Walt Disney World has announced Christmas dates & details, with new info about some of the entertainment, decorations, food, etc. at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, Disney Springs, and the hotels. In this post, we’ll share everything revealed today as part of the “Halfway to the Holidays” celebration, and offer commentary about what’s coming, what’s (likely) cancelled, and what’s still unknown.
This year, Walt Disney World has announced it will celebrate Christmas beginning on November 11, 2023. That’s the same date as last year, but a Saturday instead of a Friday, which I don’t recall ever happening. So either there’s a typo on the official DisneyWorld.com holidays page, or things are kicking off on a Saturday.
According to that same page, the holiday season will end on December 31, 2023. Last year, most holiday entertainment concluded on that date. EPCOT’s Festival of the Holidays ends on December 30, and decorations come down there to prepare for the big New Year’s Eve bash. Everywhere else, music and decorations will gradually go down in the first week or so of January 2024. (Outside of EPCOT and entertainment, it’s common for Christmas to unofficially continue through Marathon Weekend.)
Turning to the substantive news, let’s start with Magic Kingdom. Walt Disney World already confirmed that Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party will be held on select nights in November and December 2023.
See Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party 2023 Prices, Dates & Details at Disney World for full details, dates, ticket prices, and more than a little commentary!
Magic Kingdom will also be home to something new for Christmas 2023. For the first time in forever, guests will be able to join Elsa, Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, and the Snowgies in front of Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom for “Frozen Holiday Surprise,”
This is a brand new Frozen-inspired entertainment experience that will illuminate the castle in a whole new way. (I assume “a whole new way” is code for “a way that’s cheaper than installing physical icicle lights” which itself is code for “projections.”)
The new “Frozen Holiday Surprise” can be seen during regular park hours and during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
Sticking with what’s new, the hard-ticket Disney Jollywood Nights Christmas Party debuts over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the 2023 holiday season.
See Disney Jollywood Nights Christmas Party Coming to Hollywood Studios for full details, dates, ticket prices, and more than a little commentary!
Also at DHS, Sunset Seasons Greetings returns to the Hollywood Holiday Tower Hotel on Sunset Boulevard.
This park icon will twinkle with projection effects, transforming into a snowy corner of Arendelle, a Muppets gingerbread masterpiece, a Toy Story toy hotel, and a Dickensian village inspired by “Mickey’s Christmas Carol.” As with the Cinderella Castle projections, this holiday show will also alternate with the tower’s nightly transformation into a Beacon of Magic.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Echo Lake is once again expected to get decked out for the holidays. This is one of our “sleeper spots” for Christmas at Walt Disney World. We could sit on a bench in front of Santa Gertie for hours, just soaking up the atmosphere and listening to the great background music.
At Toy Story Land, you can once again spot Woody, Jessie and Buzz sporting their holiday best. (This means scarves and/or Santa hats.)
Also at DHS, Minnie Mouse will be hosting a yuletide feast at Hollywood & Vine at Disney’s Hollywood Studios with the return of Minnie’s Holiday Dine (which we absolutely love). Santa Goofy will be there, along with Minnie and others in their holiday finery.
Continuing with characters, you will also be able to enjoy “For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration,” with its festive finale featuring Olaf.
The biggest Christmas “character” of all is, of course, Santa Claus.
Jolly Old St. Nick will make special appearances throughout Walt Disney World in all four parks, Disney Springs and even at a water park, where you’ll find him dressed in his tropical holiday beachwear.
At EPCOT, Santa Claus will join storytellers from around the world as a part of the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays.
Other performers around World Showcase will include the Canadian Holiday Voyageurs, Las Posadas with Mariachi Cobre, the Chinese Lion Dance, and various holiday storytellers. Here’s hoping Sigrid and Christmas Gnome Julenissen return to Norway!
Speaking of which, the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays will return this year, from November 24 through December 30, 2023.
This will feature Holiday Kitchens around the park, performances by Voices of Liberty, the Cookie Stroll, and more.
Candlelight Processional also returns once again during the 2023 EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. Beginning November 23, this long-standing tradition of heartwarming holiday performances at America Gardens Theatre.
We don’t have specifics about narrators, dining packages, or anything else, but that’s common–those usually aren’t announced until late summer into early fall. We’ll update our Guide to the 2023 Candlelight Processional at EPCOT the moment any additional news is released!
Also at EPCOT, no word yet on whether Walt Disney World’s new Marvel roller coaster is getting a holiday overlay for the second consecutive year.
We experienced Guardians of the Galaxy: Holiday Rewind several times last year and were underwhelmed. Honestly, I hope that it’s a one and done, as the one-song “overlay” really missed the mark for us. I like the holiday single even less the “Conga.” (No offense to Gloria Estefan or her fans!)
Turning to more of what is confirmed as returning, Animal Kingdom will come alive with the return of a Merry Menagerie of winter animals realized in the form of life-size, artisan-sculpted puppets. During the day, Discovery Island is alive with a life-size “Merry Menagerie” of artisan-sculpted puppets that include reindeer, foxes, polar bears, penguins, birds, seals—and probably other critters we missed.
These winter animals are accompanied by serenading live musicians who mingle amongst guests and the Merry Menagerie of critters to create festive atmosphere. Seriously, these puppets are something special–truly some Real Christmas Magic at Walt Disney World!
No word yet on what else is happening at Animal Kingdom for Christmas, but that’s not uncommon.
Our expectation is that the Tree of Life Awakenings – Holiday Edition will make its return. These beauty scenes of wintry wonderlands are accompanied by a heartwarming musical score.
Walt Disney World resort hotels will be decked out for the holidays, with their lobbies featuring iconic trees and other festive flourishes. Definitely good news for fans of Wilderness Lodge, Grand Floridian, Animal Kingdom, and other holiday favorites.
Additionally, select gingerbread displays will once again be part of the holiday season at Walt Disney World! Select resorts will also offer holiday menus and specialty food & drink at their restaurants.
At Disney Springs, the Christmas Tree Stroll will once again return. These elaborately decorated, Disney-themed trees will consist of returning favorites plus some new dazzling décor.
Additionally, nightly snowfall will add a touch of wonder for holiday shoppers in Town Center.
Ultimately, it sounds like this is the “new normal” for Christmas at Walt Disney World. There are still a handful of things that have not been announced as returning as compared to pre-closure, but it’s likely some or most of that is gone for good. Honestly, this is a tad disappointing, as Walt Disney World used the (totally valid) explanation of physical distancing and avoiding crowds back in 2020 when suspending certain offerings, and then the (less valid) excuse of the 50th Anniversary celebration for the last two years. That’s now over, and yet, things aren’t back to 100%.
With that said, it’s only mid-June (less than two months until Halloween season!), which is still early. This is not presented as an exhaustive lineup of Walt Disney World’s Christmas 2023 entertainment and offerings. Several more things will almost certainly be announced in the coming months, which is what happened the last few years. This is merely a teaser for this #HalfwaytotheHolidays (or Christmas in June/July), so here’s hoping that Walt Disney World has more surprises up its sleeve!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
What do you think of this Walt Disney World news? What about Christmas entertainment, decorations, and various offerings this year? Will you be disappointed if there aren’t lights up for the holidays? Do you agree or disagree with our assessments? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
