Wow, today has been a DAY! We’ve told you why November 8th is such a huge event in Disney World (sooo many things to do and eat!!).

And, in Magic Kingdom, we’ve seen lots of treats, decorations, and the first night of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party! And, in case you were wanting to keep up with the entertainment at the party this year, we’re giving you the run-down on everything you can do throughout the night, including THE NEW STUFF!

NOTE: This post does not cover ALL our reviews of holiday TREATS at the Magic Kingdom this year! To see all of that, head on over to this Magic Kingdom Holiday Treats REVIEW post, which covers every. single. one.

There is A LOT to do at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party this year! That’s why we’re giving you some tips on how to plan your night and the what, when, and where of all the entertainment happening at the event.

Before you do anything, make sure to grab an event guide that will give you all the details on snack locations, times for entertainment, and more!

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Holiday Treat Walk

During both Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, guests are given free treats at distribution locations around the park. Although Not-So-Scary gives out Halloween candy, Very Merry has different cookies, apple cider, egg nog, and hot chocolate as complimentary treats for guests! When you first walk into the park, there is a Market Street distribution center marked by the nutcracker on Main Street, U.S.A.

You’ll be given the Welcome Holiday Treat to start your night, which is a Minnie sugar cookie this year! (A great dessert to begin a wonderful evening!!)

After that cookie, we wouldn’t be surprised if you were craving some of the other treats being offered at the party! In Tomorrowland, Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe is hosting a distribution center…

…with Peppermint Cookies, Hot Chocolate, and Apple Cider! By the way, check out those new cookie bags! HISTORICAL INTERLUDE: FYI for you Disney food historians, Magic Kingdom used to just hand out cookies with napkins to everyone. About two years ago, Disney realized this was NOT ACCORDING TO HEALTH CODE and put the cookies in little sealed bags. But this is the first year I’ve seen them BRANDED! WOW! At this point they look like legit stocking stuffers! (END OF HISTORICAL INTERLUDE.)

The Hot Chocolate is made from a Nestle’s mix, which is full of warm cocoa goodness…

…while the Apple Cider just basically tastes like apple juice (which is great for the kiddos at the party)!

The Peppermint Chip Cookie is soft and filled with lots of peppermint and chocolate chips. We looove this cookie so much, and we could eat it all year!

Just around the corner, The Lunching Pad has Apple Cider and the Ginger Molasses Cookie. We happen to think that this cookie tastes like gingerbread mixed with pancakes, since the syrup flavor comes through with each bite (which is delicious!!). It’s so soft and yummy.

If you want another Ginger Molasses Cookie, you can rock on over to the Jingle Cruise in Adventureland to grab a second!

Other distribution centers and treats include:

Tortuga Tavern in Adventureland for the Snowman Pretzel and Fanta

Golden Oak Outpost in Frontierland for the Snickerdoodle Cookie

Miner’s Cove in Frontierland for the Peppermint Cookie

The Diamond Horseshoe in Liberty Square for the Chocolate Chip Cookie and Eggnog

Pinocchio Village Haus in Fantasyland for the Snickerdoodle Cookie, Hot Chocolate, and Fanta

The Friar’s Nook in Fantasyland for the Chocolate Chip Cookie

Storybook Snack Carts in Fantasyland for the Snowman Pretzel

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Character Meet-and-Greets

While you’re at the party, you can spot rare characters AND meet characters dressed up in their holiday best! This year we happened to see visitors like Mary Poppins and Bert…

…Belle in her Enchanted Christmas dress…

…and Aladdin and Abu, looking warm and cozy…

(Abu looks very confused on what a signature is! Poor guy!)

If you want to meet some VERY rare characters, you can show your best home-made Christmas toys to Jack Skellington dressed in his Sandy Claws outfit, dance with the Seven Dwarfs, and tell your Christmas list to Santa himself!

CHARACTER PRO DFB TIP: If you really have a favorite character you want to meet during the party, you can start lining up at the character spots (visible on the map) before the event even begins! Yeah, some people begin saving their spots 1-2 hours before Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party kicks off. Also remember that the characters take a break every twenty minutes, so don’t worry if you see them disappear for a short bit! They’ll be back after their holiday cookie break!

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Attraction Overlays

Previously, Disney announced that NEW overlays would be coming to attractions in Magic Kingdom for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party! And, we finally got to take a peek at them for the first time tonight! Returning again, Space Mountain is taking you on a galactic journey through the holidays as you jam out to Christmas tunes and travel past themed lights!

Make sure to get there ASAP ’cause everybody at the party wants to take a high-speed trip down Santa Claus Lane!

Instead of pouring up some tea, the Mad Tea Party is dishing out hot chocolate for the holidays with four new holiday combinations of lights and music!

You’ll have to let us know which combination you get while you’re visiting the party!

We previously spotted a few items from Tomorrowland Speedway’s overlay, but now you can see the ride in its full, brightly lit glory!

The holiday overlay features ornament-like orbs…

…an interesting and colorful take on a Christmas tree…or snowballs…I dunno?

…“Christmas lights” for all to see…

…red and green Christmas trees…

…and festive rings of color placed around the foliage, so drivers can have a scenic view as they sing out their favorite Christmas songs!

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Music and Dance Parties

While you’re snacking on your holiday cookies, you can also get your boogie on at the dance parties all around the park! Chill out in Club Tinsel at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe…

…where you’ll get to party with the COOLEST polar bear of them all! Look at those moves!!

The Totally Tomorrowland Christmas Show (at 7:40, 8:30, 9:20, 10:45, and 11:45) features some of your faves, like Buzz Lightyear and Stitch, as they groove on the dance floor!

The singers show off their talents, harmonizing to different Christmas tunes (and you’re welcome to sing and dance along!).

You can also check out The Edge Effect, an a capella shindig for folks who enjoy some toe-tapping vocalists dressed in their holiday best!

And for the littles, check out Disney Junior’s Dance Party, Jingle Jam! You can groove with Doc McStuffins…

…get down with Vampirina…

…and even shake a tail feather with Fancy Nancy herself!

Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration

Want some main stage action?? Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration kicks off the holidays four times during the party: 7:40, 9:25, 10:30, and midnight. While old and new friends gather together to celebrate Christmas, you’ll get to see the reason for the season as Mickey, Minnie, and friends get into the spirit with popular tunes and LOTS of fun!

(Annnnd, Mickey and Minnie are the ultimate OTP dressed as Mr. and Mrs. Claus!!)

Note that last night, there was some serious RAIN. So the last showing of this was the “rain version” — one song only! Interesting!

A Frozen Holiday Wish

Elsa’s come all the way from Arendelle with Anna, Kristoff, and Sven to make everything merry and bright in Magic Kingdom for the holidays!

After gathering some help from her friends, Elsa uses her ice powers to make frozen fractals all around Cinderella Castle from Christmas! (We can’t get over how beautiful it is!!) You can watch A Frozen Holiday Wish, a show worth melting for, each night at 8:15 PM.

Once Upon a Christmastime Parade

Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t feeling particularly festive the first night of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, so instead of the full Once Upon a Christmastime Parade which is performed at 8:30PM and at 11PM nightly during the party, we got to take in a showing of the Rainy Day Calvacade-version. The toy soldiers were still out marching…

…while other Disney characters drove by in covered vehicles including Dopey, Snow White, Gepetto, Pinocchio, Cinderella, Tiana, Belle, and Sleeping Beauty!

Mickey Mouse along with Minnie, Donald, and Daisy rode along in their own old-timey automobile, looking cozy and dry! With a little luck, you’ll hopefully have better weather than we did!

DFB TIP: If you’re willing to stay later, the second parade is much less crowded than the first. Plan out your night around the parade (and fireworks) and do some of the other amazing activities in the meantime!

Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks

This year, Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks is debuting for the first time (YAY!!).

The show is only performed at one time during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at 10PM (weather permitting!).

DFB TIP: Want the best show in the kingdom? Try to get a spot ahead of the 10PM show right on Main Street to watch the fireworks light up the night sky! The projections on the castle in this show are important, so you don’t want to miss them.

Our review: We liked this NEW show better than the new Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party fireworks show this year, but we still miss Holiday Wishes!

And, while you’re walking around Main Street throughout the night, don’t forget to look up at the stars and watch the magical snowfall! Buuut, don’t stick your tongue out because they’re soap (or snoap, as we so lovingly call it)! Last night, there was NO snoap, sadly, because the soap mixed with the wet sidewalks and streets does NOT work. ;-D

Whew! So much to see and do at MVMCP this year! We’re loving all of the additions for sure! Wishing you the merriest of holidays!

NOTE: This post does not cover ALL our reviews of holiday TREATS at the Magic Kingdom this year! To see all of that, head on over to this Magic Kingdom Holiday Treats REVIEW post, which covers every. single. one.

What are you looking forward to doing the most at this year’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party? Let us know in the comments below!