Will Off-Site Guests Be Able to Visit the Disney Resorts this Holiday Season?

Walt Disney World has announced a ton of updates for the 2026 holiday season this morning. Unfortunately, those announcements did not include mention of the traditional gingerbread displays at the Disney Resort Hotels. There was, however, wording that guests staying at the resorts or those with valid dining reservations could enjoy the holiday decor around the resort hotels.

In fact, today’s announcement stated that those looking to take Instagram-worthy photos would need to have valid dining reservations or be a guest of the Disney Resorts Collection. Here is the exact wording from the Disney Parks blog announcement.

Looking to take Instagram-worthy pictures with Christmas trees and joyful decorations? Or are you looking for a place to exchange gifts with family members while soaking in the sounds of peaceful holiday music? For guests staying at the resorts or for those with valid dining reservations, the Disney Resorts Collection offers a wide array of bright and merry holiday decor.

Many Disney Resorts Collection hotels offer themed food and beverage items during the holiday season, such as special holiday treats. For even more details on where to get delightful and wintry drinks as well as hearty snacks, make sure to be on the lookout for Disney Eats updates on the Disney Parks Blog.

Maybe you are someone like me who loves to enjoy a tropical Christmas celebration at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, or maybe you prefer to check out a seaside holiday by the shore at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. No matter what your ideal vacation looks like, there’s something in store for kids, parents, and grandparents alike to play and plan the holiday vacation of their dreams in 2026.

Disney Parks Blog

For many of us, myself included, visiting the Disney Resort Hotels for the holidays has been a long-standing tradition. Often, we do this as resort hotel guests, but there are times when we visit from off-site as well.

While this announcement doesn’t mention any restrictions that will be put in place, we wouldn’t be surprised. You may remember we stayed at Saratoga Springs last year during the week of Halloween. During our stay, we stopped in the lobby to see the cast member-created pumpkin display. We were told that the pumpkin display was backstage for cast members only.

Of course, the most recent news is that Disney will no longer allow guests without a resort or dining reservation to use transportation at Disney Springs. We covered that update in this article. Those restrictions go into place on June 28th.

As of publication time, the statement above is all we know. But I think we can all agree that it definitely sets a precedent for what’s to be expected. Again, at this time, the wording of this announcement caught our eye, as I’m sure it has others. If and when we know more, we’ll provide you with an update.

For more on the holiday season, see our list of Christmas Events at Disney World. Check back with ResortsGal.com for more details.

In the Comments

What do you think of the wording of this announcement? Do you think more restrictions will soon be in place at Disney’s Resorts? If so, what do you think? Let us know below in our comments section here on Resorts Gal.