Posts Tagged ‘Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party’
Magic by the Month – December
It is a month of contrasts. The beginning of December is a favorite of Disney veterans who take advantage of the great weather and lower crowds during the first couple of weeks. The week between Christmas and New Year is the single busiest one of the year. During this holiday period, it’s not unusual for the Magic Kingdom to reach full capacity and close the gates to new arrivals as early as 10:00 or 11:00 a.m.
It is festive and beautiful – perhaps the single most beautiful time of year to visit Walt Disney World – with parks and resorts dressed to impress and the daily schedules a whirlwind of special events, activities, and holiday performances. There are so many different things going on it’s impossible to list them all! As the calendar counts off the days until Christmas, each resort begins to add its own roster of special holiday happenings.
Fast Facts
Special Events: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party continues, typically until about December 19th, at which time the Christmas Parade replaces the daytime parade in the Magic Kingdom for the remainder of the season. The Castle Dream Lights sparkle and Wishes becomes Holiday Wishes for a few special days. There are regular performances of the Candlelight Processional and the storytelling of Holidays Around the World in EPCOT. Visitors to Disney’s Animal Kingdom can enjoy Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade. The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights draws the crowds at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the Festival of Seasons offers seasonal entertainment and Santa meet-and-greets. In fact, Santa really gets around the Walt Disney World Resort!
The Voices of Liberty don their holiday finery for concerts of seasonal music at the American Adventure and many of the resort lobbies ring with good cheer as various choruses, choirs, bell ringers, soloists, and musical groups serenade guests.
Attendance levels: From the sublime to the ridiculous – expect lower attendance for the first couple of weeks escalating to the highest numbers of the year during Christmas week. Guests visiting for the first time after the middle of the month should understand that crowds will be fierce. The parks are crowded, the parking lots are jammed, the roadways are busy, the buses and monorails are full; it’s difficult to overstate just how massive the crowds are. Expect long waits for attractions and transportation; be prepared to wait at every turn. Be certain to make dining reservations well in advance and plan to visit with a relaxed attitude, knowing that this will be a time to slow down and enjoy each moment as it comes.
Weather: It can be breezy and balmy or crisp and cold. In the past few years, the temperatures have climbed well up into the 80’s and crashed into the 20’s. December of 2010 was the coldest ever recorded for this area.
Packing: If there was ever a time to pack for all possibilities, this is it. As the departure dates nears, we suggest checking the ten-day forecast at weather.com!
Magic by the Month – November
November is a month of transformation as the World dons its gay apparel for the holiday season. Guests can revisit a park or resort hotel to find it completely changed from the day before. Working through the nights, cast members perform magic as they bring Christmas to life throughout the Walt Disney World Resort. Although this wonderful photo was taken onboard the Disney Magic, we think it is a beautiful illustration of the holiday mix found at all Disney Destinations during this special time of the year.
The thermometer is something of a quick-change artist, as well, marking cool morning temperatures that can turn into sunny, warm afternoons in the blink of an eye.
As the entire resort gears up for Christmas, Thanksgiving is celebrated with traditional meals, and appropriately-costumed characters. Before the month is over, the festive decorations are in place, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Parties have begun, the Osborne Lights are dancing, and EPCOT is celebrating Holidays Around the World.
Fast Facts
Special Events: Enjoy the last two weeks of EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival; the start of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, Holidays Around the World at EPCOT, and The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights.
Attendance levels: November offers a wide range of attendance from some of the lowest annual numbers during the week after Thanksgiving to the heavy crowds of Thanksgiving Day and weekend. Once EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival winds down, the days leading up to Thanksgiving are among the most pleasant of the year.
Weather: Typically a glorious month with temperatures ranging from the high 50’s to the high 70’s and little rainfall.
Packing: For months other than May through September when it is reliably hot, visitors should always pack for the possibilities and November is no exception. It is definitely a time to think “layers.”
Don’t be Tardy
Even though it’s still summer, in “Disney Time” the holidays are right around the corner. Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party starts in just a few weeks and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, one of the highlights of the Christmas season, begins on November 8th and runs on selected nights until December 19th.
It’s a magical night filled with special entertainment, spectacular fireworks, and the only opportunity to see the Christmas parade after dark. Also, the first presentation of Castle Dream Lights takes place on the night of the first party, November 8.
The 2010 dates for this merry annual event are:
November – 8, 11, 12, 16, 18, 19, 28, & 30
December – 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, and 19
7 p.m. to 12 midnight
Ticket Prices for 2010, not including taxes, range from $53.95 to $59.95 for adults and $47.95 to $53.95 for children. Lower prices reflect advance purchase savings which are not available for all dates.
If you’re booking your Walt Disney World vacation package with Whimsical World Travel, your Concierge will be happy to make arrangements for your party tickets. You can choose to have them waiting at Will Call for pick-up after you arrive, or request downloadable e-tickets. For an additional charge, your tickets can also be shipped.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party has become a holiday tradition for thousands of families – why not make it one of yours?
fav5 Reasons for a Holiday Visit
#4 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
Yes, the holidays are a festive time throughout Walt Disney World, but there’s something special about Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Maybe it’s the breathtaking spectacle of the Castle Dream Lights which debuts on the first party night. Perhaps it’s the Christmas Parade which seems so much more special when seen at night. Was the old parade better? It sure was; but many of the best bits have made the cut: the toy soldiers, everyone’s all time favorite; the skating snowflakes; the gingerbread men.
The fireworks are certainly at their most spectacular in Holiday Wishes which concludes with a jaw-dropping finale that surrounds the park. There’s snow, of course, on Main Street U.S.A., lights in fanciful holiday shapes wash the buildings with color, and the hot cocoa and cookies are a welcome treat. The landscape glows in red and green, the cast members sport seasonal costumes; it just feels like Christmas.
Here are a few tips for getting the most out of the Party:
- The weather can be very unpredictable at this time of year so be prepared for anything from warm to wintry.
- The Party is generally less crowded on the earlier dates and on weekdays, but guests won’t experience the crush of the daytime crowds.
- Plan on a very early evening meal in the Magic Kingdom or at one of the nearby resorts.
- Confirm the time for the Castle Dream Lights presentation and find your viewing spot early. Although a lot of the action takes place on stage and in the castle balcony just above, the real show is the spectacular lighting of the entire castle, which can be seen from many areas around the Magic Kingdom.
- Choose to watch the second parade and spend the time during the first showing enjoying the rides.
- Remember that most guests leave well before midnight, so consider an afternoon nap to help stay the course at night.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
Magic Kingdom
Late November to mid-December
7:00 p.m. to midnight
Contact your Concierge for pricing and tickets
