Believing in The Magic of Christmas at Disney World
Disney World During the Christmas Season
Christmas at Disney World is an extra special time of year. Spanning the months of November and December, the holiday season brings special theming and events to every corner of the resort. If you are searching for a way to make your next Christmas extra festive and memorable, it’s hard to beat spending it at Disney World.
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If you want an over-the-top Christmas experience, this is the place for you
Christmas is a magical time of year, and nobody does magic and fantasy better than Disney. From the theme parks, to the resorts, and everything in between, at Disney World you’ll find Christmas charm throughout.
Christmas at Disney World begins immediately after Halloween
You don’t have to wait until December to experience Christmas at Disney World. The theme parks transform virtually overnight from Halloween to Christmas, and by the middle of November most every corner of the resort is decorated for the holidays.
Christmas in the Disney World theme parks
Magic Kingdom
The Magic Kingdom theme park is where you’ll find the classic Disney Christmas experience. Especially on Main Street USA, the park is decorated with garlands, trees, and bows.
In Magic Kingdom you’ll see the characters dressed in holiday finery, and find special Christmas treats and merchandise. The castle is traditionally covered in lights for extra magic after dark.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a special after-hours event in Magic Kingdom. It takes place on select evenings in November and December (sometimes even in October!) and there is an extra ticket price to enter. Because it’s a special ticketed event, the crowd level during the Christmas party will be lower than during a typical day.
The Christmas party includes a special parade and fireworks, plus treats like hot chocolate and cookies. At the party you can meet the characters in their Christmas costumes. And you can enjoy the holiday decor after dark, which is really spectacular.
Be aware that the Very Merry Christmas Party usually starts in the early evening, around 5:00pm, so if you don’t have a party ticket you won’t be able to stay in the park after dark. If you’re planning a Disney World trip in November or December, watch the Magic Kingdom park hours and be sure to plan around the party.
Magic Kingdom is the only Disney World park that charges an extra ticket price for its Christmas event.
Here’s a link to Disney’s information about the Very Merry Christmas Party.
Epcot
Epcot also has a lot going on during the Christmas season. Most of the holiday activities take place in the World Showcase end of the park, officially known as the ‘Epcot International Festival of the Holidays’, and there is no extra charge to enjoy it.
Focusing on the winter traditions in each of the represented nations in World Showcase, extras include kiosks with special food and beverage offerings, plus holiday entertainment and theming.
Candlelight Processional
The Candlelight Processional is a re-telling of the traditional Christmas story. Presented multiple times most evenings, this event takes place in the outdoor theater at the American pavilion.
A hugely popular Epcot tradition, the Candlelight Processional features a celebrity narrator and a large choir. Guests often wait hours to get seat for the show. One way to avoid the wait is to book a dining package that includes reserved seating at the processional. You can also eavesdrop on the show by walking by – if you just want to catch a glimpse.
Know that the Candlelight Processional is a big holiday tradition for Orlando locals, so if you visit Epcot in the evening in November or December it is likely to be extra crowded. Be sure to make your dinner reservation well in advance, or plan to eat from the kiosks and stay nimble.
Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom’s holiday theming has a charming home-spun quality. You will find Christmas and other internationally inspired winter holiday decorations throughout the park.
One of my favorite areas is on Discovery Island, where the shops are enhanced by rooftop lanterns. Here you’ll also find cast members with puppets telling wintertime stories in mime.
The other spectacular site from almost everywhere in the park is the projection show on the Tree of Life. During the Christmas season, there is a special cycle of projections accompanied by wintry music every night. Be sure to make time to see this park after dark.
Besides the main theming on the tree and at Discovery Island, Animal Kingdom surprises with a few unexpected decorations. When you wander around the park, look for Christmas lights on the dinosaur skeleton entrance to Dinoland and near the gift shop in Pandora. There are also special lanterns in Asia and other delightful touches that look like they were left by the locals.
Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Studios has Christmas decorations almost everywhere in the park. OK, not in Galaxy’s Edge, but basically everywhere else. This is a park where Christmas comes to life after dark, so I highly recommend visiting at night.
Echo Lake, in the center of the park, boasts a huge Christmas tree and numerous floating decorations. All are lighted at night.
Of course there’s also Christmas music. At Hollywood Studios you’ll hear lots of classic pop Christmas tunes from crooners like Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra.
The projection show in Hollywood Studios is on the side of the Hollywood Tower Hotel (which houses the Tower of Terror ride). This show runs constantly after dark, and you can see it from a lot of areas in the park. Your best viewing angle is on Sunset Boulevard in front of the Tower, where you may even get snowed on if your timing is right!
Booking.comThe Disney World hotels during Christmastime
Christmas doesn’t stop at the theme parks at Disney World. All of the hotels feature special theming, and even if you aren’t staying there I recommend making time to visit a few to take in the extravagant holiday decor.
Explore all the Disney World resorts in this Essential Guide to the Disney World Hotels.
Grand Floridian Resort at Christmas
The Grand Floridian is probably the most decorated resort on Disney World property. If you only visit one hotel, I recommend this one.
In the Grand Floridian lobby you’ll find numerous Christmas trees, including one that is about three stories high! All are highly decorated and photogenic.
You might think that Christmas tree would dwarf everything around it, but it meets its match in the form of a giant gingerbread house. Every year (except sadly 2020) the Grand Floridian culinary team builds basically a life-size house from gingerbread.
Made from over 1000 pounds of honey and 800 pounds of flour, this has to be one of the largest gingerbread houses anywhere. Smoke pours from the chimney and there’s even a cast member selling cookies from inside the house!
Between the delightful smell of gingerbread and the elegant classic Christmas decor, the Grand Floridian lobby truly is a holiday fantasy. It’s just a short walk or monorail ride from the Magic Kingdom, and I really recommend making time for a visit. You’ll want at least an hour to take it all in.
If you want to go all-out for your next family Christmas, consider splurging on a stay at the Grand Floridian. Waking up to that lobby and passing through it at the end of each night would surely be a magical holiday experience.
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
The other resort I highly recommend visiting during Christmas is the Wilderness Lodge, where the soaring lobby contains a Christmas tree worthy of a mountain forest. Pine garland accentuates the hewn wood railings, and the scent of fireplace smoke permeates the air, creating a cozy feeling of coming in from the cold.
Here you can buy a cup of hot cider and sit by the huge hearth, or explore the many levels that extend above the lobby floor. This is another resort that I think would be a wonderful choice for a November or December stay.
At the adjacent Fort Wilderness campground, guests are known to decorate with Christmas lights and even host a golf cart parade at the holidays. This is another fun and affordable option during the Christmas season.
Disney Springs
Disney Springs also has lots of Christmas cheer. All the shops have special holiday merchandise, including the restaurant gift shops. You can also meet Santa here, and you can see a special exhibition of Disney themed Christmas trees.
The Christmas trees are called the Christmas Tree Trail, and sometimes it’s a trail or sometimes the trees are together in one end of Disney Springs. In any case, the trees are completely decked out in your favorite Disney themes.
Some of my favorites were the Haunted Mansion tree and the Disney Villains tree. Of course, at the end of the trail most of the ornaments are available for sale. These make great souvenirs and gifts for friends back home.
Tips for visiting Disney World during the Christmas season
- A lot of the Christmas theming is best at night. Make time to be in the parks after dark.
- Stay on-site to really experience being in the Disney World Christmas bubble. Find out which hotels have the most expansive holiday theming.
- Be sure to watch the weather forecast when you pack for your trip. December in Orlando can be 80 degrees or literally freezing at night.
- Know that the holidays at Disney World are a big tradition for local Orlando residents. Especially Epcot will be crowded at night so be sure to make your dining reservations well in advance.
- Since Christmas spans from November to the end of the year, if you have the flexibility to visit during a low-crowd week you can see everything without the holiday crush. Best weeks are usually the beginning of November and the beginning of December.
- Christmas and New Years Eves/Days are usually the busiest days of the year at Disney World. If you choose to visit at that time, be sure to have a plan for dealing with the crowds.
- Allow time to visit some of the hotels and Disney Springs.
Want to know what Christmas is like at Disneyland? Check out this trip report and photo album.
Disney World Christmas anytime
YouTube has tons of videos to help you experience the magic of Disney World’s Christmas anytime. The music loops make great background when you want a little holiday spirit from the parks. Here’s one from Magic Kingdom’s Main Street USA.
More tips for your Disney World vacation
- 55 things you should know before you visit Disney World
- Essential Guide to the Disney World Hotels
- How far will you walk at Disney World?
- Adding Universal Orlando to your Disney World vacation
- 33 things you need to know before you visit Universal Orlando
The Go Informed Podcast
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