Celebrating the Holiday Season at Walt Disney World
Happy holidays, my friends! Welcome back to the Park Life Planning blog!
I had the absolute pleasure of being a guest on the “Where Yinz Goin’?” podcast to discuss all things holidays at Walt Disney World. Today, I am going to share a few of my favorite things to do at Walt Disney World during the holiday season. For the full run down from Matt and I, catch the podcast at: Disney During The Holidays!
Holiday Resort Hopping
There is nothing like visiting a Disney Resort on a normal day, but just wait until you see them at the holidays! The Resorts go all out. They have themed trees and decorations, holiday snacks, festive merchandise and best of all - amazing gingerbread creations!
There is something so incredibly cool about seeing these huge structures built out of gingerbread.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is home to the most famous of these creations. The life size Gingerbread House is built in just a couple days and is home to a one of a kind shop. In this holiday shop, cast members sell delicious gingerbread shingles that match the gingerbread shingles on the roof of the house. How much more in the holiday spirit can you get?!
Disney’s Grand Floridian Gingerbread House
After visiting the Grand Floridian, take a trip over to the Disney’s Beach Club Resort to see the coolest carousel ever. Each year, the Yacht and Beach bakery team create a one of a kind, themed, spinning holiday carousel out of gingerbread. This year’s carousel is based on Mickey’s Christmas Carol (which if you haven’t watched, you need to). I will add pictures of this carousel after I visit this weekend, but in the mean time I will share pictures of the awesome Little Mermaid themed carousel from 2021.
Disney’s Beach Club Resort - 2021
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
What better way to celebrate the holidays than with a Party with Mickey? Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is a special ticket event held at Magic Kingdom park. With your special event ticket, you can enter the park at 4:00pm and the party begins at 7:00pm and ends at midnight. During the party, you can find exclusive experiences, such as:
Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks show
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, ending with Santa
Meet and Greet with your favorite Disney friends dressed in their holiday best!
Cookies and cocoa stops throughout Magic Kingdom (included in your event ticket)
Awesome holiday decorations - it even “snows” on Main Street USA!
Exclusive event holiday treats (additional purchase)
There are many more fun experiences but I’m trying to make this a reasonable list!
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom
The best part of this party is that it feels like Christmas. The crowds are lighter than a normal day at the park, the mood is festive with holiday decorations and lights all around and people are smiling everywhere you look. You can feel the joy flowing through the park and it will carry you along with it with a big holiday smile on your face.
The Christmas Trees (And there are a lot of them!)
I am a sucker for a good Christmas tree. We just expanded to a second tree in my house last year and it is already almost full (third tree, here I come!). There is just something magical about a lit Christmas tree on a dark night. It fills me with warmth, peace and hope.
Disney Christmas trees are no different. They are full of magic, creativity and joy. Each tree is unique in its theming and provides endless opportunity to explore the ornaments for the meaning behind them. And there are plenty of trees to explore!
Disney Christmas trees can be found at all the theme parks, the Resorts and there is even a Christmas Tree Stroll at Disney Springs! The Christmas Tree Stroll runs from November 8 through December 30, 2024 and is home to 21 Christmas trees spread across Disney Springs. Each tree has a theme such as Haunted Mansion, Moana 2, The Princess and the Frog, Annual Passholder and so much more! If the tree has a Magicband+ symbol, you will find a little festive fun when using your Magicband+ to unlock the surprises!
Sphere Tree at Disney Springs - 2022
Be sure to pick up a map from one of the participating location before starting your search. As you find each tree, add the sticker on the map and you can redeem it for a prize at the end!
Find a virtual Christmas Tree Stroll Map here to plan your Christmas Tree Stroll adventure!
These are some of my favorite holiday experiences at Walt Disney World, but it is really just a peek into the gift that is the holiday season at Walt Disney World. There is so much more that I didn’t even touch on. You can find all the details on the holiday happenings on the Where Yinz Goin’? podcast Disney During The Holidays!
Now, I’d love to hear from you… what are your favorite holiday experiences at Walt Disney World?
“Seeing isn’t believing. Believing is seeing.”
