Our two most recent Disney trips have taken place in November, and a highlight of those trips has been attending Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. This party, along with Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, is a ticketed event, so you must purchase tickets to the party. While the parties are not happening this year, it’s not too early to start thinking about including them in any 2021 travel plans.
Parties happen on multiple days each week. Your ticket includes entry into the Magic Kingdom, starting around 4:00 pm. The party itself usually starts around 7:00 pm, so you can get a little extra park time before the non-party guests are kindly asked to leave the park. The first year we went, we booked the party for our arrival day, allowing us to visit the park and attend the party without using our regular park tickets. This was great, because we ended up visiting the parks for six days instead of five, but we were also very tired that night because of our super early flight. The second time we went, we just purchased six park days and attended the party mid-trip.
Why should you pay extra to attend the party? Different people have very different answers to this question, even my own family members. For me, it’s the special things – the opportunity to meet characters who are normally never available, the Christmas parade, and the “snow” on Main Street USA. For my husband, it’s the chance to ride rides multiple times because everyone else is doing Christmas party stuff. For my son, it’s a bit of a mix.
My best advice when planning to attend one of these parties is to understand that you can’t do it all. You need to prioritize your activities. Do you want to get a photo with all seven dwarves? Do you want a prime spot for the parade? Do you want to ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad five times in a row? Party brochures are available online in advance, and planning ahead is key. Know that lines to meet special characters form well in advance, and you want to be near the front of the line in order to get through quickly. Opening nights are often busier than others, because this is when the Disney bloggers and die-hard Disney fans come to review the experience. And as you get closer to Halloween and Christmas, the crowds grow as well.
As you’re planning your next Disney trip, ask me about adding party tickets!