Official 2021 Disney Very Merriest After Hours Thread

[wdwrule]

I’m going tomorrow to the party and have my tickets linked to my Disney app account. Can I just use my phone to get in, similar to entering the park during normal hours?

Yes. I did exactly that last month.

 

[winnieofpooh]

Late review, but hopefully it helps before some of the last parties. We went on 12/12.

Overall I think it was worth it. We did all of the rides we wanted to and got to see some of the Christmas entertainment as well. Crowds were definitely not as low as the true After Hours events from a few years back. I’ve never been to a regular Christmas party so can’t comment on crowds compared to that. Even though crowds were higher than regular After Hours, we still got everything accomplished we wanted. I wish they had kept attendance lower, but it is what it is.

We were let in shortly before 7. Join the lines all the way to the left to get in. Everyone crowds the lines right after security and there are much shorter lines if you just keep walking. Went straight to Buzz, 15 minute wait. We then did Astro Orbiter during the regular fireworks, 15 minute wait there. At 8pm (official park close), they started checking for wristbands when getting in line. We rode space mountain and people mover, both walk on. Then we worked our way to the other side of the park and did Haunted Mansion, Big Thunder, and Pirates - all walk on. We stopped for a photo pass by the Jingle Cruise sign and had to wait about 5 minutes. We got in line for Jingle a cruise around 10pm and waited 10 minutes. We then popped over to Peter Pan which was our longest wait of the night at 20 minutes.

After that we did a few photopasses and wandered to the hub to get a spot for fireworks. We were able to snag a great spot at the back of the hub about 10 minutes before fireworks started. I really liked the show! I’m not a huge fireworks person, but it was super cute and the projections on the castle were awesome. After fireworks we walked down Main Street to find a spot for the parade. We had to walk almost all the way down to the end of the street to find a spot on the curb. I think a lot of people post up for the fireworks and then don’t move. Parade was also super cute! I lovedthe “snow” on Main Street. We left right after the parade, as did a majority of the people around us. If you can tough it out for a little longer, (we had been up since 3am that morning), I can imagine literally every ride should be a walk on.

So all in all it was a good trip. We rode the rides we wanted and got to see the entertainment we wanted. We didn’t get too many of the free snacks. We never had lines for the snickerdoodles/hot chocolate, but a lot of the snack carts had HUGE lines. If you wander off the main paths you can find carts with no lines, but the carts close to the main paths are super busy. I would do it again, and probably save a ticket day and not do a dedicated MK day separately as we rode mostly everything during the party.

 

[Rheinhold]

So I decided to postpone my vacation because of everything that's going on. However, I have two tickets for the Christmas Party on the 21st. After waiting on hold for 2 and 1/2 hours, the castmember told me that there was nothing I needed to do. I could use those tickets for another party or even apply them to a regular park ticket. Knowing that different cast members give you different answers, should I be worried and try to speak with someone else? Has anyone else tried to cancel tickets to this event?

 

[sheila14]

So I decided to postpone my vacation because of everything that's going on. However, I have two tickets for the Christmas Party on the 21st. After waiting on hold for 2 and 1/2 hours, the castmember told me that there was nothing I needed to do. I could use those tickets for another party or even apply them to a regular park ticket. Knowing that different cast members give you different answers, should I be worried and try to speak with someone else? Has anyone else tried to cancel tickets to this event?

I was actually told this when I had an extra ticket for the Halloween bash party in September. I have my confirmation Number for the ticket I didn’t use. I plan on using this for next years Halloween party if there is one.

 

[Rheinhold]

I was actually told this when I had an extra ticket for the Halloween bash party in September. I have my confirmation Number for the ticket I didn’t use. I plan on using this for next years Halloween party if there is one.

Yes, I called again and was told the same thing so I'm holding on to my confirmation number and hopefully will be able to do either a party or AH event next year.

 

[princesswahooey]

Went last night 12/19 with family of 4 (me, hubby, and kids 15 and 20)

Weather was warm and no rain. They let us in at 6:45. We had a mobile order for Sleepy Hollow and it was ready the moment we walked up. We got a table overlooking the castle and had our chicken and waffles and corn dogs before heading to Big Thunder. Posted 35, waited about 10. Next to Jungle cruise. Posted 55, waited 12. Then walk on to Pirates & Haunted Mansion.

By this Time it was 9pm so we grabbed cookies and hot cocoa at Columbia Harbor House, then waited 20 for 7DMT (Posted 35). On to walk on Small World and Pooh, Mickey bars, and 7 minute wait for Space Mountain. Son & Hubby went on Space Mtn again while daughter and I enjoyed strawberry fruit bars and dancing with Santa Stitch.

Next we watched the fireworks with more popcorn and drinks. It was a good show. Then did Laugh Floor, Peter Pan (10 minutes), and hustled back to Frontier land on the tail end of second parade to do Splash and BTMR, both walk-on. We exited the park just after 1am and caught bus back to Riviera, waiting about 10 minutes for bus to fill up. Back by 1:40.

We had a great time and felt like we got good value for our $

Cast members were very sweet and upbeat, but bathrooms were pretty dirty at the end of the evening and we did see several overflowing trash cans.

 

[BrotherCraig]

For those that had their Merriest party cancelled (11/19 or other times), did y'all get rainchecks or anything in return? We spent over $1,000 for tickets for the Merriest party but didn't get to experience anything but a cookie and hot cocoa. Left less than an hour into since shows, parades, and other things were cancelled. Just seeing what Disney does for customers - if anything.

 

[katied]

Just a quick note to say yesterday’s party was a clear win for my family, and well worth it. My kids thanked me a dozen times as we rode ride after ride, got treat after treat, and enjoyed the fireworks.

 

[Graciesmom77]

Any news on Christmas party plans for 2022? What was the difference between what they did this past year versus the MVMCP?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Any news on Christmas party plans for 2022? What was the difference between what they did this past year versus the MVMCP?

You have been merged with the 2021 Christmas party thread. Please read post 1 to see what the 2021 party included and what changes there were from years in the past.

2022 Christmas and party announcements will not be out for a number of months. The initial party information came out in July 2021.