"Official" Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party 2017 - Believe in the Magic

[monique5]

Even though it will probably sell out too, I feel so clever for choosing the 19th over the 17th and 22nd. Everything I read online was trying to tell me that Sunday would be better.

Ha! I'm going on the 19th too.

 

[clippers6]

Any advice for the 8th since it looks like it will be a rainy party?

 

[MoreThanThis]

Hi everyone!
I just returned from my trip to Disney.
This was my third time at DW and my first Christmas party! It was everything I expected and more.
I’ve been keeping up with this thread and I’m so thankful for all the tips. So I’m sharing a quick recap in hopes it will help others too.
.
.
My goals for the party were to take advantage of rides, see Holiday Wishes, and eat treats.
The 5th sold out
(which by the way, the parks were crazy busy these past 4 days. Ride wait times fluctuated but the parks always felt crowded. Not complaining, I just didn’t expect it.)
and something I didn’t prepare for were the mobs of people exiting the park when I arrived at 4. Wait times shot up towards the 6PM closing and character lines were pretty full.
So we decided to just take it easy and just roam around and start finding the treat areas.
They started handing out treats at 6:30ish and was really pleased by how well each station handled the crowds. The most I waited was around 5 minutes maybe less. By 7:00ish I made way around the park and tasted everything. Y’all the Snowman Pretzel is a nice mix up from all the cookies!
We started getting on rides, everything was pretty much a walk on with the exception of 7DMT.
We went to Main Street and got an okay view of the first parade. I was never a huge parade fan until I saw the Christmas parade. Even with viewing behind a crowd, it was amazing! After the parade we staked out a spot for Holiday Wishes and took a nice break while sitting on the ground next to the Walt statue.
After Holiday Wishes we went to 7DMT and waited 20 mins.
Finally, I wanted to see the line for the 7 Dwarfs picture. I arrived around 11:30 and the line wasn’t bad! So we got in and got a picture with the dwarfs. While waiting, Santa Goofy walked by and interacted with the Dwarfs for a bit. It was really cute. Our wait time was about 20 mins!
After the picture we finished the night with another ride on 7DMT.
Even with the party being sold out, it was a BLAST!
It’s hard to explain the feeling you get from being at MVMCP but it’s something we really enjoyed.

 

[monique5]

NEWS

News

Entertainment Adjustments at Magic Kingdom Park (December 2017)

Guests visiting the Magic Kingdom Park in the coming weeks should be advised that, due to the never-ending concrete work scheduled to take place along Main Street, U.S.A., some of the park's entertainment offerings will be adjusted on December 7, 11, 14, and 18. On these dates, the Main Street Trolley Show will use the Main Street, U.S.A. ranch wagon, and the 10:00 a.m. performance of Move It! Shake It! Dance and Play It! will be cancelled. Check back on OTPN for further updates.

Thanks! @rteetz

 

[IanDLBZF from MCMagic]

OK I am looking for game plan advice for the party on 12/14! This is a final draft since there is only one week left until I go!
ETA to MK between 3:55 and 4:15 (depends on when I get my room) - Taking Boat from WL to MK

• Get wristband, if not entering through event entrance
• FP - Splash Mountain (3:30-4:30 window)
• FP - BTMRR (4:30-5:30 window)
• Grab light dinner (QS)
• Go to Tomorrowland and get in line to meet Nick and Judy (need to do this by 5:00 PM; they come out at 6:15 PM)
• Space Mountain
• Frozen Holiday Wish (8:15 show)
• Cookies and Cocoa in Fantasyland
• Peter Pan's Flight
• 7DMT
• Holiday Wishes
• Meet Scrooge McDuck/Donald Duck
• Go back to Main Street USA Train Station to Watch 2nd Parade (11:00 PM)
• Cookies and Cocoa in Tomorrowland
• Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration (11:55 PM)

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Scrooge is my number 1 priority, but I know the 7D (our 2nd priority) come out earlier so thought I should see them first. But I don' t want to miss out on Scrooge! Should I switch them around and try to see the dwarves later?

Hmmm... well, this is what I can tell you from our experience... Scrooge was our #1 priority as well, with Sandy Claws as #2. We got in line for Scrooge at 6:15 and were done by 7:10. We then tried for Sandy Claws around 11:45 and lucked out with a 20min wait!

I can also tell you that at 6:10, we were having a hard time finding the line for Scrooge, and wandered toward the Dwarfs line. CM said that at that point she estimated it at 45min-1hr. I can only tell you that to ME, it looked like 30min based on our experience with the super popular photo pass day meet at that location last year.

I don't know if there's a chance of lucking out with Dwarfs in the last 30min of the party like we did with Sandy Claws... anyone have any idea? Or vice versa, and with Scrooge in last 30min?

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Finally bought my tickets for Dec 12! Now I just need to figure out which characters I want.

 

[LucyBC80]

We went to party on the 28th and one thing I noticed was that the park pretty much emptied out after HolidayWishes to the point where even 7D mine train had a 10 minute wait posted.

We arrived at 4:30pm, grabbed some cookies, used our FP+, até a caramel filled pretzel and got in line for the Dwarfs around 6pm. We waited for the Dwarfs for 1:30h, then grabbed some cookies and went to MSUSA yo find a spot to see the see the 8:15pm lightening show and the parade. We then proceed to Fantasyland where we did the long exposure Magic Shot, met Goofy, saw the fireworks, grabbed more goodies, ate at Columbia Harbour House, went to see Voice Play and A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas and rode People Mover and Buzz. Saw the last floats for the second Parade and snagged an amazing spot for the last Mickey’s Most merriest Celebration.

We’re going to today’s party which isn’t sold out so far and also going on the 14th. Plans for today includes Sandy Claws, Mickey in his Christmas outfit, Holiday Wishes and the premium snacks.

 

[lchuck]

We went to party on the 28th and one thing I noticed was that the park pretty much emptied out after HolidayWishes to the point where even 7D mine train had a 10 minute wait posted.

We arrived at 4:30pm, grabbed some cookies, used our FP+, até a caramel filled pretzel and got in line for the Dwarfs around 6pm. We waited for the Dwarfs for 1:30h, then grabbed some cookies and went to MSUSA yo find a spot to see the see the 8:15pm lightening show and the parade. We then proceed to Fantasyland where we did the long exposure Magic Shot, met Goofy, saw the fireworks, grabbed more goodies, ate at Columbia Harbour House, went to see Voice Play and A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas and rode People Mover and Buzz. Saw the last floats for the second Parade and snagged an amazing spot for the last Mickey’s Most merriest Celebration.

We’re going to today’s party which isn’t sold out so far and also going on the 14th. Plans for today includes Sandy Claws, Mickey in his Christmas outfit, Holiday Wishes and the premium snacks.

Just curious, but where on MSUSA did you find to watch both the lighting show and the parade? That sounds similar to the plan we have for our party. Thanks!

 

[GPC0321]

Two questions:

1. Are there Magic Shots at MVMCP that aren't offered during non-party times? I'm trying to figure out a game plan, and since we have Memory Maker, if there are special photo ops/magic shots that are only offered at the party, I need to make them a priority.

2. Do they still do the Frozen Wish/Castle lighting thing prior to the party (for the regular guests) and then again during the party? In other words, if we walk into MK at 6:00-6:30ish for the party, will the castle already be lit or will it be dark until Elsa transforms it at 8:15?

 

[Cluelyss]

Two questions:

1. Are there Magic Shots at MVMCP that aren't offered during non-party times? I'm trying to figure out a game plan, and since we have Memory Maker, if there are special photo ops/magic shots that are only offered at the party, I need to make them a priority.

2. Do they still do the Frozen Wish/Castle lighting thing prior to the party (for the regular guests) and then again during the party? In other words, if we walk into MK at 6:00-6:30ish for the party, will the castle already be lit or will it be dark until Elsa transforms it at 8:15?

1. Yes. Magic shots are listed in post 1.

2. Castle lighting happens twice on party nights - once at 6:15 for day guests and again at 8:15 for partygoers.

 

[GPC0321]

1. Yes. Magic shots are listed in post 1.

2. Castle lighting happens twice on party nights - once at 6:15 for day guests and again at 8:15 for partygoers.

Thank you!

 

[Lorelei18]

Has anyone on here met Jack Sparrow during the party? If so, how long is his wait and what time does he come out? Where does he meet? And does he sign autographs? I have subscribed to Kenny the Pirate's website so plan to look there too, but was wondering if anyone on here had recent experience.

 

[Figmentary]

We went on December 5th, so I thought I’d share our experience. It was a sold out night (heavier crowds than I expected) and my little ones were tired, so we just went with the flow.

Fairly early in the night (around 5pm or so), my 6YO and I road SDMT. It was posted at 50-60 minutes and probably took about 35 minutes.

We caught the 6:15pm Frozen Holiday Wish, which was a real highlight. I recommend the early show, since it really set the stage for the night. No need to stake out a spot. We just rolled in and my son was delighted.

Both boys (and grandparents) were exhausted, so we took it slow and hit the treat stations. They were all easy to get through (2-3 minutes).

We watched the parade from Sleepy Hollow. If there was anything I’d redo, I think I would stake out a spot for the parade early and just wait it out. I think it would of been great for the kids to be closer.

None of the character meet & greets looked bad on lines (maybe 40 minutes to an hour for the biggest ones) after the parade. My boys weren’t interested, though.

My 3YO passed out around 9:30pm and my parents took him back to the room. My 6YO is scared of fireworks, so we watched a little bit of Wishes and then moved on.

Most of our time was spent with me and my 6YO riding a heavy rotation of Barnstormer & Dumbo with the Tea Cups and Small World mixed in, and it was worth it to see him so happy picking the rides he wanted and letting him have full reign of the park.

There were a lot short lines for Photo Pass which was nice, and we tried to take advantage of them.

My 6YO made it until the end of the night, so we watched Mickey’s Merriest Celebration up close at 11:55pm. This was another highlight because he got to see so many favorite characters.

Overall a great experience I’d recommend to anyone. I will say that if I hadn’t been flexible with the crowds and my kids’ wants, I can see myself being disappointed. However, it’s a Christmas party in the Magic Kingdom, so I didn’t have to work hard to love it.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We went on December 5th, so I thought I’d share our experience. It was a sold out night (heavier crowds than I expected) and my little ones were tired, so we just went with the flow.

Fairly early in the night (around 5pm or so), my 6YO and I road SDMT. It was posted at 50-60 minutes and probably took about 35 minutes.

We caught the 6:15pm Frozen Holiday Wish, which was a real highlight. I recommend the early show, since it really set the stage for the night. No need to stake out a spot. We just rolled in and my son was delighted.

Both boys (and grandparents) were exhausted, so we took it slow and hit the treat stations. They were all easy to get through (2-3 minutes).

We watched the parade from Sleepy Hollow. If there was anything I’d redo, I think I would stake out a spot for the parade early and just wait it out. I think it would of been great for the kids to be closer.

None of the character meet & greets looked bad on lines (maybe 40 minutes to an hour for the biggest ones) after the parade. My boys weren’t interested, though.

My 3YO passed out around 9:30pm and my parents took him back to the room. My 6YO is scared of fireworks, so we watched a little bit of Wishes and then moved on.

Most of our time was spent with me and my 6YO riding a heavy rotation of Barnstormer & Dumbo with the Tea Cups and Small World mixed in, and it was worth it to see him so happy picking the rides he wanted and letting him have full reign of the park.

There were a lot short lines for Photo Pass which was nice, and we tried to take advantage of them.

My 6YO made it until the end of the night, so we watched Mickey’s Merriest Celebration up close at 11:55pm. This was another highlight because he got to see so many favorite characters.

Overall a great experience I’d recommend to anyone. I will say that if I hadn’t been flexible with the crowds and my kids’ wants, I can see myself being disappointed. However, it’s a Christmas party in the Magic Kingdom, so I didn’t have to work hard to love it.

Thank you so much for the report! Huge thank you's to all who have posted reports of your experiences as they have been invaluable in planning our upcoming party.

Your description of riding Barnstormer, Dumbo, etc. with your child is absolutely precious. It reminds me of when my DS was younger and he would want to RD Barnstormer and would ride it over and over again. It's these moments that make these WDW days (and parties!) so special. I'm glad you have that time together.

 

[keepswimming76]

I also attended the December 5th party which ended up selling out that day. We were at a party last year the same week and this year did feel a bit more crowded. For us the difference was in longer ride lines before 7 p.m. but they still were not bad.
We did not do any character greets so I'm sorry I cannot comment on those lines.
It was my husband, two children and my parents. If my folks were not with us we would have ran around and done a lot more but the goal of this trip was to spend time all together. So we took our time and just enjoyed the atmosphere.
We arrived late, due to unfortunate bus problems, and missed our first fastpass.

We started with Small World, which had about a 20 minute wait around 5 pm. Then it was a Haunted Mansion fast pass. From there we made our way to Big Thunder Mountain. By the time that ride ended we ran to meet my parents who had staked out a spot at Sleepy Hollow for the 6:15 castle lighting. We couldn't see the show, but that was okay. Our view of the castle projections and lights was great.
We made our way over to Space Mountain. The wait said 20 minutes and it took 15-20 total to get through the line and ride. We stopped at a table to have a hot dog and pretzel. The treat stations were already open so we went through the line for the slushies and Santa cookies. The line looked long but just took a couple of minutes.

From there we took the kids to Club Tinsel, which was a blast. We rode Pooh and 7DMR and stopped by the treat station at Pinocchio Village Haus. That was nice stop because they give you four cookies, one of each type. Our goal was to get back to ride Splash Mountain and Big Thunder again. We unfortunately got caught up in the end of the first parade while walking through Frontierland so we only had time for Splash Mtn. It was 9:30 so we quickly made our way towards the castle for Wishes.

We were able to find a spot to stand on the bottom left side of the Hub facing the castle. We were in the street and it was a great view. As soon as the fireworks ended I quickly made my way to the other side of the Hub and grabbed a spot on the curb from some people who were leaving. I called my family over and we camped out there waiting for the second parade. We were able to see bits of the Mickey's Merriest Celebration show while waiting. The park definitely cleared out a bit after Wishes ended. I was able to run over to the Liberty Square ticket office treat station while everyone waited and grab some egg nog and molasses cookies. That was my favorite treat of the night! It was a great spot for the parade. No snow like on Main Street but the castle was in the background. I was very happy because my main goal for the party was to have good views of both the fireworks and the parade. I could have stayed and got in another ride after the parade but everyone was just exhausted. (It was our third day in a row at parks). So we slowly strolled down Main Street to exit. Overall it was a very good night!

I attached pictures from our views of Wishes and the 2nd parade. They were both awesome locations and we did not have to stake a spot 2 hours ahead of time.View attachment 287544 View attachment 287545

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

So I think this is the itinerary I'm going with, let's hear some critiques:

Character Wants: Country Bears, Sandy Claws, Mary Poppins and Bert, Nick and Judy, Aurora/Phillip and Snow/Prince, Tiana/Naveen and Rapunzel/Flynn, Scrooge/Donald.

Parade 830. Fireworks 10. Most Merriest 11:55.

I'm a bit torn for what to do at the start. I really want to line up for Scrooge/Donald at 6:15. I'd like to line up at 4 for either Sandy Claws or Nick/Judy, but Nick and Judy don't meet until 615. So I'd have to be first for them and then really move it over to the ducks.

So maybe...

4 pm or a bit earlier: Sandy Claws
6:15: Scrooge/Donald line, meet them close to 7
7: Aurora/Snow: does anyone know how long the line has been to meet them? An hour? More, less?
Whenever that ends line up for parade in Frontierland or by Main Street train station. If Frontierland see if Country Bears are roaming
Would this be a good time for Nick and Judy?
Fireworks. If we don't see them in front of the castle we don't mind that much.
Find Mary and Bert, we've never seen a huge line for them.
Get in line for Rapunzel/Tiana before midnight.
If we miss the Most Merriest at 11:55 it's no big deal, was just going to do that if we aren't waiting for something else.


Any thoughts?

 

[Figmentary]

So I think this is the itinerary I'm going with, let's hear some critiques:

Character Wants: Country Bears, Sandy Claws, Mary Poppins and Bert, Nick and Judy, Aurora/Phillip and Snow/Prince, Tiana/Naveen and Rapunzel/Flynn, Scrooge/Donald.

Parade 830. Fireworks 10. Most Merriest 11:55.

I'm a bit torn for what to do at the start. I really want to line up for Scrooge/Donald at 6:15. I'd like to line up at 4 for either Sandy Claws or Nick/Judy, but Nick and Judy don't meet until 615. So I'd have to be first for them and then really move it over to the ducks.

So maybe...

4 pm or a bit earlier: Sandy Claws
6:15: Scrooge/Donald line, meet them close to 7
7: Aurora/Snow: does anyone know how long the line has been to meet them? An hour? More, less?
Whenever that ends line up for parade in Frontierland or by Main Street train station. If Frontierland see if Country Bears are roaming
Would this be a good time for Nick and Judy?
Fireworks. If we don't see them in front of the castle we don't mind that much.
Find Mary and Bert, we've never seen a huge line for them.
Get in line for Rapunzel/Tiana before midnight.
If we miss the Most Merriest at 11:55 it's no big deal, was just going to do that if we aren't waiting for something else.


Any thoughts?

I don’t think Sandy Claws comes out until 7pm. Went on Dec 5th and it was about a 40 minute wait after first parade.

I would do Nick & Judy on the way out before Mickey’s Merriest, especially if you’re staying for last show. Line was pretty short around 11:30am.

Highly recommend Frozen Holiday Wish.

 

[John Marecek]

I don’t think Sandy Claws comes out until 7pm. Went on Dec 5th and it was about a 40 minute wait after first parade.

I would do Nick & Judy on the way out before Mickey’s Merriest, especially if you’re staying for last show. Line was pretty short around 11:30am.

Highly recommend Frozen Holiday Wish.

On the 28th, I was in line for Sandy Claws at 5:25, he came out at 6, we met him at 6:55. He was by far our favorite M&G of the trip. He's worth the wait.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I don’t think Sandy Claws comes out until 7pm. Went on Dec 5th and it was about a 40 minute wait after first parade.

I would do Nick & Judy on the way out before Mickey’s Merriest, especially if you’re staying for last show. Line was pretty short around 11:30am.

Highly recommend Frozen Holiday Wish.

I will definitely see Frozen Holiday Wish, but we'll have other MK days and we'll try to fit it in there.

That's good to know about Nick and Judy, thanks.