When it comes to the holidays at Walt Disney World, it doesn’t get much better than Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Having attended twice now (once solo and once with my family), it is magical any way you slice it. A definite must for your family’s bucket list–at least one time!
Here’s what’s on deck at Walt Disney World for the 2024 holiday season:
- Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, a separate-ticketed event at Magic Kingdom Park, runs select nights (Nov. 8 – Dec. 20) with a storybook holiday atmosphere, including “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas Parade,” “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show,” complimentary cookies, festive beverages, snowfall on Main Street, U.S.A. and more.
- Disney Jollywood Nights (select nights, Nov. 9 – Dec. 21), another separate-ticketed evening party at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, combines Hollywood and holiday glamour with holiday magic, featuring dapper décor, merry mashups, unique tastes and sips, special appearances from classic characters and live entertainment.
- EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays presented by AdventHealth (Nov. 29 – Dec. 30), invites guests to a global celebration with a candlelight processional featuring celebrity narrators, holiday storytellers, performances, and several Holiday Kitchens throughout the World Showcase nations.
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Nov.12 – Dec. 31) offers a holiday twist on the magic of nature with a variety of seasonal delights, including artisan-sculpted puppets of arctic animals like penguins, reindeer, polar bears, and more during the Merry Menagerie. In the evenings, a holiday edition of the Tree of Life Awakening will begin, accompanied by a heartwarming musical score.
But back to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party…here’s what you need to know before you go:
We attended the Disney Christmas party on a Monday night and thought that it would be a low crowd evening. (With your Mickey’s Very Merry ticket, you can enter Magic Kingdom as early as 4:00pm- FYI)
The crowds were not small, especially when regular park guests are still hanging around the park. My advice would be to enter just before the 7:00pm official party start time and take advantage of any shows, snacks (free cookie/holiday beverage stations around the park!) and shopping first. Then, plan your rides for later in the evening as families with young children start to head home OR during one of the parade times. Just some free advice from MBMom to you!
Christmas at Disney World is something every family should try to experience, especially when your kids are young. My daughter is coming up on double digits and I am so grateful we’ve absorbed as much pixie dust as we have over the years.
When it comes to Mickey’s Very Merry Disney Christmas Party, here are 5 things you can’t miss:
1. Space Mountain with its Holiday Overlay
The most fun ride of the night, hands down. Do not miss Space Mountain with its red and green laser lights and heart pumping rock holiday music. It was an absolute blast being able to see the tracks on a ride that’s typically pitch black.
2. Character Greetings, Holiday Style
Mickey is one of several holiday character greetings sprinkled around Magic Kingdom during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. We couldn’t resist seeing him in his festive red and green suit!
Other Disney pals “meet and greets” we stumbled upon throughout the night were Aladdin and Jasmine, Abu and the Genie and Jack and Sally (Nightmare Before Christmas).
3. “Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration” Stage Show
This stage show gives families the opportunity to crash a Christmas party at Mickey’s house! Isn’t that on your holiday bucket list? Just me? Ok…
Mickey and his pals host some of their friends for an unforgettable party on the Castle forecourt stage in “Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration.” Holiday songs, castle projections and merrymaking builds to a sensational, snowy finale. Disney brings out some of the characters we don’t see that often, so I really enjoyed this show…and its cheeky nod to technology and texting that is engrained in our lives now.
4. Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show
If this fireworks show doesn’t get you in the holiday spirit, I don’t know what will! Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show happens once per night at the Disney Christmas party (10pm).
The night sky literally bursts with color high above Cinderella Castle with this holiday fireworks spectacular…and plenty of projections that sync along with favorite carols like Deck the Halls and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. 
You can catch this beautiful yuletide display from most locations throughout Magic Kingdom park—including Liberty Square, Fantasyland and Tomorrowland.
5. Mickey’s “Once Upon a Christmastime” Parade
I’m no stranger to parades at Disney’s Magic Kingdom. I still miss the Electrical Parade though. Memories…
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade has become a tradition at the after hours event and is nothing short of spectacular. I don’t even know how to narrow down the images that I managed to capture while experiencing this special seasonal performance which happens 2x during the evening.
The enchanting holiday parade transforms Main Street, U.S.A. into a snowy paradise. We watched in front of Tony’s Town Square Restaurant, which provided an amazing vantage point.
But there’s more…
In addition to all of the seasonal entertainment and holiday magic at Disney, which will keep you super busy at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party–trust me, several rides have also been “Christmas-fied” including Space Mountain as I mentioned above and the Jungle Cruise (now dubbed the “Jingle Cruise”)! There are also holiday overlays at Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, Mad Tea Party and Tomorrowland Speedway: Race Through the Holidays.
Don’t forget, you can also head to a variety of locations throughout the park to enjoy complimentary holiday treats. The hot chocolate and sugar iced cookies at Tortuga Tavern in Adventureland® were to-die-for! Allergy-friendly and alternative healthy options are available upon request too.
We are so lucky to live in South Florida, just a few hours from Walt Disney World Resort. Will you be planning a trip to the ‘happiest place on earth’ with your family this holiday season?
Hosted: This Add This Disney Christmas Party to Your Family Bucket List post was hosted by Walt Disney World. All opinions expressed in this blog post are my own and not influenced in any way by the host. Any statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with provider. Please refer to this site’s Disclosure for more information. I was invited on a complimentary media trip with park tickets, meals and accommodations, but that does not impact my views or opinions.
