By Dopey Diva
It’s the most wonderful time of the year….and Disney World does not disappoint when it comes to the Christmas season. If you have never been to Disney World during Christmas time I highly recommend you check it out at least one time. Although I do not recommend going the week of Thanksgiving or Christmas or New Year’s unless you don’t mind the heavy crowds or long waits. I was able to go the first week of December and it was perfect. The crowds weren’t bad and it was still warm enough I could wear t-shirts and flip-flops (coming from OH that was wonderful)! So here are my top 5 favorite things to do at Disney World during the Christmas season.
1. Watch the Lighting of Cinderella Castle
Since I was at Disney a couple of years ago Cinderella Castle was then lit up by the Fairy Godmother. This year they are changing to a lighting of the castle by Elsa. Either way it is definitely a must see. They do a special lighting of the castle every evening so be sure to pick up a park times guide to find what time the lighting begins.
2. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
Now not everyone agrees with me that Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is worth the extra money but I personally loved it. There are complimentary cookies and hot cocoa located at several places throughout the Magic Kingdom. The Christmas parade is amazing as well as the special fireworks show..one of the best Disney has in my opinion. There are fun dance parties for the kids. Plus you have the chance to get pictures made with certain characters in their Christmas attire.
3. Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Hollywood Studios
If you love Christmas lights this is definitely the place for you! Located at the Streets of America in Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Osborne Family Lights are a favorite of all ages. There are millions of glittering lights perfectly synchronized to holiday music. There are toy soldiers, a spinning Earth, and a rotating carousel all made with beautiful twinkling lights. I will warn you, this area can get incredibly crowded. My son had fallen asleep in his stroller before we made it to see the lights and the crowds were so bad my husband and I ended up taking turns walking through because we didn’t want to try to push the stroller through the crowd. But, it was absolutely amazing and something I think everyone would enjoy seeing at least once.
4. Visit Other Resorts
The resorts also decorate for Christmas so I recommend taking the time to go visit a couple of them to get a glance of their amazing decorations. My very favorite is the Grand Floridian. They have a giant house made of gingerbread and it is magnificent! I also was able to visit the Beach Club and the Yacht Club. They had a gingerbread carousel as well as other great Christmas decorations located in their lobbies. This is a great way to take a break from the parks and get to experience different resorts and see what they do for the holidays.
5. Holidays Around the World at Epcot
The World Showcase at Epcot is another great place to visit during the holiday season. Not only are the countries beautifully decorated but they also offer joyful music and time-honored traditions as costumed performers present holiday heritage throughout the World Showcase. You can check your times guide for a complete list of appearances and performance times for each country. There is also a special holiday presentation of Illuminations you won’t want to miss.
6. Bonus…try out some of the specialty desserts
Many of the restaurants will have special Christmas themed desserts. During our December visit I was able to get this tasty cupcake from Pizza Planet at Hollywood Studios. Be sure to check the menus or even ask to see if where you are eating has a special Christmas dessert!
