Guide to visiting Disney World at Christmas in 2024

When you add the magic of the holiday season to what is already the Most Magical Place on Earth, you get something that is truly special — and a whole lot of fun.

During the Christmas season, Walt Disney World goes all-in with about 29 large, custom trees (up to 70 feet tall), as well as 596 smaller trees and more than 1,000 wreaths. In fact, there’s so much Disney Christmas and holiday decor that there are teams and warehouses devoted just to holiday decorating so they can make that Halloween-to-holiday transition inside the Magic Kingdom in just one night.

Disney World is a world-renowned family destination year-round, but it becomes extra special around the holidays — especially during the 25 nights when the Magic Kingdom hosts Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. Plus, for the second year in a row, Hollywood Studios will host Disney Jollywood Nights. And yes, you can even visit Disney World on Christmas Day.

Even beyond the holiday parties, there’s a lot to enjoy at Disney during the holidays: decorated resorts, life-size gingerbread houses, special treats and more festive, fun things that will put you in a holiday mood.

Related: How to use points for Disney tickets

If you need a little Disney Christmas right this very minute, here are tips for visiting Disney World during the holidays.

When does Disney World decorate for Christmas?

Let’s start with everyone’s top question: When does Disney decorate for Christmas?

When the final Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party ends, Disney transforms the Magic Kingdom into a holiday wonderland virtually overnight. It can take a couple of days for the process to be totally complete, but expect it to start at the Magic Kingdom as soon as the last guest leaves the final Halloween party; many main points of interest will be finished before the sun comes up the next day.

That means the Magic Kingdom is transformed on or around Nov. 1 or Nov. 2, depending on when the final Halloween party happens. It takes a little longer for the decorations to make their way around the entire Disney World property, but by mid-November, expect to see holiday decor around most of the parks and hotels. By Thanksgiving, there is holiday decor at every turn.

Fun fact: While Disney does not announce exactly when the decorations will go up at each resort, some regular guests have the parks’ patterns pretty much figured out. In fact, some even plan up-all-night watch parties each year at resorts such as the Grand Floridian, where they enjoy watching the decorations take shape each November while sipping Champagne.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

After the decorations go up in early November, it’s time for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. From Nov. 8 to Dec. 20, the Magic Kingdom will close to day guests at 6 p.m. and transform into a place of holiday celebration for those with party tickets.

Just having regular park admission tickets to the Magic Kingdom won’t get you into the special evening party; you have to leave the park before the party begins if you don’t have a ticket to the shindig. On that note, consider chilling at the resort or exploring Disney Springs at a leisurely pace before heading to the Magic Kingdom — you’ll need your rest for the evening’s activities.

Tickets to the after-hours Christmas party get you into the Magic Kingdom beginning at 4 p.m. The party officially starts at 7 p.m., which gives you a couple of hours to enjoy rides without missing any of the themed party fun.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party includes complimentary treats like cookies and hot cocoa. You can find them at designated spots around the Magic Kingdom.

There are also special stage shows four times a night, fireworks at 10 p.m., two rounds of the Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, Club Tinsel dance parties and more. Essentially, it is the holidays on Mickey steroids.

Buy Very Merry tickets in advance

The Christmas party tickets sell out every year, so don’t drag your feet if you know you want to go.

If you are planning, let this be your reminder to hit “Add to cart” as soon as the party dates are announced each year. In fact, some dates are already sold out for 2024. Be forewarned: Christmas at Disney World is very, very popular. If you have the ability to avoid weekends and peak holiday weeks, do it.

Related: The best credit cards for your Disney vacation

Also, know that Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party tickets are expensive. Prices range between $169 and $219 per person for adults, which is sometimes more than a daytime ticket to the park. You can make an educated guess as to which party nights are the most popular by checking the prices online. Pricier generally means busier, so go on a weekday night early in the season to enjoy slightly smaller crowds and lower prices.

You can use points to purchase tickets to Disney World via cards or pay with a credit card that awards a bonus on entertainment purchases, such as 3% cash back on the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card.

If you purchase your party tickets from Undercover Tourist, they should be coded as a travel expense, earning you 3 points per dollar on a Chase Sapphire Reserve® or 2 points per dollar on the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Alternatively, you can purchase discounted Disney gift cards directly from Disney and pay with those.

The information for the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Christmas treats included

During Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, staff members hand out several different included treats at various points in the Magic Kingdom.

These are goodies such as cookies and hot chocolate, but if you have something else in mind, other themed treats are available for purchase.

It’s about the shows, not rides, but …

The parades, castle show and treats at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party are the highlights. You can dance at Club Tinsel, sample all the treats, check out the holiday decorations without lots of crowds and let some of the rides wait for another day.

That said, there are a few rides you may not want to miss, such as Jingle Cruise. It’s one of the few rides to transform into a holiday-themed experience.

Additionally, you can make Lightning Lane reservations until the official park closing time if you wish.

When I went a few years ago, I started stacking Lightning Lanes to use from 4-6 p.m. since this was the only Magic Kingdom day of this trip for the family. By starting to reserve these around 8 a.m., I had Peter Pan’s Flight, Jingle Cruise, Haunted Mansion, Space Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean all ready to go for the family, so we knocked out a lot of rides in those first two hours. Spending the money to do that may or may not be worth it for your group.

As the party gets going and the night gets later, many rides will have waits of up to 15 minutes, but if you have younger kids or don’t want to stay up late, use those first few hours wisely. The party can also be a good time to ride rides that normally require a virtual queue or individual Lightning Lane, such as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, as neither will be required during the party.

Go to the first parade if you aren’t sure you can stay up late

The two parades are typically at 8:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. A good strategy is to go to the late parade during the Christmas party, but of course, not everyone wants to stay up that late.

In that case, I recommend lining up before 8 p.m. for the first parade. Personally, I think watching this parade on Main Street, U.S.A. is pretty special, though getting a curbside seat does require getting there early.

Don’t miss the fireworks show

The “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks” display for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas is incredible.

In fact, it’s one of my favorite fireworks shows of all time. Even if you aren’t going to stay awake for the whole party, don’t leave before this show at 10 p.m. I’d say if you can’t stay up that late to enjoy the holiday-themed display, I’d skip the party this year because this was one of the biggest highlights of the night.

The show is virtually guaranteed to put you in a festive mood with holiday music, projections, fireworks and the best darn display that money can buy.

Is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party worth it?

At more than $150 per ticket, the evening party can easily cost $600 (or more) for a family of four. Is that really worth it for some treats, parades and fireworks? Your budget will be the largest driver of this answer, but if you are already dealing with Disney pricing for your trip, it is worth it in some cases.

First, you have to be able to stay up a little late, or it certainly isn’t worth it. If your group can’t be in the park from at least 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the earliest, then skip it.

Second, it’s more worth it if it can serve as your theme park ticket for the day. For example, a single-day ticket to the parks is generally from $130 to $160-plus per day, depending on dates. So, if you are paying for this ticket instead of that, then you’re “only” adding $30 or so to your daily total. That difference can be worth it if you are into all things holiday and fine with a late night.

Finally, you have to want to see the parades and fireworks and do all the special party things.

If all you want are rides, then definitely skip this pricier ticket. While it’s true the crowds are smaller, and you can enjoy shorter lines for the rides, there are better ways to avoid lines at Disney if you are on a budget than ponying up for this ticket. All that said, I 100% love this party year after year, and I am always so happy to soak in all the aspects of the celebration.

Pro tip: If you can’t make Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, the festive parade (which normally happens only during the party) typically takes place during the day at the Magic Kingdom in the final days leading up to Christmas after the final party date. It often occurs around 12 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Jollywood Nights

One Christmas party at Disney World just wasn’t enough, so last year, the park added another one.

Disney Jollywood Nights will take place at Disney’s Hollywood Studios on 13 select nights from Nov. 9 through Dec. 21. Like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, Jollywood Nights is a separately ticketed event that ranges from $159 to $179 per person.

You’ll have to shell out extra if you want to attend, but if you purchase a party ticket in lieu of a regular daytime ticket, you can still get into the park as early as 6 p.m. before the official party time of 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Some of the park’s most popular rides stay open for the party with shorter wait times, and there’s a full slate of entertainment throughout the evening.

Party guests can belt out tunes at “What’s This? Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along” and view the “Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam!” fireworks spectacular. They can also enjoy a new show called “Glisten!” — which is described as a show on Hollywood Boulevard where international champion skaters perform routines set to a holiday soundtrack.

The party is open to guests of all ages, but we recommend Jollywood Nights more for grown-up guests. The dance parties, glitzy Hollywood feel and suggestion to “don your holiday best” will likely give this party a more adult vibe than its Very Merry Magic Kingdom counterpart.

Related: Here’s what it’s like to attend Disney’s Jollywood Nights

Where to see Christmas decorations at Disney World

Some Disney World Christmas decor highlights include those on Main Street, U.S.A., which is absolutely not to be missed. The Magic Kingdom alone has 590 garlands (measuring a total of 5,188 feet), 40 Christmas trees and 147 wreaths.

Other holiday must-visits are the life-size gingerbread house at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, the massive Christmas trees in the lobby of Disney’s Wilderness Lodge (take the boat from Magic Kingdom) and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, and the Christmas tree and decorations in and around Echo Lake at Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

When you make a stop at the Grand Floridian to see those impressive decorations, you can even buy some gingerbread of your own to munch on as you take it all in — just be ready for a line at checkout, as it’s quite the popular spot.

If you just want to admire the view, head to the gingerbread display early in the morning or late in the evening when the shop that sells the pieces of gingerbread is closed.

You can also head to Disney Springs to enjoy the Christmas Tree Stroll with around 20 different themed trees. In fact, you can do a quest to find all of them and receive a special surprise at the end.

The thermometer may often say 85 degrees in Central Florida during the holiday months, but it still snows during the holidays, thanks to Disney magic. While celebrating Christmas at Disney World, make time to play in the snow on Main Street, U.S.A., Disney Springs and Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood Studios during Sunset Seasons Greetings at the Tower of Terror.

For extra fun in the snow, check out the “Frozen” sing-along at Hollywood Studios, where it snows indoors all year long. Also, during the holidays, there’s an extra-festive finale featuring Olaf.

Enjoy a holiday-themed meal

A good way to enjoy Christmas at Disney World (and avoid waiting in a long line) is to make a dining reservation at a restaurant that goes all-out for the holidays. That way, you get to sit down to eat while the characters come to you. One possibility is Minnie’s Seasonal Dining at Hollywood & Vine in Hollywood Studios, which offers holiday-themed dining from Nov. 6 to Jan. 4.

This isn’t always considered one of the absolute best restaurants at Disney World, but with the Fab Five characters all dressed in holiday attire, it’s a fun and festive choice. And when I had breakfast here right when they opened, it was pretty darn great.

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When we visited for dinner in years past, we enjoyed crab legs, peel-and-eat shrimp, and shrimp macaroni and cheese from the buffet. Plus, we got to see the characters in their holiday best.

If you prefer a more traditional holiday spread, consider booking a meal at Liberty Tavern during your holiday visit to enjoy stuffing, turkey, macaroni and dessert. I actually think this is one of the most underrated meals at Disney World every month of the year — but especially around the holidays.

Meet Santa at Disney

Given how many kids visit Disney each holiday season, it makes sense that Santa stops in from time to time at various spots in Disney World.

You can sometimes find Santa behind Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe. You can also meet him at the Odyssey Pavilion in Epcot and in DinoLand U.S.A. at Animal Kingdom. Santa also sometimes finds his way to Disney Springs, but there, you may need to use a virtual queue, depending on the process they roll out for this year.

Santa can also sometimes be seen in the other parks and will attend special breakfasts on certain dates at Maria and Enzo’s.

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Epcot Candlelight Processional

From Nov. 29 to Dec. 30, a celebrity narrator leads the telling of the Christmas nativity story, and a live 50-piece orchestra and choir make the holidays come alive within the America Gardens Theatre in Epcot. Shows are at 5 p.m., 6:45 p.m. and 8:15 p.m.

You can guarantee seating by booking a Candlelight Processional dining package for lunch or dinner. Based on our experiences, you want to do this to guarantee a seat unless you are OK with waiting in lines and gambling with availability. Prices for the dining packages range from $53 to $105 per adult and from $24 to $60 for children, depending on the meal and restaurant. These reservations go on sale beginning Oct. 29 and some of the more popular ones do sell out relatively quickly.

You’ll find some of our favorite restaurants at Disney World on the list, such as Garden Grill and Rose & Crown Dining Room. The Biergarten Restaurant can also be an entertaining and festive spot for a holiday meal. Some day-of packages are available for a little less at Regal Eagle Smokehouse.

The 2024 Epcot processional narrators are:

• Josh Gad: Nov 29-30
• Nico Santos: Dec. 1-2
• Chrissy Metz: Dec. 3-5
• Whoopi Goldberg: Dec. 6-7
• Tituss Burgess: Dec. 8-10
• Brendan Fraser: Dec. 11-12
• Ralph Macchio: Dec. 13-14
• Gary Sinise: Dec. 15-16
• Neil Patrick Harris: Dec. 17-18
• Pat Sajak: Dec. 19-21
• Gloria Estefan: Dec. 22-23
• Edward James Olmos: Dec. 24-26
• Sterling K. Brown: Dec. 27-28
• Jodi Benson: Dec. 29-30

Keep in mind that the processional itself is free to Epcot guests. Buying a dining package simply guarantees a seat. You also need a theme park ticket and Epcot ticket for this one. While it is a lovely evening, know that this is something that may not thrill younger children or those not interested in the traditional Christmas story.

Related: The best restaurants for outdoor dining at Disney World

The best time to visit Disney World at Christmas

The bad news mixed in with all this magic is that it gets very busy at Disney during portions of the holidays.

Common sense will tell you when the parks are busiest during the holidays: over school breaks and on weekends. Also, there’s a thing called Jersey Week, which is a weeklong school break in New Jersey; it happens at the beginning of the holiday season in early November. If you’re planning for the future, know that less-busy times include the week before Thanksgiving and midweek during the first two weeks of December.

December is the most festive time, with the Epcot Candlelight Processional up and running by late November. You don’t have to wait that long, though. Most of the Christmas decorations around the parks and resorts are up, and the after-hours Christmas Party is in full swing by mid-November.

Bottom line

If you like Christmas, the winter holidays and all things Mickey Mouse, you’ll likely love Christmas at Disney World.

I’ve visited during the holiday season almost every year for the last several years, so I can attest that spending a few days late in the year at Disney World can really jump-start the holiday cheer. There’s too much to see and do to take it all in on one visit, which is fine because there’s always next Christmas.