Disney is bringing the holidays to life at Walt Disney World Resort from Nov. 6-Dec. 30! Building off recent experiences of operating in our new environment, Disney has reimagined holiday celebrations to ensure health and safety measures will be in place while keeping the joy and magic of the season.
Beginning Nov. 6, guests will be able to enjoy festive décor, themed merchandise, seasonal food & beverage offerings and entertainment all across Walt Disney World Resort. Holiday magic will be in full force at the four theme parks and Disney Springs, and Santa Claus will make time for special pop-up appearances at each location, waving and exclaiming holiday wishes to all. 
Be delighted by the sight of festive flotillas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, holiday promenades at EPCOT and merry motorcades at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Character cavalcades at Magic Kingdom Park will take on a special holiday twist, with Christmas friends on festive floats in their holiday finest. Gingerbread Men? Check! Elves and Reindeer? Check, check! And the Toy Soldiers will join the Main Street Philharmonic as they march through Magic Kingdom Park, bringing musical holiday cheer for all to hear.
When night falls, special projection effects will give a festive look to Cinderella Castle this year, providing a colorful backdrop for photos. The appearance of the iconic castle will be transformed with a rotating series of designs including a whimsical Christmas sweater and a regal overlay of red, green and gold ornamentation. This will be in place of the Castle Dream Lights. Other holiday experiences that draw big crowds will be on hiatus this year as well, such as Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Candlelight Processional at EPCOT. While these experiences are a cherished part of holiday traditions that will be missed by many, Disney is bringing holiday magic in other creative ways.
Of course, the holidays wouldn’t be complete without enjoying a meal among friends and family. Minnie Mouse will be hosting a yuletide gathering for all her friends at Hollywood & Vine at Disney’s Hollywood Studios starting Nov. 6. Santa Goofy will be there, along with Minnie and more in their holiday best.
Shifting gears to Disney Springs, guests will discover Christmas around every corner as they come across a collection of elaborately decorated Disney Christmas trees spread throughout this retail, dining and entertainment destination. In the evening, guests visiting areas within Town Center, West Side and The Landing will encounter a magical snowfall, adding an extra touch of wonder to their holiday shopping. And to top it off, Jock Lindsey will once again be turning his hangar bar into Jock Lindsey’s Holiday Bar complete with delightful holiday décor and a delicious limited-time menu filled with festive favorites.
Disney Resort hotels will also be decked out for the holidays, with their lobbies featuring iconic trees and other festive flourishes. Unfortunately, the gingerbread displays will not return to the resort hotels this year due to physical distancing guidelines.
Starting a bit later in the season, on Nov. 27, you can celebrate highlights from the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. Holiday kitchens will return around the World Showcase promenade with favorites like American Holiday Table featuring slow-roasted turkey with stuffing and Bavaria Holiday Kitchen with dishes like cheese fondue in a bread bowl.
Step inside World ShowPlace to enjoy the returning group, JOYFUL!, who present a journey through R&B, gospel, contemporary and traditional Christmas and holiday music. Also, the Voices of Liberty will bring their incredible 8-part harmonies to the America Gardens Theatre stage for a special concert of favorite carols and songs of the season. There are plenty more details about this festival to come, so stay tuned.
There’s a lot of holiday fun to see and do at Walt Disney World Resort! Let me know if you want to book a trip – send an email to achambers@neverlandadventureguides.com, click the button below and fill out the quick form or give me a call at 501.772.3137.