Walt Disney World During Christmas

If you are fortunate enough to have an upcoming Christmas vacation trip to Walt Disney World, how exciting! You will be visiting Disney during the most magical season of the year, and Disney specializes in magic. Having celebrated several Walt Disney holidays over the years, my family and I have a number of Christmas favorites, and in the article I will share a few of them.

To start, the Magic Kingdom is, well, magical. Cinderella’s Castle is the centerpiece of a nightly display of breathtaking “icicle” lights. You will want to be certain to get pictures! If your night-time pictures don’t usually turn out the way you way you like, then make sure you find a PhotoPass photographer to do the honors, so that you can have a permanent record of the Castle holiday magic.

Magic Kingdom also hosts Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on a number of nights in December, prior to Christmas. This is a separate ticket, so if you want to attend, you will need to purchase tickets separately from your park pass. One of the highlights is the Christmas parade, featuring the famous Wooden Soldiers. If you want to see the parade, but don’t plan on going to the Party before Christmas, you will be able to see it daily, every afternoon, typically starting Christmas Day… no separate ticket needed! (Please note: The Walt Disney World Christmas Parade that you see on TV every year on Christmas morning is not a live event and is, in fact, taped weeks before. So do not go to the Magic Kingdom on Christmas morning expecting to see/be in the parade!)

Epcot offers the beautiful decorations of the “Holidays Around the World” where you can learn what it would be like to celebrate Christmas in another country. Around World Showcase, each country presents their favorite holiday traditions, and many have special Holiday Storytellers who share delightful and interesting holiday customs from each country. Don’t be surprised to find Father Christmas in England, Pere Noel in France, and St. Nicholas in Germany, to name a few. This is a fun and interesting way to learn about Christmas customs around the world!

The probable highlight of the Walt Disney World holidays in Epcot is the Candlelight Processional. This nightly presentation of the Christmas story features a celebrity guest narrator, along with a huge massed choir comprised of professional, college, and high school choirs from around the country. There are 3 showings each night, but be advised that the line for seats can start hours before each showing, which is free with park admission. The best way to be certain of getting a seat is to purchase a Candlelight Processional dinner package. If you would rather not do this, then my advice would be to have someone from your group wait in the stand-by line to insure your ability to get a seat. This performance is not-to-be-missed: dramatic and moving, it is our family’s favorite Christmas event at Disney.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios also has some great holiday entertainment with the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Light, which is held every night on the Streets of America. With literally millions of lights, this is one awe-inspiring display, that will be enjoyed by the entire family… especially anyone who puts on their own light display back home. Be warned however that the streets get very crowded during the Christmas season, so a helpful tip is to plan your visit while the nightly Fantasmic show is going on, or at the end of the evening just before the park closes: it is more enjoyable without being wall-to-wall with people.

In addition, Animal Kingdom offers a fun parade, Mickey’s Jingle Jungle Parade, featuring all of the characters in their holiday finery. And don’t overlook Downtown Disney, where the Festival of the Seasons offers the perfect opportunity to finish your holiday shopping, visit with Santa before December 24, and say hi to Santa Goofy from December 25 to January 4. Lastly, be sure to take some time to visit the Disney resorts to see their holiday displays as well. On your list should be Grand Floridian for the Gingerbread House, the Boardwalk for the Carousel, and the Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge for the enormous trees. The Disney Resort displays showcase the Imagineers at the height of their holiday creativity, and provide a whimsical and festive way to enjoy a little peace and quiet away from the crowds for a bit.

There is probably no season more beautiful to visit than during the Walt Disney World holidays. Beautiful holiday decorations and Disney magic provide a festive atmosphere that helps to create truly magical vacations and wonderful memories for your family.

Nancy Bobby has been visiting Disney World (and doing it affordably) for over a decade, and has had 11 (and counting) family trips to Walt Disney World. To learn how to plan an affordable Disney family vacation and to get a free Disney vacation planning bonus, visit The Affordable Mouse.