Do you have a holiday trip to Walt Disney World coming up for the holiday season? If you do, you’re about to witness Disney at its most magical! There are so many fabulous things to do at Disney on a normal day – but even more so during the holidays. And if you’ve been to Disney World yourself, you know it is quite impossible to see and do everything. So today I wanted to share Christmas must-do’s at Disney World – so you won’t miss the best of the best!
If you need outfit inspiration for your trip, you can check out this blog post for fun holiday outfit ideas specifically for Disney. You can also check out this blog post for things to do at Disney during the holidays that don’t require a park ticket!
A Holiday Ticketed Event
Disney now offers two different holiday ticketed events; Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom and Jollywood Nights at Hollywood Studios. MVMCP is such a classic and is sure to be a fabulous time! Jollywood Nights was new last year, and while there were some hiccups I am confident that this year will be great! I recommend MVMCP for families of all ages, while Jollywood Nights I’d recommend for families with older kids or adults- only groups. While the tickets are pricey they are worth every penny!
Merry Menagerie at Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom is often a forgotten park, but they also celebrate the holidays! I encourage you to spend time at Animal Kingdom during the holiday season as it can be just as magical as the other parks. Specifically, you need to check out the Merry Menagerie. This is a group of puppeteers that perform throughout the day during the holiday season right in front of the Tree of Life. These are beautiful puppets brought to life and will charm young and old.
Festival of the Holidays at EPCOT
Festival of the Holidays is a festival that happens yearly at EPCOT. However, it doesn’t start until after Thanksgiving (this year it is November 29th) while the rest of the holiday events typically start the week after Halloween. But you do not want to miss this festival filled with holiday food throughout the world. And my personal favorite, the holiday storytellers. You can also enjoy the Candlelight Processional nightly featuring guest narrators – all included in the price of a park ticket. Learn more about the festival here.
Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar
At Disney Springs you may have seen a building that looks like a vintage airplane hangar – that’s Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar! While this bar is open all year, during the holiday is transforms into a festive wonder. We went for the first time last year and the food and ambiance were amazing! They are open starting at lunch time, and there are no reservations accepted. But this is a fabulous place to grab a festive bite or drink for parties of adults or families with older kids (however, everyone is welcome).
See the Gingerbread Houses
This is an absolute must-do that so many people miss out on! Seeing the gingerbread houses (or sculptures) at the different Walt Disney World resorts is so quintessential Disney holiday. You can view displays at the following resorts: Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Yacht & Beach Club Resorts (2 displays), Disney’s Boardwalk Resort, and Animal Kingdom Lodge. In order to see them all you may need to do some fancy transportation work, but it is so worth it!
Gaylord Palms ICE!
Okay… This isn’t at Disney, but I HAD to sneak this one in there! Each year the Gaylord hotels do holiday-themed ice displays at each of their resorts. The themes essentially rotate every year, so you can almost always see something different. The Gaylord Palms is located just a few minutes from Disney World and after going for the first time last year, this is now a must-do for us! Last year in Orlando the theme was Charlie Brown, which was so sweet. This year it is Elf themed and we can’t wait to see it! You do need to get tickets in advance, and if you bring a car you will be charged for parking. I recommend close-toed shoes, gloves, a hat, and layers! They provide parkas but you’ll want more.
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When you head to Disney during the holiday season, you really can’t go wrong! Everything is just so magical and is one of the few places that makes Christmas feel like when you were a kid again.
Thanks for reading!
xoxo
Jayme
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