Hey, Michelle! Thanks so much for stopping by planDisney with your great question.
I'm so excited to hear about your upcoming trip to The Most Magical Place on Earth. You're coming to the right place if you want adventure in the great wide somewhere (and if you want it more than you can tell). And with the Christmas season on the horizon, there'll be so much excitement for you to experience and enjoy.
On days when a special event happens at Magic Kingdom Park—like
Mickey's Verry Merry Christmas Party—the park closes to regular Guests at 6:00 PM. Unless you have a ticket for the special event, you'll have to make your way to the exit at that time. I've spoken to three different Cast Members about your question. They all confirmed if you do not have an event ticket and wish to dine on an event night, you need to book your dining reservation before 6:00 PM. Even if you show up 20 minutes early, they informed me that you wouldn't be able to check in to the restaurant without a ticket for the event. If you're able to find a time slot before the end of regular park hours, you will still be able to dine and will be escorted out of the park after your dinner. I'm sorry if that's not the answer you'd like to hear, Michelle. Hopefully, you'll find a "practically perfect"
dining reservation to make it an enchanting evening.
Since you'll be in the Magic Kingdom Park area, you could always try one of the amazing restaurants in one of the nearby Disney Resorts Collection hotels.
Steakhouse 71 at
Disney's Contemporary Resort,
'Ohana at
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort, and
Cítricos at
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa are some of my top recommendations.
Have a wonderful trip, Michelle. See ya real soon!
Mike