We love celebrating the holidays at Disney World and they go all out for Christmas! However, this year there has been a lot of controversy over whether the cost of the Christmas party is worth it! So, we went to the party and put together a complete guide to Disney’s Very Merriest After Hours event! Now you’ll be able to judge for yourself if this is an event you’d like to attend!!
Table of Contents
**Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. We appreciate your support. (disclosure policy)
The details
date
Select evenings November 8-December 21.
Go to disneyworld.disney.go.com to see what dates are still available.
time
This party is a four-hour event beginning at 9:00 pm – 1 am. However, your ticket allows you to enter Magic Kingdom as early as 7 pm, which gives you the chance to see two fireworks shows in one night.
We highly recommend you enter the park at 7 pm and use the two hours before the event starts to look at the beautiful Christmas decorations, shop for fun holiday merchandise, grab a bite to eat or get on a few rides! Just remember, it will be crowded because people who had tickets to the park that day can stay until regular park closing time.
We suggest you watch the regular fireworks show standing on Main Street because now they do light projections on all of the storefronts! It’s so pretty and if you’re close to the castle you’ll miss all of the extra fun!
WHAT TO DO BEFORE YOU GO
Purchase Tickets
The cost of a ticket is $169-$249, per person, depending on the event date. Note that pass holders or Disney vacation club members can save $10 on select nights in November. Go to Disneyworld.disney.go.com for the price of tickets.
PLAN YOUR OUTFIT
There is not a dress code at this event, but many people take the opportunity to dress up in their ugliest Christmas sweaters! The more obnoxious the better at this fun event! We got so many compliments on our outfits!! I was bummed though because I lost two of my jingle bells off of my sweater!
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET THERE
GET A WRISTBAND
If you enter Magic Kingdom between 7 pm and 9 pm you will get a special wristband for the party at the entrance gate.
If you had a theme park ticket for the day or an annual pass, and you are already in the park before 7 pm, you can go to 2 different locations to get a wristband. They are distributed at the old Stitch ride (which is closed) in Tomorrowland (across from Monster’s Inc. Laugh Floor) or Tortuga Tavern in Adventureland (across from Pirates of the Caribbean).
PICK UP A Merriest after hours MAP
It’s very important to pick up a map when you enter the park! The map has all of the showtimes, where you can spot characters, get festive photos, and grab yummy snacks! It’s your guide to all the fun happenings at Disney’s Very Merriest After Hours!
ENJOY THE holiday-THEMED DECORATIONS, LIGHTING, AND MUSIC
Main Street USA is decked out for the holiday! Lots of wreaths, lights, and music playing. It even snows intermittently during the event (unless it’s raining, then no snow)!
Visit Mickey
Go into Town Square Theater and get your picture taken with Mickey Mouse!
You still can’t get an autograph or hug any of the characters, but you can get your picture standing near them! We were so happy to see Mickey dressed in his 50th Anniversary Partywear!
Rides with Christmas Overlays
Two rides have a special Christmas theme you won’t want to miss!
Jungle Cruise
The Jungle Cruise has been transformed into the Jingle Cruise and they have decked the halls! Lots of fun decorations to see on this ride!
Monsters Inc Laugh Floor
The Monsters have a holiday-themed show just for you! Just a note that this attraction does not open until 9 pm!
INCLUDED WITH YOUR ADMISSION:
Be sure to take advantage of this part of our guide, so you can get the most bang for your buck at Disney’s Very Merriest After Hours Party!
rides
Spend less time waiting in line on 22 of the rides. It’s so fun to ride without waiting in a long line! We had no waiting on Haunted Mansion and waited just a few minutes for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at the end of the night!
cookies and hot cocoa
Look for the large candy canes outside the following restaurants:
- Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe-Frontierland
- Columbia Harbor House-Liberty Square
- Pinocchio Village Haus-Fantasyland
- Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe-Tomorrowland
Walk right up to the counter and get your free cookies and cocoa!
Rich is ready to enjoy his snickerdoodle cookie from Cheryl’s Cookies and some hot cocoa! Our table overlooks It’s A Small World!
If you have food allergies, there is an allergy-friendly option available upon request. Lucy’s Cinnamon Thin gluten-free cookies were yummy!
FREE UNLIMITED SNACKS
During the party, you get free, unlimited snacks, including popcorn, select beverages, and three types of ice cream treats!
A Mickey ice cream sandwich!
A Mickey ice cream bar!
A yummy strawberry popsicle! You can go to the snack carts as many times as you want!
event exclusive ENTERTAINMENT
Reindeer Wranglers
Be sure to stop in Frontierland and listen to this western music trio perform their favorite cowboy holiday songs!
Mickey & Minnie’s Very Merry Memories Stage Show
Mickey and Minnie put on a festive show, with their friends, to help you get into the Christmas spirit!
Unfortunately, it started to rain and they halted the performance halfway through it! They do the show four times a night!
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade
The thing I was most excited about was the parade! During the pandemic, Disney canceled all of their parades! The After Hours Party was the only way to see one!
So imagine my disappointment when the parade was canceled due to rain!!! When this happens, Disney does something called the “Rainy Day Cavalcade” so you can at least see a few of the characters in covered cars.
TIP- The parade happens two times during the party. If the forecast calls for rain, plan to see the earliest parade. That way if it’s canceled you have a second chance to see it. We never dreamed the second parade would be canceled, oh well, bad planning on our part!
Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show
Minnie’s Holiday fireworks were amazing! The projections on the castle and the fireworks in the sky above it, take your breath away!
Club Tinsel Dance Party
If you love to dance and want to see Stitch dressed up in his Santa outfit then be sure to head to the Club Tinsel Dance Party in Tomorrowland!
SPOT SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE CHARACTERS
You never know who you might see at this party, so I suggest you be on your best behavior!!
Santa Claus
Santa is located in the pavilion in Liberty Square, which is behind Ye Old Christmas Shoppe!
Captain Hook
We met Captain Hook in Adventureland across from Pirates of the Caribbean!
Country Bears
Look up when you walk through Frontierland and you just might spot the Country Bears hanging out on their balcony!
Tweedledee & Tweedledum
Look who we met in Fantasyland across from the Tea Cups, none other than Tweedledee and Tweedledum!
DISNEY PHOTO PASS EXPERIENCES
Let a photo pass photographer take a picture of you. Photos are adorned with special effects, by adding a surprise to your picture, or you can hold fun props!
SPECIALTY food & Beverage ITEMS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
The best part about putting together a guide to Disney’s Very Merriest After Hours is tasting the specialty food and beverage items that are only available during the party! One treat stood out!!
Gingerbread Almond Cake Pop
At Golden Oak Outpost, you can purchase a Gingerbread almond cake dipped in white chocolate!
It was so good! The gingerbread cake was super moist, flavorful, and blended perfectly with the white chocolate! If you go to the party, you have to try this!
To Be Jolly Float
We also tried the Peppermint Iced Coffee at the Golden Oak Outpost. Its coffee, blended with vanilla ice cream, topped with whipped cream, peppermint sprinkles, and a chocolate Minnie bow. It was good, but I love peppermint and thought it could have used a bit more of that flavor.
Ginger Apple Funnel Cake
At Sleepy Hollow we tried the Gingerbread funnel cake topped with apple pie filling, vanilla ice cream, and caramel drizzle. The funnel cake is large so you get a lot for the money, but I didn’t taste any Gingerbread, it seemed like a normal funnel cake to me. Also, I thought it was a bit too crispy. The apple pie filling was the best part! This was good but nothing special, so I didn’t think I would purchase it again.
Orange Bird Churro
At Mainstreet USA snack cart you can try a Churro drizzled with citrus marshmallow cream, topped with orange candy slices. We didn’t try this one, so if you do, let us know what you think!
Disney Holiday Merchandise
We browsed the stores to look at the holiday merchandise, but I forgot to get pictures for you! So sorry, it was getting late and past my bedtime lol!!
was the price worth it?
We went to the party on one of the cheapest nights and I do think it was worth the cost. If you enjoy the holiday entertainment or you like to ride, with little to no wait times, then I suggest you try it out! However, I don’t know that I would pay $249 for this event.
Well, friends what do you think? Is the high ticket price worth it? I hope our complete guide to Disney’s Very Merriest After Hours Party helped you make a decision!
Blessings, Donna and Rich
More Disney special events
If you’re interested in other special events at Disney World check out the following posts:
- Best Guide to the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival
- EPCOT Food and Wine Festival “Best of the Fest” Part 1
- Complete Guide to Disney’s Boo Bash After Hours Party
- EPCOT Food and Wine “Best of the Fest” Part 2
If you’re enjoying the blog sign up here to receive our emails so you don’t miss any of our posts!
Don’t forget to follow us on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram
**Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. We appreciate your support. (disclosure policy)
Bill & I were there 25 years ago. We had made plan to go to Disney not knowing it was their 25th Anniversary. We enjoyed our time there.
Time goes by so fast, it’s hard to believe that they’re having their 50th anniversary this year!