One of the most common questions I was asked while on the Walt Disney World Moms Panel, and still get asked today, has always been, “Is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party worth the ticket price?” My answer has always been a resounding, “YES!” This season, my response is the same, it’s so worth it.
There are quite a few beacons which light the way to the holiday season: Starbucks serving their holiday flavors (pro tip: peppermint is actually available year round – shhh!), the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, showcasing the Radio City Rockettes and the famous Santa finale, and of course, the Magic Kingdom’s annual Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, where it snows on Main Street, U.S.A., hot cocoa and cookies are free throughout the park, and holiday magic swirls around you at every turn. Disney does magic better than anyone around, and during the holidays, the pixie dust is increased and the spirit of the season is everywhere.
This year, all the things that make the Christmas Party so great are back again:
- Complimentary cookies and hot cocoa
- Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade
- Holiday Wishes Fireworks Spectacular and
- Shows and dance parties at the Castle forecourt, Tomorrowland, and Frontierland
- Special character meet and greets
My favorites the marching wooden soldiers in the parade, and the beautiful Holiday Wishes fireworks, which always bring a tear to my eye.
This visit, as locals who attend the party yearly, I decided to do something a little different and just roam around and check out the holiday extras around the park. As a result, we stumbled upon the group Rusty Cutlass performing outside of Pirates of the Caribbean. This jaunty band of pirate lads (and lass) were fantastic to experience. My four year-old absolutely loved watching and getting to participate by taking the pirate’s oath and dancing around to the music. They played a mix of holiday classics melded with a Caribbean twist and were just great fun. Be sure to keep an eye out for them on your next visit, and if you love acts like this, which really make Walt Disney World special, be sure to stop by City Hall or Guest Relations and let them know how much you appreciated the performances!
You can watch videos of the parade and party highlights from past years’ posts too. Here are some photos from this year’s party – click any photo to view as a slideshow:
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party tickets may be purchased online for select nights through December 21, 2012.
Disclosure: I was provided complimentary tickets to the party for the purposes of this post. My thoughts and opinions and love of Christmas are my own.
