Christmas at Walt Disney World 2023

2023-10-24T06:01:37-04:00

From captivating décor and unique character experiences to delicious treats and magical moments, there is something for everyone during Christmas at Walt Disney World.

When does Christmas start at Walt Disney World? We’re lucky to get an extended holiday run here in Orlando! Christmas events at Disney start November 7th 2023 at Magic Kingdom with a Frozen Holiday Surprise stage show, followed by Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.

Animal Kingdom starts November 9th, and Hollywood Studios events being November 11th 2023.

The Epcot Festival of the Holidays starts November 24th 2023.

There’s lots of holiday events beyond Disney happening too. Check out our Christmas in Orlando Guide. If you’re visiting in November, Check our Orlando in November Guide

Christmas at Walt Disney World

Magic Kingdom Holiday Events

Christmas at Magic Kingdom is utterly magical. Enchanting decor, holiday treats and a beaming castle transform it into a holiday wonderland. The transformation from Halloween to Holidays takes place in the first week of November.

Frozen Holiday Surprise

A brand new show for the 2023 Christmas at Disney World Season. Join Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff and the Snowgies in front of Cinderella Castle this brand new Frozen-inspired experience, as they decorate Cinderella Castle for the holidays every day of the season, from November 7th 2023. Once the castle is decorated, it will stay that way for the whole evening, creating a festive backdrop for those holiday snaps.

Frozen Holiday Surprise

Jingle Cruise

During Christmas at Walt Disney World, this fan favorite is given a holly jolly overlay. The skippers are missing home so they’ve given the Jungle Cruise a holiday makeover. The queue is decked in holiday finery and boats are given Christmas names. All along the cruise, the captains will keep you entertained with holiday jokes and puns.

Main Street USA Entertainment

Walt Disney World at Christmas time includes magical entertainment along Main Street USA. Dapper Dans Barbershop Quartet showcase holiday tunes with a little comedy thrown in too. They perform regular 20 minute a cappella shows throughout the day.
The Main Street Trolley Show gets a Holiday makeover. These singers and dancers perform up and down Main Street USA regularly throughout the day.

Disney Christmas Magic Kingdom Tree

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Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

This special ticketed event at Magic Kingdom runs 25 select nights starting on November 9th with the last party on December 22nd 2023.

Features include a host of event-exclusive entertainment:

  • Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks
    Hosted by Minnie Mouse, the holiday extravaganza brings visitors together in a celebration of heartfelt moments and the magic of Christmas. The dazzling fireworks are bigger, better, wider, louder and longer. Splashes of Christmas color fill the skies with exploding presents. Plus the festive fireworks will feature family favorite tunes such as Deck the Halls and We Wish You a Merry Christmas.
  • Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade
    This magical parade is packed with favorite characters dressed in Holiday finery and accompanied by a whole host of Christmas friends. The music is magical, the characters colorful and the floats enchanting. The marching Toy Soldiers are a personal favorite of ours. The sounds of the marching stomping feet just adds something extra special!
  • Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration
    Mickey and Minnie take to Cinderella Castle Forecourt Stage for this magical show. Disney friends gather for an unforgettable Christmas soiree filled with music, dancing and nostalgic yuletide fun.
  • Club Tinsel Dance Party
    The party rocks at Rockettower Plaza Stage in Tomorrowland. Join North Pole residents for the cheeriest dance party in Orlando.
  • Magic Shots
    Photopass Photographers will be at multiple locations to snap your memories and magical shots.

Christmas at Walt Disney World: Hollywood Studios

What could be better for tinsel town than a tinsel makeover during Christmas at Walt Disney World? Experience a flurry of fun at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. There’s festive entertainment and decor plus enchanting holiday touches throughout the park. Check out our full Christmas at Hollywood Studios guide.

Jollywood Nights

A brand new holiday glam party is making a debut in Hollywood Studios on November 11th. The limited-capacity, after hours event runs on 10 select nights through December 20th 2023, starting at 8.30pm and closing at 12.30am.

Jollywood Nights features event exclusive shows, a fireworks finale, exclusive eats and sips at multiple locations, iconic characters and a holiday DJ. For the full rundown on all events, see our Hollywood Studios Guide.

Jollywood Nights Dates:

  • November: 11,18, 20, 27, 29 
  • December: 4, 6,16,18, 20  

Tickets cost from $159-179 per person and can be purchased online on Disney’s website.

Sunset Seasons Greetings

Holiday magic transforms the famous Hollywood Tower Hotel into dancing scenes of the season. The whole tower bursts into life and snow flurries add to the atmosphere. Projection effects will magically transform the tower into a snowy Arendelle, a Muppets gingerbread masterpiece, a Toy Story toy hotel and a Dickensian village inspired by “Mickey’s Christmas Carol.”

Hollywood Tower Christmas at Disney

This is shown constantly throughout the evening on Sunset Blvd from dusk to park close.

Magical projections bring the billboards on Sunset Blvd to life as beloved Disney Characters share seasonal stories. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Olaf and others all join in.

For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration

This laugh-a-lot-and-sing-along is perfect for all ages. Comedy keeps it cool for adults and teens and the sing-along to Frozen’s hit movies brings a smile to everyone. The Holiday show gets an extra dose of Olaf, as everyone’s favorite snowman gives a festive finale.

Santa at Hollywood Studios

Santa will be waving from his candy-apple red convertible packed full of presents and seasonal magic. Santa Claus Merry Motorcade will parade along Hollywood Blvd.

Christmas at Walt Disney World: Minnies Holiday Dine

Minnie Mouse is your hostess with the mostest. She’s joined by Mickey, Donald, Daisy and Santa Goofy. The buffet style dining offers lots of character interaction and photo ops.

Disney Christmas Minnies Seasonal Dine at Hollywood and Vine

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Christmas at Walt Disney World: Animal Kingdom

Animal Kingdom features holiday events and decor that is totally magical. Discovery Island village is filled with sparkling white holiday decorations during Christmas at Walt Disney World. In the evening, colorful rooftop luminaries and bird lanterns light up the sky.

Almost all the lighting decor in Animal Kingdom is LED. The park uses 65,000 LEDs and over 330 holiday garlands.

The Magical Menagerie

The Magical Menagerie Puppets stroll around Discovery Island interacting with guests. It’s an absolute joy to watch. Whimsical wintry animals include Reindeer, foxes, polar bears, penguins and more. They are accompanied by serenading musicians to create a playful atmosphere of festive fun.

Christmas at Walt Disney World: Tree of Life

The Tree of Life features a series of wintry tales, complemented by a familiar and heartwarming holiday-inspired musical score. Between awakening moments, the Tree of Life will shimmer and sparkle throughout the night, alive with the spirit of the holidays. The Animal Kingdom center piece comes alive from dusk onwards.

Animal Kingdom Beacon Tree of Life

Christmas at Walt Disney World: Festive Character Floatillas

Disney characters dressed in their holiday finest are aboard festive flotillas making their along the Animal Kingdom waterways.

  • Discovery Island Drummers Festive Flotilla: Feel the beat as these awesome percussionists float down Discovery River with an energetic seasonal beat.
  • Santa Claus Festive Flotilla: Santa Claus sets sail along Discovery River accompanied by jolly seasonal tunes.

Disney Christmas Animal Kingdom Festive Floatillas

Diwali Celebrations at Anandapur

The residents of Anandapur also decorate the theatre district in celebration of Diwali, the holiday festival of lights in India. Glowing flowers and lanterns illuminate the square between Anandapur Theater and the waterfront stage, home to authentic cultural performances.

Harambe African Celebrations

Harambe in Africa will welcome visitors with unique and authentic African celebrations. Various groups throughout Harambe introduce holiday-inspired enhancements, including costume additions and new music, to their performances.

Tusker House Holiday Dining

The holiday fun continues inside Tusker House for dining with Disney friends, where Mickey and his pals spread holiday cheer throughout the meal.

Pandora Seasonal Fun

The ex-pats on Pandora are celebrating with a display at Pongu Pongu of kitschy holiday décor. The display combines vintage pieces from Earth with items handcrafted from materials indigenous to Pandora.

Christmas at Walt Disney World: Epcot

From November 24th – December 30th 2023

Discover joyous holiday traditions from 11 World Showcase nations during Epcot International Festival of the Holidays. Beginning November 24th 2023, this year’s festival will deliver a yuletide extravaganza.

Christmas at Disney Epcot Mickey and Minnie

Holiday Kitchens

Seasonal tastes from around the globe are served up during Christmas at Walt Disney World. Lots of Holiday Kitchens located all around Epcot offer an array of seasonal treats.

Holiday Cookie Stroll

Purchase delicious holiday cookies from cookie stroll locations. Collect stamps for each cookie in a passport. When you have five stamps you’ll receive a complimentary “completer” cookie.
The Holiday Cookie Stroll can be completed at your leisure. You can take your passport anytime until December 30th.

World Showcase Storytellers

World Showcase pavilions come alive with the sights and sounds of special entertainment celebrating each country’s holiday heritage. Each country showcases it’s traditions.

You’ll see Las Posadas  in Mexico. Canadian Holiday Voyageurs in the Canada pavilion. La Benafa in Italy tells tales of Epiphany. A Hanukkah storyteller along the promenade, Voices of Liberty in The American Adventure. The Chinese Lion Dance is an explosion of color in China and there are some wonderful holiday storytellers in France, Japan, Norway and the United Kingdom.

Candlelight Processional

Walt Disney World at Christmas time brings us Candlelight Processional. This long time traditional event returns to Christmas at Walt Disney World for the 2023 season. It starts on November 24th and ends December 30th 2023.

The story of Christmas in words and music is told by a celebrity narrator accompanied by a mass choir and a 50 strong orchestra.

Epcot International Festival of the Holidays Candlelight Processional

2023 Candlelight Processional Narrators

Additional celebrity narrators will continue to be added to the lineup over the coming weeks.

  • Chrissy Metz (NEW): Nov. 24-25
  • Luis Fonsi (NEW): Nov. 26-27
  • Ann-Margret (NEW): Nov. 28-29
  • Simu Liu: Nov. 30-Dec. 2
  • John Stamos: Dec. 3-5
  • Neil Patrick Harris: Dec. 6-8
  • Marlee Matlin: Dec. 9-11
  • Brendan Fraser (NEW): Dec. 12-14
  • Eva Longoria (NEW): Dec. 15-16
  • Joey McIntyre (NEW): Dec. 17-18
  • Sterling K. Brown (NEW): Dec. 19-20
  • Jordan Fisher (NEW): Dec. 21-23
  • Steven Curtis Chapman: Dec. 24-26
  • Audra McDonald (NEW): Dec. 27-28
  • Lisa Ling: Dec. 29-30

Candlelight Processional Dining Package

If you want to guarantee a seat, you’ll need to purchase a Candlelight Processional Dining Package. Dinner guests are seated first and the remaining seats are for those waiting in line.

  • Spice Road Table – Morocco Pavilion – $55 adult, $24 child
  • Rose & Crown Dining Room – United Kingdom Pavilion – $66 adult, $29 child
  • Biergarten Restaurant – Germany Pavilion – $65 adult, $37 child
  • Garden Grill Restaurant – The Land Pavilion – Breakfast: $63 adult, $40 child | Lunch/Dinner: $78 adult, $50 child
  • Coral Reef Restaurant – The Living Seas – $78 adult, $32 child
  • Akershus Royal Banquet Hall – Norway Pavilion – Breakfast: $71 adult, $45 child | Lunch/Dinner $83 adult, $53 child
  • Le Cellier Steakhouse – Canada Pavilion – $104 adult, $42 child

Your dining package includes an appetizer, entrée and dessert or one full buffet (where applicable), plus a non-alcoholic beverage and a guaranteed seat to the Candlelight Processional held on the same day.

Reservations: Candlelight Processional Dining Package 

For Full details see Epcot International Festival of the Holidays

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Christmas at Walt Disney World: Disney Springs

Christmas at Disney Springs is magical. Every corner of Disney Springs is wrapped and ready for the season with holiday décor and special live entertainment. Over 2,000 pieces of individual decor are used to blanket Disney Springs, including a 45-foot-tall tree.

See Disney Springs Christmas Guide

Holiday events begin November 10th 2023 at Disney Springs, the 120 acre shopping, dining and entertainment mecca. From top name-brands to cozy one-of-a kind retailers, there’s something for everyone. Busy shoppers can take a break and enjoy a quick snack on the go or dine at one of Disney Springs many eateries.

Christmas Tree Stroll

Explore 19 elaborate and custom-decorated Disney themed holiday trees located throughout the Disney Springs neighborhoods. Each tree is dedicated to a popular Disney theme featuring characters like Mary Poppins, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, Snow White and Dumbo.

Snow Flurries

Walt Disney World at Christmas time wouldn’t be complete without a little snow! It will be snowing regularly at Town Center, adding a touch of winter magic.

Santa Visits

You can meet the jolly one himself at Once Upon a Toy from November 10th to December 24th 2023. Use the My Disney Experience app to enter the virtual queue at various times throughout the day.

Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar Holiday Takeover

A fun holiday take on this relaxing bar and eatery with yuletide touches alongside festive food and craft cocktails.

Disney Springs Christmas Jock Lindey's

For full details see Guide to Disney Springs Christmas Events.

Christmas at Walt Disney World: Gingerbread Creations

The Disney Chefs go all out to create an array of gingerbread creations. Walt Disney World at Christmas time is filled with wonderful aromas!

Grand Floridian
Life-size storybook gingerbread house with “cinnamon clouds” puffing from the chimney and decorated with white chocolate candy canes, edible snowflakes and sugar poinsettias. Treats for sale include house-made Gingerbread Houses and Gingerbread Ornaments.

Beach Club Resort 
Life-size spinning carousel featuring a new theme every year, with hand-painted holiday characters, handcrafted gingerbread shingles and fondant snowflakes.

Yacht Club Resort
We’re usually treated to an adorable holiday village with a miniature train, but this year, Disney have announced the Yacht Club will have it’s very own gingerbread display for the first time ever!

Animal Kingdom Lodge
The huge Christmas tree in Animal Kingdom Lodge is a welcoming sight as soon as you enter. A gingerbread animal is the icing on the cake.

Disney’s Boardwalk Resort
The gingerbread replica of the Boardwalk stores and eateries is intricate and beautifully designed. Located in the main foyer, there’s also a candy stand selling an array of holiday themed eats and treats.

Contemporary Resort
The gingerbread display at Contemporary Resort is usually themed around Cinderella Castle and Cinderella characters. There’s also a stand offering tasty gingerbread and holiday treats.

EPCOT
Not confirmed for 2023, we’ll update if confirmed. The American Adventure Gingerbread Display features the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial and The American Adventure building in miniature edible versions at the American Adventure Rotunda


Christmas at Walt Disney World is sure to be totally magical this coming Holiday Season!

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