Learn about Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, a Disney World after hours event at Magic Kingdom in Orlando. Read our after hours party review, plus get all the information you will need to have the best night to celebrate the holidays at Disney World!
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Guide & Tips
Disney Parks has announced the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will return on select nights in November and December 2024.
We attended a past Disney Very Merriest After Hours party (which is basically the same thing as Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party) and had a total blast! We always love spending the holidays at Disney. Aside from it being very cold, the night was amazing!
Here’s our review and all the 2024 updated details below if you decide to celebrate Christmas at Disney World.
When is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party?
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party happens on select nights November 8 through December 20, 2024. This is a private event from 7 pm to midnight at Magic Kingdom with a limited amount of people allowed to attend.
How Much Does Disney Very Merriest After Hours Cost?
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party tickets range from $169 to $219 plus tax for select November-December nights. You do not have to purchase an additional park ticket to enter. You’ll only need the after hours ticket for this special event.
How to Get Discount Tickets
Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can save $10 per ticket to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, valid for these select event nights:
- November – 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21 and 22
- December – 1, 3, and 5
Not a Passholder or Vacation Club Member? Click the button below to save $10.
When Will Tickets to Disney’s Very Merry Christmas Party Go on Sale?
Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels can purchase tickets beginning June 2024. All other Guests may purchase tickets beginning on July 2024. They will sell out quickly!
Below are the 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party available dates as of now.
- November: 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 27, 29
- December: 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17,19, 20
What’s New at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in 2024?
- No virtual queues! Party guests can join the regular line for TRON Lightcycle Run and Tiana’s Bayou Adventure during the 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
When should you arrive to the Very Merry Christmas Party?
The private holiday event begins at 7pm, but you can enter the park at 4pm. Wrist bands will be provided at the gate.
Upon entering, party guests have a VIP entrance through the backside of Main Street behind Tony’s Town Square Restaurant.
Already enjoying a day at Magic Kingdom? Just stop by a wristband station to have a cast member swipe your ticket and apply your wristband.
Important Tip: The lines will be long at the gate to enter the park at 4 pm. Be sure to arrive by at least 3:30-3:45 pm if you want to be in the park by 4 pm. Have your ticket bar code pulled up on your phone and ready to be scanned. I recommend opening your email with the ticket and barcode on your phone and taking a screen shot of each one. Save the screen shots in a photo album to make them easy to find.
What Food and Drinks are Included in the Very Merriest Christmas Party?
Your ticket will include several complimentary snacks. Look for snack carts around the park where you can grab and go bottled water, soft drinks, popcorn and Mickey ice cream treats. You’ll also get hot cocoa, eggnog, apple cider and cookies!
Where to Get Hot Cocoa & Cookies
Our favorite part was walking to the counter of specific restaurants to get hot cocoa and THE BEST ever cookies. Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café will have the most amazing Snickerdoodle cookies and hot cocoa.
Last year there were giant light-up candy cane sticks to help you find the treats!
Five Locations to Enjoy Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Treats at No Extra Charge
- Liberty Square – Columbia Harbour House: Chocolate chip cookie and hot cocoa
- Fantasy Land – Pinocchio Village Haus: Gingerbread cookie with icing and hot cocoa.
- Tomorrowland – Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café: Snickerdoodle cookie and hot cocoa.
- Tomorrowland – The Lunching Pad: Sugar cookie and apple cider.
- Adventureland – Tortuga Tavern: Sugar cookie and eggnog.
Before you go on your trip, make our Mickey & Minnie Christmas Cookies to celebrate!
Table Service Restaurants Open During Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
Not only can you get quick treats around Magic Kingdom during the party, but you can also get table service at these two poplar restaurants!
- Be Our Guest Restaurant
- Cinderella’s Royal Table
Reservations are available from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. You must have a party ticket to dine.
What Attractions Will Be Holiday Themed?
You won’t want to miss the special holiday themed attractions.
- Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor – This is so cute and a must see! Roz will greet you with extra cheer in her ugly Christmas sweater and there will be holiday jokes to make it extra festive!
- Jungle Cruise – (UPATE FOR 2024 – this ride might not be available due to refurbishments) This ride is usually decked out for the Holidays! The names of the boats are especially creative along with Christmas lights and other cute surprises along your cruise.
- Space Mountain – Space Mountain will also get a holiday make-over!
What is the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Entertainment?
There is a lot of fun holiday themed entertainment throughout Magic Kingdom for this special event.
Minnies Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show
This fireworks show was AMAZING! Set your phone alarm so you won’t miss it! You’ll want to be in front of the castle or on Main Street for the best view! Showtime: 10 p.m.
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade
The parade begins in Frontierland and ends on Main Street. There will be two parade times. Showtimes: 8:30 p.m., 11 p.m.
Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration
There will be several shows with Mickey and his pals in front of the castle throughout the evening. Showtimes: 7:40 p.m., 9:25 p.m., 10:35 p.m., 11:55 p.m.
Frozen Holiday Surprise
Frozen Holiday Surprise is a “Frozen” inspired show that will illuminate the castle in a whole new way. Guests will be able to see Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, and the Snowgies in front of Cinderella Castle. Showtimes: 8:15 p.m
A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas
Dance the night away in Tomorrowland! There’s a complimentary snack stand, restrooms and Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company next to the stage. This makes a great pit stop! Showtimes: 7:45 p.m., 8:35 p.m., 9:25 p.m., 10:45 p.m., 11:35 p.m.
Disney Junior Jingle Jam
Kids of all ages can join a dance celebration at Storybook Circus with Disney Junior characters.
Reindeer Wranglers
Join the Reindeers in Frontierland for their holiday hoedown and seasonal songs! Showtimes: 7:15 p.m., 8:05 p.m., 9:30 p.m., 10:30 p.m., 11:40 p.m.
Club Tinsel Dance Party
Dance with a live DJ and holiday friends at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café from 7 p.m. to midnight.
Where is the Best Holiday Disney Merch?
After shopping at various parks, Disney Springs and several resorts, the best Holiday items were at the Emporium on Main Street in Magic Kingdom.
Hard to Find Disney Christmas Minnie Ears
If you’re looking for 2024 Christmas Minnie Ears, get them early in the night at Emporium.
Last year, I got the new Holiday Minnie Ears and they were almost gone by the time we got to the park. I looked all over Hollywood Studios the day before and couldn’t find them there. All Holiday merchandise can also be found at World of Disney in Disney Springs.
Other places to get holiday themed Disney items:
- Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe in Liberty Square is full of great holiday themed merchandise too.
- Star Traders in Tomorrowland has Star Wars Holiday themed merchandise.
- Main Street Confectionery will have holiday themed treats.
- Shop Disney Park Merchandise online to stock up ahead of time too!
Holiday Character Sightings
We enjoyed seeing Disney characters around the park dressed in their holiday best! Grab a map and look for the black Mickey head map icon which shows you where to find the characters.
Some of the characters we saw while at the after hours event:
- Look for Captain Hook and Mr. Smee near the Pirates of the Caribbean ride.
- We loved seeing Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum by the Mad Tea Party ride.
- Meet Cinderella, Elena, Rapunzel and Tiana at the Princess Fairytale Hall in Fantasy Land.
- Of course if you can find Mickey & Minnie that’s a magical night!
What are the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Ride Wait Times?
The best part of going to a Disney after hours Christmas Party event is there are practically NO WAIT TIMES on any ride. We walked right onto many rides. Expect at least a 5-15 minute wait on most attractions.
Which Rides Will Have the Longest Wait Times?
The longest wait times will be for the Jungle Cruise if it’s open during 2024 (because it’s a special holiday themed ride) and of course Peter Pan which is always a long line no matter what.
While we were there, the Jungle Cruise was a 25 minute wait and the Peter Pan ride was a consistent 40 minute wait the entire night.
What Attractions are Open at Disney’s Very Merriest Christmas Party?
If you’re wondering which attractions are open at the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, get excited because it’s most of them! With no wait times, we had plenty of time to ride ALL of the rides we wanted. We even rode a few of our favorites more than once!
Adventureland
- Swiss Family Treehouse
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
Jungle Cruise(Holiday-themed!) – Update for 2024 This will be closed due to refurbishements.- Pirates of the Caribbean
Frontierland
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
Fantasyland
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- “It’s a small world”
- The Barnstormer
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- Mad Tea Party (Holiday-themed!)
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
Tomorrowland
- TRON Lightcycle Run
- Tomorrowland Speedway (Holiday-themed!)
- Space Mountain (Holiday-themed!)
- Astro Orbiter
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor (Holiday-themed!)
Liberty Square
- The Haunted Mansion
Mickey’s PhilharMagic, Carousel of Progress, Hall of Presidents, Country Bear Jamboree, Tom Sawyer Island and the Enchanted Tiki Room are closed.
Will the Disney Resort Transportation be Available for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party attendees?
If you’re wondering if the buses, monorail and boats will still be available late after the party, yes they will. We had plenty of time to take photos outside after the event closed and still catch a bus back to our resort.
Is The Disney Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Worth The Price?
With a price from $150-$199 per ticket, I’ve been asked if the event was worth it. As a frequent visitor of Disney parks and someone who has been to Disney World multiple times during the holidays, I was shocked at how crowded the parks were this year.
For me, I would say YES! The price was totally worth it to be able skip the crowds and long wait lines (read below about this). I personally would not go to a Disney World park during the holiday season unless I had after hours event tickets.
If you have never been to Magic Kingdom, going to an after hours event will not be enough time to see everything.
Would I go to an after hours event if I had young children?
The late night event times would be tough with small children. It really depends on your kids. I took teenagers and we made sure to nap before going to the park. I’m so glad we relaxed that day and napped, because we didn’t get back to our resort until after 1 am.
We loved this special event and would definitely go again. Anytime we can celebrate the holidays at Disney by going to a private party, we’ll be there!
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