Holidays at Disney World: How to celebrate in 2024
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Walt Disney World, which seemingly transformed into holidays on Halloween night.
It'll take a little longer for all the decorations to go up, but guests will notice increasingly more holiday spirit in the air over the next month, culminating with EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays kicking off after Thanksgiving.
The holiday season is the most popular time of year to visit the Florida resort. All four theme parks celebrate in their own way. Only Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Disney Jollywood Nights require special tickets. Other seasonal offerings are included with regular admission, and some activities require no tickets at all.
Here’s what Disney World guests can expect this holiday season.
What does Magic Kingdom do for Christmas?
Magic Kingdom hosts Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, a specially ticketed after-hours event on select nights throughout the holiday season.
Everyday guests can ride the Jingle Cruise, a holiday edition of the Jungle Cruise, which returned on Nov. 2, according to the official Disney Parks Blog.
The Frozen Holiday Surprise stage show returns nightly to Cinderella Castle.
Guests with Magic Band+ can hear holiday greetings from golden Fab 50 character sculptures throughout Magic Kingdom.
What are the dates for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party 2024?
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will be held:
Nov. 8, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 27, 29
Dec. 1, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20
The limited-capacity event is not included with standard admission, and Magic Kingdom will close early to regular guests on party nights. The event officially runs from 7 p.m. until midnight, but party guests may enter Magic Kingdom as early as 4 p.m. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party tickets range from $169 to $219, depending on the date, and some dates are already sold out.
Highlights of the event include special entertainment like Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas Parade, Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show, Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration stage show, and character greetings and dance parties not offered on regular park days.
Attendees also get free cookies and seasonal drinks at select locations around the park as well as a small souvenir to take home. Also, because capacity is limited, attraction wait times are usually significantly shorter than usual.
Disney value: After-hours events can cost more than full park days. Are they worth it? We did the math.
Is Disney’s Hollywood Studios decorated for Christmas?
Yes. Much of Disney’s Hollywood Studios gets a vintage Christmas vibe for the holidays, though Toy Story Land’s holiday decorations stay true to its theme. Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge stays pretty much the same.
For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration gets a holiday twist. And at night, Sunset Seasons Greetings projections light up the Hollywood Tower Hotel.
On select nights, Hollywood Studios hosts the specially ticketed, after-hours event Disney Jollywood Nights, which made its debut last year.
What days are Jollywood Nights?
Disney Jollywood Nights will be held:
Nov. 9, 13, 16, 18, 23, 25, 30
Dec. 2, 7, 11, 14, 18, 21
Like, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, Jollywood Nights are not included with standard admission, and Hollywood Studios will close early to regular park guests on event dates.
Jollywood tickets range from $159 to $179. This year’s limited-capacity event runs from 7:30 p.m until 12:30 a.m., but Jollywood guests may enter Hollywood Studios as early as 6 p.m.
The event is open to all ages, though its Old Hollywood flair may appeal especially to adults. Kids of all ages can enjoy shorter waits for attractions, meet-and-greets with rare characters like Santa Duffy, and a new dance party with Pixar characters. Other Jollywood highlights include a new ice skating show called Glisten! and returning entertainment, including What's This? Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along and a new Muppet Christmas Carol photo opportunity, among others.
Though there aren’t any free snacks throughout this event, Jollywood guests will get a Wondermade sweet as they leave the park, according to the event's webpage.
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Does Animal Kingdom do anything special for Christmas?
Beginning Nov. 12, guests can interact with Merry Menagerie puppets of wintry wildlife near the Tree of Life.
That same day, Santa Claus will arrive for the 75th annual Dino Institute Holiday Party at Restaurantosaurus in DinoLand U.S.A. Guests can take photos with him there and throughout the resort through Dec. 24. It’s worth noting that this will be DinoLand U.S.A.’s last big holiday hurrah; parts of the land will begin closing in January for reimagining as part of a new Tropical Americas themed land.
Throughout the holidays, Mickey and Minnie will be available for meet-and-greets in seasonal attire at Adventurers Outpost.
What are the dates for EPCOT's Festival of the Holidays?
EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays 2024 runs from Nov. 29 through Dec. 30. Like other EPCOT festivals, the event is included with regular park admission, adding extra value to standard tickets.
Event-specific entertainment includes JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season performances celebrating both Christmas and Kwanzaa, the celebrity-narrated Candlelight Processional, and holiday storytellers around World Showcase. Festive foods and drinks also are available at Holiday Kitchen kiosks throughout World Showcase.
For the first time, EPCOT guests can see a gingerbread Spaceship Earth in CommuniCore Hall, starting the same day as the festival. There were also be a free snowflake decorating craft in CommuniCore Plaza.
Also, during the holidays, Living with the Land will transform into Glimmering Greenhouses – Living with the Land. A special, limited-capacity Behind the Seeds tour of the Glimmering Greenhouses is also available for $45 on the same evenings as the festival.
What Disney hotel has the gingerbread house?
Each holiday season, fans flock to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa to see its massive gingerbread house, which is big enough to hold a holiday treat shop. Guests can’t go inside, but they can buy gingerbread from the pop-up storefront.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Beach Club Resort, Boardwalk Resort, Contemporary Resort's beloved gingerbread displays also return this year.
Most people should plan on taking free resort transportation to the hotels; hotel parking is generally limited to overnight guests and guests with restaurant or spa reservations.
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Is Disney Springs decorated for the holidays?
Yes. Disney Springs celebrates the holidays from Nov. 8 through Dec. 30. Throughout the season, the shopping, dining and entertainment complex will be dotted with 21 individually themed Christmas trees as part of its free Christmas Tree Stroll. This year’s themes include Mufasa: The Lion King and Lilo and Stitch, according to the Disney Parks Blog. Guests can pick up a free map with stickers to match each tree and then receive a "special surprise" upon completion.
There will also be free nightly live entertainment, and in Town Center, faux snow each night, pending weather. Throughout both Disney Springs and the larger resort, there will be special foods and drinks just for the holidays. And from Nov. 8 through Dec. 24, guests can also join a virtual queue to meet Santa Claus near Disney's Pin Traders.
Is Disney World still decorated for Christmas in January?
Disney World’s holiday decorations stay up through New Year’s Day and begin coming down Jan. 2. Like installation, the process takes several weeks, so it’s not uncommon for runners to still see some holiday decorations during the Walt Disney World Marathon. Next year’s marathon weekend is Jan. 8 through Jan. 12.
(This story has been updated with new information.)
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Disney World holidays 2024: What’s new, returning this season
