Dear Callista,
Thanks for reaching out to me here at the Disney Parks Moms Panel with your question about planning for December! I especially love answering questions from fellow New Jerseyans! How exciting that you're planning your trip with your little ones at the "most magical place on Earth" at the most magical time of year!
With your children being younger, they will enjoy taking in all of the lights and decorations, and I totally understand about them turning into pumpkins because ours also were very early to bed at that age! The great news about
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is that you can still enjoy the theming of the rides during the rest of the day, even if you choose not to attend the party in the evening. There are also some aspects of the party itself that you can enjoy before you have to leave by
7pm unless you are a paid event guest. Rides such as Jungle Cruise (aka JINGLE Cruise) transform into a holiday theme, and Cinderella Castle is lit up even more magically than the rest of the year!
If you plan to go to Epcot, I recommend the earliest viewing of the
Candlelight Processional, which tells the Christmas story with beautiful music and celebrity readers. You can reserve a dinner package for this event, or if you're in the mood for smaller bites, you can enjoy tasty delicacies at
Holidays Around the World at Epcot! Everything is just a bit more magical at this time of year!
Hope that helps you start to plan!
- Jan K.