A Tale of Two Demographics: Very Merriest Appeals to Wealthy Festivity Seekers
So let’s get right down to how this review is going to play out. Disney World’s latest after hours “party” at Magic Kingdom is available for Christmas and holiday festivities, and there’s two groups of people that have very different review results for “Very Merriest”. If you have play money to the point that dropping more than a thousand dollars on a family of four outing that lasts four hours, you’re probably going to have a nice time. If you don’t have play money at that level, my review for this holiday event is less than stellar.
Addressing the money issue directly, the closer you get to the actual Christmas, the more this event is going to cost you and your festive crew. Including taxes, we’re talking $250ish for a single ticket. And again, this is a four-hour activity. Additionally, this year is scant on entertainment. Sure, there’s a “parade”, but it’s far diminished in the number of participating cast members compared with prior after-hours events. They do the best with what they have, but there are significant gaps in the parade floats with little to see or watch in between. The fireworks are impressive, but there are less shells being incorporated than in past years as well. And when it comes to seeing rare characters, that’s all but gone. That said, you’d better believe its nice to see a parade back again, and kudos to the entertainers for making it as great as they do with as few people as they have right now.
So what is your money really going towards?
If you are the type of person who can drop that kind of money without breaking a sweat, and you want to ride all the Magic Kingdom attractions without much of a wait, this event is for you. Likewise, if you can pay many hundreds of dollars, you frequent Magic Kingdom often, and you just want to enjoy soapy snowflakes and lighter crowds with light Christmas entertainment, this event is for you. However, if you are either tight on this kind of cash, or you expect wowza-style entertainment value from the event, you’re going to be frustrated as you leave Very Merriest.
As for a strategy for those attending, I would recommend riding the attractions early, then catch the final parade. Very few people seem to stick around for that last post-midnight parade route, and the more obscure your location in the park, the more likely you might be the only group within several yards. If you have small children, this may mean your child gets the full attention of all the parade performers. That truly can be magical. And would I recommend hopping off attractions to catch the new Castle Show? Umm… not really. You’d have to be the type of person who has ridden every ride at Magic Kingdom many times for me to suggest you avoid Splash Mountain to see a Castle Show that doesn’t measure up to prior years.
Map and info for the first Very Merriest After Hours party tonight. pic.twitter.com/SlPdrxGKN6
— TouringPlans (@TouringPlans) November 8, 2021
So that’s the review and a short guide. If you’ve got the money, go have fun. If you’re on the edge, this is not the event you’re probably looking for.
