A Guide to the Holidays at Disney World
The holidays begin earlier than you may expect at Disney World. As soon as the last Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party concludes, the holidays begin to pop up. You’ll first see the decorations appearing at Magic Kingdom, but it won’t be long before all of Disney World will be exploding with Holiday merriment.
Here are my best recommendations for you to enjoy the holidays while visiting Disney World in December and November:
Main Street USA and Town Square tree and decorations – The centerpiece tree is typically 65 feet tall, and the decorations coat the length of Main Street USA. It’s the perfect way to start off a holiday trip.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party – This is a separately ticketed event at Magic Kingdom. This is the only time it will snow on Main Street! The party includes special parades, shows, fireworks, characters, and more. It even includes hot cocoa and cookies in the cost of the tickets.
Jollywood Nights – This is another separately ticketed event at Hollywood Studios. This party is more targeted for adults with specialty cocktails and dining only available during the event. It also has shows, character appearances, and performances only found during the party.
JOYFUL! A Gospel Celebration of the Season – Shown a few times a day, this gospel performance begins the day after Thanksgiving and usually ends a few days after New Year’s Day at EPCOT.
International Festival of the Holidays – This EPCOT festival begins after Thanksgiving and ends December 30. You’ll be able to enjoy themed treats, foods, and drinks from holiday cultures around the world as well as view performances throughout the World Showcase.
Living with the Land – This opening day attraction at EPCOT is decorated festively during November and December. You’ll find the wait times rising once it starts getting dark to enjoy the holiday lights throughout the attraction.
Echo Lake at Hollywood Studios – If you love the retro, kitschy holiday decorations, this area in Hollywood Studios has some wonderful décor to enjoy. You’ll also be able to enjoy jazzy holiday music throughout the park.
Meet Santa – You’ll be able to meet the big guy himself in Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom this year. Check the My Disney Experience app for times.
Sunset Seasons Greetings – The façade of Tower of Terror transforms with projections and becomes Hollywood Holiday Tower Hotel after dark nightly.
Merry Menagerie – On Discovery Island in Animal Kingdom, you’ll get to enjoy one of my favorite holiday offerings. These merry, life-like puppets dazzle guests most of the day. You’ll be treated to polar bears, penguins, reindeer, foxes, and more!
Tree of Life Awakenings – During the holiday season, Animal Kingdom will be open after dark due to Daylight Savings ending. This allows the Tree of Life Awakenings to play every 15 minutes – a delightful and changing holiday projection show.
Disney resort decorations – Each Disney resort will be decorated for the holidays by Thanksgiving. Some are more known for their trees and sculptures than others, but all will have holiday touches. Many guests will visit the Wilderness Lodge, Grand Floridian, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and Contemporary just to see the trees and decorations.
The Disney Springs Christmas Tree Stroll – Even Disney Springs gets in on the action with so many themed Christmas trees that they created a scavenger hunt called the Stroll.
Gingerbread Sculptures – The most famous one would be the life-sized gingerbread house in the Grand Floridian where you can even purchase holiday treats, but you can also visit the Beach and Yacht Club, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Contemporary, and Boardwalk to view them.
Candlelight Processional – This is one of the most popular holiday traditions at all of the parks. In the America Gardens Theater in EPCOT is usually packed for its 3 performances per day of the original Christmas story retold by a celebrity narrator and massed choir who are accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra, herald trumpets and the Voices of Liberty. It’s a truly moving experience. Dining packages are available to book in advance to guarantee seating.
Phew! This feels like a lot, and it is, but you don’t have to do it all. I’ve been visiting the Disney World parks during the holidays every year for the last 4 years, and I still do new things and experience new magical moments each year.
All of these experiences other than Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Jollywood Nights don’t require bookings. If you’d like to explore attending either of these parties, let me know so that I can provide you pricing.
