We love the holidays at Disney Parks. Whether it's Walt Disney World Resort or Disneyland Resort, we are all about Disney holidays. This year, Disneyland Resort held its first-ever holiday party in Disneyland—Disney Merriest Nites. While we had some fun, it was far from the Merriest Night. In fact, it ranks in the top 5 worst park days I've ever had. We're here to break down the pros and cons of Disneyland's hard-ticket Disney Merriest Nites after-hours event and help you decide…is Disney Merriest Nites is Worth the Cost?
Is Disneyland Merriest Nites Worth the Cost?
We were so excited to check out the first-ever hard-ticket after-hours holiday party at Disneyland, Disney Merriest Nites. To say we were disappointed is an understatement. However, keep in mind, we attend events in a way that is a bit different than the average Disney party goer. We're going to breakdown what was worth it at Disney Merriest Nites, what was a total waste of time, what we believe needs to improve for Disney Merriest Nites to be worth the cost of the ticket, and a few facts & tips to help you get the most out of your Disney Merriest Nites ticket.
How much is it to attend Disney Merriest Nites?
Disney Marriest Nites tickets range from $165–$175 depending on the night you choose.
What time is Disney Merriest Nites party?
Disney Merriest Nites party is from 7 pm to 11 pm (not 8 pm to midnight as previously announced) and park mix-in begins at 5 pm.
What dates are Disney Merriest Nites?
The Disneyland party dates are: November 11, 16, 30; December 7, 9. Tickets for all nights of Disney Merriest Nites are sold out.
Is parking included in my Disney Merriest Nites ticket?
Parking is not included with Disney Merriest Nites party tickets. Parking for Disneyland will cost you $30 (unless you have free parking included with your Disneyland Magic Key).
Is the whole park open during Disney Merriest Nites?
No. Most of the park is open, but there are a few exceptions. All of Critter Country, Mickey’s Toon Town, and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge are CLOSED during this ticketed special event.
Where did Merriest Nites Fall Short?
Disney Parks is no stranger to hard-ticket, after-hours events, so Merriest Nites should have been a fantastic party. Yet, based on reactions and conversations I had and saw both at the Parks and online night of and days after, clearly Disneyland missed the boat on their first-ever Disney Merriest Nites event November 11.
What Disneyland Advertised for Disney Merriest Nites vs. What Disneyland Delivered for Disney Merriest Nites
Disneyland set our expectations for Disney Merriest Nites with what we were getting for our $165/$175 ticket, but what we got wasn't exactly as advertised. While we're aware that the Terms and Conditions explain that things are subject to change, when what you are sold is so vastly different and the value then becomes significantly less than what you have purchased, that's a problem.
So let's talk about the overall value for Disney Merriest Nites and the operations issues that caused major issues at the first-ever hard-ticket after-hours holiday event at Disneyland.
Disney Merriest Nites Party Length Decreased by more than 14% from its initial advertised length
When Disney first announced the Merriest Nite event, the party was advertised as being 8 pm to midnight, with early park entry beginning at 5 pm.
Disney Merriest Nites (for November 11) was changed to a 7 pm start and 11 pm end, with a 5 pm park admission.
An hour doesn't seem like a lot, however, when 7 hours of park time decreased by just over 14% to 6 hours, at $175 ticket, you're paying $29.16/hour to be in the park, or $27.50/hour on a $165 ticket night, vs. $25 and $23.57 respectively for a 7-hour party.
6 Uniquely Themes Parties Were Nowhere to be Found?
Based on the original description, we were told we'd be getting way more than we ever saw. Where were these “parties”
Victorian-Themed Party on Main Street, U.S.A.: The host with the most, Mickey Mouse, invites you to the party of the year! Revel in the holiday spirit with marvelous snow moments and holly-jolly carolers singing some holiday favorites.
Feliz Navidad Party in Frontierland: Join Miguel from Coco for a jolly fiesta with lively music, dancing and so much more.
New Orleans Holiday in New Orleans Square: Swing by this jazzy celebration hosted by Tiana and brimming with beads, beignets, and bountiful holiday fun.
Frozen-Themed Party in Fantasyland: Discover a flurry of festivities at a celebration featuring Elsa and her icy escapades—and plenty of heartwarming cheer.
Tropical Party in Adventureland: Delight in a holiday celebration with tropical flair hosted by the loveable Lilo and her mischievous pal, Stitch.
Tomorrowland Party in Tomorrowland: Party to infinity and beyond at this futuristic hoopla featuring Buzz Lightyear, a DJ, and more.
We saw most of the aforementioned characters, but what “parties?” We saw bands in Frontierland and New Orleans Square on the Riverboat. We saw Buzz dancing to what felt like the most bizarre rave ever. Beads in New Orleans? We saw none. Flurry festivities? Was that the Frozen characters? Frontierland lively music, dancing, and “so much more” what? Main Street U.S.A two or three “marvelous snow moments?”
A party is defined as, “a social gathering of invited guests, typically involving eating, drinking, and entertainment.”
It's fine not to have parties but maybe don't advertise them as “parties.”
Photo ops…why are they backlit?
We love special photo ops, but who thought backlit photo backdrops in the dark with horrible fill lights and PhotoPass photographers using awful presets was the way to go? Maybe some input from the incredibly talented artists whose work was sadly not well presented would have been better. I'd be so salty if that was how someone presented my work for the world to see.
Exclusive Merch for Disney Merriest Nites?
So Disney advertised that there was special, exclusive event-only merch for Disney Merriest Nites. We weren't given a sneak peek at the merch ahead of time, but we were told it would be set up like the 50th Celebration at Walt Disney World with a virtual queue. Starting at 730, there would be signs with QR codes out that you would scan for a return time.
This was technically accurate, except the signs featured a code from an old event. So we waited a chunk of time trying to obtain a code (about 45 minutes) and finally secured a sign-up for a return.
Once our time was called (about 8:45 pm), we returned to stand in a line to get into the merch area. There were two mannequins with clothing at the entrance and a few displays of the merch available. The selection was disappointingly scarce, and one of the “exclusive” items was a cranberry red Spirit Jersey that simply read “Disneyland Resort” on the back with the “D” emblem on the front—that I'd seen in the shops for the previous 4 days. Hardly exclusive and not holiday-themed.
The exclusive event merch consisted of a t-shirt, a long-sleeved t-shirt, pin, stainless steel tumbler, magnet, phone case, and ornament (which was sold out before we even got to the line). Not much merch for the exclusive event, and sadly, no ears.
Mobile Ordering and Restaurant Operations
To be honest, this is my biggest hang-up, because it alone sucked more than 90 minutes of our very short night with essentially no apologies and a lot of attitudes.
If you've been on the blog before or followed us for a while, you may recall that I've had experience working in restaurants and bars, as well as customer service in general. My professional background includes work in communications; I'm all about constant communication, especially in a crisis situation. When you encourage customers to order with a mobile app, and your system breaks, at the very least, you should be communicating often and clearly with the people waiting for information.
Not only was there virtually no communication, but what little communication was executed, was only delivered when we pressed for details—and the delivery was short and snippy. I get it, you're stressed and tired. But so are those of us who are sitting around for our food, missing other orders, not enjoying our $175 party (some of us are still waiting for pending refunds from other locations, by the way, because of the mobile ordering debacle).
When it's been 70+ minutes waiting for the “Prepare my order, I'm here” phase for an order of 5 pre-made pastries at Jolly Holiday and I still don't have an order or an update, it shouldn't be an issue for me to inquire if you have an update or if you can tell me where in the queue of “Preparing your order” my delayed order might be in. Kindness goes a long way in the middle of the mobile ordering disaster of the event. I promise the majority of bitter customers will be much kinder with a touch of information and kindness.
At the operations level, there is clearly a miss on the training when the dining room manager isn't able to troubleshoot that they can separate the orders that require cooking from the orders that only require plating prepared food items. Waiting 90+ minutes for prepared items is unacceptable, as is snippy attitudes from cast members and management cast members for inquiring about your exceedingly late orders.
I'd be slightly more understanding about mobile order snafus had Disney not had the same issues during WDW's 50th celebration on October 5th (140+ minutes for flatbread and chicken fingers at Pinnochio Haus) and reportedly similar issues on reopening day at Disneyland this past spring. This is clearly not a new issue. Figure your tech and training out, Disney.
Event Exclusive Treats Missing and/or Not Matching Website Descriptions
Certainly, it's not the end of the world to not have all the seasonal and event treats available that are listed on the websites. However, when the night is already less than perfectly on track, it is disappointing to run around trying to find all the specialty items to taste and photograph for your readers only to find out they opted not to make them or they were changed along the way and not updated on the website.
Coffee Nog? My friend that ordered it said it was “disgusting.” Exact description. And apparently nothing like described. This wasn't the only instance where it seemed as though the kitchen hadn't had much if any training on the new menu items.
Mickey Peppermint Beignets? Nope, some square honey-glazed things. They were probably tasty, but we all know Mickey-shaped food tastes better and it's not what we were looking for based on the website guide.
Hot chocolate and cookies…did anyone find these?
Enjoy event-inspired menu options like hot chocolate and cookies at select Disneyland Park locations.
But for real, super obnoxious waste of time. Sorry readers, we tried.
A Christmas Fantasy Parade
Listen, A Christmas Fantasy Parade is great, but it's the same one you'll see all season long in the park, so unless you won't be at the parks the rest of the season, this is definitely not a selling point.
A Christmas Fantasy Parade features Toy Soldiers, gingerbread men, ice skaters, bakers, reindeer, elf dancers, characters from Toy Story, Disneyland princesses, and even Santa Claus himself. This parade has been around for years at Disneyland during the holiday season.
A Christmas Fantasy Parade enters at Town Square and makes its way up on Main Street, U.S.A., near the Matterhorn, through the path leading to “it’s a small world.” As with all parades, it may take 15 minutes or so for the parade to pass your location depending on your location. The parade route is noted on the Disney Merriest Nites party-specific park map you can receive at the event.
For the best parade view, grab a spot for the parade at least 30 minutes before the parade is scheduled to spot. There is only one parade during Disney Merriest Nites. There are also great viewing spots near “it’s a small world” Holiday and Matterhorn Bobsleds.
What Was Awesome about Disney Merriest Nites
Not all of Disney Merriest Nites was a fail.
The Muppets Christmas Carol Coach
If you love the Muppets, you absolutely have to see the Muppets Christmas Carol Coach!
Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozy, Gonzo, Pepé the King Prawn, and Sam Eagle sing Christmas carols from the Omnibus. Disneyland's world-famous Omnibus enters from Town Square and then travels up Main Street, U.S.A., toward the castle before circling the hub. The Omnibus then stops in front of the Partners statue for the show.
Note you can only see the Muppets of the Muppets Christmas Carol Coach on the outside of the hub, so if you stand on the inner part of the hub you will see the Omnibus but not them. Because the viewing area is tight and the street is cleared for the Omnibus to enter the hub, there isn't a lot of space for viewing. Watch for people making a mad dash to grab viewing spots for the show as the Omnibus passes the hub.
Special Character Photo Ops and Meet & Greets
There are some dang cool characters floating around in cool garb and with fun backgrounds, so if you LOVE character ops, this might be the thing for you! The lines were reasonable for special character lines.
However, that may be because everyone and their brother was stuck in the hot mess that was mobile ordering at Jolly Holiday and other places. If they get that kink worked out, character lines may be long again, so if you want to see characters, I highly recommend getting in line early.
With zero effort, we saw more than a dozen characters, but here's the full list of who will be stationed around Disneyland Merriest Nitesbased on who we spotted and who our friends mentioned seeing:
- Friends from Mickey’s Christmas Carol (Ebeneezer Scrooge McDuck, Goofy Jacob, Minnie, Mickey)—Main Street, U.S.A. (near Mad Hatter)
- Friends from Frozen (Elsa, Olaf, Wandering Oaken, Hans, and Duke of Weaselton)—Fantasyland
- Belle & Beast—Fantasyland
- Donald’s Snow Fight—Fantasyland (in Fantasyland Theater)
- Pluto’s Christmas Tree—Fantasyland (outside Pixie Hallow)
- Fantasia’s Frozen Fairy Wings—Fantasyland
- Santa Claus—Fantasyland (in Fantasy Faire)
- Miguel—Frontierland
- Lilo and Santa Stitch—Adventureland (steps outside Enchanted Tiki Room)
Not a meet and greet photo ops, but you can see:
- Buzz Lightyear—Tomorrowland (on Star Wars Launch Bay balcony)
- Princess Tiana—New Orleans Square (on Royal 21 balcony above Royal Street Veranda)
- Jack and Sally—Near Orleans Square (on Haunted Mansion balcony)
Ride Wait Times are Very Short During Disney Merriest Nites
One of the best parts of the after-hours parties at Disney Parks is the short wait times. Almost every ride has an extremely reduced wait time because most people are enjoying the Special Character Meet and Greets, Exclusive Special Food Items, live music and other performances, decor, and other aspects of the event.
Generally speaking, rides are the same as they always are (with the exception of a few like Haunted Mansion with its season overlay), so the ride wait times are significantly decreased. Most of the evening we saw wait times under 20 minutes for all of the major attractions including Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, and Indiana Jones Adventure.
Holiday Attraction Overlays
Quite possibly my favorite thing about Disneyland in the fall is the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay. If you love Jack Skellington and The Nightmare Before Christmas, this ride is a must-do, but the wait time will not likely be short like other rides will.
Sadly, “it’s a small world” Holiday was scheduled to debut for the season but was delayed due to a flooding incident the day before, but it is also an attraction with a fantastic holiday overlay.
Live Music Performances at Disney Merriest Nites
One thing Disney does well is live music. As to be expected, there is superb live entertainment during the Disney Merriest Nites party, and it varies by land.
Several lands have their own themes with live music: Mariachi band performs on the balcony of the Golden Horseshoe in Frontierland; jazz band performs on the deck of the Mark Twain Riverboat; bell-ringing carolers sing on Main Street, U.S.A.; DJ jockeys in Tomorrowland.
Exclusive Treats at Disney Merriest Nites
So despite the hot mess mobile ordering debacle at Jolly Holiday, we had a couple of fantastic treats during Disney Merriest Nites. Here are the top treats we'd order again:
- Sipping Chocolate with a Dipping Waffle—European drinking chocolate with sweet waffle for dipping (Jolly Holiday)
- Milk-n-Cookies Pretzel—Cream cheese-filled pretzel smothered in a sweet icing, topped with chocolate cookie crumbles, and drizzled with sweetened condensed milk (Tomorrowland Pretzel Cart)
- Loaded Toffee Churro—Churro rolled in Toffee-flavored sugar, drizzled with chocolate ganache with chopped almonds (Tomorrowland Churro Cart)
- Coffee Nog—Cold brew coffee, eggnog, caramel, whipped cream, and a gingerbread s’more (red Rose Taverne) *The app and Disneyland's website describe this as exclusive to Merriest Nites when I placed the order during the party, BUT I was able to purchase it the next afternoon.
- Mickey Gingerbread (Jolly Holiday) *The app described this as exclusive to Merriest Nites when I placed the order during the party, BUT it is sold at Grand Californian Hotel and Starbucks in Downtown Disney, maybe other places, so it's clearly not.
PhotoPass is included in your Disney Merriest Nites Ticket
If you luck out and find an event photographer who is better than any we saw with the backlit photo op backgrounds, or if you wait in the few longer lines for the characters where there is a photographer available (Pluto had one, for example) PhotoPass photo downloads are included in your ticket price.
Is Disneyland Merriest Nites Worth It?
Truthfully, this is a question only you can decide. At a ticket price that is more than a day ticket to the park for only 7 hours, it's certainly hard to swallow—especially if you plan to bring a family. Which is more valuable to you: your time or your money?
We wasted a lot of time trying to get food to taste and photograph and see merch to share with our readers; we weren't there to ride rides and get all the photos. We got a few photos and nowhere near all the food we wanted in a 7-hour window, but that's the job.
If I had been a ticket holder who paid to have a different experience and rarely made it to the parks, I'd be angry at the experience. Between the lack of value based on what was advertised and what was received and the poor customer service that went along with that overall experience, I'd be hard-pressed to jump at buying a ticket to the parks any time soon.
If you have teens who only want to come and ride rides, and you don't do the parks very often, it's a good value for an infrequent trip to the parks. If you're a foodie who loves all the special food at events, Disney Merriest Nights may not be the best special ticketed event for you.
Disneyland Merriest Nites Pros and Cons
Here's a quick summary of the pros and cons of the Disney Merriest Nites in Disneyland.
Disney Merriest Nites Pros
- A few very tasty specialty unique treats worth indulging your tastebuds and time
- Very short lines for attractions
- Unique characters available for meet and greet
- The Muppets Christmas Carol Coach is the highlight of the night
- Haunted Mansion Holiday Overlay
- it's a small world Holiday (usually, this year is an odd exception because of the flooding and we're all hoping it is rectified ASAP, but the holiday lights are still on)
- PhotoPass photo downloads are included in your ticket
- Fun light-up holiday bulb strand necklace lanyard at check-in
- Live music in New Orleans, Frontierland, and on the Mark Twain plus a DJ in Tomorrowland
Disney Merriest Nites Cons
- Critter Country, Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, and Mickey's Toon Town are closed during the event
- Specialty food lines at quick-service dining locations are long, and they are insanely long if the mobile ordering isn't working properly
- Merch is not worth waiting for IMO, especially when the options for event special merch is limited and sold out within an hour and the queue to get it is a mess
- Photo ops backgrounds are terribly lit
- The advertisement of 6 “parties” is a sham
- Parking is an additional fee over the already hefty price tag
- Party is an hour shorter than advertised when we purchased our tickets
- The parade, A Christmas Fantasy Parade, is the same parade that is at Disneyland throughout the holiday season
Have you attended Disney's Merriest Nites? What did you think? Leave us a comment below.
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I think it would be worth the cost!
When my kids were little we stayed at the Disney Hotel and paid extra so the kids could interact with Disney characters at breakfast. It was money well spent!
Typically that’s my feeling too. It’s really all about your goals. You just have to have priorities and know that you won’t be able to do every single thing and expect there will be snafus.