Christmas at Walt Disney World 2022
From captivating décor and unique character experiences to delicious treats and magical moments, there is something for everyone during Christmas at Walt Disney World.
When does Christmas start at Walt Disney World? We’re lucky to get an extended holiday run here in Orlando! Christmas events at Disney start November 8th 2022 at Magic Kingdom with Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. The Epcot Festival of the Holidays starts November 25th 2022. Dates for Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios have not yet been released, but it was November 11th when holiday events started last year.
Christmas at Walt Disney World
Magic Kingdom Holiday Events
Christmas at Magic Kingdom is utterly magical. Enchanting decor, holiday treats and a beaming castle transform it into a holiday wonderland.
Castle Projections
In the evening, special holiday projections will appear most nights on Cinderella Castle, alternating periodically throughout the night with the castle’s transformation into a Beacon of Magic as part of the park’s 50th Anniversary celebration.
Jingle Cruise
During Christmas at Walt Disney World, this fan favorite is given a holly jolly overlay. The skippers are missing home so they’ve given the Jungle Cruise a holiday makeover. The queue is decked in holiday finery and boats are given Christmas names. All along the cruise, the captains will keep you entertained with holiday jokes and puns.
Main Street USA Entertainment
Walt Disney World at Christmas time includes magical entertainment along Main Street USA. Dapper Dans Barbershop Quartet showcase holiday tunes with a little comedy thrown in too. They perform regular 20 minute a cappella shows throughout the day.
The Main Street Trolley Show gets a Holiday makeover. These singers and dancers perform up and down Main Street USA regularly throughout the day.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
This special ticketed event at Magic Kingdom runs on 24 select nights starting on November 8th 2022 with the last party on December 22nd 2022.
Features include a host of event-exclusive entertainment:
- Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks
Hosted by Minnie Mouse, the holiday extravaganza brings visitors together in a celebration of heartfelt moments and the magic of Christmas. The dazzling fireworks are bigger, better, wider, louder and longer. Splashes of Christmas color fill the skies with exploding presents. Plus the festive fireworks will feature family favorite tunes such as Deck the Halls and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. - Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade
This magical parade is packed with favorite characters dressed in Holiday finery and accompanied by a whole host of Christmas friends. The music is magical, the characters colorful and the floats enchanting. The marching Toy Soldiers are a personal favorite of ours. The sounds of the marching stomping feet just adds something extra special!
- Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration
Mickey and Minnie take to Cinderella Castle Forecourt Stage for this magical show. Disney friends gather for an unforgettable Christmas soiree filled with music, dancing and nostalgic yuletide fun. - Club Tinsel Dance Party
The party rocks at Rockettower Plaza Stage in Tomorrowland. Join North Pole residents for the cheeriest dance party in Orlando. - Magic Shots
Photopass Photographers will be at multiple locations to snap your memories and magical shots.
Christmas at Walt Disney World: Hollywood Studios
What could be better for tinsel town than a tinsel makeover during Christmas at Walt Disney World? Experience a flurry of fun at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. There’s festive entertainment and decor plus enchanting holiday touches throughout the park.
Sunset Seasons Greetings
Holiday magic transforms the famous Hollywood Tower Hotel into dancing scenes of the season. The whole tower bursts into life and snow flurries add to the atmosphere. Projection effects will magically transform the tower into a snowy Arendelle, a Muppets gingerbread masterpiece, a Toy Story toy hotel and a Dickensian village inspired by “Mickey’s Christmas Carol.”
This is shown constantly throughout the evening on Sunset Blvd from dusk to park close.
As a part of the 50th anniversary celebrations, the festive fun continues when Hollywood Tower Hotel becomes a Beacon of Magic at night, awash in an EARidescence evoking all the glimmer and shimmer of the golden age of imagination and adventure.
Magical projections bring the billboards on Sunset Blvd to life as beloved Disney Characters share seasonal stories. Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Olaf and others all join in.
For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
This laugh-a-lot-and-sing-along is perfect for all ages. Comedy keeps it cool for adults and teens and the sing-along to Frozen’s hit movies brings a smile to everyone. The Holiday show gets an extra dose of Olaf, as everyone’s favorite snowman gives a festive finale.
Santa at Hollywood Studios
Santa will be waving from his candy-apple red convertible packed full of presents and seasonal magic. Santa Claus Merry Motorcade will parade along Hollywood Blvd.
Christmas at Walt Disney World: Minnies Holiday Dine
Minnie Mouse is your hostess with the mostest. She’s joined by Mickey, Donald, Daisy and Santa Goofy. The buffet style dining offers lots of character interaction and photo ops.
Christmas at Walt Disney World: Animal Kingdom
Animal Kingdom features holiday events and decor that is totally magical. Discovery Island village is filled with sparkling white holiday decorations during Christmas at Walt Disney World. In the evening, colorful rooftop luminaries and bird lanterns light up the sky.
Almost all the lighting decor in Animal Kingdom is LED. The park uses 65,000 LEDs and over 330 holiday garlands.
The Magical Menagerie
The Magical Menagerie Puppets stroll around Discovery Island interacting with guests. It’s an absolute joy to watch. Whimsical wintry animals include Reindeer, foxes, polar bears, penguins and more. They are accompanied by serenading musicians to create a playful atmosphere of festive fun.
Christmas at Walt Disney World: Tree of Life
The Tree of Life features a series of wintry tales, complemented by a familiar and heartwarming holiday-inspired musical score. Between awakening moments, the Tree of Life will shimmer and sparkle throughout the night, alive with the spirit of the holidays. The Animal Kingdom center piece comes alive from dusk onwards.
Tree of Life will also feature the Beacons of Magic in celebration of the 50th Anniversary.
Christmas at Walt Disney World: Festive Character Floatillas
Disney characters dressed in their holiday finest are aboard festive flotillas making their along the Animal Kingdom waterways.
- Discovery Island Drummers Festive Flotilla: Feel the beat as these awesome percussionists float down Discovery River with an energetic seasonal beat.
- Santa Claus Festive Flotilla: Santa Claus sets sail along Discovery River accompanied by jolly seasonal tunes.
Diwali Celebrations at Anandapur
The residents of Anandapur also decorate the theatre district in celebration of Diwali, the holiday festival of lights in India. Glowing flowers and lanterns illuminate the square between Anandapur Theater and the waterfront stage, home to authentic cultural performances.
Harambe African Celebrations
Harambe in Africa will welcome visitors with unique and authentic African celebrations. Various groups throughout Harambe introduce holiday-inspired enhancements, including costume additions and new music, to their performances.
Tusker House Holiday Dining
The holiday fun continues inside Tusker House for dining with Disney friends, where Mickey and his pals spread holiday cheer throughout the meal.
Pandora Seasonal Fun
The ex-pats on Pandora are celebrating with a display at Pongu Pongu of kitschy holiday décor. The display combines vintage pieces from Earth with items handcrafted from materials indigenous to Pandora.
Christmas at Walt Disney World: Epcot
From November 25th 2022
Discover joyous holiday traditions from 11 World Showcase nations during Epcot International Festival of the Holidays. Beginning November 25th 2022, this year’s festival will deliver a yuletide extravaganza.
Holiday Kitchens
Seasonal tastes from around the globe are served up during Christmas at Walt Disney World. Lots of Holiday Kitchens located all around Epcot offer an array of seasonal treats.
Holiday Cookie Stroll
Purchase delicious holiday cookies from cookie stroll locations. Collect stamps for each cookie in a passport. When you have five stamps you’ll receive a complimentary “completer” cookie and a cold glass of milk!
The Holiday Cookie Stroll can be completed at your leisure. You can take your passport anytime until December 30th.
World Showcase Storytellers
World Showcase pavilions come alive with the sights and sounds of special entertainment celebrating each country’s holiday heritage. Each country showcases it’s traditions.
You’ll see Las Posadas in Mexico. Canadian Holiday Voyageurs in the Canada pavilion. La Benafa in Italy tells tales of Epiphany. A Hanukkah storyteller along the promenade, Voices of Liberty in The American Adventure. The Chinese Lion Dance is an explosion of color in China and there are some wonderful holiday storytellers in France, Japan, Norway and the United Kingdom.
Candlelight Processional
Walt Disney World at Christmas time brings us Candlelight Processional. This long time traditional event returns to Christmas at Walt Disney World for the 2022 season. It starts on November 25th.
The story of Christmas in words and music is told by a celebrity narrator accompanied by a mass choir and a 50 strong orchestra.
2022 Candlelight Processional Narrators
Additional celebrity narrators will continue to be added to the lineup over the coming weeks.
- 11/25 – 11/26: Simu Liu
- 11/27 – 11/29: Edward James Olmos
- 11/30 – 12/1: Raul Esparza
- 12/2 – 12/3: Whoopi Goldberg
- 12/4 – 12/6: Isabella Rossellini
- 12/7 – 12/9: Daymond John
- 12/10 – 12/12: Josh Gad
- 12/13 – 12/14: Gloria Estefan
- 12/15 – 12/18: Neil Patrick Harris
- 12/19 – 12/20: Mariska Hargitay
- 12/21 – 12/23: Cal Ripken Jr.
- 12/24 – 12/26: Marie Osmond
- 12/27 – 12/28: Courtney Vance
- 12/29 – 12/30: Angela Bassett
Candlelight Processional Dining Package
If you want to guarantee a seat, you’ll need to purchase a Candlelight Processional Dining Package. Dinner guests are seated first and the remaining seats are for those waiting in line.
- Regal Eagle Smokehouse – American Adventure Pavilion – $40
- Spice Road Table – Morocco Pavilion – $52 adult, $23 child
- Rose & Crown Dining Room – United Kingdom Pavilion – $64 adult, $28 child
- Biergarten Restaurant – Germany Pavilion – $65 adult, $37 child
- Garden Grill Restaurant – The Land Pavilion – $71 adult, $46 child
- Coral Reef Restaurant – The Living Seas – $74 adult, $30 child
- Akershus Royal Banquet Hall – Norway Pavilion – $79 adult, $51 child
- Le Cellier Steakhouse – Canada Pavilion – $100 adult, $39 child
Your dining package includes an appetizer, entrée and dessert or one full buffet (where applicable), plus a non-alcoholic beverage and a guaranteed seat to the Candlelight Processional held on the same day.
Christmas at Walt Disney World: Disney Springs
Christmas at Disney Springs is magical. Every corner of Disney Springs is wrapped and ready for the season with holiday décor and special live entertainment. Over 2,000 pieces of individual decor are used to blanket Disney Springs, including a 45-foot-tall tree.
Disney Springs is the perfect destination for holiday shopping, dining and entertainment. From top name-brands to cozy one-of-a kind retailers, there’s something for everyone. Busy shoppers can take a break and enjoy a quick snack on the go or dine at one of Disney Springs.
Christmas Tree Stroll
Enjoy elaborate and custom-decorated holiday trees located throughout the Disney Springs neighborhoods. Each tree is dedicated to a popular Disney theme featuring characters like Mary Poppins, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, Sleeping Beauty, Peter Pan, Snow White and Dumbo. New additions this year include Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas, Black Panther, and Raya and The Last Dragon.
Snow Flurries
Walt Disney World at Christmas time wouldn’t be complete without a little snow! It will be snowing regularly at Town Center, adding a touch of winter magic.
Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar Holiday Takeover
A fun holiday take on this relaxing bar and eatery with yuletide touches alongside festive food and craft cocktails.
Christmas at Walt Disney World: Gingerbread Creations
The Disney Chefs go all out to create an array of gingerbread creations. Walt Disney World at Christmas time is filled with wonderful aromas!
Beach Club Resort
Life-size spinning carousel featuring a new theme every year, with hand-painted holiday characters, handcrafted gingerbread shingles and fondant snowflakes.
And don’t forget to pop over to the Yacht Club lobby and see the adorable holiday village with a miniature train.
Grand Floridian
Life-size storybook gingerbread house with “cinnamon clouds” puffing from the chimney and decorated with white chocolate candy canes, edible snowflakes and sugar poinsettias. Treats for sale include house-made Gingerbread Houses and Gingerbread Ornaments.
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EPCOT
The American Adventure Gingerbread Display – see Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial and The American Adventure building in miniature edible versions at the American Adventure Rotunda
News Source: Orlando Insider Vacations