If attending Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party isn't on your Disney bucket list, then it's about time to add it. This Holiday themed event takes place on select nights at the Magic Kingdom between November 8th and December 21st. Between the parade, stage show, and character meet-and-greets, there is so much to do in one night. I know, it may sound like a lot, but there is no need to worry. With a few easy tips you'll be able to conquer everything the party has to offer. Hey, you might even be able to sneak in a little more magic.

1. Arrive Early

Image Source: Madeline Potts

The Very Merry Christmas Party doesn't start until 7:00 pm, but guests who have tickets for the event are allowed into the park starting at 4:00 pm. Take advantage of these extra three hours to ride any attractions you may want to ride, and secure that coveted meet-and-greet spot up front for any exclusive characters you're hoping to meet!

2. Meet Characters During a Parade or at the End

At the party, there are many character meet-and-greets like the princesses with their prince, Mary Poppins with Bert, and the Seven Dwarfs that you usually can't meet during regular park hours. If you don't arrive until 7:00, your first instinct may be to jump in line first thing when the party starts, and I don't blame you. By the time the party starts there's a good chance the line could be well over an hour long. Since nobody wants to spend most of the night waiting in line, plan on meeting characters during the first parade, stage show, and fireworks times. These are the most popular times for each activity, so character lines will be the shortest. This is how I was able to meet the Seven Dwarfs, Mary Poppins and Bert, Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, and Santa Goofy all in one night.

3. Attend the Party During the Week

When choosing which party to attend, it probably makes the most sense to pick one on the weekend, but this is actually the busiest time to go. If you're able to, attend a party during the middle of the week. You'll have less crowds, shorter wait times and more cookies to eat, so it's a triple win situation and what could be better than that?! Oh, and the beginning of November and first week of December will be the least crowded Holiday times in the park.

4. Plan Out Your Night

When you enter the park, you'll receive a times guide that lists the various times of the parade, stage show, and fireworks throughout the night. If you're anything like me then you'll want to get the most out of your night, so be sure to plan out which parade, stage show, and fireworks show you want to watch. This will ensure you see everything you hoped for--nobody wants to miss out on Holiday magic!

5. Watch the Last Parade

With all of the excitement you'll want to do everything as soon as you get there. Hey, I don't blame you. I turn into a 5-year-old when I enter a Disney park too. Since the parade is the most popular activity throughout the night, the first showing tends to be the most crowded since many kids come to the party and don't stay until the very end. To get the best view possible, wait until the last showing. There will be a lot less people and you'll be able to get a lot more character interaction when you have a front row spot. Trust me, it's worth the wait.

6. Bring a Small Backpack or Purse

This may seem quite obvious, but when I attended the party last year, I just brought a small crossbody bag, which I later realized was a big mistake. The good thing about this party is that Disney will make sure you never go hungry. I was given so many free cookies I had no idea what to do with all of them. Make sure to bring a small backpack or purse to stash you tasty treats while you're enjoying all the fun.

See, with just a few tips it is 100 percent possible to conquer Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party all in one night. So what are you waiting for? It's time to start planning for the most magical Holiday celebration of the year!

3 Meditation Apps to Find Your Most Relaxed Self

Go ahead, take a deep breath. We all need to relax anyway. Between work, managing a social life, and fitting in a few sweat sessions, our lives can get pretty hectic. One thing I've learned this past year is how important it is to take quiet time for yourself even if it is just five or 10 minutes a day. This is where meditation comes into play!

Having an app to help you meditate makes it so much easier. I have to admit though, when I first started meditating it felt a little awkward and weird, but as I did it more and more it turned into my best coping mechanism for anxiety and it made me feel really really good.

Below, check out the three apps I use when I want to get my zen on.

1. Headspace

This app is great for beginners who have never meditated before. There is a free 7-day program for meditation newbies, which guides you through your meditation, and let me tell you, it's super helpful when you're not quite sure what you should be doing. This app taught me a lot about meditating. One thing I really like is how you can change the time of your session between 3 to 20 minutes depending on how much time you have. 

2. Calm

With guided meditations for stress, gratitude, self-esteem, and work, this app has so many 7-day courses you can go through to become more mindful in life situations. I love how this app has many specific situations that you can pick from, so you're able to improve in whatever area of your life you need to be calmer in. The only downside are the limitations you have before paying. For free, you can only do one session from the seven days of gratitude, stress, and self-esteem courses. The three sessions I did were so good. If it weren't for the pricey subscription, I would be using this app every single day.

3. Insight Timer

Insight Timer is my go-to app for meditating. There are thousands of various guided and unguided meditations you can choose from. There's everything. Literally. You can choose to do meditations for sleep, anxiety, starting your day, and so much more. There is also a huge variety of various times. I mean, you can meditate for as short as one minute to 90 minutes. I know, pretty crazy, right? Oh, and I can't forget, this app is completely free. That's right, all of the meditations are 100 percent free!


4. Sanity & Self

Whether you want to meditate or you need a little self care in your daily life, this app has you covered! While you will have to pay to use every single feature, this app offers a lot of free guided meditations and motivation compared to other apps. A really neat thing about this app is inclusion of lifestyle techniques like beauty tips, stretching / exercises, and ways to de-stress.

All four of these apps are a great place to start if you're looking to add a little mindfulness into your life. Meditating just 5 to ten minutes a day will have such a positive impact on your life. Trust me, you'll be surprised that such a short amount of time can really make a bid difference in your entire day. Go ahead, for just 1 week try mediating with any of the apps above. I'd love to hear what you think!