How to Plan a Magical Trip to Disney World for the Holidays

Every year, merry Mickey fans flock to Walt Disney World for the most wonderful time of the year. Why? At “The Most Magical Place on Earth,” holiday festivities and fairy tales collide, and everyday Disney magic is brought to the next level with stunning décor, limited-time events, delicious eats, and much more.

As the sun sets on Halloween, the Disney World team goes into holiday overdrive. This year, the holiday season officially lasts from Nov. 11 through Dec. 31, and there’s festive fun to be had throughout the property, including at all four theme parks, nearly two dozen hotels, and Disney Springs. Many offerings can be enjoyed with standard daytime admission, like seasonal menus, festive décor, and live entertainment. This year, guests can also check out two ticketed after-hours events for even more festive fun. 

Here’s everything you need to know about Christmas at Disney World.

Related: We Spent the Night at Disney's Magic Kingdom to Watch the Park Transform Into a Holiday Wonderland

Christmas Events at Disney World 

Fan-favorite Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party returns to Magic Kingdom Park select evenings from Nov. 9 through Dec. 22. This extremely popular ticketed event offers rare character appearances and entertainment you won’t find anywhere else, including specialty fireworks and parades. The best part? Partygoers enjoy unlimited hot cocoa and cookies all night long. Enjoy holiday overlays on popular attractions like Space Mountain, and since this event has limited capacity, guests can take advantage of shorter wait times.

Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Dessert Party, an event add-on, offers even more candy-coated magic with sweet treats and a reserved viewing area for the specialty fireworks.

And yule be sorry if you miss Disney World’s newest event, Disney Jollywood Nights, held select evenings from Nov. 11 through Dec. 20 at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Themed venues await at this after-hours event that embraces a holly jolly atmosphere with a boatload of specialty entertainment. For the first time, guests will be able to experience the Tip Top Club at the Hollywood Tower Hotel courtyard during a cocktail soiree. New entertainment offerings include a new show hosted by Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy and a “The Nightmare Before Christmas” sing-a-long. Disney Jollywood Nights will also feature the return of nighttime spectacular, Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam!, appearances from nostalgic characters, and specialty eats.  

Toast to the season at the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, a holiday twist on the park’s popular food and wine festivals, beginning Nov. 24. Revel in how countries around the world celebrate the holidays with storytelling and traditional recipes. And it’s not just about the sips and flavors of the season, but the sights and sounds, too. The beloved annual Candlelight Processional returns for daily readings of the story of Christmas with celebrity narrators and a full choir and orchestra.

And you don’t need a park ticket to check out all the festive happenings at Disney Springs. The Christmas Tree Stroll is a time-honored tradition featuring over a dozen trees themed to favorite Disney movies, attractions, and characters, and it’s completely free to experience.

Holiday Attraction Overlays

Magic Kingdom Park welcomes the return of fan-favorite Jingle Cruise, which sees a special transformation of the iconic Jungle Cruise attraction for the season — expect lots of holiday-inspired puns. And new this year, “Frozen Holiday Surprise” invites parkgoers to gather around Cinderella Castle for a new experience featuring Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, and the Snowgies as they illuminate the castle.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios adds a dash of holiday cheer to “For The First Time In Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration,” and spectators will positively melt over a special finale number featuring Olaf. The iconic Hollywood Tower Hotel, home to the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, ignites with colorful projections as Sunset Boulevard welcomes snowfall. In Toy Story Land, beloved Pixar characters will greet guests in their special holiday attire.

Education meets entertainment at Epcot’s Living with the Land – Glimmering Greenhouses as the classic boat attraction welcomes a special light display beginning Nov. 24. The park’s Odyssey Pavilion offers meet-and-greets with Santa Claus aboard his snow-covered sleigh. And the park’s newest attraction, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, features a holiday remix to its thrilling soundtrack.

At nightfall, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park sparkles with the Tree of Life Awakenings Holiday Edition, where stunning lights and projections take over the park’s icon, a towering tree, set to a limited-time musical soundtrack. The Merry Menagerie — featuring adorable arctic foxes, polar bears, and other wintry creatures and serenading musicians — returns this year, too. You may even spot Mickey and Minnie Mouse decked out in their holiday finest while cruising Discovery River.

Related: 58 Disney World Rides and Attractions, Ranked From Worst to Best

Holiday Decorations at Disney World 

All four Disney World theme parks receive special transformations for the holiday season. Things are merry and bright at Magic Kingdom, with classic Christmas decorations, while Disney’s Hollywood Studios has a vintage approach to the holidays. Epcot plays into its global roots and shares stories of winter holidays from around the globe, while Animal Kingdom’s lush landscape sees a tasteful addition of yuletide cheer.

Festive Eats and Drinks 

Find picture-perfect holiday eats and drinks across the theme parks, hotels, and Disney Springs. Favorites include the holiday Mickey cinnamon rolls on Main Street U.S.A. and spiked hot chocolates at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

Minnie’s Holiday Dine at Hollywood & Vine at Disney’s Hollywood Studios is a Christmas-themed character meal where you can feast on holiday dishes and meet your favorite Disney characters in their limited-time garb. Over at Disney Springs, Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar becomes the Holiday Bar with the addition of décor and a holiday-inspired menu.

At Epcot, you can splurge on special dining packages that secure priority seating at sought-after performances of the Candlelight Processional and a lunch or dinner at one of the park’s coveted dining locations.

Seasonal Offerings at Disney World Hotels

Each Disney World resort receives a holiday makeover with unique décor and magnificent Christmas trees. Several deluxe properties also receive over-the-top gingerbread structures: You can find a massive gingerbread house at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa or see the gingerbread carousel at Disney’s Beach Club Resort. These displays are accompanied by seasonal snacks, like freshly baked cookies.

Tips for Visiting Disney World During the Holiday Season

Theme park reservations are required for park entry through Jan. 8, 2024, and it’s best to make them as early as possible to secure your desired park. The parks are busiest during Thanksgiving week, Christmas week, and New Year’s week. Hotel reservations also book up well in advance. If you want to avoid the crowds, we recommend visiting early in the season (early November or December before schools break for the holidays) or during weekdays between the busiest weeks. 

Related: The Best Times to Go to Disney World for Fewer Crowds and Beautiful Weather

 After-hours events typically sell out well in advance, so booking as early as possible is encouraged. And be sure to arrive early as both events allow ticket holders to enjoy a limited amount of time in the park before the event starts. During the final days leading up to Christmas, some of the exclusive offerings from Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party are available for guests with regular daytime admission. 

Disney is known to up their merch game during the holidays with new spirit jerseys, ear headbands, and much more. So grab your favorite festive shirt, don your ears, and get ready to embrace the magic at Disney World this holiday season.