The Ultimate Guide to Christmas at Disney World in 2025
The Christmas holiday season is undeniably one of the most magical (and merriest) times to visit Walt Disney World. That said, other than a few small windows within the two-month timeframe, it’s also the busiest. We’re talking major crowds, lines galore, and long waits for almost anything you can think of. That said, everywhere you look, you’ll find festive decorations and cheerful cast members as holiday tunes play in the background. I can hear those gentle bells ringing on Main Street U.S.A. just thinking about it all.
The weather is warm but not miserable, you’re not at work, and the people you love the most are by your side. If not, I hope they are with you in spirit. That’s a tough one, but a reality for many of us.
On a positive note, you’re in for a treat because the holidays are extraordinary. So, each year we put together a guide featuring holiday options. These festivities range from the theme parks to the resorts to Disney Springs. Some will require the cost of admission to experience, some will require an extra ticket to a private event, and some you can do at your leisure on an off day from the parks.
Our best advice is to review what’s available, select a few items that you and your travel party consider must-dos, and incorporate them into your itinerary. If this is a first-time visit or you already have a lengthy list of things to accomplish that go hand in hand with a regular park day, don’t worry. You can completely skip the holiday stuff, other than seeing the decorations as you’re coming and going. You’ll still have a wonderful time.
Below, you’ll find everything you can expect for visiting Disney World during the 2025 holiday season. Please note that we will continually update this guide as new items are announced. It is common for Disney to make new announcements regarding the holidays throughout the year, especially between July and early November. The 2025 holiday season begins at Walt Disney World in early November. (We’ll add the exact date here when it’s announced.) In the meantime, our 2024 holiday guide provides a reference for last year
This guide was last updated on June 28, 2025.
Magic Kingdom
The Most Magical Place on Earth always knows how to celebrate the holidays! As mentioned above, you’ll hear the melody of familiar holiday tunes as soon as you set foot on Main Street U.S.A. We always enjoy walking up to the train station to take in exquisite views of the park in its holiday best.
While holiday decor can be found throughout most of the park, Main Street U.S.A. is the primary place to get that real holiday feel. If one of your sole purposes for visiting is to enjoy the holiday offerings, we recommend spending an hour or more taking it all in on Main Street. You might even see the Dapper Dans perform a few Christmas tunes while wearing their holiday attire. Their showtimes are listed in the My Disney Experience app.
While you’re soaking up the holiday spirit, stop in the Confectionery for a seasonal treat. The only tough decision you’ll have is deciding what to try. Don’t get me started on the create-your-own popcorn options at the back of the store.
We also anticipate the return of the Jingle Cruise, Santa Claus meet-and-greet, and A Frozen Holiday surprise in 2025. We’ll update with more details when Disney makes official announcements.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
While Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is held at Magic Kingdom, we’re listing it separately because it’s a seasonal event. Guests visiting during the holiday season will want to be aware of party nights and plan their days and evenings around them. We love the Christmas Party and have attended it for years. But if it doesn’t work for your budget, you can still enjoy the other holiday offerings in the parks.
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade is exclusive to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, with two exceptions. The parade is typically offered a couple of times in early November when it’s filmed for ABC’s Christmas Day special. This is done after the Christmas decorations have been installed.
You can also see the parade if you’re visiting the week between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day. The Christmas parade is offered in place of the Festival of Fantasy Parade. So those visiting in either window of time will be able to enjoy it without the cost of purchasing an extra party ticket. At this time, we don’t know if and when Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away (the new nighttime parade) will be offered during the holidays.
Epcot
Most of Epcot’s holiday offerings tie back to the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays. This year’s festival dates are still to be determined. We’ll list them here when they are announced. The following items are expected to return. We’ll have more information available when they are confirmed.
This festival offers traditional food booths along with other events and entertainment. The food booths are called Holiday Kitchens and offer a variety of items related to the country of origin. As you stroll through the World Showcase, you can sample festive dishes, seasonal beverages, or participate in the Holiday Cookie Stroll.
During the Festival of the Holidays, most countries offer Holiday Storytellers. These special representatives, often Santas, share their country’s holiday traditions.
Epcot’s Candlelight Processional is held each evening during the Festival of the Holidays. Joyful, a gospel R&B group, performs during the Festival. Living with the Land’s Glimmering Greenhouses has become one of our top must-dos during the holiday season at Walt Disney World. This seasonal overlay brings the attraction to life in a new light–Christmas lights! Make sure to ride it at night to get the full effect. (We usually ride it a couple of times per visit!)
Last year, we also saw a new gingerbread display, and Santa Claus typically has a fun meet-and-greet location at Epcot.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Through the years, Hollywood Studios has become our favorite park at Christmas due to the stunning decorations. It’s like taking a step back in time to Tinseltown. The park is frosted with vintage decor, twinkling lights, and pops of color. Holiday projectors and faux snow blowers work together to make the park every bit as magical as you can imagine. We can’t wait to see what else Disney has in store for this season!
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
We love the decorations at Disney’s Animal Kingdom almost as much as Hollywood Studios. Discovery Island and Africa are not to be missed if you’re hoping to see the unique decor. Other than the decor, this park is often the least festive. We anticipate the Tree of Life Awakenings projection show returning, and hopefully the Merry Menagerie. We’ll know more soon!
Disney Resort Hotels
We could write a book on the resort hotels at Walt Disney World during the holidays! Every resort hotel has unique decorations, some more elaborate than others. A few of the resorts have extravagant gingerbread displays in their lobbies. So far, we know that the traditional gingerbread house won’t be available at the Grand Floridian in 2025.
Hopefully, we’ll have some new surprises to share soon!
Disney Springs
As you can probably imagine, Disney Springs is a busy place to be during the holiday season. Major happenings for the venue often include a Santa Claus meet-and-greet and the Christmas Tree Stroll. We’ll have more to share when these items and more are confirmed for 2025.
More Planning
Resorts Gal specializes in Disney World Resorts, Characters, and Dining. Explore our resources, including our Disney World Resorts Guide. It provides an overview of everything you need to know about the Disney Resort Hotels. For dining, our Disney World Dining Guide is an excellent place to start. Our Disney World Transportation Guide is a wonderful resource for planning your routes. It’s one of our most popular resources. If you plan to meet characters in the parks, we have an updated list of Disney World Characters. It includes every available character meet-and-greet in the parks and where to find rare characters throughout the year. Lastly, our Disney Parks Guide provides a complete overview of all four theme parks and water parks.
If you’re visiting Disney World during a major holiday, you might also enjoy our entire seasonal guide: Holiday Celebrations at Disney World Through the Entire Year or our main Disney World Christmas hub.
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