Though the return of the Jingle Cruise unofficially kicked off the holiday season at the Magic Kingdom last weekend, Walt Disney World officially kicked off its holiday offerings on November 6, 2020. Though holiday staples like the Holiday DreamLights show and EPCOT’s Candlelight processional will not be happening this year, there are plenty of holiday offerings happening this year at every single park. Here’s the park-by-park breakdown:
Magic Kingdom
At the Magic Kingdom, Guests can see several daily character cavalcades featuring well-loved characters in holiday attire, appearing at regular intervals on Main Street, U.S.A. In addition, this area will see appearances by the Holiday Trolley, bringing festive harmonies from the Dapper Dans barbershop quartet, and you may just see some Toy Soldiers joining the Main Street Philharmonic when they march through Magic Kingdom playing their merry melodies.
At night, Cinderella Castle will be lit up with special projection effects, producing a kaleidoscope of designs including festive stripes and dots, a whimsical Christmas sweater look, a jeweled winter castle and a regal overlay of red, green and gold ornamentation. In a surprise addition, the Muppets have returned to Liberty Square, and though they are not performing their usual Great Moments in History show, they are waving at guests from their windows and are posing for pictures with special holiday props.
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Guests visiting this park can also experience special holiday character cavalcades travelling via the park’s various waterways featuring well-known faces like Chip ‘n Dale and of course Santa Claus. In addition to the characters, there are also various holiday-themed photo spots around the park where guests can pose against festive backdrops.
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Guests visiting this park can see Santa and his elves during a special character Cavalcade down Hollywood Boulevard, and can also see Olaf during a special finale at For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration. In addition the Hollywood Holiday Tower Hotel projection effects are back, magically transforming the Tower of Terror’s exterior into a Muppets gingerbread masterpiece, a Toy Story toy hotel, a snowy corner of Arendelle and a Dickensian village inspired by “Mickey’s Christmas Carol.”
EPCOT
Over at EPCOT we’ll have to wait a little longer for holiday cheer as it has been announced that a slimmed down version of the International Festival of the Holidays will kick off on November 27, but without the Candlelight Processional or the holiday stage performances in each country. Instead, the park will be bringing back holiday kitchens round World Showcase promenade with special food offerings and returning entertainment from JOYFUL!, which will present a journey through R&B, Gospel, contemporary and traditional Christmas and holiday music. In addition, the Voices of Liberty will perform at the America Gardens Theatre stage for a special concert of favorite carols and songs of the season.
