NEWS: Disney Releases Tons of Details on Upcoming Holiday Festivities at Disney World

Preparation for the holidays is already in high gear at Walt Disney World as The Most Magical Place On Earth gets ready to celebrate “the most wonderful time of year.” While planning and preliminaries culminate in the fall, many Cast Members spend months – sometimes a full year – getting ready to spread seasonal cheer. Here is a first look at what guests can expect as they celebrate the 2023 holiday season, which begins at Walt Disney World on November 11, 2023.

1 – Disney Jollywood Nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

The long anticipated, glam holiday party Disney Jollywood Nights is almost here. This new separately ticketed event is a swanky Hollywood bash filled with merriment, music, and spirited good times. It will take place on select nights beginning November 11 to December 20. Click here to learn more about this new holiday event.

2 – Sunset Seasons Greetings at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Disney’s Hollywood Studios will also once again present Sunset Seasons Greetings nightly throughout the season. Each evening The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is magically transformed into an array of holiday scenes as snow falls along Sunset Boulevard.

3 – Fractal Frenzy: NEW Frozen Holiday Surprise at Magic Kingdom Park

At Magic Kingdom Park, “Frozen” friends from Arendelle are conjuring up something remarkable for the holidays. The new Frozen Holiday Surprise brings together Olaf and more than 100 of his Snowgie siblings who attempt to add festive decor to Cinderella Castle. With Anna and Kristoff at her side, Queen Elsa adds sparkling finishing touches, transforming the castle into a shimmering crystallized palace – a look that will remain throughout each evening.

Bringing this new spectacle to life is no small feat, as lighting designers, video technicians, composers, and a full orchestra worked together to create this enchanting new entertainment experience.

Debuting November 7, “Frozen Holiday Surprise” will occur nightly during the holiday season.

Families and kids of all ages can also enjoy Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Now in its 40th year, this specially ticketed event has become a holiday tradition for many. Featuring a dazzling parade, fireworks, complimentary sweet treats and so much more, it’s warm-hearted, family-friendly fun at Magic Kingdom on 25 select nights November 9-Dec. 22.

4 – Delicious Doings: EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays

For an international holiday flavor, EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays, presented by AdventHealth is the place to be. The stage is set with spectacular decor around every corner, and entertainment fills the air, from celebrity narrators reciting the Christmas story each night to time-honored traditions from countries around the world.

And no holiday celebration would be complete without tasty treats. The festival culinary team has been hard at work for nearly a year, dreaming up the menu and testing new recipes. More than 15 Holiday Kitchens will celebrate the diversity of holiday traditions with comfort foods that inspire warm memories.

Because ensuring a delicious encounter with every bite is top of mind for the team, thorough testing is imperative before massive production begins. How massive? The culinary team has historically baked more than 250,000 cookies in just five weeks for the event’s signature Holiday Cookie Stroll.

This year will bring several “firsts” to the festival. Luminous the Symphony of Us is an all-new fireworks-and-laser spectacular that will debut on December 5, 2023. And, with EPCOT being home to The Walt Disney Company’s 100th anniversary celebration, guests will find beautiful holiday decor at the park entrance commemorating the Disney100 celebration.

EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays begins November 24.

5 – Comfort & Joy: Gingerbread Galore at Disney Resort Hotels

Guests often gaze in fascination at the larger-than-life gingerbread displays that appear at Disney Resort Hotels each holiday season. Culinary teams spend up to seven months planning and building the displays. For example, the culinary team at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa starts mixing fragrant dough in May, letting it cure a full two months before it is baked. Individual shapes, from shingles to Mickey cookies, are baked and decorated throughout the summer and then stored for “construction” in November. The house itself takes three days to build.

This year, guests will once again be able to enjoy the stunning works of culinary art – including a new display – in six resort locations:

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Disney’s Beach Club Resort
• Disney’s BoardWalk Resort
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort (featuring a new display)

6 – More Merriment: Holidays Around the “World”

Disney Springs is THE place to shop, dine, and play amidst a wonderland of beautiful decor and culinary delights. The 120-acre entertainment, retail, and dining district will be in full holiday swing beginning November 10. Those seeking festive fun should save time to visit Santa Claus at Once Upon a Toy and take in the Disney Springs Christmas Tree Stroll presented by AdventHealth. Nineteen Disney-themed trees will be on display throughout the four “neighborhoods” that make up Disney Springs. Plan at least one nighttime visit to experience snowfall in the Town Center.

Cheerful decor and festive flotillas are holiday highlights at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. In addition to meeting with favorite Disney characters and Santa himself, guests can interact with a Merry Menagerie of life-size, artisan-sculpted animal puppets daily on Discovery Island. The park’s iconic Tree of Life also awakens each evening with a colorful tableau of wintry tales accompanied by a familiar musical score.

7 – Making Magic: Walt Disney World Holiday Services

It takes more than Santa’s elves to transform the four theme parks, resort hotels, Disney Springs, and other locations across the Walt Disney World Resort with dazzling decor. That incredible feat is the work of Holiday Services.

This team of designers, decorators, and other professionals ready more than 600 trees and 1,700 wreaths, hanging nearly nine miles of garland each year. In fact, as soon as one holiday season wraps up, the Holiday Services team begins preparing for the next.

Whether creating new items or making sure that existing decor remains merry and bright, these talented specialists ensure that the entire resort sparkles.

8 – Cheery Mementos to Remember the Magic

There’s no better way to remember a visit to Walt Disney World than with the perfect souvenir, and holiday merchandise is a great way to show some holiday spirit or to keep the cheerful vibes alive after guests return home. Special holiday-themed attire, accessories, home decor and more can be purchased throughout the resort, with special collections available for both Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom and EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays.

9 – Create Special Memories to Last a Lifetime

Guests looking to capture their special moments can take advantage of Disney PhotoPass Service**, which will create festive photo fun this holiday season with new limited-time Magic Shots and props throughout Walt Disney World Resort.

To learn more about planning a holiday experience at Walt Disney World Resort, visit DisneyWorld.com or call your travel agent.

*Guests attending the event can request to join the queue beginning at 6:00 p.m. Each Guest can request to enter this virtual queue no more than once per event. This is only available for Guests on the day of the event they are attending, and their specific event tickets must be linked to their My Disney Experience account in order to join the virtual queue. Guests attending this special ticketed event do not need to be in Disney’s Hollywood Studios to request to join at the time the queue becomes available.