I have never been to MVMCP. This will be our first year, YEA! Based on what I have read so far, the party begins at 7:00 p.m. but they usually start letting you in with the MVMCP ticket about 4-4:30 p.m. (although there are no guarantees). So as long as you don't try to go before they start letting in the MVMCP's then you won't need a regular ticket.