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2014 Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
Brad Bishop
Well-Known Member
I went this past weekend and enjoyed it.
I'm a little concerned that November and December are basically turning into: Want to see the Magic Kingdom at night? Pay up!
I was there from Thursday-Monday and I think that the only night that wasn't doing MVMCP was Saturday night. It used to be that they'd only run the party 2 or 3 times a week. I haven't looked at the calendar so maybe I hit an odd week.
It just seems like what they're really doing for Fall and Winter now is: $100 to get into the Magic Kingdom during the day and $70 if you want to stay an extra 5 hours that night which, while I'm all for charging the market price for something, does leave a bit of a bad taste in my mouth.
Now, I've been to both the MNSSHP and MVMCP and they're both enjoyable events but all you're really getting is:
- a slightly better parade - it's a good parade, make no mistake, but they'd normally be running a parade at night, anyway
- slightly better fireworks - again, it's neat how they fire off some extra shells on either side of you but they normally do a nightly fireworks show, anyway
- complimentary candy / cookies
There's some other stuff like dance parties and meet & greets but these also happen under normal operations, too.
So, I'm a bit conflicted. On the one hand I enjoyed both and paid for both and think, "Hey, it's a business, do charge the market price," and all that, but then, on the other hand, it does leave a bit of a bad taste in my mouth because I think of those families who've bought their theme park tickets and the kids wanting to see the Christmas decorations but, nope, they get kicked out because they didn't pay extra and it's not just the odd night or two, any longer, but most nights.
The "ticketed event" seems like a slippery slope that they're sliding down to me, is what it really amounts to.
I'm a little concerned that November and December are basically turning into: Want to see the Magic Kingdom at night? Pay up!
I was there from Thursday-Monday and I think that the only night that wasn't doing MVMCP was Saturday night. It used to be that they'd only run the party 2 or 3 times a week. I haven't looked at the calendar so maybe I hit an odd week.
It just seems like what they're really doing for Fall and Winter now is: $100 to get into the Magic Kingdom during the day and $70 if you want to stay an extra 5 hours that night which, while I'm all for charging the market price for something, does leave a bit of a bad taste in my mouth.
Now, I've been to both the MNSSHP and MVMCP and they're both enjoyable events but all you're really getting is:
- a slightly better parade - it's a good parade, make no mistake, but they'd normally be running a parade at night, anyway
- slightly better fireworks - again, it's neat how they fire off some extra shells on either side of you but they normally do a nightly fireworks show, anyway
- complimentary candy / cookies
There's some other stuff like dance parties and meet & greets but these also happen under normal operations, too.
So, I'm a bit conflicted. On the one hand I enjoyed both and paid for both and think, "Hey, it's a business, do charge the market price," and all that, but then, on the other hand, it does leave a bit of a bad taste in my mouth because I think of those families who've bought their theme park tickets and the kids wanting to see the Christmas decorations but, nope, they get kicked out because they didn't pay extra and it's not just the odd night or two, any longer, but most nights.
The "ticketed event" seems like a slippery slope that they're sliding down to me, is what it really amounts to.
DisneyCane
Well-Known Member
It isn't worth it anymore. It used to be around $40 I think. Possibly even less with my AP discount.
On top of the cookies and cocoa and entertainment, you used to get a free photo and a button.
Also, it seemed like they limited the max capacity to less than they do now. When we used to go every year, the longest wait was 10 minutes for anything. The last time we went a few years ago, it was like the afternoon in the middle of July.
PolynesianPrincess
Well-Known Member
We went to MVMCP on Sunday night. We debated between going to a park the full day or just doing MVMCP Sunday night and we went with the party. Mostly because it was a little bit cheaper and we knew the crowds would be lower than during a regular park day. We ended up getting let into the park at 3:40pm. We had our 3 FP+ options to use until 7pm. After 7pm, the rides were a walk on. The ONLY thing we waited for was the Mine Train and even then at 11:15pm we only waited 20 minutes. We stayed til park closing. So for less than the price of a full day MK admission, we got 8 hours and 20 minutes in the park, got to see the Christmas parade and Holiday Wishes, got some cookies and hot chocolate (I loooooove the cookies there!) and rode everything in the park we wanted to, no problem.
The only thing I didn’t like was the changes in the parade. While I loved seeing Anna, Elsa and the gang, I don’t feel they each needed their own float. I was bummed to see Donald and Daisy bumped from theirs, as well as Chip N Dale. Also, Wreck-It-Ralph and Vanelope kinda seemed out of place to me. Just like they were kind of randomly thrown in the parade. Did anyone else feel that way?
I did also notice crowd control seemed a lot better this year than in years past. More CMs were out directing people which way to go. Seemed a little less “clustered” that way.
Since we no longer have APs, I think going forward, we will continue to do this if we are there on party nights (MNSSHP or MVMCP). We've been to the parties several times, so we've already met the characters in their costumes and Christmas gear. All we wanted to do were the rides and see the entertainment.
The only thing I didn’t like was the changes in the parade. While I loved seeing Anna, Elsa and the gang, I don’t feel they each needed their own float. I was bummed to see Donald and Daisy bumped from theirs, as well as Chip N Dale. Also, Wreck-It-Ralph and Vanelope kinda seemed out of place to me. Just like they were kind of randomly thrown in the parade. Did anyone else feel that way?
I did also notice crowd control seemed a lot better this year than in years past. More CMs were out directing people which way to go. Seemed a little less “clustered” that way.
Since we no longer have APs, I think going forward, we will continue to do this if we are there on party nights (MNSSHP or MVMCP). We've been to the parties several times, so we've already met the characters in their costumes and Christmas gear. All we wanted to do were the rides and see the entertainment.
wogwog
Well-Known Member
Give WDW credit. They have expanded the "slippery slope" of hard tickets to Epcot, Studios, and AK. They are really good at it and I imagine even more in their future plans. My award goes to the hard ticket they sell inside the Halloween hard ticket. They really are good at this.
Brad Bishop
Well-Known Member
Oh, that's right. They do have the hard ticket event for Animal Kingdom.
What hard ticket event happens at Hollywood Studios or Epcot?
I did hear about the hard ticket inside a hard ticket for MNSSHP this year. Something about paying another $20 (I don't know for sure) to meet & greet some characters?
I think they're going to push this to it's breaking point and people like me, and I'm generally a Disney fan, are going to be turned off and will go elsewhere. Ultimately, from their point of view, as long as they're packing people in the parks then it just doesn't matter. They could hard-ticket morning access to the Magic Kingdom for $50 and people would pay it (kicked out by 1PM unless you payed another $100 for "daily admission" which lasts until 7 and doesn't include evening access which gets you perks like the park turning lights on and fireworks - $70 extra)
From an Annual Passholder point of view, it's also bugged me. I completely get that some company may rent out one of the parks and that is a private event and pass holders aren't welcome. Hard ticketed events are like Disney renting out the parks to themselves and then saying, "Sorry - private event!"
Nmoody1
Well-Known Member
Speaking of passholders and special events.... did anyone see the event disneyland threw for its AP holders? They got a free ornament and meet and greets with clopin, esmarelda, blue fairy!!!!! Villains, robin hood unit. And for our overpriced passes in orlando... oooh! We get construction walls, no discount on QS like they do at Disneyland... hooray that we get a magic ban-it! Thanks Disney!
awesomeinabox
Active Member
Didn't Epcot have the after hours wind down where you can spend an extra hour or so spending money on booze in world showcase?
DHS just does private rentals as far as I know. I will be at the hard ticket Pop Warner party in a little less than a month and those tickets are included if you are staying on property at the approved hotels with the Pop Warner package, or $72 for the ticket a la carte.
Brad Bishop
Well-Known Member
I don't remember any hard-ticket events at Epcot or Hollywood Studios. The closest I can think of is the F&W festival where you're basically paying $100 cover to get into the park to buy expensive, and in my opinion not very good, samples of food and wine.
I know that there are also some chefs giving talks / cooking things that are separate tickets to attend as well as wine tasting which is a separate ticket.
I don't really consider that the same as the hard ticket events at the Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom, though.
I know that there are also some chefs giving talks / cooking things that are separate tickets to attend as well as wine tasting which is a separate ticket.
I don't really consider that the same as the hard ticket events at the Magic Kingdom or Animal Kingdom, though.
Kman101
Well-Known Member
The party really isn't worth the value anymore unless you want to ride rides with little wait, enjoy the atmosphere, see the Christmas parade and fireworks (that should be running during the day). Cookies and dance parties ... not really worth the price. I still miss stage show in Tomorrowland. Glad I got to see it before they ripped out the stage for that awful one in the middle of everything. I wish they'd remove that eyesore.
And aren't the prices of the parties going up every year too? So they cut and cut and then raise prices. That about sums up TDO.
And aren't the prices of the parties going up every year too? So they cut and cut and then raise prices. That about sums up TDO.
RandomPrincess
Keep Moving Forward
DHS had the Villian's party that was hard ticket.
Brad Bishop
Well-Known Member
Oh, you're right. I forgot all about that one.
ford91exploder
Resident Curmudgeon
Went to that was completely underwhelmed had fun but it was NOT worth $70 bucks to see Mulch, Sweat and Shears, Malificent and a AWESOME fireworks show which was the highlight of the event, The face character playing Hades was pretty darn good though
The bad
Got there and DW wanted a T shirt how hard could that be... Well she stood in the merch line for an hour and a half (we got there when show officially opened) only to find all the merch gone in talking to a CM they had opened sales to DHS park goers at 5:00 and you did not need a party ID to buy the merch. DW was BENT when she waited 90 minutes for nothing as all the event merch had been sold, You could buy Frozen stuff though.
You would have thought that Disney could have put up a chalkboard saying we are out of event merch, The lifestylers had cleaned everything out by the time the regular guests arrived, At 7 PM when party opened there were NO guidemaps left just stupid photopass hangtags on generic lanyards which the CM's sheepishly handed out. I felt really bad for the CM's as the whole thing was a CHARLIE-FOXTROT, By 10 none of the food places had anything left besides frozen cupcakes and popcorn.
Really left a bad taste in my mouth.
JohnD
Well-Known Member
MK: MNSSHP, Villains Dessert Soiree (a $90 "event" inside MNSSHP), MVMCP, Night of Joy
Ep: F&W Late Night Live (Yes, you could purchase a separate ticket to go directly to this)
HS: Villians
AK: Harembe Nights
I don't count Epcot After Hours Wind Down because you have to have already purchased a regular park ticket to participate in this in the evening.
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Brad Bishop
Well-Known Member
It's kind of amazing in that they've actually figured out how to sell their parks twice in one day on a routine basis.
Whether it's the same person going during the day or not, they're getting nearly 2x payment for roughly the same thing. It's actually probably better for them to have a complete swap out of people because it means fresh wallets.
Whether it's the same person going during the day or not, they're getting nearly 2x payment for roughly the same thing. It's actually probably better for them to have a complete swap out of people because it means fresh wallets.
Kman101
Well-Known Member
I liked the ideas behind the Villains event and Harambe Nights so I don't have as many issues with those being hard ticket events.
They were different and Harambe Nights was pretty unique. But at the end of the day they were still cash grabs.
The real problem I personally have is offering a ticket within a ticket. Yes no is forcing anyone to participate/buy them but they scream shameless cash grab. Frozen packages, Star Wars packages, overpriced for very little. All cash grabs.
They were different and Harambe Nights was pretty unique. But at the end of the day they were still cash grabs.
The real problem I personally have is offering a ticket within a ticket. Yes no is forcing anyone to participate/buy them but they scream shameless cash grab. Frozen packages, Star Wars packages, overpriced for very little. All cash grabs.
Jon81uk
Well-Known Member
I didn't see Harambe Nights as any more of a cash grab than Hoop-de-doo-review. Both offer a show and dinner/drinks, except Harambe Nights offered the show separately and other entertainment while eating.
Given that Animal Kingdom would have closed the park at 7pm anyway there was nothing wrong with this event.
However I think with the Magic Kingdom parties they may be reaching a point where they are happening on too many nights, it shouldn't be more than twice a week in my opinion. Cost wise I think they are fine, you get 8 hours in the park for $71, some days of normal hours the full day is only 10 hours.