By Local Diva 
We just returned from Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party with our 4 and 2 year old. Here are my top tips for attending with preschool aged children:
1. Arrive at 4 pm!
Your party tickets actually allow for entry at 4, although the party starts at 7 pm. This is valuable time to ride rides and meet characters before the official festivities begin! You don’t want to miss special events because you’re standing in line for attractions that are offered year round!
2. Eat before 7 pm!
Once the party starts and the smell of unlimited cookies and hot chocolate fill the air, your little ones are not likely to be interested in much else (Apples and apple juice are also offered at each station)! Grab a bite to eat BEFORE the sugar rush hits!
3. Be at a dance party entrance around 7 pm.
The dance parties are a very special opportunity for little ones to interact with characters, but they fill up fast. We stood outside the doors of the Diamond Horseshoe at 6:45 and at 7 pm, my two kiddos had minutes of quality alone time with Woody and Jessie!
4. IF YOU CAN MAKE IT, try to view the second parade at 10:30.
There are fewer children at this parade time, which means a higher likelihood that your child will receive attention from characters during the parade. You also have a better chance of getting a good spot, and you can utilize the first parade time to your advantage (we spent about 5 minutes alone with Ariel because there was no line!).
5. Take it nice and slow
Magic Kingdom already offers SO MUCH for children that it can be overwhelming to do it all as a young child. Add in the special events, snow on Main Street, unlimited access to sugar, and characters all around, and you are in meltdown territory! Pick a few things that are most important to accomplish (for us it was the parade, meeting Minnie, and attending a dance party) and take the rest nice and slow. Soak up the ambiance, watch your children’s reactions to all of the lights and shows, and pace yourself. With five full hours of party time and (generally) much shorter lines for attractions, it is easy to feel like you got your money’s worth by the end of the evening!
