Darren Wittko 11/2/23 Darren Wittko 11/2/23

How You Can Celebrate the Christmas Season at Magic Kingdom

The magic makers at Holiday Services are a team of designers, decorators and other professionals that set up more than 600 trees, 1,700 wreaths and hang nearly nine miles of garland each year.

Fractal Frenzy: NEW Frozen Holiday Surprise at Magic Kingdom Park

At Magic Kingdom Park, “Frozen” friends from Arendelle will be your hosts for a new celebration never before seen at Walt Disney World.

Join in the celebration of the new Frozen Holiday Surprise as Olaf and more than 100 of his Snowgie siblings decorate Cinderella Castle with festive touches.

Appearing live on stage in new holiday looks, Anna, Elsa, Olaf, and Kristoff each bring something special to the gathering.

Festivities culminate as Elsa adds sparkling finishing touches, transforming Cinderella Castle into a shimmering crystallized palace – a look that will remain throughout the evening.

Bringing this spectacle to life is no small feat, as lighting designers, video technicians, composers, and even a full orchestra worked together to create this new holiday magic.

When will the Cinderella Castle be decorated for Christmas?

Debuting Nov. 7, 2023 “Frozen Holiday Surprise” will occur nightly throughout the holiday season.

Also, families and kids of all ages can enjoy the most wonderful time of the year at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, a separately ticketed event at Magic Kingdom on select nights from November 9 to December 22, 2023.

Holiday Decorations at Walt Disney World

Making Magic: Walt Disney World Holiday Services

The magic makers at Holiday Services are a team of designers, decorators and other professionals that set up more than 600 trees, 1,700 wreaths and hang nearly nine miles of garland each year.

Santa would be proud! How long does all this merry-making take? Almost a full year. As soon as one holiday season wraps up, the Holiday Services team begins preparing for the next year.

Whether they’re creating new items or making sure that existing decor remains merry and bright, our band of specialists ensure that the entire resort sparkles.

Gingerbread Houses at Disney World Hotels

Disney World is known for setting up elaborate gingerbread displays like at Disney’s Grand Floridan Resort and Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Planning and preparation begin a full seven months ahead!

The culinary team at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa starts mixing the fragrant dough for its life-size gingerbread house in May ahead of a two-month curing process.

Individual shapes, from shingles to Mickey cookies, are baked and decorated throughout the summer and then stored for “construction” in November.

The gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian takes three days to build.

6 New Gingerbread Displays at Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

This year, guests can once more enjoy these stunning works of art in six Disney Resort Hotels, including a new display at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. Look for displays – no doubt, with a few new surprises – at these locations.

EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays

Planning for the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays starts a year in advance.

The team focuses on creating dishes and drinks that celebrate the diversity of holiday traditions with comfort foods that inspire warm memories.

During last year’s festival, the culinary team baked more than 250,000 cookies in just five weeks for the event’s Holiday Cookie Stroll.

The EPCOT Festival of the Holidays begins November 24, 2023.

New at EPCOT 2023

This year will bring several “firsts” to the festival.

The all-new fireworks-and-laser spectacular Luminous - Symphony of Us will debut Dec.5, 2023.
With EPCOT being home to The Walt Disney Company’s 100th-anniversary celebration, guests will find beautiful holiday decor at the park entrance commemorating the Disney100 celebration.