Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party 2018

Pam Hates Penguins

Well-Known Member
We went to this in the second week of November this year on a Tuesday evening. Wait times were basically nonexistent, with even Pan being a ten minute wait. I figured that we went early enough that the parties weren't selling too strongly and also figured that post-Thanksgiving the crowds would pick up.

Wow! Interesting... We went November 16; we figured the Thanksgiving crowds would pick up the following week.
 

Skibum1970

Well-Known Member
Wow! Interesting... We went November 16; we figured the Thanksgiving crowds would pick up the following week.

We headed out that day. The 15th was supposed to be a "3" per Touring Plans but was more like a 6 or 7. Friday was also busy as we were there in the morning. Of course, a big Disney event was ramping up and that may have caused higher than average park visitors.
 

MickeyMinnieMom

Well-Known Member
Got a survey for attending MVMCP. Some responses based on how unpleasantly crowded it was this year...

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That blank says: Crowds. I expected less because of the implicit bargain that the extra price bought reduced crowds.

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Glad you took the time to fill this out in detail. The accounts I've read range from "no more crowded than years past" to your experience. I went in early Dec in maybe 2010, and early Dec last year -- don't remember crowds being noticeably different. We'll be there Dec 20 (2nd last one) this year... curious what we'll face... I'm assuming a sold out party by then. :-/
 

The Empress Lilly

Well-Known Member
We went this Thursday.

1 Crowds were ridiculous. The place was packed.

2 Holiday Wishes was awesome. ♡ We bought the tickets just for Wishes - there must be more like us. I prefer my fireworks without video clips.
 

MTBaymax

Well-Known Member
So, I'm surprised how nobody mentioned they finally gave a voice to the Wreck-It Ralph unit for MOUACP. Though...

does it really sound like Reilly? Sounds like a weird mix of Schwarzenegger and [the other one escaped me].
 

Texas84

Well-Known Member
I went Sunday 12/9 and it wasn't that bad. Apparently not a sell-out. The longest wait was 40 minutes at 7DMT. Pan was 30. BTM shut down during the fireworks and I got on the last train. It re-opened after.

One observation, I was in these lines and with past experience thought, no way those wait times are right. They should be double. But they moved fast because there was no Fastpass line.

Stopped to watch the parade on the way out and was able to get a good spot even though it has already started. The only real crowding was leaving after that. Headed for the TTC ferry and got right on. They had three running and moved a ton of guests out quickly. Don't know what the monorail was like but when I rode it in we had to stop for a few minutes to get another train on the express line for the party. The trams were efficient as well. Very little wait. Maybe it's because it wasn't a sell-out, don't know, but I thought moving all these people out was very organized. Would I do it again? Had fun but probably not. Halloween is better IMO.
 

Kman101

Well-Known Member
They're leaving 3 nights on the table...

Not really anymore ;) They have After Hours on some of those nights ;) so that's often why the park is insane when it's actually open until 10-Midnight ... everyone crowds the park on the one or two days it doesn't have an event that night. Found this one out the hard way, lol. I still can't get past 50 minutes for Small World on a random day in early December.
 

Kman101

Well-Known Member
I went Sunday 12/9 and it wasn't that bad. Apparently not a sell-out. The longest wait was 40 minutes at 7DMT. Pan was 30. BTM shut down during the fireworks and I got on the last train. It re-opened after.

One observation, I was in these lines and with past experience thought, no way those wait times are right. They should be double. But they moved fast because there was no Fastpass line.

Stopped to watch the parade on the way out and was able to get a good spot even though it has already started. The only real crowding was leaving after that. Headed for the TTC ferry and got right on. They had three running and moved a ton of guests out quickly. Don't know what the monorail was like but when I rode it in we had to stop for a few minutes to get another train on the express line for the party. The trams were efficient as well. Very little wait. Maybe it's because it wasn't a sell-out, don't know, but I thought moving all these people out was very organized. Would I do it again? Had fun but probably not. Halloween is better IMO.

Novel concept how the line moves faster without fastpass ....

I do think they're doing better at moving people out and becoming a bit more organized with it. But morning tram loading takes a very long time now. And that was with one right after the other and two trams loading within seconds of each other. It's just so busy almost every single day.

Halloween is better but there's something so appealing about the MK at Christmas. I can see why it's still a popular event. But most of this stuff could also easily be offered without a hardticket. Other parks do it. I also think guests have started to recognize they're being offered less for more in many ways with the party. Though it was nice they updated the stage shows a few years ago. That certainly helped (as did doing minor things to Tea Party, Space and Pirates; hopefully the latter two get improved upon somehow). EDIT: So it does feel like they're slowly trying to add things (without spending *too much*) to draw people in.

The parades are great but I'd like some updates, though I don't want them to be shortened so I almost hope they leave them alone. The fireworks are more pressing for a change. HEA to most is just more impressive. You just can't keep running the same things for 15+ years. Though they sure try. But then keeping things for so long, guests then become attached and don't like to hear they're being replaced ... lol

I considered the Halloween party this year, but I really didn't have an interest in the Christmas party (except for Holiday Wishes).
 
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Kman101

Well-Known Member
Glad you took the time to fill this out in detail. The accounts I've read range from "no more crowded than years past" to your experience. I went in early Dec in maybe 2010, and early Dec last year -- don't remember crowds being noticeably different. We'll be there Dec 20 (2nd last one) this year... curious what we'll face... I'm assuming a sold out party by then. :-/

I feel I've definitely heard it lean on the "more crowded than ever" but not every party is the same. Some are luckily less crowded than others. I'm glad to hear about the survey (and I really like @MisterPenguin's answers and rankings). Obviously they're aware of the crowding problems. I imagine their solution is adding more dates but that doesn't really solve anything IMO.
 

NAPO

New Member
Anybody who went to the 12/19 party knows if they ended up showing the Frozen show? We were told it was cancelled because of the weather, but heard some small fireworks while riding Winnie the Pooh.
 

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