Disney World's getting the full holiday treatment this year, with decorations, special events, and festive food rolling out from November 13, 2026, through January 6, 2027. If you're planning a trip during that stretch, here's what you're actually working with across all four parks and beyond.
Magic Kingdom's Holiday Lineup
The castle and Main Street get their traditional holiday decor, which means plenty of photo spots if you're into that. The Jingle Cruise comes back with holiday-themed jokes and decorations in both the queue and on the boats themselves, so if you've done it before, there's new stuff to catch.
You'll see two nighttime shows depending on the night. On regular evenings, Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away runs twice a night. When Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party happens (it's a separately ticketed event), Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade takes over instead.
Frozen Holiday Surprise is a show where Elsa transforms Cinderella Castle into an ice palace, with appearances from Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf plus his snowgie friends decorating the castle. It's designed to be a dazzling spectacle if you're into that kind of thing.
EPCOT's Festival of the Holidays
Running November 27 through December 30, 2026, the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays presented by AdventHealth is included with your park ticket. This is basically EPCOT's chance to do holiday food and entertainment. You'll find seasonal offerings from different countries and cultures, plus live entertainment and the usual Disney park attractions. There's a foodie guide coming if you want the full food breakdown.
Hollywood Studios' Holiday Events
Sunset Seasons Greetings returns with nightly projections that transform the Hollywood Tower Hotel into different holiday scenes, including a Muppets gingerbread house, a Toy Story set, Arendelle, and a scene from Mickey's Christmas Carol.
For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration is back at the Hyperion Theater with Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff performing, projected lyrics for the kids to follow along, and Olaf closing out the show.
If you want to dine with characters, Minnie's Holiday Dine at Hollywood & Vine features Minnie and other characters in seasonal outfits while you eat. The menu includes oven-roasted herbed chicken, carved beef tenderloin, seared salmon, spice-rubbed pork loin, and plant-based roasted mushroom-farro risotto, plus desserts like seasonal bread pudding and Mississippi mud pie. You'll want to make advance reservations.
Echo Lake and Sunset Boulevard get holiday decor, and Toy Story Land has larger-than-life seasonal decorations with Woody, Jessie, and Buzz in their holiday best for photos.
Walt Disney Presents is putting on a holiday installation with props and artifacts from Disney holiday films, plus a limited-time theater experience with holiday-themed shorts.
Animal Kingdom's Seasonal Touches
The Merry Menagerie features artisan-sculpted puppets of arctic animals around Discovery Island, with penguins, reindeer, foxes, and polar bears. Artwork from artist Rob Kaz will be on display at Island Mercantile throughout the season.
Beyond that, the park's regular attractions stay open with holiday decor, and you can meet characters in seasonal outfits. Expedition Everest runs year-round, so if you want to ride it during the holidays, it's there.
Disney Springs and Resort Hotels
Disney Springs will have holiday shopping and seasonal offerings, though specifics weren't detailed in the original announcement. Resort hotels typically get their own holiday decor and entertainment during this period as well.
What You Should Know
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is a separately ticketed event on select nights, so that's an add-on cost on top of your park ticket. Everything else mentioned, except that party, is included with regular park admission.
The best strategy? Book reservations early if you want character dining like Minnie's Holiday Dine. Check the official Disney Parks Blog as they release more details on pricing, exact entertainment schedules, and any new food offerings. They're usually pretty good about updating those pages as the season gets closer.
