Holiday Season Highlights at Disney World

Disney World is celebrating the holidays with its annual Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party on select nights in the Magic Kingdom from early November through the holiday season. The after-hours party is an exclusive event that requires a separate ticket. 

Are your kids looking forward to meeting Anna and Elsa from "Frozen"? Over the holiday season, you can join Anna, Elsa and their friends from Arendelle for a number of ways to have frosty fun.

In the Magic Kingdom, the must-see offering is “A Frozen Holiday Wish.” Guests arriving early for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party can watch as royal sisters Anna and Elsa lead a celebration for their friends on the Castle Forecourt Stage that culminates in Queen Elsa using her incredible powers to transform Cinderella Castle into a shimmering ice palace for the holidays.

At Hollywood Studios, the newest holiday nighttime experience—"Sunset Seasons Greetings"—features spectacular projections of Mickey, Minnie and other beloved Disney characters sharing their favorite Christmas stories as a snowy Sunset Boulevard twinkles with holiday decorations. Billboards come to life and the famous Hollywood Tower Hotel transforms into a pile of Christmas gifts, a gingerbread house and a frozen winter wonderland throughout the night. A summer-loving snowman might even make an appearance.

From late November through late December, as you stroll around Epcot's Holidays Around the World, look out for the 11 Kidcot Fun Stops, where kids can collect passport stamps and do free activities that introduce them to holiday traditions from around the world. 

Bring your kids to Minnie's Holiday Dine at Hollywood & Vine in Hollywood Studios park. It's a rare chance to see Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy and Goofy all together and dressed in their Christmas finery. Be sure to make advance reservations with the My Disney Experience app or by calling 407/WDW-DINE.

Fort Wilderness Lodge offers sleigh rides during the holiday season. Each horse-drawn sleigh is festooned with festive lights and garlands for the holidays and holds up to four adults or two adults and three children. 

Santa's chalet is located in the Marketplace section of Disney Springs, across from Ghirardelli Soda Fountain. There is no charge to meet Santa and the process couldn't be easier. At check-in, you’ll receive a pager from one of Santa’s Helpers; when it’s time to take your place in line, you’ll be notified. Don't miss all the holiday happenings at Disney Springs.

In the Magic Kingdom, you can meet Santa in the Candy Cane Garden in Town Square. Santa also appears in Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade. During Holidays Around the World at Epcot, you'll find Santa and Mrs. Claus in the American Pavilion. 

Three times a day at America Gardens Theatre, a Candlelight Processional retells the story of Christmas with a celebrity narrator accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and mass choir. This popular spectacle fills up quickly. Unless you book a Candlelight Dinner Package at one of the participating restaurants, attendance is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Looking for an elegant way to cap off an evening in the parks? Consider attending a dessert party that offers delicious sweet treats and beverages and spectacular views of the evening fireworks.

It takes an army of elves to prepare for the Christmas season at Disney World each year. Here are some highlights of how Disney does Christmas at Disney World.

If you're going to spend Christmas at Disney World and want to enjoy a traditional holiday dinner with all the trimmings, you've got plenty of options. You'll find Christmas spreads at a selection of restaurants at Disney resorts and inside the theme parks.

During the Christmas season, the resorts and parks at Disney World go all out with decking halls and trimming Christmas trees. Here's a look at some of the beautifully decorated places throughout Disney World during the holiday season.

Looking for an affordable hotel for a holiday getaway at Disney World? Consider the popular Swan and Dolphin Resort, which has a killer location near Epcot and is offering a month of holiday events and activities.