These days, it can be hard to keep up with all the changes and updates happening around Disney World.

From one day to the next, things are a bit different. We do our best to keep track of it all so you don’t have to, and so far, 2023 sounds like it could be one heck of a year for Disney World! If you’re heading to the parks in 2023 or are thinking about planning a trip, these are the dates you should know!

UPDATE: It’s a NEW YEAR! If you’re looking for Disney World Dates to Know for 2024, CLICK HERE!

September 22nd – December 31st, 2023: Disney 100th Anniversary Celebration in EPCOT

EPCOT is serving as the HOST of the 100th Anniversary celebration in Walt Disney World! The festivities officially kicked off on September 22, 2023 and will last through December 31, 2023. 

LOTS of new additions have joined the park for the occasion, including a new, platinum Mickey Mouse statue, a character-filled mural, and more platinum decorations in World Celebration, and an evening light show on Spaceship Earth (set to “When You Wish Upon a Star”). And of course, Mickey and Minnie are decked out in their best for a new meet and greet in the Imagination! pavilion.

Click HERE to check out everything you need to know about the Disney100 Celebration!

November 7th through the Holiday Season: Frozen Holiday Surprise Debuts at Magic Kingdom

It’s the MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR… the HOLIDAY SEASON in Disney World!

A new Frozen show is now taking place in front of Cinderella Castle throughout the holiday season called “Frozen Holiday Surprise.” This new show brings Olaf and more than a hundred of his Snowgie siblings along with Anna, Elsa, and Kristoff in new holiday looks to decorate the castle for the festivities. The show culminates with Elsa adding shimmering and sparking touches which “transform Cinderella Castle into a shimmering crystallized palace.”

This show kicked off on November 7th and is occurring nightly throughout the holiday season. There will be two performances on nights when Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is taking place in Magic Kingdom: one at 6:15PM and another at 8:15PM. On nights when there’s no holiday party, only one show, starting at 6:15PM, will take place. (You do NOT need to have a ticket for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in order to see the show, since that 6:15 show takes place BEFORE the exclusive holiday party begins!)

Click HERE to see more of Frozen Holiday Surprise!

November 8th, 2023 – January 4th, 2024: Minnie’s Holiday Dine Begins at Hollywood & Vine

As of November 8th, you can now celebrate the winter holidays alongside Minnie and her friends at Minnie’s Holiday Dine at Hollywood & Vine in Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

Minnie’s Holiday Dine will run through January 4th, and January 5th will welcome the Silver Screen Dine to kick of the year’s Seasonal Dines!

November 9th through December 22nd: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

This year Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is taking place on 25 select nights from November 9th through December 22nd, 2023!

Once inside, guests enjoy plenty of festive fun only available at the Party!  

Find our everything about Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party HERE

November 10th through the Holiday Season: Christmas Tree Stroll in Disney Springs

On November 10th, holiday festivities kicked off in Disney Springs including the return of the Christmas Tree Stroll!

And don’t forget that you can visit Santa at the Once Upon a Toy gift shop (click HERE for details on joining the Virtual Queue to meet him), check out the festive offerings at Jock Lindsey’s HOLIDAY Bar, and more!

November 11th through December 20th: Jollywood Nights DEBUTS at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Say hello to Disney’s newest holiday event! Disney Jollywood Nights is a new, separately ticketed event at Disney’s Hollywood Studios that is now running on ten select nights from November 11th through December 20th, 2023. 

As part of the event, guests can view the Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! nighttime fireworks and projections spectacular, enjoy exclusive treats, meet rare characters, and more! Tickets are NOW ON SALE.

Click HERE for LOTS of details on Jollywood Nights!

November 24th through December 30th: EPCOT Festival of the Holidays

We’re closing out the EPCOT festival lineup in style — the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays celebrates traditions and cuisines from around the globe. Plus, who wouldn’t want to attend an event with something called a Cookie Stroll?!

All the eats, entertainment, merchandise, and special events you expect from EPCOT festivals can be found at this one too — but with a festive holiday twist! The event is ON RIGHT NOW from November 24th through December 30th. 

Find out everything you need to know about the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays HERE!

November 24th through December 30th: EPCOT Candlelight Processional

A beloved EPCOT tradition and absolute highlight of the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays is the Candlelight Processional, and it has returned along with the Festival from November 24th through December 30th, 2023.

A celebrity narrator shares the Christmas story accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and choir (composed of a Disney Cast Member choir along with an ever-changing group of guest choirs from around the country).

Click HERE for all of the Candlelight Processional details!

November 30th, 2023: The Hatbox Ghost Has Materialized in Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion

If you’ve been to Disneyland — or seen this year’s Haunted Mansion film — you might be familiar with the Hatbox Ghost, one of the spooky characters that inhabit the mansion at the ride in Disneyland Park. Even though this haunting character is well-known for living (or, umm… NOT living) in Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion attraction, he hadn’t previously appeared in Disney World’s Haunted Mansion ride…but that has now changed!

The Hatbox Ghost has been added to the Haunted Mansion in Magic Kingdom! You can see him near the endless hallway scene in the ride.

Check out the Hatbox Ghost in Disney World here!

December 2023

December 4th: EET by Maneet Chauhan Opened in Disney Springs

EET — a new restaurant by James Beard Award-winning chef and Food Network star Maneet Chauhan together with hospitality entrepreneur Vivek Deora — has officially opened in Disney Springs!

The new location serves Indian cuisine. Disney shares that EET presents a “modern, fun Indian-inspired concept.”

Click HERE to check out the NEW restaurant, EET by Maneet Chauhan!

December 5th: Luminous The Symphony of Us Debuted at EPCOT

A BRAND NEW nighttime spectacular made its debut on December 5th, 2023 in honor of Disney 100 Years of Wonder: Luminous The Symphony Of Us!

Disney shares that the show is meant to “reflect the commonality in all of us,” and that the show invites “everyone to gather around World Showcase Lagoon for a show that will unite us through commonalities of the heart in a dazzling display of fireworks, lasers, music and light. Featuring an original composition along with select songs from the Disney songbook, this new spectacular will remind us that we’re more alike than different, connecting our hearts together as one.”

The show features lots of effects and a beautiful musical score.

Click HERE to find out more about Luminous!

December 5th: “Walt the Dreamer” Statue Debuted at EPCOT

The Walt the Dreamer statue officially opened to guests in EPCOT on December 5th, 2023–in celebration of Walt’s birthday. The statue features Walt sitting, “dreaming up the overall Florida Project and the Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow, EPCOT.”

Walt sits in the new World Celebration Gardens, at Dreamer’s Point, overlooking all that he dreamed up as it sits today. Four gardens can be found in the center of World Celebration, including Dreamer’s Point, and connect together at a central planter that is based on the EPCOT logo.

The area evolves with the seasons and includes lighting elements that “take on a whole new life” at night.

Click HERE to check out more about “Walt the Dreamer” and the World Celebration Gardens!

December 14th: Summer House on the Lake Opened

Summer House on the Lake opened on December 14, 2023 in Disney Springs! You’ll find it on the West Side near Jaleo, Splitsville, and Salt & Straw.

So that means YOU can look forward to California-inspired bites including everything from pizza and pasta to fresh salads and sandwiches during your next visit to Disney Springs! (Oh, and don’t forget the weekend BRUNCH!) You can enjoy any of these meals on one of the three expansive patios. And tucked inside Summer House on the Lake you’ll find The Cookie Bar! The Cookie Bar is “a dessert-focused market” that serves “freshly baked cookies and house-made pastries.”

Step INSIDE Summer House on the Lake with us!

December 30th and 31st: Magic Kingdom Fantasy in the Sky Fireworks Welcome the New Year

Magic Kingdom shows an exclusive New Year’s fireworks display, ‘Fantasy In The Sky’, and the production will be playing two nights this year — on both December 30th and December 31st at two times each day, 6:30PM and 11:50PM — to welcome 2024!

The fireworks display is a fantastic display that culminates in a huge finale right as the clock strikes midnight. It’s a very cool way to celebrate the upcoming year!

UPDATE: It’s a NEW YEAR! If you’re looking for Disney World Dates to Know for 2024, CLICK HERE!

Whether you’ve already got a trip planned to Disney World in 2023 or are just starting to think about planning one, keep these dates in mind so you can be prepared for your visit.

We’ve got a great resource for you when you plan your NEXT Disney World trip – our DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining. We wrote our ebook after decades of visiting Disney World, so that we could help you have a stress-free vacation! Click here and use code WDW2023 to get 25% off!

As always, stay tuned to DFB for the latest Disney World planning tips and news!

A Month-By-Month Guide To Planning Your 2023 Disney World Vacation

Are you planning a 2023 Disney World vacation? Let us know in the comments!