Is MVMCP worth it?

[Figmentary]

I realize this is totally subjective of course, but for you and your family, was it worth the cost? It would basically be $300 for my children and I to attend.

Also, do you have to have a ticket as well, or is the $89 you pay your ticket to get in? Basically, if I have 4 day passes, would I have to use 1 of my days to attend the party?

We did the MVMCP on Tuesday. It was my parents (late 60s), boys (6 & 3), and myself. (Originally it was just going to be me and my 6YO, but my parents wanted us all to go. They also wanted to do Magic Kingdom all day before.)

I think depending on ages it’s definitely worth it. I would follow the board suggestions on staying at the resort and napping before (my 3YO passed out at 9:30pm and my parents took him back to the hotel). Also, I had a plan but tossed it when the party started and my 6YO has other ideas. Still, it was super helpful to know all the options and times before.

My 6YO stayed up and had a great time until we left at 12:30am, and we had a blast.

 

[DismomK4]

It wasn’t worth the cost for us. We went on the last day of our most recent trip. We had planned the day out before we decided to swing for the party. It wound up being a sold out crowd (Dec. 1) and I wished we had skipped it. My kids are young and were cranky despite having napped earlier. My youngest fell asleep before the parade..it was so crowded people were being trampled trying to find spots to watch the early parade. Lines for “free” treats were long and though fast moving, not worth waiting for so we opted to only stop at 2 of the stations. Character meet and greets were good but long(waited 90 min for Moana and about 25 for Nick and Judy). We only rode one ride because we spent so much time at character meet and greets but we walked right on the ride. We got a great viewing spot for the fireworks but they weren’t nearly as good (IMHO) as the regular Happily Ever After fireworks display. The lines for the special pics were all long at the beginning of the night so we skipped them bc we were wanting to get in line to meet Moana and by the time we got back they weren’t doing them in some spots and my child was asleep. Overall it won’t be something we do again unless we plan an extra non park day especially for the party and we would do it earlier in our trip instead of at the end.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

The MK will be dark for most of the party time. Think about if you like that. I went last week and very much enjoyed it. However, I only had to pay for a ticket for myself and that is a lot easier than buying tickets for a family. I liked the Christmas music and just being there. If you think you would really like that than its worth it. If your kids want to do rides all day then better just do a regular park day.

 

[J and R's mom]

MVMCP is worth trying at least once. You will either enjoy it for what it is, or decide that once was enough (or maybe even more than enough). But if you are asking the question, my guess is that you will regret not giving it a try once you get there.

Back in 2000, DH and I did not even know what MVMCP was until we saw the signs up at MK advertising the event. We tried getting tickets but all the nights during our trip were sold out (they only allowed about 10,000 people in per night back then...if that many). The next year (12/2001) we made sure to get tickets. It was an amazing experience. Truly low crowds EVERYWHERE...even around the hub and on Main Street (but they allow four times as many people in now as they used to back then...and charge way more too...and used to offer a "complimentary" family photo that they mailed to your home and MVMCP buttons upon arrival). We have gone many times since then, but not every year. Sometimes we have felt it was worth it, other times not so much. We go now knowing that it will be WAY more crowded than we like, but we prepare for that and avoid those congested areas during the peak times. We like looking at the characters in their festive gear but typically will not stand in line for pictures with them (but character photos have never been a big deal for our family). We just enjoy the festive atmosphere mostly now.

Here's a picture of when we were waiting for the 2nd showing of the MVMCP parade on Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2016 (last year). Notice how crowded Main Street is...which is typical most MVMCP nights for probably the past decade now.



But it is also VERY festive and fun if you can tolerate the crowds (the white blurs are "snow")

 

[GPC0321]

I’ll let you know after the 17th! I’m hoping that I’m not disappointed.

I'll be there then, too! Have never done it before and really excited!

 

[Happy_2_B]

Also, do you have to have a ticket as well, or is the $89 you pay your ticket to get in? Basically, if I have 4 day passes, would I have to use 1 of my days to attend the party?

No- the ticket serves as theme park admission as well. Is it worth it? Subjective. We have done it a couple of times- and won't do it again. Find it to be oversold and too crowded at the events that make it different from just another day at the MK (especially the early parade and fireworks). If you are 'replacing' a day with this event- an argument could be made that it would be worth it. But it could also be said that tacking on an extra 'regular day' theme park admission will be much less costly and there is better value in that option. Opinions will go both ways (and then some) on this subject. We wouldn't do it again, but if we had never done it and knew then what we know now would we do it a first time? I think it would still be a no- we would do something else.

 

[mshanson3121]

No- the ticket serves as theme park admission as well. Is it worth it? Subjective. We have done it a couple of times- and won't do it again. Find it to be oversold and too crowded at the events that make it different from just another day at the MK (especially the early parade and fireworks). If you are 'replacing' a day with this event- an argument could be made that it would be worth it. But it could also be said that tacking on an extra 'regular day' theme park admission will be much less costly and there is better value in that option. Opinions will go both ways (and then some) on this subject. We wouldn't do it again, but if we had never done it and knew then what we know now would we do it a first time? I think it would still be a no- we would do something else.

So if we skipped the party, can we still see the Christmas parade? And will it be daylight or night time? Can we still see some of the Christmas shows? Or no?

 

[hiroMYhero]

So if we skipped the party, can we still see the Christmas parade? And will it be daylight or night time? Can we still see some of the Christmas shows? Or no?

You won’t be able to view anything that only occurs during the Christmas Party. You have to attend the Party to partake of party events.

The MVMCP thread that was linked in this thread has all the details.

 

[mshanson3121]

You won’t be able to view anything that only occurs during the Christmas Party. You have to attend the Party to partake of party events.

The MVMCP thread that was linked in this thread has all the details.

Then MVMCP it is Since that's pretty much our main reason for the trip is seeing Disney's Christmas offerings. Now the question becomes whether to do MK and the party or just the party

 

[DavidNYC]

For me, no. Only exception for me would be a relatively short trip where the extra park time makes a difference or if this may be your first trip or only trip to WDW for many years. We go to wdw every year so just not enough at the party to justify cost for me. But as you noted, it’s subjective.

 

[DavidNYC]

Those are the things we want! My son is a huge Jack Skellington fan, so to mwet him would be phenomenal in his eyes.

Just be aware that reports are that lines for the rare popular characters are LONG (as in over an hour). (Someone else I’m sure can confirm as in going off reports not first hand as we didn’t do many characters when we did it). Ride lines were relatively short however compared to the day so we got a lot of those in!

Just want to make sure you’re not picturing an evening walking up to a lot of characters quickly.

 

[mshanson3121]

For me, no. Only exception for me would be a relatively short trip where the extra park time makes a difference or if this may be your first trip or only trip to WDW for many years. We go to wdw every year so just not enough at the party to justify cost for me. But as you noted, it’s subjective.

This will be my 3rd trip (the kids second trip), it will be very short (2-3 days max), and probably our last trip till 2020.

 

[mshanson3121]

Just be aware that reports are that lines for the rare popular characters are LONG (as in over an hour). (Someone else I’m sure can confirm as in going off reports not first hand as we didn’t do many characters when we did it).

Just want to make sure you’re not picturing an evening walking up to a lot of characters quickly.

Yeah there's no way they can cope with 1 hour wait. This may be a side topic, but do they honor Disability Access Cards at all during the party?

 

[DavidNYC]

This will be my 3rd trip (the kids second trip), it will be very short (2-3 days max), and probably our last trip till 2020.

For a 2-3 day trip - the ideal situation for me would be if you do it on arrival day not using a park ticket that day (getting to MK at 4 when they let you in). If you can do that, the price for the party isnt much different than what it would be to add the extra park day.

 

[stinkpickle]

For a 2-3 day trip - the ideal situation for me would be if you do it on arrival day not using a park ticket that day (getting to MK at 4 when they let you in). If you can do that, the price for the party isnt much different than what it would be to add the extra park day.

Agreed.

 

[anomamatt]

Yeah there's no way they can cope with 1 hour wait. This may be a side topic, but do they honor Disability Access Cards at all during the party?

No. For DAS, the FP lines need to be operating.

 

[cschaaf]

We went to the MVMCP for the first time this year. We were there on the last night of the party, 12/22, and it was sold out.

For our family and our situation, we felt it was worth it.

• We were in Orlando for a Universal trip and had no day passes to WDW.
• We were only interested in rides.
• We did stop and get some cookies, but didn't think they were anything spectacular like some seem to think.
• We have no interest in any character meets.
• We didn't see any shows - no interest.
• We didn't stay for the fireworks - we kind of wanted to, but we were tired from the travel and knew we had an early morning at Universal the next day.

If we had a day pass to MK (as part of a multi-day pass), I don't think the party would have been worth it. If the choice was between a single day pass to WDW or the party, I'd choose the party.