With the first “Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party” right around the corner, we thought it would be a great time to share our pro tips on how to get the most out of your party ticket! If you’ve never been to a party, or maybe it’s been a few years, we know you’ll be glad you saved this post to reference when you’re heading to the park! Let’s dive in; we are SO excited for the most magical time of the year!
Schedule your party day as a rest day. We highly recommend you do not book another park during the day of the party for a few reasons! First off, the party will run until midnight, which means your group will need to rest up and save their energy for a late night in the Magic Kingdom! Second, your party ticket comes with early park admission, allowing guests to scan into the park at 4:00 p.m., even though the party doesn’t begin until 7:00 p.m. This gives you an extra 3 hours to enjoy the Magic Kingdom as a regular guest! Relax and have a nice meal during the day, then get ready for the party and make the most of your ticket entry time!
Get a party map (& and an extra one!). The map is the key to making sure you don’t miss anything! The very first thing we do is grab a map and plan out our course! Find where the food you want to sample, which attractions have holiday overlays, etc.!
Take advantage of the free cookies & hot chocolate. Again, your map is your best friend here! Free cookie and hot chocolate stations will be marked along the map; each station will have different kinds of cookies to collect! (these are all included in the price of your ticket!)
Plan out your entertainment times in advance. Your party map will list out the parade times, castle show times, and of course the fireworks! While there will only be one fireworks showing, there are typically multiple parade and castle show times. Our biggest tip is to keep an eye on the weather! If there is a chance of rain, make sure you plan your parade and castle show times around it; you don’t want to wait for the last showings and the weather cancel them!
Get in line for character Meet & Greet’s BEFORE the party starts. Lines will start at least an hour prior to the party beginning! If there is a character you cannot miss out on, then we recommend queuing up for it well in advance to avoid wasting too much party time standing in line. Characters lines are always extremely long at these events, so check your map & get in line first thing!
Purchase party-exclusive merchandise right away. It’s no secret that merch is a hot commodity and these events! Items tend to sell out, and the Emporium on Main Street will be a madhouse during the party. Be sure to grab what you want right at 7:00 p.m. to avoid any disappointment. If the Emporium sells out of something you wanted, there is usually a second retail shop in the park selling party-exclusive merchandise. (Last time, it was Star Traders in Tomorrowland, so check there or ask a merchandising cast member!)
Skip meeting Santa. This tip is only encouraged for guests who plan to visit EPCOT after Thanksgiving! The weekend after Thanksgiving, the Festival of the Holidays will begin at EPCOT. Guests can meet Santa in the Odyssey building for most of the day during this festival. It makes sense to save your time during the party to do something else, and save Santa for your EPCOT day; the line is typically very long and a time drainer! Check your My Disney Experience App for times to meet Santa at EPCOT.
Buy your tickets in advance & make sure they’re linked. This may seem like a no-brainer, but do not wait til the last minute to buy your party tickets! These special ticketed events are so popular and will likely sell out. As soon as you know your travel dates, secure your tickets. After purchasing, be sure to go into your My Disney Experience account and assign, click on tickets & passes, and assign your party tickets to each individual person who is attending. This will make entering the park much smoother & faster!
Have a MERRY & MAGICAL Time!
Are you ready to book your Disney vacation? Leave all the details to our friends at Academy Travel Agency & let one of their Disney experts take it from here! Just click here to select your Disney destination of choice, fill out the quick & easy questionnaire, and your personalized, free agent will be in touch soon! Take a look around our website in the meantime, and read all about resorts, cruises, dining, entertainment & more! Be sure to follow us @thekingdominsider on Instagram & The Kingdom Insider on Facebook for updates & Insider info on what’s not to be missed! Get excited, the countdown to your vacation is ON!
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