Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party!
A Disneyland fan experiences Walt Disney World at Christmas time
| For me, Disneyland is a magical place, but, at Christmas
time, it becomes extra-magical. From mid-November through
early January, Disneyland is graced with countless
decorations, including a tall Christmas tree and a winter
incarnation of Sleeping Beauty Castle. Two of its famous
rides are transformed as well. “it’s a small world” becomes
“it’s a small world” Holiday where the cute little dolls
dance in a winter wonderland to the song, “Jingle Bells.”
The Haunted Mansion becomes practically a whole new
attraction, Haunted Mansion Holiday, themed after the movie,
Nightmare Before Christmas. A Christmas Fantasy Parade and
“Believe… In Holiday Magic” fireworks show, both offered
during normal park operating hours, never fail to get me in
the spirit. After experiencing the holiday magic at Disneyland, I wanted to see how its east coast equivalent, Walt Disney World Resort's Magic Kingdom theme park, celebrates the Christmas season. In November 2010, when my family spent Thanksgiving in Orlando, I got my chance. In order to get the full Christmas experience at the Magic Kingdom, I decided to attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on November 28th, 2010. The event, whose ticket prices were less than regular admission prices for the park, officially ran from 7PM – midnight, but I heard that I could enter as early as 4PM. I purchased my ticket at my Walt Disney World Resort hotel the day before the party to take advantage of an advance purchase discount. I arrived at the Magic Kingdom at about 4PM on the day of the party and, sure enough, a bracelet was attached to my wrist and I was allowed to enter the park. |
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| I
picked up a special Mickey’s Christmas Party Magic Kingdom guidemap which listed all of the party entertainment
showtimes, the selected attractions that were open during
the event, and the locations of the holiday treat stations,
where we could get free cookies and hot chocolate once the
event began. I was busy riding rides when the party officially began. When I passed by Cinderella’s Castle after dark, it sparkled with small lights that draped over it like blankets of glowing snow. Near a holiday treat station, a cast member invited me over for some yummy soft sugar cookies sprinkled with red and green colored sugar and cup of hot chocolate. |
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| That night, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party offered two
live musical shows (“Celebrate the Season” (3 showtimes) and
“A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas” (5 showtimes) ), a parade
(“Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade” (2 showtimes)),
and a fireworks show (“Holiday Wishes – Celebrate the Spirit
of the Season” (one showtime)). I was determined to see them
all. The live shows, “Celebrate the Season” and “A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas," seemed geared toward the toddler and kindergarten crowd. |
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| The parade,
however, had something for all ages including plenty of
Christmas music, elaborate winter themed floats and
character appearances, including an appearance by Santa. The
fireworks show incorporated lighting and projection effects
on the castle and fireworks choreographed to holiday
music. One thing that I love about visiting the Disney parks is that, from time to time, something fun and unexpected happens. In my opinion, that is the true magic of Disney. That night, as I was walking through the park, a custodian stopped his cart, pulled out his mop, and started to clean the pathway in a way I’d never seen before. With his mop dipped in water, he painted very deliberate curves on the pavement. People gathered around him, watching curiously and guessing about what he was painting. When his masterpiece had come together, we saw an instantly recognizable portrait of Goofy! |
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| Jen's video of the magical moment created by a Magic Kingdom custodian: |
| After catching all of the
special Christmas Party entertainment, except the character
dance parties, which I later heard were a huge hit with some
outgoing young kids, I set out to ride a few more rides
before the evening came to an end. As was the case during my
entire time at the Magic Kingdom that day, the wait times
that I encountered for the rides ranged from practically no
wait to no more than twenty minutes. I left the Magic Kingdom at about midnight, after a very enjoyable evening of entertainment and rides, as snow fell on Main Street. It was a beautiful way to end the day. My curiosity about Christmas time at the Magic Kingdom is now satisfied. It is certainly a wonderful place to celebrate the holiday season! |
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I did this in 2010 at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, USA. |
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jen is also known as J.W. Lynne, a best selling author of eleven novels. Click on any of the titles below to see the book on Amazon! THE UNKNOWN: Eight kids learn the shocking reason why they were kidnapped. ABOVE THE SKY: A "utopian" society is hiding big secrets. THE DARKNESS OUTSIDE: Ten families are locked in a bunker to take a simulated trip to the moon. KID DOCS: An experimental program teaches kids to be doctors. WILD ANIMAL SCHOOL: A girl falls in love at an exotic animal ranch. WHAT HE DIDN'T TELL ME: A traumatized young woman travels to Los Angeles searching for a reason to live. IF I TELL: A teen wonders if her father is a serial killer. Besides reading books and dreaming up stories to write, Jen's favorite activities are singing along to musical theater soundtracks and hiking in California's beautiful parks. **Jen's books are available on Kindle Unlimited.** |
