17 Reasons — in Photos! — You'll Want to Spend the Holidays at Disney World This Year

POPSUGAR Photography | Rebecca Gruber
POPSUGAR Photography | Rebecca Gruber

Could there really be a more magical place to spend the holidays than Walt Disney World? The place was actually built with magic (well, not literally, but if Disneyland is the "happiest place on earth," Disney World is said to be the most "magical place on earth"). And during the holidays, the resort and its theme parks all convert into festive wonderlands filled with food, entertainment, and decor that's sure to put you in the holiday spirit.

Here, we have 17 reasons you'll want to add in a trip to the Florida resort before the end of the season.

01
Holiday Decorations

Holiday Decorations

Everywhere you turn in the parks, you're greeted with extraordinary holiday decorations.

02
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

On select nights between Nov. 7 and Dec. 22, Disney closes early for the specially ticketed Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. Though pricey — tickets range from $86 for kids under 10 to $99 per adult ticket — the show packs a lot of bang for your buck and is one true Disney fans do not want to miss. We're talking four shows at Cinderella's castle, holiday treats handed out throughout the park, and access to rides well past midnight.

One of the big benefits of Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is that the park is cleared out at 7 p.m., and only those with wristbands for the event can stay or enter the park. That means slightly smaller crowds and shorter wait times at popular rides.

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Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party — the Treats

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party — the Treats

Throughout the evening, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party guests can stop at five "Holiday Treat Locations" to pick up cookies and hot chocolate to help get them in a festive mood. We tried peppermint bark cookies and cocoa in Tomorrowland, snowman shortbread cookies and snow cones in Fantasyland, and were handed giant snowman sugar cookies as we entered the Magic Kingdom. Alternative treats, like apple slices, are available to those with food allergies.

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Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party — "Once Upon a Time" Castle Projection Show

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party — "Once Upon a Time" Castle Projection Show

The "Once Upon a Time" Castle Projection Show joined the Magic Kingdom lineup in early November and we had a chance to view it during Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party. The show, which is hosted by Beauty and the Beast's Mrs. Potts, is a bedtime story that works it's way through Disney's most popular fairy tales. Expect to see scenes from Cinderella, Winnie the Pooh, Peter Pan, Frozen, Alice in Wonderland, and Beauty and the Beast projected onto the castle with pyrotechnics thrown in for good measure.

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Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party — "A Frozen Holiday Wish"

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party — "A Frozen Holiday Wish"

One of four shows during Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, "A Frozen Holiday Wish" takes place on Cinderella's Castle's Forecourt Stage. Queen Elsa, Princess Anna, and Olaf all make appearances and a certain earworm of a song is sung as Elsa uses her powers to convert the castle into an "ice palace" that glitters throughout the rest of the night.

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Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party — Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party — Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration

A new addition to the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party lineup, "Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration" brings together all of of your favorite Disney characters — think Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy, Buzz Lightyear, Carabelle, Elsa, and more — on the day before Christmas. Mickey and friends sing some Christmas carols and prepare for the big day as snow begins to fall on the Magic Kingdom.

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Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party — Holiday Wishes: Celebrate the Spirit of the Season

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party — Holiday Wishes: Celebrate the Spirit of the Season

Perhaps the centerpiece of Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party is the "Holiday Wishes" fireworks show that takes place at 10 p.m. A loud and beautiful pyrotechnic show, fireworks are timed to song lyrics to truly light up the night over the castle and around the park (called perimeter bursts, the fireworks appear to go off along the park's property line).

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Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party — Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade
Disney

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party — Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade

"Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade" winds its way through the streets of the Magic Kingdom twice each night. It's a festive celebration with a dozen floats, characters, and plenty of holiday music.

09
Holiday Treats

Holiday Treats

What's a trip to a Disney park without indulging in some sweet treats? The Main Street Bakery and the Main Street Confectionery are stocked with holiday-themed candy apples, peppermint bark, and frozen snowflake cupcakes. The Plaza Ice Cream Parlor has a peppermint hot fudge sundae, while Gaston's Tavern will serve up holiday tree cupcakes.

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Hollywood Studios: Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!

Hollywood Studios: Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!

Over at Hollywood Studios, the Chinese Theater provides the backdrop for the new loud and bright holiday show that will run nightly through the end of the year. "Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!" uses the same projection form of storytelling as the "Once Upon a Time" show in the Magic Kingdom to tell the story of two elves, Wayne and Lanny from Prep & Landing, who must find a missing Santa and return him to the North Pole in time for Christmas. Guests will see familiar faces from The Nightmare Before Christmas, Bambi, Beauty and the Beast, and more. The show features many familiar holiday tunes as well as lasers, fireworks, and tons of snow falling throughout the park.

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Hollywood Studios: Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! Dessert Party

Hollywood Studios: Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! Dessert Party

For those that hope to make the Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! celebration a bit more festive, Disney offers a dessert party an hour prior to the show ($69 per adult, $39 for children) featuring rice krispie treats, cupcakes, antipasta, and light cocktails.

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Disney Springs: Starbright Holidays Show

Disney Springs: Starbright Holidays Show

Just in time for peak holiday season, Walt Disney World is lighting up the evening sky — but not with the typical fireworks and lasers that appear in most Disney park shows. The new Starbright Holidays show uses 300 Intel Shooting Star drones to create a magical light show unlike any seen before.

The show, which will take place at Disney Springs each night from Nov. 20 through Jan. 8, features a highly choreographed production involving 300 of Intel's Shooting Star quadcopters outfitted with multicolored lights that can create more than 4 billion color combinations. Their coordinated movements are set to seasonal music and the drones dance around to create holiday-themed images, like a Christmas tree and a dove, among other images. The effect looks similar to an LED screen in the sky.

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Disney Springs Christmas Tree Trail

Disney Springs Christmas Tree Trail

Those needing a break from the shopping and eating at Disney Springs can take a walk down the Christmas Tree Trail, a lane of 15 holiday trees decorated to celebrate Disney movies.

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Disney Springs: Holiday Turkey Poutine

Disney Springs: Holiday Turkey Poutine

At Disney Springs, guests can indulge in a holiday-themed version of Canadian specialty poutine. The Daily Poutine is offering up Holiday Turkey Poutine ($9), which consists of french fries smothered in turkey, gravy, and cheddar curds, topped off with cranberry relish.

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Jingle Cruise
Flickr user themeparktourist

Jingle Cruise

The Magic Kingdom's Jungle Cruise has been replaced by the "Jingle Cruise" for the holiday season. If you thought the puns during the traditional cruise were funny, just wait until they have a Christmas edge to them.

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Holiday Shopping

Holiday Shopping

Visit pretty much any Disney shop and you'll find a selection of Disney (and Mickey!)-inspired ornaments for your tree.

17
Gingerbread Houses

Gingerbread Houses

Both the Contemporary and Grand Floridian resorts will house larger-than-life gingerbread displays this year. The house at the Grand Floridian took more than two months and 840 hours our labor to produce. In addition to the more than 5,000 gingerbread shingles on the house, the store inside it sells chocolate-dipped versions for $9 each. You can smell the ginger-goodness the minute you enter the resort!