The Ultimate Guide to Planning a Disney Christmas

19.11.2024 - 00:03 / cntraveler.com

Summer may get all of the glory when it comes to theme park visits, but one of the best times to go to the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida, or the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, is actually during the holiday season. From November through early January, both Walt Disney World and Disneyland are in full festive mode, complete with holiday entertainment, incredible food and drink offerings, and sparkly decor at each of the six theme parks that make up the two destinations.

At Walt Disney World, the holidays officially kicked off on November 8 with the first Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party of the year at Magic Kingdom Park. Each of the four parks gets into the holiday spirit, though, from the Candlelight Processional, which starts at EPCOT on November 29, to the larger-than-life interactive winter animal puppets at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. You can also opt in to attend an after-hours party for an additional fee, to squeeze in a little more holiday cheer.

Over on the West Coast, the holidays start at Disneyland on November 15, 2024, and run through January 6, 2025. The entire resort is decked out in decorations, while characters don their holiday best to greet guests. Whether it’s seeing Mickey and the gang in their holiday outfits, or attending the nightly lighting of the Christmas tree on Main Street, USA, there are so many great holiday offers you won’t want to miss.

And if you’re looking for even more holiday fun, each of the hotels on both coasts, plus Disney Springs at Walt Disney World and the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort, have plenty more to experience during the holidays. Without further ado, here are the best things to do, what to eat, and where to stay at Disney World and Disneyland during the holidays.

Disney Christmas parade

When most people think about the holidays at Walt Disney World, they instantly think about Magic Kingdom. The park is decked out in beautiful decorations all down Main Street, USA; Christmas songs are playing in the background, and the smell of cookies fills the air from the nearby bakery. The park’s iconic Jungle Cruise attraction gets a holiday overlay, dubbed the Jingle Cruise. As the sun sets, you’ll want to gather around the front of Cinderella’s Castle for the Frozen Holiday Surprise show—transforming the castle into a glittering Christmas masterpiece fit for a holiday postcard. The park also hosts Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on select nights from November 8 to December 20. During the separately ticketed party, you can catch a holiday-inspired fireworks show, a Christmas parade, characters in their Christmas outfits, Santa Claus, and more.

At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Hollywood Tower Hotel transforms at