Holidays at WDW About This Page:

[Nysa]

Though it will be a while before I can start planning the trip after our upcoming one, I think I would like to experience one of the holiday special events next time. I am wondering when do Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party & Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party start in the year, are the special events daily during those times or just on certain days? Perhaps I don't understand how the parties work, I know you need tickets for them, so do they start after the park closes for the day? Which party do you WDW experts prefer?

[DeBestWife]

I don't know that I would call myself an expert...but I will help as much as I can. I have only been to the MVMCP (Christmas Party). We went in December 2007. The Magic Kingdom closes at 7 PM and if you have no wrist band showing that you have paid for party tickets, you will be asked to leave the park. The MVMCP started sometime in November last year...and went until about the week before Christmas...I THINK...hopefully someone will have a difinitive answer for that. I think it ran 2-3 nights a week...again defering to someone with a better memory than me...LOL. Anyway, the park stays open until midnight for party guests, with special holiday fireworks, parades, and stage shows. We had a great time, and thought it was well worth the extra money to enjoy the event. I posted our trip report on the Trip Report Forum today. It talks about some of the things that we did at the party if you want to know a bit more.

Hope that helped some...Have a Wonderful Magical Day!

[jhoshowski]

We have only done MVMCP. We are doing MNSSHP this year. They are offered a few times a week (more times as the actual holiday gets closer). Tickets usually go on sale May 1st for both parties, and the "official" dates are posted at that time. However, many of the sites such as Intercot and AllEarsNet will have a pretty good estimate of the 2007 dates by this time. The parties offer special parades and fireworks that can only be seen at that time, as well as offering special party merchandise such as t-shirts and pins. We LOVED the Christmas party, and we are really looking forward to the Halloween party.

[OffKilter_Lynn]

Last year, the Halloween party was held the last 3 Friday nights in September and most every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights in October.

The Christmas party started in mid-November for a few select nights then every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights in December up until the 22nd.

Tickets went on sale May 1st last year and certain nights (October 30 & 31 and the last December parties) sell out quickly.

There are special / different parades that happen during these parties. Christmas is a bit more expensive ($48.94 versus $45.75) but I love the whole holiday theme and the snow on Main Street. Discounts (AP or DVC or advance purchase) may be available for selected dates.

[Nysa]

Well that all sounds cool, but kind of expensive for only 5 hours. Do they do special things close to the holidays during the regular park hours?

[Carousel96]

We've only done MVMCP, so I can't speak to Halloween, but they do have special shows during the Christmas party and the Christmas parade runs during the party. We love it and try to plan our trip so we can go to one. Usually we arrive that day so we don't "burn" a regular park ticket, and just go to the MK at about 5 when they'll let us in with our party ticket.
As to things during regular park hours, all the parks (and resorts) are decorated, starting at about Thanksgiving.
Animal Kingdom has a special version of its parade, called the "Jammin Jingle Jungle Parage" I think. The characters are in holiday garb. Also the Camp Minnie-Mickey character greeting area is decorated and the characters are dressed (Mickey in a holiday sweater, Goofy as Santa, etc).
MGM has the Osborne Lights. Very cool.
Epcot has all the countries decorated for the holidays, with special holiday storytellers. Some have special holiday food carts. There's also the Candlelight Processional, which is a big musical/choral production with a celebrity narrator of the Christmas story. We were underwhelmed and probably won't go again, but most people consider it a must-do.
You can probably run a search and find many threads about the Christmas party and Candlelight processional.
If you go at Christmas time, I suggest you take some time and check out the decorations at the resorts -- the Grand Floridian is beautiful, Wilderness Lodge very cozy, etc.

[Diz]

Originally Posted by Nysa

Well that all sounds cool, but kind of expensive for only 5 hours. Do they do special things close to the holidays during the regular park hours?

I understand what you mean. I thought the same thing! But one year, I decided to give it a try and now I wouldn't think twice about buying tickets! Both parties are just perfect!

You can add 3 hours to the 5. Even though the party doesn't begin until 7, you are able to use your special ticket after 4.

MNSSHP is a blast! You can go trick or treating all around the park. They provide a goodie bag for you and all the free candy you want to collect! The Headless Horseman is so much fun to watch! The parade is priceless! The fireworks are really special! The characters are dressed in party wear. It is so much fun!

MVMCP has free Christmas cookies and hot cocoa. The parade and fireworks are wonderful!

I think this is one of those times when you never know if you'll love it or leave it until you try it. I know some people who wouldn't pay the $$$ and others who anxiously wait for the official selling day of the tickets.

As far as regular park hours - there are a few special things during the holidays. Halloween is very little. Christmas brings Santa Claus to Main Street. Christmas parade to MGM. You'll see some decorations around and some of the characters will be dressed. And of course there's lots of special things to buy. But, you'd have better opportunities at your resort for kids crafts/activities for the special holidays.

[simbarel]

We attended MNSSHP on our last trip, and I had the misfortune of being sick and had to drag myself out of the room that night because of how ill I was. HOWEVER, since it was a hard-ticket event and we didn't go to any parks earlier in the day we were able to save a day on DH's non-expiring park hopper that we can redeem towards a future ticket. DH, the less Disney person of the two of us, d MNSSHP and we had a great time with fellow PP Terri (DrDolphin) as well. My big goal is to get to MVMCP because I'm really into Christimas. Happy planning!

[bradk]

ok..

MNSSH has Hallowishes, which actually replaces the normal fireworks on non-party days. What it also has that you can't normally see are the decorations, special photoops (including the fab 5 in their costumes and much more), the boo to you parade and of course the trick or treating.

MVMCP is really a preview of stuff that's available to everyone starting after christmas: the holiday parade (which is so much better in daylight anyway), holiday wishes fireworks, a special version of belle's show in the fairytale garden, the 'twas the night before christmas stage show, etc. as well as some special photoops.

but for the record, they were showing twas the night before christmas on saturdays last year long before christmas.

[Nysa]

Well you have sold me (Hubby might be a different story), I guess the hard part will be deciding which holiday to chose! We aren't really Christmas people, but it sounds pretty secular (except the Epcot thing) so maybe we would enjoy the winter holiday season more if it was at WDW. On the other hand we are big on Halloween so maybe we would chose that.....
It's a good thing I will have plenty of time to decide!

[jimmymac]

I've done both and prefer MVMCP because of the time of the year. Christmas at WDWis truly magical. The parks and all the resorts are decorated - the best ones are GF, BC, YC, AKL, WL. Illuminations has a special show for the season. CP is the best Christmas show I've ever seen, and that includes Radio City. Walking around WS after Illuminations is one of my favorite things to do at WDW

[dzlovesdisney]

We've done MNSSHP twice and loved it both times. There's a special Halloween parade, storytelling and special shows here and there, trick or treating stations (which the kids loved -- big teacups filled with candy), fireworks, and a spooky environment throughout the park. There were lots of characters out too. There's a path behind Toontown that goes to Tomorrowland, and there were tons of characters along the path back there, and no one else was there! So DS got to interact with them and get great pictures too.

We will be doing MVMCP for the first time this year and are super excited about that.

Hope that helps!

[threeboys]

We did MVMCP in 2005 and will do it again this year. Yes it is a bit expensive, but you will not be able to experience the special holiday parade and all the holiday shows unless you go to this ticketed event. This will put you in the holiday spirit ten times over. There was so much to see and do, that we didn't even visit any of the attractions. We enjoyed visiting Santa, the snow falling on Main Street and drinking our hot cocoa while watching the spectacular Christmas parade. There was definetly a chill in the air. This added to the Christmas mood. We loved it and can't wait to go again!!

[bradk]

well, again, they were showing 'twas the night before christmas during the day on saturdays last year well before christmas...

this photo was taken at 12:20 pm on 12/9/06



and santa is out all day (every day) at MK as well as at Epcot.

it also 'snows' during the osborne lights.

[Carousel96]

Originally Posted by Nysa

We aren't really Christmas people, .... so maybe we would enjoy the winter holiday season more if it was at WDW. On the other hand we are big on Halloween so maybe we would chose that.....
It's a good thing I will have plenty of time to decide!

Nysa, based on your comments, I'd recommend you do the Halloween party. I think most people who love the MVMCP (myself included) love Christmas anyway, but the Disney touches just make it that much better. If you love Halloween, you'll probably have a similar reaction to the MNSSHP. I wouldn't spend the hard ticket money on a party for a holiday you're lukewarm about.