The dates are out and the tickets are now available for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party!

For the uninitiated, the Christmas Party takes place on many evening dates in November and December at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom.  An extra ticketed event, it starts at 7p and runs until Midnight, and is filled with festive decor, awesome fireworks, familiar and rare characters out all in their Holiday garb, complimentary cocoa and cookies all throughout the park, plus a chance to hit the attractions with a much lower crowd — only a certain number of tickets are sold for these tickets, so the attendance is much smaller than a regular park day.  Keep in mind, however, it can still be crowded… please don’t expect to walk on every ride, but it’s still a lot easier than a Christmas week day at the park!

And with your party ticket, you can enter the Magic Kingdom at 4p for the 7p party, giving you a 3 hour head start in the park to enjoy some attractions, get some dinner and even line up for exclusive merchandise sold right as the party begins (You want pins? Get ’em early, trust me!)

Here are the dates:
November 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22, and 24th (no parties happen during Thanksgiving week)

The street decor remains the on regular and party nights, but somehow, it just all seems more festive during the party

December 1, 3, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, and 22nd (no parties during Christmas week)

The prices vary based on the date you select (Annual Passholders are eligible for some discounts)

Parties on November 11, 12, 14, 17, 21

  • Advanced purchase – $99 for adults, $94 for children
  • Day of purchase – $109 adults, $104 for children

Parties on November 8, 15, 22 and December 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, and 15th:

  • Advance purchase – $109 for adults, $104 for children
  • Day of purchase: $119 for adults, $114 for children

Parties on November 24th and December 1, 6, 13, and 17th

  • Advance purchase – $115 for adults, $110 for children
  • Day of purchase – $125 for adults, $120 for children

Party on December 19th 

  • Advance purchase – $129 for adults, $124 for children
  • Day of purchase – $139 for adults, $134 for children

December 20 and 22nd

  • All tickets – $139 for adults, $134 for children

Now there are two questions I get more than any other when it comes to the Christmas Party… and that is “When do I need to buy them?” and “Is it worth it?”

The castle lit up during Elsa’s Frozen Holiday Wish

 

First, when do you need to buy them? As with anything, I suggest purchasing as soon as you know you will definitely go.  If you are on the fence, then don’t purchase yet, because they are non-refundable. While tickets sometimes can be moved from date to date, getting your money back for a ticket that you no longer need or want is very difficult.  Most parties tend to not sell out for a while, though closer to Christmas, parties will sell out faster than say, parties in November or early December.  (remember, this is based on experience — there are no guarantees on how fast the tickets will sell! Some parties will not sell out at all, others will sell out unexpectedly)

Second, is it worth it?  That’s hard to say, as every family is different and values different things. I’ve been to four or five Christmas Parties in recent years, and in each year, I’ve had a blast. I am a fan of meeting the characters, so seeing Scrooge McDuck or Lady Tremaine & Cinderella’s Stepsisters is pretty cool for me, because they aren’t in the parks very much.

It’s also one of the few places where you can see ALL Seven Dwarfs out together — the other is the Not So Scary Halloween Party.

Disney always goes above and beyond with both their parades and fireworks, the free hot chocolate and cookies are welcome, and even though I personally don’t attend many of the in-park dance parties, I still have fun with the Tomorrowland celebrations.

Plus, the Frozen Holiday Wish, where Elsa transforms the castle into a glimmering ice palace for the season, is pretty magical!

But is the price worth it? For a family of four, it can run upwards of $450 for one single night of fun… so I like to say that if you’ve never been, and if you have the means to go, I highly recommend it. If you are making a quick weekend and are watching every cent, this may not be an expense you want to do now.

And yes, I can ABSOLUTELY help you get tickets!

NOTE: Disney can and may change things without notice, including prices, dates, party events and more.