Season's greetings, Linda!
Welcome to planDisney, and thank you for this very merry question! I don't know about you, Linda, but I am already so excited for the Holiday season, and there is no better way to ring in the season than by visiting the Walt Disney World Resort at that time of year. There is something extra magical about seeing all those Christmas decorations and the big Christmas tree on Main Street U.S.A.
Unfortunately, Guests who only purchased a regular theme park ticket and do not have a special event ticket will not be able to stay during
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. Indeed, special events Guests are given wristbands when checking into the Christmas party, which they must show when they enter attractions or most lines. In addition, Cast Members may have checkpoints to verify if all Guests have a Christmas party wristband, so I would not recommend staying in the Magic Kingdom Park past regular hours without a special event ticket. However, Guests can still watch the fireworks from the Magic Kingdom Resorts, such as Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Disney's Polynesian Resort Village, Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort and Disney's Wilderness Lodge. Plus, Guests with a California Grill reservation get to enjoy the fireworks from a special area that has a fantastic view of the Magic Kingdom Park.
While I highly recommend that you purchase a ticket to enjoy all that Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party has to offer, the Holiday chEAR doesn't have to stop there! Indeed, the Holiday spirit truly takes over the different theme parks and Resort hotels, so there is so much to see. While all theme parks get decked out in their best Christmas decorations, I always love visiting
Disney's Hollywood Studios to see Santa Gertie, the big dinosaur in front of
50's Prime Time Cafe and
Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular. Also at Disney's Hollywood Studios,
For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration usually gets a festive overlay with your favourite songs from Olaf's Frozen Adventure. If you have Frozen fans in your party, this activity is a must-do in my book! Now, I could go on and on about all the holiday offerings that the Walt Disney World Resort offers, so I highly recommend that you keep an eye on the
Disney Parks Blog, as they are usually the first to announce new offerings like this!
I hope this was helpful, Linda, and that you and your Ohana will have the best day ever on your next Disney vacation. If you have any other questions in the time leading up to your trip, please don't hesitate to reach back out. As Minnie said, the best kind of magic is the one we make when we're all together!
Have a happy, merry, holly, jolly day!
Ariane