Character Greetings at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

Overview

Character greetings are a big part of what you pay for with a Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party ticket. This is the separate-ticket holiday night event at Magic Kingdom, where the usual characters often appear in holiday outfits and some rarely seen characters meet guests only on party nights. The meets are spread across the park, and lines can take as long as a headliner ride. That makes them a time-management problem as much as a photo op.

Is it worth it?

Worth it if your group loves characters. If meeting characters is one of your top reasons for buying a party ticket, you’ll get the most from these. You get holiday costumes and party-only characters, and you can’t get those photos on a regular park day. Worth less for ride-first groups. If you mainly want the parade, the fireworks and shorter-than-usual ride lines, one or two long character lines can use up your whole night. In that case, pick a single must-meet character, or skip the meets.

The best part: photos you can’t recreate on any other day of the year.

The catch: party nights are short, and the most popular meets often have the longest lines of the night, sometimes longer than for the rides. You’ll almost certainly have to trade a character meet for something else. Decide what that trade is before you go, not while you’re standing in line.

Insider tips

• Get the party map and times guide as soon as you arrive. Which characters appear, and where, can change from year to year. The current list is in the party guide and in My Disney Experience. Don’t plan from an old list or from photos people posted last season.
• Rank your character meets before you go. Make a top-three list for the group. Then you’re choosing between known options all night instead of arguing in the walkway.
• Line up during the big shows. Character lines often shrink while crowds gather for the holiday parade and the fireworks. If your group is happy to catch the parade’s second run, or watch the fireworks from wherever you’re standing, those are often the best times for a long meet.
• Lines for rare characters can close early. Cast members often stop letting people into the most popular lines before the posted end time, so the line can finish on schedule. If a party-only character is your top priority, get there early in that meet’s window, not at the end.
• Use the start of the night well. Party tickets usually let you into Magic Kingdom before the party officially begins (check your ticket for the exact time). Find out where your top character will be, then be close by when party meets start, rather than across the park on a ride.
• Plan on standby lines. Count every character line as a regular wait, and work each one into your plan the way you would a headliner ride.
• Choose your night with care. Party nights don’t all draw the same crowds. A lighter night can mean meeting several characters instead of one. Before you buy, compare the dates you’re considering on SupaPark’s crowd calendar at supapark.com.
• Eat before you line up. The free holiday cookies and cocoa are good for a quick snack between meets, but they won’t hold off a hungry meltdown during a 60-minute wait. Feed the kids first.
• Get the photos ready before it’s your turn. Have your phone or PhotoPass card in hand, outfits fixed and autograph books open to a blank page before you reach the front. These meets can move quickly, and every second you save means a better photo.

Who can ride

There’s no height requirement, and these meets are fine for any age. Babies, toddlers and grandparents can all join.

Things to plan for with young kids:

• Big costumed characters can scare little ones. A toddler who loves a character on screen may freeze or cry face to face. If you’re not sure, watch another family’s meet from nearby first, and don’t wait an hour for one that might not happen.
• Late nights and long waits are hard on young kids. Party meets go late into the evening. If your kids fall apart after bedtime, do your top meet early and leave the rare characters for older kids or adults who don’t mind waiting.
• Strollers and weather: you can’t take strollers into character lines, so plan where to park yours. Florida evenings in late fall and December can feel cool, so bring a layer. You may be standing still for a long time.

There’s no motion or intensity to worry about. The main challenges are lines, late hours and how well everyone holds up.