Hoppy holidays! One of the best parts of Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is meeting all of the special characters — including Santa Claus himself! This separately ticketed event at Magic Kingdom Park is the perfect way to celebrate the holiday season. The exclusive entertainment and character greetings are some of our favorite reasons to attend the seasonal party — most characters are rarely seen or wearing their holiday best. Here's everything to expect for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party characters for 2024, including where to find them, what kind of line to expect and our top tips.
Overview of Characters at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
There are more than 30 characters that meet throughout the park during the party. The official party map often provides a symbol indicating where there is a character meet-and-greet, but may not show roaming characters or which characters are at a dance party. The My Disney Experience app will show the characters under the map function, but the information is only available during a party. To help with planning ahead, we've separated the characters by land below.
In general, when we refer to wait times — low means less than 30 minutes of waiting, medium means about 30 to 60 minutes and long means more than an hour. These are approximate and can vary for each party, but we wanted to give you an idea of which characters have more popular lines.
Characters on Main Street, U.S.A.
Mickey Mouse
Starting off with the host of the party, Mickey Mouse is modeling his fancy holiday suit, which is exclusive to the event. He meets at his regular location at Town Square Theater. (During regular park hours, he greets guests in his magician's outfit). Once the party starts at 7 p.m., he then meets in his dapper green suit and red bowtie. Both the meet-and-greet and queue are entirely inside (making it a plus if you experience bad weather).
Mickey's wait is low to medium most of the night, often about 30 minutes. We recommend meeting him during the first parade or toward the end of the night for the shortest waits.
Jack Skellington and Sally
Also in Town Square Theater are some of the most popular characters at the party — Jack Skellington and Sally. This "Nightmare Before Christmas" duo is exclusive to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. Jack is dressed as Sandy Claws for this party. Both the meet-and-greet and queue for Jack and Sally are entirely inside. You'll receive a themed autograph card.
Their line can get very long with an average wait time of one to two hours. They typically begin greeting around 4:30 p.m. and you can enter the line around 4 p.m. with a wristband. If meeting them is a priority, we recommend using the pre-party time to meet them so no actual party time is taken away — in fact, the earlier the better because the line builds quickly. Otherwise, the line will be a bit shorter in the second half of the party (try to go during the parade for less waiting). Note that they may cut the line off to new guests at 11:30 p.m., so try not to wait too long to hop over.
Princess Elena
Elena of Avalor also meets in her wintry gown on Main Street, U.S.A. this year! Her line can be short — when we visited just before the first parade, we could talk with her right away.
Characters in Adventureland
Friends from "Aladdin"
You've never had a friend like me with the delightful pair of Genie and Jasmine. While this duo also meets during Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, this time around Genie sports a festive scarf for the occasion. They meet across from the Magic Carpets of Aladdin. Jasmine meets in the same location during the day with Aladdin, though meeting Genie is rare. (During normal park hours, Aladdin, Jasmine and the Genie all make appearances in the Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade, as well.)
Also in Adventureland is the fun duo of Aladdin and Abu! Abu is sporting a festive scarf while Aladdin is in his Prince Ali royal attire. They meet across from The Magic Carpets of Aladdin ride. Aladdin and Jasmine meet at this same location during regular hours, but Abu is quite rare (as is Aladdin's outfit) and is usually only seen at these parties. The line is partially covered and the meet-and-greet is an open-air covering.
They alternate with Jasmine and the Genie and there is one line for both pairs, so you'll want to time it with their set times. We recommend getting in line when the opposite pair is meeting so you have a better chance of them switching over.
Captain Jack Sparrow
Nearby the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction, you'll find Jack Sparrow himself! He meets at this same location during regular park hours in the same outfit. We recommend meeting him during the day and saving party time for the exclusive characters.
Moana
While she didn't attend last year's party, you'll find the Wayfinder herself, Moana, back at the Enchanted Tiki Room.
Characters in Liberty Square
Tiana and Naveen
Tiana and Naveen greet guests at select times by the Liberty Square Riverboat. They will not greet during the parade.
Mary Poppins
Back at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is our favorite magical nanny — Mary Poppins! It's always a jolly holiday with Mary as she sports her lovely white and red dress and parasol. This year, she's in a new spot at the Liberty Square Gazebo.
Characters in Fantasyland
Snow White and Her Prince
Over by the castle wall near Pinocchio Village Haus, you'll find the original royal couple, Snow White and her prince. While you can meet Snow White throughout the day in Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, her prince is very rare and typically only available at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. They are in the same line as Aurora and Prince Phillip.
Aurora and Prince Phillip
You can also meet Aurora and Prince Phillip from "Sleeping Beauty" by the castle wall. Aurora meets regularly at EPCOT, but Phillip rarely makes appearances. They share a queue with Snow White and Her Prince.
Rapunzel and Flynn Rider
"Tangled" is one of my favorite Disney movies so you bet I made sure to meet Rapunzel and Flynn together! This year, they are meeting inside Princess Fairytale Hall.
Cinderella and Prince Charming
Inside Princess Fairytale Hall, Cinderella meets with the rarely-seen Prince Charming. This charmingly sweet couple is looking quite official with the prince's iconic white suit and Cinderella in her winter version of her blue dress. Waits may be a little shorter in the second half of the party.
Anna and Elsa
New for 2024, you can also meet Anna and Elsa in their royal holiday outfits at Princess Fairytale Hall! We got in line at 10:45 p.m. and waited 20 minutes.
Belle
Belle greets guests inside Maurice's Cottage. This year, she wears her rare Christmas maroon dress, so expect wait times to be closer to 30 minutes to an hour. You can also meet Belle in her classic blue village dress at EPCOT or see her in her yellow gown at Enchanted Tales with Belle.
Ariel and Eric
Prince Eric and Princess Ariel are greeting royal guests outside the Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid attraction in Fantasyland. We rarely see Ariel in her teal dress and Eric is extremely rare (princes, in general, are very rare), so we love seeing these two together.
With the popularity and rarity of this couple, be sure to plan earlier in the night if a priority for your family. Their meet-and-greet and queue are entirely outside.
Pooh, Eeyore, Piglet and Tigger
Our favorite One Hundred Acre Woods friends are looking absolutely precious in their holiday scarves. Pooh, Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore greet guests next to The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh attraction (you can meet Pooh and Tigger in that same location during regular park hours). The quartet is fairly exclusive and only can be seen together at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween party, Very Merry or at The Crystal Palace character dining.
These characters are also very popular. Expect to wait close to an hour or more for this popular crew. They may start meeting a little before the party starts (party guests typically may begin to line up prior to this time). Their queue is outside while the meet-and-greet is covered.
Alice and the White Rabbit
Alice and the White Rabbit join the Very Merry lineup and greet guests near the Mad Tea Party. The White Rabbit is an extremely rare character, so expect lines possibly close to half an hour to an hour for this duo.
Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dum
The matching yellow-and-red duo from "Alice in Wonderland" greets guests in front of Mad Tea Party. They are very rare and exclusive to the Halloween and Christmas parties.
Mirabel and Bruno
Mirabel from the popular "Encanto" film continues greeting guests during the party at her new themed location at Fairytale Garden. New this year, Bruno is joining her! If a priority, we recommend meeting during regular hours to save on exclusive event offerings.
Characters in Tomorrowland
Stitch
In his holiday shirt, Stitch also returns to the party this year with a new location in Tomorrowland. You'll receive a themed autograph card from him.
Characters in Storybook Circus
Minnie Mouse, Daisy Duck, Donald Duck and Scrooge McDuck
There is one queue for Minnie, Daisy, Donald and Scrooge so this line can be a medium to long wait, but you get to meet all four characters at once! The queue and meet-and-greet are entirely inside.
Only at Pete's Silly Sideshow can you see Minnie Mouse in her fashionable festive outfit! You can meet Minnie in all four parks during regular park hours (in various outfits), though this outfit is exclusive to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.
The fashionista diva herself, Daisy Duck, also meets in Pete's Silly Sideshow. You can see Daisy at most of the parks during regular park hours (in various outfits), though this outfit is exclusive to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.
Our number one star Donald Duck also meets in Pete's Silly Sideshow. You can see Donald at most of the parks during regular park hours (in various outfits), though this outfit is exclusive to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.
Donald's Uncle Scrooge McDuck is visiting for the holidays! Scrooge is fairly rare, usually only seen at special events or at Animal Kingdom.
You'll find Pete's Silly Sideshow with extremely low crowds in the second half of the night, so this can be a great time to meet Minnie, Daisy, Donald and Scrooge McDuck!
Santa Claus
Look, it's Kris Kringle himself!
Lily was extra excited to chat with Santa Claus during Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. He greets guests one-on-one in a new location in Storybook Circus. While you wait, you can write a letter to Santa or color in an ornament.
While Santa meets during the majority of the party, he makes a special appearance in Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime parade, so he will not meet during that time.
Santa makes lots of magical appearances during the holidays — be sure to check out our guide to the holidays at Walt Disney World for all of the jolly details!
Other Character Experiences at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade
You won't want to miss Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime parade! Witness dancing nutcrackers, gingerbread men, reindeer and the big man himself — Santa — as they join your favorite Disney characters for a gorgeous parade complete with scented floats.
Disney Junior Jingle Jam
Younger tadpoles will love the Disney Junior Jam, featuring some of Lily's Disney Channel faves, from 7 p.m. to midnight. You might see characters such as Vampirina, Fancy Nancy, Doc McStuffins and even Timon (note that the characters will rotate in and out). Lily adores this dance party, and it's a perfect way to see her favorite characters in a low-key way. It also has low crowds most of the time so it's easy to get individual interactions.
Club Tinsel Dance Party
Dance the night away with a live DJ and holiday friends at the Rockettower Plaza Stage in Tomorrowland intermittently from 7 p.m. to midnight. Judy Hopps, Nick Wilde, Santy Goofy and Max Goof groove in the crowd to fun musical hits.
Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration
This holiday castle stage show features lots of fun characters! Mickey and Minnie are hosting a holiday party with festive songs. You'll see characters including Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, Clarabelle Cow, Woody, Jessie and more! With multiple showtimes, you'll have plenty of chances to catch this fun and festive show.
Tips for Meeting Characters at Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
We have some additional tips for meeting characters at the party:
- Check the My Disney Experience app for character set times. This will help you plan out when to arrive. We suggest arriving just prior to the character set time to maximize your time, as lines can get extra long once people spot the character. Note that some characters don't meet during the parades, such as Princess Tiana and Naveen.
- That said, some characters continue to greet guests during the parade, and that can be a great time to visit, especially Jack and Sally!
- Have kiddos that are nervous to meet characters? Check out our guide to characters at Disney World for extra tips on interacting with characters (plus a list of all character locations during regular park hours).
- Be sure to prioritize which characters you'll want to meet. There are only so many hours in the party and time will pass quickly, especially if you're also trying to see the trifecta of main entertainment — the parade, stage show and fireworks.
- If a priority, we recommend using some of the pre-party time to meet regular characters that will not be at the party.
Which Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party characters are you most excited to see? Let us know in the comments below!
Related: Our Guide to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
Hoppy planning!
