Experience the magic of the season in every possible way when you visit Walt Disney World during the holidays! Each park is decked out in their holiday best and every show, parade, and party will have you in the Christmas Spirit. Here is what is on tap for Christmas at Disney World in 2024.
We cover all the parks as well as the happenings in Disney Springs. If you are looking for more information on Christmas fun in Orlando, we have an article dedicated ot that as well!
Disney World Christmas 2024
Christmas at Magic Kingdom
From Main Street to Tomorrowland to Cinderella’s Castle, the Magic Kingdom is fully decorated in holiday magic and Christmas spirit. Each lamp post is wrapped in lights and wreaths.
Stores are filled with special holiday merchandise with treats only available one time a year. And of course, the parades and shows are remade just for the season to bring a Merry Christmas to all who watch.
Yes, in Florida it might be 80 degrees when you visit, but Disney will have you unwrapping the magic of the season with every step you take inside the park.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
This special ticketed event is THE Christmas happening of the season for Disney fans! Available on select nights before Christmas, party guests donning wristbands will be able to enjoy special access to the Christmas-time fun at the Magic Kingdom. This year’s event takes place on select dates November 8th through December 20th.
During these parties, only a limited number of tickets are sold for each night so lines for attractions are much shorter than during the day! Read on for the inside scoop of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
Tip: Advance purchase is recommended as dates are limited and sell out quickly. The party starts at 7pm but doors open at 4pm! Arrive early so you can get your Christmas on for a full 8 hours!
Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmas Parade. There are two nightly parades for Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmas Parade, filled with festive cheer, characters, and of course, Santa himself. Catch the early one, at 8:30pm, if you don’t think your kids will make it to the 11pm parade!
Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks. At 10pm, look to the sky above Cinderella’s Castle for a special fireworks spectacular of Minnie’s Wonderful Christmas Fireworks. Hum along and watch the sky come alive for a special Christmas show.
Tip: Make the night even more memorable with a Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Dessert Party at Tomorrowland Terrace or Garden Plaza! This add-on will give you a chance to view the enchanting sight of Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade from a special reserved location on Main Street, U.S.A. Then you’ll enjoy desserts, sparkling cider, specialty Christmas drinks, and more delicious holiday treats under a reserved fireworks viewing area.
Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration. This singing and dancing, filling your spirit with holiday joy stage show is presented each evening throughout the party. The show includes classic and contemporary holiday songs, special effects, and your favorite Disney characters.
Check for hotel availability in Walt Disney World
Shopping! Shop gifts for everyone you know while you are here! The Emporium on Main Street is filled with shops that have fun holiday-themed merchandise and souvenirs. Have gifts delivered right from the parks to your Disney Resort hotel (see a Cast Member for details).
And if you forget that special something, download the My Disney Experience mobile app to find what you forgot! Stop by the Plaza Ice Cream Parlor for a Peppermint Hot Fudge Sundae or Sleepy Hollow for a Pumpkin Waffle Sundae for a treat.
Want the scoop on how Disney makes this happen? Book a Disney’s Yuletide Fantasy tour that will guide you backstage as well as all over the Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts to learn how they do it!
Christmas at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Even more sparkle is added to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood at Disney’s Hollywood Studios this holiday season with lots of seasonal decor to get you into the holiday spirit.
Decorated, lit, and filled with Christmas and holiday displays, the season sparkles at this park.
See the holiday twist at the For the First Time in Forever: Frozen Sing-Along Celebration, which puts everyone in a wintry mood. You can also watch the antics of the Juggling Elves and listen to the seasonal Holiday Spirit Band.
Every evening, Sunset Seasons Greetings transform the Tower of Terror into the Hollywood Toy Hotel. Songs play and lasers flash across Sunset Boulevard while the billboards show stories of the season with classic Disney characters.
Disney Jollywood Nights is a specially ticketed event that takes place on select evenings mid-November through December (11/ through 12/21), from 8:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. This nighttime party invites guests to experience a glamorous Disney holiday with iconic throwback characters, festive drinks and treats, and special stage shows. And since this event has limited ticket sales, families can ride all their favorite attractions with lower wait times.
Classics, such as The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along at Hyperion Theater will return, as well as “Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!”, a spectacular show featuring fireworks, music, and state-or-the-art projections.
New for 2024 is Glisten!– a show on Hollywood Boulevard where champion skaters perform routines to a variety of songs, including DIsney favorite. There will also be a dance part in Pixar Place calls Pixar Disco. Keep your eyes out for Pixar characters such as Joy, Frozone, and Edna Mode. You will also get a Wondermade sweet treat with your event ticket.
Insider Tip: Take a break from the park and enjoy a fun character holiday-themed dinning experience at Minnie’s Holiday Dine at Hollywood & Vine! You’ll dine on a holiday feast while experiencing visits with Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck and special guest—Santa Goofy! Reservations are required!
Christmas at Epcot
Visit Epcot this holiday season for a lineup of must-see holiday entertainment options, including performances from international celebrations as well as close-to-home favorites.
Taste of Epcot International Festival for the Holidays
The big “to do” at Epcot is the International Festival for the Holidays. It takes place November 24 through December 30, 2024 and will showcase the holiday traditions from the 11 World Showcase nations, as well lots of great food.
There are more than 15 different food locations offering seasonal treats from around the globe including classics like slow roasted turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, and cranberry sauce.
You can even partake in a Holiday Cookie Stroll. If you purchase any 5 of the 9 Holiday Cookie Stroll items throughout Epcot and get a stamp on your Festival Passport for each one. Then take your passport to Holiday Sweets and Treats near Port of Entry and you will receive a special treat!
Living the Land is decorated in beautiful lights during the holidays.Keep your eye out for Santa Claus and his horse-drawn sleigh touring the World Showcase, as well as Mickey and his pals, Queen Elsa and Queen Anna from Frozen.
Speaking of Frozen, don’t miss Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt. You can purchase a map and stickers from merchandise locations inside the park. Using the stickers you will mark the tradition that Olaf has found in each pavilion of World Showcase. After you are finished, bring your map to Creations Shop or World Traveler and you will recieve a gift.
The Candlelight Processional is perhaps the most beloved event of the season. Every night during the festival, celebrity narrators take the stage at American Gardens Theater to tell the Christmas story, accompanied by a live orchestra and angelic choirs. Whoopi Goldberg, Josh Gadd, Ralph Macchio, and Neil Patrick Harris are among the scheduled celebs.
This year’s event takes place November 29 – December 30 and there will be showtimes at 5pm, 6:45pm, and 8:15pm.
Christmas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be open nightly during the holiday season! Don’t miss Tree of Life Awakenings – Holiday Edition. The famed tree sparkles each night and reflects the beauty of nature and the holiday season.
Charming Merry Menagerie puppets wander around near the Tree of Life on Discovery Island all day long. These artistic winter animals interact with guests as they enter the park. You can also grab a picture with Mickey and Minnie in their holiday best at Adventurer’s Outpost.
Christmas at Disney Springs
The winter holidays are alive and thriving at Disney Springs and it is definitely THE place you’ll want to visit for an ultimate winter wonderland shopping experience! You’ll find interactive window displays, festive costumed characters, seasonal apparel, and tasty holiday treats everywhere you turn.
The Disney Springs Christmas Tree Stroll showcases 21 uniquely decorated trees, each with it’s own Disney theme. Visitors can grab a map to make sure they see each one which includes stickers to mark them off as you go. Be sure to wear your MagicBand+, as certain trees will interact with it by lighting up or playing music.
As you shop, be on the lookout for some fun characters. Douglas Fir, a talking Christmas tree, love to roll around and visit with families. You will also see Toy Soldiers and Icicle characters on stilts, as well as rollerblading snowflakes.
After dark, watch the sky near the Town Center Tree as it fill with magical snow flurries. This snow falls every half hour, creating a beautiful wintry scene.
Be sure to check out all the holiday-themed dishes available at over 60 restaurants. The Ganachery showcases their adorable and delectable Mickey Ornament Chocolate Pinata and mouth-watering Gingerbread Ganache Squares. Amorette’s Patisserie features their Gingerbread Mickey Cookie and Swirls on the Water serves up an adorable Christmas Tree Sundae.
