MrToadsWildRide
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2009
Do you love Disney World?
Is Christmas your favorite holiday?
Then stop reading this post. (uh oh, spoiler alert? I hate spoilers)
In fact, don't read any other review about Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. Go experience it for yourself, rather than read something like my opinion, which might not be an eleven on a 1-10 scale of awesomeness. (0 being fantastic and 10 being pass-out level greatness)
This (like my recent MNSSHP visit) was my first paid (as in extra cost, above and beyond what I've already paid) holiday experience. I've been to Christmas parties at the Magic Kingdom, B.C.. As in Before Charged extra.
First off, the crowd level seemed like the lowest crowd level I've experienced this year at the MK. Could it be that some people think celebrating Christmas before they throw out their pumpkins is too early?
Either way, it was nice to watch the castle show and fireworks old school style. Meaning, we showed up about 8 minutes before they started, stood right in front of the castle and didn't have a variety of guests making full (uninvited) body contact on all sides of me. I actually moved around a little in my own personal space during the entire show. I experienced all this, without a FlashPass+ExpressMakeoverEdition, made a mere 180 months in advance.
Celebrate the Season live castle show started just as we got there. But since it appeared that every single Disney Guest was watching the show, we figured we'd skip half the show, beat the crowds and get our photo with Jack, AKA Sandy Claws.
Turned out, it was a brilliant move on our part, as it was only a 44.95 minute wait to meet Jack. (thanks Apple Watch) We spent some of the time eating the free (unless you count the $74/person extra entry fee as an actual cost) cookies (we got two each) and (scalding) hot chocolate.
Okay, it wasn't scalding. But since it felt like it was just over 80 degrees (in line for Jack), it seemed scalding. Sweating and hot chocolate don't really go together. Maybe an iced chocolate would be better? Either way, don't just hand one to little Jimmy and send him on his way. (unless he's already headed to the clinic)
Meeting Jack in his Sandy Claws suit was great. Though, you'd think after paying $74/per person you wouldn't have to purchase the free-ish digital photo. (maybe I should stop mentioning the admission price)
After Jack, we headed back to the castle to watch Celebrate the Magic (projection show) and Holiday Wishes fireworks. The projection shows are always impressive. One of these days I have to wonder around and figure out just how many projectors it takes to create that spectacular image, since it does appear to wrap part way around.
Celebrate the Magic projection show is different from the one that has been running all year. It has been beefed up for the holidays. Though there were some additions that were not holiday related. Such as Brave and Jungle Book. JB the old animated version, not the live action one coming out next year. That (at least for me) was awesome. I love the song I Wanna Be Like You. (own it on super 8mm movie film) I have no idea what it's doing in the holiday version of this show, but I liked it.
The fireworks (as usual) are good. They are unique to MVMCP. Both the fireworks themselves and the music. Though it would have been nice if they gave Jiminy the night off and used another character to narrate these special holiday wishes. (one can only wish) For Halloween, they had your Ghost Host karate the fireworks. Which was very thematically appropriate. He was booming out of the newly added Castle-Spire speaker towers of terror. How about some Sandy Claws instead of the cricket? Too scary? Yeah, maybe. Well, at least we'll see Jack later in the parade.
After the fireworks we hit Jingle Cruise. I like the Jungle Cruise, so adding some jingle only makes it better. You do get some extra holiday jokes. Though, they could add a little more jingle to the cruise. You can never have too much jingle.
The Parade:
Big surprise, we got to see the Frozen family. Again. (at least they weren't at the Halloween party)
Mad Hatter, Alice, Pooh, Tigger, Clarabell cow, Wreck-it Ralph & Vanellope, Goofy in his candy wagon-bike. Which is awesome to finally see these characters in a special holiday parade. Unless you were at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween party, cause they were all their too.
In fact, Goofy was riding the same candy-bike-mobile in both parades. (maybe he got on the wrong float, it is hard to see in that costume) At least Vanellope got a new car for this parade.
Oh well. Any minute Mr. Sandy Claws (hero of both Halloween and Christmas) will be along, since he somehow missed the Halloween parade.
The marching Toy Soldiers were the best. (I predict goal again) I'd consider them the Hitchhiking Ghosts of the Christmas parade. (and that's saying a lot)
They're big.
They're noisy.
They march in unison.
If Russell were here, he'd explain it better than I. "But it's a marching toy soldier!"
Santa was looking good. Apparently, he's a Florida resident. Though he should really use more sun screen.
Sadly, there was no Sandy Claws in the parade. What The Frank? Too nightmare-ish? I get it. So how come he's not in the Boo To You parade? He's a character lots of guests love. Just compare his photo line to Minnie's. So how come he doesn't get any parade love?
I think you can argue that Disney has creative, talented people, whose attention to detail creates some of the most memorable experiences. It worked for me. Because I remember many these characters from the last holiday experience I just recently experienced. Perhaps somebody at Disney needs to squeeze out some new creative juices for MVMCP. At one point you feel like you should look up into the cameras that are watching us and shout, "You know, we are paying extra for this particular magical night? Right?"
So, is it worth it?
Well, let see what you can see.
Castle covered in brilliant (as in put on your sunglasses) icicle lights.
Frozen show to light up the icicle lights. (more Frozen, huge surprise)
You have lots of holiday decorations; big tree, wreaths, colored lights.
Castle covered in brilliant icicle lights.
An updated castle projection (always awesome) show.
Jingle Cruise. (more cruise than jingle)
Castle icicle lights. (you can spend (not literally) all night looking at it)
And Castle icicle lights.
All of which you can see on any other night during this holiday season. At no extra charge. None of these are unique to MVMCP. Yet I have read some reviews (stay calm, not here) that highlight these items as reasons MVMCP is worth the added costs.
What you can only see/hear at MVMCP is:
Different lighting and music on Main Street.
Cookies and hot chocolate.
Characters in holiday costumes. (with around 45min wait times, so pick 2?)
Christmas themed live castle show.
Different fireworks with Christmas themed music. (standard issue cricket voice)
Christmas themed parade. (with a few unique images)
Snow.
All of which cost about $74/person. (plus tax, title, license fees, non-refundable, non-transferable)
Non-refundable-transferable can be an issue. It rained when we went. We not only got to wear our ponchos, but the (second) parade was delayed.
I know what you're thinking, "Hey Mr Toady, you forgot to mention the Haunted Mansion Holiday!" True.
The Haunted Mansion holiday is spectacular. (or so Ive been told on YouTube) The HM gets a complete make-over (Disney's words) with Sandy Claws Jack and all his friends and un-friended Facebook friends like Oogie Boogie. It takes over two weeks to transform the mansion and it runs for the whole season. (Sep-Jan) Best of all, there's no extra charge! One small catch. It's in only in Disneyland(s). (California and Tokyo) So this incredibly unique experience doesn't help justify the added cost of MVMCP. So how come Disney World fans are left holding the empty treat bag? (smell pits. seems okay)
Well, let's compare MVMCP to other events at Hollywood Studios this past summer. Both Star Wars weekend and the never-ending-all-summer-long-can't-quit-you Frozen fun stuff.
You get:
Themed parade.
Themed stage shows. (some with real celebrities)
Photo opps with themed characters.
Themed fireworks. (the SW one was awesome)
You get snow. (less snow for Star Wars)
All at no extra charge.
Compare this to the Osborne Family of Leaping Lights Spectacle.
You get:
A Holiday (yes, there's more than one holiday on display) light show that actually registers on the Griswold scale.
Holiday (though I didn't hear Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights song) themed music.
Special viewing glasses. (passholders only?)
All at no extra charge.
Compare this to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween party.
You get:
Themed lighting and music on Main Street. (thrilling to hear Thriller)
Trick or treat candy.
Photo ops with themed characters.
Themed live castle show. (with a Hocus Pocus focus)
Themed fireworks. (without Jiminy narrating)
Themed parade. (with Hitchhiking Ghosts)
You get to dress as Tink. (which is strictly forbidden on any other night/day)
You also get a bill. (same as MVMCP)
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed MNSSHP.
I was surprised at how not-so-much I enjoyed MVMCP.
Like it or not (and if you were anywhere near me, probably not), I walked out of MNSSHP singing the catchy tune, Boo To You. In fact (just like the electric razor company guy) I liked the music so much, I bought the CD. I found it in the Christmas shop in Liberty Square. How's that for ironic?
MVMCP did not leave me with any unique, catchy tunes in my mostly empty head.
Perhaps a name change is in order:
MNSSVHP: Mickey's Not So Scary Very Halloween Party?
MNSVSMCP: Mickey's Not So Very Somewhat Merry Christmas Party?
When Disney charges extra for admission, they're admittedly raising the bar. And Disney already has the highest bars for magical dreamyness. This is one time it seemed like they sort of limbo-ed their way under the bar.
I will go see MNSSHP next year. Probably in costume. Which may cause them to replace Not So with Very in the name.
I will not go see MVMCP again. (almost wrote probably)
Hopefully, many (fingers crossed, most?) will strongly disagree with me. Worst case, you'll all go to MVMCP and love it. (see, everybody wins)
Best case, you'll dislike my opinion so much, you'll boycott MNSSHP to the point Disney stops charging for it. (whoops, just wound up in Fantasyland again)
If you are bummed out after reading all of this, remember, I did recommend not reading this post.
But, if you want to figure out where to spend (your less than unlimited) Disney dollars, you might want to give some thought to whether or not it's for Halloween or Christmas. (please pick Christmas)
Is Christmas your favorite holiday?
Then stop reading this post. (uh oh, spoiler alert? I hate spoilers)
In fact, don't read any other review about Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. Go experience it for yourself, rather than read something like my opinion, which might not be an eleven on a 1-10 scale of awesomeness. (0 being fantastic and 10 being pass-out level greatness)
This (like my recent MNSSHP visit) was my first paid (as in extra cost, above and beyond what I've already paid) holiday experience. I've been to Christmas parties at the Magic Kingdom, B.C.. As in Before Charged extra.
First off, the crowd level seemed like the lowest crowd level I've experienced this year at the MK. Could it be that some people think celebrating Christmas before they throw out their pumpkins is too early?
Either way, it was nice to watch the castle show and fireworks old school style. Meaning, we showed up about 8 minutes before they started, stood right in front of the castle and didn't have a variety of guests making full (uninvited) body contact on all sides of me. I actually moved around a little in my own personal space during the entire show. I experienced all this, without a FlashPass+ExpressMakeoverEdition, made a mere 180 months in advance.
Celebrate the Season live castle show started just as we got there. But since it appeared that every single Disney Guest was watching the show, we figured we'd skip half the show, beat the crowds and get our photo with Jack, AKA Sandy Claws.
Turned out, it was a brilliant move on our part, as it was only a 44.95 minute wait to meet Jack. (thanks Apple Watch) We spent some of the time eating the free (unless you count the $74/person extra entry fee as an actual cost) cookies (we got two each) and (scalding) hot chocolate.
Okay, it wasn't scalding. But since it felt like it was just over 80 degrees (in line for Jack), it seemed scalding. Sweating and hot chocolate don't really go together. Maybe an iced chocolate would be better? Either way, don't just hand one to little Jimmy and send him on his way. (unless he's already headed to the clinic)
Meeting Jack in his Sandy Claws suit was great. Though, you'd think after paying $74/per person you wouldn't have to purchase the free-ish digital photo. (maybe I should stop mentioning the admission price)
After Jack, we headed back to the castle to watch Celebrate the Magic (projection show) and Holiday Wishes fireworks. The projection shows are always impressive. One of these days I have to wonder around and figure out just how many projectors it takes to create that spectacular image, since it does appear to wrap part way around.
Celebrate the Magic projection show is different from the one that has been running all year. It has been beefed up for the holidays. Though there were some additions that were not holiday related. Such as Brave and Jungle Book. JB the old animated version, not the live action one coming out next year. That (at least for me) was awesome. I love the song I Wanna Be Like You. (own it on super 8mm movie film) I have no idea what it's doing in the holiday version of this show, but I liked it.
The fireworks (as usual) are good. They are unique to MVMCP. Both the fireworks themselves and the music. Though it would have been nice if they gave Jiminy the night off and used another character to narrate these special holiday wishes. (one can only wish) For Halloween, they had your Ghost Host karate the fireworks. Which was very thematically appropriate. He was booming out of the newly added Castle-Spire speaker towers of terror. How about some Sandy Claws instead of the cricket? Too scary? Yeah, maybe. Well, at least we'll see Jack later in the parade.
After the fireworks we hit Jingle Cruise. I like the Jungle Cruise, so adding some jingle only makes it better. You do get some extra holiday jokes. Though, they could add a little more jingle to the cruise. You can never have too much jingle.
The Parade:
Big surprise, we got to see the Frozen family. Again. (at least they weren't at the Halloween party)
Mad Hatter, Alice, Pooh, Tigger, Clarabell cow, Wreck-it Ralph & Vanellope, Goofy in his candy wagon-bike. Which is awesome to finally see these characters in a special holiday parade. Unless you were at Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween party, cause they were all their too.
In fact, Goofy was riding the same candy-bike-mobile in both parades. (maybe he got on the wrong float, it is hard to see in that costume) At least Vanellope got a new car for this parade.
Oh well. Any minute Mr. Sandy Claws (hero of both Halloween and Christmas) will be along, since he somehow missed the Halloween parade.
The marching Toy Soldiers were the best. (I predict goal again) I'd consider them the Hitchhiking Ghosts of the Christmas parade. (and that's saying a lot)
They're big.
They're noisy.
They march in unison.
If Russell were here, he'd explain it better than I. "But it's a marching toy soldier!"
Santa was looking good. Apparently, he's a Florida resident. Though he should really use more sun screen.
Sadly, there was no Sandy Claws in the parade. What The Frank? Too nightmare-ish? I get it. So how come he's not in the Boo To You parade? He's a character lots of guests love. Just compare his photo line to Minnie's. So how come he doesn't get any parade love?
I think you can argue that Disney has creative, talented people, whose attention to detail creates some of the most memorable experiences. It worked for me. Because I remember many these characters from the last holiday experience I just recently experienced. Perhaps somebody at Disney needs to squeeze out some new creative juices for MVMCP. At one point you feel like you should look up into the cameras that are watching us and shout, "You know, we are paying extra for this particular magical night? Right?"
So, is it worth it?
Well, let see what you can see.
Castle covered in brilliant (as in put on your sunglasses) icicle lights.
Frozen show to light up the icicle lights. (more Frozen, huge surprise)
You have lots of holiday decorations; big tree, wreaths, colored lights.
Castle covered in brilliant icicle lights.
An updated castle projection (always awesome) show.
Jingle Cruise. (more cruise than jingle)
Castle icicle lights. (you can spend (not literally) all night looking at it)
And Castle icicle lights.
All of which you can see on any other night during this holiday season. At no extra charge. None of these are unique to MVMCP. Yet I have read some reviews (stay calm, not here) that highlight these items as reasons MVMCP is worth the added costs.
What you can only see/hear at MVMCP is:
Different lighting and music on Main Street.
Cookies and hot chocolate.
Characters in holiday costumes. (with around 45min wait times, so pick 2?)
Christmas themed live castle show.
Different fireworks with Christmas themed music. (standard issue cricket voice)
Christmas themed parade. (with a few unique images)
Snow.
All of which cost about $74/person. (plus tax, title, license fees, non-refundable, non-transferable)
Non-refundable-transferable can be an issue. It rained when we went. We not only got to wear our ponchos, but the (second) parade was delayed.
I know what you're thinking, "Hey Mr Toady, you forgot to mention the Haunted Mansion Holiday!" True.
The Haunted Mansion holiday is spectacular. (or so Ive been told on YouTube) The HM gets a complete make-over (Disney's words) with Sandy Claws Jack and all his friends and un-friended Facebook friends like Oogie Boogie. It takes over two weeks to transform the mansion and it runs for the whole season. (Sep-Jan) Best of all, there's no extra charge! One small catch. It's in only in Disneyland(s). (California and Tokyo) So this incredibly unique experience doesn't help justify the added cost of MVMCP. So how come Disney World fans are left holding the empty treat bag? (smell pits. seems okay)
Well, let's compare MVMCP to other events at Hollywood Studios this past summer. Both Star Wars weekend and the never-ending-all-summer-long-can't-quit-you Frozen fun stuff.
You get:
Themed parade.
Themed stage shows. (some with real celebrities)
Photo opps with themed characters.
Themed fireworks. (the SW one was awesome)
You get snow. (less snow for Star Wars)
All at no extra charge.
Compare this to the Osborne Family of Leaping Lights Spectacle.
You get:
A Holiday (yes, there's more than one holiday on display) light show that actually registers on the Griswold scale.
Holiday (though I didn't hear Sandler's Eight Crazy Nights song) themed music.
Special viewing glasses. (passholders only?)
All at no extra charge.
Compare this to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween party.
You get:
Themed lighting and music on Main Street. (thrilling to hear Thriller)
Trick or treat candy.
Photo ops with themed characters.
Themed live castle show. (with a Hocus Pocus focus)
Themed fireworks. (without Jiminy narrating)
Themed parade. (with Hitchhiking Ghosts)
You get to dress as Tink. (which is strictly forbidden on any other night/day)
You also get a bill. (same as MVMCP)
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed MNSSHP.
I was surprised at how not-so-much I enjoyed MVMCP.
Like it or not (and if you were anywhere near me, probably not), I walked out of MNSSHP singing the catchy tune, Boo To You. In fact (just like the electric razor company guy) I liked the music so much, I bought the CD. I found it in the Christmas shop in Liberty Square. How's that for ironic?
MVMCP did not leave me with any unique, catchy tunes in my mostly empty head.
Perhaps a name change is in order:
MNSSVHP: Mickey's Not So Scary Very Halloween Party?
MNSVSMCP: Mickey's Not So Very Somewhat Merry Christmas Party?
When Disney charges extra for admission, they're admittedly raising the bar. And Disney already has the highest bars for magical dreamyness. This is one time it seemed like they sort of limbo-ed their way under the bar.
I will go see MNSSHP next year. Probably in costume. Which may cause them to replace Not So with Very in the name.
I will not go see MVMCP again. (almost wrote probably)
Hopefully, many (fingers crossed, most?) will strongly disagree with me. Worst case, you'll all go to MVMCP and love it. (see, everybody wins)
Best case, you'll dislike my opinion so much, you'll boycott MNSSHP to the point Disney stops charging for it. (whoops, just wound up in Fantasyland again)
If you are bummed out after reading all of this, remember, I did recommend not reading this post.
But, if you want to figure out where to spend (your less than unlimited) Disney dollars, you might want to give some thought to whether or not it's for Halloween or Christmas. (please pick Christmas)
