My husband and I (empty nesters) are going to WDW mid November and need help choosing between the Christmas party and an After Hours event! Also, this will be our first time visiting during the fall/winter season. With so many reviews lately of the Halloween party crowd levels, we are leering of investing our time and money on this hard ticket item, however there are the free cookies to consider. Disney just released new dates for MK after hours, so considering this hard ticket item, however it costs more and for less time in the park. So what you think, please give us you opinions and wisdom.
I think the answer depends on your priorities. If you just want lots of rides with short lines, After Hours. If you want to enjoy holiday specific activities, MVMCP.
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This.
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If it were my first time being there for the holiday season I would choose MVMCP. I love Christmas and there is nothing better that it snowing on Main St while watching the Christmas parade. That being said it has gotten to the point that the parties are oversold. I go several times a year so I am not concerned about doing any attractions during the party. So if you go knowing it will be crowded and are just there to soak up the atmosphere than great. Only you can answer that question.
I have gone to the MNSSHP and MVMCP every year for the past several years. After discussing with DW we have decided to us it is just not worth it any more. This will be our last year attending for a while.
After hours on the other hand I will try to do every trip I go. It is great to feel that you have the park to yourself. Very little if any wait times, being in the stretching room with just a hand full of people, having a boat to yourself on POC, and just riding rides you would not normally do just because there is no wait. Not to mention the all you can eat Mickey bars, popcorn and soda. I think I ate at least $60 worth of food. To me as long as they keep the numbers low this is money well spent.
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I’ve done both. I’m going to assume you’re talking about After Hours specifically at MK.
I went to MVMCP for the first time last year. I found it utterly magical. It’s a visual feast. I’m going again this year. Twice. It’s just so wonderful. BUT it was insanely crowded and I don’t remember doing any rides at all. Don’t go to MVMCP expecting to do rides.
I did DAH at MK last summer. If rides are your priority, then this event is for you. I got twelve done in the three hours, which means you’re doing one every fifteen minutes. Given that the ride itself takes time to do, as does the walk from one ride to another, you can see that the wait times are basically zero. Except 7DMT. That’s more like having a daytime fast pass. The park is not crowded at all. In fact it’s weirdly empty. Some people think that’s cool. I’m not sure I do.
My experience is that it’s not that difficult to get a lot done at MK during the day. You get three initial FPPs and then you can spend the rest of the time hunting down subsequent FPPs. It’s not difficult. If you know what you’re doing — @OBNurseNH wrote a post about this, which I’m too lazy to look up, but she might link to it — you can do a tonne of things with minimal waiting.
I strongly recommend DAH at AK, however. You cannot replicate that experience during the day.
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It’s a pinned post.
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Thanks for your thoughts and opinions. We are going with the MVMCP. We are not yearly Disney vacationers. We visit about every 5 years and not had an opportunity to do a party yet. We have our must do attractions and think we can get those done during a MK day, so rides will not be a major focus, except for Dwarves Mine ride at closing time.
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