Our comprehensive review of this year’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
My family and I had the opportunity to attend the second night of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on Friday, November 10. We were concerned a bit about the potential crowd levels since this night was noted as being ‘sold out’ by Disney, and our experience with a sold-out Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween Party in September was dampened a bit due to high crowd levels resulting in longer than expected wait times. Did our experience with this year’s Christmas Party live up to expectations? Read on to learn more!
Related: Is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Worth it?
Note while several other Chip and Co. team members attended the first night of the party on November 9th, my family and I opted for the November 10th party. I will walk you through my experience on night 2 of the party rating the atmosphere, exclusive offerings, attraction wait times, and character meet and greets.
Overall Atmosphere: 10/10
Disney always hits it out of the park with the atmosphere for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, and this year did not disappoint. The entry into the party, complete with a DJ and nutcrackers, provided a high-energy intro to the night and really set the tone for a fun and adventurous night. The decorations were well done, snow was experienced on Main Street USA, and the overall vibe was everything you would expect from Christmas at the Magic Kingdom.
Exclusive Offerings: 8/10
The free cookies and hot chocolate are always a crowd-pleaser at the Christmas Party. While the party did offer some exclusive food items, the number and variety of items were not at the same level and standard of the Halloween Party. I loved everything I tried (especially the hot chocolate!) but just wish they offered a larger variety of items like the Halloween Party.
The exclusive popcorn buckets really shine here. I snagged one of the Mickey Nutcracker buckets and am so glad I did! Disney had plenty on hand for the second night and seemed to be a bit better prepared for the demand at this party (we missed out on the Mickey Mummy bucket back during the Halloween party due to it being sold out).
Character Meet and Greets: 10/10
The character meets and greets for this year’s party were once again super fun. From meeting Sandy Claws and Sally at Town Square Theater to posing for photos with Cinderella and Rapunzel (with princes in tow) to bumping into the one and only Peter Pan in Adventureland, we had a TON of fun interacting with characters this year! Pro tip: we entered the park right at 4 pm and queued up for Jack and Sally, which had an estimated wait of 2 hours. We ended up waiting just under an hour and had the rest of the night to enjoy all the party had to offer!
Attractions: 10/10
We found the ride wait times to be generally low for the party. We waited about 40 minutes for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and basically walked on Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Pirates of the Caribbean. Tron had a virtual queue for this party, and once we arrived at our call-back time we experienced a short 15-minute wait between arriving in the queue and boarding the ride. Space Mountain and Jungle Cruise both have super fun holiday overlays that you do not want to miss.
If you are looking to hit up some of your favorite attractions during your time at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, you will not be disappointed this year-there is just so much going on that the crowds are really well dispersed around the park! Here are all of the attractions that are slated to be open during each Christmas party:
Adventureland
- Jingle Cruise – a classic attraction with a holiday twist
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- Swiss Family Treehouse
Frontierland
Liberty Square
Fantasyland
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
- “it’s a small world”
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Mad Tea Party
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Storybook Circus
Tomorrowland
- Astro Orbiter
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
- Space Mountain – with a holiday twist
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
- TRON Lightcycle / Run presented by Enterprise – virtual queue access only
Entertainment: 10/10
When you attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, you expect the party aspect to include some top-notch entertainment. I am pleased to relate the entertainment this year meets these expectations! The party brings the Magic Kingdom to life with a dazzling array of stage shows, parades, and fireworks:
- Frozen Holiday Surprise: This new “Frozen”-inspired entertainment experience features Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, and the Snowgies. It will illuminate Cinderella Castle in a spectacular fashion, resembling a frozen ice palace with projections. This show is a unique addition to the festivities and replaces the previous Frozen show that featured the much-loved dream lights on the castle.
- Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration Stage Show: A jubilant 20-minute stage show takes place in front of Cinderella Castle. It includes live performers dancing and singing a medley of holiday songs, accompanied by Disney characters and shimmering snowflakes. The showtimes are scheduled at 7:40, 9:25, 10:35, and 11:55 pm
- Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade: This beloved parade lasts for about 25 minutes and brings the magic of Christmas to life with dancing gingerbread men, marching toy soldiers, and a variety of Disney Characters. A highlight of the parade is a special appearance by Santa Claus. It takes place twice each evening at 8:30 and 11:00 pm. This is my FAVORITE of all the Disney parades, and is an event that you should not miss!
- Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks: A 12-minute fireworks display hosted by Minnie Mouse, featuring festive colors and tunes of popular carols like “Deck the Halls” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”. This captivating display can be enjoyed from various locations throughout the park and is scheduled for 10:00 pm. There’s also an option for a dessert party for a reserved viewing spot.
Related: Jollywood Nights at Hollywood Studios Opening Night Review
Overall, this year’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party receives a MUST-DO 10/10 rating. The atmosphere, lower-than-normal attraction wait times, holiday cookies, shows, and character experiences truly bring Disney magic to your holiday celebrations.
2023 Event Dates
- Thursday, November 9 – SOLD OUT
- Friday, November 10 – SOLD OUT
- Monday, November 13 – SOLD OUT
- Tuesday, November 14 – SOLD OUT
- Thursday, November 16 – SOLD OUT
- Friday, November 17 – SOLD OUT
- Sunday, November 19 – SOLD OUT
- Tuesday, November 21 – SOLD OUT
- Wednesday, November 22 – SOLD OUT
- Sunday, November 26
- Tuesday, November 28
- Thursday, November 30
- Friday, December 1 – SOLD OUT
- Sunday, December 3 – SOLD OUT
- Tuesday, December 5 – SOLD OUT
- Thursday, December 7 – SOLD OUT
- Friday, December 8 – SOLD OUT
- Sunday, December 10
- Tuesday, December 12
- Thursday, December 14
- Friday, December 15
- Sunday, December 17 – SOLD OUT
- Tuesday, December 19
- Thursday, December 21
- Friday, December 22 – SOLD OUT
As you can see many dates area already sold out, so if you have not snagged your tickets you should jump on them soon!
Are you planning on attending the Christmas Party this year? Leave us a comment to let us know!
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