The holidays are some of the best times at Walt Disney World® Resort, and while the Halloween season is gorgeous all on its own, the extravagance of Christmastime is impossible to compete with. Being that so much is added to property this time of year, the best strategy is to prioritize so you can see what is most important to you.
If you’re not sure where to start, here are the top three recommendations on what to do during the holiday season:
1. Visit Epcot® International Festival of the Holidays
Epcot’s festivals have become the park’s flagship events, with food booths and other activities set throughout the park. Disney is often at its best when it is educational, and this is no exemption to the rule, as the park offers opportunities to learn about the cultures surrounding the holidays across the world. Being able to experience a small piece of the winter holidays from different countries in such a short time span is such a unique experience, that then pairing it with some of Epcot’s most reasonably priced festival food makes it the biggest must-do of the holiday season. The best part of it all is that the festival requires no additional admission past park ticket.
2. Resort Hop
Spending time in the resorts is already one of my favorite pastimes, and add Christmas trees and gingerbread displays to the mix and its perfection increases tenfold. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is my favorite at this time of year, as its enormous, lobby-consuming tree and oversized gingerbread house transform the resort’s hub. The live music adds to the resort’s elegance, making it the best place to spend some time away from the parks.
3. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
Beginning on Nov. 8, Magic Kingdom® Park transforms in the evening much the same way it does for Halloween. And like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, this year’s Christmas-themed event is set to see numerous updates across the board, making it the definitive year to attend the party. It is a separately ticketed event, but thinner crowds, free cookies, a parade and a new fireworks show make it a totally different experience than the normal park day.
However you celebrate the holidays, there are so many different events that there’s something for every guest. The items above are just a small fraction of what Disney offers across the season, but together it makes it one of the best times to be in the Disney parks.