12 Reasons To Visit Walt Disney World During The Holidays 2024

There's no denying that Walt Disney World is designed to let visitors have fun. Just think of all its attributes. There are attractions tied to Disney's cinematic output, which is why you'll find a "Guardians of the Galaxy" ride and a jaunt aboard a recreation of the Millennium Falcon from "Star Wars." For some, it's the live performances and the encounters with characters from animated films that are the most thrilling aspect of a visit. And of course, the chance to be a kid, whatever your age, is an irresistible part of the appeal for any traveler when stepping through the theme park's gates.

You don't really need any special reasons to visit Walt Disney World, which calls itself the happiest place on Earth or the most magical place on Earth, at any time of the year. And you can even be judicious about which rides you go on during a visit, as some aren't actually worth waiting in a long line for. But the holiday season does offer up something out of the ordinary. From seasonal decorations that bring a festive atmosphere to balmy Florida (a state with 10 top-rated islands to visit on vacation), to special productions that are only staged at the end of the year, the holidays turn what is already a magical place into something even more extraordinary.

Arguably the most traditional Disney aspect of Walt Disney World, the Magic Kingdom is where to find the building that best embodies this theme park. That would be Cinderella's Castle, a beautiful site with slender turrets, pointed roofs, and that sense of inhabiting fantasy that Disney World accomplishes so effortlessly. It's also where to find characters that greet park visitors, and wild rides — though maybe not as wild as Orlando's fastest rollercoaster with a menacing name —  like the raucous Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. For many, the Magic Kingdom is the one park not to miss, and you can have an even better time if you don't make these common mistakes when you go to Disney World for the first time. 

During the holiday season, all of those lures will continue as normal, but the park also adds seasonal trappings that firmly focus on the fun spirit of this special time of the year. For starters, you'll see a giant Christmas tree rising to a sharp point at the top, bedecked in string lights, tinsel, and shiny baubles. Holiday wreaths hang from the sides of buildings, grand and circular and also laced with lights and glittering orbs. There are giant toy soldiers along Main Street, and sometimes guests might notice "snow" falling as they wander along this thoroughfare. Visitors sometimes also get in the mood by wearing clothing that reflects the season — expect plenty of Santa hats, patterned fleece, and Yuletide accents. You can also expect holiday-accented treats; past goodies have included donuts that resemble Christmas wreaths and a sundae inspired by reindeers.

Chances are that you don't need much of a hint to understand what this park within Walt Disney World focuses on. Hollywood Studios celebrates the rich world of celluloid, with rides inspired by popular movies, and characters lifted straight from the silver screen. You can enjoy the ride Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, which places visitors on the "Millennium Falcon" spaceship, or rumble along on the slightly more sedate Minnie & Mickey's Runaway Railway. When the holidays roll around, the park ramps up the spectacle to bring extra excitement to the park. 

Colorful projections on the buildings around the park add an air of festivity to the experience. Along Sunset Boulevard, one of the main strips of the park, guests can see red and white stars wrapped around the lamp posts. On Hollywood Boulevard, tinsel and bows bestow a festive atmosphere, while old Christmas tunes play from speakers. Old-style Christmas figurines dot the area around Echo Lake, while a tall Christmas tree sits in the middle of the water. One of the highlights during the holiday season is the Holiday Dine with Minnie Mouse. It takes place from November 6, 2024, to January 4, 2025, at the Hollywood & Vine, and features lunches and dinners where Minnie, and some of her closest friends, accompany guests during a buffet of salads, meats, plant-based fare, and a generous range of desserts. In addition to the hearty food, music, and seasonal decorations ensure that a meal here is filled with joy.

At Epcot, the International Festival of the Holidays explores the origins of Christmas and is a beloved tradition at the park. It features a number of special seasonal events, but perhaps the most moving is the Candlelight Processional. There are a number of elements to it, making it a grand spectacle befitting a hallowed occasion. Visitors can expect to see a large orchestra, with 50 musicians taking part, and a full choir, where participants are clothed in bright, shimmering robes, set on a stage. The performance plays out as a series of choral renditions, interspersed by a telling of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator. It's a stirring experience, with powerful voices and booming herald trumpets all part of the concert. And when the candles are lit among the choral singers, the visual effect is striking. 

This year's narrators will include A-listers like Gloria Estefan, Whoopi Goldberg, Neil Patrick Harris, and Tituss Burgess. The program takes place over an extended period of time, and since it's a big draw, seating can sometimes be challenging to find. One option is to enroll in the dining package, where visitors have a meal, and then watch the show, with guaranteed seating as part of the agreement. On a broader note, Epcot, an acronym for Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow, is a park that looks at themes such as the future, the world, and nature itself.

Father Christmas goes by a number of names, from Santa Claus to St. Nicholas. A variety of myths and legends seek to elucidate his origins. Some believe his beginnings are from St. Nicholas, a religious figure capable of performing miracles who lived in Southern Europe. Sinterklaas, a figure spoken about in Europe, is thought to be based on the legend of St. Nicholas, and the name Santa Claus can clearly be seen as a derivation of that sobriquet. 

What we do know is that Santa Claus most likely lives in the North Pole, but visitors who visit Epcot during the holiday season will be lucky enough to see him as he swaps the chill of the Arctic Circle for some sun in Central Florida. He might also be accompanied by Mrs. Claus. This is another special event that takes place under the umbrella of the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays. The fun takes place in the Odyssey Pavilion, and visitors will have the opportunity to take some photos with the bearded wonder as he's seated in his sleigh or chair. What's more, travelers can encounter a Santa during storytelling sessions, and vignettes that look at fables and history about this time of year from around the world.

If one single exhibit embodies that rich variety within the Animal Kingdom at Walt Disney World, it might be the Tree of Life. Situated on Discovery Island within the park, and standing almost 150 feet in height, it feels like the king of the jungle.  Around the tree, more than 300 carvings of different animals ensure that this is no ordinary tree, but rather a totem that celebrates the vast array of life on our planet. During the holidays, as dusk falls, the Tree of Life becomes bathed in vivid light, casting a spell on onlookers as it seems to come to life. Visitors will see a special broadcast during the holiday season, with lively animation that honors the special time of year. They might watch bunnies hopping on snow flakes, or a baby polar bear letting snow land on its tongue. Or perhaps travelers can see reindeer leaping around the forest before taking to the sky and swooping past the moon, another Yuletide fable projected onto the tree.

Animals, or at least their sculptures, come alive in the Animal Kingdom during the holiday season. An exciting undertaking known as the Merry Menagerie, also takes place on Discovery Island and sees life-size representations of puppet animals like penguins and polar bears, sometimes with Disney staff inside, wandering around the Animal Kingdom. For families, it's a remarkable way in which younger kids can interact with these large facsimiles of creatures. And for one more animal encounter that happens during the season, guests can take snaps of Minnie and Mickey wearing holiday outfits at Adventurers Outpost.

Disney Springs is a large shopping center that is a one-stop shop for all things Disney, and also a great place to buy other gifts. This is where you can find hats, fragrant candles, sports apparel and accessories, luxury fashion bags, chocolate, jewelry, and much, much more. It's a great place to spend a few hours away from the theme parks, stock up on some goodies and souvenirs, or indulge in a little conspicuous consumption. As if that weren't reason enough to hit the mall, the holiday season finds it to be an even more attractive destination. 

Wander around the assemblage of stores, and you'll see bright wreaths slung on windows, and colorful Christmas trees dotted around the corridors and public spaces. Known as Christmas Tree Stroll, these trees aren't just accented with shining lights and bulbous baubles. Some take the idea of customization up a notch and are themed for movies and entertainment related to Disney. That's why you'll find trees that take their decor cues from Pixar movies, Disney films and shows, "Star Wars" sets, and even some superheroes.

Think of the holiday season, and sounds of singing might come to mind. Traditionally, it was a time of Christmas carols, sung by church choirs, outdoors in public squares, or even by small groups outside private homes. Some carols were written to honor the birth of Christ, but it was many centuries later that carols became intrinsically linked to Christmas. At Epcot, and part of the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays, Joyful! is a singing extravaganza that honors Kwanzaa and Christmas. 

It features singing performances that occur a few times per day, and each is set outdoors in a public plaza. Guests of Epcot will be able to stand and watch a gospel-style show where singers belt out holiday-accented tunes under the clear blue Florida sky. Some of the performers are dressed in red, a way to mark the festive time of the year, and a full band accompanies the soaring, powerful vocals. Audience participation, such as clapping along to the beat, is encouraged, bringing guests into the musical experience.

It's not just the theme parks and the shopping areas in Walt Disney World that pull out all the stops to wow guests with special decor during the holiday season. The onsite hotels also go that extra mile to make visitors really appreciate this unique time of the year. One of the most memorable sights is at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. That's where you will find a life-size gingerbread house — yes, you read that right, life-size, meaning big enough for someone to live inside it. 

The house takes months to plan and assemble, from creating the raw materials to carefully assembling the finished product. There are even gingerbread-theme gifts and goodies for sale next to it, such as shingles made of gingerbread. All the resorts at Walt Disney World boast their own gingerbread creations, not just houses, but none are quite as intricate and grand as this one. In addition to these sweet flights of fancy, visitors can find grand Christmas trees within the resorts, with sparkling lights and unique decorations adding to their glamorous presentation.At the Wilderness Lodge, for instance, the recurrence of antlers and pine cones throughout the property weaves a holiday spell. And at Disney's Yacht Club, you might see a recreation of a Christmas village where model trains make circuits around the buildings.

If you want to let loose and party Disney-style, then the Magic Kingdom has just the thing for you. Running only on certain evenings from November 8 until December 20, 2024, and with a time slot of 7 p.m. to midnight, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is when Disney's iconic characters let their proverbial hair down. This event requires a special ticket, separate from regular entry to the Magic Kingdom, and is a shindig that happens during the hours of darkness. What might strike visitors at first glance is the lighting, seeing the park illuminated festively is exciting to witness first-hand. 

Disney characters — Mickey and Minnie take center stage of course — make a grand appearance throughout the evening, wearing outfits in line with the holidays (Mickey might have on a tartan jacket and a waistcoat in the colors of red and white, for instance). The evening unfurls as a non-stop extravaganza of entertainment. You can take pictures of yourselves with the Disney characters, or watch them during the evening's procession, known as Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade. Throughout the park, sweet treats await, with cookies and cool drinks as part of the deal, and the evening is topped off with a majestic fireworks display befitting the occasion.

Thankfully, for all the night owls out there visiting Walt Disney World during the holidays, there's another place to have five hours of evening fun during the end-of-year season. Staged in Hollywood Studios on specific nights from November 9 to December 21, 2024, Jollywood Nights is another festival that necessitates guests purchasing a separate ticket. It's aimed more at adults than the more family-friendly Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.  On the nights that it runs, from 7.30 p.m. to 12.30 a.m., guests can indulge in a range of activities including meetings with characters, taking rides, and sampling unique holiday nibbles. One of the centerpieces of the evening's program is an ice-skating extravaganza called "Glisten!" 

Performed on Hollywood Boulevard, with five shows per night, it sees renowned international skating professionals swishing around the ice while a soundtrack of holiday jams pumps out. Over at Pixar Place, revelers can join the dance party where characters from Pixar movies are part of the ensemble. And at the ride Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, you might even bump into the stoic, steely character of the Mandalorian. Jollywood Nights adapts its program every year, which is why return visitors might encounter new characters or debuting shows. And since the park is only open to a set number of guests for Jollywood Nights, the rides around Hollywood Studios are much less busy, so less waiting time for thrill seekers.

When "Frozen" came out in 2013, there were hopes that it would be a mildly successful animated production. What followed was somewhat unexpected, with the film becoming a global sensation, with the central song "Let It Go" belted out by kids around the world. The character of Olaf, a happy-go-lucky snowman with an absent-minded personality, was one of the stars of the movie. Fans can see the inimitable snow figure on display at Walt Disney World, which has a special production in-store during the holiday season. The short production lasts less than 10 minutes and takes place in the Magic Kingdom. 

Frozen Holiday Surprise plays out in Main Street, in front of Cinderella's Castle, and is suitable for all ages. It features Olaf, of course, but visitors will also see Elsa, and other characters working some magic and turning the castle into a tapestry of wreaths, accessories, and beautiful light. You'll see the princesses and Olaf dressed in special holiday garb, and the show culminates with Elsa using an enchanted ice spell to turn the castle into a palace of glittering ice.

For some months of the year, Walt Disney World can be a hot, sticky place to visit. By May, it can start to consistently hit the 90s, and with high humidity prevalent, the park is a sapping place to spend the day. June is the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season, and it technically lasts until the end of November. Hurricanes have been especially tough on Florida during 2024, with Helene and Milton causing widespread damage across the state. 

But if you visit during the holiday season, the threat of hurricanes diminishes, and the climate is just so, so fine. You can expect days in the 70s and cool nights in November and December, the type of weather that can accurately be described as a joy to experience. While you're in that part of Florida, you can avoid Orlando crowds and visit this nearby outdoor paradise too. Just think of it, as many parts of the country embrace the chilled air of fall, a season where you can see some foliage, Orlando is enjoyably pleasant. Just make sure you bring the right clothes and don't make these biggest clothes-packing mistakes travelers make on a trip to Disney World.