Your experience with MVMCP

[Figmentmommy]

my favorite element of the parade was the wooden soldiers

The Wooden Soldiers are my favorite part too...I get so excited when I see them getting close! There's just something about the way they all work together - I wish that part was longer!

 

[maxiesmom]

Thank you for sharing your Vlog of the event! Yes - it did seem more crowded than I would expect. I think if we go into it knowing we're there to go with the flow it should be fine. We'll see!

I'm honestly not sure how much you can go with the flow. If you want to have a good view of the parade, particularly the first parade, then you need to grab you spot a good bit ahead of time. If you want to see it from Main Street that at least an hour ahead of time you should have your spot. And that may be underestimating the time needed. Lines for the more rare characters can get crazy long, as PeasandCarrots noted in her vlog.

 

[Disney93]

If you've never been to a MVMCP then you should go. We have gone to several and each one is worse than the one before. Way too many people and the price is going up and up. When we first started going you got a free photo and a pin with the year on it, not anymore. If you try to go to all the side shows, you need to plan your evening as soon as you enter the park. You will miss out on the best seats for the fireworks and the parade if you make it to the side shows. The cookies can vary a lot from the first parties to the last ones. You will hear people complain about dry and very hard cookies to wonderful ones. The hot chocolate can go from too strong to almost water. It is a special one and one I think everyone should experience at least once. Seeing how I am the one that picks up the tab for all 10 of our party, I can find better things to spend $600.00 on.

 

[bibba410]

@maxiesmom
I think my definition of "go with the flow" might be a bit different than some. We'll still plan out things - but by "go with the flow" I mean knowing ahead of time there will be crowds and be ok that there are a lot of people. Then chilling out in a spot for an hour to people watch before the parade - we'll be ok with that too. So we shouldn't get flustered if we can't see things up close and personal. As for character meet and greeting - for DH and I it isn't super high on our list. We'd probably stand in line for the dwarfs or one other character/set of characters. Since we don't get down there too often (maybe every 5 years or so) and this might be our only Christmas season there, I think we'll go for it. I do appreciate the first hand advice and making sure we understand what we may be walking in to!

@Disney93
I see you points for sure. If we were there a lot we'd probably skip it (especially if we'd done it before). I'm looking forward to the fireworks, parade, and snow on Main Street.

 

[midnightlouise]

We've gone twice before and will be going again this year! Definitely try to go mid-week. The parade is wonderful and I love the snow on Main Street. It just has such an awesome holiday feeling! Well worth going if you've never been (and even if you have!) We got our hot chocolate and cookies and hung out on Main Street for about an hour before the 2nd parade and we had a great spot. The snacks made the wait less painful. (Plus I could go shopping while the guys held my space lol!)

 

[mrsclark]

This thread has been very helpful! We might be going to WDW during the first week of December this year which would be our first Christmas season at WDW. We have been to MNSSHP multiple times (usually in September and always on a Tuesday). Could anyone compare a Tuesday MNSSHP with a weekday MVMCP as far as crowds go?

 

[DISNEY1975]

Here is my experience....

2008 trip with all the kids and Mom. 6 of us. At the time, tix were $50 each = $300. It was our first time during the holidays and first time to the MVMCP. So exciting!

Well...we walked into the park and got a photo with Donald Duck (or Scrooge..or some duck in a red plaid costume). After the photo, we took about 10 steps up Main St and the sky opened up and it started down-pouring. We ran for cover and ended up with everyone else in the park at the tomorrowland terrace indoor dance party, where it was wall to wall wet people and you couldnt move. Kids were crying, strollers were bumping us in every direction, and the floor was a giant puddle.

So, we waited and waited and waited....an hour and a half later, we walked back into the rain and went back to the hotel.

It was at that moment I vowed to never buy tickets in advance again. Ill get them day before or day of while Im there...which has worked well with the MNSSHP we've been to a couple of times.

 

[maxiesmom]

Just as an FYI if it pours rain or there are storms, you can ask them to give you a ticket for a different night. Many people have reported doing so with great success.

 

[1girln3boys]

I had an amazing time at the party when we went. Meeting the characters that aren't normally out was a ton of fun.

 

[PeasandCarrots]

This thread has been very helpful! We might be going to WDW during the first week of December this year which would be our first Christmas season at WDW. We have been to MNSSHP multiple times (usually in September and always on a Tuesday). Could anyone compare a Tuesday MNSSHP with a weekday MVMCP as far as crowds go?

I know the crowd levels are probably comparable, but to me it FEELS less crowded at MNSSHP because the trick or treating spreads people out and gives them another activity to do. I know we spent a lot of time trick or treating and we are 2 adults! Whereas the cookies and hot cocoa I think for most people is a one time thing. You go in, stand in line, get your free cookie/cocoa and that's it.

 

[JZCubed]

Hello fellow DIS'ers! We are (as many are) trying to decide about this year's MVMCP. We'll be at WDW Dec 13-19, and there are several nights to choose from for the party!

My question really is - is there much difference b/t the party and a regular Christmas season evening at MK? For example - are the parades and fireworks all that different? I've also read that on "regular" holiday season evenings that MK has snow falling on Main Street. So it seems like the only thing we might miss would be cookies and hot chocolate. What are your experiences?

Thank you all! #GettingExcited!

We enjoyed the Halloween Characters more than we had fun at Christmas Party.

MK is beautiful with holiday lights - with or without the MVMCP; both the Parade(s) and Fireworks are different.

Are they different enough for a premium 'hard ticket'? Depends on how you buy your tickets.

Since we barely get value from our Annual Passes, having to pay for an extra Park admission makes little sense for us. However, if we were purchasing Magic Your Way Tickets and bought one less day in exchange for a MVMCP ticket, the math makes more sense.

We found there is little or no compelling reason to attend MVMCP. But if it works with the rest of your plans and/or you're very curious, there is no reason to avoid the Event.

 

[DisneyHardin]

We went to the first party night last year and had a good time. We had done the Halloween party before, but this was the first time for Christmas. We did not have a plan at all and still had a great time. We arrived at the park about 3:45 and they were already letting party goers in. Between 4-7 we did some rides that I had gotten FP+ for and ate a QS dinner at Pecos Bills. After the party started we waited about 45 minutes to meet Scrooge McDuck and about 45 minutes for the 7 Dwarves. We did some other character meets, watched the fireworks and the 2nd parade. It was crowded, but was still a fantastic time.

 

[Maleficent Dragon]

Hello fellow DIS'ers! We are (as many are) trying to decide about this year's MVMCP. We'll be at WDW Dec 13-19, and there are several nights to choose from for the party!

My question really is - is there much difference b/t the party and a regular Christmas season evening at MK? For example - are the parades and fireworks all that different? I've also read that on "regular" holiday season evenings that MK has snow falling on Main Street. So it seems like the only thing we might miss would be cookies and hot chocolate. What are your experiences?

Thank you all! #GettingExcited!

The biggest differences are: (what you are paying for)

• Christmas version of Wishes (which is not wishes at all)
• A parade (super cute, but shortened over the years)
• Characters that you will not meet during other times
• Cookies and Cocoa (which is truly not very good)

The party is not worth the ticket cost, but it is still fun. The first party I went to was in 2001 and the ticket was less than $30 per adult and they offered so much more. I say that to say this; my comments in parenthesis above stem from 13 years of parties. If you are going the first time and you love Christmas, the wow factor is there because you do not see how the crowds have grown, you do not recall the free pictures or when the cookies were good. If you have never done it, I think you should at least once and decide from there.

 

[KCB4]

We are going our first time this year (only second trip overall to Disney). We figured we would make the drive and just entered with the party ticket (get in at 4) and not pay for the full price ticket that day.. I am wondering where to sit for parties or parades.. Will they give us a map and schedule for the party?

 

[AARCLUKSCH]

I've done the party twice before and will be doing it again this year. It is fabulous. The parade and fireworks are not to be missed. Get a spot for the parade at least 30 - 45 minutes early. Another highlight for my family was the photo op with the Seven Dwarfs. We lined up about an hour prior to party (the aniticpation and entrance of them is a treat alone). It was well worth the wait. That picture of my family with all seven dwarfs is the best family photo we have ever taken!!! The other shows and cookie set ups are fun as well.

 

[jtowntoflorida]

OP, not sure where you're from, but make sure to bring clothes to bundle up in for the evening. We traveled on your same dates this past year, we're Minnesotans, and we were downright cold at the MVMCP we went to. It's surprisingly chilly at night in Florida in December. I think it was in the low 40s the night of our party, which sounds warm from an upper Midwest point of view...but not when you're outside for 5+ hours in the dark with no sun to warm you up. Hats, gloves, warm socks, layers on the legs, and a warm jacket are advisable.

 

[bibba410]

OP, not sure where you're from, but make sure to bring clothes to bundle up in for the evening. We traveled on your same dates this past year, we're Minnesotans, and we were downright cold at the MVMCP we went to. It's surprisingly chilly at night in Florida in December. I think it was in the low 40s the night of our party, which sounds warm from an upper Midwest point of view...but not when you're outside for 5+ hours in the dark with no sun to warm you up. Hats, gloves, warm socks, layers on the legs, and a warm jacket are advisable.

Ooo! Good call. We live in Texas - so 40's would be pretty dang chilly for us. Thanks!

 

[bibba410]

We are going our first time this year (only second trip overall to Disney). We figured we would make the drive and just entered with the party ticket (get in at 4) and not pay for the full price ticket that day.. I am wondering where to sit for parties or parades.. Will they give us a map and schedule for the party?

I saw on another thread that maps are handed out. So that will definitely help!