Disney World Announces Holiday Plans
Walt Disney World has confirmed its plans for the holiday season, and this announcement will put you in the yuletide spirit.
Let’s talk about all the holiday plans at Walt Disney World this year.
Coming in November…
Disney previously revealed that its Christmas festivities will start on November 12th. We just didn’t know exactly what they entailed.
Now, we have a better idea, starting with the event that everyone missed so much in 2020.
Yes, the Candlelight Processional will return at EPCOT! Starting on November 26th, celebrity guests will narrate the event.
Disney has already confirmed the following narrators:
- Jodi Benson
- Steven Curtis Chapman
- Lisa Ling
- Chita Rivera
- Pat Sajak
- Blair Underwood
- Alton Fitzgerald White
Also, Disney has finalized the list of restaurants for Candlelight Processional Dining Packages.
You can book at these places to guarantee a seat for the event:
- Biergarten Restaurant
- Coral Reef Restaurant
- Garden Grill Restaurant
- Rose & Crown Dining Room
The meal cost for adults ranges from $62 to $74. For children, the prices run from $25 to $46. The latter charge is for Garden Grill, which is a kid-friendly character meal.
Reservations for these dining packages go on sale on October 26th. However, I’ll warn you that lots of stuff has sold out at Walt Disney World this holiday season. So, act fast!
Santa Season Is Here!
Your kids will love the news that Santa Claus will appear at all Walt Disney World theme parks plus Disney Springs.
The Parks Blog indicates that Jolly Old Saint Nick will give Disney fans “individualized time to wave hello and share their Christmas wishes.”
That sure sounds like a character greeting to me. Disney didn’t state the form of these interactions, though.
Still, we do know that Santa Claus will appear on what we used to call Cavalcades.
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, he’ll sail across Discovery River as part of a flotilla. Disney’s Hollywood Studios guests should look for him in a “candy-apple red convertible.”
I guess Santa’s going through a mid-life crisis. Anyway, Santa’s riding in one of the motorcades that we’ve all enjoyed at the park during the pandemic.
For what it’s worth, the wording of the Parks Blog seems to indicate that the character interactions will occur at EPCOT, Magic Kingdom, and Disney Springs. If he has them everywhere, I’ll update later.
Other Holiday Events
Speaking of Disney Springs, the Christmas Tree Stroll will return this year. AdventHealth is sponsoring the event.
The Town Center area will also somehow receive magical snowfall each night during the holidays. It’s not something Floridians will see without Imagineering tricks.
Jock Lindsey’s Holiday Bar is also back. DVC members should have this on their must-do list at Disney Springs during the holidays. Here’s a clip of it:
At Animal Kingdom, the Merry Menagerie will return. That’s the kawaii animal puppet event with background music.
The park offered this last year, and it was very popular:
Sunset Season Greetings is also back at Hollywood Studios. In fact, the implication is that all the Beacons of Magic will have holiday offerings this year.
In terms of ride overlays, Jingle Cruise and Living with the Land’s holiday version are returning. In addition, Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor will have a holiday focus this year.
Finally, the 2021 EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays will operate from November 26th through December 30th.
The Parks Blog has given us the news we wanted, as the pavilion storytellers will return!
So, Disney isn’t skimping on anything this holiday season. All your favorites will return, unlike in 2020, when several amenities weren’t available.
This Christmas vacation will be better than the last one!
Get a jump on the Holiday Season and visit our DVC Confirmed Reservations to find the perfect DVC Villa. Or use our DVC availability tool to see if the dates for your vacation are available in DVC’s inventory. From there, you can start the booking process and one of our team members will reach out to assist! Happy Holidays!
