The holiday season is right around the corner at Walt Disney World with celebrations kicking off in early November. All 4 parks will be decorated for the season but there is SO MUCH to explore on property if you’re looking to really get into the holiday spirit on your Walt Disney World vacation.
Here are just a few ideas that I recommend you consider squeezing into your trip!
Things to do at Disney World During the Holidays
Visit the Decorated Hotel Lobbies
All of the resorts at Walt Disney World will receive some level of holiday decor but the top resorts to visit for over-the-top decorations are the Deluxe resorts.
You’ll find enormous Christmas trees that are so beautifully decorated, gingerbread house displays, and more!
It’s super easy to visit the Magic Kingdom resorts for a look around, just hop on the resort monorail loop and you’ll have easy access to 3 stunning resorts!
Additionally, all of the resorts in the Boardwalk area are great to visit for their holiday decoations! You can easily access these from the Skyliner or Friendship Boats at EPCOT or Hollywood Studios.
Rent a Golf Cart for a Day at Fort Wilderness
If you’ve never visited Fort Wilderness during the holidays (both Halloween and Christmas) you are totally missing out!! The cabins and campsites at Fort Wilderness are incredible to explore during the holidays.
And not necessarily because of what Disney does; but because of the guests staying at the site. Campers go ALL OUT with the amazing displays they create at their campsites.
Our family rented a golf cart and drove all over in 2019 and it was INCREDIBLE (even though it happened to be raining, haha)! The kids couldn’t even believe some of the decorations we saw!
You can rent a golf cart directly from Disney at Fort Wilderness either in advance by calling (407) 824-2742 or same-day, if available.
They aren’t the cheapest so I really would make a day out of it and consider also dining at Fort Wilderness or doing pony rides, mining for gems, etc.
You also could take the boat over to Fort Wilderness from the Magic Kingdom and walk a few of the campsite loops if you just wanted a little peek at the decor without the extra expense of the golf cart.
Schedule a Holiday Sleigh Ride
Another fun thing to do at Fort Wilderness? Take a Holiday Sleigh Ride!
These fun adventures are back for 2021 and I’m highly considering booking one for my family!
Holiday Sleigh Rides are available from December 1 through December 30, 2021 and are approximately 25 minutes long and can fit 4 adults or 2 adults and 3 small children.
Sleigh Rides are $75 and should be reserved ahead of time online here. You may also find last minute availability the day of.
Dine with Mickey and Friends in their Festive Best
If you’re looking for a festive character meal, look no further than Hollywood & Vine inside of Hollywood Studios.
You’ll typically find Minnie, Mickey, Goofy, and Pluto here during lunch and dinner reservations.
This is a buffet meal that my family really enjoys!
Holiday Dine at Hollywood Vine begins on November 8.
Play Mini Golf at Winter Summerland
Did you know there was Mini Golf on property at Walt Disney World?
The Winter Summerland mini golf courses are super cute and especially fun during the holiday months!
Mini Golf pricing is $12 per child, $14 per adult. This would make a great rest day activity.
Take a Ride on the Jingle Cruise
Did you know that the fan favorite attraction The Jungle Cruise actually transforms into The Jingle Cruise for the holidays at Walt Disney World?
If you love holiday attraction overlays, you most definitely have to take a ride on the Jingle Cruise at Magic Kingdom. You’ll find holiday decor added to the attraction queue and ride scenes and even the Skippers get into the spirit.
Add The Jingle Cruise to your list of must-do’s during the holiday season. Just make sure to either book this early with Genie+ or prepare for long waits!
Watch the Candlelight Processional
The Candlelight Processional is an absolutely beautiful event that takes place on select nights at EPCOT.
Each night, a celebrity narrator tells the story of Christmas. Woven into the production are stirring songs of hope and joy performed by the orchestra and choir.
The Candlelight Processional is truly a beautiful event — add this to your list if your family would enjoy the storytelling and music but know that seats fill up EARLY so grab a spot in line early if this is a must.
If you’d like to guarantee a seat to the show, consider the Candlelight Processional Dining Package.
Complete the Festival of the Holidays Scavenger Hunt with Olaf
One of my kid’s favorite activities at Walt Disney World are the fun scavenger hunts that take place during the seasonal festivals at EPCOT. You can read more about all of the different scavenger hunts here!
During the holiday season, you can search for Olaf throughout the World Showcase. This is a must with kiddos!
Stroll through Themed Christmas Trees at Disney Springs
The Christmas Tree Trail at Disney Springs is a beautiful addition during the holidays and the best part about it is that it’s absolutely free and the trees are available to view all day long!
Definitely make sure you check the decorated trees out if you’re visiting Disney Springs during your vacation.
They’re beautiful to see during the daytime — you can really see all of the intricate details, and at night — when they’re all lit up!
Grab a Drink at Jock Lindsey’s Hanger Bar
Jock Lindsey’s Hanger Bar is a super fun themed spot in Disney Springs to relax and grab a drink that plays on Indiana Jones!
At the holidays, the bar is transformed into Jock Lindsey’s HOLIDAYS Bar and it’s NEXT LEVEL fun!
Not only will you find festive decor decking out the bar, but you’ll also find festive food and drinks too!
Visit the Merry Menagerie Puppets at Animal Kingdom
Do you like adorable animals? Do you like puppets? If you answered YES to either of these obvious questions, then you’re in luck!
The Merry Menagerie Puppets are back at Animal Kingdom this year! Your kids will LOVE this!
Keep an eye out for these adorable animals near the Tree of Life.
Enjoy the Sunset Season’s Greetings Projection Show at Hollywood Studios
Get swept up in scenes of the season as The Hollywood Tower Hotel comes to holly-jolly life with continuously running, colorful projections.
My kids really enjoy these colorful projection shows where they can see familiar characters! Sometimes it will even SNOAP during the show!
I hope this list of fun things to do at Walt Disney World during the holidays is helpful! There are so many other things you can do; I’ll have to expand on this list in another post!
Be sure to follow along on Instagram @brbgoingtodisney if you don’t already do so. I share stories LIVE from the parks each week as well as my top tips for visiting Walt Disney World.
Don’t forget to pin this post for later!
Wow!! This is so good!! Thank you for this awesome list!!
This is so cool! That mini golf looks amazing. Hopefully I can check these out one day! 🤩
Great info and read, thanks Shannon! Got me in the holiday spirit!
Thanks so much! We’re coming from the UK – FINALLY….and will be visiting for the first time for ACTUAL Christmas! We are beyond excited to see it all!
Thanks for sharing this again! We are headed down there in about 2 weeks so we’ll get to see some Christmas decorations during our trip! I don’t think I realized the mini golf was so inexpensive… definitely need to put that on our to do list!