We’re nearly “Halfway to the Holidays.” Walt Disney World is celebrating Christmas in mid-June with every week of bulletins. This publish covers what to anticipate, plus our predictions about what’ll be introduced: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, pricing, leisure, some triumphant returns, and extra.
This is the third 12 months Disney Parks is doing #HalfwaytotheHolidays, and it makes us chuckle just a bit bit. Christmas in July is already a factor–why not simply embrace that established custom? Admittedly, it’s a bit becoming that Walt Disney World’s vacation season is creeping ahead a bit. After all, this is identical place that brings us Halloween in early August!
For regular Americans, there’s nice debate about when the vacation season truly begins. Is it the day after Halloween? Is it the day Starbucks releases its Peppermint Mocha? The begin of Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas? Or, are you a Turkey Before Tree stickler? These are the urgent questions of our day, all of which dictate after we’re truly midway to the vacation season.
On that notice, the #HalfwaytotheHolidays festivities will occur from June 13 by way of 15, and have bulletins, sneak peeks, particular treats, and different vacation enjoyable. We are actually excited. This Christmas goes to be an enormous one for us on a private stage, and we’re actually hopeful that features the restoration of vacation season choices and begin of latest traditions at Walt Disney World. (Definitely not anticipating it, but when they create again Country Bear Christmas, we are going to lose our minds.)
Here are a few of our predictions for Christmas 2023 at Walt Disney World. Some are just about positive issues, whereas others are a tad extra far-fetched…
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Returns – Walt Disney World already introduced that Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party is returning for a second consecutive 12 months, so might be an inevitability. However, it additionally appeared like a foregone conclusion that Disneyland would convey again its Christmas get together final 12 months…and that didn’t occur.
Regardless, there’s most likely no less than a 98% probability that Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is returning for 2023. I’m not sufficient of a contrarian to guess on the two% probability {that a} completely different occasion is introduced for the vacation season. While I wouldn’t put something previous Walt Disney World today, they’ve gotta notice that Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is iconic and beloved by followers. The good and secure cash is on it taking place this 12 months.
No Additional Dates – Last 12 months, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party was held on 24 nights between November 8 and December 22. It began the second Tuesday in November and ended the Thursday earlier than Christmas.
It’s frequent for Walt Disney World to make occasions longer and attempt to squeeze extra ticket gross sales. To that time, this 12 months’s MNSSHP is setting a number of information: earliest begin date, newest finish date (tie), and most get together nights ever with 38.
I don’t suppose it’ll be doable for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party to broaden. Having the final Halloween Party on November 1 makes that robust, however Holiday Services can flip over Magic Kingdom in a matter of a pair nights.
Still, my guess is the primary MVMCP occurs on November 7, so until they squeeze in an additional get together that first weekend or within the lead-up to Thanksgiving, it simply doesn’t appear seemingly. Who is aware of, although. Never guess towards Walt Disney World’s want to seize extra income.
No MVMCP Price Increase – Last 12 months, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party tickets have been $159 to $199 for many nights, with the ultimate two occasions costing a cool $249. There was quite a lot of outrage about these value factors, however each single evening bought out.
This is probably going resulting from provide and demand. There are usually fewer Christmas get together nights than Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party. The vacation season is way busier, occurring throughout two of the busiest months of the 12 months versus two of the slowest months at Walt Disney World. Given that, it stands to cause that Walt Disney World will push costs increased.
However, that didn’t occur with MNSSHP. The value vary remained the identical, with the common value rising by advantage of the distribution of dates skewing increased. That’s precisely what we anticipate to happen right here: ticket costs starting from $149 to $199. Same as final 12 months.
One wild card is how nicely tickets to the 2023 Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party are promoting. No dates have bought out but, so it actually doesn’t appear that Disney priced these events too low. However, it is doable that they’re priced too excessive, particularly with pent-up demand cooling and a slowdown in client spending.
If tickets for the MNSSHP are falling wanting expectations, or if Walt Disney World is already seeing lighter bookings for fall and past, it’s doable the MVMCP value vary finally ends up being decrease. Don’t guess on that, although. Even although the final couple months have been slower than anticipated, we’re nonetheless anticipating October by way of December to be extremely busy. Those are Walt Disney World’s largest months of the 12 months.
More Characters – Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party had fewer characters than regular final 12 months. This was due nearly fully to staffing shortages, and can also be why meet & greet wait occasions ballooned through the day between final August and December (diminished capability to reallocate performers to events).
Bringing again extra characters simply is sensible. It helps with capability, and new characters additionally present drawing energy. My private hope, and maybe an unpopular opinion, is that the Seven Dwarfs don’t return. I’d relatively have 7 extra meet & greets with particular person characters, however that’s simply me.
More Muppets (or Other Entertainment) – One of the problems we’ve harped on since 2018 is the distribution of crowds on the Halloween and Christmas events. In a nutshell, although attendance is capped, it doesn’t all the time really feel that approach as a result of a disproportionate variety of individuals crowd into the entrance of the park. The result’s that space being packed–immediately in entrance of Cinderella Castle feels downright unsafe between the parade, fireworks, and stage exhibits–whereas different areas are virtually empty.
Trying to attract occasion attendees or underutilized areas of Magic Kingdom is exactly why Walt Disney World added the Tomorrowland trip overlays just a few years in the past. That helped, however the issue persists. (If solely there have been an precise theater again in Tomorrowland. Oh wait.)
Our guess is that within the second 12 months of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party being again, Walt Disney World will try so as to add extra outdoors of Main Street that spreads crowds out. With Disneyland’s Merriest Nites (apparently) going defunct, bringing the characters from the Muppets’ Christmas Caroling Coach to Florida would make sense. Probably not on the Omnibus, although.
Reindeer Return – Finally, my out of left subject prediction: the return of the ‘Silly Reindeer’ designed by Disney Legend Bill Justice that appeared in Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade till round 2014. These used to have longer tongues however these have been shortened–purportedly by an leisure supervisor who felt they appeared ridiculous.
The present reindeer are completely sufficient, however that’s exactly the issue. They appear to be faux reindeer you might discover performing anyplace, and lack the character that outline nice Disney characters. “Ridiculous” is an efficient factor–the Bill Justice reindeer are memorable due to their caricatured look.
Obviously, this can be a longshot. Given that they’ve been absent for nearly a decade, there’s a very good probability the outdated Silly Reindeer costumes are lengthy gone and must be refabricated. That’s an enormous enterprise. Not solely that, however I’d hazard a guess that 95% of individuals studying this had by no means heard of or seen the Bill Justice Silly Reindeer. That quantity seemingly will increase to 99% as soon as expanded to the potential visitor pool of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
However, Disney has lately revived the Silly Reindeer twice. In final 12 months’s Carousel of Progress refresh, the household was given slippers within the Christmas finale that function the Silly Reindeer. Of course, that would simply be an Easter Egg inserted by a geeky Imagineer eager to pay tribute to Bill Justice, and have zero bigger-picture significance.
More vital is the Reindeer Sipper that the corporate simply introduced goes to be obtainable on Disney Cruise Line sailings this summer season. As with Imagineers, merchandise groups like to pay tribute to the previous, however the distinction right here is that this product would’ve gone by way of a number of layers of approval and evaluation earlier than launch. Together, this two issues counsel it’s doable the Silly Reindeer will make a return.
Nevertheless, the chances are low of that taking place this 12 months. From my perspective, it appears extra like a carried out the highway chance, taking place if the parks (the Bill Justice Silly Reindeer have been additionally at Disneyland) need to lean into the nostalgic characters on merchandise and make them ‘a thing.’ An Easter Egg in a trip and a single sipper most likely don’t rise to that stage, however issues may snowball over time–particularly if Disney diehards reply nicely to the primary piece of merchandise.
Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! Is Jingle DEAD – If the vacation pyro and projections present at Disney’s Hollywood Studios have been going to return, it might’ve made sense to convey it again beforehand. For no matter cause, Walt Disney World opted towards bringing again Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!
It’s unlikely the calculus on that call has modified. Both specials now being over a decade outdated, so maybe the Prep & Landing IP is considered as previous its prime. With that stated, there’s the skin chance that Walt Disney World will need “counterprogramming” to Fantasmic. There’s a cause why DHS used to have a number of nightly projection and pyro exhibits, and the park nonetheless has issues maintaining visitors late. (That was by no means a difficulty through the Osborne Lights days–simply saying!)
Cinderella Castle Dream Lights Return – Usually, when one thing is gone for 3 years at Walt Disney World, it’s gone for good. That’s very true with vacation overlays and choices. But what, Christmas is a magical time of 12 months when miracles occur, and hope springs everlasting.
Unlike the Silly Reindeer prediction, I’m not going to hedge this one by saying it’s extremely unlikely. I’m calling my shot: Cinderella Castle’s Dream Lights will return for Christmas 2023. No equivocation or asterisks.
For one factor, the fiftieth Anniversary decorations at the moment are down, so the lights might be put in on Cinderella Castle. For one other factor, the moat remains to be partially drained and the cranes are nonetheless on web site, even a few weeks in spite of everything that work wrapped up. Although it might be sort of odd to simply have them sit round till August when the Dream Lights usually begin going up, I don’t know why else they’re there.
Finally, bringing again the Cinderella Castle Dream Lights after a multi-year hiatus could be one strategy to lure again followers to Walt Disney World and enhance bookings for the vacation season. It’d even be a win from a visitor satisfaction perspective, and be one other strategy to say to followers that “we’re listening” to suggestions.
Ultimately, these are a few of my predictions for the Christmas season at Walt Disney World, not essentially what’ll be introduced throughout Halfway to the Holidays. Disney may begin with imprecise particulars and a reveal that Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is returning, whereas teasing extra to come back sooner or later.
Personally, I believe that’s unlikely. With a point of financial slowdown on the horizon and client sentiment beginning to stoop already, it makes far more sense to announce as a lot as doable now and juice bookings ASAP. Disney would possibly need to get these Christmas journeys and ticket gross sales locked-in earlier than customers begin to rethink their spending.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Now that I’ve made my Halfway to the Holidays predictions…what are yours? Think Walt Disney World will announce the return of the whole lot that was lacking from Christmas the previous couple of years, restoring circa-2019 normalcy? Expecting something new for the 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party? Expecting any (destructive) surprises? What are your ideas on ticket costs? Will your loved ones be shopping for or sitting out the Christmas festivities? Are you excited for Christmas 2023 at Walt Disney World? Do you agree or disagree with our perspective on this? Any questions we will help you reply? Hearing your suggestions–even while you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas beneath within the feedback!