A First Hand Account Of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2016

Once I entered the bag check and ticketing area of the Magic Kingdom, the first thing that caught my eye were the costumes worn by all the Cast Members.  They were dressed just as I imagine the staff at Santa and Mrs. Claus’ house.  I love that Disney puts so much thought into the costumes of their staff.  Each Cast Member I saw had a smile too, and they all seemed as excited about the party as I was!

After making it through bag check, I was directed to the right set of entrances to get a wristband for the party. From there, I could choose to enter Main Street as usual or go through a special “party path” as the Cast Member called it. Of course, I chose the party path, and I’m so glad that I did! It is a special walkway that is set up with cute photo ops, party map and information guides,and glow carts to buy light-up ears and Christmas light necklaces. Cast Members were also giving out free Christmas tree shaped cookies.  I did not see these cute little treats anywhere else during the party.

Like any true fashionista, one of the first things on my party agenda was finding merchandise. I didn’t have any trouble accomplishing this goal! Of course, Disney has the requisite tee shirts with the party logo. These are available in red and green. The short sleeved versions are $24.99 and the long sleeved versions are $32.99. Annual Passholders also have the option of getting a short sleeved gray tee which says “Passholder” on one sleeve. Cast Members were checking for valid annual passes and photo identification before allowing purchase of that one. All of these shirts are party exclusives, which means that they are only available to party guests.

  

 

Disney pin trading and collecting certainly has a strong fan base, and after attending this party, I can see why. The Christmas pins are beautiful! They are sparkly and jewel toned, and they make me want to start collecting pins right away! There are several exclusive character pins, as well as the limited release event pin and passholder exclusive pin.  The character pins are available for purchase separately or as a boxed set. And this year, there is a Jumbo Pin! This thing is seriously big! It is about the size of my hand and features Mickey, Minnie, and Pluto on a sleigh ride. It also includes the party logo and year, so it makes a great reminder of your special night.

Another exclusive piece of merchandise available at the party is the Magic Band. It is a royal blue with snowflake background and has the party logo and year on one side and Mickey and Minnie with a Christmas tree on the opposite side. I love the Mickey shaped ornament on the tree! This Magic Band comes in a decorative box and also lights up and has sound effects when scanned. This band is a limited edition– only 3000 were made–and it costs $32.99.

 

There is also an ornament to commemorate the party. The ornament features a green and gold sleigh carrying a traditional Christmas tree ornament designed to look like a bag of toys. Mickey and Minnie are catching a ride and dressed in their festive, holiday attire. The ornament features the logo and year. What a sweet way to remember Disney holiday fun while you are decorating your tree!

What’s a party without food? Disney provides several treats in the cost of the party ticket. Locations are scattered throughout the park serving sugar cookies, snickerdoodle cookies, molasses cookies, and even snow cones. Hot chocolate, apple cider, and egg nog are also served with the cookies. Special party treats are also for sale at different restaurants. I tried the pumpkin waffle sundae at Sleepy Hollow, and it was worth every single calorie!  I seriously contemplated having two in one night.

And while the merchandise was super exciting, the party itself was just as amazing.  I got to see Elsa light the castle and Mickey, Minnie, and all their friends sing some popular Christmas tunes (Clarabelle Cow was simply fabulous, by the way!) I experienced snow on Main Street, and for this Florida girl, it was magical! The Christmas parade blew me away. The floats and performers are breath-taking, but the smells –yes, the parade has smells!–make it completely unique. When Kristoff’s float passes, you smell fresh cut pine; at other times, you smell gingerbread, candy, and peppermint. For me, the parade was unquestionably the best part of the night. And I loved seeing the princess float because all the princesses were in their holiday attire. It was just gorgeous! You can see all the videos of the parades, shows and snow on the Disney Fashionista FB page!

Separately ticketed events such as the Christmas party are expensive, but if it fits in your budget, I definitely recommend going to one. It’s a wonderful way to take a break from what can be a stressful season and focus on the wonder and joy of it instead.