This blog is for all the Christmas magic loving people out there. If you have never experienced the magic of spending the holidays at Walt Disney World then you, my friend, have not lived! My family and I have been visiting Walt Disney World during the Christmas season off and on for the last 17 years. It is, by far, our favorite time to visit the most magical place on Earth. Could anyone add more sparkle to an already magical time of year than Disney?
Read on for my family’s top 5 things to do to enjoy the Christmas magic at Walt Disney World. Maybe our list will inspire you to experience the magic for yourself.
5. The Fireworks, Parades, and Festivals. Disney has special holiday themed fireworks, parades, and festivals that shine even more than their usual magical displays. Epcot has their International Festival of the Holidays, Hollywood Studios has a special holiday show that includes lasers and snow, Animal Kingdom is lit up with its own holiday touch, and Magic Kingdom has their own amped up nostalgic magic with holiday fireworks, shows, and special events. No one does fireworks like Disney so you simply cannot miss these! You will be in awe and leave in tears! Sounds dramatic but trust me, you will be moved.
4. The Décor and Extra Magical Touches. Disney does Christmas décor right! Everywhere you turn there is something magical to see. The parks, resorts, Disney Springs, all of it! Don’t miss the Christmas Tree Trail at Disney Springs, the gingerbread house displays, massive trees, and oodles of charm displayed at the resorts, and the Christmas trees, wreaths, and strings of lights everywhere else. Just to give you an idea of what to expect, Disney unloads 150 semi-trailer truckloads of decorations, strings 15 miles of garland and 8.5 million lights, hangs 1,314 wreaths, trims 1,300 trees with 300,000 yards of ribbon across the resorts’ four theme parks, two water parks, Disney Springs, and more than a dozen resorts. Yeah, it’s awesome.
3. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party! This is a must see at least once in your Christmas loving life! This special ticketed event takes place at Magic Kingdom and includes an exclusive parade and fireworks show, snow on main street, reduced wait times and crowds, and special shows. One of the best things about the party is the food, of course! There are exclusive food offerings like the Jolly Tamale Christmas meal at Pecos Bill’s with house-made chicken tamales, Sven’s Carrot Cake, Carved Turkey Sandwiches, Gaston’s Cheese Dip with fun antler shaped bread. Peppermint, Chocolate Chip, Ginger Molasses, and Snickerdoodle cookies are included in the ticket price, as are snowman pretzels, Fanta, hot cocoa, eggnog, and apple cider. What?! Get you some!
2. The last list made me hungry, and that brings me to our second favorite thing about Christmas at Walt Disney World…..the FOOD! All of the party food is great and so are all the many options offered daily throughout the holiday season. There are dessert parties, Christmas Churros, Gingerbread Sundaes, Christmas Cookie Sundaes and Milkshakes, Holiday Mickey Cinnamon Rolls, Snowflake Brownies, Olaf’s Frozen Hot Chocolate Cake, and the list goes on and on. While all the sweet stuff is amazing, there are also delicious comfort holiday food options available--like the family style dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern. You can eat all you want of roasted turkey breast, pot roast, carved pork roast, all the comforting sides you can eat, and end the meal with Ooey Gooey Toffee Cake topped with caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. You will leave stuffed like a turkey yourself. Don’t miss the chance to enjoy all the holiday eats that Disney has in store!
Now, drum roll please. Our number ONE favorite thing to experience at Walt Disney World during the Christmas season is…… The Candlelight Processional at Epcot. NOTHING tops the candlelight, 50 piece orchestra, full choir, and celebrity narrator that are used to tell the Biblical account of Jesus’ birth--which is my family’s most favorite thing of all. Our faith makes this part of Disney at Christmas our absolute favorite. Do not miss the chance to focus on the real reason for our magical celebrations, and to be moved by the true joy of the Christmas season. It will make you want to return again, and again.
When you’re ready to book your own holiday trip to Walt Disney World, Kingdom Concierge will be here to plan every magical detail.
Merry Christmas, from my family to yours!!
I LOVE Disney, and I LOVE families! After helping family and friends for years with their trips, I thought being a travel agent who specializes in Disney would be the perfect fit, and it is. We have made so many wonderful memories, thanks to Disney vacations, and I love it when I can help others to do the same.