Hey y’all! Believe it or not, the holiday season has arrived here at Walt Disney World! The trees are up, the halls are decked, and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party starts Friday. The holidays are my favorite time of year altogether, but going to Disney World makes it even more special. While you can go in the parks to easily get in the Christmas spirit, there is so much to do outside of the parks that is just as special!
Today I’m going to share with you five holiday activities that you can do at Disney World without a park ticket! These are great options if you’re coming on a trip but have a day where you don’t have park tickets, or maybe you’re going to MVMCP at 4pm, or perhaps you’re local like me and going into parks stresses you out lol. Regardless, these activities will be fun for the whole family!
1. Christmas Tree Trail at Disney Springs
Photo Credit: Disney
This is one of my personal favorite activities to enjoy at Disney during the holidays! This is a free activity, which is hard to come by at Disney World lol. Parking at Disney Springs is free as well, which is a huge plus. You can enjoy the tree trail located by Earl of Sandwich from November 8th through January 5th. There are 23 unique trees decked out and themed to different Disney characters and movies. The trail is open daily from 11am to 11pm, and it’s magical both during the day and at night!
2. Winter Summerland Mini Golf
Photo Credit: Disney
Did you know that Disney has a mini golf course that’s Christmas-themed? That’s right! Winter Summerland is located right next to the entrance of Blizzard Beach Waterpark. This festive activity is open year ’round, and features two courses, the Summer course and the Winter course. While they both have holiday flair, the Summer course features sand while the Winter course features snow. This activity costs $14 for those age 10+ and $12 for kids 3-9. However, parking is free and they offer discounts for Disney World Annual Passholders! They are open daily from 10am to 10pm.
3. Meet Santa at Disney Springs
Photo Credit: Disney
While visiting the Tree Trail at Disney Springs, don’t forget to meet Saint Nick himself! Santa is at Disney Springs daily from 11am-11pm, November 8th through December 24th. If you have Memory Maker (or an Annual Pass) your pictures are included! They also have a great system set up where you check in at a podium and you will receive a text when it’s time for you to meet Santa. Another great free activity!
4. Self-Guided Resort Tour
Photo Credit: Disney
All of Disney’s resorts are decked out for the holiday season! It’s always so fun to go resort hopping to check out all of the beautiful decor. Some resorts, such as The Contemporary and The Grand Floridian, even have giant gingerbread houses each year! You can take a look at the beautiful artistry of the gingerbread and even buy a treat for yourself. The Contemporary’s gingerbread house is already up and running, but The Grand Floridian’s will probably take a few more weeks to assemble. I personally recommend visiting all of the monorail resorts as well as Wilderness Lodge! Pro tip: park at Wilderness Lodge, take the boat to The Contemporary and ride the monorail loop from there.
5. Stitch’s Holiday Gift Hunt
Photo Credit: Disney
This is another great activity at Disney Springs! Grab a booklet at participating store locations that include a map, clues, and stickers. Solve all of the clues and go throughout Disney Springs to solve the mystery. When you’re done, turn in your booklet at a participating redemption location and get a special prize! It’s a super fun activity for the whole family. This activity is available from November 8th through January 5th.
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I hope y’all enjoyed this little blog post! I am so excited to kick off the holiday season here at Walt Disney World. Leave me a comment and let me know if you’ve ever done any of these activities or if there is something I didn’t mention!
Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Jayme
I do not take credit for any of the photos used. Resources are linked below the photos.
These are some great ideas. I love the trail at Disney Springs and can’t wait to checkout the Gingerbread Houses at the resorts.
Thank you! I can’t wait to check everything out as well.