EVERYTHING Coming Back for the Holidays in Disney World This Year!

It’s the holiday season, folks!

Okay, maybe it’s not quite the holiday season yet — but, it’s definitely the season for Disney to make a TON of announcements about the holidays this year! Earlier in 2022, Disney celebrated Halfway to the Holidays with fun foods and big holiday announcements. Since then, we’ve gotten even MORE info. So, let’s take a look at EVERYTHING confirmed to be returning for the holidays in Disney World!

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

That’s right, it’s finally coming back! Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is returning to Magic Kingdom for the first time since 2019. It will take place on  24 select nights from November 8th through December 22nd, 2022. This is a separately ticketed event, so you can buy a ticket JUST to the party and hang out in Magic Kingdom after hours!

A ton of fun festivities are also returning to the party, including Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration stage show, Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks, and Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade (featuring Santa himself).

Several attractions will also get special holiday overlays, like Jungle Cruise, Space Mountain, Tomorrowland Speedway, Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, and Mad Tea Party.

There will be some fun dance parties going on as well! Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe will have an intergalactic dance party, you can dance alongside your favorite characters at A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas on the Rockettower Plaza Stage, and you can party at the Disney Junior Jingle Jam in Storybook Circus!

Complimentary cookies and hot cocoa will be returning, and there will also be 3 NEW photo ops available in honor of the 50th Anniversary celebration. You will also be able to take home a special anniversary commemorative keepsake themed for the holidays!

Tickets for the party are on sale, and select tickets have started to sell out. You can check out all of the event dates and prices right here!

Click here to see the prices and dates for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party!

Holiday Park Icons

The holiday fun officially starts on November 11th this year. And, like last year, the park icons will continue to transform into the Beacons of Magic, but each will also get some unique holiday-themed displays!

Keep an eye out for the displays which happen periodically throughout the night.

Santa Claus

Of course, Santa will be in Disney World for the holidays! You can see him cruising down Hollywood Boulevard in his convertible in Hollywood Studios and along the Discovery River on a flotilla at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.

Santa will also have some visits to Magic Kingdom and Disney Springs, where you can take individual pictures with him.

And, at EPCOT, Santa will join Storytellers from around the world as part of EPCOT’s Festival of the Holidays! He will be located inside the Odyssey pavilion this year.

EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays

The Festival of the Holidays is returning this year and will kick off on November 25th (the day after Thanksgiving). This is a festival in EPCOT that showcases how different cultures celebrate the holiday season.

There are special food booths along with fun decorations around the park. See a FULL list of the booths coming to this year’s festival here.

There is also unique entertainment, like the Candlelight Processional and the holiday Storytellers that you can find around the World Showcase. Candlelight Processional dining packages are also available so you can get reserved seating for the show.

And, we can’t forget about the Cookie Stroll! The Holiday Cookie Stroll is coming back this year, which is like a scavenger hunt for eating cookies! Once you try all of the cookies on the list, you can get a special prize.

If you want another prize, you can also pick up a map for Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt.

For $9.99 (plus tax), you can search for holiday traditions (and Olaf statues) hidden throughout World Showcase. Everyone who purchases the map can redeem it to grab a special holiday collectible!

Click here to learn more about what’s returning to the Festival of the Holidays!

Festive Entertainment

There is a ton of fun holiday entertainment coming back this year! Over in Animal Kingdom, we’ll see the return of a Merry Menagerie of winter animals realized in the form of life-size, artisan-sculpted puppets.

Also in this park, the Tree of Life’s nighttime awakening will get a holiday layover. It will “awaken as a series of wintery tales emerge from within, complemented by holiday-inspired music.”

In Hollywood Studios, For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration will add a festive finale, featuring everyone’s favorite snowman, Olaf, and celebratory songs of the season.

In EPCOT, Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind is getting a special holiday overlay! The rotating soundtrack will be switched out for a mash-up of seasonal jams.

And, at Disney Springs, guests visiting the Town Center will be able to experience a magical snowfall!

All four theme parks will get special holiday-themed Magic Shots through Disney PhotoPass, and a new Disney PhotoPass Lens and virtual backdrops will be available at the Disney PhotoPass Studio in Disney Springs.

Holiday Sleigh Rides

Did you know you can go on a holiday sleigh ride? You’ll want to head to Fort Wilderness where horse-drawn sleighs are returning this year.

Each 25-minute ride costs $75 and fits 4 adults or 2 adults and 3 small children. Availability is very limited, so be sure to make a reservation ahead of time!

Click here to see more about the holiday sleigh rides

Festive Flavors

Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar in Disney Springs will be transformed once again into Jock Lindsey’s Holiday Bar and will feature yuletide touches alongside festive food and craft cocktails!

And, select dining locations throughout Disney World will celebrate the season with special winter-inspired dishes.

Disney should be releasing more details about all of the food coming for the holidays soon, so stay tuned for more details.

Holiday Decor

What would the holidays be without decorations?! The festive decor will be returning to Disney World in the parks, hotels, Disney Springs, and more.

Get ready for twinkling trees and glittering ornaments, tinsel, wreaths, and more to highlight the personality of each Disney World theme park and hotel.

The Disney Springs Christmas Tree Stroll will also be back, with elaborately theme Christmas trees that are inspired by different Disney rides and beloved characters.

And, at select Disney World hotels, you will be able to find artisan-made gingerbread creations!

Click here to check out the GIANT gingerbread house from last year in Disney World!

Merchandise

Holiday merchandise is being offered again this week, and we’ve already gotten a sneak peek of some of what’s to come from Disney! New dedicated holiday collections will be available at select locations around Disney World.

Get ready for some fun and whimsical items, like these wild Toy Story ears!

Some holiday merchandise has already been released online including a pair of holiday ears, holiday spirit jerseys, holiday MagicBand+ designs, and MORE! We’ll keep an eye out for more holiday must-gets.

Click here to see some of the holiday items released online!

Blizzard Beach

If you’re hoping to visit a water park this holiday season, Blizzard Beach will be reopening on November 13th! And it’ll get some extra special touches this holiday season.

According to Disney, Blizzard Beach will have an “enhanced holiday atmosphere” with some limited-time holiday offerings. There will be holiday-themed eats, snow, and even inner tubes with a festive design. Look for these special offerings to be available through December 31st.

So What’s MISSING?

A couple of holiday staples are noticeably absent from Disney’s announcements so far. First of all, Disney hasn’t said anything about the Cinderella Castle Dreamlights at Magic Kingdom. It looks like they may not be part of the festivities this year.

Also, no announcement has been made about Jingle Bell, Jingle Bam! returning to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.

We’ll be keeping an eye out for any and all Disney World holiday news, so make sure to stay tuned to All Ears for updates!

Click here to check out some of the holiday merchandise you can get in Disney World!

Will you be celebrating the holidays in Disney World this year? Tell us in the comments!

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