Is the 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in Disney World Worth the COST?

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is happening now at Disney World, and while we had a blast enjoying all the exclusive foods, fireworks, parade, and more, you may be asking yourself, “Is it really worth the price tag?

Hello from a snow filled Main Street!

Ticket prices range from $149 to $199 per person depending on your age and the date you are attending the party — and that’s for only a few hours in Magic Kingdom. So should you allocate some of your limited budget for tickets to the party — or save that cash for something else? We’re here to give you all the details on the party so you can decipher if Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is actually worth the cost. 

With a heavy price tag, we want to break down several different factors that could impact your decision to get tickets for the party, including things that are included and what you can expect to spend extra money on. Let’s dive in.

Price

As we’ve already mentioned, the tickets for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party are not exactly cheap. For ages 10 and up, tickets range from $149 to $199, and for kids ages 3 to 9, tickets range from $139 to $189, and the cost varies depending on which night you go. As you get closer to Christmas, ticket prices increase.

These parties sell out!

While the party tickets cost more than a standard Disney World ticket, which begins at $109, you might want to take other things into consideration. While you can enter the park at 4 PM, a few hours before the party starts, you won’t be able to spend all day at the park. You want to consider whether you REALLY want to attend the party — or if you’d rather put that ticket money toward something else.

Here is EVERY SOLD OUT Party Date

Hours

So how long do you get in the park? Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party takes place in Magic Kingdom from 7PM to midnight, but guests can enter the park as early as 4PM. Just keep in mind that from 4PM to 7PM, you’re mingling with the usual Magic Kingdom crowds. You only experience the party festivities for five hours.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2023

Still, if you enter at 4PM, you get three additional hours to ride rides, grab a meal, or do some shopping. If you want to take advantage of every single moment you can be in the park, we recommend getting in line BEFORE 4PM. Lots of other party guests want to enter at that time, and arriving right at 4PM might mean a long line to get into the park.

Check Out The 2023 Party Map HERE

Food

We tried a LOT of the new holiday treats that are exclusive to this party. Although there are lots of holiday-themed treats in Magic Kingdom available during the day, you’ll want to focus on the party exclusive ones to make the most of your night.

Peppermint Snowman at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Of course, these snacks and treats cost extra so you’ll want to budget for that as well. We recommend reading our snack reviews to help you decide if spending that extra money is worth it. There are also FREE treat stops included in your ticket price that serve a variety of cookies, hot cocoa, cider, and more.

FREE!

Read Our Treat Reviews Here

Entertainment

Included in the price of your ticket are quite a few exclusive entertainment options, and we’ll start with Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration Show, which is performed in front of Cinderella Castle at 7:40PM, 9:25PM, 10:35PM, and 11:55PM.

Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration Show

The Once Upon a Christmastime Parade is shown twice per party, at 8:30PM and 11PM.

Toy Soldiers are BACK

There are several dance parties you can catch throughout the night, such as A Totally Tomorrowland Christmastime Parade at Rockettower Plaza Stage, Club Tinsel at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe, and Storybook Circus Disney Junior Jingle Jam at Storybook Circus.

The Collective 5ive

Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks are held once per evening at 10PM.

Fireworks

Don’t forget all the characters you can meet, including some rare meet-and-greets like Jack Skellington!

Santa Jack!

If parades and shows and rare characters aren’t your thing, you may not need a party ticket.

See ALL of the entertainment at the party HERE

Merchandise

Party exclusive merchandise did return this year and it does not disappoint. There were t-shirts, spirit jerseys, pins, and more…

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Spirit Jersey

If you are looking for a FREE souvenir, don’t worry — they have some! When you pick up your wristband, you’ll receive a toy soldier 2023 ornament.

Complimentary Ornament

See ALL of the Merchandise HERE

Rides

During the party, not every Magic Kingdom ride is open — but you can check out the following list to see which rides ARE open!

Jingle Cruise

You may have noticed that five of these rides have special holiday ride overlays, including the Mad Tea Party, Space Mountain, Tomorrowland Speedway, Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, and Jingle Cruise. These overlays involve special lighting, decor, music, and more. You can actually ride the Jingle Cruise on any day in Magic Kingdom, so you don’t have to attend the party to experience every holiday overlay.

Read more about the rides open during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party here!

Crowds

Part of the appeal of after-hours events like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is lower crowds, but exactly how low are they? When we arrived at the main entrance around 4PM, there were quite a few people waiting to get inside.

Opening crowds

Magic Kingdom closes to the public at 6PM on party nights but it takes around an hour for that crowd to fully clear.  Once that happens, crowds tend to thin out. After the regular guests cleared out, we got an amazing view of Main Street, U.S.A..

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2023!

But when crowds gathered in front of Cinderella Castle for the fireworks and other entertainment showings, it was evident that this was a sold-out party evening. You’ll want to plan to head to the hub ahead of time to grab a spot.

Crowds were here

While you will likely experience lower crowds, just keep in mind that it doesn’t mean you’ll see NO crowds, and if you want to enjoy the parade, shows, or fireworks, you will probably end up standing shoulder-to-shoulder with others.

See What Opening Night of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Looked Like

Overall

Overall, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is not a cheap experience, and it’s really up to you to decide whether it’s worth it. If you’re looking for lower ride wait times and smaller crowds and you can swing the cost in your budget, it might be a worthy investment.

How cute!

However, keep in mind that if you’re staying in a deluxe Disney World hotel, you also have the option to enjoy Extended Evening Hours, which allow you to stay late in select parks for two extra hours after closing. Considering you can still enjoy many holiday treats and decor outside the party, the extra cost might not be worth it if that’s what you’re going for.

Main Street USA

If you have your heart set on the party and a strict budget, you can find ways to build in that extra cost, like by spending a day in Disney Springs instead of a park, or by adding a hotel day into your itinerary. You don’t need a ticket to do the Christmas Tree Stroll in Disney Springs or visit any of the giant hotel gingerbread houses!

2023 Grand Floridian Gingerbread House

But if you do end up with tickets, we highly recommend arriving as early as you can at 4 PM, to make sure you maximize those party hours as much as you can. Talk about what activities you want to do with your group and note the showtimes so that you don’t miss a thing. Overall, we really enjoyed this event.

It’s party time!

Keep following DFB for more Disney World holiday news and tips! Be sure to watch our Youtube video below if you are heading to the party for even more tips.

DON’T MISS A MOMENT
OF HOLIDAY MAGIC

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It includes all the must-have information for navigating the holiday season at Disney World, including:

  • The COMPLETE schedule of events for the Holiday Season
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  • ALL of the events, activities, and holiday additions in Walt Disney World. ALL. OF. THEM.
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Save 20% on the Holidays at Disney World: DFB’s Merriest Guide with code PEPPERMINT.

Are you attending the Christmas party this year? Let us know below. 

The post Is the 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in Disney World Worth the COST? first appeared on the disney food blog.