"And I find it hard to see how someone could justify the price for the parade and some rides you can do during regular park hours. Don't get me wrong. The parade is great, but it's hard to justify if there isn't something else in the mix offering value beyond what I can do on a regular park day. I still like photos with rare characters, so the value is still there for me."
The parade, fireworks and events offered during MVMCP are NOT offered during normal hours or on non-MVMCP nights...the only things offered during a regular park day is the Christmas parade and fireworks, and that's ONLY during the last week of December...so if I go in late November and pay extra to see ALL of the Christmas shows and decorations with WAY FEWER CROWDS, then I find that MORE than justifies the price...and the fact that MVMCP guests can enter the park as early as 4pm, that gives them 8 hours of fun for less than the price of one-day tix to MK...I guess its just a matter of what you think is important and what you think works for you...