Best & Worst Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Dates
This post rates the best & worst Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party dates based on which are likely to be the least and most crowded. November and December can have roller coaster crowds at Walt Disney World, so this is worth considering before buying tickets if your dates are flexible.
In addition to offering tips for choosing the best days of the week to attend, we highlight the dates that should be the least-crowded Christmas Parties. As we share in our Guide to the 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, not every Christmas Party (MVMCP) is equally crowded. Some are so packed for the first parade that they feel like a busy day in Magic Kingdom. Other nights, there is a ton of room on Main Street for Fireworks, and every attraction is a virtual walk-on by 10 p.m.
With that said, we should note that last year, MVMCP was abnormally busy across the entire calendar. We mention this to prepare you for the reality that the 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is likely to have heavy crowds. If you’ve done the party before but not since ~2018, you’re likely to experience a busier event than in the past, irrespective of which date you choose. “Least-crowded” here is a relative term.
Last year, every single MVMCP sold out. There’s a reasonable probability that the same will occur with the 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Given that, you might think that this post is pointless. After all, sold out is sold out, right?
Maybe. For one thing, there’s no guarantee that every date of the 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will sell out. Although last year’s MVMCP sold out every single date, that was also during a period of pent-up demand–both for travel in general and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, specifically, as it had not occured in the prior 2 years.
With that said, it’s likely that Walt Disney World will increase prices significantly for the 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party given how quickly last year’s event sold out. Higher prices mean a smaller pool of consumers will be willing/able to buy tickets. That pool still might be larger than the number of tickets available on some or all dates–but we don’t know that yet.
Beyond that, we’ve noticed in prior years that “sold out is sold out” is not entirely accurate when it comes to the Halloween and Christmas Parties.
Sold out dates closer to holiday weeks (e.g. Thanksgiving and Christmas) had significantly higher feels like crowds than those mid-week party nights in early November or December. We have no way of proving this, but a similar phenomenon has occurred with Disney Park Pass reservations. “Fully booked” doesn’t always have the same crowd levels or wait times.
Since there are a lot of 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party dates, most of you planning week-long vacations to Walt Disney World probably have 2-3 options. If you only have 1 choice, well…this post won’t do you much good. On the plus side, that means you don’t have to deal with 6 p.m. Magic Kingdom closings on other nights of your trip. There are two rules of thumb that almost always apply when determining which party nights will be the least busy.
First, the cheaper nights are the less busy ones. We often say that Walt Disney World doesn’t offer discounts out of corporate benevolence–it’s in order to incentivize bookings. That same philosophy holds true with party ticket pricing (or even regular ticket pricing and hotel rooms).
There are several price tiers, so ranking the nights is a bit easier. In general, the cheaper dates are in November and early-December, and the more expensive dates are the week of Thanksgiving and throughout the month of December.
The idea behind the price tiers is to encourage guests who have the option of considering multiple dates to choose the cheaper one. It works, but only to an extent. Plenty of people will pay a few dollars more on an already expensive ticket for a date that works better with their schedule.
Let’s start with the limitations. First, most locals planning on attending non-school night parties aren’t going to change those plans to save $5 or so. Second, tourists who travel during school breaks are essentially stuck traveling during those breaks, so they aren’t going to do a mid-December party as opposed to the December 21 one.
The second rule is that school nights are the least busy nights, while Fridays and holiday breaks are the most busy times. A corollary to this rule is that Tuesday and Thursday nights are historically the least crowded nights of the week.
We’ve been attending the parties every year since 2007, and that rule has proven true in our experience, in what we’ve observed, and what we’ve heard from readers who have attended other evenings.
Putting these two rules together, it should be easy to spot the four best dates. Last year, those ideal Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party nights were:
- November 10 (Thursday)
- November 14 (Monday)
- November 15 (Tuesday)
- November 17 (Thursday)
While dates have not yet been released for the 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, expect them to follow a similar pattern, within a day or two of the above dates.
If you are a local and can go whenever you want, I think these parties will be the least busy Christmas Parties of the year. In particular, I really like the November 14 and 15 party nights. These are after the initial rush of people (and bloggers!) wanting to be first to attend, but before most people really get into the festive spirit.
The November 9 night does have me a little nervous because that’s one day before Veterans Day, which is always a busy long weekend at Walt Disney World. That holiday always seems to catch people by surprise–including Disney’s internal crowd forecasters. It’s still likely to be a good party to attend since it’s a Thursday so early in the season, but it could surprise on the high side.
All bets are off the following week. Thanksgiving is typically one of the busiest weeks of the year at Walt Disney World, and there are fewer parties that week as a result of the crushing crowds (Disney doesn’t schedule MVMCP when regular crowds will be too high to allow for closing Magic Kingdom at 6 pm).
Consequently, the November 20 and 22 parties are both bad options. Ditto November 27. As the first party in several days, that’s going to be the only night many families can attend during their trips.
As far as December goes, basically Tuesdays are the best days, followed by Thursdays, followed by Sundays. Earlier in the month is better than later. Even though Pop Warner is now hosted at Universal, it remains a wildcard; there’s a decent chance they’ll do a group night at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
The final Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will be the busiest of the year. With that said, there won’t be any material difference in crowds for any of the last 3 parties. They will all almost certainly sell out (even at those prices) and be busy. That is, unless there’s a freak blizzard that keeps crowds away–basically, something we couldn’t predict at this point.
Up until a few years ago, Walt Disney World didn’t do MVMCP that close to Christmas. In the past, they’ve avoided this because Christmas-week crowds make it impractical to close Magic Kingdom early.
There’s nothing unique about this year to make that not the case, so…good luck to anyone considering that party! I would recommend avoiding Magic Kingdom completely that day–and each of the last 3 party dates–transportation to get out of the park will be a nightmare.
Ultimately, you will have more considerations when planning your itinerary than just which Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is least crowded. Park hours will influence your decision. Weather might influence your decision. If you’re able to score an elusive ADR in a different park on a less-busy night, that might influence your decision.
We can’t stress enough that these predictions are exactly that. This is speculation, pure and simple. It’s informed by our experiences, not by any sort of insider information. We’re more than happy to offer a money-back guarantee (on our advice, not your tickets) should our predictions prove incorrect, though! 😉
We’ve updated our free Vacation Kingdom at Christmas eBook for the Christmas season! In order to receive your free copy, sign up for our (also free) newsletter if you haven’t already. You’ll receive a free download of that eBook, plus our Money-Saving Tips for Walt Disney World eBook as a thank you.
For comprehensive tips for planning your Christmas-time trip to Walt Disney World, check out our Ultimate Guide to Christmas at Walt Disney World. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Which days are your favorites for doing Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party? Do you have any experiences that contradict or support our advice? When are you planning to go this year? Do you agree or disagree with our advice? 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!
Do you really think Nov 18th will be so super busy we wont be able to enjoy it? Going for the first time from South America with my hubby and 5 year old daughter and we’ll be staying till 19th so we thought it would be a great way to finish our magical vacations. We are worried about waiting times for meet and greets especially or being able to see the parades. We know the next week will be busier because of Thanksgiving but will people start going to the parks the Friday before? (Sorry to ask but being a foreigner I have no idea how things move around those dates)
Yes! Everyone go to the party on 12/1! (Disclaimer…I have tickets for 11/29) 😉
Seriously though, great information as always Tom!
So I’ve scoured the internet looking for guidelines to picking the best date for the Christmas party- I had a choice of 11/27 11/29 12/1 or even that weekend- ( which I wouldn’t do ) you address exactly what I’m looking for – I don’t know how much more of an exact evaluation I could ever hope to have- I should be so delighted to find such an article- but still I found myself questioning myself – ADRs can really bring out the crazy in a person- well that’s it I’m taking control and your advice I’m choosing 12/1 thank you so much Tom – the search is over! I will now allow myself to feel relief- at least until it’s time for fast pass !
Hi! On non-party days in Dec., do they run Festival of Fantasy in the afternoon? Or do they run the Christmas parade? Last year, we went after the party dates were over & saw the Christmas parade (minus the nighttime ambiance!) in the afternoon. And will they wait until after Dec. 22nd to begin incorporating the other party entertainment (ex: Tomorrowland & new Mickey Merriest shows) into the regular park schedule? Thanks!!
Hi Tom, we’ll be at WDW 11/28/16 — 12/6/16, staying at Poly. What crowd impact do you think the Pop Warner visitors will have on our trip once they arrive on 12/3/16? Will we even notice- at resort? at parks? Thanks for your advice!
Hi Tom-
I went online today at 6:05am to book Cinderella’s Royal Table 180 days in advance (For Nov 9, 2016). It’s my Twins 10 bday surprise trip!! Anyway, Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner were not avail… Could this be accurate…?? I mean booking for 180 days in advance opens at 6am online. In 5 mins it’s sold out? Thx
Thanks for the advice! I was thinking about the Nov 29th or Dec 1st. I’m leaning more toward the 1st. How far in advance would you recommend getting the tickets?
Ok Tom – I so look forward to your newsletter! But I’m thrown for a loop ! We will be there 11/27 to 12/3 giving us a total 5 – that’s right 5 choices for MVMCP – taking other forums advice had settled on 11/29 for the party ( I had actually thought Sunday 11/27 would be good – people going home exhausted from the holiday – but everyone said a big NO! ) I have one person in our group who can’t do crowds – so I stef in on 11/29 – but your post specifically addresses those dates and says go for 12/1 so I think I’m going to listen to you ! I’m off to replan my trip ! Thanks for the tip! I’ll let you know how it turns out!
Hi Tom, We are going December 4-10 and I’m trying to decide which night for MVMCP. Debating December 6 or 8. What would you suggest?
Hi Tom,
We will be there the 5th – 13th,. Initially inwas planning on attending the 11/10 Mickey Christmas party..what do you predict for this date? It is one of the cheapest, however if 11/8 seems more favorable I will rearrange and go with that one. This is our first time at the Christmas party, so I’d like it to be an enjoyable one! Thanks so much!
Hey, Tom! How far in advance do you recommend getting tickets for one of the less busy days?
Hi Tom, thanks for all of your amazingly helpful posts! This is great! We are thinking of November 15th, but I was concerned about the IAAPA convention and trade show Nov. 15-18 in Orlando (which, from what I hear, is the reason MK closes at 4:30 on Nov. 17th). Do you think that group will overwhelm the MVMCP on Nov. 15th? Consult your magic ball please 😉 Ha…
We have already purchased tickets for the party on Tuesday the 8th, mostly because that was the only day that would work for our trip. I wonder though, if it’s going to be much busier than you’re anticipating. I imagine that whole week will be more packed than people are anticipating since the Wine and Dine Half Marathon weekend has two added events and all of the races are sold out. I would think that, if people are going to hang around after the races, this is probably the party most of them will go to. Also, this is more conjecture than anything but, your blog is pretty popular. I wonder a little bit whether you recommending a particular night might have some impact on making it a busier night.
If past race weekends are any indication, the parks are busier before the races, and almost everyone leaves by Monday morning. I don’t think this will be any different, but could be wrong.
Even if a good number of people who have read this post thus far chose Nov. 8, that still wouldn’t be all that many people. Between now and November, I think *at most* maybe 100 people would attend that party as a result of the recommendation. Most people reading this blog are tourists, and most tourists already have their vacation dates set. So, for them, it’s a matter of choosing among the best dates of their travel plans.
I’m running in the Wine & Dine weekend, but scheduled my departure for the 8th since that’s about as long as I could stretch my trip. Which means I get to do the FIRST night of MVMCP on Nov. 7! Will it be crazy crowded because it’s the first one of the year, or am I safe being that it’s a Monday post-race weekend? Hmmmmm.
Tom, have you ever done the kick-off night of the Christmas Party? Would love any tips!
Yay for people staying home and voting! We are leaving the 9th so we don’t miss elections at home and have tickets for MVMCP the 15th.
Veterans day, food and wine, a race weekend, the infamous jersey week… I believe that week in November (8-12 or so) will be busy! We did it 2 years ago and won’t again.
Of those things, Jersey Week is really all that concerns me (Veteran’s Day is known for drawing ‘vacation crowds’ and Wine & Dine will draw crowds the week before the race); I didn’t realize it was that week.
I’ll hedge my bets and give a “tie” to Nov. 8 & 15 as the two best parties of the year. I’ll still maintain that the election will keep a lot of Florida locals at home that evening.
I arrive in Disney on Tuesday November 15th late morning, choices of the mvmcp for me are that night & Friday the 18th. I’m torn between being too tired from travel to fully enjoy Tuesdays party & choosing a busier night on Friday to attend. Any suggestions?
It depends which would stress you out more: being a bit tired from travel, or super busy crowds. Personally, I’d go with the Tuesday. It’s less crowded, and with your early arrival you have time to rest before going out in the evening.
Thank you Mary. I think I’m leaning that way as well. We’ll be in Disney! Sleep when we get home from vacation right??
Going to my first ever MVMCP on November 8th, and I’m glad I picked the day I did! We are staying at the Polynesian and plan spending another day at MK, having dinner at O’hana and watch the Christmas fireworks again from the beach 🙂
This is good news, we have already bought tickets to the party on Nov 8th!
HII
Is it true that you are certain there would some say some wasn’t free motivation behind why the parks would’ve been occupied that Tuesday? Not questioning that was the situation, but rather I believe it’s exceptionally unprecedented for individuals to arrange get-aways around Election Day.
REGARDS
RITIKA
Some schools close for Election Day, so keep in mind that there will be some that skip school on Monday for a long weekend and head to Disney. We did this many years ago and it was packed at the parks. Our schools aren’t closed this election year, so maybe schools have changed their policies. Thanks for your blog!
Are you sure there wasn’t some independent reason why the parks would’ve been busy that Tuesday? Not doubting that was the case, but I think it’s very uncommon for people to plan vacations around Election Day.
In any case, fewer and fewer schools close on election day now. Even assuming some in Florida do (per the internet, they don’t), it’s still a school night the following day, so this wouldn’t be a reason for locals to do the party on this night.