The Resorts Gal Guide to the Holidays at Walt Disney World

Whether you’re a regular or first-time visitor, the holidays are a magical time to visit Walt Disney World. But with so much to do and see, it can be challenging to squeeze in everything over a holiday visit. So, we recommend reviewing what’s available and selecting a few items to add to your list of things to do during your Disney Christmas vacation.

Then, incorporate those must-dos into your planning or daily itineraries. If you have time to do more, great, but it’s important to take the time to enjoy what you want to see and do and not always feel like you’re rushing to something else.

Below, we’ve created a guide that shares what’s available during the holidays at Walt Disney World. This guide is not intended as a checklist where you try to do everything we’ve listed. Again, that would be too much. It highlights extra seasonal offerings in each theme park, resort, and Disney Springs. You can browse the guide, and if you want to learn more about a specific item, you can read the corresponding article where available. The idea is to help you know what’s available and decide what items most interest your travel party.

Most importantly, if you’re fortunate enough to visit Walt Disney World during the holidays, we encourage you to have fun and live in the moment. It’s an incredible opportunity that should not be taken for granted.

This year’s holiday season begins November 12, 2024. However, not every offering will be immediately available on the 12th. For example, Epcot’s Festival of the Holidays doesn’t begin until the day after Thanksgiving. Additionally, decorations and gingerbread houses at the Disney Resort Hotels will be completed over the first few weeks of November. The resorts are usually finished a few days before Thanksgiving.

Magic Kingdom

The Most Magical Place on Earth sure knows how to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year! As soon as you arrive, you’ll hear the melody of a familiar holiday tune in the background. My favorite part is hearing the bells ringing from Town Square or the Main Street Train Station. Don’t forget to walk up to the station and take in the unforgettable views of the park.

While holiday decor can be found throughout most of the park, the main event is Main Street USA. During Christmas, we could spend hours observing the holiday decorations on Main Street and taking in the comings and goings. You might see the Dapper Dans in holiday attire performing classic Christmas tunes. Their daily showtimes are listed in the entertainment section of the My Disney Experience app. While you’re at it, stop into the Main Street Confectionery for a seasonal treat!

Those who love the Jungle Cruise attraction in Adventureland will not want to miss the Jingle Cruise. This holiday overlay will debut on November 2nd, ahead of the holiday season! Expect Christmas-themed jokes and comical holiday decor.

A Frozen Holiday Surprise returns to Magic Kingdom during this year’s holiday season. Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf will take the castle stage for a spectacular castle lighting ceremony each evening. This performance typically happens each evening. The performance lasts approximately seven minutes–daily showtimes are listed in the entertainment section of the My Disney Experience app.

If you have a Magic Band+, you might want to take some time to interact with the Fab 50 Character Sculptures introduced a few years back. During the season, wave your MagicBand+ in front of them to experience unique holiday reactions!

Santa Claus has a special meet-and-greet opportunity at Magic Kingdom during the holidays. He meets at the Enchanted Glade Gazebo in Liberty Square. He meets at this same location during the Christmas Party. You can find his exact location and times on the day of your visit by checking the My Disney Experience app. He should be listed in the “character” or “entertainment” section of the app.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a seasonal extra-ticketed event held on select nights throughout the holiday season. Guests visiting during the holiday season will want to be aware of party nights and plan their days and evenings around them. We love the Christmas Party and have attended it for years. But if it doesn’t work for your budget, you can still have a wonderful time enjoying the other holiday offerings in the parks.

Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade is exclusive to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, with two exceptions. In early November, the parade is typically held a couple of times over a weekend for a special holiday filming for ABC’s Christmas Day special. This is usually done after the Christmas decorations have been installed. Or if you’re visiting the week between Christmas Eve and New Year’s, the Christmas parade is offered in place of the Festival of Fantasy Parade. So those visiting in either window of time will be able to enjoy it without the cost of purchasing an extra party ticket.

Epcot

Epcot’s International Festival of the Holidays will run between November 29th and December 30th. This festival offers traditional food booths along with other events and entertainment.

The food booths at the Festival of the Holidays are called Holiday Kitchens. You can snack on tasty treats, sip seasonal beverages, or even participate in a special Holiday Cookie Stroll. The tough decision will be whether to make sit-down dining reservations or graze your way from booth to booth.

Additionally, each country offers Holiday Storytellers throughout the day. These Santas or other representatives share their country’s holiday traditions. Each Storyteller is dressed in seasonal attire and provides just the right dose of educational entertainment.

Epcot’s Candlelight Processional is held each evening during the Festival of the Holidays. Our guides below list this year’s celebrity narrators and provide information on the Candlelight Processional Dining Package.

Joyful, a gospel R&B group, performs during the Festival. They are well worth seeing, and you’ll likely recognize most of their songs. Check the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit for their exact showtimes.

Living with the Land’s Glimmering Greenhouses has become one of our top must-dos during the holiday season at Walt Disney World. This seasonal overlay brings the attraction to life in a new light–Christmas lights! Make sure to ride it at night to get the full effect. (We usually ride it a couple of times per visit!)

Santa Claus greets guests at Epcot in the Odyssey Pavilion. To learn more, preview photos of Santa’s meet-and-greet at Epcot.

The following articles touch on specific aspects of the Festival of the Holidays, or you might prefer to read our entire guide: The Resorts Gal Guide to Epcot’s International Festival of the Holidays.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Over the years, Disney’s Hollywood Studios has become our favorite park for Christmas decorations. It’s like taking a step back in time to when Tinseltown was covered in tinsel (probably). You’ll find charming vintage decorations, twinkling lights galore, and holiday projectors mixed with faux snow blowers that all work together to make the park every bit as magical as you can imagine.

During the season, guests can enjoy a few tunes performed by the Holiday Spirit Band. New holiday entertainment acts will debut, including spirited holiday musicians and juggling elves!  Showtimes will be available in the entertainment section of the My Disney Experience app.

You’ll also want to see a showing of “For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration,” even if you’ve seen it on a previous visit! During the holidays, the performance offers a special festive finale, including Olaf and an extraordinary performance of When We’re Together.

After dark, you won’t want to miss Sunset Seasons Greetings, where special projections give the Hollywood Tower Hotel a new look. Those looks include a Muppets gingerbread house, a Toy Story hotel, a snowy Arendelle, and the village from Mickey’s Christmas Carol! This offering will happen intermittently throughout the evening and can be seen from almost any spot on Sunset Boulevard.

Santa Claus returns to Disney’s Hollywood Studios this year. You can find Santa at the It’s a Wonderful Shop at the back of Muppets Courtyard. This is another festive-themed meet-and-greet that makes for a fun photo opportunity!

Guests can expect an extra layer of Christmas fun in Toy Story Land. You can also meet Toy Story characters in Christmas costumes. You’ll be able to find their exact times and locations in the character section of the My Disney Experience app on the day of your visit.

Jollywood Nights is an extra-ticketed holiday party offered throughout the season. The party features unique entertainment, specialty food, and rare character meet-and-greets, among other things! To learn more, browse the Jollywood Nights foodie guide and character lineup for this season below.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is a close runner-up for parks with the best holiday decorations. If you enjoy one-of-a-kind seasonal decor, you’ll want to take some time to make your way through the park and see everything, especially in the Discovery Island and Africa areas of the park.

You’ll likely run into the Merry Menagerie when you enter the park. This group of puppeteers with Artisan-sculptured puppets has an endearing, life-like effect on most guests, especially younger ones. Don’t be surprised if your child extends their hand to pet a giant polar bear or a tiny penguin on rollers.

While you’re at Animal Kingdom, stop by Adventurer’s Outpost to see Mickey and Minnie Mouse in their festive holiday attire. They wear their usual safari suits with a subtle touch of holiday trimming. This location is always a great place to meet the pair!

Santa Claus will have a new meet-and-greet location at Disney’s Animal Kingdom this year. He will meet on the patio of Restaurantosaurus in Dinoland, U.S.A. Make sure to take advantage of what will likely be a one-time-only location since this area of the park will transition to a new themed land.

If you visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom during the holidays, you’ll be privy to being in the park after dark. (It’s a rare time that’s only available for a few short months of the year when it gets dark earlier.) During this time, you can see the Tree of Life Awakenings, a projection show. It’s a beautiful experience offered intermittently between nightfall and the park closing.

Disney’s Resort Hotels

We could write a book on the resort hotels at Walt Disney World during the holidays! Every resort hotel has unique decorations, some more elaborate than others. A few of the resorts have extravagant gingerbread displays in their lobbies. We’re still waiting for this year’s season’s official list of gingerbread houses. But you’re welcome to browse last year’s list in the meantime! We’ll update this guide when we know more!

Disney Springs

If you plan to visit Disney Springs during the holiday season, you’ll be treated to several holiday extras the venue offers. For starters, guests can meet Santa at Disney Springs. He typically meets at Once Upon a Toy in the original Marketplace area of Disney Springs. This is an excellent place to take the kids to meet Santa or to have a family photo taken. You’ll want to check the My Disney Experience app when you arrive to see if a virtual queue is available. This article walks you through how to meet Santa Claus at Disney Springs.

During your visit, you might also want to participate in the Disney Springs Christmas Tree Stroll presented by AdventHealth. Throughout Disney Springs, you’ll find elaborately decorated, themed Christmas trees. You can pick up a paper map at multiple locations throughout the venue or use the My Disney Experience app to locate each tree.

At night, you’ll have the opportunity to experience a magical snowfall throughout areas of Town Center. The soapy snow-like substance resembles real flurries, adding a whimsical touch to the entire shopping and dining experience. Expect holiday tunes in the background and other surprise entertainment. Don’t be surprised if you see a few stilt-walkers dressed as nutcrackers!

Those looking to enjoy holiday-themed treats can expect to find unique offerings at their favorite eateries. From Christmas-themed cupcakes at Sprinkles to seasonal sips and bites at Jock Lindsay’s Holiday Bar (substituted for Hangar during the holidays), you’ll find festive seasonal treats abound!

More on Christmas

Browse our extensive collection of articles to learn more about Christmas at Walt Disney World.