"Official" Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party 2017 - Believe in the Magic

[monique5]

NEWS

 

[monique5]

Me too! This is our first time going at Christmas and we are going to the last MVMCP. I cannot wait to see the Christmas decorations and visit the storytellers at Epcot.

We love Christmas @ Disney! Going to MVMCP on 12/22 too. Plan on visiting Deluxe Resorts, DS & seeing storytellers @ EP.

 

[alhurricane]

We just got back to our room from our first party. We had a blast and it’s in large part to all of the helpful info from this thread. We got in line to meet the Seven Dwarfs at 530 and finished at 715. We enjoyed all of the entertainment and treats. The best part was that we landed, what I think, is one of the best possible locations for the parade.

 

[luvme1506]

Can anyone give wait time estimates for:

Moana - early in the party
Jack Skellington- early in the party
Ariel and Eric- throughout party
The Poohs- throughout party
Aurora and Snow and Princes throughout the party
Nick and Judy after the Fireworks

 

[Kiwibella88]

We just got back to our room from our first party. We had a blast and it’s in large part to all of the helpful info from this thread. We got in line to meet the Seven Dwarfs at 530 and finished at 715. We enjoyed all of the entertainment and treats. The best part was that we landed, what I think, is one of the best possible locations for the parade.

Nice work! Gorgeous view

 

[pmaurer74]

Priority this year for us is Snow White/Aurora and princes. I plan to get in line around 6:30. likely how long would our wait be? They are by Pinnochio Village Haus right ? by the arches?

 

[tgarre06]

Priority this year for us is Snow White/Aurora and princes. I plan to get in line around 6:30. likely how long would our wait be? They are by Pinnochio Village Haus right ? by the arches?

I'm interested in this as well!

 

[klrobinson999]

Attended the party on Tues. Nov 14th... the place was packed and apparently sold out! Fireworks were spectacular and we were only a row back to watch one of the best Disney parades I've seen. Lots of people there without bands, so it looked like castmembers did not do a very good sweep. They were checking for bands before you got cookies or tried to board an attraction, however.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Lots of people there without bands, so it looked like castmembers did not do a very good sweep.

This really bugs me.

 

[FinnsMom7]

We just got back to our room from our first party. We had a blast and it’s in large part to all of the helpful info from this thread. We got in line to meet the Seven Dwarfs at 530 and finished at 715. We enjoyed all of the entertainment and treats. The best part was that we landed, what I think, is one of the best possible locations for the parade.

How early did you get situated for the parade at that spot?

 

[alhurricane]

How early did you get situated for the parade at that spot?

We got there around 1030 and the parade reached us around 1115-1120.

 

[Moramoon]

I'm curious, does anyone know how early the princesses start meeting with their princes? I'm wondering about getting a FP for Rapunzel for just before the party starts and wondering if Flynn would be out with her yet.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I'm curious, does anyone know how early the princesses start meeting with their princes? I'm wondering about getting a FP for Rapunzel for just before the party starts and wondering if Flynn would be out with her yet.

They are supposed to start exactly at 7. If you have a fastpass before the party starts, you will be moved through the regular line with just Rapunzel. Your best bet will be to line up at 6 pm for Rapunzel and Flynn.

 

[Aljo]

5 for Sparrow is a bit early. I would say start lining up around 6:15 or so to be among the first. Usually it is ok to have people join you in line. Just use common courtesy though. As in..if only one person is waiting then it wouldn't be very nice if all the other people who join get solo pics.

I was once second in line to meet Rapunzel/Flynn and Cinderella/Prince. Then the girl in front of me had (not kidding) 8 friends join her about 5 minutes before the party started. Then she invited two more people to join her in line because they recognized her from a blog. So not only did it go from one person in front of me to about 10, they all then proceeded to get solo pics and spend a very long time interacting.

So moral of the story...don't be like those people and I'm sure you'll be fine

I meant Jack Skellington not sparrow, my fault i should have specified. What time should we line up for him? Reading conflicting reports as to where he is located, do we know for a fact now where he is? Getting so excited for everyone here and for myself as well.

 

[ashnicole]

Attended the party on Tues. Nov 14th... the place was packed and apparently sold out! Fireworks were spectacular and we were only a row back to watch one of the best Disney parades I've seen. Lots of people there without bands, so it looked like castmembers did not do a very good sweep. They were checking for bands before you got cookies or tried to board an attraction, however.

On Sunday they were checking bands to just walk by some points. They also had ropes up by fireworks and parade route checking wristbands, which I really appreciated. I think we even had them checked before a pp picture and I saw a cm check for wristbands of people sitting on a bench by the castle. It seemed like they were doing a good job! However, there was a lady at about 9pm after the parade who was asked if she had a wristband to get into a restaurant and pretended she had no idea what was going on, so I assume she had done something between 6-9 without a wristband.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Went to party Fri Nov 10, did Tomorrowland Terrace Dessert party, I asked when picking up credential and they said there WAS a reserved area for viewing the parade, but it was back on the grass or something and the view was not good so they recommended seeing the later parade in normal viewing. We skipped the first parade to do rides so I didn't go check out the parade viewing but for anyone wondering ask the CM when you check in.

I felt the party was PACKED. Maybe it's normal but around 8pm Space was a 30 min wait, Buzz was 25, the Tomorrowland side of the park was packed with people. We hopped over to Adventureland for Jingle Cruise and it was MUCH better. 10 min wait there, Big Thunder was a walk on. (And stopped for about 5 mins right as our train reached the peak of the crest, yeah I'm a nervous nellie so that wasn't fun but they got it going again!) That side of the park was what I expected, maybe they checked wrist bands over there and weeded everyone out early but didn't bother doing Tomorrowland? Idk, it was weird though. We raced our way back to the Terrace for the party.

Party was nice, they had gluten and dairy free options for my fam member, we arrived at 9pm and got the last 2 seats together in the middle of the railing, the CM seating us was shocked and had thought the seats were taken because people on either side had put stuff there but they were open and it was perfect. If you want great seats though better get there by 8:30 at least. We were SO lucky. They gave us a package of about 20 ghiradelli chocolates after (1 per reservation, not person.). Beautiful way to see the fireworks in an otherwise jam packed park, no regrets.

We were popsicles by the time it was done so we hit up Starbucks for a drink to keep us warm while we waited on our final ride of the night, Mine Train! Line read 50 mins when we arrived and we were bummed but went in anyway. Were on the train in 20 mins. Idk what's up with that time estimate, it was SO wrong- in a good way though! We were placed in row 1 and it was magical. I rode 7DMT 3 times this trip and row 1 at night was like an experience in itself. Perfect cap off to the night. Or so I thought. We ran into the final parade on our way out...

And this is why I 100% believe reports about non party people filling the parks.... (My wrist band was checked once, when we were getting dinner at some QS place with bad burgers, and most people were bundled up because it was quite cold so you couldn't easily see wristbands.) But thinking about the crowds this trip vs 2 years ago, I couldn't believe how many more people were there. It was crazy. Now, to our accidental viewing of the parade.... we stumbled on a perfect spot to view the parade right along a walkway that had been made by tape off the parade route in the middle area between the castle and main street, yeah my descriptions are horrible, sorry Disneyland vet here. So, in the time leading up to the parade the CM kept the area clear and for 5 mins after the parade started going by he kept the area clear. Perfect accidental viewing spot we found. And then people stood on the other side of the white lines and didn't get cleared away, so others followed and the area filled up. I stood, looked around for the CM and saw him SITTING on the curb WATCHING THE PARADE. Did he just go off duty maybe? I looked around and the other CMs were also watching the parade. My jaw dropped, people were inching over the white lines and the CMs were very busy- watching the parade. Do they all go off the clock 5 mins into the parade maybe? That's the only excuse I can think of for just stopping their crowd management duties.

...And that is when I started thinking thru the other serious crowd issue I'd encountered that night: stuck on the walkway (near the walkway maybe? does the walkway break up a bit, looks like it does from the map in that area, i don't remember much was rather occupied obviously) along the river near Liberty Square area being pinned by people during parade 1 during our attempt to get to the Terrace- if someone had pushed back from the parade route for any reason we would have been in a crowd crush scenario. I'm terrified thinking about it, in retrospect it was SO dangerous. There should have been CMs stationed all along the back of that side of the parade route moving traffic along and not allowing anybody to stop to watch the parade from that area.

Which is why I add this: Please stay careful and be extra aware in the super crowded areas at MK. We had a report in the hotel hot tub from someone who went to WDW on Veterans Day and tried to see fireworks but decided to leave and got stuck in traffic near the park exit. Like stuck stuck for at least 10 mins. Nobody could move the crush was so bad, people started freaking out he said and said there were actual screams from a couple people who went into panics. I can't even imagine. So, crowd control is horrible right now in MK, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be extra vigilant and think twice before just diving in through the crowds. I wish I'd just waited for the parade to pass by, it would have been much safer, instead I just assumed MK had crowd control down pat like Disneyland so the safety of passing through the crowds didn't even appear on my radar and I stupidly dived in.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Which is why I add this: Please stay careful and be extra aware in the super crowded areas at MK. We had a report in the hotel hot tub from someone who went to WDW on Veterans Day and tried to see fireworks but decided to leave and got stuck in traffic near the park exit. Like stuck stuck for at least 10 mins. Nobody could move the crush was so bad, people started freaking out he said and said there were actual screams from a couple people who went into panics. I can't even imagine. So, crowd control is horrible right now in MK, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be extra vigilant and think twice before just diving in through the crowds. I wish I'd just waited for the parade to pass by, it would have been much safer, instead I just assumed MK had crowd control down pat like Disneyland so the safety of passing through the crowds didn't even appear on my radar and I stupidly dived in.

This sounds like our experience around the hub before/after fireworks in August. It was INSANE -- like nothing I'd ever seen in 20 trips. I was hoping it was an anomaly... that time there was ONE CM trying I vain to tell people they had to stand to allow the crowds to move. He was roundly ignored and/or not heard. Our entire party started saying:"YOU HAVE TO STAND UP -- CAST MEMBERS ARE TELLING EVERYONE TO STAND UP!" Really felt unsafe.

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

I meant Jack Skellington not sparrow, my fault i should have specified. What time should we line up for him? Reading conflicting reports as to where he is located, do we know for a fact now where he is? Getting so excited for everyone here and for myself as well.

Ooh ok sorry. There are too many Jacks.

I believe he is in the gazebo across from Sleepy Hollow snacks, can anyone confirm?

For whatever reason he doesn't start early for MVMCP, he starts at 7. So yeah, maybe you weren't too far off saying you'd line up at 5:30. I'm really not sure what his line has looked like this year.

 

[CMNJ]

Ooh ok sorry. There are too many Jacks.

I believe he is in the gazebo across from Sleepy Hollow snacks, can anyone confirm?

For whatever reason he doesn't start early for MVMCP, he starts at 7. So yeah, maybe you weren't too far off saying you'd line up at 5:30. I'm really not sure what his line has looked like this year.

Yes he is in the gazebo in liberty square near sleepy hollow

 

[FinnsMom7]

Two years ago in October it was a complete Cluster, my brother and i had set up in front of Crystal Palace an hour before fireworks - last night we were beat happy to sit - we sat right at the tape line knowing what people would do. Fireworks start we stand up people are standing in front of us in walkway blocking walk and CMs are saying you have to move so they are pushing against us and telling us to move. NOPE go find somewhere else or stand behind us (bro is 6'5 so unlikely) so a CM with a cart comes along and stops cart in front of us seeing how we were being shoved to give a break. 10 mins later someone was having a heart attack and people STILL wouldn't move out of the way of the stretcher - acting like they didnt understand that a walkway is not standing area - ppeople were screaming for them to move it was insanity. People just assume they want their way they get it more and more and its disgusting behavior, and likely will lead to changes in viewing areas or policies.