Christmas 2016 Advice Please

[DancesWithCats]

We will be visiting WDW the first week of December, and are considering attending the Merry Christmas Party for the first time. If you have been to the party before, do you think it is worth the extra cost?
Also, last year we were there late November, and the traffic going into the park looked so backed up! If you are returning to your resort hotel from another park, and not attending the party, how do you avoid the traffic to get to your resort, (Grand Floridian), ? It looked like the kind of traffic you would be in for hours.
Thanks for any insight on either of these questions.

 

[Barbydoll8]

IMO - the party is worth it if you have never done it. But it is crowded and there is a lot to do. I recommend getting into the park at 4 (when they let the hard ticket event holders in) and staying as long as you can. This will get you the biggest bang for your buck.
Traffic is heavy this time of year regardless. The last two weeks of Nov and the last 2 weeks of Dec are some of the most traffic times of the year. Pack your patience. Early Dec tends to be somewhat lighter with crowds however.
Weather here then is usually lovely.

 

[AnneK]

My husband and I are planning a trip for December 2017, it will be our first time there during the holidays. We will be coming from Wisconsin so no matter how "chilly" Florida gets it'll still be vacation to us, haha. I have no idea what the Christmas Party is. Is it generally every night or only select nights?

 

[Fabooliss]

I can't answer about the party, because this will be our first trip at Christmas too, but if you are staying at the Grand Floridian, you can just hop on the monorail to get back to your hotel, no car needed! One of the perks of staying in the Deluxe hotels!

 

[Barbydoll8]

It's select nights and it's a hard ticket event. Meaning, you have to pay to get in the park for the event. You can see it on WDW's web site under special events. The park closes early and everyone with out the hard ticket must leave. Only those who have paid for the party can stay.

 

[IheartBroncos]

I haven't been to a Christmas Party yet (1st time will be this year), but we did do the Halloween party last year and it was totally worth it!

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

Love, Love, Love MVMCP!!!
We buy a party ticket instead of a park ticket that day. (We buy a 7 day pass on am 8 day vacay), so it's less expensive than a one day ticket, but costs more than an 8th day. (Did that make sense?)
Anyway, we love both MNSSHP and MVMCP... Love the special fireworks, parades, dance parties, and all the wonderful party stuff. For us it's so worth it. So much so, that our last 7 year's trips have included one or the other.
We are at the gate by 3:15 pm and have always been let through by 3:50 at the latest. We use that time from 4 - 7 to use 3 FPs and to eat a TS meal (early ADR, usually at 4:30).
By the time 7 pm comes we are ready to party and try to do as much party stuff as possible.
Hope this helps you in your decision!

 

[AnneK]

That's a fantastic idea. We were planning to buy a 10 day pass for our 10 days, but may go with the 9 day instead and do what you described. Thanks for the tip!

 

[DancesWithCats]

Thank you all so much for your replies. I really like the idea of buying a ticket just for the party that day! We are all so excited, kind of like a kid at Christmas. Oh wait, it is Christmas! Anyway, we are extremely excited for this trip. We are planing, and trying to think of every little thing to make this trip a Christmas that we all remember for a lifetime, and yet still trying hard not to get so excited that the actual experience can't compare to the dream. Hoping, and wishing for good weather as we will have a tiny baby, as well as 3 other children with us to consider. If the weather is extremely cold we may get stuck in the hotel room. So, trying to plan for that too. That is why buying the night time Christmas party ticket is kind of scary. I go to bed every night dreaming of this trip, and it is still over 3 months away. Would love to hear any other advice for you all. Thanks bunches!

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

For those of you looking to learn all about Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, there is a great thread here:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/of...ave-yourself-a-very-mickey-christmas.3476594/

that is worth a read. It will probably answer every question you have and a few you didn't think to ask yet .

 

[AnneK]

I am really hoping they have a party on Dec. 15th in 2017 as that is my birthday. So excited for this trip!

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

There IS a party on the 15th. We'llbe there that same week, but are attending on the 11th.

in advance!

 

[Barbydoll8]

If the weather is extremely cold we may get stuck in the hotel room.

What do you consider extremely cold. As a person of central west FL, extremely cold to me is 50 degrees. That would be a worst case scenario in early Dec here. The past two years here, I've had to have my AC on cause it's still in the 80's during the day and 70's at night. LOL
You can expect 70-80 daytime and mid 50-mid 60's at night. It typically doesn't get "cold" here until January.
Of course, anything could happen but in 20+ years of living here, I've only ever had 1 "cold" Dec and that was in 2010. Temps at night in the high 40's. It's extremely rare.

 

[Trixie Belden]

I took my son to MVMCP for the first time when he was 14 months old and we were freezing! However we're natives and start bundling up when it gets below 70, so it was probably around 50 degrees. He slept in his stroller with an extra blanket and perfectly happy, so please don't confine yourself to the room if you don't have to!

We love MVMCP so so much-the carolers, the hot chocolate and cookies, the SNOW! They have dance parties around the park in different places and it's a hard ticket event so the crowds are much lighter. We've done it staying both on and off site and the traffic hasn't ever been a problem either way.

 

[LadyGrimm]

The party is worth it. Period. If we're there when it's going on we NEVER miss it. You should try to research a little and decide what you're going to concentrate on, though - characters, parades, rides- because the time will fly by. (But don't miss the parade - I think it's the best in WDW!)

 

[DancesWithCats]

OK, I am convinced. We will be buying those tickets. We are from Colorado, and it can get below zero in the winter, but it is a dry kind of cold. I love Florida for their weather, especially in the winter, but the humidity makes it seem so much colder even at 50 degrees. Still, after reading all the responses, how can I stay away? Merry Christmas, here we come!

 

[DancesWithCats]

I took my son to MVMCP for the first time when he was 14 months old and we were freezing! However we're natives and start bundling up when it gets below 70, so it was probably around 50 degrees. He slept in his stroller with an extra blanket and perfectly happy, so please don't confine yourself to the room if you don't have to!

We love MVMCP so so much-the carolers, the hot chocolate and cookies, the SNOW! They have dance parties around the park in different places and it's a hard ticket event so the crowds are much lighter. We've done it staying both on and off site and the traffic hasn't ever been a problem either way.

Trixie Belden?? Talk about a memory from my past! My cousins, and I read alll the Trixie Belden books. We started our own club called the "Bellaire Bobwhites". I don't think I have ever know anyone else who ever heard of Trixie Belden.

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

Also to answer your question about traffic, there would be no reason to drive from the GF...
You would not be able to park right at MK, but at the TTC, which connects by monorail or boat to MK.
Save yourself the hassle and hop on the monorail directly in front of your hotel. Faster and easier!

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

I am glad you decided to go to the party for us last year it was the highlight. We hit the park at 4 pm and had a dinner at Cosmic rays around 6pm then saw the parade, got cookies and hot chocolate and got on rides. They put snow in Main Street it's a blast the atmosphere is electric it's priceless! The traffic was ok if you plan but I would always get transport to MK as it gets you to the gate.

 

[tonya clayton]

My Family and I went to the Christmas party. I have a few insites on it. My avatar picture is from that visit to DisneyWorld. As you can see we had ages from 4 years old to 52. The party starts at 4pm and goes until about 1am. My group was at he park at about 1pm. We ate Lunch at Cosmic Ray's. Shopped. Rode some rides. We got our bracelet's just after 4pm. We went for a sit down dinner at Be Our Guest, then started in Tomorrowland on Carousel of Progress. Got hot chocolate. Watched a Christmas show. We watched the early parade. Then walked over to Fantasyland for rides. By 9pm everyone was tired and wanting to go back to their room except me and my 11 year old grandson. So he and I were the only one's that stayed. I'm glad we got to do the Christmas party, but If I had known they all would have tired out so early, I would not have spent the money on tickets. It was a large expense to cover 10 people. We would have been fine without the party.