“When will Walt Disney World launch 2023 dates for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together?” and “why haven’t tickets for MVMCP gone on sale but?” are reader questions we’ve been receiving extra. We’ll attempt to reply based mostly on what we all know based mostly on historic launch dates, present developments, previous demand, and extra.
As with all of those speculative posts, we’ll begin with the easy indisputable fact that Madame Leota just isn’t employed by this weblog–which means that we don’t have a crystal ball. Nobody may give you a definitive reply about when Walt Disney World will announce 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together dates or tickets. The identical holds true for just about something that hasn’t been formally introduced, launched internally, or leaked.
So in the event you’re the sort of one that, up to now, has complained that such a prognostication put up is a “waste of time,” now’s your probability to decide out. Take into account as an alternative subscribing to our free e-mail publication for fast alerts, which is able to present you a right away replace when 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together dates are formally introduced by Walt Disney World. This put up is most actually not that, however somewhat, our long-winded try to supply perception in response the above reader questions…
With that out of the way in which, now we have some excellent news: what’s previous is prologue.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together is hardly a brand new occasion, and there’s a ton of precedent concerning announcement and ticket gross sales dates over time. One in all large motivators for this put up is compiling historic data. I at all times find yourself digging by way of previous press releases to reply these questions, so somewhat than repeating that course of over and over, it is smart to compile the final a number of years right here. I’ve additionally added dates and pricing for individuals who are curious–or simply need to distinction this 12 months’s numbers with the previous!
In 2017, dates and particulars for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together have been introduced on April 6; ticket gross sales began on Might 10. That 12 months, costs began at $89 for adults and $84 for kids (3-9).
The 2017 MVMCP was held for a 21 nights, with occasions on the next dates:
- November 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 26, 28
- December 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22
That sprung ahead considerably the next 12 months, with March 19, 2018 being the date that Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together tickets went on sale. MVMCP ticket costs began at $95 upfront or $105 on the gate.
The 2018 Christmas Get together was held for a then-record 22 nights:
- November 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 16, 25, 27, 29, 30
- December 2, 4, 6, 7, 9, 11, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21
Each of these years, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together tickets additionally went on sale the identical day that MNSSHP tickets have been launched. This was a reasonably frequent observe on the time, however didn’t at all times happen.
It additionally wasn’t at all times the case that the announcement and gross sales date coincided. For a number of years, it was regular for dates to be launched in late March or April and tickets happening sale in early Might.
In 2019, tickets for MNSSHP have been launched in mid-January, which was too early for the discharge of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together dates and tickets. The MVMCP announcement got here on April 8; tickets began at $99 in 2019, and that was after a pre-purchase low cost of $10.
The variety of occasion nights elevated as soon as once more, hitting a then-record 23 dates:
- November: 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24
- December: 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 22
It’s price including a “footnote” right here that 2019 was not a traditional 12 months for Walt Disney World. That late summer season and early fall was the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and many individuals steered away from the parks (each in Florida and California) throughout that land’s opening months out of fears that it might be chaotic.
Individuals pushed journeys again to November or December for Christmas, and/or the opening of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. The top outcome was an atypically gradual finish of summer season, and surprisingly sturdy vacation season. This actually has extra pertinence for the Halloween season, however it’s nonetheless noteworthy when discussing the second half of the 12 months. Just like the 2-3 years that adopted, 2019 was not regular–when it comes to attendance and demand dynamics–at Walt Disney World.
Quick-forward to 2021, when Disney Very Merriest After Hours was introduced as a substitute for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together following a hiatus in 2020. That new occasion was unveiled on August 13, after the Disney After Hours Boo Bash had already began. Tickets went on sale starting August 17 for on-site resort friends and August 20 for most people.
Disney Very Merriest After Hours was held on 24 choose nights:
- November: 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18, 19, 21, 23, 28, 30
- December: 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10, 12, 14, 16, 17, 19, 21
Ticket costs ranged from $169 to $229 plus tax for choose November-December nights and $249, plus tax for late December dates in 2019. Annual Passholders and Disney Trip Membership Members may benefit from a $10 low cost on choose occasion dates in November.
The timing of this launch was virtually actually an anomaly, as Walt Disney World was scrambling to carry again its regular choices amidst staffing shortages and whereas making an attempt to navigate an anticipated inflow of crowds for Walt Disney World’s fiftieth Anniversary. As with 2019 and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, this didn’t materialize. This time, it was extra concerning the Delta variant and reinstated face masks guidelines somewhat than “crowdpocalypse” fears, however the latter doubtless contributed barely to decrease attendance between October and December.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together made its triumphant return final 12 months. This was introduced throughout Walt Disney World’s “Midway to Holidays” on June 23, 2022. Tickets went on sale starting June 30 for on-site resort friends and July 7 for most people.
Going down on 24 choose nights, the 2022 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together set a brand new report for earliest begin date and most occasion nights. It additionally returned to its normal schedule of hours from 7 p.m. to midnight, and was now not capacity-constrained in the identical was as Very Merriest After Hours.
Consequently, ticket costs decreased as in comparison with After Hours the 12 months earlier than, however have been nonetheless a report excessive (by a large margin) relative to MVMCP in earlier years, starting from $149 to $199 per individual.
Occasion dates for the 2022 MVMCP have been:
- November: 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22, 27, 29
- December: 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22
As you possibly can see from the vary of launch dates above, when Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together tickets go on sale every year varies. It has occurred in each early March and late August–however the latter was an apparent anomaly. Walt Disney World planners might bemoan this, because it makes planning tough.
The excellent news is {that a} pattern has emerged within the post-reopening period. That’s truly clearer with MNSSHP, because the final three years–together with 2023–have featured a “Midway to Halloween” week to construct anticipation and pleasure for spook season. The identical factor was piloted final 12 months with “Midway to the Holidays,” and it’s extremely doubtless that’ll return for Christmas 2023.
As for exactly when “Midway to the Holidays” is prone to occur, that’s largely dictated by anticipated demand and gross sales projections. Final 12 months, pent-up demand was nonetheless working scorching; because of this, each single date of each MNSSHP and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together offered out upfront.
That’s not regular. Whereas Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together does normally promote higher than its Halloween counterpart, the norm is for the primary 2-3 events to promote out, the primary one after Thanksgiving to promote out (as a result of events aren’t held throughout the week of Thanksgiving), after which mid-December dates. In a mean 12 months, about half of the MVMCP occasion nights would promote out, with the events least prone to promote out being mid-November and early to mid-December.
Normally, the primary Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together would promote out in October or early November, with subsequent dates promoting out between late November and early December. Final 12 months, the primary couple of Christmas Events offered out in September, and each single date offered out earlier than Thanksgiving. Most dates have been passed by November 4. Once more, this was not regular.
Level being, in the event you’re anxiously awaiting Walt Disney World to launch 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together dates and tickets since you’re apprehensive about it promoting out, don’t. Even with final 12 months setting the report for offered out dates, nothing was gone till September, and solely the primary two nights offered out that month.
Late October and early November is when most dates of final 12 months’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together offered out. And once more, that every one occurred sooner than regular. Remember that Individuals have been absolutely embracing in “revenge journey,” which resulted in freer spending as shoppers sought to make up for misplaced time and have been much less worth delicate because of this.
Along with that, there was pent-up demand for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together particularly amongst Walt Disney World followers. Though Disney Very Merriest After Hours had rather a lot in frequent with MVMCP, it additionally had loads of variations. Probably the most important of which was a lot later hours, making it a non-starter for a lot of households with babies. This meant that there was ~3 years of fan demand for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together consolidated right into a single 12 months, plus elevated curiosity among the many normal public, in 2022.
Issues have modified in an enormous manner in 2023. In the event you’ve been following Walt Disney World information in any respect, you’ve doubtless seen the 5 Main Enhancements for 2024 at Walt Disney World and the entire recently-released reductions for this summer season and fall. After not “needing” Annual Passholders for over a 12 months, Walt Disney World has pivoted strongly and resumed new AP gross sales whereas additionally rolling out AP appreciation days.
In the course of the firm’s newest earnings name, CFO Christine McCarthy warned of a slowdown at Walt Disney World within the coming quarters to melt the blow to buyers. This wasn’t information to us–it’s already taking place! We’ve been discussing the upper than regular post-spring break attendance drops in Sharp Shoulder Season Slowdown at Walt Disney World and Low Pre-Summer time Crowds at Walt Disney World.
Suffice to say, the 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together is not going to promote out inside days of tickets happening sale. That applies to each the presale window and most people window. We all know a lot of you might be planners who get anxious about not having each element set in stone, however you actually don’t have something to fret about right here.
Park reservations aren’t going to ebook up for November and December 2023 anytime quickly–so you possibly can both wait to make yours (there’s actually zero danger in doing so) till MVMCP dates are introduced, or modify as soon as they’re launched. The Advance Eating Reservation window additionally received’t open earlier than tickets go on sale. There’s completely no want to start out planning your day by day itineraries proper now. (In the event you completely should, simply seek the advice of final 12 months’s MVMCP calendar–events will doubtless be held on the identical days of the week.)
With that mentioned, the recognition of final 12 months’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together shouldn’t be minimized. Don’t have a look at the looming summer season slowdown and assume the identical can be true for November and December.
These months will in all probability be slower than their counterparts final 12 months, however they received’t be as dangerous as proper now or August and September. The vacation season is at all times busy; it’s a fan favourite, and Individuals discover cash of their price range for Christmas even when chopping again at different occasions of the 12 months.
In different phrases, there are explanations for the recognition of final 12 months’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together that won’t apply in 2023. Nevertheless, it might be silly to forecast considerably decrease gross sales because of this.
There have been many components driving the recognition of MVMCP final 12 months, and way more demand for tickets than provide. Even 25% much less demand for the 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together may nonetheless imply many or most dates nonetheless promoting out over the course of the occasion.
Our expectation is that “Midway to the Holidays” is moved ahead in 2023 to supply an extended “runway” for 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together ticket gross sales. That is given the probability of decreased demand and slower gross sales.
Once more, this 12 months is already proving very completely different from final; extra resort reductions have already been launched, and so they’ve come earlier and been higher than historic norms. If there are inside issues about even MVMCP doing softer numbers on account of fizzling pent-up demand, it might behoove Disney to maneuver sooner and lock-in MVMCP ticket gross sales ASAP. Seize a few of that income earlier than shoppers turn into much more worth delicate and cost-conscious.
Regardless of how or when the announcement is made, I’d additional predict that tickets will go on sale a pair weeks after the announcement and as soon as once more be staggered for on-site and off-site friends to create a way of urgency and maybe demand for on-site lodging.
Right here’s my particular prediction: Walt Disney World will announce dates, costs, and when tickets will go on sale for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together on June 8, 2023. That is precisely two weeks sooner than final 12 months, however nonetheless a number of months later than when the announcement was usually taking place pre-closure. Truthfully, these are hardly daring predictions given the precedent set by “Midway to Halloween.”
With that in thoughts, I’ll throw in a few extra daring wildcards. First, I don’t suppose there can be worth will increase to the ticket worth vary for the 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together. I’ll truly go a step additional and name a $10 drop on the low finish. Reducing costs could be very out of character for Walt Disney World, but when the ticket offers launched within the final week are any indication, they’ve hit a wall with costs. Possibly that doesn’t apply to onerous ticket occasions, however perhaps it does. Therefore this being the extra daring prediction.
My subsequent prediction is that, if costs do enhance, offered out dates will lower. To offset this, it may imply the return of low cost tickets for Solid Members or the last-minute introduction of a brand new uncommon character meet & greet–something to entice extra demand. A method or one other, I believe Walt Disney World will see a return to regular after the sky-high gross sales and recognition of final 12 months’s occasion.
Wanting ahead, I additionally wouldn’t be shocked to see Walt Disney World drop the “Midway” occasions for each Halloween and Christmas subsequent 12 months, or no less than not tie these to the discharge of ticket gross sales. They may nonetheless be used to announce new leisure choices or in any other case construct anticipation for the vacation season. However there was a cause that dates and tickets for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together was launched a lot early, and as issues return to regular, so too will that. These are simply my guesses, although–we’ll preserve you posted when one thing is truly, formally introduced for the 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together!
Planning a Walt Disney World journey? In the event you’re interested by studying extra about inns, our Walt Disney World Lodges Evaluations web page is an effective place to start out. For the place to eat, check out our Walt Disney World Restaurant Evaluations web page. If you wish to lower your expenses on tickets or decide which sort it’s best to get, learn our Ideas for Saving Cash on Walt Disney World Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a singular have a look at unconventional issues it’s best to take in your journey. When you arrive on the parks, our Walt Disney World “Trip Guides” are nice for figuring out what to do and when to do it. For overviews of all of those subjects and a lot extra, the perfect place to start out is our complete Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information to benefit from your expertise!
YOUR THOUGHTS
When do you suppose 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together dates can be introduced? Count on ticket gross sales to start out the identical day, or with a delay? Did you attend MVMCP at Walt Disney World final 12 months? Planning on attending once more this 12 months, or have been you a part of the ‘pent-up demand’ crowd? What did you consider the ‘offered out’ crowds? Suppose it was well worth the excessive ticket worth? Any leisure additions you’re hoping to see for the 2023 Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together? Another suggestions, likes or dislikes? Any questions we may also help you reply? Listening to your suggestions–even whenever you disagree with us–is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!