During this holiday season, there are so many ways to celebrate the season at Christmas Disney World. Whether you are visiting the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, or even staying at a Walt Disney World hotel, you can take part in a variety of fun and festive activities.
Epcot International Festival of the Holidays
Previously known as Holidays Around the World, Epcot International Festival of the Holidays is a holiday event held at Walt Disney World during November and December. This festival features spirited story telling, live musical performances, special seasonal shows, and holiday food from around the world. In addition, Epcot’s World Showcase is beautifully decorated for the holiday season.
One of the most popular Disney Parks experiences is the Candlelight Processional. The processional is a retelling of the Christmas story in a one-hour show. The processional features a large choir, a 50-piece orchestra, and celebrity narrators. During the show, Walt Disney Cast Choir and guest choirs from around Florida perform.
The Festival of the Holidays also features special seasonal shows, ride overlays, and delicious holiday food. There are a number of kiosks in Epcot’s World Showcase offering holiday foods. Some of these kiosks will feature expanded Holiday Kitchens.
Several kiosks will also offer limited-time entertainment. In addition to the Candlelight Processional, Epcot’s World Showcase will feature musical performances and storytellers from around the world. Some of these performances include Canadian Holiday Voyageurs, Las Posadas Celebration, Hanukkah storyteller, and more.
Epcot Festival of the Holidays also features holiday themed entertainment, food booths, scavenger hunts, and themed merchandise. The event is held November 25 through December 30, 2022. A free holiday event, admission to Epcot is included with park admission.
During the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, guests can enjoy special seasonal shows, food booths, and festive decorations throughout the park. Special merchandise is also available in shops and kiosks. The festival also includes the popular Holiday Cookie Stroll. Guests are encouraged to participate in the stroll by eating five cookies at official Cookie Stroll locations.
Magic Kingdom
During Christmas at Disney World, guests can enjoy special treats, holiday music, and entertainment. The park is decorated with colorful leaves and festive decor to help you get in the holiday spirit.
The most popular Christmas at Disney World event is the Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. This ticketed event is held on select nights in November and December. It is only open to guests with park tickets, and is only available to guests staying at select Disney resort hotels.
There are several other Disney World Christmas events and activities to enjoy, too. You can attend the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, which features seasonal foods from around the world. There are also live Christmas music performances. Guests can also enjoy the Holiday Tea at the Disneyland Hotel, which is a festive tea ceremony.
In addition to all of these great events, you can also enjoy the Magic Kingdom’s holiday decorations. Some of the decorations will be in Fantasyland, but you can also find them in Adventureland and Frontierland. There are also limited-time treats available throughout the park.
There are also new holiday treats, including a new holiday themed popcorn bucket. In addition to the food and drinks, Disney has also started stocking holiday merchandise at select stores. Guests can also enjoy a backstage tour.
The best way to experience Christmas at Disney World is to make sure you plan ahead. In addition to the many special activities and entertainment, you will also be able to enjoy the park at extended hours. You may even be able to experience the new holiday roller coaster, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, in its first year.
As you can see, Christmas at Disney World is the best time of the year to visit the theme parks. While you may not need a ticket to experience the magic, the park does offer a Christmas package that includes exclusive experiences.
Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend
Throughout the year, Walt Disney World hosts a wide array of Christmas celebrations. The holidays at Walt Disney World are an especially popular time to visit, and many people take advantage of the opportunity to spend a week at the happiest place on earth.
Each Disney park decorates differently for Christmas. Some of these decorations can take months to put up. For example, the Christmas tree at Magic Kingdom is put up in November. There are also elaborate gingerbread displays that take hundreds of hours to create. Each park has a tree that is unique to it.
In addition to all of the Christmas celebrations at Walt Disney World, there are other holiday events happening throughout the parks. For instance, the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays takes place from November 25 through December 30. The festival features live Christmas music, food, and traditions from many countries. Santa will make special appearances during the event.
Another popular Disney event is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. This is a special ticketed event that happens in the Magic Kingdom on select nights during the holiday season. It includes holiday music, special treats, themed characters, and ride overlays. It sells out early, so make sure to get tickets before the party begins.
There are also several Disney World events that take place during the non-holiday months. For instance, there is a Christmas Tree Trail at Disney Springs that features holiday-themed trees.
There are also special holiday dining reservations at the resort. During these times, the resorts are usually filled to capacity.
In addition, there are several events that take place during the week. One event that draws families to Walt Disney World is the cheerleading competition. The National Cheer & Dance Championships take place during this time, and over 400 cheerleading teams compete.
Hotel Holiday Decorations
During the holidays, Disney World hotels get decked out. There’s a wide range of decorations, and they’re customized for each resort. You’ll find holiday-themed Christmas trees, wreaths, and even sweet displays. Some hotels even have live pianists playing in the evenings.
Some of the best Disney World Christmas decorations are found in the moderate and deluxe resorts. You’ll find gigantic Christmas trees, gingerbread displays, and limited-edition ornaments. But if you want to see all the Disney Christmas magic, book a stay after Thanksgiving. That way, you’ll be able to see all the decorations.
One of the best Disney World Christmas decorations is at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. They’ve had an impressive gingerbread house on their property since 1998. In addition to the gingerbread house, they have an entire village of gingerbread homes, snack stands, and other holiday knickknacks. They even sell gingerbread cookies to guests starting in December.
Another of the best Disney World Christmas decorations is at the Polynesian Resort. It features garland in the lobby, tropical-themed trees, pink hibiscus flowers, and fish and starfish ornaments. The Polynesian’s decorations are more subdued than the other resorts.
You can also find a life-sized gingerbread baby giraffe at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. They’ve got a giant lobby tree as well. There’s a live elf who comes to the resort at midnight to leave gifts for guests, too. The hotel also has a gingerbread shingle, a 14-foot gingerbread house, and plenty of Disney pal pop-ups.
You can also find Disney World holiday decorations at Disney Springs and in other theme parks. These decorations will vary from year to year, but the best of them will be found at the deluxe resorts.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
During Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, guests are treated to a special fireworks show, great food and other special entertainment. This event takes place in Magic Kingdom on select nights in December.
Several rides and attractions will be given a holiday makeover, including Space Mountain and the Mad Tea Party. The Laugh Floor will also get a festive makeover.
Guests will also get to enjoy the special Christmas decorations throughout the park. This year, guests will also get to enjoy the holiday-themed stage show, Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration. This special show features popular Disney pals and some seasonal songs.
The holiday magic show, Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks, is another popular attraction. This special fireworks show features castle projections and a special holiday makeover.
Guests will also get a special treat at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe. This festive eatery will offer specialty drinks and snacks. It will also be renamed “Club Tinsel” to coincide with the party. The cafe will also feature great Christmas dance music.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party also features two rounds of the Once Upon a Christmastime parade. This special parade features medleys of holiday songs and a few special touches. This special show will take place at 8:30 and 11pm.
The Disney Junior Jingle Jam is another cool holiday treat. This special holiday show features Disney Junior characters such as Vampirina, Timon, Doc McStuffins, Fancy Nancy and more. This show also takes place in Storybook Circus throughout the party.
Minnie’s Holiday Dine at Hollywood & Vine
During the holiday season at Walt Disney World, the magic of Christmas will still be alive and well. This includes the festive decor and special treats.
One of the most popular ways to experience the magic of Disney during the holiday season is by dining with your favorite Disney characters. These characters will visit your table in festive outfits and share stories about the season.
In addition to the main attraction, many of these character dinners feature food and other fun holiday activities. The Silver Screen Dine is a good example of this, as is the Frozen Sing-Along.
Another fun character meal is Minnie’s Holiday Dine. It is a buffet-style meal that features Mickey, Goofy, Pluto, and Minnie. It is only available during the holidays.
While this meal is not as unique as the ones in Animal Kingdom or Disney’s Hollywood Studios, it is still a decent meal with plenty of character interaction. You’ll get to meet Minnie and friends as they celebrate Christmas in style.
Aside from the holiday decorations and treats, you’ll get to see some dazzling fireworks displays. The Epcot Holiday Festival features a large choir and orchestra, as well as a holiday cookie stroll. You’ll also find holiday kitchens, celebrity narrators, and other seasonal stories.
Having a meal at Hollywood and Vine may not be a new experience, but it has been updated to include a prix fixe menu. It is also eligible for the Tables in Wonderland discount.
Sunset Seasons Greetings at Hollywood Studios
During the holidays, Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be full of festive decorations and fun activities. Guests can enjoy holiday snacks, seasonal refreshments, and of course, boozy beverages. One of the highlights will be Sunset Seasons Greetings.
This show uses the same projection technology found in Cinderella Castle. It includes four 2-minute vignettes that will be shown to guests along Sunset Blvd. This year, the show will have new effects, such as lasers and dancing Aurora Borealis lights.
The holiday season also includes a special Frozen Sing-Along Celebration. This holiday show will feature new songs from Olaf’s Frozen Adventure. The show will also feature a special holiday finale. It will include “For the First Time in Forever”, which features festive songs and an updated version of the song.
The Hollywood Tower Hotel also gets into the holiday spirit. The hotel is transformed into a “Toy Story” themed hotel with colorful projections and laser effects. The tower also gets some special lighting for the Walt Disney World 50th anniversary.
Sunset Seasons Greetings also includes the Beacon of Magic, which shows a series of Beacons of Magic projections before each scene. It is the most impressive show at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. It alternates with the aforementioned Sunset Seasons Greetings. The show also has a few other cool effects.
The tower also turns into a nifty-looking gingerbread masterpiece, complete with holiday vignettes. The tower gets “snow” for a little while, which is another cool trick.
