Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2023 – Review, Dates, Prices

Christmas at Walt Disney World is one of the best times of the year to visit and one of the most popular yearly traditions is the ticketed Christmas party at Magic Kingdom. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a ticketed holiday event held on select nights in November and December.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is my favorite holiday event at Walt Disney World and it is truly a not-miss experience if you plan on visiting during the holiday season. The atmosphere of this party is so joyful and you will see many guests decked out in their ugly sweater holiday best. My teenage son loves the holiday overlays they add to the rides, like Christmas music on Space Mountain, and the interactive character experiences. We love Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and it’s a must-do for your holiday season at Walt Disney World!

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party includes event-exclusive entertainment like the popular Christmas parade, holiday fireworks, rare character meet and greets, and more! Keep reading for a complete guide on offerings to learn more about the festive celebration, ticket information, dates, prices, and more.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2023 Dates and Prices

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party takes place on select dates in November and December at Magic Kingdom. The party is held in Magic Kingdom from 7 PM to midnight but guests can enter Magic Kingdom starting at 4 PM. Magic Kingdom will close to regular daytime guests at 8 PM.

2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Dates

• November: 9, 10, 13, 14, 16, 17, 19, 21, 22, 26, 28, 30
• December: 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22

Tickets go on sale each year to Walt Disney World hotel guests first before being released to the general public. All 2023 tickets are on sale NOW!

To compare Disney Jollywood Nights vs. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, read our guide ranking these two Walt Disney World Christmas parties. 

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Price

Busier days mean more expensive tickets, so if you can, it may be worth it to try to attend early in the season on a weekday and avoid Thanksgiving.

Ticket Prices
Prices vary by event date, with prices usually increasing in December.

• Adult (ages 10 and up): $159 to $199 per ticket, plus tax
• Child (ages 3 to 9): $149 to $189 per ticket, plus tax

Discounts
Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can save $10 per ticket to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, valid for select event nights.

Purchase Tickets Soon
Event tickets go on sale July 6, 2023. Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels can purchase tickets as early as June 29, 2023. This advance purchase window is available to Guests of:

• Disney Resort hotels
• Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
• Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
• Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
• Shades of Green at Walt Disney World Resort

Tickets are limited and may not be available for purchase on the day of the event (or earlier). Tickets are on sale now!

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Entertainment

One of the best parts of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is the event’s exclusive entertainment. My two favorites of this list (below!) are Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade and Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks. These are the two options I recommend you prioritize the most during your party experience!

PRO TIP: One hidden Disney secret that many guests do not know about is that during the week of Christmas, Walt Disney World runs both this parade and fireworks each night so all guests can experience them- not just party ticket guests!

Frozen Holiday Surprise

Frozen Holiday Surprise is the new castle lighting show that is led by Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and Olaf from the popular Frozen film.

This is a seven-minute show that happens each night at 6:15 PM and 8:15 PM so this will take place during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Since it happens nightly, this is available for all guests to view, not just party guests.

Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade

Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade is one of the BEST exclusive party entertainment that is offered. You cannot miss this parade!  The parade includes incredible holiday parade floats with favorite Disney characters in their holiday outfits along with dancing gingerbread men, toy soldiers, Santa Claus, and reindeer.

The holiday parade happens twice during the party and begins in Frontierland and makes its way to Liberty Square, circles in front of Cinderella’s Castle, and heads down Main Street, U.S.A. If you want one of the most coveted parade spots on Main Street or in front of Cinderella’s Castle facing the bridge from Liberty Square then you want to start saving your spot at least 60-90 minutes before parade time.

The less popular spots will be in the Fronterland and Liberty Square areas so if you don’t want to devote as much time to getting a parade spot those are options for getting a good view too. But like with all Disney parades, the second parade show will always be the least crowded.

The parade starts in Frontierland and has two performance times: 8:30 PM and 11:00 PM.

Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks

This fireworks show is hosted by Minnie Mouse herself and celebrates the magic of Christmas featuring well-known Christmas favorites such as “Joy to the World” and “Deck the Halls” to “Up on the House Top” and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.”

Castle projections align with the fireworks show so the best view will be one that includes a good view of Cinderella’s Castle. Guests should plan on saving a spot at least 30 minutes (even earlier on busy part nights) to get a good spot. The nice benefit of fireworks at Walt Disney World is that Cinderella’s Castle offers such a large viewing around that you often do not need to line up that early to get a good spot.

This is one of the entertainment options you should prioritize during the event, the fireworks show is stunning and does a wonderful job incorporating holiday music with Disney callbacks.

Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks takes place at 10 PM.

Fireworks Holiday Dessert Party

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas party also offers two dessert parties to view the holiday fireworks. These parties come with reserved viewing areas to view the holiday fireworks.

Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Dessert Party with Plaza Garden Viewing

This dessert party includes a buffet along with standing area viewing in the East Plaza Garden. The price for adults is $109 per person and $59 for children ages 3 to 9.

The Plaza Garden viewing dessert party includes a buffet with these options:

• Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries and Mini French Silk Pies
• Holiday-inspired sweets, such as Candy Cane Tarts
• A selection of cheeses
• Refreshing beverages—including an assortment of beer and wine for Guests ages 21 and over with a valid form of identification

Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Dessert Party at Tomorrowland Terrace

This dessert party includes a buffet along with seated viewing on the Tomorrowland Terrace. The price for adults is $119 per person and $75 for children ages 3 to 9.

The Tomorrowland Terrace dessert party includes a buffet with these options:

• Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries and Mini French Silk Pies
• Holiday-inspired sweets, such as Candy Cane Tarts
• A selection of cheeses
• Refreshing beverages—including an assortment of beer and wine for Guests ages 21 and over with a valid form of identification

Both dessert parties offer the same foods, the only main difference is the viewing whether you opt for the Plaza Garden standing room only or seated Tomorrowland Terrace viewing.

Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration

Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration is a full-stage show with music, snowfall, holiday songs, and Disney characters in front of Cinderella’s Castle. The show includes a mix of classic and recent popular holiday music and includes Donald and Daisy Duck, Goofy, Pluto, Peter Pan, Snow White, Alice, Jessie and the White Rabbit…. plus more! This show is so fun and plays multiple times throughout the night!

This is a fun show to watch and takes place often during the event so it’s fairly easy to fit into your evening.

The show takes place at 7:40PM, 9:25PM, 10:35PM, 11:55PM on the stage in front of Cinderella’s Castle.

Jingle Junior Jingle Jam

Jingle Junior Jingle Jam is a holiday-themed dance party featuring popular Disney Junior characters like Fancy Nancy, Vampirina, Doc McStuffins, and The Lion Guard.

This show plays multiple times throughout the night and is a great choice for younger kids. This is an easy show to see since you do not need to line up early and it repeats often throughout the party. While this is a fun experience, I do think this entertainment option is something you can skip to prioritize other experiences at the party unless you have Disney Junior fans in your group!

The show takes place throughout the duration of the party at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe.

Club Tinsel

Club Tinsel is a live dance party with a DJ featuring favorite holiday characters like reindeer, polar bears, elves, and more.  While this is a fun experience, I do think this entertainment option is something you can skip to prioritize other experiences at the party!

Club Tinsel takes place intermittently throughout the duration of the party on the Rockettower Plaza Stage in Tomorrowland.

Reindeer Wranglers

The Reindeer Wranglers are a small live band that will be playing country-style holiday tunes as they celebrate with the bears from Country Bear Jamboree in Frontierland.

Performances take place at 7:15 PM, 8:05PM, 9:30 PM, and 11:40 Pm.

Meet-and-Greets at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party also offers a lineup of event-exclusive meet and greets along with the chances to meet popular characters in their holiday attire.

The most popular of all these meet and greets is the chance to meet Jack and Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas on Main Street, U.S.A. in Town Square Theater! The lines for this meet and greet average 90 minutes to two hours on most nights and rarely drop below one hour. While this is a cool meet and greet, I don’t recommend spending such a large chunk of your party time waiting for it. They do allow guests to start lining up before the party starts, this would be the best way to meet them without sacrificing too much party time! Check in with the cast member at this area around 5:30 PM which is usually when they open up the line.

Guests can also meet Mickey Mouse in his holiday outfit on Main Street, U.S.A. in Town Square Theater which is another popular meet and greet but not nearly as packed as the Jack and Sally one! This Mickey Mouse meet and greet does not have an actual PhotoPass photographer but one of the automated cameras. I am personally not a fan of these as the picture quality is not great (you can see the difference if you compare the pictures above!) and you do not get the chance to be as creative with your photos.

Other themed characters to find include Santa Claus in Liberty Square along with Santa Goofy and Scrooge McDuck in the Storybook Circus area.

Here is the full confirmed characters list and their locations for the 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party:

Main Street, U.S.A.

• Mickey Mouse
• Jack Skellington and Sally
• Mary Poppins

Fantasyland

• Alice and the White Rabbit
• Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum
• Winnie the Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger, Piglet
• Ariel and Prince Eric
• Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder
• Cinderella and Prince Charming
• Snow White and Prince
• Aurora and Prince Phillip
• Belle
• Merida

Storybook Circus

• Minnie Mouse
• Donald Duck
• Daisy Duck
• Seven Dwarfs
• Scrooge McDuck
• Santa Goofy

Adventureland 

• Aladdin
• Abu
• Jasmine
• Genie
• Jack Sparrow
• Peter Pan
• Stitch

Frontierland

• Country Bears: Liverlips, Shaker, Wendell, Big Al
• Tiana and Naveen

Liberty Square

• Santa Claus

One of my favorite character experiences at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party was meeting Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum over in Fantasyland. They spent so much time teasing us, even opening my Loungefly to try and steal my Christmas cookies or blocking our faces during pictures. We have never laughed so hard during a character meet and greet and it was such a great memory.

If you ever see these two in Magic Kingdom, take the time to say hi! I think we also got more time with them than we normally would since it was during the party and crowds for characters were low. This is one of the benefits of taking the time to interact with characters during these ticketed events!

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Ride Overlays

One of the best parts of attending Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is experiencing all of the holiday overlays in Magic Kingdom! While Jungle Cruise’s overlay is available to all Walt Disney World guests, four attractions get a special holiday theme just for those attending the party.

• Tomorrowland Speedway- The freeway is decked out with thousands of lights, decor plus a futuristic holiday soundtrack when you ride Tomorrowland Speedway.
• Monster, Inc. Laugh Floor- The monsters will ‘fill their laugh canisters with holiday cheer’ so you can expect a holiday take on this hilarious show.
• Mad Tea Party- Spin your teacup to one of four-holiday combinations of lights and music!
• Jingle Cruise- Jungle Cruise transforms into the Jingle Cruise as the skippers pull out their holiday puns.
• Space Mountain-And arguably, one of the best themes on this list! Space Mountain will be transformed with holiday music and interstellar lightning.

You can expect lines to be longest for these attractions- most of all for Space Mountain. Jingle Cruise is available for daytime guests too so if you’re visiting Magic Kingdom on another day save it for then or when you enter the park at 4 PM go experience it before the party officially begins.

Rides at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Only certain rides stay open during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party which include:

• Town Square Theater
• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• Jingle Cruise
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Splash Mountain
• Haunted Mansion
• It’s a small world
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
• Under the Sea~Journey of The Little Mermaid
• The Barnstormer
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Mad Tea Party
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Princess Fairytale Hall
• Tomorrowland Speedway
• Space Mountain
• Astro Orbiter
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor

The party doesn’t start until 7:00 PM but you can get in beginning at 4:00 PM. We recommend taking advantage of these few hours to focus solely on rides!

TRON Virtual Queue

This year’s Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party will also include access to the new TRON Lightcycle / Run which will use a virtual queue during the event.

An opportunity to request to join the virtual queue will be available at 6:00 PM for Guests attending Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Guests will need to use the My Disney Experience app to enter this attraction. A standby queue for this attraction will not be available during the event. Each Guest can request to enter this virtual queue no more than once per event.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Exclusives

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party features exclusive, themed events that you cannot experience the rest of the year including a holiday fireworks show, a Christmas parade, and special musical performances.

Party guests are usually offered a commemorative take-home, like this 50th Walt Disney World Anniversary poster we received at last year’s party. We also received a commemorative ornament in addition to this poster! Each year the party will offer a commemorative take-home gift that will likely align with the current celebration at the park.

Free Cookies and Coco at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

One of the crowd favorites of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is the all-you-can-eat treat selections found throughout the park at no additional charge. These locations will all offer unlimited pre-packaged holiday cookies, hot coco/cider, beverages, and more.

• Columbia Harbor House – Liberty Square
• Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe – Tomorrowland
• The Lunching Pad – Tomorrowland
• Pinocchio Village Haus – Fantasyland
• Tortuga Tavern – Adventureland

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Open Dining Locations

Only certain dining locations stay open during the party including:

• Main Street Bakery
• Casey’s Corner
• Plaza Ice Cream Parlor
• Aloha Isle
• Sunshine Tree Terrace
• Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe
• Columbia Harbour House
• Liberty Square Market
• Sleepy Hollow
• Gaston’s Tavern
• Storybook Treats
• Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café
• Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies
• Cool Ship

2023 Food Guide to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies

• Reindeer Chow Sundae: Chocolate soft-serve, pretzels, cereal, M&M’S chocolate candies, and hot fudge (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and regular park hours) 
• Lump of Coal in your Stocking: Cookies ‘n cream milk shake topped with whipped cream, cookies ‘n cream crumbles, and a chocolate doughnut hole (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)

Casey’s Corner

• Candy Cane Tart: Chocolate tart filled with peppermint ganache and topped with festive meringue (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)

Cool Ship

• Magic Holiday Tree: Coconut, pecans, and M&M’S chocolate candies on a graham cracker crust (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)

Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe

• Holiday Pot Roast Melt: Slow-cooked beef on thick toast with cheddar and provolone cheese and beef gravy (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)
• Holiday Turkey Burger: Turkey burger topped with traditional stuffing, provolone cheese, and cranberry chutney on a brioche bun (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)
• Christmas Cookie Cake: Christmas cookie cake roll with buttercream and topped with holiday sprinkles (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)

The Friar’s Nook

• Holiday Ham Fried Pie: Flaky pastry filled with baked ham, candied sweet potatoes, and spiced pecans served with pineapple glaze (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)
• Italian Beef Tots: Tots covered in slow-cooked beef, cheese curds, zesty giardiniera, and pot roast gravy (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)
• Peppermint Snowman: Chocolate brownie topped with cookies ‘n cream peppermint mousse (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)
• Winter Milk Shake: Creamy coconut milk shake topped with whipped cream, toasted coconut, cinnamon, and crisp pearls (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)

Golden Oak Outpost

• Orange Gingerbread Shake: Orange cream slushy layered with gingerbread cookie crumbles and topped with whipped cream, gingerbread spice (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)
• Gingerbread Cake layered with cream cheese frosting and dulce de leche ganache topped with a gingerbread man chocolate piece (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)

Main Street Bakery 

• Minnie-shaped Cinnamon Roll: Cinnamon roll topped with red icing, holiday sprinkles, and a chocolate bow (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and regular park hours) 
• Letter To Santa: Flourless chocolate cake, hot cocoa mousse, and marshmallows topped with chocolate pieces (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)

Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe

• Chicken Tamale served “Christmas-style” with mild red chile and green chile-pumpkin seed sauces, cilantro rice, pinto beans, and queso fresco (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)
• Chocolate Eggnog Reindeer: Chocolate tart topped with eggnog mousse and chocolate antlers (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)
• Orange-Cranberry Pineapple Punch with a hint of “smoke” from the fireplace (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)

Plaza Ice Cream Parlor

• Peppermint Brownie Sundae: Peppermint ice cream, hot fudge, and candy cane sprinkles served on a brownie (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and regular park hours) 

Sleepy Hollow Refreshments

• Holiday Waffle Sundae: House-made red velvet waffle topped with M&M’S chocolate candies, peppermint ice cream, and hot fudge (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)
• Milk and Cookies for Santa: Brown sugar cookie cake topped with chocolate chip cookie dough mousse, milk mousse, and chocolate chip cookies (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)

Storybook Treats

• Sugar Plum Sundae: Sugar plum soft-serve atop sugar cookie crumbs and topped with whipped cream, crisp pearls, and cotton candy (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)

Sunshine Tree Terrace

• Santa’s Belt Buckle: Pistachio mousse with a dark chocolate truffle center and a chocolate buckle (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party only)
• Cranberry Citrus Float with Orange-Vanilla Soft-serve Twist: Orange-vanilla soft-serve twist with Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry and fruity boba pearls (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and regular park hours)

Outdoor Vending Locations Near Cinderella Castle 

• Red Velvet Wreath: Doughnut topped with buttercream and holiday sprinkles (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and regular park hours)
• Hot Cocoa Churro: Churro rolled in hot cocoa powder and topped with marshmallows and peppermint candy pieces (New) (Available during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and regular park hours) 

Merchandise at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

The Christmas Party (and Christmastime in general) is a great place to get some holiday shopping done. However, there are some special merchandise picks that are only available during the party, so collectors will definitely want to keep an eye out. Typical party-exclusive items include event apparel, ornaments, trading pins, and MagicBands.

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Thanks for joining us as we explore Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, and Merry Christmas! For current showtimes, see official website.