Arrive early. Like, 4:00 early. The party and festivities officially start at 7; however, you can get in as early as 4:00. Do it. Get in, eat dinner, grab a times guide, and get your plans in order.
- Pick up a party guide on your way in. This will tell you where the treat stations are, which restaurants are open, which shops feature exclusive merchandise, show descriptions, and show times.
- Not all rides, shops, and dining outlets will be open. Refer to your party guide.
- Party-exclusive merchandise is not available in all shops. Again, refer to your party guide.
- The shows and parade are very much worth watching. Don’t miss them! I tend to favor the later parades and castle show, mainly because the crowds are thinner.
- There’s no Once Upon a Time on party nights.
- Treat stations have different varieties of cookies and beverages.
- If there’s a particular party-exclusive treat you want, get it early in the evening. Sometimes they sell out. 🙁
- If there’s exclusive merchandise you want, aim to attend a party earlier in the season.
- If you have PhotoPass, there are several fun enhanced photo opportunities throughout the park!
If you make it out to a Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party this season (there’s one more left!) I hope you have a wonderful time!
If you’re reading this after the parties have ended, the Christmas parade will usually replace the Festival of Fantasy parade during the day. A Frozen Holiday Wish and A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas will usually have a few have showings nightly. I’m not quite sure how Mickey’s Royal Friendship Faire and Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration will be scheduled, but I’ll keep you posted!
Annnd if you’re reading this after the holiday season has ended, this info will still be handy to have for next year’s Halloween and Christmas parties!
Please feel free to leave any questions below and I’ll do my best to answer.
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