Everything To Do at Disney World During the Holidays 2025

Are you planning a visit to Disney World during the winter holiday season? This year’s Disney World winter festivities run from November 14 through December 31, 2025, although the upcharge parties start earlier on November 7. We’ve got dates, details, plus a few tips on weather and packing – and we’ll update every time Disney announces something new! Here’s what’s coming for this most merriest time of the year. Tap to jump directly to Magic Kingdom | EPCOT | Hollywood Studios | Animal Kingdom | Disney Springs | Resorts.

Orlando temps in November and December are a wild swing. You can see anything from 50 to 80ºF during the day, and should some unseasonable humidity blow through, you might even have a couple of “feels like 90” days. But the air is pretty dry and the temps often drop into the 40s and 50s at night, with sunset falling at about 6 pm. Even if you’re from New England like me, you’ll think it’s chilly enough for a thick fleece and some jeans. Standard advice for temperature swings is to dress in layers, and that’s your answer here.

If you’re squeezed for space when packing those layers, you might consider leaving out the umbrella or poncho after checking the forecast. November and December are generally dry, and “surprise” rain is less common. But don’t forget your sunscreen, because the Florida sun in winter is still strong enough to burn. And you’ll still do plenty of walking, so comfy shoes are another must that’s just like always.

Holidays at Magic Kingdom

There’s garland and tinsel everywhere you look at the Magic Kingdom. Main Street U.S.A. is an idealized vision, and it takes that role even more seriously when it comes to the holidays. Christmas is in the air, everywhere from the shop windows to the decorations overhead.

In Adventureland, the Jungle Cruise sports a holiday overlay as the Jingle Cruise. It’s fun, and worth including in your touring plan. After dark, the Frozen Holiday Surprise castle lighting show brings a wintry frozen effect to Cinderella’s Castle. It’s pretty, but no more than a diversion. And as you make your way around the park, you’ll find a few holiday-special items on the menus.

For most of the holiday season, the Magic Kingdom’s main Christmas extras are part of the upcharge Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. The event runs 3-4 times a week, beginning on November 7 this year. The party is all-out Christmas, with a special parade and fireworks, cookies and cocoa, themed event menus, special character meets, and more. Most of the party entertainment is very highly rated, but the price tag is steep. A party ticket costs more than a 1-day Magic Kingdom ticket for the same date.

During Christmas week, the holiday offerings leap across the upcharge barrier. Mickey’s Wonderful Christmastime Parade becomes a regular daily parade, included with your admission. And Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks temporarily replace Happily Ever After on the event calendar.

If you’re visiting Disney World during the holidays, know that the park closes at 6 pm on days when the Christmas Party is held. This drives more guests to visit on non-party days to see Happily Ever After and the Starlight Parade. The result is that days without a Christmas Party are significantly more crowded. Take this into consideration when planning your visit.

Holidays at EPCOT

At EPCOT, the whole park is a party, a Festival of the Holidays. You’ll find:

• Special food at holiday kitchens throughout the park
• A celebration of holiday traditions from different cultures in the countries of the World Showcase
• Special lighting and displays that transform Living with the Land into Living With the Land – Glimmering Greenhouses
• Seasonal entertainment throughout the park
• A retelling of the Christmas Story, every evening

The festive season takes over the entire park, and there’s way too much to do to describe in this one article. See our complete Guide to the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays.

Holidays at Hollywood Studios

Hollywood Studios is often the first park to begin dressing up for the holidays, with decorations sometimes appearing even before Halloween. Like the Magic Kingdom, the park has a Christmasy feel, with its own distinct Hollywood flair.

Look for characters dressed in their holiday finest in Toy Story Land, or make a reservation for a seasonal character buffet at Hollywood & Vine. Minnie’s Holiday Dine offers a winter-inspired menu and a chance to meet Minnie & Friends in holiday finery.

In the evening, you can spend a few minutes watching the Sunset Seasons Greeting projection show. The magic of lighting transforms the Hollywood Tower Hotel into everything from a snowy corner of Arendelle to a Muppets gingerbread masterpiece, and more. The show is about 15 minutes, and is easy to watch from anywhere with a good view of the park icon.

Disney Jollywood Nights is the upcharge party at Hollywood Studios. It has a very different feel from its Magic Kingdom counterpart, aiming for a grown-up, elegant spin. Think soiree instead of party, and you’ll be on the right track. Hollywood Studios does close early for Jollywood Nights. But Fantasmic! is still shown on these evenings, and the party isn’t held as often, so crowd differences between party and non-party nights aren’t as pronounced. This year’s first Jollywood Nights event is on November 8.

Holidays at Animal Kingdom

If Christmas isn’t your winter holiday, you might feel most in tune with Animal Kingdom’s holiday offerings. There’s plenty of traditional red bows and tinsel. And you can meet Mickey & Minnie in their holiday finest at Adventurer’s Outpost. But the Merry Menagerie has whimsical puppets in arctic blue and white colors that interact with guests and each other.

And on nights when the park is open past dark, the holiday version of Tree of Life Awakenings is an ode to the majesty of nature in winter.

Holidays at Disney Springs

A visit to the mall in December means Christmas decorations and holiday tunes in the air. At Disney Springs, you’ll find all that plus toy soldier stilt walkers, snowflake rollerblades, and more roving entertainment. For something a little more nailed down, grab a map and wander among the individually themed trees of the Disney Springs Christmas Tree Stroll.

Whether or not you’re there for Christmas shopping, everyone gets hungry sooner or later. Look for delicious eats everywhere, but you’ll find a full-on seasonal menu at Jock Lindsay’s Holiday Bar as Jock Linsday’s Hangar Bar gets a timely overlay. Live music in the evening at the Waterside Stage on select nights adds to the perfect holiday picture, and there’s just one more thing to achieve maximum winter magic … a nightly “snowfall” in Town Center.

Holidays at Disney World Resorts

Every Disney resort dresses up for the holidays, with a tree and decorations that match the resort’s theme. To be honest, the resorts are sufficiently dressed up that it can be a bit jarring if you arrive before Thanksgiving, going from not-Christmas at home to full-swing Christmas everywhere you look at the resort.

Several of the Deluxe resorts have life-size seasonal gingerbread displays, such as the moving gingerbread carousel shown above. These displays are accompanied by a variety of gingerbread treats for sale (the menu is different at each resort), and are truly impressive in their scope and scale.

If you’re taking a break from the parks, then hopping between resorts to see the decorations can be a lovely way to spend the afternoon. Public areas are open to guests not staying at the resort at Disney World, but you’ll need to consider transportation. Gate security to the parking lots at most Disney World resorts will turn you away if you don’t have a hotel or dining reservation, so planning to arrive on Disney transportation is the most effective.

Have you been to Disney World during the winter holidays? What’s your favorite thing to do? Let us know in the comments!