Mickey's Halloween and/or Christmas Party

by Jennifer
(Georgia)

Hi Dad! I love your take on things. What fun you are to read! Everybody needs a Dad like Dad!

We love Disney and go about once/year. We are planning on going back to Walt Disney World with our 2 1/2 and 4 year old boys sometime soon....either late October or early November/early December. We're last minute planners due to my hubby's unique work schedule.

Anyhoo, we will likely be there when either Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party or Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party will be going on. Since our kids are so young, we will not be buying the tickets to stay late for the party....it's too late at night for our young boys to enjoy.

So, what happens if we are at Magic Kingdom and it's the night of the party. I'm assuming they kick everybody out by a certain time and only let people with tickets come back in? Does this mean we cannot see the parade and/or fireworks during our visit? My kids really want to see them, but we don't want to pay to go to the party JUST to see the fireworks.

We have park-hopper tickets, so I guess we could always just leave when they kick us out and go watch fireworks at one of the other parks. But there's something magical about the fireworks plus castle equation to my kids. Any thoughts???

Mmmm? Halloween or Christmas?
Photo by Don Sullivan	Photo by Express Monorail

Dad's why not both Answer

Jennifer,

What a dilemma you face. And or course Dad has the Perfect answer.

First, let's get rid of the question about how the parties and what happens. If you are in the Magic Kingdom on a day of either of the parties, at 6:00, Disney Cast Members will ask you to leave the park. You won't be allowed on any more rides without a party ticket. You can't see the parades or fireworks on those nights.

However, the parties aren't every night. Parties are usually only scheduled 3 nights per week. (Sometimes 4 but usually 3.) That way you can go to the Magic Kingdom on any night other than party night and experience everything. So you'll be able to see the regular Wishes show without going to the party.

You won't however be able to see the holiday version of Wishes or the night parade without buying a party ticket. There is a lot more to the parties than just the fireworks shows.

At Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, your kids will get to Trick or Treat their way around the world. They also will see the "Boo to You" Parade (a bit scary for younger ones). Yes, the Halloween version of Wishes is pretty special, but you're right that alone is not enough to pay extra for the party.

Dad's Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party page

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is about the same as the Halloween Party with hot chocolate and cookies in place of the Trick or Treating. You have the parade and Holiday Wishes which are both really good. But again, it's not worth the extra money just for the shows.

Dad's Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party page

Are the parties worth it? Not really but they are fun. If you want to see the holiday fireworks shows, you can always watch them from the beach at the Polynesian Resort.

Now as to when to go, I'd say go at a time where you can see both the Halloween Decorations and the Christmas Decorations. The first week of November the Magic Kingdom magically transforms from Halloween to Christmas. It usually happens over a 3 day period starting on November 2. If you plan to arrive on October 28 and stay for a week you can see the transformation. Go to the Magic Kingdom on the 29th (no party that night) and then go back on your last day. You'll see how magical the transformation is. Plus, all the other parks will get decorated around that time.

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Dad's Bottom Line

Christmas and Halloween are great times to visit Walt Disney World. It doesn't matter if you go to the parties or not. (I like the parties, but they are way too expensive for what you get.) Crowds are pretty much the same from the middle of October to the middle of November.