7 Tips for Enjoying a Sold Out or Crowded Christmas Party

The holiday season has officially kicked off at Disney World! There are many special events and fun things to do, with Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party (MVMCP) arguably being the biggest. But what happens if the night you are attending is sold out?

You have bought tickets for MVMCP. You’ve got your family amped up. Then…you found out your party is sold out. Or you get to the party and realize it’s a lot more crowded than a special-ticketed event would lead you to believe. What do you do? Don’t fret, I’ve got plenty of tips to help you make the most of an over-crowded or sold out Christmas party.

Before we get to all that though, I think it is worth mentioning Disney is not offering a Party Pass for MVMCP like they did for MNSSHP. If you don’t know what Party Pass is, basically guests could purchase one ticket for multiple Halloween parties. Maybe Disney used Party Pass as a way to increase attendance for Halloween parties since they are not as popular as Christmas parties. Maybe they were testing it out to see if they wanted to offer it in the future. Regardless, it is not currently available for Christmas parties so we can all breathe a collective sigh of relief.

Now, on to the list!

Have a good plan

Subscribe to Character Locator and follow ALL of Kenny’s advice. Study every single part of the website, especially the section on MVMCP. Kenny has locations, times, and tips for meeting rare characters. Best places to view special shows and when to get a spot are also already there too along with so much more.

If you want to follow a touring plan, look no further than Character Locator. You should always want to follow a touring plan, but especially on a crowded or sold out party night. There are four premade plans that you can choose from based on your needs. Do you want to meet princes and princesses? Do you want to focus on party-exclusive entertainment? Want to ride all the rides without much of a wait? He’s got those touring plans ready to go for you!

You can even order a custom Christmas party plan! For a little bit more money you can have peace of mind knowing Kenny has planned your night especially for you. You send him a list of the 10 attractions you want to accomplish along with your party date and the number of adults and children in your party. He will then put all those in order for you, and all you have to do is go to the party and follow the plan! I ordered a custom plan last year, and I am so thankful I did this. It saved me a lot of stress, and I was able to enjoy the party with my family instead of planning what to do next.

Have reasonable expectations

No, you will not be able to meet every single rare character and ride every single ride on a “regular” party night so there is absolutely no way you will be able to do this on a “crowded” party night. Yes, you will be able to get more done with a good plan, but don’t expect to be able to do everything the party has to offer. The park will not be empty, and you will be to shoulder-to-shoulder during the parade and fireworks. And this is all ok! I know the party is a lot of money, but you just can’t expect to do all.the.Christmas.things. Go to enjoy the holidays at Disney, and the rest is just a bonus.

Get to the party early

The party officially starts at 7 p.m., but guests can enter Magic Kingdom as early as 4 p.m. You can spend a few hours checking out a few attractions (preferably ones that don’t have holiday overlays because those are so fun to experience during the party) or get in line for a rare character. You do not want to spend precious party hours waiting in line more than necessary so consider getting there early to get a head start.

Mom tip: make sure everyone is rested the day of the party! Consider staying out of all the parks that day and just have a fun relaxing morning at your resort. Take naps or spend quiet time in your room. This will help prepare them for the evening!

Stay for the entire party

MVMCP runs until 12 a.m. You have 8 hours to enjoy all the festivities if you enter at 4 p.m. and leave at 12 a.m. That’s quite a bit of time to get through your touring plan and see much of what MVMCP has to offer. Taking advantage of every minute of the party will help you have a more enjoyable and successful evening. Who knows, maybe the park will eventually clear out a little throughout the night so by the end it is more manageable! If you have young party guests who may not make it the whole night do not fret! I have some tips for taking young kids to the party and how to prepare them for a long evening.

Do not eat at table-service restaurants

This is a general no-no for every party night, but especially on crowded or sold-out nights! Table-service meals take up so much time as it is that you won’t get much done if you are taking 1-2 hours to eat. Grab free snacks from the various treat stations (locations can be found on Character Locator) or some hot dogs from Casey’s and get in line for a character/stake out your spot for fireworks or parade. Might as well kill two birds with one stone, right?

Do not attend a dessert party

There are two dessert parties offered during MVMCP: Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Dessert Party and Tony’s Most Merriest Town Square Party. I actually do not recommend attending either, which seems very counter-productive for a sold-out night.

Attending a dessert party can help you so you are not grabbing a spot hours in advance, right? Sure, but instead of spending that time in your spot you are now spending that time eating. Many guests feel like they have to spend a ton of time at the party eating to get their money worth. Instead, follow Character Locator’s tips for the best places and times to see the parade and fireworks and you can save time and money. My party of 8 got a front-row spot to the parade last year, and we only staked out our spot 30 minutes in advance! Not bad at all.

Back to money, the dessert parties essentially double the cost of the party because each ticket is about $100 per person. Yes, you do need to buy MVMCP tickets plus dessert party tickets if you wish to attend! This can add up quickly, and in my opinion, doesn’t really add anything to the experience.

With the new fireworks show this year, there are not as many castle projections. In years past, guests would have to line up along Main Street to get the best view of the show. Now you can spend time doing other things and then find a spot on the outskirts of the hub shortly before it begins. You aren’t missing out on much except maybe snoap.

If you can afford it, attend multiple parties

I know, I know. This is a huge expense depending on how many people you are vacationing with. I myself have 4 kids so there is no way I would consider a second party, but if it was just myself attending I probably would. Hopefully the other night you decide to attend won’t be crowded or sold out! You can focus on rides and characters one party, and on the next night, you can enjoy shows, the parade, and fireworks. However you want to divide it is up to you, but knowing that you can spread everything out over two nights will be less stressful and ensure you can accomplish everything you want to.

Say it with me…”I am going to a sold-out party. I am not stressed. I have Character Locator. I have reasonable expectations. I will maximize my time.” See! You’re good to go! Enjoy your party!

-Monica S.