Magical holiday experiences and beloved traditions await Walt Disney World Resort guests during the most wonderful time of the year. Starting Nov. 8, theme parks, resort hotels and Disney Springs come to life with holiday charm and excitement as dazzling décor and a flurry of fun immerse guests in a festive fantasy.
Check out these holiday fun facts and discover how Walt Disney World Resort becomes a winter wonderland!
Walt Disney World Resort
- The Walt Disney World Holiday Services team provides décor for780locations within41different properties, including Disney theme parks, resorts, Disney Springs and recreation and shopping areas. The team also decorates Disney Cruise Line ships and Disney Vacation Club resorts in Florida and South Carolina.
- 41cast members work year-round to make the holiday transformation a reality, with an additional119cast members added during the installation period.
- Décor installation begins Halloween night and is finished by Thanksgiving.
Magic Kingdom Park
- During the holidays, Magic Kingdom is home to40trees,147wreaths and590garlands that measure a total of5,188feet.
- Guests can celebrate the season at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party on23select nights from Nov. 8 to Dec. 22. This year’s celebration welcomes the dazzling new nighttime spectacular,“Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks.”
- Tomorrowland Speedwayjoins in the merriment of Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party for the first time this year with a new holiday overlay that glimmers with thousands of lights and stylized décor. It’s one of4Magic Kingdom attractions to feature holiday overlays.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom will celebrate the holidays in full for the first time in its history, with enchanting entertainment and décor in3new locations.
- 148animal-inspired luminaries will cast a warm and festive glow throughout Discovery Island as a merry menagerie of10artisan-sculpted puppets resembling winter animals roam and interact with guests throughout the land.
- 2,600light bulbs will adorn the DinoLand U.S.A. water tower, giving the land a festive new look for the holidays.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- The Christmas tree on Echo Lake is65feet tall, with a25-foot-wide base.
- Sunset Seasons Greetings at Disney’s Hollywood Studios includes12high-definition projectors used to visually transform the façade of the Hollywood Tower Hotel with holiday scenes.
- 21palm trees along Sunset Boulevard illuminate with programmable, color-changing LED fixtures.
- Dinosaur Gertieis dressed in her finest holiday attire. Her hat is so big,four people could stand inside it!
Epcot
- Epcot International Festival of the Holidays takes place Nov. 29 through Dec. 30 and celebrates holiday traditions from around the world through storytelling and music presented throughout World Showcase.
- Holiday treats are also part of the festival, which includes13Holiday Kitchens serving more than50bites from around the world and60-plusspecialty
- The Candlelight Processional will be performed96times at Epcot this holiday season with a50-piece orchestra, mass choir and12different celebrity narrators.
- The Candlelight Processional stage at America Gardens Theatre features2Christmas trees that are each18feet tall.
Resorts
- Guests will find a life-size holiday gingerbread house in the lobby of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. This elaborate10-foot-wide,15-foot-long and14-foot-tall structure is covered with more than10,000pieces of gingerbread and is the perfect place to pick up holiday sweets and treats.
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort is celebrating the10thanniversary of its iconic gingerbread Cinderella Castle. This18-foot-tall display is crafted from more than5,000gingerbread shingles,47pounds of rolled fondant,38pounds of modeling chocolate and much more!
- This year also marks the20thanniversary of the Holiday Carousel gingerbread display at Disney’s Beach Club Resort. This life-size spinning carousel features20“Hidden Mickeys,”5Peter Pan-themed horses and handcrafted gingerbread shingles.
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort is home to the tallest Christmas tree at Walt Disney World. This70-foot-tall tree is adorned with16,000lights and more than200custom ornaments.
- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge is home to a45-foot-tall tree featuring authentic African décor and reproductions of traditional African masks.
Disney Springs
- Disney Springs is the epicenter of holiday shopping at Walt Disney World. It’s also the largest of all of the decorated Disney locations, with more than2,000pieces of individual décor, including a45-foot-tall tree.
- Each piece of décor was custom designed to fit the classic Florida town theme that carries throughout the entirety of Disney Springs.
- Disney Springs is also home to the Christmas Tree Trail, a walkthrough wonderland featuring23unique Disney-themed trees.