Christmas at Disney World Resorts
- Walt Disney World Holiday Highlights
- Resort Dining Options
- Fort Wilderness Sleigh Rides
- Holiday Gingerbread Displays
Meet Santa in the lobby of most Disney Resort hotels from 5-9 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground
Offered nightly in December, sleigh rides are a special holiday treat through the secluded natural beauty surrounding Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground.
At Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground, Santa will be on the porch of Crockett's Tavern from 5-9 p.m. on Christmas Eve.
Holiday Gingerbread Displays
If you have ever been to Walt Disney World Resort during the holiday season, you know the true can’t-miss attraction – the incredible gingerbread displays! These pieces are a staple of the most wonderful time of the year, and for good reason. The pastry teams spend countless hours masterfully crafting these culinary works of art.
These holiday offerings have become a beloved tradition for guests and cast members alike, and we highly recommend that you stop by and see as many as you can during your vacation!
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Guests who are visiting will be able to purchase festive snacks, including the Gingeraffe Cookie and specialty cocktails.
Disney's BoardWalk Inn
Disney’s BoardWalk Inn hosts a miniature gingerbread version of its iconic and fan-favorite spots from the BoardWalk itself. The BoardWalk Deli Gingerbread House was created with details that look just like the seaside escape in a miniature version. In 2024, a limited-edition pin, cookie jar, and holiday ornament are available to bring the gingerbread magic home with you!
Before leaving, be sure to check out some of the treats made by the team, like:
- Holiday Mickey and Minnie Sugar Cookie
- Mickey Caramel Corn Cookie
- Gingerbread Loaf
- Gingerbread Shingle
Disney's Contemporary Resort
Beginning November 8, Disney’s Contemporary Resort will get an extra holiday touch with its Castle Display. Can you believe this is the Castle’s 13th year? You’ll find this display on the 4th floor of the resort. Walt Disney Imagineers designed a new overlay for this year that was inspired by the beloved and greatly missed Cinderella Castle Dream Lights.
This display stands over 17 feet tall and 25 feet wide. It’s made with 613 pounds of sugar, 1013 pounds of flour, 113 pounds of gingerbread spice, 51 pounds of chocolate, and over 4,000 castle gingerbread bricks. To represent its 13th year, there are 13 hidden Mickeys and the one and only 5-legged goat to search for. You can also purchase a limited-edition pin, cookie jar, and holiday ornament here, too.
There are also plenty of treats available for purchase here too:
- Linzer Cookie
- Caramel Apple Cake with Gingerbread Streusel
- Chocolate Hazelnut Log
- Pistachio Cranberry and Cherry Cake
- Santa Peppermint Hot Chocolate Tart
- House-made Christmas Tree Butter Cookie
- Winter Berry Freeze (Alcoholic floater available)
- Frozen Hot Cocoa (Alcoholic floater available)
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Can you believe that the Gingerbread House at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is celebrating 25 years this year? As you explore the details of the display, you’ll find white chocolate candy canes, edible snowflakes, sugar poinsettias, and an 88-pound white chocolate Santa. The gingerbread is baked with 1050 pounds of honey, 800 pounds of flour, and 600 pounds of confectioners’ sugar. The decorations feature 700 pounds of chocolate and over 10,000 pieces of gingerbread. The team spends over 500 hours baking the gingerbread and 480 hours bringing all the dazzling details to life. To celebrate the 25 years of holiday tradition, there are 25 hidden Mickeys scattered throughout. See how many you can find!
There will also be a limited-edition collection of 25th anniversary merchandise available for sale, including a pin, ornament, cookie jar, magnet, tumbler, t-shirt, and more to commemorate your holiday memories.
Some of the goodies you can purchase from the Gingerbread House include:
- Gingerbread Mickey
- Gingerbread Shingle
- Stollen Bread
- Brownie Pop
- Gingersnap Cookies
- Gingerbread House Ornament
- Gingerbread House
- Gingerbread Cookie Bags imported from Germany
- Gingerbread Loaf
- Peppermint Bark
- Grand Floridian Gift Box featuring assorted fan-favorite treats, including a Santa Gnome Hot Cocoa Surprise, exclusive to the Combo Box
Because parking at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is limited to guests with hotel and dining reservations, those visiting this sweet holiday display will need to park at the Transportation & Ticket Center and take the resort monorail.
Disney's Beach Club Resort
For 24 years, Disney’s Beach Club Resort has continued its tradition with its life-sized Holiday Carousel; it even spins! Each holiday season, the horses are decorated to a different theme, and this year, the characters from Mickey’s Christmas Carol will be brought to life. This creation is made with chocolate, sugar, and fondant, with hand-painted characters and handcrafted gingerbread shingles and snowflakes decorating the carousel.
This display uses 432 pounds of honey, 200 pounds of icing, 100 pounds of eggs, and 2024 pieces of gingerbread. Be on the lookout as 24 hidden gold Mickeys have been placed throughout the display. There’s also a limited-edition pin, cookie jar, a holiday ornament, and treats available for purchase:
- Linzer Cookie
- Spiced Orange and Cranberry Bundt Cake
- Gingerbread Macarons
- Hot Cocoa Brownie
- Hannukah Sugar Cookie
- Stollen
- Gingerbread House
EPCOT
In 2024, EPCOT will be home to a brand-new creation starting on November 29 – Gingerbread Spaceship Earth. This offering in CommuniCore Hall will feature Spaceship Earth in gingerbread form. The EPCOT Festival Team and Walt Disney Imagineering have teamed up with the talented EPCOT Pastry team to create this 8-foot-tall gingerbread display, which took over 160 hours. It even will light up and dance to music throughout the day.
The sphere itself is made up of almost a thousand handcrafted gingerbread triangles to mirror the iconic attraction. There are 240 pounds of honey dough, 100 eggs, 100 ounces lebkuchen spice, 55 pounds dark chocolate, and 100 pounds royal icing. For a final Disney touch, there are 11 hidden Mickeys to represent the 11 countries of the World Showcase.
Disney's Wilderness Lodge
Guests visiting Disney’s Wilderness Lodge will find a selection of sweet treats for sale in the resort’s lobby. Starting November 21, get in the holiday spirit with bites like:
- Dark Chocolate Bar
- Cheddar Gougère
- Molasses Crackle Cookie
- Cookie Box