Mickey's Christmas Party help/advice needed

[mykiddiewinks]

So it is me, hubby and our 2 children (15 and 17), we are spending 2 nights in Orlando, the 17th and 18th December before heading out on a cruise (not Disney) on the 19th. As we will only have one full day we were planning on going to MK for the day but have now discovered that the party is on and would have to leave the park at 7pm. What would you do? But tickets for the day at the MK, buy tickets for the day and evening or buy tickets for just the evening?

If we stay on Disney property and have the magics pbands and fast passes can these be used during the party hours?

We were at Disney last year between Christmas and New Year, is the party worth paying the extra money?

 

[Hakunamatata]

Yes it's "worth" it.

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

How many hours are were you planning on staying at the park? If you don't have a problem with staying until the end of the party I would go the party. If the park opens at 9:00 they will kick you out at 7:00, one day ticket around $111 for the party you can usually get in at 4:00 and stay until midnight for around $84. And we have found the lines for the rides are smaller, can walk on a lot of rides or a short wait during the party. I always love the parks at night more than the day so I would select the party.

 

[wdwmagic]

I would buy party tickets and enter MK at 4pm and stay through to the end of the party.

There is no FastPass+ during the party.

 

[domo1607]

My wife and I love the special events. We try to go to the Christmas and Halloween party every year. With that being said you are paying extra money for amazing/special fireworks, parade, special merchandise, and free cookies/cocoa. Depending on the date the park could be just as busy as a normal day and those are the parties that we dont prefer. If you want to get in the Christmas spirit it is definitely worth going and I would recommend anyone interested to at least see try it once. I have supplied a link to another website below. It is their opinion on the best days to go and it looks like your day is one of them

The downside is if you want to do MK before 4, you will also have to purchase MK ticket too. I agree with administrator and enter after 4

https://www.undercovertourist.com/blog/mickeys-very-merry-christmas-party-guide/#bestdates

 

[mykiddiewinks]

Thank you! Not sure what we would do for the day if we didn't go to MK until 4pm, thinking we will spend $$$ where ever we go :/ any suggestions??

 

[Hakunamatata]

Thank you! Not sure what we would do for the day if we didn't go to MK until 4pm, thinking we will spend $$$ where ever we go :/ any suggestions??

Resort hop. Quite inexpensive.

 

[JohnD]

I would buy party tickets and enter MK at 4pm and stay through to the end of the party.

There is no FastPass+ during the party.

While technically true, your party ticket entitles you to 3 FP+ between 4 and 7 pm. Keep in mind the first FP+ may not necessarily start right at 4pm but prior to that so schedule your FP+ accordingly so that you can build in time to make it to the first one.

 

[wdwmagic]

While technically true, your party ticket entitles you to 3 FP+ between 4 and 7 pm. Keep in mind the first FP+ may not necessarily start right at 4pm but prior to that so schedule your FP+ accordingly so that you can build in time to make it to the first one.

Yes good point.

 

[JoeCamel]

Another way to go is to get a park hopper and go to the MK during the day then over to DHS at night for the last run of the lights. Two parks with christmas thrown in.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

While technically true, your party ticket entitles you to 3 FP+ between 4 and 7 pm. Keep in mind the first FP+ may not necessarily start right at 4pm but prior to that so schedule your FP+ accordingly so that you can build in time to make it to the first one.

So do the party passes have to be linked to the Magic Band? Are the FP+ separate from other FP+ I might make earlier in the day? Sorry if this is off topic.

 

[ajrwdwgirl]

Thank you! Not sure what we would do for the day if we didn't go to MK until 4pm, thinking we will spend $$$ where ever we go :/ any suggestions??

You could....
play mini golf at Winter Summerland or Fantasia Gardens
relax at your resort
go to DTD/Disney Springs (shopping or snacking at different restaurants)
go to a water park
resort hop

 

[JohnD]

So do the party passes have to be linked to the Magic Band? Are the FP+ separate from other FP+ I might make earlier in the day? Sorry if this is off topic.

You can't have more than one set of advance FP+/park/day. If arrival at MK at 4pm for MNSSHP is your first park visit for the day, then you can use the three FP+ that come with your ticket between 4-7 pm.

The passes don't necessarily have to be linked to an MB. You may have a plastic card for admission. You can use that for FP+. If you bought your ticket through MDE, it should already be linked to your account and you can use an MB.

 

[Weather_Lady]

I would stay at MK until the 7pm closing, with a late dinner reservation at 'Ohana, Kona Cafe or California Grill afterward. If you wanted, you could linger and watch the party fireworks from the Polynesian beach or the California Grill's observation deck.

If you'd rather attend the party than spend the earlier part of the day at MK, do as others suggested and buy party tickets only, entering the MK as soon as you can (at 4pm).

 

[lunchbox1175]

I would stay at MK until the 7pm closing, with a late dinner reservation at 'Ohana, Kona Cafe or California Grill afterward. If you wanted, you could linger and watch the party fireworks from the Polynesian beach or the California Grill's observation deck.

If you'd rather attend the party than spend the earlier part of the day at MK, do as others suggested and buy party tickets only, entering the MK as soon as you can (at 4pm).

This is a good idea, but I doubt that they would be able to get a dinner reservation at those restaurants this close to the date.

 

[Mukta]

Another way to go is to get a park hopper and go to the MK during the day then over to DHS at night for the last run of the lights. Two parks with christmas thrown in.

This is what I was going to suggest also. The castle is lit at 6:15 during park hours. Hop to DHS after that to see the lights.

 

[MotherofaPrincessLover]

Last year we had one full day after our cruise. We did MK all day with the party at night. We got there at rope drop and stayed til the end of the party. It was a very long day but we got a ton done. It was really expensive, but we don't get to WDW very often so it was worth it for us.

 

[ABZDisneyFan]

The Christmas parties are great fun, we went to two last year & two on our previous trip in 2012.
As previous posters have said, you can enter the MK from 4pm so plenty of time to hit a few rides, grab some food or get in line for the dwarves or Jack Skelington if meeting characters is your kind of thing.