By Pixie Hollow Diva
We all know Disney can cost a small fortune at times especially when it comes to buying tickets for special events and regular park passes. If my family has the opportunity to go during special times like Halloween or Christmas, we like to do Mickey’s Very Merry Halloween party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas party in Magic Kingdom. I have heard mixed reviews on spending money on the parties. Some people think it’s worth it while others do not. I have one huge reason why it is worth it.
My first reason for justifying spending money on a special event ticket is because it’s cheaper than a single park admission. I have two small children, so we do not spend the entire day in a park and I never go back to the same park twice in one day anyway. I do not like to be overwhelmed and I like to somewhat keep my children on a schedule so that we are all not suffering and cranky. The savings is nothing crazy but you’re probably looking at $20 or slightly more per ticket savings than a single day admission ticket.
The special events start at 7 PM so around 6 PM they are making people leave the park who have not purchased the special event ticket. They also allow you with your special ticket to enter the park at 4 PM. You are getting into the park earlier than when the event starts which is awesome. Once 6 o’clock rolls around the park is drastically less crowded. We took full advantage of this past November for the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
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My second reason for attending the special events is because the wait time for rides is basically nothing. When we went this past November, we had a 4:30 dinner reservation at Liberty Tree Tavern. We finished dinner probably close to 6 o’clock and at this point the park was already emptying out due to the Christmas party starting at 7 PM. During this time, when I tell you we barely waited in line I mean it! If we waited ten minutes for a ride that was a lot. Many people want to sit for a few hours and grab a spot along the curb for the parade. Honestly it’s not worth it. My Disney Diva tip is to go on as many rides as possible! You will always find a spot to squeeze in so you can see the parade. People are usually always willing to let small children sneak in and you can stand behind them. I really would not waste your time sitting on a curb for over two hours just to see the parade. Yes, the parade is awesome but it’s not worth sitting over two hours to hold a seat.
I love that we were able to get on and off rides basically as much as possible. We went on the Tea Cups twice back to back because there was no wait. We did the Flying Carpets of Aladdin twice we did Dumbo, Prince Charming’s Carousel, Pirates of the Caribbean we met princesses at Fairy Tale Hall and we did it’s a Small World. All of this we did in about an hour and fifteen minutes!! I think we had accomplished more in that hour or so before the parade then we did if we stayed in one park all day!
Same wait time rule goes for the rides during the Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. Many people starting going to the trick or treating stations at 7pm when they open. I never felt this was worth it either. You actually are stuck standing on long lines for free candy. If your children are old enough and do not mind this then absolutely go for it! We did this two years ago when my daughters were 9 months and 4 years old. My 4 year old wanted NO part of waiting so we hit ALL the rides with NO waiting! She rode the Tea Cups with my husband several times in a row! (how they did not get sick, don’t ask) For the cheaper admission for the party, it was totally worth it and obviously less crowded.
If you happen to be traveling to Disney World not during holiday times, check out Early Morning Magic at Magic Kingdom! It is available on selected Tuesdays and Sundays. Adult pricing is $69 and children are $59.This, like the seasonal events is a cheaper ticket price for early access ONLY. By purchasing this early ticket, it only allows you to be inside Magic Kingdom Park from 7:45 am-10:00 am. If you want to stay in the park the rest of the day or longer, you would still need a full day park ticket for that. You are also provided with breakfast at Pinnochio Village Haus. This includes:
- Chilled juices, coffee and teas
- Seasonal fruit and berries
- Freshly baked pastries
- Cheese and cured meats
- Scrambled eggs with assorted toppings
- Vegetable frittata
- Smoked bacon
- Pork and chicken sausages
- Fried potatoes with caramelized onions
- French toast
- Assorted yogurts
If you think you can do a good amount of things in those few hours, then totally check it out! Your options of attractions are The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Peter Pan’s Flight! If you plan on doing Magic Kingdom another day also, this would be a great option because it is considered a special event and you do not need an entire day park pass for early access only. This leaves you with a full day park ticket for another park if you do not have a Hopper Pass.
When going to Disney World you want to build memories that will last you a lifetime. You do not want to be overwhelmed and stressed out by standing on long lines. If you can go during a time where there is a special event I would totally try to take advantage of that! There is a huge difference in everyone’s attitudes when you are not really waiting online and when you can basically come and go as you please. Everything just runs so much more smoothly and everyone in my book just seems happier!
To Book your next vacation or your first, Call Patricia Payne at All For Dreams Travel!
