There is so much to see and experience at Walt Disney World during the holidays, and EPCOT definitely is a must-visit! The Festival of the Holidays celebration is my FAVORITE EPCOT festival of the year! This festival runs November 29 – December 30.
Thank you to Disney for inviting me to the Festival of the Holidays media preview event! Rest assured, everything I share here is honest and my own opinion.
Let’s take a look at some of the fun things you can find at EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays!
Delicious Holiday Kitchens
Just like other EPCOT festivals, the Festival of the Holidays features food booths (also called Holiday Kitchens) throughout the World Showcase. There are a total of 13 booths for this festival and they all feature delicious offerings with lots of holiday fun!
I love the festival kitchens because the bites are small enough that you can try a variety of different dishes (rather than filling up on one typical meal!). These are also a great use of Disney Dining Plan snack credits! Save room and be sure to stop by the booths!
Cookie Stroll
If you or your kiddos are big cookie fans, you’ll definitely want to check out the super fun Cookie Stroll! As you visit different festival kitchens, there will be a variety of cookies available. Once you purchase the cookies, you’ll get your Festival of the Holidays Passport stamped! Once you try all 5, you’ll get a free specialty cookie as a prize for completing the stroll!
This is a fun (and tasty!) activity for kiddos and is actually a great value in my opinion ($12.50 total for 6 cookies).
Chip & Dale’s Christmas Tree Spree Scavenger Hunt
The scavenger hunts offered at EPCOT during their festivals are my kid’s FAVORITES! These are a great way to keep your kiddo entertained as you take your time enjoying the decor and booths throughout the World Showcase.
To participate in the scavenger hunt, purchase a map ($6.99) and be on the lookout for Chip n Dale in each country throughout the World Showcase. As you find the characters, mark your map with the stickers provided. Once you’ve completed the scavenger hunt, you can redeem your prize — this year, they’re ornaments!
My kids love this activity. It’s a lot of fun for them to search for the characters throughout the countries and it’s also a great way to really enjoy the holiday decor in each pavilion.
Special Holiday Merchandise
During the Festival of the Holidays at EPCOT, you’ll find so much fun holiday merchandise! There’s t-shirts and spirit jerseys, an adorable lightbulb purse, ornaments, and so much more to shop!
NEW! Living with the Land Holiday Overlay
Want to experience the twinkle of Christmas lights at the parks? Well, now you can do that on the Living with the Land ride! This holiday overlay is brand new for 2019!
If you ride after the sun sets, the outdoor portion of the ride has been transformed! You’ll find so many light displays throughout the greenhouses! This is a MUST for holiday fun!
Festive Characters & Storytellers
All year long you’ll find so many fun characters throughout the World Showcase — especially princesses! During the holidays, some of the characters will be wearing festive outfits — like Belle!
AND there are so many holiday-specific character additions, like Pere Noel in France, Father Christmas in the UK, the Chinese Lion Dancer in China, and SO MANY more! These characters are considered Storytellers because they put on fun little shows! Definitely check the Times Guide for the storyteller showtimes and make sure you watch a few!
Meet Santa & Mrs. Claus
Since having children, it’s been a favorite tradition of mine to meet Santa at Walt Disney World — just say no to Santa mall crowds HAHA! There are a few different places that you can find Santa throughout the parks and Disney Springs, but you can meet BOTH Santa and Mrs. Clause in the American Adventure pavilion at EPCOT.
Candlelight Processional
The Candlelight Processional is truly breathtaking. When I attended last year, I was overcome with chills just taking it all in. A celebrity narrator tells the story of Christmas while a truly talented choir and orchestra perform beautiful Christmas songs.
This is one of the very best holiday offerings at all of Walt Disney World. If this is a must on your list, I definitely recommend booking a Candlelight Processional Dining Package to ensure you get a seat.
Will you be visiting EPCOT during the holidays this year?
Be sure to checkout my Animal Kingdom Holiday Fun post too!
Thanks again to Disney for inviting me to the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays media preview! 🙂
