Walt Disney World's 2026 Christmas season begins Nov. 13 and runs through Jan. 6, 2027, with holiday decor, seasonal food, character outfits, entertainment, merchandise, hotel displays, and separate ticketed parties at Magic Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios.
The big planning dates arrive earlier. Select resort guests can buy Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and Disney Jollywood Nights tickets starting July 9. General ticket sales begin July 16.
Walt Disney World Christmas Season Dates
The resort-wide holiday season starts Nov. 13 and continues through Jan. 6, 2027. That window covers decorations, seasonal food and beverage items, character outfits, entertainment, merchandise, and holiday displays across Walt Disney World.
The parties start earlier than the broader resort-wide season. Disney Jollywood Nights begins Nov. 7, and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party begins Nov. 8.
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party 2026
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party runs 25 nights from Nov. 8 through Dec. 22 at Magic Kingdom. Party guests can enter the park at 4 p.m., and the event runs from 7 p.m. to midnight.
The 2026 dates are Nov. 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 24, 25, 27, and 29, plus Dec. 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20, and 22.
The returning character lineup includes Anna and Elsa at Princess Fairytale Hall, Jack Skellington as Santa with Sally, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in holiday outfits at Town Square Theater, and Santa at Storybook Circus.
Mickey's Once Upon a Christmas Parade, Minnie's Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks, Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration, Frozen Holiday Surprise, and dance parties are part of the 2026 lineup. Space Mountain, Tomorrowland Speedway, Mad Tea Party, Jungle Cruise, and Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor get holiday overlays.
Disney also named Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Haunted Mansion, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin among the event attractions. Exclusive event merchandise will be sold at the Emporium during party nights.
Disney Jollywood Nights 2026
Disney Jollywood Nights runs from Nov. 7 through Jan. 5 at Disney's Hollywood Studios, reaching January for the first time. The party runs from 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., with ticketed guest entry at 5:30 p.m.
The 2026 dates are Nov. 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 25, and 28; Dec. 2, 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 21, 22, 23, 26, and 29; and Jan. 2 and 5.
Tickets cost $169 to $229 plus tax, with a $10 discount for Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members. Select resort guests can buy tickets July 9, and general sales begin July 16.
Disney Holidays in Hollywood returns with Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy at Theater of the Stars. The event lineup also includes What's This? Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along, the Glisten! skating show, Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!, Twilight Soiree at the Tip Top Club, Pixar Disco, and Jazzy Holidays at The Hollywood Brown Derby.
The announced character lineup includes Phineas and Ferb, Max Goof as Powerline, Chip 'n' Dale: Rescue Rangers, Santa Stitch, Baloo and King Louie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, Chewbacca, Lotso, Partysaurus Rex, Bing Bong, Duffy, Scrooge McDuck, Donald and Daisy, Goofy and Pluto, and Mickey and Minnie.
Disney also listed Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, Star Tours, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, Slinky Dog Dash, Alien Swirling Saucers, and Toy Story Mania! for the event ride lineup.
EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays 2026
EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays runs Nov. 27 through Dec. 30. The festival is included with EPCOT admission and brings holiday storytellers, Holiday Kitchens, the Holiday Cookie Stroll, Santa greetings, JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season, Living with the Land - Glimmering Greenhouses, and Spaceship Earth's holiday light show.
Candlelight Processional returns to the America Gardens Theatre with celebrity narrators, a massed choir, a live orchestra, and the Christmas story. Disney has not released the 2026 narrator list yet.
Holiday Kitchens return around World Showcase. The 2026 food lineup has not been released, but Disney has already confirmed the Cookie Stroll and seasonal entertainment for the festival window.
Holiday Resort Discounts and Offers
Walt Disney World holiday resort discounts open for booking June 25 for select fall and holiday-season stays. The offer group includes a Disney+ Perks package with a free Park Hopper add-on, general room discounts, Florida Resident room savings, and Annual Passholder room savings.
The Disney+ Perks package applies to select 4-night, 4-day Walt Disney Travel Company packages for stays from Nov. 16 through Dec. 20. Other room offers cover different travel windows, resort categories, and eligibility groups, so the useful move is to price the same dates a few ways before locking in a room.
How to Plan the Holiday Trip
Pick the paid party first. Very Merry is the cleaner Magic Kingdom Christmas night, with parade, fireworks, cookies, characters, and classic ride overlays. Jollywood is the Hollywood Studios night, with live entertainment, character sets, rides, and a later finish.
Use EPCOT on a different day if the Festival of the Holidays matters. Candlelight Processional, Holiday Kitchens, storytellers, and Living with the Land's holiday overlay are easier to enjoy when you are not trying to recover from a late party night.
Resort displays need their own time. Contemporary, Wilderness Lodge, Animal Kingdom Lodge, Beach Club, Yacht Club, BoardWalk, and other Disney hotels can become part of the holiday trip, but the transportation time adds up quickly. Put resort hopping on a non-party day or pair it with a nearby dining reservation.
The life-size Grand Floridian gingerbread house will not return for 2026. Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa will use new miniature holiday displays instead.
Guests chasing lower friction should look at early December weekdays before schools break. Guests chasing the fullest holiday atmosphere should expect heavier crowds closer to Christmas and New Year's week.
Image credit: Disney Parks Blog.
Official Sources
- Disney Parks Blog: Walt Disney World holidays and deals
- Disney Parks Blog: Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party 2026
- Disney Parks Blog: Disney Jollywood Nights 2026
- Disney Parks Blog: EPCOT Festival of the Holidays 2026
- Walt Disney World special offers
- Walt Disney World: Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party
- Walt Disney World: Disney Jollywood Nights