United States

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Walt Disney World

_{*Disclaimer:This post may contain affiliate links. Opinions shared are my own, and I only endorse products I support. By clicking on any of the links below, I may get a small commission if you purchase at absolutely no additional charge to you. I appreciate your support.*}

If you’ve been around this blog for even a few minutes, you’ll probably notice we are BIG Disney fans.  We are not at the “Disney blogger” level that knows all the ins and outs, but we get ourselves to Disney a couple of times a year, at least!  Last year alone, we did New Year’s Eve at Walt Disney World, Paris Disneyland and a visit to Florida for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. 

In fact, we have visited every Disney park in the world!  Considering we live most of our time in Lisbon, Portugal, this is not a small investment!

As a fun twist, we took our StroudInc team to the Mickey Christmas Party and enjoyed it as a group!  Over 30 people attended this, and for some, it was their first visit to any Disney park.  Last year, we took our management team for a VIP Tour at Disney World.  That is a very different (and very fun) Disney experience. 

What is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party?

Disney offers various special ticketed events separate from normal park tickets.  These events are held in one park only, usually Magic Kingdom in Florida or Disneyland. 

We’ve attended Disney Halloween parties in both California and Paris, but had not previously attended a ticketed Christmas event.  These themed events are not cheap (more on that next) but are very fun.  The best part about them?  The park is limited to much fewer people! 

I’ve heard these ticketed events host around 10-20% of normal attendance, but I cannot confirm that, as there are no official Disney numbers.  Either way, the park feels nearly empty compared to normal visits!

On our first Halloween event at Disneyland, we kept going on Splash Mountain (now Tiana’s Bayou) over and over and over because there was no line.  We loved the trick-or-treating around the park and the festive costumes.

Disneyland Paris also has offered ticketed Halloween events, but the capacity doesn’t seem as limited as compared to its US counterparts.  However, Disneyland Paris typically has a lower capacity anyway.  Plus, Disneyland Paris doesn’t hand out candy- which is a bit of a boo! on Halloween.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Disney World is an event that runs through November and December, usually two to four times a week. We went on a Friday night, but it also occurs on weeknights.  During the party, ticket holders can enter at 4 pm.  By 7 pm, the park is emptied of all non-party guests, and those without a ticket can no longer enter the park. This is done through wristbands that you receive upon entry to the park (no wristband, no more rides).

You can ride all the rides in the evening and visit the cookie and drink stations.  The fireworks show and parades are also available during the party.  The party runs until midnight or 1 am (depends on the year) to give you a full day (9 hours) in the park.

Of course, the park is heavily decorated for Christmas.  This festive atmosphere brings lots of fun memory-making.

What Does Mickey’s Christmas Party Cost?

Tickets to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party cost a pretty penny!  They are more expensive than a regular park ticket for less time in the park. 

Tickets in 2024 ran us around $130 per person.  For 2025, ticket prices will be released in summer (it was June 24 in 2024).  You may need to call to find out (as we did) when tickets are available.  They do sell out on these events.

Note that in 2024, Disney World also offered another holiday-themed event in Hollywood Studios called Disney’s Jollywood Nights.  Since this ticketed event is limited to just one park, I was excited to see another park option! 

Is Mickey’s Christmas Party Worth It?

While the ticket prices can be shocking, I absolutely think these events are worth the price. Why?

1. The limited numbers in the park are key!  You can circulate all of Magic Kingdom in less time and even ride your favorites more than once.  You can quickly get more done in these limited hours than you could in an entire day in the park on a busy day.

2. I’m a big fan of themed events!  What is better than combining Christmas and Disney?  It’s like my two favorite worlds merging for a few hours.  I love the decorations, the parades, the themed foods, etc.

3. While the cookies and drinks are nothing big, I still love getting something for free at Disney!  I feel like I’m winning.  I loved the peppermint sugar cookie the most.  We only found hot apple cider during our party, but I had heard there would be hot chocolate.  We were more focused on the rides than the snack centers.

How to Best Plan for the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Disney World

Here are my tips for best preparing for this party:

• Use this party as your visit to Magic Kingdom (or Hollywood Studios if you attend that park).  You don’t need to buy other tickets to go to Magic Kingdom. (But with a ticket to Magic Kingdom, you can make your reservations to the party a week earlier than those without a ticket.)

• Pick a day you might want to sleep in or hit the hotel pool.  I would not plan a big event during the day that will wear you out. 

• Consider taking a nap before the party!  This is especially important for smaller kids.  You likely will not make it to 1 am with small children, but a nap helps everyone.

• Strollers are key for a night like this.  Bring your own or rent one in the park.  This can allow smaller kids to sleep before the rest of the family wants to leave.  It was also very lovely to watch the fireworks show.  Thankfully, the reduced crowd for the fireworks means a stroller won’t be as cumbersome.

What are the Treats at
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party?

At Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, you can snag cookies and drinks at the stations signaled by an inflatable candy cane.  Anything free at Disney World feels like you just scored in life.

These are examples of the treats and locations.  Of course, these can change for 2025.

Location	Treat	Beverage
Tortuga Tavern (Adventureland)	Red Velvet Cake Cookie	Apple Cider
Gaston’s Tavern (Fantasyland)	Buttercream-Frosted Gingerbread Cookie	Eggnog
Columbia Harbour House (Liberty Square)	Caramel Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookie	Hot Cocoa
Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe (Tomorrowland)	Buttercream-Frosted Tree-Shaped Sugar Cookie	Hot Cocoa
The Lunching Pad (Tomorrowland)	Buttercream-Frosted Red Sprinkle Cut-Out Cookie	Apple Cider

For guests with dietary restrictions, allergy-friendly options are available upon request at each treat location. 

Other Things to Know About the Mickey Christmas Party

• Disney usually announces the release dates in the summer.  This year, the event will run from November 14 through December 31, 2025.
  
  • Disney held the 2024 party on:
    2024 Dates – November 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 27, 29 
    2024 Dates – December 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20
    

• They announced the 2024 party dates on June 24, 2024, and shared the 2023 dates on June 15, 2023.
  
• Tickets were available to buy on July 2 for those with park reservations and on July 10 for everyone else.

• You can load your tickets to your MagicBand just like other tickets.

• Ticket prices for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party range from $169 to $219 per person, with the final two events on December 19 and 20 anticipated to be the priciest.  Purchasing tickets at the gate usually costs an additional $10, making it more cost-effective to buy online in advance.

• This event is exclusive to Walt Disney World and not available in California or any other Disney park.

• If you need to eat in the park, mobile ordering is a great way to save time.  It will ask you to click “I”m here” when you arrive, but they don’t even start making your food until you click that.  I always do it when I’m about five minutes away.

• Plan the day after this party as a calm day.  Everyone will be so tired!  And sugared up.

• If you want to maximize rides, hit them during the parades and fireworks shows.

Itinerary Ideas for Families at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Disney World

Families with Young Kids at Mickey’s Christmas Party

For Families with Older Kids at Mickey’s Christmas Party

Additional Readings

The Stark Reality of Disney: Is It Worth It?

Tips for Visiting Harry Potter World, Orlando

Weekend Trip to Disneyland Paris with Kids