more MVMCP questions

[Tracyvp]

Okay, I've combed the board but I'm just not seeing the answer to this in any one place.

What happens during it that doesn't happen during regular park hours? I'm trying to figure out if we should play the $$ for it sometime during our 9-day stay. It's already a pretty pricey trip, so I'm trying not to go overboard on extras.

Sorry if I'm being obtuse. I've read the descriptions of the event everywhere, so I see what they have, but it doesn't say what's exclusive to MMVCP. We are DLR AP's and they don't have any hard ticket events related to Christmas here, so I just don't quite get it. I do understand that rides are probably less crowded and you get free hot chocolate and cookies.

Please don't flame me. I really have tried to figure this out!

 

[RMulieri]

Well it depends when you are going.Up until a certain date, the Special Holiday parade can only be seen at the parties, once that date has passed then it is shown at the parks during the day.there is also holiday wishes Fireworks.Other than that...Personally I would skip the MVMCP but that is me.

 

[shannon1219]

I think about the only thing that is exclusive is the Snow on main st. and the Dance Parties. I am sure someone else will know better.

 

[liv4pixiedust]

I went last year for the first time and found only a few things to be unique to the party. There are a few shows that I believe (others may correct me) are performed only at MVMCP. You really could go from one show to another and see the parades and do little else while still completely filling the time. Mickey's Twas The Night Before Christmas is supposed to be really fun, but we didn't go. At Cosmic Ray's, there's a Christmas Dance party for kids. Celebrate the Season at the Castle Forecourt is a shorter show featuring the usual characters. Deb has a great blog report over at All Ears that might be good for you to check out.
Not all rides are running during the party, so check on this website, All Ears, Unofficial Guide, or Tour Guide Mike to get the low down. In my experience, the lines for rides weren't shorter than when I normally visit, but probably are shorter than other times during the Holiday Season.
Since the main differences are the shows, the parade, and Christmas Wishes fireworks, read up on the shows and decided whether they are worth it for you and your family.
You can enter the park at 4 pm using only the MVMCP ticket, so we used it the day before activating our Magic Your Way tickets so we didn't use a day. I would strongly suggest going as early as they'll let you in because the night flies by faster than you would think.

 

[wlvsfnz]

We went for the first time this year (11/14) and had a good time, even though it rained. We saw Mickey's T'was the night before Christmas, which was a really good show. There is also a show several times in the evening in front of the castle that is pretty good and different from the one during the day, or at least it was good until they cancelled it because of the rain. (It did run again later after the rain slowed down) Belle reads stories to the kids, although we didn't see that. They light the castle with "icicles", but they do that everynight during Christmas. There are two Christmas Parades that you don't see everyday.You do get the free hot chocolate and cookies at different places thoughout the park. As for the ride lines, they aren't too bad except in some areas like in Fantasyland. The characters are around too. We saw Jessie and Woody in Frontierland. Scrooge McDuck and Donald were in Fantasyland.

We did it just to say we did, but I think we will do it again when we go back in 2010. I have a brochure from it, so I'll have to see if I can get it downloaded somehow and you can see what the events are and the times.

 

[bradk]

'twas is not exclusive to MVMCP, it's shown on saturdays to everyone in the MK (at least starting thanksgiving)

donald and scrooge (and santa for that matter) are out all day and aren't MVMCP exclusives either.

nor is the castle lighting ceremony as that takes place before MVMCP starts and happens every night.

 

[Tracyvp]

Hmmmm.... Well, if I'm reading the responses right, there's really nothing that you can't see at another time if you plan properly. You just get to everything all on one night if you go to MVMCP. Is that right? (Well, except the "free" hot chocolate!)

 

[snow.white]

do they still do the free photo?

 

[dolphindan1]

The Parade, Fireworks, Snow, and some of the shows are exclusive to the Party till Christmas week...

The main to me is seeing these special shows and things without the major crowds that come with Christmas week....

 

[Illnevergrowup]

So if we go to MK on the night of the party, will we still be able to see the castle lit up before we have to leave the park? Do you know what time the castle is lit? We won't have tickets to the party, but really want to see the castle in lights. We are only there two nights, and both nights are closing early for the party.

 

[dolphindan1]

So if we go to MK on the night of the party, will we still be able to see the castle lit up before we have to leave the park? Do you know what time the castle is lit? We won't have tickets to the party, but really want to see the castle in lights. We are only there two nights, and both nights are closing early for the party.

Yes you will still be able to see it. The tree lighting is an evernight event, not a party event....its should be around 6 or 630...

According to Steve its 6:30

http://pages.prodigy.net/stevesoares/

 

[bradk]

the free photo was done away with in 2006. now it's a 40% discount off all prints with a little more fine detail than that.