A review of and tips for the Disneyland Merriest Nites 2021 holiday party! My sister and I went opening day to Disneyland’s newest party, Merriest Nites. The sold-out events promised six mini parties in one with limited crowds and plenty of holiday magic. But did Merriest Nites deliver an experience worth its $165+ ticket price? Here’s what worked—and what didn’t (with some tips if you’re going):
Arrival Process
The party runs on select nights—November 11, 16, & 30, and December 7 & 9—from 8pm until midnight. However, guests already inside of the park who don’t have a party ticket are required to leave by 7pm. Guests with Merriest Nites tickets have early access to the park starting at 5pm. Ultimately, this means party guests have the park from 7pm – midnight (all other guests are out of Disneyland by 8pm). If you’re inside the park, you can check in at the Star Wars Launch Bay in Tomorrowland. However, lines at the gate and in Tomorrowland become insanely long. I recommend getting there a bit early at 4:40pm so you can avoid the huge lines.
The Mini Parties
Several Disney characters greeted guests around the park, including Mickey & Minnie in their Victorian outfits. And I loved seeing Stitch and Jack Skellington in their Santa suits! It also snowed on Main Street, along with special projections. Live musicians played mariachi in Frontierland, island jams in Adventureland, and EDM in Tomorrowland to set the mood. We only waited about 10 minutes for the characters, except for Mickey & Minnie which was about 25 minutes.
Muppets!
The Muppets sang Christmas carols on Main Street from a caravan several times during the party! This was easily the best part of the evening. Highlights included Pepe the Prawn singing “Feliz Navidad,” and pretty much any time Gonzo said something. The hilarious script, the puppeteers, and the voice acting were 10s across the board! The caravan goes by quickly and does not stop until it gets to the end of its route! I recommend standing at the corner (as pictured, on the side of Jolly Holiday), for the best views. Showtimes were 8:10pm, 9pm, 10:30pm, and 11:30pm.
What’s Included
Each guest received a Christmas light lanyard that lit up! There were also postcards, a special map, and a free button for Magic Key holders. The light-up lanyards added to the magic of the night as everyone walked around with them lit.
The Food
Overall, the exclusive party snacks received mixed reviews. The lines were also very long, and some mobile orders were heavily delayed. In other words, don’t come hungry! However, many of the delicious holidays snacks served during the day were also available at Merriest Nites.
The Crowds
For most of the night, rides were only 5-10 minute waits! Yet, the parade crowds felt far too full. Plan at least 30 minutes before the 9:30pm showtime to get a good spot anywhere that you can. In the future, we’d want Disneyland to run the parade twice to cut down the crowds. However, this is the same parade that plays during the day, so it may not be a priority for guests visiting more than one day.
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Needed More
In the future, I’d like to see more lighting effects in the mini parties and a large format stage show (maybe a Holiday Fantasmic or even fireworks). While Main Street looked great, the other mini parties needed more special lighting.
Overall Score: 85/100
A magical night for Disneyland fans who love the holidays! However, if you’re feeling FOMO, plan for next year, and hope Disney irons out the few obvious wrinkles.
More Tips
Don’t forget your ticket comes with unlimited PhotoPass downloads! Meaning, the Disney photographer pictures and ride photos are included as part of your ticket! We only waited about 10 minutes for photos, except for the 20-minute line for pics with Mickey & Minnie.
Merriest Nites is sold out for this year, but I expect it to return in 2022. I post tons of Disneyland reviews and recommendations on my Instagram—you can follow me here! Also check me out on TikTok for Disneyland tips!
Happy holdays, David!
