Laura's Miscellaneous Musings: Disneyland: Merriest Nites Christmas Party

Thursday, January 06, 2022

Disneyland: Merriest Nites Christmas Party

As the Christmas season draws to a close today on Epiphany, it's time for a few photos from Disneyland's Merriest Nites Christmas party last month.

This was Disneyland's first year to hold the Merriest Nites party, and we decided to splurge on tickets to celebrate being back at Disneyland at Christmastime after the park was closed by the state for the 2020 season.

We had such a wonderful time, staying until the midnight closing, that we may well do it again in the future!

The guide for the evening's festivities:

Although I'd been to Disneyland at other times during this year's Christmas season -- links are at the bottom of the page -- it was still quite emotional walking in and seeing this gorgeous sight while the Dapper Dans sang "White Christmas" on the steps of the Main Street train station. I Tweeted that night that it was "a perfect moment of Christmas joy."

Sleeping Beauty's Winter Castle at the far end of Main Street, U.S.A.:

There were specially costumed characters on hand for the party, such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse dressed in their Cratchit costumes from MICKEY'S CHRISTMAS CAROL (1983):

One of the big highlights of the evening was the Main Street Omnibus being converted to a Muppets Christmas Caroling Coach, from which the Muppets sang and performed a short show while parked at the end of Main Street:

There was also "snow" at the end of the show!

We were grateful that It's a Small World Holiday was up and running after an unexpected closure due to flood damage.

It was wonderful having a prime uncrowded viewing spot for the park's classic Christmas Fantasy Parade.

One of my favorite moments of the evening was this mariachi group performing a wistful "When You Wish Upon a Star" from the balcony of the Golden Horseshoe. It was absolutely magical.