Christmas in July Series: Walt Disney World

Dreaming of Christmas in July? Or just looking for your next vacation? This is Part two of a series where we take a look at some festive vacations with accompanying itineraries to give you some Christmas vacation inspo!

Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida ticks the boxes! Fun for the whole family. Christmas magic galore. Easy to get to with no passport required. Let's take a closer look!

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JUST ANNOUNCED!!

NEW PROMO for the Holiday Season at Walt Disney World Resort! Save on Resort Stays and get a dining gift card with qualifying package. Reach out to mary@tripsbymary.com to start planning!!

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Magic Kingdom

During the holidays, Magic Kingdom is decked out in charming Christmas splendor with wreaths, garland, and ornaments. For extra Christmas fun, attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party which is an exclusive after-hours party with a charming Christmas parade and a magical fireworks show. During this event you can also get hot cocoa and cookies at various locations around the park.

Hollywood Studios

In Hollywood Studios you can watch the nighttime show Sunset Season’s Greetings which displays projections from the Muppets, Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, Mickey’s Christmas Carol, and Toy Story. For a Christmas themed dining experience eat at Hollywood and Vine for Minnie’s Holiday Dine which includes christmassy character greetings accompanied with festive music. I love the retro Christmas decorations throughout the park. They remind me of my childhood home at the holidays!

Special Event on select nights: Jollywood Nights!! This party features shows, live music, holiday themed cocktails and foods and so much more!!

EPCOT

One of my favorite events, Epcot International Festival of the Holidays begins on November 28, 2025. This charming festival features food, entertainment and decorations throughout World Showcase. Learn about holiday traditions from the countries represented in the park, from Mexico to Japan to France, just to name a few! 

Another magical event, the Candlelight Processional is a retelling of the Christmas story led by a celebrity narrator in the evenings accompanied by a chorus. You can attend this on select nights in EPCOT during the holiday season. 

Animal Kingdom

At Animal Kingdom, the Merry Menagerie, a collection of wintertime life sized animal puppets, interact with guests on Discovery Island. Among these are reindeer, foxes, polar bears, and penguins. They are also accompanied by live musicians. 

Don’t miss Animal Kingdom’s projection show the Tree of Life Awakenings: Holiday Edition. Watch the Tree of Life come to life with projections and animations which tell festive holiday-inspired tales.

Walt Disney World Resorts

If you want to see even more Christmas decor visit the deluxe resorts on Disney property! You can easily monorail hop between the Grand Floridian, the Polynesian, and the Contemporary resorts. Similarly, you can access the Boardwalk, the Beach Club, and The Yacht Club resorts from the boardwalk just outside of EPCOT. Each of these resorts has unique decorations themed to each resort. The deluxe resorts are home to charming giant gingerbread houses. This is one of my favorite decorations to see at WDW during the holidays. 

What a magical way to celebrate as a family!! We have enjoyed making our own memories together at The Walt Disney World resort and hope that you can see it's a great way to spend the holidays for the whole family. From charming decorations and projection shows to holiday themed characters and parties there is no shortage of fun and entertainment at the most magical place on Earth - Walt Disney World!!

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Kathleen McNamara has been to Walt Disney World more times than she can count, starting when she was just 18 months old! She will be starting her senior year at University of North Carolina - Charlotte in August and looks forward to graduation next May.