We are a Disney family. There is no denying that. My husband and I honeymooned at Disney World, and we have been back almost every year since. Our daughters are 3 and 5 and have been to Disney World 3 times (plus on a Disney Cruise). Just this year, we were finally able to experience Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (thanks to a little pixie dust from Disney Parks!) and WOW! It was a blast! We cannot wait to do it again some time. Here are 5 tips that will help you plan your MVMCP experience to the fullest!
ARRIVE EARLY & USE THOSE FASTPASSES
MVMCP officially starts at 7pm, however, party guests can enter the park at 4pm – but that’s not all. If you have not been to another park that day (and used fast passes), you can schedule 3 fastpasses (for times between 4pm and 7pm)! The same holds true for Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. This is a great way to get a popular meet and greet in or get on some popular rides. Keep in mind that the lines for rides will be much shorter during party hours because of two reasons. 1) There will be less people in the park and 2) many people will be attending party events. If you are staying at Disney World for several days, I recommend planning your party night for a day off from the parks or the first night – and get a bonus day in the parks (because you will not need a regular park ticket to attend.)
MEET THE PRINCES
MVMCP is one of the few times that you will be able to meet the Disney Princes! They all appear with their princesses in meet and greets throughout the night. Some other rare meet and greets are the 7 Dwarfs and Sandy Claws (Jack Skellington as Santa Clause). We were lucky enough to plan our night out just right and got to meet Sandy Claws, 7D, as well as Flynn Rider with Rapunzel and Prince Naveen with Princess Tiana. If you wish to meet all of the princes, be warned, you will likely not get to also meet 7D AND Sandy Claws – you may have to choose. Especially if you wish to see the parade and holiday show as well. Flynn Rider was amazing to meet – and totally worth the 20 minute wait! If you head to Fairytale Hall around 11pm, you will likely be able to meet all 4 princess and prince pairs! Aurora & Snow White and their princes will be at the castle wall, which is near there as well.
EAT A LATE LUNCH
If you eat a late lunch, you are less likely to need to stop for dinner while in the park. We ate around 3pm and then headed to Magic Kingdom and it worked out perfectly. There are several treat stations set up around the park for MVMCP where you can grab cookies and hot cocoa or apple cider. These are the perfect way to curb your appetite while still taking in all that you can at the party.
SEE THE SECOND PARADE & SHOW
There really is so much to do at MVMCP. The parade and the show happen twice each party night and I highly recommend seeing the second one of each. There will be less people there and this way you can utilize your time early in the night for other party exclusives (like meeting the princes and checking out the holiday treat stations). Both the parade and show are worth seeing – don’t get me wrong – just opt for the second showing of each.
GET THE EXCLUSIVES
One thing that I love about the special events at Disney World is their exclusive items – like pins and T-Shirts. You can only purchase these if you have a special event ticket. You are given a wristband upon entering, and they check them in order for your to purchase the items in the stores. In fact, there was a roped off section in the store that we bought our pins at that you could only enter if you had a wristband. This year there was a gorgeous pins set with some of my favorite Disney couples – so we had to grab it!
HAVE YOU EVER BEEN TO MICKEY’S VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS PARTY AT WALT DISNEY WORLD? IF SO, DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS TO SHARE? PLEASE DO SO IN THE COMMENTS!
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. She is also a Freelance Writer. Tessa has been in the Entertainment writing business for ten years and is a member of several Critics Associations including the Critics Choice Association and the Greater Western New York Film Critics Association.
6 Comments
I swear every time I read your posts, you take me back. I wish I could go with you every time! These are great tips though. I especially like the eat a late lunch and enjoy the treats in the evening. That is so my style! 🙂
Pingback: DIY Star Vs. The Forces of Evil Costumes: Star Butterfly & Ludo
Pingback: 4 Reasons to Join the Disney Vacation Club NOW!
Pingback: 2017 Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party Character Meet & Greets
Pingback: Guide to the 2018 Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party Meet & Greets
Pingback: Everything You Need To Know About Disney Villains After Hours