2022 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Select Nights November – Mid-December 2022

2022 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Info

Ticket Information New for 2022 Essential Info for Attending Entertainment Schedule Tips Party Backstory

The Magic Kingdom will be transformed into a winter wonderland for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Snow will magically fall on Main Street, Mickey and friends will be garbed in seasonal apparel, and Cinderella Castle will light up with holiday projections. You won’t want to miss the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party’s special fireworks show Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show which is set to your favorite traditional holiday music. The special, enchanting holiday parade, Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade, will take place twice an evening during the party. Guests may also attend live Disney character stage shows at select locations throughout the Magic Kingdom, ride park attractions under the stars, and enjoy free hot cocoa, cookies, and other great treats.

Special entertainment includes the dance party, Club Tinsel at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe in Tomorrowland, both with live DJs. A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas, a high energy Christmas bash with Buzz Lightyear, Mike Wazowski, Stitch, dancers and singers, occurs multiple times throughout the night on the Tomorrowland Stage. The Fab Five and other Disney characters appear in their holiday finery in the Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration stage show on Castle Forecourt Stage.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a special event held each winter on select nights at Magic Kingdom theme park. Purchase of an event admission ticket is required to attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Separate theme park admission is not required to attend the party, nor is your party ticket connected to your Disney theme park admission ticket in any way. Purchasing your tickets to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in advance is strongly recommended.

2022 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Ticket Information

2022 Dates:

• November: 8, 10, 11,, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 21, 22, 27, 29
• December: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22

Time: All parties are from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. Guests may link their special-event tickets in their My Disney Experience accounts. Typically, party-goers can enter the park as early as 4 p.m. on the day of the party using just their party ticket or linked-MagicBands. While Disney does not generally publicize this information, for years it has had an “early entry” policy as a means of staggering the crowd entering the Magic Kingdom on party nights and preventing a backup at the gates at the start of the party. While you are not “technically” guaranteed early entry with your party ticket, to date, we have not heard of a single person with only a party ticket for admittance being turned away after 4 p.m. Wrist bands are distributed at the gate and can also be picked up at the Rose Garden near the castle hub (and other park locations) beginning at 4:00 p.m. The party goes on rain or shine, and there are no refunds for inclement weather.

2022 General Public Tickets Prices (tax not included)

General Information: Generally, the party right before Christmas is not only the most expensive Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party ticket, but will also be the most crowded. If you are looking for a discount, purchasing in advance is the best possible discount for the general public. The number of tickets for each party is limited and events often sell out early. All tickets purchased within 10 days of event will be available for pick up at the Will Call Window at Guest Relations or emailed as an e-ticket.

Annual Passholder & DVC Member Tickets Prices (tax not included)

Annual Passholder and DVC Member Discount Tickets are available for advance purchase for select dates and this discount will not be available the day of the event. Specially priced tickets are available for Passholders. Annual Passholders can call (407) 560-PASS for additional information. Annual Passholders who purchased online must show a valid Passholder ID at park entrance for each ticket or pass purchased. Disney Vacation Club members must call Member Services at (800) 800-9800 to purchase.
-Passholders can purchase for themselves and up to 3 Guests.
-DVC Members can purchase for themselves and up to 5 Guests.

New for 2022

• 3 new interactive photo locations inviting you to step right into a very merry scene that can double as your holiday card
• Commemorative 50th Anniversary holiday-themed keepsake

Essential Info for Attending

Rides and Attractions

Guests have unlimited use of popular attractions such as The Haunted Mansion, Splash Mountain, Big Thunder Railroad, Pirates of the Caribbean, Dumbo, Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, and many more. Keep in mind that not all attractions will be open during the party. Lines will be the shortest during the two parades and after the Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show when many families with young children leave the park. Here is a complete list of attractions that will be open during the party:

Main Street U.S.A.

• Candy Cane Garden – Meet Santa Claus
• Town Square Theater – Meet Mickey Mouse
• Town Square Theater – Meet Tinkerbell

Adventureland

• Jungle Jingle Cruise
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• Swiss Family Treehouse

Frontierland

• Splash Mountain
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Country Bear Jamboree

Liberty Square

• Haunted Mansion

Fantasyland

• Princess Fairytale Hall – Meet Cinderella and Princess Eleana
• Princess Fairytale Hall – Meet Rapunzel and Tiana
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Prince Charming Regal Carousel
• Mad Tea Party
• it’s a small world
• Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Barnstormer
• Dumbo

Tomorrowland

• Tomorrowland Speedway
• Space Mountain
• Astro Orbiter
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover

Food

Dining is available at select counter service and snack locations throughout the park, but is very limited once the party begins. It’s probably wise to eat your main evening meal prior to attending the party.

There are many sweet treats that are available during the holiday season. There will also be exclusive Christmas-themed specialty treats that are made specifically for the season including Premium holiday popcorn buckets and  souvenir holiday mugs.

Traditionally Open Dining Locations:

• Casey’s Corner
• Main Street Bakery
• Plaza Ice Cream Parlor
• Aloha Isle
• Pecos Bill’s Tall Tale Inn – until 11:00 p.m.
• Liberty Square Market – until 9:00 p.m.
• Sleepy Hollow
• Columbia Harbor House – until 8:00 p.m.
• Gaston’s Tavern – until 10:00 p.m.
• Storybook Treats
• Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe
• The Lunching Pad
• Auntie Gravity’s Galactic Goodies
• Snack Carts

Dessert Party

Guests may also choose to take part in the Fireworks Holiday Dessert  Party. With this package, Guests can enjoy a private dessert party with views of the Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show. Guests will be able to dine on holiday-themed cupcakes and desserts, chocolate-dipped strawberries, chocolate mousse, ice cream, cheeses and fresh, seasonal fruits. Beverages will include sparkling cider, signature lemonades, specialty Halloween drinks, hot chocolate, coffee or tea.

There are two options that Guests can choose from. The Fireworks Holiday Dessert Party at Tomorrowland Terrace features reserved seating throughout the experience—both during the dessert party and the fireworks. This version costs $84 for adults or $50 for children (ages 3 to 9), plus tax.  The second option is the Fireworks Holiday Dessert Party with Plaza Garden Viewing. This choice features reserved seating during the dessert party and a reserved standing area during the fireworks. This experience is $69 plus tax for Guests ages 10 and older, and $41 plus tax for Guests ages 3 to 9. Call (407) 939-3463 to reserve your dessert party package or book online.

Guests who have purchased either Dessert Party may check in beginning at 4:00 p.m. at the Tomorrowland Terrace Restaurant where they will receive their credentials.

Holiday Treat Locations

Don’t forget to enjoy free holiday treats at select locations. There will be a variety of new treats for Guests to enjoy – not just the traditional hot chocolate and snickerdoodle cookies. If you’re looking for healthy choices, apple slices and apple juice are available, as well as sugar-, nut- and gluten-free options. Ask about alternative choices at the treat locations. Treat stations are open until 12:00 a.m. There is no limit to how many times you can visit the treat stations, so enjoy as much as you like.

Merchandise

Holiday merchandise is available at the Emporium on Main Street U.S.A and other shops throughout the Magic Kingdom. Items like limited-edition Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (MVMCP) trading pins, MagicBands, apparel (youth & adult sizes) and other party-exclusive merchandise can go quickly and should be purchased early. Otherwise, save the shopping for last or another day. Most holiday merchandise is available throughout the Holiday season and is not unique to the parties. Party-exclusive merchandise is available at the following locations:

• Main Street, U.S.A. – Emporium
• Storybook Circus – Big Top Souvenirs
• Tomorrowland – Mickey’s Star Traders
• Frontierland – Frontier Trading Post (pins)

2022 Entertainment Schedule

Magic Kingdom Holiday Projection Show

• The Magic Kingdom Holiday Projection show takes place throughout the evening and it transforms the castle into different holiday inspired themes. The Magic Kingdom Holiday Projections are something that you do not want to miss! They are simply stunning!

Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade

•  8:30 p.m. & 11:00 p.m., steps off from Frontierland
  The parade features all of your favorite holiday classics, including snowmen, dancing reindeer, Disney characters, tin toy soldiers, and of course, Santa! It’s a fun and fanciful romp! (Also, be prepared as this parade pipes in some fantastic scents, like peppermint, evergreen trees, and gingerbread!) For the best view, make sure to be standing on Main Street, about halfway down the street. You don’t want to be too close to the castle. In addition, guests can expect to see Anna and Elsa, plus Kristoff and Olaf will appear in the parade.

Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show

• 10:00 p.m. – Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show, this new show is designed to celebrate the magic of Christmas with medleys of beloved holiday songs. Songs that will be features will include favorites like “Joy to the World,” “Up on the House Top, ” “Deck the Halls,”  and “We Wish You A Merry Christmas.” The show’s theme will be about celebrating the home and family, as well as the festive fun that is had during the season. With projection mapping and an incredible finale, this will be a can’t miss experience.

Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration

• stage show (Castle Stage) – 7:40 p.m., 9:25 p.m., 10:30 p.m. and 11:55 p.m.
  This stage show features your favorite Disney characters, like Mickey, Minnie, Donald, and Goofy, plus Woody and Jessie from Toy Story, Peter Pan, Snow White, and many more!

A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas

• (Rockettower Plaza Stage) – 7:45 p.m., 8:35 p.m., 9:25 p.m., 10:45 p.m., and 11:35 p.m.
  This trio of Buzz Lightyear, Mike Wazowski, and Stitch band together to fight holiday doldrums across the galaxy in a jolly musical revue. The show features many rockin’ versions of different classic Christmas anthems.

Club Tinsel

• dance party (Cosmic Ray’s in Tomorrowland) – 7:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Characters

• Main Street U.S.A. – Santa Claus, Mickey Mouse; Jack Skellington as Sandy Claws
• Adventureland – Aladdin, Jasmine, Genie and Abu, Captain Jack Sparrow, Moana, Peter Pan
• Frontierland – Country Bears
• Liberty Square – Mary Poppins and Bert
• Fantasyland – Ariel, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Belle, Pooh and Friends, Seven Dwarfs, Snow White, Aurora, Elena of Avalor, Minnie Mouse, Scrooge McDuck, Donald and Daisy, Santa Goofy, Tiana and Naveen.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Tips

Do a little advance planning before and after purchasing Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party tickets. Generally, “Premium Ticket” parties are not only more expensive, but will also be the most crowded parties. Other dates offer a savings, so plan accordingly. Typically, Tuesday parties are the less crowded than parties that occur on other days of the week. If you’re on the fence about attending, consider that the Magic Kingdom usually closes earlier during party dates, and this may be one of your few opportunities to be in the Magic Kingdom after 9 p.m. during your trip. Since you can enter the Magic Kingdom as early as 4 p.m. with your party ticket, you may want to make Advance Dining Reservations at a Magic Kingdom restaurant for dinner. Table Service restaurants book up early on party nights so book as far in advance as possible. You can book up to 190 days out if you are staying at a Walt Disney World resort, and 180 days in advance otherwise. Allow yourself enough time to finish eating before the party begins. If you’re planning on eating at a Quick Service restaurant prior to the party, be aware that some restaurants may close earlier than expected. This is especially true for Quick Service restaurants that will not be opened during the party – some closing as early as 5-5:30 p.m. on party nights.

If you’ll be attending Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and are also purchasing Magic Your Tickets for your trip, you may want to skip purchasing an admission day for your party date. Earlier in the day would make a wonderful time to visit some of the Deluxe resorts to check out the decorations and even some of the holiday activities. You can find a few suggestions listed on our holiday page. If your tickets are more than 3 days in length, you may find this only reduces your costs by $10, but if you really won’t be able to visit a theme park on party day, that’s a savings you could put toward your Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party ticket. And remember, you can enter the Magic Kingdom as early as 4 p.m. using nothing but your Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party ticket.

To help prepare for the late night, try to relax or even take a nap in the afternoon before Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Then arrive a little early to dine or to review the special party map and guide and decide what everyone in your party would enjoy doing. Be sure to be in the park by 6:15 p.m. to catch “A Frozen Holiday Wish” on the castle stage. This short show sees Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, and even Olaf who are visiting the kingdom, when Elsa uses her magic to bring a great surprise. What follows is “Castle Dream Lights”, featuring over 200,000 twinkling lights draping the castle to create a shimmering ice palace. Make sure to dress appropriately. There are no refunds for inclement weather so if rain is in the forecast, bring a rain poncho if you have one. Ponchos can also be purchased in the park. Check the temperature the day of the party. Evenings in November and especially December can require a sweatshirt or light jacket, or even better, one of those special holiday sweaters. Come dressed for the occasion!

Those attending Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will be given a wrist band as they enter the park through a designated turnstile. If you entered the park prior to wrist bands being distributed, you may also obtain a wrist band after 4:00 p.m. in select locations by showing your Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party ticket. There are different color bands for each party night. Make sure you do not remove your Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party wrist band. Cast Members do check for wrist bands, and without one, you will not be able to get on rides, meet characters, enter stores, purchase food or do anything else after 6:00 p.m. If you are spotted without a wrist band, you will be asked to leave the park once the party has started. There are no exceptions. If you don’t have a ticket but would like to stay in the park and attend the party, you can check at City Hall to see if tickets are available for that particular evening. Some parties do sell out in advance, but if tickets are available, they may be purchased at City Hall without exiting the park.

Make to make a stop at the Jungle Jingle Cruise. This holiday-themed attraction sees the skippers homesick during the holidays. They have decorated the queue house and the boats in celebration. In addition, they were planning to have some decorations shipped, but they didn’t quite land in the correct destination.

Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a “must see,” with gingerbread men, elves, snowmen, wooden soldiers, Snow White waltzing with her Prince, Chip and Dale’s snowball fighting, snowflakes skating and of course, Santa himself. If you’ll be experiencing the parade for the very first time, do try to get a seat on Main Street U.S.A. where it will be snowing all evening, you are immersed in holiday decorations and lighting, and can enjoy pre-parade entertainment while you’re waiting. If you can snag a location looking straight down Main Street, the shimmering ice castle makes a beautiful backdrop as the parade approaches and is great for taking photos or video. If you prefer less heavy crowds, look for a spot in Frontierland or Liberty Square. The second parade tends to be less crowded than the first.

The Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party fireworks are the 360 degree fireworks, over the castle and around the perimeter of the park, and they are incredible. Fog has even been added show. The clouds of gray mist hover just over the top of Cinderella’s Castle and often mix with lower fireworks creating a rainbow of hues in the sky. Try to stand somewhere so that you have an unobstructed view of the sky around the Magic Kingdom. Plus, the fireworks are scored to some favorite Christmas songs.

Don’t overlook the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party special shows such as A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas (Tomorrowland Stage) and Celebrate the Season (Castle Stage). Other than the approximately two weeks between when Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party ends and New Year’s Eve, you won’t be able to see them anywhere else! “Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration” takes place on the Castle Stage and features Mickey who has invited his friends over for an unforgettable Christmas party filled with classic and contemporary holiday tunes, lively dancing and singing, and seasonal festivities. You’ll want to arrive early to get a spot for that one.

Character meet & greet locations are marked on the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party maps. You can pick up a special Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party map as you enter the park. A small flashlight will help to read the map at night. The areas where Photopass photographers take photos can get quite crowded, especially the character meet & greets. And speaking of characters, this will be a unique opportunity to get photos of Disney characters in their holiday attire, as well as with some rare Disney characters, such as the 7 Dwarfs (most popular, so get in line for this first and early); the Disney Princesses, and possibly Scrooge McDuck. Try to get a few photos done when the party first starts or towards the end of the night. And don’t forget to bring your own camera so you don’t miss that special shot in case there is no Photopass photographer around. Many characters will be unavailable to meet during the parade since they will be taking part in the parade.

While it’s possible to meet Santa Claus at the party, lines can sometimes be long. Just remember that Santa is also available for meet and greets during the day at the Magic Kingdom throughout the holiday season. Santa can be found at Candy Cane Garden next to City Hall. Since Santa also appears in the Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade, he will not be available to meet during either parade performance.

A meet and greet opportunity with Jack Skellington dressed as Sandy Claws takes place during the party. This meet-and-greet opportunity is very popular, so make sure to get in line early.

For even more than usual character interaction, be sure to attend the character dance party during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.  At Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe’s “Club Tinsel” kids can get down with an energetic DJ to learn some new line dances. If it’s a cold night, these are always a great way to warm up and grab some cookies and cocoa. No meets or autographs are available at dance parties.

If you’re not into meeting characters or Dance Parties, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a great time to ride as many rides as possible. Most of the best rides will be operating and since Disney limits attendance to the parties (unofficially, we hear attendance is capped at 25,000), lines are usually short throughout most of the night – even when the party is a sellout.

Don’t forget to stop and smell the poinsettias. The Magic Kingdom decorations are lovely this time of year with garland hung down Main Street and snow gently falling. There are 2 great photo opportunities heading down Main Street, the first is in Town Square with the wooden toy soldiers, and the second is in the hub area in front of one of the poinsettias trees. The Emporium windows on Main Street USA are decorate with an animated “Mickey’s Christmas Carol” theme. Holiday music plays through out the park with pieces themed to each land, and in recent years, Disney has been using special lighting effects on buildings and pavements to add to the holiday decor during the parties.

Photopass photographers offer special photo opportunities during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

Cast Members have been known to hand out treats to guests leaving the park. Ghirardelli peppermint squares have been distributed to guests in the past and they are so yummy!

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Story

For the first time, Disney is now offering a back-story for its Christmas party events and it goes something like this…

Once upon a Christmas time
In a far-off magic land
A merry little party
Got a little out of hand…

It began when Goofy goofed
And curled a ribbon too curly
Which set off a certain duck
Who was notoriously surly

So Minnie grabbed the scissors
And, being the holiday pro
Re-curled the curly ribbon
Into a gigantic big red bow!

Everyone was cheering
When Donald Duck spoke up
‘Sure, the bow is merry
But is it merry enough?’

The party grew dead quiet
Then Daisy said at last
‘Why, such a grand ribbon
Needs a gift to match!’

So Pluto fetched a grand piano
And placed the bow on top
But when it wouldn’t fit beneath the tree
They knew they’d have to swap

The new tree was all trimmed
When Donald Duck spoke up
‘Sure the tree is merry
But is it merry enough?’

They added twice the garland
Four time as many lights
But then a strange thing happened
Everything else looked half as bright!

So they strung a few more bulbs
Half a million or so
Until Cinderella Castle
Was perfectly aglow!

The entire party was glittering
When Donald Duck spoke up
‘Sure, the lights are merry
But are they merry enough?’

Santa flew in quite promptly
For such a ‘busy’ man
He brought eight dancing reindeer
And entire North Pole caravan

He surveyed the party quickly
Gave a hearty ho, ho, ho!
And within a couple seconds
All around was falling snow!

Everyone was twirling
Until Donald Duck spoke up
‘Sure, the snow is merry
But is it merry enough?’

Soon Chip was making cookies
Dale was baking treats
As real toy soldiers stretched
For their big march down Main Street

The fireworks were about to burst
When at last the Host spoke up
The party grew dead quiet
Yes, even Donald Duck

And they waited…

‘Why, this isn’t merry at all!’
Mickey Mouse exclaimed
‘This Christmas is Very Merry!’
And so his party was named

Click here to download and print Disney’s keepsake version of this story.