Very Merry Xmas Party - Is it worth it?

[BigRedDad]

I will be going on 11/21. It is a Friday night. I have never been before. Is it worth the $60 per person? We will see. Regardless, I will be there with my 2yo daughter. She will enjoy it and seeing the characters. I know the hub will be crowded and hope to get passed that to some of the other things. My daughter loves the characters.

The way I see it is that I get down there maybe once a year. If I can get more time in MK and experience different things, it is worth. I can save the cost of the tickets later if necessary.

If you don't like it, don't go. If you do, go. If you have not been and not sure, make an educated decision by getting objective opinions.

 

[LoriMistress]

MVMCP is worth it. DH and I went to two parties during our last visit.

 

[MR. CRAFTSMAN]

We have gone a number of times. It gets more expensive every time and a bit less perks but is well worth it if you have never gone. I would highly recommend eating before you get to the party the lines are outragous and why pay that extra money for the party to eat. If you stay till the end of it plan for long lines to get on the boat or monorail to get back to ticket and transportation. The atmosphere is one of the best things that Disney does. I would say that it is a must if you have not done it and can afourd it. We are not sure if we are going this year because we are talking of going down in Feburary also, so money will be tight. If you go enjoy and do all that you can.:xmas::xmas: Drink lots of cocoa and eat lots of cookies.:slurp::slurp: //////WARNING\\\\\\\ Just don't burn yourself with the cocoa it is VERY HOT!!!!!

IT IS SUPER MAGICAL TO GO AND SEE!

 

[BellaBelle27]

This might be a silly question, but how do the tickets for MVMCP work time-wise? The park is open in the morning for regular ticket buyers but then what? Do they kick everyone out then close the park down for a bit? Usher people without tickets for the party out the front gates while they let the new crowd in? Allow the people without tickets to stay but not allow them on rides?

I've always wondered how it works logistically :shrug:

 

[disneydiva72]

We have gone the last few years, it was better in the beginning, ALOT less crowded and you got cute little freebies (well nothings free, you pay for it in your tickets...) but anyway, once they stopped the pictures (last year) I decided to skip it. It has gotten so very very merry crowded too....Im over it.

 

[Cane27]

I remember last year, it was a Friday night and if I remember right it was early December. As we were trodding along the IASW/PeterPan corridor the couple in front of us said that it was much less crowded during that day. That kind of sealed it for me as far the Party goes.
Given that, this year we went to MK on a Friday in mid September where there was a MNSSHP that night. It was probably the best and least crowded time we had ever been at MK.

The price/value ratio is not worth it to me anymore. It's still a good time, but much more reasonable when it was in the 30-40 dollar range.

 

[disneydiva72]

The price/value ratio is not worth it to me anymore. It's still a good time, but much more reasonable when it was in the 30-40 dollar range.

Yes, thats very true for us also. I remember in the beginning and it was like 26.00...now they take stuff away and charge double..... AND let more and more people in, I remember they only let a certain amount of people in to keep the crowds down....now it seems like a free for all.

 

[WDW1974]

No, it isn't.

It is organized extortion. The Mouse either gets another $56 from you or he holds Christmas hostage.

Again, some perspective.

WDW used to traditionally start Christmas festivities and entertainment Thanksgiving weekend. It was FREE to all guests who paid regular admission. Even after they began these parties, which were a whole lot more special when they started, you could still see the X-mas parade and holiday shows during the day.

No more, though.

In yet another ballsy in your face money grab, Disney kept pushing the start of Christmas entertainment later and later (it now usually starts 48-72 hours before Christmas Day).

So either you pay the extra/second admission fee or you either get no Christmas entertainment or are forced to come the busiest two weeks of the year, which are also the priciest.

These parties make people feel special when they're being screwed over. That's the power of Disney marketing.

Oh, and no other Disney resort in the world charges extra for Christmas, just good old stale WDW.

 

[MR. CRAFTSMAN]

No, it isn't.

It is organized extortion. The Mouse either gets another $56 from you or he holds Christmas hostage.

Again, some perspective.

WDW used to traditionally start Christmas festivities and entertainment Thanksgiving weekend. It was FREE to all guests who paid regular admission. Even after they began these parties, which were a whole lot more special when they started, you could still see the X-mas parade and holiday shows during the day.

No more, though.

In yet another ballsy in your face money grab, Disney kept pushing the start of Christmas entertainment later and later (it now usually starts 48-72 hours before Christmas Day).

So either you pay the extra/second admission fee or you either get no Christmas entertainment or are forced to come the busiest two weeks of the year, which are also the priciest.

These parties make people feel special when they're being screwed over. That's the power of Disney marketing.

Oh, and no other Disney resort in the world charges extra for Christmas, just good old stale WDW.

Wow, Tell me how you really feel?

 

[Disney4Eva]

Well, you'll have to pardon me for squeezing some sunshine next to some of these rainclouds, but my entire family and I absolutely ADORED the Christmas party.
The parade was almost unsurpassed, in my opinion. And I thought the free cookies & hot chocolate were really good :slurp:
Also, the decorations are gorgeous. That, along with the music, does a great job of giving off this wonderfully warm Christmas atmosphere.
It's great fun to put on a Santa hat and get into the spirit ^^
I say do it. You get a full night at the park for less than the price of a day ticket, and you get some fun Christmas bonuses to boot :wave:

 

[Gorjus]

Let's see if I can offer a balanced opinion:

What is it that your family enjoys doing at WDW? Do you love the atmosphere? Do you love seeing characters? Do you love riding rides? Do you love watching parades? Do you love fireworks?

The castle lights will be turned on every night before day guests leave, so that isn't reason enough to go to the party. The park is already decorated, so that isn't reason enough to go to the party.

The rides don't change for Christmas, so that isn't reason enough to go to the party, although the lines for the rides are much shorter, not as many rides are open for the party, so it all sort of evens out.

The snow on Main St. is VERY cool. However, you can also see snow at the Osborne Lights at the Studios for free.

So why go to the party? Characters with their Christmas clothes on in different locations than normal, Princesses with their Husbands, really fun Castle Show, Lady Tremaine's Dance Cotillion (what a riot), Stitch's Dance Party, a fabulous parade, and fireworks that are better than the ones you normally see, cookies and hot cocoa, and 40% off as many photos as you want, and finally, a party atmosphere.

If those things interest your family, then go to the party. If they don't, then skip the party.

There will always be people who lament that things aren't the way they used to be. You've never gone, so what do you care how things used to be. Are they worth your money now? Only you can determine that.

 

[MyLittleAngels]

Princesses with their Husbands

It's easy to get burned on this. We waited for ages during the Halloween party to see Cinderella and Charming, only to have them swap out with Aurora with one party in front of us ... My DD was incredibly upset, and the line didn't get shorter afterwards. We didn't get back in, because they switch out every thirty minutes, and there was no way to guarantee seeing one princess over the other. I know I cna take my daughter to see Cindy anytime, but there aren't many opportunities to catch them with their prince, and the unpredicatability of it made it more of a problem than a perk.

Oh yeah, that and the rude people in front of us who bought 8 other kids with autograph books in the line just before going in to see them ... that might have given us enough time to get in there. But, people not lining their entire group up together is a WHOLE other can of worms.

 

[Jane1]

awww can't believe u have to ask that!!!

it's the best party, i never got to go to halloween party in disneyworld, cus i was working in epcot til late, but managed to go to the christmas one, went with cast discount and cus i loved it soo much i went another time full price. omg, i'ts the best. and u get free cookies and hot chocolate cus it's freezing that time of year at night, and the rides are all walk ons, and goin on them at nite is great and the stage show, and fireworks and meeting characters awwww i love it, and i got a minnie mouse santa hat which is lovely lol

defo go, u won't be sorry! i promise u, this is me, a disney cast member (well not anymore but was lol) had a years uni placement there. defo go

 

[Gorjus]

It's easy to get burned on this. We waited for ages during the Halloween party to see Cinderella and Charming, only to have them swap out with Aurora with one party in front of us ...

Actually, it is NOT easy to get burned on that. As a general rule both Cinderella and Prince Charming, and Aurora and Prince Phillip are in the room together. If they weren't, it was just an odd night where something happened and they had to juggle. Sorry you had to experience that.

 

[MyLittleAngels]

Actually, it is NOT easy to get burned on that. As a general rule both Cinderella and Prince Charming, and Aurora and Prince Phillip are in the room together. If they weren't, it was just an odd night where something happened and they had to juggle. Sorry you had to experience that.

What room is this? They were outside, by the coach, swapping off every 30 minutes (according to the CMs working the line). Yes, you can generally find Aurora, Cinderella, and Belle in a room together, but where can you meet them with the princes?

 

[Gorjus]

What room is this? They were outside, by the coach, swapping off every 30 minutes (according to the CMs working the line). Yes, you can generally find Aurora, Cinderella, and Belle in a room together, but where can you meet them with the princes?

When was the last time you went to a Halloween Party? For the last 2 years, Cinderella, Aurora and their princes have been in Toon Town during Halloween and Pirate and Princess Parties. Now for the Christmas party, Snow White and her prince and Belle and Beast do the switch off thing by the skyway in Fantasyland. The cast members are instructed to inform everyone that there is a switch. If you want to let people go ahead of you so you can wait for your princess, that is fine.

 

[MyLittleAngels]

The last time? Roughly 3 weeks ago.

The switchoff thing was in Fantasyland. And that's great that I can let people go ahead of me, but when I've already waited a long time, in an area where I'm being chewed up by bugs, I'm not going to stick around for an additional half hour, clogging the line, waiting for Cindy to come back. My only option would be to come back, wait in a line of indeterminate length, and possibly watch the prince/princess my kid wants to see walk off right in front of me again. In addition to being a bad idea, it eats up tons of valuable party time.

The CMs did inform us to the upcoming switch. However, you're at the mercy of people in front of you, according to how much time they spend with each princess. When one group takes 10 different photo configurations after getting fourteen autograph books signed, it eats up those minutes for others in line.

Again, what "room" are they in? Cinderella was also in Toon Town during the party, with Charming, to the left of the train station. She was also swapping off on a schedule.

 

[captainkidd]

We did it, and I'm glad we got to, but I wouldn't bother doing it again. The park was absolutely mobbed. Half of the shows you could see during regular park hours. The parade was cool, but wouldn't run back to see it.

 

[hardcard]

So why go to the party? Characters with their Christmas clothes on in different locations than normal, Princesses with their Husbands, really fun Castle Show, Lady Tremaine's Dance Cotillion (what a riot), Stitch's Dance Party, a fabulous parade, and fireworks that are better than the ones you normally see, cookies and hot cocoa, and 40% off as many photos as you want, and finally, a party atmosphere.

I beg to differ on one point here... The parade is NOT fabulous.. I've been attending the Xmas party on and off for the better of 6 years now, and I can say that of all of the parades in all of the parks, at all of the events, the current christmas one is BORING.. Not excitement, it's very disjointed, and the music is un-inspired... I feel the previous parade was BETTER, but still lacked the full-blown disney feel.. Really....

Having said that, Boo To You is the best parade in all of WDW, bar none.

Back on topic though.. My problem is that the Xmas party used to be worth it, but they have started to transistion (why? I don't know) a lot of the party-specific items into the normal day... For example, you can now see the "Mickey's Night Before Christmas" stage show during normal park hours.. The castle show ran prior to park close last year, and the whole christmas party motif is 'activated' a few hours before the park closes now.. So, really, you are missing out on the snow on mainstreet, and the cookies and hot chocolate (or apple juice and apple slices, since they now offer a healthy option to the cookie and cocoa thing)..

My biggest complaints is that the parties have not been selling out recently.. Why? Because they have obviously increased the amount of tickets they sell to these events now.. It's gotten so bad that you can't walk around easily anymore because of the crowds on some nights.. It used to be an event with a more 'private' feel... That definately made it worth it.

Oh well, just my 2 cents.

 

[SeaBreeze]

Ugh this is definitely one of those threads I should have avoided :lol: I have tickets to a party in December and it'll be my first Very Merry and my mom's first party, period. She wanted to do it so badly that I went ahead and got the tickets but now I'm afraid she'll be disappointed. (I don't care about myself; I just want to give her the best possible trip) Hopefully she'll have a good time just because it's a new experience for her.