What’s new for 2016 at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

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Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party has returned to the Magic Kingdom for select nights in November and December, bringing Christmas cheer to visitors and locals alike. Deb Wills and Linda Eckwerth attended one of the parties last week, and my family and I will be going in December. I will have several reports about what you can expect. First, here’s what’s new this year at the Christmas party:

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I met Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde at a media event earlier this year, but now all Christmas partygoers can meet the Zootopia pair.

** Rare and new character meet-and-greets are a hallmark of Walt Disney World’s Christmas and Halloween parties, and the 2016 hard-ticket events are no exception. Zootopia’s Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde will meet guests for the first time at Walt Disney World during the parties. (They can be seen daily in the Move It! Shake It! Celebrate It! Parade, but they do not get down off their float.) Look for the line to meet them near the Carousel of Progress in Tomorrowland.

Tip: Get in line before the party officially starts at 7 p.m. Reports from the first week of the parties say the pair began greeting guests early as long as you have your party wristband. At the very least, you’ll save party time by getting what are sure to be long lines out of the way before most holiday entertainment starts.

** A new stage show, Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration, takes the place of the long-running Celebrate the Season on the Castle Forecourt stage. The show features classic and contemporary carols and characters from all over Walt Disney World. It is presented four times each party: 7:40, 9:25, 10:30 p.m. and midnight.

Tip: If you’re going to stay until the end of the party anyway, make this the last thing you do. It will be less crowded, you’ll spend less time waiting and all the other entertainment ends at midnight.

** One of the treats of the five-hour Christmas party has been unlimited hot chocolate and snickernoodle cookies. This year, for the first time, the party will offer four different kinds of cookies and drinks. Here’s where you can find the complimentary treats:

Hot Chocolate and Snickerdoodle cookie — Tortuga Tavern, Adventureland

Eggnog and Gingersnap Molasses Cookie — Heritage House in Liberty Square

Snow Cone and Snowman Sugar Cookie — Friar’s Nook in Fantasyland

Spiced Apple Cider and Snowman Sugar Cookie — Pete’s Silly Sideshow Storybook Circus in Fantasyland

Hot Chocolate and Peppermint Bark Cookie — The Lunching Pad in Tomorrowland

Tip: The Magic Kingdom continues to offer allergy-friendly and healthy snack alternatives to those who prefer to skip the cookies. In the past, individual packets of apple slices and apple juice were available at each station upon request.

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** As has been the tradition since the interactive Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom game debuted in 2012, a new holiday card will be given to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party guests. It’s free, like other Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom cards, and available at the Fire House on Main Street, U.S.A., and behind the Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe in Liberty Square. This year’s design is called Goofy’s Festive Fiasco and is only available at the party.

Tip: Guests can collect their cards beginning at 4 p.m. if they have their party wristbands. Get this done early so you don’t forget and then save it for another day at the Magic Kingdom when you’re not trying to get to all the party entertainment.

** Club Tinsel, a dance party that is led by a DJ inside Cosmic Rays Starlight Café in Tomorrowland, is not new, but its characters are. Look for North Pole inhabitants (reindeer, polar bears and elves) to join guests on the dance floor. (In the past, party-goers could dance with Phineas and Ferb._

Tip: Club Tinsel typically does not get very crowded, so it’s the perfect place to take a break from crowds or from waiting for other entertainment. You could even pick up hot chocolate and peppermint bark cookies at the nearby Lunching Pad and sit at one of the many tables in the restaurant.

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** Of course, there is new exclusive merchandise for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, including trading pins, a graphic MagicBand, an ornament, a cell-phone case and T-shirts. There also is a passholder-only T-shirt and trading pin.

Here’s where to do your shopping:

Main Street, U.S.A. — Emporium (apparel, retail MagicBand, pins, ornament)

Storybook Circus — Big Top Souvenirs (apparel, retail MagicBand, pins)

Liberty Square — Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe (apparel, logo pin, ornament)

Tomorrowland — Mickey’s Star Traders (apparel and logo pin) and Tomorrowland
Light & Power Co. (D-Tech on Demand case)

Tip: All merchandise can be purchased beginning at 4 p.m. if you have your party wristband. I really like that event organizers have made the merchandise available before the party starts at 7 p.m. Not only does this disperse the crowds a bit, but it also allows families like mine to take care of purchases without sacrificing precious party time.

Check back for tips and tricks for maximzing your time at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party so you can make it to all your must-do experiences. What are you most looking forward to at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party? Tell us in the comments!


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One Reply to “What’s new for 2016 at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party”

  1. Is Elena of Avalor out during the Christmas Party?

    KRISTIN: She has been seen at the parties, but it is not an advertised (or guaranteed) meet-and-greet.