*Update – as of 11/21/22, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is completely sold out. Be sure to keep an eye out for tickets when they go on sale for 2023!
It’s time for a festive frolic at Disney. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is returning to Magic Kingdom for the first time since 2019. The event wasn’t held in 2020 and a scaled-back version was held last year. However, the festivities are back in full force for 2022!
We attended Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and gathered tips to help you make the most of the event. Keep reading for our tips on what to know before you go and how to have a festive date night at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
Expert Tips for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
2022 Dates and Info
This is the ultimate party to kick off the Christmas season. It has Christmas music, hot chocolate, beautiful décor and even snow (well, Florida’s version of snow).
The event is held select nights from November 8 and through December 22, 2022. This is a special ticketed event so even if you have season passes or a day pass, you’ll need an additional ticket to gain entry. Tickets are $179 for adults and $169 for children, but there is a slight discount for annual passholders and Disney Vacation Club members.
What rides are open during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
This is a great time to experience all the rides and attractions you love with fewer wait times.
Highlights include:
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- “it’s a small world”
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Splash Mountain
- Haunted Mansion
- Space Mountain
- The Jungle Cruise
There are no opportunities to book Lighting Lane or Genie+ during the event. You just have to wait in line the old-fashion way. The good news is since this is a limited-capacity event, lines usually aren’t too bad.
Be on the lookout for a few special rides that will get a Christmas makeover including the Tomorrowland Speedway, Space Mountain, and Mad Tea Party. The gang at Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor will have a special holiday show for those in attendance and the Jungle Cruise will aptly be renamed The Jingle Cruise, complete with holiday-themed puns.
What is there to do at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party?
There are so many rides, shows, characters, sights, and food. You have to make a plan and prioritize, and even then, it’s hard to fit it all in.
Entertainment
Singers and dancers will join Mickey Mouse for nightly shows in front of Cinderella Castle.
Food
There will be stations set up throughout the park where guests can get free cookies and festive drinks such as hot cocoa, apple cider, and eggnog. Just look for the big inflatable candy canes to know where to go. There also are special holiday food offerings at various restaurants.
Pro-tip: many food service places begin closing down starting at 10:30.
Parade
As the “snow” begins to fall along Main Street U.S.A., Mickey’s Once Upon a Time Christmastime Parade will make its way through featuring all your beloved Disney characters as well as gingerbread men, toy soldiers, an appearance by Santa Claus, and a few sweet surprises. You can catch the parade at 8:30 and 11:00.
Pro-tip: The second parade is less crowded than the first parade.
Fireworks
At 10:00, guests at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party are treated to an extra special nighttime spectacular – Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show. Watch the castle light up in an array of colors as bright, spectacular fireworks light up the sky to the sounds of your favorite Christmas songs.
Meet Santa
Have your Christmas list ready. Santa will be available for meet-and-greets at the gazebo near Liberty Square. Disney Characters dressed in Christmas attire also will be out greeting guests around the park.
Pose for The Perfect Picture
There are several fun holiday-themed Christmas card-style photo frames with Photopass around the park for you to take festive holiday pics snuggled up next to your significant other.
Admire the Décor
The decorations are magnificent and deserve to be admired. From the enormous Christmas tree as you enter the park to the wreaths lining Main Street USA, to the special holiday lighting. There’s something new to discover every time you visit the park. If you go earlier enough in the season, this is the perfect place to take your Christmas card photo!
Dance Parties
Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café will have Club Tinsel all night. Over in Tomorrowland Buzz Lightyear, Mike Wazowski, and Stitch will join Haley Comet for an intergalactic musical revue. Disney Jr. fans will want to head to Storybook Circus to party with Fancy Nancy, Vampirina, Doc McStuffins and The Lion Guard. Check the My Disney Experience for nightly performance schedules.
Insider Tips
- Start celebrating early! The November dates are usually less crowded than those in December. But buy your tickets now. All dates usually sell out because there is limited availability.
- Although the festivities officially begin at 7 p.m., guests with an event ticket can enter the park as early as 4 p.m.
- If your priority is to ride the rides, take advantage of the parade and fireworks. Most guests will be watching these two events, which results in lower wait times for attractions, including meeting characters.
- This year’s party gets an extra dose of pixie dust as the 50th anniversary of Walt Disney World celebration continues. In honor of the golden anniversary, there will be three new interactive photo locations. (Remember our Christmas card tip? These are the perfect location!)
- All guests will go home with two commemorative 50th anniversary holiday-themed keepsakes – a Christmas ornament and vintage-style holiday print. Ornaments can be picked up behind Town Square theatre when you get to the park and the prints will be handed out as you exit.
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