Complete Guide to Walt Disney World Holidays 2026

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. The resort-guest ticket window for Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and Disney Jollywood Nights opened July 9. General ticket sales begin July 16.

Very Merry tickets run $189 to $229 plus tax. Jollywood tickets run $169 to $199 plus tax. That price gap matters if your group is deciding between one holiday party and a regular park night.

Season datesNov. 13 through Jan. 6, 2027

Very MerryNov. 8 through Dec. 22 at Magic Kingdom

JollywoodNov. 7 through Jan. 5 at Disney's Hollywood Studios

EPCOT festivalNov. 27 through Dec. 30

Very Merry tickets$189 to $229 plus tax

Jollywood tickets$169 to $199 plus tax

Early ticket salesJuly 9 for select resort guests

General ticket salesJuly 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.

Very Merry vs. Jollywood: Which Party Should You Pick?

Pick Very Merry if your holiday trip needs the classic Magic Kingdom night: castle show, parade, fireworks, cookies, character lines, and ride overlays in the park most people picture first when they think of Walt Disney World at Christmas.

Pick Jollywood if your group cares more about shows, a wider character mix, Hollywood Studios rides, later event entry, and a lower top-end ticket price. It is also easier to pair with a regular daytime park plan because ticketed guests can enter at 5:30 p.m. instead of 4 p.m.

Decision Point

Very Merry

Jollywood

Best fit

Families who want the classic Magic Kingdom Christmas party, parade, fireworks, cookies, and castle-stage energy.

Groups who want Hollywood Studios entertainment, rare character sets, a later night, and a slightly lower price range.

Ticket range

$189 to $229 plus tax, with $10 child savings for ages 3 to 9.

$169 to $199 plus tax, with $10 child savings for ages 3 to 9.

Event hours

7 p.m. to midnight, with ticketed entry at 4 p.m.

7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., with ticketed entry at 5:30 p.m.

Ride angle

Holiday overlays for Space Mountain, Tomorrowland Speedway, Mad Tea Party, Jungle Cruise, and Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor.

Hollywood Studios headliners, including Rise of the Resistance, Tower of Terror, Runaway Railway, Slinky Dog Dash, and Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets.

Easier skip

Skip it if parade/fireworks crowds and the higher ticket price would bother your group more than the classic setting helps.

Skip it if your group wants the most traditional Christmas party night or expects Magic Kingdom-style fireworks and parade scale.

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.

Tickets run $189 to $229 plus tax. Kids ages 3 to 9 get $10 off, and Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can save $10 on select party nights from Nov. 8-20 and Nov. 29-Dec. 3.

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.

The event attraction lineup includes Pirates of the Caribbean, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, Haunted Mansion, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, and Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin. Exclusive event merchandise will be sold at the Emporium during party nights.

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party 2026 artwork for Magic Kingdom

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 current 2026 dates are Nov. 7, 14, 16, 21, 23, and 28; Dec. 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, and 23; and Jan. 3 and 5.

Tickets cost $169 to $199 plus tax. Kids ages 3 to 9 get $10 off, and Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club Members can save $10 on every event night. 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, Stitch dressed as Santa, Baloo or King Louie, The Mandalorian and Grogu, Chewbacca, Lotso, Partysaurus Rex, Bing Bong, Duffy, Joy, Edna Mode, Frozone, Mike Wazowski, Scrooge McDuck, Donald and Daisy, Goofy and Pluto, and Mickey and Minnie.

Current attraction highlights include Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets, Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway, and Slinky Dog Dash.

Disney Jollywood Nights 2026 artwork for Disney's Hollywood Studios

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. The 2026 narrator list is not out yet.

Holiday Kitchens return around World Showcase. The 2026 food lineup has not been released, but the Cookie Stroll and seasonal entertainment are already set for the festival window.

Candlelight Processional during EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays

Living with the Land Glimmering Greenhouses at EPCOT

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 pricier Magic Kingdom Christmas night, with parade, fireworks, cookies, characters, and classic ride overlays. Jollywood costs less, runs later, and fits better if your group wants Hollywood Studios entertainment with a few rides mixed in.

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.