“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!” November 6 – December 30, 2020 marks the Holiday Season and brings all sorts of festivities to Walt Disney World!

This page reflects the holiday happenings in Disney World for 2020. To see what’s in store for the 2021 festivities, click HERE!

Yuletide decorations, merry entertainment, seasonal snacks and merchandise and MUCH more are ALL part of celebrating the season this year in Walt Disney World! The merriment is found throughout the entire Resort. We’re making a list — and checking it twice! — of all the yuletide happenings on this page so you can plan for all of the festive FUN!

Magic Kingdom

Though Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party has been canceled for 2020, that hasn’t stopped Mickey and our Disney pals from delivering plenty of yuletide cheer to the MAGIC KINGDOM!

There’s nothing quite like Main Street, U.S.A. when it’s all dressed up for Christmas… and the “halls” of Magic Kingdom are decked indeed with festive decorations!

See the Magic Kingdom all dressed up for the holiday season here!

Even Cinderella Castle is adorned this year… albeit, in a new way.

Special projection effects deliver a festive look to Cinderella Castle while providing a colorful backdrop for guests in their yuletide photos! Rotating images include a “whimsical” Christmas sweater and an overlay of red, green and gold ornamentation.

Please note that the projections take the place of the Castle Dream Lights for this year.

See the NEW Cinderella Castle yuletide projections — in pics AND video — here!

Speaking of adornment… the Disney Characters are wearing their holiday finest as they make appearances in Holiday Character Cavalcades throughout the day!

Even better, they are joined by Gingerbread Men, Elves, and Reindeer along the merry way.

And look who else decided to join in the merriment… SANTA CLAUS!

And you may even see the famous Toy Soldiers marching alongside the Main Street Philharmonic!

There are ALL SORTS of seasonal surprises in store…

Find pics AND videos of ALL of the Magic Kingdom Holiday Cavalcades here!

Of course, what’s a holiday celebration without FOOD?

See ALL of the seasonal snacks at Magic Kingdom — with reviews! — here!

EPCOT

The Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays is taking place from November 27 – December 31, 2020!

Highlights include the return of the popular Holiday Kitchens, serving traditional holiday cuisine from around the globe.

Visit our 2020 EPCOT Festival of the Holidays Food Booths page for all the Holiday Kitchen details here!

While the Candlelight Processional is not taking place this year, specialty entertainment for the Festival features JOYFUL! performing R&B, Gospel, contemporary, and traditional Christmas and holiday music in World ShowPlace.

And the Voices of Liberty shares “Voices of the Season” at the America Gardens Theatre stage.

Las Posadas with Mariachi Cobre is being performed at the Theatre stage, as well.

And you can catch the high-energy JAMMitors at the Mill Stage in the Canada pavilion!

Find ALL of the information for the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays here!

Be on the lookout for Holiday Promenades featuring Disney characters, which bring joy to guests around World Showcase throughout the day!

And, yes… even SANTA CLAUS is getting in on the Holiday Promenade fun!

Enjoy VIDEOS and pictures of EPCOT’s Holiday Promenades here!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is ALL DECKED OUT for the HOLIDAYS!

And the decor is truly unique to this stunning park!

Yuletide Character Cavalcades can also be enjoyed as Festive Flotillas carry characters (AND SANTA!) along Discovery River!

See the Animal Kingdom Holiday Character Cruises here!

In the evenings, guests can enjoy beautiful views of the Tree of Life as Holiday Editions of the “Tree of Life Awakenings” bring stories to life through beautiful projections on the Tree!

See MORE evening decorations at Animal Kingdom here!

Animal Kingdom isn’t left out of the Season’s EATINGS, either…

See ALL of the seasonal snacks at Animal Kingdom — with reviews! — here!

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Happy Holidays from Hollywood Studios!

Guests will be delighted by Merry Motorcades featuring Disney characters — and SANTA CLAUS! — throughout the day in Disney’s Hollywood Studios!

And if you’re looking for a place to grab some posed pictures of Mickey and Minnie and the gang dressed in their holiday best, look no further than Hollywood & Vine Restaurant!

This table service restaurant presents a modified character dining experience as Minnie’s Holiday Dine takes place through January 4th. 

See our FULL REVIEW of Minnie’s Holiday Dine here!

Olaf’s Frozen Adventure once again brings a holiday overlay to For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration!

Sing along with Olaf and our friends from Arendelle here!

And each evening, get ready to experience the Hollywood Holiday Tower Hotel!

Projections magically transform the Hollywood Tower Hotel into four different Disney holiday scenes: The Muppets Gingerbread Tower; Frozen Winter Wonderland Tower; Mickey & Minnie’s Hometown Christmas Tower (a Dickensian village inspired by “Mickey’s Christmas Carol”); and Toy Story Christmas Toy Tower.

See the Hollywood Holiday Tower Hotel projections here!

Curious about what else Disney’s Hollywood Studios is serving up for the Season?

See ALL of the seasonal snacks at Hollywood Studios — with reviews! — here!

Santa Sightings

“You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why…” Santa Claus IS coming to ALL four parks AND Disney Springs for the season!

Santa Claus is making pop-up, distanced appearances, waving to guests and wishing them yuletide cheer. (You may even spy a sailing Santa along the way!)

Find out more about Santa Claus sightings this year here!

Disney Springs

Guests in Disney Springs can enjoy visions of elaborately-decorated Christmas Trees throughout Disney World’s shopping and dining district with the Christmas Tree Stroll!

And from time to time in the evenings, magical snow will fall upon Town Center, the West Side, and The Landing. 

Get a glimpse of the Disney Springs CHRISTMAS TREES here!

And we mentioned that Santa would be appearing in Disney Springs, didn’t we? Well, just wait until you see this very unique “sleigh” that he and the Mrs. are using for transportation on Lake Buena Vista!

See a sailing Santa AND Mrs. Claus here!

Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar has transformed once again into Jock Lindsey’s Holiday Bar, with themed food and drinks and unique decorations!

Specialty sips and snacks are available as limited-time menu items for the season.

Check out our review of Jock Lindsey’s Holiday Hangar Bar here!

Of course, the Hangar Bar isn’t the only spot to dine in town…

See our reviews of the eats and sips for the season at Disney Springs here!

Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

Deck the Halls! The Walt Disney World Resort hotel are decorated once more with their classic — and completely iconic — Christmas Trees, such as the stunner presented in the lobby at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. 

Though the Resort hotels will not present the famous Gingerbread Displays this year, Disney shared that “festive flourishes” would still set the holiday scene in the resorts… and that has indeed come to pass!

This includes, of course, the signature Christmas Tree at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort!

In fact, the Grand Floridian also pays homage to the Resort’s great Gingerbread tradition with a display of small gingerbread houses and chocolate sculptures.

The Grand Floridian Bakery even created a picture-perfect replica of the Resort’s famous Gingerbread House entirely made of CHOCOLATE!

It’s on display in the Grand Floridian Cafe.

Yuletide decorations are also in place at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa.

Animal Kingdom Lodge has brought back its uniquely vibrant and lovely decorations, and you can see them in full here.

Say “Aloha,” to the holiday decorations at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort here!

The laid-back vibe at Disney’s Old Key West Resort extends to the holiday decorations — you can see more here!

And it’s a colorful Caribbean Christmas at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort!

But perhaps nothing is quite so bright and whimsical as the colorful decorations at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort!

It’s neighbor just across Hourglass Lake, Disney’s Pop Century Resort, sports decor that is retro-inspired and totally fabulous!

Meanwhile, vintage seaside charm sets the festive scene at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn.

Disney’s Riviera Resort is glittering and glistening with silver and gold!

And it’s Christmas ON THE SEA and AT THE BEACH at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts!

Beautiful, isn’t it?

New Year’s Eve in Walt Disney World

The New Year’s Eve operating hours in the parks and Disney Springs are as follows:

• Magic Kingdom: 8AM-11PM
• EPCOT: 10AM-10PM
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 9AM-9PM
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom: 7AM-8PM
• Disney Springs: 10AM-11PM

Note that while hours are always subject to change, Disney has confirmed that each park will close prior to midnight.

Guests staying at the Resort hotels will be presented with “fun and festive activities,” with details to be provided upon guests’ arrival at their hotel.

We are updating this page with ALL the festive fun as the season continues, so we hope you’ll check back often as the Holiday Season is officially in FULL SWING all over Walt Disney World!!