We love many of the special events at Walt Disney World, but two of our favorites are Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. They are so much fun and like many of you we look forward to them every year!
We are often asked which party is better, so we’re bringing you a seasonal party smackdown. We’ll compare and contrast various elements from each party and find out which comes out on top!
Free Food
Tickets for both Mickey’s Very Merry and Mickey’s Not-So-Scary include something we truly love — FREE FOOD!
At the Halloween party, you’ll get to go trick-or-treating, so you’ll get lots and lots of candy! And in our experience, we’re not exaggerating when we say LOTS. During the Christmas party, you’ll get your fill of cookies, hot beverages (like apple cider and hot chocolate), and snow cones.
The totally awesome thing about the free treats is that you can eat as many as you want!
So which party wins the free food battle? Well, as much as I LOVE Halloween candy, I’m going to have to give the nod to Christmas cookies and hot chocolate.
Check out our reader tips for visiting Mickey’s Very Mery Christmas Party!
Paid Food
If you’re in the mood for more substantial eats, a few restaurants will be open during each party, such as Be Our Guest Restaurant and The Crystal Palace. But what we really care about more are the specialty snack items! At the Christmas Party, we love creative desserts like the Yule Log while the Halloween Party serves up epic goodies like last year’s Poison Apple Cupcake!
While we love the seasonal treats for the Christmas party, the treats from Halloween have been more a lot more imaginative in the past, so they definitely are our favorites!
Characters
The character interactions for both parties are great. At Mickey’s Not-So-Scary, you’ll meet Jack Skellington while you may run into Sandy Claws at Mickey’s Very Merry.
At both parties, you’ll find all Seven Dwarfs, Tigger, Tarzan, Jane, and several other characters you won’t likely see on a normal day in the parks. This category is basically a draw since you’ll have similar character interactions at each party.
Parades
The parades are a huge draw for these parties, and we absolutely love them both. The spooktastic Boo-To-You Parade features the Headless Horseman, zombies, gravediggers, and so many characters! And the music is some of our very favorite parade music ever.
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade includes Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus, of course, in addition to Disney characters and toy soldiers.
The Christmas parade is super fun and magical, but we have to give the edge to the Boo-To-You Parade. Boo to you, and you! And YOU!
Other Entertainment
There are several shows and forms of entertainment outside of the parades and fireworks. At Mickey’s Not-So-Scary, you’ll find the Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular with the ever-popular Sanderson Sisters and the Scream-O-Ween Dance Party.
Mickey’s Very Merry includes the wonderful A Frozen Holiday Wish, Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration, and A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas.
I’m going to declare Mickey’s Very Merry the winner of this matchup for the Frozen show, plus that impressive Castle-lighting ceremony.
Fireworks
It’s a bit difficult to compare the fireworks shows for this year, as they are both changing for the 2019 season. But, we CAN compare previous fireworks shows. Both shows — Holiday Wishes and HalloWishes — used similar techniques and shot off fireworks all around Cinderella Castle, also known as perimeter fireworks.
The shows themselves are fairly similar, so this category depends on whether you prefer holiday or Halloween music. I’m going to give holiday music the nod here, simply because I’m that crazy person who starts playing Jingle Bells in November.
Bonus Factors
Now that we’ve covered the primary aspects of each party, let’s talk about the special bonus factors from each one. At Mickey’s Not-So-Scary, you’ll have an awesome atmosphere, especially at the Haunted Mansion attraction.
Cast Members really get into the Halloween spirit during these parties. At Mickey’s Very Merry, you’ll see snow falling on Main Street U.S.A. and you’ll get to see Santa Claus. An added bonus for the Christmas parties is the typically milder, cooler weather.
So, what’s the verdict? Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party comes out on top in paid food and parades. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party wins free food, fireworks, and entertainment. I’m going to have to declare Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party the winner of our seasonal party smackdown because I think it truly makes the Magic Kingdom an even more magical place.
Which seasonal party is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
And check our what other readers think in our Rate and Review section:
Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party (Magic Kingdom)
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party (Magic Kingdom)
Be sure to follow @allearsnet on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!
Check out our YouTube Channel for reviews, news, information and more!
Subscribe to the AllEars® newsletter so you don’t miss any of the latest Disney news!
I think MNSSHP is hands-down the winner between the two parties. You get much of what is offered during the Christmas party just as a regular part guest, but lots of the effects and lighting, etc. for the Halloween party are only visible during the party.
Since 2001 my family and I have attended MVMCP on odd years. We have always enjoyed the event. Since we are regulars in WDW, we attend to see the shows and parade. If there’s time to squeeze in a ride or attraction we do that as well. In 2018 we decided to attend MNSSHP for the first time. Again because we are regulars, we didn’t ride much. The Haunted Mansion, obviously, is an exception. The shows, parade, and treat stations were our first priority. Maybe because we attended on Halloween night or it was our first MNSSHP, we decided MNSSHP was our favorite. Our youngest son has nut allergies and the treats available at the Halloween party were varied and plentiful. It was hands down better than the Christmas party. Our son was able to trick or treat and eat the bounty without fear of anaphylactic shock. His best Halloween ever! So there you have it. Both parties provide an equal amount of decorations and high quality shows, but if treats are a big part of your choice, go with MNSSHP.
Nothing like WDW in Christmas decor. It almost gets a Scrooge like me in the spirit. I said ALMOST.
Mickey’s Very Merry is our favorite ever since the 14 y/o & up costume ban. I can agree with no face coverings, but NO costumes for older kids and kids at heart makes the Halloween party be like a birthday party with no birthday cake for us. Even though this isn’t necessarily party related, the resort decorations at Christmas generally makes it a more enjoyable time for us to visit.
Ed- Older kids and adults CAN and DO dress up for the Halloween party- it is the only time they are allowed to do so! You see people of all ages dressed up as their favorite character from Disney or other media. Seeing all of the costumes and dressing up is a big part of the fun. Some people go all out and have amazing costumes! I dress up as someone different every time. I have been going for years and MNSSHP is the best! The parade, fireworks, Hocus Pocus show, and trick or treating are awesome! I have done both parties and the Christmas party pales in comparison.