Good morning and Merry Christmas?

It’s only halfway through July, but Disney just released a LOT of news about the upcoming winter holiday season!

There will be returning favorites, such as Sunset Season’s Greetings at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the Festival of the Holidays at EPCOT, and Santa will be floating the rivers of Animal Kingdom!

With all this exciting holiday news, there is also a NEW after hours event coming to Magic Kingdom called “Disney’s Most Merriest After Hours.” This means, there will be NO Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party this year.

The new holiday event will still only be available to a limited number of guests each night to maintain low waits on the 20+ attractions that remain open. It will also feature holiday decor, music, characters, and treats!

The most exciting addition to Disney’s Most Merriest After Hours is the inclusion of Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks! These fireworks debuted at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in 2019, but were not performed last year due to health and safety precautions.

The biggest difference between the two events at this point appears to be the lack of “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade,” which normally dances down Main Street at the Christmas Party. There has been no mention of a parade at the new After Hours at this point — and in the past the After Hours have included cavalcades, not full parades. We will keep you posted as more details are released!

Holiday projections will also be returning to Cinderella Castle after sunset, alternating with the “Beacon of Magic” transformation for Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary.

We will keep you updated with more information regarding ticket sales and all of the holiday news, so stay tuned!

Are you headed to Walt Disney World this holiday season? Let us know in the comments!