Disney World Christmas Decorations In 2022
When does Disney World decorate for Christmas?
The resorts, especially the deluxe resorts, get really decorated for Christmas. Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Hotel, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Disney’s Beach and Yacht Clubs all typically have spectacular, oversized gingerbread displays. While these incredible gingerbread displays weren’t available in 2020, select displays returned in 2021 and once again in 2022. The resorts also feature magnificent Christmas trees, each decorated in theme with the resorts. While there isn’t a gingerbread display at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, the tree is massive and absolutely spectacular. Select resort restaurants will also be offering holiday menus and specialty food and drink.
No matter where you’re staying, expect some gorgeous holiday decor to fit your resort. But word to the wise: Book a Disney Resort hotel for the holidays as early as possible!
When does Disney take down Christmas decorations?
The decorations in all of the parks and at the resorts typically start coming down during the first week in January . Disney Christmas decorations started coming down by Jan. 5, 2020, and were completely gone after the Disney Marathon Weekend, which took place through Jan. 12. This season, the Marathon will take place from Jan. 4 to 8, 2023.
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When Does Disneyland Decorate For Christmas 2021 Festive Season
It really is the most wonderful time of the year, and where else to spend it but Disneyland?
As the festive season approaches, you might be looking to sort out your plans for the holidays. For Disney fans and non-Disney fans alike , that might mean a trip to the theme park is on the cards.
If youre looking to visit Disneyland this winter, you might be wanting to visit when its at its most magical. So, when can you expect Christmas decorations at the park?
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Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth On The Holiday Cookie Stroll
Do the Cookie Stroll which allows you to go to a few select locations where you buy a cookie and get your passport stamped with a special design.
How does the EPCOT Holiday Cookie Stroll work?
All you have to do is buy a cookie from EACH of the five holiday kitchens notated on the Festival Passport. After you have tasted every cookie listed on your itinerary, you will return your stamped passport to the Holiday Sweets & Treats kitchen to receive a special cookie.
Epcot Holiday Cookie Scavenger Hunt Locations:
- Yukon Holiday Kitchen: SNICKERS®-Doodle Cookie made with SNICKERS bar pieces
- LChaim! Holiday Kitchen: Black and White Cookie
- American Holiday Table: Chocolate Crinkle Cookie made with DOVE® Dark Chocolate
- Bavaria Holiday Kitchen: Linzer Cookie
- Holiday Hearth Desserts: Gingerbread Cookie
Watch Sunset Greetings On The Hollywood Tower Of Terror Hotel
The SunsetSeasons Greetings is a projection show that takes place at the park andfeatures some pretty cool light and laser effects complete with falling snow atSunset Boulevard.
The event is meant to mesmerize you with all the colorful lights and stories showing snowy Arendelle, the Muppets, a Toy Story toy hotel, and a Dickensian village inspired by Mickeys Christmas Carol.
Youll also see the hotel transforms into the Beacon of Magic in honor of the 50th Anniversary Celebration in between its holiday décor!
The holiday show will also alternate with the towers nightly transformation into a Beacon of Magic.
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World Of Color Season Of Light At California Adventure Park
It happens every night, with two shows every eveningthe first show between 8 pm and 9 pm, and the second show between 9:15 pm and 10:15 pm.
It is a beautiful spectacle of light, water, and music, playing Disney classics and holiday music while the water fountains and lights move to the music, so high it looks like it is in the sky. An absolute must-see!
My Ideal Day For You At California Adventure
California Adventure includes a simpler plan that what youll find at Disneyland.
As with any day, arrive an hour prior to park opening and follow one of my strategies in this post.
This will allow you to complete ALL attractions by early afternoon. Once youre finished, return to your hotel room to rest, nap, swim, etc. Then, head back to DCA early evening to see the Christmas tree lighting, enjoy the Festival of Holidays, visit Santa Claus, repeat favorite attractions, and to see more holiday entertainment.
Start your afternoon entertainment line up with Mickeys Happy Holidays that starts around 4:00pm. Catch this at Carthay Circle. Mickeys Happy Holidays is the live entertainment that floats through the park with the Holiday Toy Drummers leading the way. Its so much fun to see. The Christmas Tree lighting is at 5:00pm each day. No need to arrive early for this. Walk up just a few minutes prior and make sure you have a view of the tree. Its located at the end of Buena Vista Street, in front of Elias & Company.
After the tree lighting, head to Grizzly Peak to see Santa at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. I much prefer my kids see Santa here rather than Disneyland, as the set up is entirely magical. Santa is at DCA from 9:00am to 6:45pm. Go here after the tree lighting so you dont risk missing him. I share more on Santa here.
I also recommend you make time for the Feliz Navidad Street Party.
Disney describes this as:
- 1:45pm
- 6:15pm
- 7:15pm
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Its A Small World Shows
Every night there are two separate shows to watch. The first one, Its a Small World Holiday Lighting show is the magical moment when the whimsical facade lights up in a dazzling display with thousands of festive twinkling lights. This show takes place every night only ONCE at 5:15 pm. You dont want to miss the amazing views when they turn the lights ON!! No need to arrive early just show up to see the magic!
Also be sure to watch the cutest projection show Tick-Tock Tidings on the exterior of Its a Small World throughout the night. There are several opportunities to see this fun 2 minute holiday show! This show is projections on the facade dancing to music. It happens nightly every 30 minutes. Most nights it starts at 5:30 pm, but skips 6:00 pm because the parade is going on, then resumes at 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:00, 8:30, 9:00, 10:00, 10:30, 11:00, 11:30 pm depending on how late the park is open.
Disney World Resort Christmas Decorations Near Epcot
We cant figure out which display we were more wowed by … Grand Floridians life-size gingerbread house or Beach Club’s moving gingerbread carousel. Well have to call it a tie! Each year, the display changes themes last year was Peter Pan and this year is The Little Mermaid! Many characters make an appearance, such as Sebastian, Flounder, Scuttle, Max and even the evil eels, Flotsam and Jetsam. Each horse represents a main character, including Ursula, Prince Eric, King Triton and Ariel herself. There’s also a subtle 50th-anniversary theme with EARidescent snowflakes on top. The pastry chefs who worked over 600 hours on the carousel are recognized on Santa’s Nice List. Can you guess who’s on the Naughty List?
Crafted with care, the 2021 carousel includes the following ingredients:
- 432 lbs. honey
Disney’s Yacht Club Resort has our favorite themed decorations. Trees, garland and wreaths alike are abundant with every type of boat you could imagine to match their nautical theme. No detail was forgotten one sailboat even features a lifejacket! Binoculars and other perfectly matching ornaments hang upon the large lobby tree.
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Does Disneyland Decorate For All Holidays
Disneyland does not decorate for all holidays, but they do try to incorporate some of the major holidays into the parks with decorations.
If you are interested in a particular holiday, and you dont see it on this list, chances are they do not decorate for it. If you would like to see this changed, we suggest submitting a suggestion toDisneyland guest relations.
Disneyland Park Christmas Food
- Churros: Chocolate-Cinnamon Churro , Groom Churro , Bride Churro , Pink Coconut Churro , Holiday Cookie Churro
- Alien Pizza Planet: Chicken Parmesan Pizza, Tomato Cream Pasta, Green Alien Holiday Macaron
- Blue Bayou Restaurant: 31 Royal Street Signature Julep, Cookie Butter Crème Brûlée with cookie crumbles and chocolate brownie
- Café Orleans: Hot Cocoa Crème Brûlée topped with marshmallow chantilly and served with sugar cookies
- Carnation Café: Herb-roasted Pork Sandwich
- French Market: Smothered Beef with mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, caramelized onions and roasted garlic au jus, Haunted Mansion Holiday Wreath Cookie, Wedding Cake
- Galactic Grill: Specialty Burger, Peppermint-Mocha Frappé, Caramel Pecan Brownie Parfait
- Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor: Peppermint Holiday Sundae
- Refreshment Corner: Spicy Meatball Sandwich
- Golden Horseshoe: Churro Funnel Cakeà la Mode
- Harbour Galley: Seafood Boil for Two
- Hungry Bear Restaurant: Spicy BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger, Honey Cream Cold Brew, Pumpkin Cheesecake Funnel Cake
- Ice Cream and Vending Carts: Cinnamon Cotton Candy
- Jolly Holiday Bakery Café: Turkey Noodle Soup, Holiday Brownie with white chocolate mousse, holiday sprinkles, and decorations, Chocolate-Mint Macaron with white peppermint cream filling and rich chocolate ganache, Holiday Sandwich, Maple Walnut Cheesecake, Mickey Gingerbread
- Mickey Gingerbread
- Tropical Hideaway: Holiday DOLE Whip Sundae
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Tips For Visiting Disneyland At Christmas
1. Arrive early to get a head start on the crowds. The parks tend to be most crowded in the afternoon, so if you can, aim to arrive when they open.
2. Consider buying a park hopper ticket. This will allow you to visit both Disneyland and California Adventure in one day, and can help you make the most of your time.
3. Be sure to check out the holiday decorations. Both parks are decked out for Christmas, and its definitely worth taking some time to see the lights and other festive touches.
4. Make sure to try some of the seasonal food offerings. There are plenty of special treats available during Christmastime, so be sure to sample a few!
5. If youre traveling with kids, consider staying at one of the Disneyland Resort hotels. This can make your trip more convenient and enjoyable, and will give you access to extra perks like early park admission.
6. Purchase Disney Genie+ to lessen wait times for popular rides on busy dasy.
Festive Holiday Treats For Maximum Holiday Cheer
If you have a sweet tooth , youll love to see and taste all of the delicious treats available to help you celebrate Christmas at Disneyland! There is a churro to please everyone including Sugarplum Candy, Gingersnap and Churro Bites with eggnog gelato and caramel sauce. Around the parks youll find Candy Cane Beignets at the Mint Julep Bar, Cinnamon Caramel Corn at the outdoor carts, and a Minnie Wreath Doughnut filled with chocolate peppermint ganache.
Grab a food guide inside the parks . This double-sided pamphlet outlines all the seasonal eats in both park, along with some images and locations to find all.
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Festival Of Holidays Food Galore
Festival of Holidays offers flavors of the season at a variety of kiosks in the Park. Entry to Festival of Holidays is included in your park ticket and takes place inside Disney California Adventure park. Request a Tasting Passport. This little booklet includes a map with details on all the food and drinks available for purchase during the Festival. If you have specific dining issues see the key next to each item or refer to the index in the back of the booklet.
Dining options range from sweet to savory and there are beverages both alcoholic and non. I was able to sample several of the options during the Festival of Holidays. The Turkey & Stuffing Tamale with Cranberry Relish at the Merry Mashups kiosk was delicious and flavorful. Winter Sliderland kiosk offered the Beef Pot Roast on a Potato Roll with Horseradish Cream, which was amazing! Holiday Stuffing Mac & Cheese from the Favorite Things kiosk is cant miss. For dessert, the Carmelized Apple Cake and Hot Cocoa Marshmallow Macaron are both rich and large enough for sharing.
Top Rated Disneyland Christmas Attractions
Disneyland goes all out at Christmas time, especially on two of its classic rides, It’s a Small World and Haunted Mansion.
The Haunted Mansion Holiday is an amazing overlay based on the Disney film, The Nightmare before Christmas. You won’t want to miss the gingerbread house display that actually gives off a gingerbread fragrance.
For it’s a Small World Holiday, about 250,000 lights have been added to the outside of the ride and 30,000 to the inside. There are snowmen, icicles, and snowflakes in addition to the animatronic dolls singing Deck the Halls and Jingle Bells. Even for those visitors that wouldn’t normally visit this ride, you will want to take the time to do so. I guarantee it will take your breath away.
You can also view a short projection show that lights up the attraction every 15 minutes for the it’s a small world holiday.
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When Do The Christmas Decorations Go Up At Magic Kingdom
Q: When does Magic Kingdom take down their Halloween decorations and replace them with Christmas Decorations?
A: With Halloween just a few weeks away, its no wonder this is a question thats cropping up a lot this week with families who have set their sites on November/December visits to Walt Disney World.
The short answer is blink and you just may miss this transition. Mickeys final Not-So-Scary Halloween Party takes place at the Magic Kingdom on November 1st. Up until that point, youll continue to see the Magic Kingdom all adorned in its Spooktacular finery. However, visit on November 2nd and its a slightly different story.
Nearly as quickly as the Halloween decorations went up at the end of Summer, they will promptly start to disappear at the beginning of November to make way for the Yuletide Season. The first Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party will take place on November 9th which means that the majority of decorations need to be swapped out within days.
Check out this official video from 2012 of Magic Kingdom transforming the night of October 31st from Halloween to Christmas:
Visitors planning to hit the parks for some early November Christmas magic should note that not all the decorations are guaranteed to up the beginning of November. Resorts tend to get their holiday finery up a bit later than the theme parks.
Image copyright Disney.
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When Is Magic Kingdom Decorated For Christmas In 2022
Lets start with the most popular theme park in the world the Magic Kingdom. So as many of you know Disney hosts its popular Halloween events until November 1st. So when does Magic Kingdom switch from Halloween to Christmas? Unofficially November 2nd -3rd as Disney has had a reputation for transitioning the Magic Kingdom into a winter wonderland overnight. You can even check out this amazing time lapse video on the official Disney Blog. As you can see the Imagineers quickly turn Main Street USA is magically transoformed into a winter wonderland, the day after the last Halloween party.
Officially though, the Holiday season at the Magic Kingdom park begins on November 6th. That is really when almost all of the 2022 Magic Kingdom Christmas decorations are up, and Disney lights Cinderellas castle. Although this date might seem like its early to some, it makes complete sense as historically Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Partystarts November 7th or 8th.
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Festival Of Holidays At Disney California Adventure And The Best Disneyland Christmas Food
The main celebration that takes place in California Adventure is the Festival of Holidays which includes dining booths with unique food items from all over the world along with holiday entertainment in the parade corridors of the park.
The show stopper of this event are the Festive Food Marketplaces where you can find a glorious amount of international and local holiday specialties.
Disneyland at Christmas is not complete without an assortment of great food and the Festival of Holidays has you covered when you’re in California Adventure. Here are the essential details you need to know:
- Sip and Savor Pass: this pass gives guests the chance to choose from eight different dishes or non-alcoholic beverages. You can purchase the pass at various locations throughout the park, including Festival Merchandise Carts, Seaside Souvenirs, Kingswell Camera Shop, and Rushin River Outfitters.
- I recommend looking at the foodie guide before purchasing in case you have any picky eaters in your cohort.
To be honest, I just went for all the dessert when we visited the marketplace booths and they did not disappoint.
Mickey and Minnie are decked out in festive outfits for the occasion.
Disneyland Hours December 2022
All through December Disneyland celebrates the holiday season with special decorations. The weeks with Christmas and New Years are popular vacation weeks, so in most years, Disneyland opens earlier and closes later to handle the holiday crowds.
Disneyland Park is expected to close early some nights due to a separate ticket event at Disneyland Park on select nights in November and December 2022.
During the week between Christmas and New Years, both Disneyland California and Disney California Adventure parks will be open, but it is likely that tickets will sell out well in advance so make your plans early!
What are the Disneyland Hours of Operation for December? See the Disneyland opening and closing times during December in the following table. If it says “tent”, that means the hours are tentative, based upon last years hours. These will be updated when Disney posts the hours 4-6 weeks in advance.
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