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Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

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Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
Magic Kingdom
Opening date1983; 41 years ago (1983)[1]
Ride statistics
Attraction typeSeasonal Event
ThemeChristmas and holiday season
SeasonNovember–December
OwnerDisney Parks
WebsiteOfficial website

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is a Walt Disney World event hosted at Magic Kingdom in Orlando, Florida on select evenings from 7:00 pm to midnight in November and December leading up to Christmas. It features several activities such as a parade, dance parties, character meet-and-greets, and complimentary treat stations.[2]

History

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Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party debuted in 1983.[3]

In 2014, the show A Frozen Holiday Wish replaced an earlier show that featured Cinderella and her Fairy Godmother.[4][5]

The show on the stage in front of Cinderella Castle was Celebrate the Season until 2016, when it was replaced by Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration Stage Show.

From 2003 until November 8, 2019, a holiday edition of the Wishes fireworks show, Holiday Wishes, occurred during the party.[6] It included a medley of the original Wishes soundtrack with some Christmas season songs mixed in. The show started with Tinker Bell flying over the castle with narration by Jiminy Cricket. In addition, a lighting display was projected onto the castle, illuminating it in green so that it resembled a Christmas tree, and featuring Santa Claus.

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party did not take place in 2020 or 2021, because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, a Very Merry After Hours Event was held in its place.[7] Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party returned in 2022, as part of Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary celebration,[3][8][9] and held in 2023, as part of The Walt Disney Company's 100th Anniversary celebration.[10]

Events and shows

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The event requires the purchasing of a separate ticket from the general admission ticket counter.[11]

Events

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Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade

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The parade proceeds down Main Street, USA twice each night.[3][5] It features Disney characters including Mickey and Minnie Mouse along with numerous others such as Mirabel Madrigal and Bruno Madrigal from Walt Disney Animation Studios' Encanto, Marching Toy Soldiers, Dancing Reindeer, Gingerbread Men, and Ole Saint Nick.[12]

Minnie's Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks

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Minnie Mouse hosts a firework display featuring Christmas carols such as "Deck the Halls" and "We Wish You a Merry Christmas".[9]

Shows

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Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration Stage Show

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Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration show appears four times a night on the stage in front of Cinderella Castle. It stars classic Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Goofy, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Clarabelle Cow, Woody, Jessie, José Carioca, Pachito Pistoles and Chip 'n' Dale dressed up in their Christmas outfits. In addition, live performers sing and dance to vintage holiday carols.

A Frozen Holiday Wish

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From 2007 through 2019, Cinderella Castle was covered during November in roughly 200,000 LED lights to look as if it was covered in ice and snow, an effect called Castle Dream Lights on Cinderella Castle. At dusk, a short show featuring the characters from Frozen took place in which Elsa used her ice powers to frost over the castle. The show was viewable by all guests every night during the holiday season and was repeated during the limited-admission Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.[13][14]

The Dream Lights effect and show did not return in 2022, and in June 2023, Magic Kingdom announced new lighting and a replacement by a new show, Frozen Holiday Surprise, which will debut on November 7, 2023. as part of The Walt Disney Company's 100th Anniversary celebration.[15]

A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas Show

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A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas Show is a 20-minute performance that takes place several times a night on the Tomorrowland stage. It features Buzz Lightyear and Mike Wazowski teaching Stitch the meaning of Christmas before Buzz Lightyear laser blasts Santa out of the sky.[16]

Rides and attractions

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Attractions

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Some popular attractions are open throughout the party. In the past, this has included The Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain, and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. Unlike Haunted Mansion Holiday and It's a Small World Holiday at Disneyland, as well as seasonal celebrations at non-US Disney parks (Holiday Nightmare and Very Merry Holidays at Tokyo Disneyland, Celebration at Disneyland Paris, Christmas at Hong Kong Disneyland), the open rides do not have a holiday overlay.[17]

Jingle Cruise

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While not exclusive to the party, Jingle Cruise, which debuted in 2013, is limited to the Christmas season. The original Jungle Cruise ride is modified to include a Christmas theme throughout the queue, the boats' names are changed, and the skippers make holiday jokes.[18]

Character meetups

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Numerous characters appear throughout the Magic Kingdom to meet guests and pose for pictures. The characters are dressed in holiday themes exclusive to the Christmas season. Along with the regular characters who appear in the park, some rare characters, such as the seven dwarfs, make appearances for special events.[19]

There are also generally two character dance parties each night, where guests have an opportunity to dance with Disney characters like Woody, Jessie, and Bullseye. In the past, dance parties have been held in the Diamond Horseshoe and Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café.[20][21]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ This Day in Disney History – December 16
  2. ^ "Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party in Disney World's Magic Kingdom | the disney food blog". August 5, 2017. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party – complete insider's guide". Orlando Informer. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  4. ^ Kenny the Pirate (June 6, 2013). "Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party Shows". Kenny the Pirate. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
  5. ^ a b "A look at Walt Disney World's 2010 holiday season events". Attractions Magazine. November 2, 2010. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
  6. ^ Baker, Scott (November 26, 2012). "Holiday Wishes Fireworks Show at the Magic Kingdom". Orlando Local Guide. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  7. ^ "5 Tips for 2021 Very Merriest After Hours at the Magic Kingdom". WDW Magazine (Adults in Disney blog). November 11, 2021.
  8. ^ Marrazzo, Jenn (November 22, 2022). "Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party 2022: The Complete Guide". WDW Magazine.
  9. ^ a b Sara (September 3, 2022). "Minnie's Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Returning to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party". Chip & Company.
  10. ^ Flaherty, Morgan (July 7, 2023). "Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party 2023: A Complete Guide". WDW Magazine.
  11. ^ Sehlinger, Bob; Testa, Len (September 6, 2011). The Unofficial Guide: Walt Disney World 2012. Wiley. p. 43. ISBN 9781118012338.
  12. ^ Bricker, Tom (January 2, 2014). "Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party 2014 Tips". Disney Tourist Blog. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014.
  13. ^ Slater, Shawn (October 27, 2014). "'A Frozen Holiday Wish' for Magic Kingdom Park". Disney Parks Blog. Archived from the original on October 30, 2014.
  14. ^ "Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party guide map". WDWMagic.com. November 7, 2014. Archived from the original on November 10, 2014.
  15. ^ Michaelsen, Shannen (June 15, 2023). "'Frozen Holiday Surprise' Featuring New Cinderella Castle Holiday Projections Coming to Magic Kingdom". WDW News Today.
  16. ^ Kenny the Pirate (June 6, 2013). "Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party Shows". Kenny the Pirate.com. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
  17. ^ "2014 Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party". Mouse for Less. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  18. ^ Brigante, Ricky (November 9, 2013). "Jingle Cruise sails into Walt Disney World with jolly new jokes, few new decorations adorn holiday overlay". Inside the Magic. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  19. ^ Noyes, Heather (October 10, 2020). "Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party Guide". WDW Travels.
  20. ^ "2014 Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party". Mouse for Less. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  21. ^ "2019 Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party". WDW Prep School. November 17, 2018. Retrieved March 25, 2019.
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