14 Tips for Enjoying Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2015

Hi everyone!

We attended the first two Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party nights of 2015. The tips are similar to our 2014 article, but there are changes from year to year, so I always write a new list. And enjoy the lighting around the Magic Kingdom, I think it is better than ever. Here are our tips for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2015! All photos and video were taken by us over 2 nights, and we have 120 photos in another article from after the first Party.

Reindeer in Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade

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We posted our Mousesteps Weekly #166 all about Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Our 14 tips follow.

Plan Ahead – You can’t do it all in one evening. There are many characters available to meet, but also stage shows, Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, and Holiday Wishes fireworks. Most attractions are open, including the Jingle Cruise – and generally with little wait. Decide what is most important before arriving.

Scrooge McDuck and Donald Duck

Arrive Early – While the Party itself begins at 7:00 p.m., guests can enter on their Party ticket at 4:00 p.m. – and there are things that can be done before 7:00 p.m., including meeting Jack Skellington as Sandy Claws.

Pick Up Your Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom Card – The souvenir card features Olaf and the snowgies this year. It can be picked up beginning at 4:00 p.m at the Main Street Fire Station.

Olaf and Snowgies

Meet Jack as Sandy Claws from 5:00 p.m. – Head back to Storybook Circus before 5:00 p.m. and you won’t use valuable Party time for this popular meet and greet! We arrived just before 5 and were done by 5:30 p.m. Nearby there are other characters – including Scrooge McDuck and Minnie Mouse – who meet beginning at 7:00 p.m. We got in line during the second Party before 7:00 p.m. and were done there by 7:30 p.m. The Seven Dwarfs are always popular too, and that is another line to get in early (though they won’t arrive much before Party start time).

Meet a Reindeer! – One of our favorite meet and greets of the night was meeting one of Santa’s reindeer and one of the elves.

Meeting one of Santa’s Reindeer and an Elf

Ride the Jingle Cruise – We rode twice on the second Party night – once just before the Party began, and once near the end of the evening – the latter was a walk-on with an almost empty boat. The jokes are better than ever for 2015 than in previoius years.

Jingle Cruise

Eat Dinner First – We made the most of our time by having dinner around 6 p.m., instead of during the Party. Cosmic Rays offers some nice counter service choices.

See “A Frozen Holiday Wish” – “A Frozen Holiday Wish” is the current Cinderella Castle lighting show (guests from 2007 – 2013 will remember “Cinderella’s Holiday Wish”). Elsa lights the castle – and whether you love Frozen or not, it is a show to see, culminating in the lighting of Cinderella Castle. It is performed both before Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party to day guests and once during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

Meet Talking Mickey in his Christmas Attire – Mickey has jokes to tell and holiday wishes to share! The line can be 5 minutes or 45 minutes, we met him just after Holiday Wishes fireworks and waited 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy Holiday Treats – Included in the Party ticket are sugar cookies, hot chocolate, apple slices and apple juice. Check your map for locations and times!

Holiday Treats

Don’t Miss “A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas”, preceded by Voiceplay – “A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas” is a must-see for me each year, it is a fun show featuring Buzz Lightyear, Mike Wazowski, and Stitch dressed as Santa. Hosted by Haley Comet, is a different take on the holidays. The group Voiceplay is new this year, singing holiday carols before 4 shows.  For a more traditional seasonal offering, “Celebrate the Season” is performed in front of Cinderella Castle 3 times per night.

A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas

Pick a Great Spot for Holiday Wishes – The perimeter fireworks are generally seen best from closer to Cinderella Castle (like from Main Street near Casey’s Corner) than back further, where buildings will partially block the view. The Main Street Train Station may also be a good location, though the Christmas tree is up this year and will block some of the view. “Celebrate the Magic” plays first, and you won’t want to miss the holiday tag!

Holiday Wishes

View the Second Parade (as long as weather permits) – The second parade is always much less busy than the first, though it rained during the first Party and the second parade was delayed for an hour – and there were some changes to accomodate the wet pavement. It was one of the only times I remember rain in my 20 years of attending Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. As long as the weather forecast is a go, the second parade is my recommendation. Watching it from Main Street or from in front of the Christmas tree is the most magical way to see it, but Frontierland will get you finished the quickest if you want to head back to other areas of the Party.

Stay Late – Many guests leave after fireworks, and even more after the second parade. The second half of the evening is the less crowded time, even though it isn’t as empty as it used to be. The Main Street Emporium has been staying open after midnight for shoppers, hopefully that continues through the season.

Cinderella Castle Lit in Ice

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Lighting

Have fun! While you can’t do everything, you can pick several key elements of the Party that are most important, and then fit anything else you can in. It is a festive event, and we always enjoy it. Dates for this year are:

November 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 29.
December 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18.

Day guests will be able to enjoy elements of the Party, including Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade and Holiday Wishes from December 19th through the remainder of the year.