Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party returns to Magic Kingdom for Walt Disney World’s 2024 holiday season! Here are dates, ticket prices, and details for the hard ticket event–plus our commentary about the likely popularity of MVMCP after every single night sold out last year, what we’d like to see change, and more.
This announcement about 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party dates and details occurred as part of the Disney Parks “Halfway to the Holidays” celebration featuring announcements about Christmas-time on the Cruise Line, Disneyland, and Walt Disney World. As always, there’s the most news about the Florida parks–including the return of Disney Jollywood Nights for its sophomore season.
Before we dig into the details about the fan-favorite Magic Kingdom special event, let’s start with the basics. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (MVMCP) will be held on select nights in Magic Kingdom from early November through the week of Christmas 2024. Here are the official details from Walt Disney World, followed by our commentary about crowds, pricing, etc…
Holiday joy will unfold at Magic Kingdom as Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party takes place on select nights between November 8 and December 20, 2024.
Join Mickey and his pals at the Cinderella Castle stage for the ultimate must-watch Christmas extravaganza – “Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration.” The show features nostalgic and modern medleys of holiday music paired with dance performances.
Minnie Mouse orchestrates a sparkling spectacle over Magic Kingdom as a part of “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks.” Full of holiday magic, the show includes dazzling castle projections, fireworks and seasonal songs.
With his famous flying reindeer leading the way, Santa Claus will join Mickey Mouse and friends in the must-see “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade” as it makes its way through the park.
Speaking of Santa Claus, he isn’t the only one who likes cookies during the holidays. Partygoers can indulge in complimentary cookies and hot cocoa at locations throughout Magic Kingdom–in Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, and beyond.
Nearby, Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Café becomes the coolest place to get down when denizens of the North Pole drop by for an intergalactic dance party! The fun continues for young partygoers and Disney Junior fans of all ages at Storybook Circus during the “Disney Junior Jingle Jam” as Disney Junior characters take part in a fun-filled dance celebration.
Event Dates – The 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will be held in Magic Kingdom on the following nights:
- November – 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 27 and 29
- December – 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19 and 20
Event Times – Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will take place from 7:00 PM to midnight.
Ticket holders will be admitted to Magic Kingdom as early as 4:00 PM on the valid date of their ticket.
Ticket Prices – Event tickets are $169 to $219 per ticket, plus tax (prices vary by event date).
No date by date breakdown has been released yet, but expect the stretch in mid-November to be cheapest, with dates increasing around Thanksgiving and in December closer to Christmas.
Discounts – Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can save $10 per ticket to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party—valid only for the following event nights:
- November – 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21 and 22
- December – 1, 3, and 5
Cast Members can also save on select nights. More details can be found on Cast Life Web or My Disney Today.
Purchase Tickets Soon – Guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels can begin purchasing Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party tickets as early as July 2, 2024—for event dates during their stay. All other Guests may purchase tickets beginning on July 10, 2024.
This advance purchase window is available to Guests of:
- Disney Resorts Collection 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).
Here’s the list of attractions that are expected to be open during the 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, starting with holiday-themed makeovers of fan-favorite attractions:
- Hold on tight as Space Mountain launches you on a journey through the cosmos with high-energy holiday tunes and festive interior lighting.
- Cruise a festive freeway filled with thousands of lights, stylized décor and a fun, futuristic holiday soundtrack as you get behind the wheel on the “Tomorrowland Speedway Race Through the Holidays.”
- Mad Tea Party in Fantasyland becomes a wild and wacky Christmas party––where you can spin your teacup to one of 4 holiday combos of lights and music.
- Get ready to laugh on a Jingle Cruise packed with holiday-themed puns. Jingle Cruise can be enjoyed during the party or all day long at Magic Kingdom park.
- Visit Monstropolis as the crew of Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor puts some “ha ha ha” in their “ho ho ho” with a seasonal show.
Plus, be sure to experience some classic Magic Kingdom attractions, including:
Adventureland
- Pirates of the Caribbean
- The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
- Swiss Family Treehouse
Frontierland
- Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Liberty Square
- Haunted Mansion
Fantasyland
- Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid
- Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
- Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
- “it’s a small world”
- Peter Pan’s Flight
- The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
- Mad Tea Party
Storybook Circus
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant
- The Barnstormer
Tomorrowland
- Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
- Astro Orbiter
- Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
- Tomorrowland Speedway
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
- TRON Lightcycle / Run
There are a couple of unknowns when it comes to rides and the 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, the first being whether TRON Lightcycle Run will use the virtual queue again. We hope not. The new ride smell has worn off–if people want to ride on repeat during the party, let them.
Second, the status of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. It’s also unclear whether it’ll have a virtual queue or standby, and honestly, Walt Disney World probably isn’t quite sure yet. It all depends upon whether the ride reliability and downtime have improved.
The one thing that sticks out about this announcement is that Walt Disney World hasn’t shared any new-for-2024 additions. My hope is that this isn’t the final slate of entertainment. It’s been a bit since Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party had a major refresh, and it’d be nice to see that happen again–especially now that Walt Disney World has new entertainment leadership.
There are a couple of impediments to that, though. The first is that MVMCP has sold out every single event for the last 2 years. If you count the holiday time After Hours replacement event, the last 3 years. So there’s not much of an incentive for Disney to make changes. Guests are responding well to what’s already there.
The second reason is somewhat of an outgrowth of the first: don’t fix what isn’t broken. The reason guests respond well to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is because it’s really good. Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade is an all-time great Disney parade and the Most Merriest Celebration stage show is solid. With that said, the entertainment lineup during MVMCP isn’t as iconic as what’s shown during MNSSHP.
What I would love to see is a modernized Holiday Wishes with projections and other effects. (Maybe a huge inflatable Santa Mickey? Something on par with the Jack Skellington at MNSSHP.) Longtime fans would go crazy for that, and it’s not like anyone would mourn the loss of Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks. Although the fireworks show is newer and has its moments, it’s nothing special. Few fans would be sad to see it go–especially if it were replaced by a superior fireworks show that were both good and hit sentimental high notes.
Failing that, I’d just like to see more new character meet & greets every year. This is another thing Oogie Boogie Bash does well, and I think it would work at Walt Disney World. We’ve been doing MNSSHP for over 15 years, and many of the meet & greets are the same today as when we started.
Maybe an unpopular opinion, but I think the character component has not only gotten stale, but too consistent and predictable. I know Walt Disney World fans crave that, but I think they’d also appreciate some surprises and a ‘you never know what you’re gonna get’ quality. (So long as what you get is cool.) In any case, new costumes for Mickey & Minnie is a good start, as is adding Bruno.
For those keeping score at home, last year’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party was held on 25 select nights, from November 9 through December 22. Meaning there’s the exact same number of dates for the 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party–no increase. This year’s event starts one night earlier, while wrapping up two nights earlier.
Honestly, this is a relief. They already squeezed one too many late season dates into the schedule last year, if you ask me. Ending a couple of nights earlier–before the weekend leading into Christmas week–is the smart and guest-friendly move.
It’s common for Walt Disney World to make events longer and try to squeeze more ticket sales, and “improve” year-over-year numbers…it’s good to see that not happening here. This is probably why they “expanded” to DHS with Disney Jollywood Nights instead of trying to force even more party nights at Magic Kingdom.
Along with this, ticket prices have increased. Last year’s range was $159 to $199, and this year, it’s $169 to $219. This is the first time that Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party has broken the $200 barrier, which Disney had refrained from doing the last couple of years–even though Disney Very Merriest After Hours smashed through it with tickets as expensive as $249 a few years ago. (That was also a fundamentally low capacity event, meaning Walt Disney World sold far fewer tickets to it.)
Now let’s quickly turn to a hot topic: crowds. One of our overlooked stories from last year was Is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Less Crowded?! Honestly, I’m surprised…and a little disappointed…that this wasn’t a bigger deal.
That article seemed to express the consensus view, especially with annual attendees who do Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party every year–or multiple times per year. We heard from readers and friends who had similar experiences.
Of course, this is no guarantee that Walt Disney World will stick with the lower attendance cap for the 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. They could determine that, on balance, guest satisfaction is higher if the events don’t sell out as easily. (Obviously, guest satisfaction is higher among attendees with a lower cap, but that doesn’t account for guests who get shut out.)
We hope that’s not the case, though. Last year really felt like the goldilocks zone for crowds–not too light or too heavy.
With that said, issues with crowds at the Halloween and Christmas parties have been more a matter than distribution of crowds rather than raw numbers. Even the years that were bad, there were still plenty of pockets of lower crowds. (Does it count as a “pocket” when it’s the majority of the park?)
In a nutshell, even though attendance is capped, it doesn’t always feel that way because a disproportionate number of people crowd into the front of the park. The result is that area being packed–directly in front of Cinderella Castle feels downright unsafe between the parade, fireworks, and stage shows–while other areas are practically empty.
Trying to draw event attendees or underutilized areas of Magic Kingdom is precisely why Walt Disney World added the Tomorrowland ride overlays a few years ago. That helped, but the problem persists. (If only there were an actual theater back in Tomorrowland. Oh wait.)
Which brings us to the next common question or concern among readers: when will tickets to the 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party sell out?
There was a significant amount of unsatisfied demand for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in both of the last two years. It’s impossible to say how much higher Walt Disney World could’ve priced last year’s MVMCP tickets and still sold out every night. Could the starting price have been $199 and the maximum been $249?
We’ll never know–but my guess is those numbers would have pushed the upper limit, and resulted in far more guests balking at pricing. With a price range of $169 to $219, I don’t think they’ll have much issue selling out the entire season of the 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
Regardless, you do NOT need to worry about 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party tickets selling out…yet. If you’re reading this when the announcement is first being made during Halfway to the Holidays, you have absolutely nothing to worry about.
Even with last year setting the record for sold out dates, nothing was gone until September 19, which is when the cheapest date of the year (and second party) sold out. Following that, a scattering of additional dates sold out in late September and another batch were gone by the end of October. All Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party dates sold out by November 20.
In other words, the 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is not going to sell out within days of tickets going on sale. That applies to both the presale window and the general public window. We honestly have no idea whether the 2024 MVMCP will sell slower or faster than last year, but either way, you don’t need to book a resort reservation for the early access window–or even be up early on the general public sales date. Tickets won’t sell out then–this is not Oogie Boogie Bash at Disneyland.
With that said, the popularity of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in the last couple of years should not be minimized as a relic of its time frame or an anomaly. Nor should you assume that the situation is dire. This is a return to reality from the stratospheric levels of pent-up demand–a normalization and not a catastrophe. The holiday season is still the biggest time of year for Walt Disney World, and the company is pulling “levers” to entice more bookings, not sounding a five-alarm fire.
Even back in 2019, about half of all Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party dates sold out. Granted, the prices were significantly “cheaper” back then…but those are air quotes around cheaper since that was not the perception at the time. Prices reached record highs that year, up significantly as compared to only a few years prior. So it’s all relative.
In other words, there are explanations for the popularity of last year’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party that may not apply in 2024. However, it would be foolish to forecast significantly lower sales as a result; there were many factors driving the popularity of MVMCP, and at least some of those will once again be present in 2024, just as they were in 2019 and years prior to that.
Ultimately, we’re looking forward to the 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Like so many Walt Disney World fans, attending MVMCP is a holiday season tradition for us, and this will be our first year going as a family of three. So hopefully the weather cooperates and we can do fun and festive Christmas ‘costumes’ for MVMCP.
Beyond that, my hopes for the 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party are two-fold. First, that not as many dates sell out and that there are more manageable crowd levels and breathing room as a result. (If Disney Jollywood Nights ends up cannibalizing MVMCP ticket sales to some extent, that’d be fine by us.) Second, that at least a few new things are added to the event roster this year. (Which, in theory, would also help with the first point.) As discussed above, MVMCP is starting to get a bit stale and could use a refresh. Don’t fix what isn’t broken, but there’s still plenty that could be updated or changed.
If you’re already planning ahead and thinking about when to do the 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, your best bet from a low crowds perspective is attending on a Tuesday night. If you’re a local with even more flexible dates, attending one of the earlier events in November (but not the very first night) is your best bet for avoiding the crowds. Of course, that assumes not every date will sell out; if last year was any indication, that might be an overly bold assumption.
For more details about the substance of the event, strategy, and a review of whether it’s worth the money, see our comprehensive Guide to the 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
What are your thoughts about all of this? Excited for the 2024 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party? Will your family be buying or sitting this holiday event out? What are your thoughts on ticket prices, demand, crowd levels, or the likelihood of the 2024 MVMCP selling out to the same extent as last year? Do you agree or disagree with our perspective on this? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
