Christmas at Disney World! It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Who wants to celebrate Christmas at Disney World?

 

I do, I do…

 

Nobody has more fun with Christmas than Mickey and Friends – Video by Disney Parks

 

Dad just love the Christmas season. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year, and Dads’s favorite thing ever is celebrating Christmas at Walt Disney World.

 

Come on, let’s see what all the hubbub is about.

Christmas at Disney World

The Reason for the Season – Photo by Laurie Sapp

 

Uncle Walt was a huge fan of Christmas. He really wanted Christmas at the parks to be something special. In fact, the first year Disneyland opened Walt insisted that they have a special Christmas parade even though they really didn’t have the money to do a special parade.

 

Attendance during the Christmas season skyrocketed and the rest, as they say, is history.

 

Let’s fast forward to the present and take a look at what happens during Christmas at Disney World.

Christmas in the Magic Kingdom

The Magic Kingdom all dressed up for Christmas – Photo by Matthew Cooper

 

Christmas at Disney World shines in the Magic Kingdom. Literally. It shines. Every part of the park is decorated, every shop, every restaurant, every nook and every cranny. Even the Jungle Cruise gets a holiday makeover to become – get this – the JINGLE CRUISE!

 

But the real star of the show at Christmas is Cinderella Castle.

 

Over 300,000 lights bring sparkle to Cinderella Castle – Photo by Matthew Cooper

 

Every day during the Christmas season, right as the sun goes down, the cast from Frozen gathers and Elsa uses her magical power to transform Cinderella Castle to a Winter Wonderland of dancing icycle lights with A Frozen Holiday Wish.

 

 

Christmas at Disney World is “the most wonderful time of the year.” It truly is. And the most wonderful celebration during the most wonderful time of the year is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. This is a special ticket event that happens select nights in November and December with free cookies and cocoa and all sorts of surprises.

 

What a great celebration. There are special shows including a very special parade – the Once Upon a Christmastime Parade. There is a special version of the fireworks called Holiday Wishes: Celebrate the Spirit of the Season. It’s just awesome. And it really snows on Main Street. (Sorta.)

Dad’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party page

The Magic Kingdom Christmas Shows

Elsa and Anna in a Frozen Holiday Wish – Photo by Cliff Wang

The Magic Kingdom Christmas Shows are some of the best shows of the year, anywhere. These shows range from the funny and innovative Totally Tomorrowland Christmas show in Rockettower Plaza to the heartwarming song and dance spectacular, Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration, on the Castle stage.

Dad’s Magic Kingdom Christmas Show page

Holiday Wishes

Holiday Wishes puts the Magic in the Magic Kingdom – Photo by Laurie Sapp

During Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, a very special holiday themed fireworks show caps off the night. The show is called Holiday Wishes: Celebrate the Spirit of the Season. They’re the best fireworks of the year.

 

Oh, and after the last party, Holiday Wishes is shown every night through the 30th of December.

Dad’s Holiday Wishes page

Christmas Day Parade

Santa rides through the snowflakes – Photo by Mike Billick

The infamous Disney Christmas Day Parade doesn’t actually happen on Christmas Day. It’s shot in November. Actually, December 25 at the Magic Kingdom is totally nuts (check out Dad’s rant about it).

 

Having a parade on Christmas day just isn’t possible so they film it early, edit it, and broadcast it as a replay. You can watch it on ABC on Christmas Day.

Dad’s Disney Parks Christmas Day Parade page

EPCOT

EPCOT gets all dressed up for Christmas – Photo by WDWOW

EPCOT, strangely enough, may be the most Christmasafied (yes, Dad’s making up words again) of all the theme parks.

 

EPCOT goes all-out for Christmas. All around the park there are decorations that highlight the special time of year. The Fountain of Nations even gets into the act. During Christmas at Disney World, the fountain in Future World dance the day and night away to great Christmas music. And just past the fountain there is a big Christmas Tree.

 

EPCOT calls their holiday celebration The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. It includes the Candlelight Processional, Joyful! A Gospel Celebration of the Season, the Holiday Kitchens, Storytellers, a special “Peace on Earth” version of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth, and more.

Dad’s EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays page

Candlelight Processional

Incredible Christmas music a the Candlelight Processional – Photo by Laurie Sapp

The Candlelight Processional is the best Christmas at Disney World show. The best. It’s the story of the birth of Christ told in scripture and song.

 

Each night, at the American Gardens Theater, a celebrity narrator reads the Gospel of Luke account of Jesus birth. Along with the story there are some of the best Christmas Songs ever written sung by a 500 voice choir with an orchestra accompaniment.

 

It’s truly inspiring.

Dad’s Candlelight Processional Page

What could be better than a great show and a good meal? Duh! Reserve the Candlelight Processional Dining Package and get both plus reserved seating for the show.

Dad’s Candlelight Processional Dining Package Page

 

The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays

One of the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays storytellers – Photo by WDWOW

During the holidays, the countries around the World Showcase get all dolled up in their holiday finest. Not all of the countries around the world celebrate Christmas, and if they do, they don’t always celebrate it the way we do here in America.

 

EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays is a celebration of the winter holiday season in each of the countries. In most of the pavilions there are storytellers that tell how Christmas or their special holiday is celebrated. It’s really neat.

 

Plus, you can be on the lookout for traditional holiday decor in the pavilions, and Holiday Kitchens featuring festive flavors from around the world.

Dad’s EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays page

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The Studios gets all dressed up for Christmas – Photo by Matthew Cooper

Disney’s Hollywood Studios gets all decorated up for Christmas. Unfortunately the Osborne Lights Festival of Lights show has been taken down to make room for Toy Story Land construction. But that doesn’t mean Christmas has been forgotten at the Studios.

 

In 2016 a new Christmas show made it’s debut. It’s called Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! and it’s a combination of a display show on the Chinese Theatre, fireworks, special effects and even some “snow”. Oh, and of course some pretty cool music.

 

In 2017, a projection show called Sunset Seasons Greetings and some all-new Christmas decor in Echo Lake will be unveiled. Neat!

Dad’s Christmas at Disney’s Hollywood Studios page

Animal Kingdom

The Christmas Tree at Animal Kingdom – Photo by Disney Photo Snapper

Even Animal Kingdom gets all dressed up for the holidays. There aren’t any special shows (yet), but the holidays don’t skip the Animal Kingdom.

Disney Hotels

The Gingerbread House in the Grand Floridian is special – Photo by Laurie Sapp

One thing that’s fun to do is to tour the Disney Resorts at Christmas. All the Resorts, even the Value Resorts, get dressed up for the holidays. Each Resort has some special holiday tradition.

 

The Grand Floridian has a 1,000 square foot Gingerbread House. A real Gingerbread house that’s made with over 1,000 pounds of honey. Go ahead, lick it and see what happens. (Not really.)

 

Big Christmas Trees decorate the lobbies of most of the resorts. Each Resorts decorations take on the personality of the theme of the Resort. At Coronado Springs the decorations are Southwest themed, at Port Orleans it’s New Orleans decorations, at the Polynesian there are island decorations.

 

It’s truly amazing.

 

Dad’s Disney World at Christmas in the Hotels page

Disney Springs

Christmas all year at Disney Springs – Photo by Cliff Wang

Disney Springs celebrates Christmas at Disney World with carolers, shopping, holiday treats, shopping Christmas lights, shopping, Santa Claus, shopping, holiday performers and shopping. Oh, did I say shopping?

 

In 2016, there was even a cool drone show (Starbright Holidays) every night during over Lake Buena Vista. This year, you’ll find a Christmas Tree Trail with 25 trees decorated for beloved movies and characters.

 

After you get your picture with Santa, stroll around the shops. There is live entertainment throughout the day. Each shop goes all out with Christmas decorations and displays.

 

It truly is “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year…”

Dad’s Christmas at Disney Springs page

When is Christmas at Disney World?

 

Now that’s a good question. The Christmas season at Walt Disney World starts the first week of November. It takes Disney about 3 or 4 days to get all the Christmas decorations up (it’s an amazing transition) and they start putting up decorations a couple of days after Halloween. The first Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party usually starts the season on the first Thursday of November.

 

The Candlelight Processional always starts the day after Thanksgiving and runs through December 30, which ironically enough, is Dad’s Birthday.

 

While the official beginning of Christmas at Disney World won’t be until that first Friday in November, the first week of November decorations will be going up in the parks and the second week the hotels usually get their decorations up.

 

See Dad’s 21 Reasons to go to Christmas is the best time to go to WDW

I want to go to Christmas at WDW

Do you want to see it for yourself? Sure you do. It’s easy. Just hop over to Dad’s Destinations to Travel page and let one of the great Disney Travel Planners get you started on a magical Christmas vacation. You won’t be sorry. Trust Me!

Dad’s Destinations to Travel page

Dad’s Bottom Line

Christmas at Disney World, it’s Dad’s favorite thing. I think I could spend a week there and not ever ride a ride. I’d just walk around enjoying the decorations, in the parks, in the hotels, at Disney Springs and even checking out the Christmas Trees of WDW.

 

Mmmmm… Christmas at Disney World… Hey, Mrs. Mom, I’ve got an idea…