Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

All posts tagged Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Top 5 Special Things To Do At Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2015

Published November 14, 2015 by ltdjosh

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We’ve all seen pictures and video of Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom done up for the holidays…the sights, the sounds, the merriment. But, sometimes the holidays can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you’re a first time visitor. So here are my top 5 special things to do at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in the Magic Kingdom. These are in no particular order, but I hope they help you to get the most out of your Christmas Party trip.

  1. Special Character Interactions – Most of us know that Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party are special times for character interactions, and this year is no different. In addition to all 7 dwarfs (whom you will only see during parties) and the princes with their princesses, you also will have the chance to see Sandy Claws, Reindeer & Elf, and even the jolly man himself, Santa! Obviously these characters are never guaranteed, but it’s a good chance to try to catch them in between parades. You can also catch special character interactions at the Totally Tomorrowland Christmas party at Rockettower Plaza Stage in Tomorrowland and the Character Dance Party at Club Tinsel (Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe in Tomorrowland). You can also join in the fun at Celebrate The Season – a special holiday stage show held three times an evening in front of Cinderella Castle.
  2. Complimentary Holiday Treats – Don’t say Disney never gives anything away for free! At several locations throughout the Magic Kingdom, you can stop in for complimentary hot cocoa and cookies (there are healthy options available too). These treats make for an extra magical time, especially if you stand on Main Street and enjoy them during the parade (it will snow during parts of the parade to add even more magic).
  3. Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade – this holiday favorite is back and better than ever this year. Join Mickey and Minnie and all the gang as they welcome the holidays in a super festive and fun parade. This is another chance to see some of the more rare characters, such as Clarabelle Cow and Horace. The parade ends, like any good holiday parade, with a special appearance by the man of the hour, Santa Claus!
  4. A Frozen Holiday Wish – Join Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, and Olaf as they bring in the holidays with a little bit of twinkling ice on Cinderella Castle. Held twice an evening, this special castle lighting ceremony is NOT to be missed.
  5. Celebrate The Magic & Holiday Wishes – Be amazed as Cinderella Castle is transformed into a dazzling display of color and magic, showcasing breath-taking lighting effects and a brilliant musical score incorporating some of your most beloved Disney tunes. Then stick around as the skies above Cinderella Castle come to life with the most magical holiday fireworks presentation ever. You might even catch a glimpse of Jolly Old St. Nicholas and his team of reindeer as they fly high over Magic Kingdom.
  6. BONUS – VoicePlay – new to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party this year is VoicePlay – an amazing and astounding acoustic marvel. Bringing together beautiful harmonies and classic Christmas songs, this a cappella holiday concert is sure to delight guests of all ages.

These are just a few of the many things that you can enjoy during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party this year. For more information, check out the following park maps, which will tell you all of the locations for everything during the party.

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10277448_10152220823381036_4050401386084466142_nJoshua Snyder is an avid Disney fanatic. He recently moved back to Indiana after spending 2 years living his dream in Orlando, FL. When Josh isn’t dreaming about the parks, he’s helping people plan their dream vacations. As a Dream Designer with My Mickey Vacation, Josh loves helping people make their Disney dreams come true. He is also the senior writer and head of the writing team at Living The Dream Podcast. Josh can be reached at joshua.snyder@mymickeyvacation.com for travel agent inquiries, or at joshua.livingthedreampodcast@gmail.com for all other inquiries.

MagicBands in Colors and Characters ~ An Awesome Photo and Video Tour

Published October 15, 2015 by ltdjosh

Here it is – your fully comprehensive guide to Disney World MagicBands from the past and present!

If you are following along here on Disneyways, you have definitely heard about MagicBands. We published a sneak peek for you back in 2013! These convenient little bands are your everything inside the resort: your room key (if staying on property), your park tickets, your payment method (if you have a credit card on file to charge to your room), your dining plan holder, etc. Since rolling out the original MagicBands a couple of years ago, the Walt Disney company has added some unique and limited edition MagicBands among Disney Parks guests. As these became more and more popular, Disney decided to start making Limited Edition MagicBands for special events and such. The last year saw an increase in the number of limited edition MagicBands, especially during Star Wars Weekends at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I’ve included a good portion of the Limited Edition MagicBands that have been produced by Disney this year. Since we are still a few months away from Food & Wine Festival, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2015, I’ve included pictures and videos of the bands from previous years. Hopefully Disney will delight us with even better bands this year for all of these events. If something you were looking for is no longer in stock – or if you require something even MORE customized – be sure to check out out friends at MagicYourBand.com and MyFantasyBands.com. I hope you enjoy our little tour of the Disney Parks Limited Edition MagicBands. Special thanks goes out to Disneyways reader Brandon Wolgast for providing so many wonderful photos!

To start our tour, I’ll choose the first big event of the year, EPCOT’s International Flower & Garden Festival. Held each spring, the Flower & Garden Festival really brings EPCOT to life in breathtaking beauty. The theme this year was, of course, Frozen and the MagicBands matched the frozen theme. The band has a picture of Anna & Elsa on one side and a nice floral pattern on the other. This was a limited edition of 5,000.

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The following video shows what the band does when touched to a touch-point in the park.

Next up we have the MagicBands from the Frozen Summer Fun event held at Disney’s Hollywood Studios last year. I have not seen or heard of any from this year, but that could be a mistake of my own. These bands sold out fairly fast and were very cute. These had a picture of Olaf on one side with the words “Chilling in the sunshine” above him and “Frozen” on the the other side. Limited edition of 5,000 as well.

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The following video shows what this band does when touched to a touch-point in the park.

Next we have a generic Olaf MagicBand that, suprisingly, is still in circulation and available in the parks (as of a month ago – found in Animal Kingdom for sale). These MagicBands aren’t for any particular celebration other than celebrating the awesomeness that is Olaf. On one side they have a picture of Olaf in a Santa hat and on the other side it has snowflakes. This is a limited edition of 4,000.

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The following video shows what this band does when touched to a touch-point in the park.

Next comes the magic that is Star Wars Weekends. As the force descends upon Disney’s Hollywood Studios for weekends throughout May, MagicBands of all sorts and star systems show up. This year had a fairly impressive line-up, including Mickey, Donald and a couple of lightsabers for Galactic Gathering guests. First up is the Donald MagicBand. On one side you have Donald holding a purple lightsaber (I thought only Mace Windu had a purple saber, but that’s me). On the other side, you have the Star Wars Weekends logo. These were a limited edition of only 2,500 and sold out very quickly.

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The following video shows what this band does when touched to a touch-point in the park.

Next we have the Jedi Mickey band. This band has Jedi Mickey on one side holding a non-impressive (in my opinion) light blue lightsaber. On the other side there is the Star Wars Weekends logo. These were also a limited edition of 2,500 and sold out quickly as well.

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The following video shows what this band does when touched to a touch-point in the park.

Next up you have the two most limited edition bands found in the park this year: the red lightsaber and green lightsaber from the Galactic Gathering. These were only available to Galactic Gathering guests and were an extremely limited edition of only 350 for the red and 330 for the green. These awesome bands look like a lightsaber from one side to the other. I only have pictures available of the green, but they are identical in everything but the color.

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The following video shows what the red band (first video) and green band (second video) does when touched to a touch-point in the park.

Next up we have the bands from last year’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. These bands have the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party logo on one side and a cool Halloween themed design on the other. These were a limited edition of 5,000 and were originally only available during the Halloween Party. However, they did not sell out so they were later released as general sale items.

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The following video shows what this band does when touched to a touch-point in the park.

Finally, we have the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party bands. These are candy cane colored and have the party logo on one side and Mickey & Minnie on the other. These were again a limited edition of 5,000 and originally only sold during the Christmas party, but never sold out at the party so were released later.

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The following video shows what this band does when touched to a touch-point in the park.

I hope you enjoy our little tour through the MagicBands. This is in no way a comprehensive list of every available MagicBand (that would take a very long time to compile and would be out of date as soon as it was posted) but a list for you to enjoy and know about. Have a happy day and we’ll see you with your MagicBand very soon! AND for great ways to spruce up your ordinary MagicBands, visit our friends at MagicYourBand.com and MyFantasyBands.com.

World Secrets: How to Save Time and Money on Disney Food During the Holidays 2013

Published November 14, 2013 by Disneyways.com

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It’s great to save time and money any time of the year when you are eating your way around Walt Disney World. You’re probably paying a lot of money for your Disney holiday vacation…and we’re here to make sure you get the biggest bang for your buck! And with the holiday season already here, the time is now! Booking early for holiday events and dining is critical, and this exclusive holiday dining and event information is the most efficient way to plan your holiday strategy. On a budget? Find out how to make those dollars stretch all around Disney World. We’ve got the secret to finding all the “New for 2013″ events, dining options, and activities, including what’s new at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, The Celebrate the Magic Castle Show, and the Epcot Candlelight Processional…and more…all in one place.

The secret is the DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays 2013!

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The savings begin right NOW in fact, because we have a steep discount. Get the brand new guide today for $3 off the regular purchase price for a limited time! How? Just order by clicking any of the links you see on this page. When you purchase your guide through clicking any of the links in the post, Disneyways will receive a commission that will go towards our continuing efforts to bring you the Disney magic year-round. With a 100% 30-day, money-back guarantee on all of their guides, you have nothing to lose! 🙂

AJ and her team have been busy updating all the latest holiday tips and brand new info you need know before you hit the parks this November, December, and January! With 270 pages of detailed information and multiple bonus extras, it will most definitely save you time and money during the busiest season in Walt Disney World! And it’s here just in time!

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Here are just some of the perks you will get with this instantly downloadable guide:

  • Detailed descriptions and photos of every holiday event and activity happening at the parks and resorts this year — including tips on how to make the best use of your time and money when visiting!
  • A fully comprehensive holiday dining section with listings of holiday snacks, treats, meals, and menu items offered this year — from popcorn kiosks all the way to Signature Restaurants.
  • A clickable 3-Month Schedule of Holiday Events so you can see at-a-glance what looks interesting to you.
  • Comprehensive listings — with color photos! — of Disney Resort holiday decor and gingerbread displays.
  • Recommendations on ways to SAVE while you’re in Disney World this holiday season.
  • NEW Scavenger Hunts
  • NEW Disney Cruise Line Chapter
  • A Preview of the 2014 Holidays in Disney World
  • DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays Bonus ItemsOf course, the guide includes customized bonus items that go above and beyond any other holiday season coverage currently available.

These include:

  • Themed holiday crawls (there’s even one for seasonal beverages!)
  • Customized Holiday Touring Strategies for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, gingerbread displays, and more
  • Our suggestions for the best restaurants to visit when you don’t have a reservation…on the busiest days of the year
  • A full section on great holiday activities and events for kids
  • And more! We even have an FAQ section that answers questions you didn’t even know you had!
  • Both veterans and those new to the Walt Disney World holidays will appreciate knowing what they are getting before spending time and vacation dollars. Whether you want to sample treats, enjoy a show, savor a holiday meal, or find the best activity for your family, The DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays 2013 will help you discover the right strategy for you.

Don’t Miss Out on Any Disney Holiday Fun!

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And if you want an even BETTER deal, snap up the DFB Holiday Bundle! This includes the DFB Guide to the Walt Disney World Holidays AND our original DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining 2013! With a 100% 30-day, money-back guarantee on all of their guides, you have nothing to lose! 🙂

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What’s New at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2013

Published November 7, 2013 by Disneyways.com

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Are you ready to find out what’s new at this year’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party? New information about offerings and changes for this year’s party are exciting and I couldn’t wait to share them with you. Our thanks to WDWNewsToday.com for this information!

New This Year:

Jingle Cruise! That’s right – Disneyland is no longer the only place you can see cool attraction “overlays” themed for the season. Check out all that’s coming to the Jungle Cruise (I mean JINGLE Cruise!) beginning this Friday.

Mary Poppins, Bert, and Penguins will meet guests in Fantasyland!

This year treat stations will be marked with new giant, inflatable Candy Canes. They won’t actually talk, but they will look something like this:

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Never before seen merchandise.

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A new Photopass Option is coming too! The Rose Garden Photopass Stop will have a real red Christmas Ornament with the event name on it. Below you will find concept art, but at the party the ornament will actually be real.

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For the first time ever – the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas backstory!

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Check out the least crowded dates to visit the party HERE. Dates and pricing for the party can be found HERE.

Podcast Meetup – News, Free Dining, Least Crowded Christmas Party Dates and More!

Published July 11, 2013 by Disneyways.com

Click here to learn more about our relationship with the Disney Parks Podcast!

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Disney Parks Podcast Meetup

Monorail Crawl

Location: Magic Kingdom Resorts

Date: July 20, 2013

Beginning at 5:00 PM

We want to meet you! Drinking alcohol is totally optional. Come get a soft drink or just hang out and chat!

Join us for some or all of the monorail stops!

Here is the agenda:

Outer Rim lounge – Contemporary Resort 5:00 to 6:00PM
Tambu Lounge – Polynesian Resort 6:30 to 7:30
Mizner’s Lounge – Grand Floridian Resort 8:00 to 9:00

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Tune in this week to hear some great news and information – including:

RunDisney Announces the Tinker Bell 10K at the Disneyland Resort

  •  New Menu at Everything POP Shopping & Dining at Disney’s Pop Century Resort

  • FREE DINING

  • Touring Plans recommendations for the least crowded dates to attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Click here to go to this episode and listen in! 

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Least crowded dates for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2013

Published July 8, 2013 by Disneyways.com

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It’s like Christmas in July!

Tickets have been on sale for quite some time for the 2013 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, and I know some of you out there are already making plans to come celebrate your holiday here in Walt Disney World! If you prefer wide open spaces to walk and shorter lines for attractions, you may be wondering what some of the best dates are to come and party. In researching the best date for the Disney Parks Podcast team to get our holiday on – I stumbled on some great information from TouringPlans.com that I wanted to share with you today.

According to the site –  last year’s crowds indicate that Tuesday Christmas parties are less crowded on average than parties held on any other day of the week. Friday is the next-best day to attend a Very Merry Christmas Party.  We can enjoy lower crowds for the Christmas parties right between the Thanksgiving and Christmas busy periods. Four of the five parties between December 3 and 10, 2013, are among the TouringPlans.com top 7 least-busy parties – but they expect Sunday, December 8th to be a bit busier. While there are no Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Parties during Thanksgiving week, the parties just prior to and just after that break are traditionally busy. Thursday and Sunday are the busiest days – and many November dates rank among the most crowded. You may also want to avoid the last few parties before Christmas, because they are also quite crowded.

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In general the wait times during the Christmas parties are quite low, averaging only about 9 minutes. The Christmas parties may be your best bet to enjoy some of your favorite attractions.

Bottom line: If you’re looking for the least crowded, best day to visit Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in 2013…

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Touring Plans says to circle Tuesday, December 10, 2013 on your calendar.

That Christmas Party, on a Tuesday in early December, was the least-crowded event in 2012’s schedule. If that date doesn’t work for you – just refer to the recommendations above for help. Don’t forget – Epcot and Hollywood Studios have SO much to offer as well during this time of year.  I hope you’ll consider coming “home” for Christmas – and we will see soon!

Dates Pricing and Tips for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Published October 11, 2012 by Disneyways.com

I know it seems wrong to even mention this so soon but would you believe we’re only one month away from the beginning of the holiday season Walt Disney World Resort 2012?

Yes we are very close (believe it or not!) to the night where the elves will come in and transform the park from the fall theme – to the Christmas theme.

Today we will look a – just a bit into the future – at the return of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

In case you haven’t been to a party before, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a special event that takes place on select nights at Magic Kingdom Park throughout the holiday season. The parties promise holiday fun, including snow flurries on Main Street, U.S.A., Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade, Disney characters in holiday attire, Holiday Wishes’ Celebrate the Spirit of the Season fireworks, and – my personal favorite – Cinderella Castle Dream Lights. How can you tell they are my favorite? The Dream Lights are the ones that  decorate the castle and are featured on the Disneyways blog year-round!

This year’s parties will take place on the following dates:

November 9, 12, 15, 16, 25, 27, 29, 30;
December 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21.

Tickets have been on sale since May 1, 2012.

The festivities begin at 7 p.m.  and the purchase of an additional event ticket is required. Party attendees are welcome to enter the park as early as 4 p.m. on party nights, which is a great tip to follow if you’re attending with young children. If you aren’t attending the party and have only one day to go to the Magic Kingdom – AVOID the Christmas party dates – unless you don’t mind being kicked out (ever so gently and magically!) at 7pm.

The number one question people ask is if it’s worth the money to attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. If you are on a budget, I personally feel that you can skip it. Pretty much all the decorations inside the parks are displayed all season long. What you will end up missing without a MVMCP ticket (during the first half of December) is the Christmas parade and special fireworks.

DISNEYWAYS TIP: If you are really into Christmas decorations like I am – you can take a gander at all the beautiful decorations placed in the resorts – with no park admission required! But that’s a whole other blog…

Advance Purchase Prices for MVMCP:

  •  November 9, 12, 15, 25, 27, 29 and December 2, 4, 6, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18 — Ages 10+: $58.95+tax / Ages 3-9 $53.95+tax

Day of Event Prices:

  •  November 9 – 30, December 2 – 20 — Ages 10+ $64.95+tax / ages 3-9 $59.95+tax
  •  December 21: Ages 10+ $67.95+tax / ages 3-9 $62.95+tax

Passholder/DVC Discounted Prices:

  •  November 9, 12, 15, 25, 27, 29; December 2, 4, 6, 11 — Ages 10+ $54.95+tax / ages 3-9 $49.95+tax
  • No advance purchase discounts November 16, 30; December 7, 14, 20, 21
  • Children under 3 are admitted free.

Buy your tickets early! A number of MVMCP events SELL OUT! For more information, call 407-W-DISNEY.

In previous years, the park would close and then reopen. Now the park stays open through regular closing time. But, be sure to get a special MVMCP wristband before 7 p.m. Again, cast members will direct guests without the bands to leave the park sharply at 7pm.

Call 407-WDISNEY (407-934-7639) to purchase tickets, or visit disneyworld.com. Disney Vacation Club members must call Member Services.

Active and Retired U.S. Military, including members of the U.S. Coast Guard and active members of the National Guard or Reservists, may purchase discounted Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party tickets to select event nights. They may also purchase additional tickets for up to five (5) family members and/or friends. ID requirements are the same as the 2011/2012 Military Promotion. NOTE: Permanently Disabled Veterans are also eligible for this offer. These military personnel will have a Military ID with a DAVPRM status.

Discounted military tickets are available at all Vacation Planning and Guest Relations locations. (Not available at Shades of Green, military bases, disneyworld.com or at 407-WDISNEY.)

What do you get for the extra cost of the party? 

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party features:

– Castle Dream Lights on Cinderella Castle
– Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade
– Holiday Wishes Fireworks
– A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas Show
– Celebrate The Season Show
– Meet and greet opportunities with Disney Characters
– Character Dance Parties
– Complimentary cookies and hot cocoa
– Magical snow fall on Main Street
– Many of the most popular Magic Kingdom attractions (see below for specifics!)

Times of MVMCP shows, parade and fireworks:

Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade: 8:15 and 10:30 PM

Holiday Wishes Fireworks: 9:30 PM

“A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas” Show: 7:45, 8:45, 9:55, 10:50 & 11:45 PM

“Celebrate The Season” Show: 7:45, 10:05 & 11:20 PM

Character Meet & Greets: 7:00 – 11:30 PM

Magic Kingdom attractions that will be in operation:

Adventureland:
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Swiss Family Treehouse

Frontierland:
Splash Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Country Bear Jamboree

Liberty Square:
The Haunted Mansion

Fantasyland:
Peter Pan’s Flight
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
Dumbo the Flying Elephant
Mickey’s PhilharMagic
Snow White’s Scary Adventures
It’s A Small World

Tomorrowland:
Astro Orbiter
Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
Space Mountain
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
Stitch’s Great Escape
Tomorrowland Speedway
Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor

Where to purchase something to eat:

Main Street:
Casey’s Corner
Main Street Sweets

Frontierland:
Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe (closes at 10:00 PM)
Westward Ho
Turkey Leg Cart
Frontierland Churros & Pretzels

Liberty Square:
Sleepy Hollow

Fantasyland:
Storybook Treats

Tomorrowland:
Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe
The Lunching Pat at Rockettower Plaza

DISNEYWAYS CHRISTMAS PARTY TIPS:

Santa Hats with Mickey Ears and Reindeer Horns with Mickey Ears are available for purchase (if you are in to that sort of thing!).

Short lines for all the fast rides are during the first parade if you want to feel the holiday wind in your hair. Make time to attend the second parade instead.

Check out the special shows and leave some time to see the Florida “snow” on Main Street.

Visit the characters in Fantasyland later in the evening – after the little ones have nestled all snug in their beds.

DO NOT miss the special holiday fireworks!

Unless you fear turning into a pumpkin like Cinderella’s coach – the park empties quite a bit by midnight – and you may have most attractions to yourself!

I’d love to hear from you if you’ve been to the party, dream of going, or maybe have some more tips for first-timers! Have a magical day!

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