So I attended Thursday Nov 21.
I've definitely seen more crowded parties, but I've also seen emptier ones.
I was posting about my experiences briefly until I forgot.
Our main priorities were the parade, ride overlays and characters.
So here is what we managed to do with time stamps as close as I can get them:
2:30- left Cabana Bay in a Lyft. We didn't want to mess with the TTA so we had them drop us off at French Quarter and we took the MK bus from there
3:14- got on a bus at French Quarter
3:31- in line at the tapstyles. 20-30 people back, chose a line with mostly adults thinking it would go faster and it did.
3:38- they let us in
3:48- in line for Jack and Sally. Bit ridiculous, we were in line for them for a
mNSSHP and lined up around 2:30, we were about one space back from where we were at MNSSHP for this
MVMCP.
4:31- Jack and Sally start to meet
4:51- met Jack and Sally. Very crazy interaction. Those guys are intense and I'm actually unsure if they take it too far. They met a couple with a baby ahead of us and Jack said a comment about having a tiny coffin for the pint sized baby. I get what you're doing, but might wanna dial that back a bit Jack.
5- got Sorcerer's cards then hit up bypass for the shortbread cookie.
5:10- Jingle cruise FP, waited 10 minutes. Had a very funny skipper, Holly. I love the Jingle Cruise jokes
5:42- in line for Judy and Nick, 4 groups back.
5:50- got cookie butter milkshake and thought it was pretty bland.
6:20- met Nick and Judy
6:34- joined line for Rapunzel and Flynn, Tiana and Naveen. About 15 people in front of us. At this point you could just walk up to see Cinderella and Elena before Charming started.
7:27- met the characters. the line moved slowly because they each spend so much time with everyone.
7:38- in line for HM. Line took about 10 minutes. Nothing says Merry Christmas like grim grinning ghosts.
We were pretty dumb at this point. We hadn't had dinner which we usually always try to do before parties. I wanted to see the first parade from Main Street, so we thought we'd mobile order from Casey's and pick it up on the way.
Big mistake. We must have been waiting for our mobile order for over half an hour. Even when the app said it was ready we still had to stand there for another ten and stare at the counter before it showed up. It was very packed in there.
8:43- We finally got our food and booked it down a very packed Main Street. Usually the train station area has spots later than the actual street, but there was only one small space open facing the train station. As we'd soon find it, it was open because it was right over the sewer and apparently Disney sewers stink really bad?!
I mean, yes, I understand it's a sewer. But it was really, really bad smelling. Kind of weird for Disney.
So anyway, we ate over the stinking sewer while I thought of the Christmas Vacation movie and Uncle Eddie emptying his RV toilet into the sewer.
We got to see the little pre-parade entertainment with dancers with giant white balls. I kind of prefer the Creepa Crew from MNSSHP.
If anyone was wondering about parade arrival times, we were pretty much at the end of the parade route and the parade started at 9:30 and got to us around 8:50.
I like the parade, but not a huge fan of the song. Once upon a Christmas time at Christmas? Say Christmas one more time...just one more.
9:34- stopped to get some cookies then in line for POTC. Waited about 5 minutes.
Got some pretzels on our way around, was looking for roaming Country Bears but just saw one as he left.
10- fireworks started. We hadn't been impressed AT ALL by the new MNSSHP ones, so we decided just to watch from wherever we were. Mary and Bert had gone in for the fireworks, so we just hung out in Liberty Square and watched the fireworks from there. Most patriotic Christmas fireworks ever.
After fireworks were third in line for Mary and Bert.
10:19- met Mary and Bert
10:27- headed towards Storybook Circus, peeked into Princess Hall along the wall and there was no wait for Cinderella, Charming and Elena so we walked right in
10:40- in line for Ducks and Minnie
11:06- met Ducks and Minnie
Santa Goofys line was somewhat long so we decided to skip him for now.
11:17- decided to check on Tweedles, there was only 3 groups ahead of us so we met them.
11:30- did another walk through new Fantasyland on our way to check on Goofy. Eric and Ariel had a few groups in line so we met them.
Made it back to Storybook, decided to check on Dwarves, they shut the door literally as we arrived and said they were closed for the night at 11:34.
Watched the Disney Jr. Dance party. I understand kids like dance parties, but it seemed like a waste of 3 characters. There were 2 kids when we arrived and they were just standing staring at the characters.
Goofy's line was still long and I wanted to get on the Speedway. Instead, we checked on Belle whose line looked like it might allow us to make Speedway.
11:40- got in line for Belle
11:53- met Belle
Booked it to Speedway and made it in line at 11:56.
Thought Speedway was decently Christmasfied, but glad we didn't wait long. It wasn't that great.
Throughout the night we also collected some cookies and a pretzel. Were pretty sad though, we could never find our favorite peppermint cookies.
Overall we had fun at the party. I think they did a good job at changing up the fireworks (I didn't really like them, but at least they did something new). Also a good job with the ride overlays, but they could do with some new characters.
We also didn't see any snow on Main Street, even when we left after midnight. That was a let down.