The jack-o-lanterns are put away, the Thanksgiving turkey has long turned into leftovers, and now it’s time to go into full Christmas mode! We’ve just arrived in Walt Disney World for our annual holiday celebration, and at first glance it might seem hard to decide where to begin. Do we stroll over to EPCOT and take in the Festival of the Holidays? Or venture over to Hollywood Studios for the new Jollywood evening event? Perhaps a gingerbread tour of the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT resorts? Well, even though those are all on our itinerary (stay tuned for the Great Gingerbread Showdown!), for us Christmas at Disney can only mean one thing…snow on Main Street U.S.A. at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party! Join us as we take in the sights, sounds (and tastes!) of this nostalgic and festive event. We’ll discover some new things to be sure, but we also can’t wait to see some of those familiar Magic Kingdom traditions one more time. Ready? Then let’s head on in to Town Square and see what yuletide delights await!
A Special Keepsake
As soon as we entered the path that took us behind the Main Street shops on our way to the party, we got this year’s complimentary pin…the beloved wooden toy soldier from the Once Upon a Christmastime parade (We’d be seeing a lot more of him throughout the evening!). Along the way we also got our first taste of Main Street Snow, and some rockin Christmas tunes courtesy of the resident DJ.
Hello Holiday Humans!
One of the great things about the after hours parties is the chance to ride lots of your favorite attractions with little or no wait. (Just keep in mind that Tomorrowland in particular is still rather crowded when the party starts, between day guests getting in one last ride and new arrivals starting out their evening in this section of the park. It’s a good idea to wander about, grab a cookie – more on that to come! – and come back a bit later when things have settled down a bit.)
The attractions in Tomorrowland get a yuletide makeover that transforms the world of the future into the world of techno-Christmas! Space Mountain is transferred into a holiday rave that must be seen to be believed. If a rockin’ blast through space isn’t your thing, you can get a glimpse of the hyper-festivities aboard the TTA. The Tomorrowland Speedway also gets a healthy does of Christmas cheer as colorful lights and decorations line the streets.
But our favorite Tomorrowland holiday overlay takes place over at the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, where Mike Wazowski and his friends are out to collect JingleWatts…and Roz boasts an ugly sweater that somehow looks good on her. The jokes are now holiday-themed, and you can still send in your jokes to be read by Marty. Just be sure it has a holiday theme! Our favorite so far from this year is “How much did Santa pay for his sleigh? Nothing, it was on the house!”
The Mad Tea Party also gets into the yuletide spirit, as your teacups spin and twirl through a kaleidoscope of Christmas colors. Last but not least, another holiday overlay takes place over in Adventureland, where the Jungle Cruise is transformed into the Jingle Cruise. New gifts! New decorations! And yes, new jokes!
The Snacks!
No Very Merry Christmas Party would be complete without the snacks, and this year’s lineup is filled with tasty treats. The snickerdoodles and sugar cookies were delightful, but we found our favorite snacks in Tomorrowland. We picked up our complimentary treat at the Lunching Pad, a chewy gingerbread cookie topped with buttercream frosting (served with apple cider)! Other free cookie offerings include a chocolate chip and hot chocolate served at the Columbia Harbour House in Liberty Square, sugar cookies with buttercream frosting accompanied by egg nog at Tortuga Tavern in Adventureland, and a scrumptious red velvet cake cookie with white chocolate chips and hot cocoa served at the Pinocchio Village Haus.
We also make it a yearly mission to seek out a festive dessert, and this year we opted to head over to the Cosmic Rays for the Christmas cookie cake roll with buttercream and topped with holiday sprinkles. SOOOO yummy!!! Another party-only sweet treat can be found at the Main Street Bakery – the Letter to Santa. This confection treat is shaped like a mailbox and consists of a flourless chocolate cake, hot cocoa mousse, marshmallow, and chocolate pieces. The Friar’s Nook in Fantasyland offers up the Winter Milk Shake, which is a creamy coconut milk shake topped with whipped cream, toasted coconut, cinnamon, and crisp pearls.
For a bit of savory goodness, we also tried the Holiday Pot Roast Melt at Cosmic Ray’s, slow-cooked beef on thick toast with cheddar and provolone cheese and beef gravy. If you visit Cosmic Rays you can also try the Holiday Turkey Burger, topped with traditional stuffing, provolone cheese, and cranberry chutney on a brioche bun. In the mood for a little holiday spice? Head on over to the Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and try the Chicken Tamale, complete with mild red chile and green chile-pumpkin seed sauce, cilantro rice, pinto beans, and Queso Fresco.
The Shows!
Our travels took us over to the Haunted Mansion, where we got our first glimpse of the new Hatbox Ghost! (Yes, he has arrived!!! Be sure to go pay him a visit, he’s been dying to see you!). It was there that we got this great view of Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show, spectacular! But if you can, do be sure to watch the show from Main Street so you can see Cinderella Castle all decked out in her holiday finest.
The party also plays host to several other events, including Club Tinsel over in Tomorrowland at the Rocket Tower Plaza Stage, where characters like Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde will put you in a festive Christmas mood. In between shows you’ll be entertained by the Collective 5IVE, an outstanding Boy Band vocal group that will surely get you in that rockin’ holiday spirit! Over at Cosmic Rays, the Disney Junior Jingle Jam features Disney Junior characters from shows like Fancy Nancy, Vampirina, Doc McStuffins and The Lion Guard that all gather round to get their groove on. (We saw Tweedledum and Tweedledee get in on the action too!)
The Castle Forecourt Stage is home to the new Frozen Holiday Surprise, where all your favorite characters from Frozen ring in the holiday season with lots of fun and surprises. Finally, don’t forget about the party’s signature event, Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, which winds its way from Frontierland and down Main Street, U.S.A. (Insider tip: If you’re on the Fantasyland/Tomorrowland side of the park and have plans to visit Adventureland, be mindful of the timing of the parade. As it makes it’s way through Frontierland you might find yourself cut off….but that’s OK, just sit back and enjoy the show – and wave to Santa!)
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