As frequent visitors to Disney World, one of our favorite seasons to visit the parks is during Christmas. There are so many reasons to visit Disney World around the holidays, such as the amazing decorations throughout Disney World property, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, Christmas tree stroll at Disney Springs, and the generally pleasant weather in central Florida. Although Christmas time typically brings in the highest crowd levels at Disney World, it is still a great time to visit the parks. And of course, viewing the best Disney World Christmas hotels!
Another reason to visit Disney World during the holidays is to check out the many Disney World resorts. The resorts go all out with beautiful lights, Christmas trees, and an overall atmosphere that brings the Disney experience to a whole new level. Although the decorations are typically the most impressive at the deluxe level resorts which have the most expensive rates, all of the resorts at Disney will have beautiful decorations to enjoy. Additionally, guests are always welcome to visit any Disney World resort whether or not they have a reservation.Â
Even if you choose a different Disney World resort to stay at during your vacation, we highly recommend taking the time to visit these other resorts during Christmas to see how beautifully decorated they are! Let's get into all the best Disney World Christmas hotels!
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
Grand Floridian is one of the most beautiful and unique resorts in all of Disney World, and is conveniently located on the monorail which makes it easy to access from Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and the other incredible resorts on the monorail. If you are planning a day at Magic Kingdom or Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, we highly recommend taking a pit stop at this beautiful resort to see the Christmas decorations that pair perfectly with the Victorian theme of this resort. This is easily one of the best Disney World Christmas hotels!
If you plan on visiting the Grand Floridian before or after a day at Magic Kingdom, there is even a convenient walkway between Magic Kingdom and the Grand Floridian which bypasses the typically long monorail line from Magic Kingdom. Guests are also able to take the resort monorail line to and from Grand Floridian back to the Magic Kingdom to catch a bus back to their resort.Â
The main headliner at all of the Disney World resorts during Christmas is the breathtaking gingerbread house that is constructed and displayed in the lobby at the Grand Floridian each year. The life sized house is constructed with over 10,000 gingerbread shingles. Disney bakers spend over 500 hours baking the gingerbread and another 480 hours building and decorating the house for guests to enjoy. Visiting the gingerbread house is an absolute must during any trip to Disney World at Christmas! Usually there are even PhotoPass cast members that can take professional photos of your family in front of the house due to it's popularity.
In addition to the Christmas tree and gingerbread house, the Grand Floridian has other fun displays and decorations throughout it's large lobby. In the past we have seen wreaths decorated by cast members which guests can enjoy and even vote for their favorites. These and other contests are frequently held at most of the Disney World resorts and are another fun activity at the resorts during the holidays.
Overall, the Grand Floridian is our favorite resort to visit or stay during Christmas, especially because of their incredible decorations and ease of access from Magic Kingdom via the monorail. It is truly a magical experience to simply walk around this resort at any time of the year, but especially Christmas. This is one of the best Disney World Christmas hotels!
Disney's Fort Wilderness Lodge
Disney's Fort Wilderness Lodge is also another favorite Disney World resort to stay or visit during the holidays. The rustic theme of this resort makes their Christmas decorations feel extra magical both in their deluxe resort as well as the nearby campsites. This is also one of the best Disney World Christmas hotels!
Although Fort Wilderness is not as easily accessible to the Magic Kingdom via monorail like the Grand Floridian, there is a water taxi that takes guests between this resort, Magic Kingdom, and other nearby resorts. This makes it very easy for guests who want to visit each resort to see their Christmas displays or visit the various restaurants and gift shops.Â
Also located in the lobby of the Fort Wilderness Lodge is a large fireplace which is very enjoyable and cozy area to relax and enjoy a glass of wine or good company. The overall aesthetic of this resort is beautiful year round, but during Christmas there's just something extra special that all guests should try to experience during their visit. Fort Wilderness is sure to be enjoyed by everyone in the family especially because it doesn't have an overwhelmingly Florida or Disney theme and is simply just a beautiful resort.
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And at no additional charge, you get FREE concierge Walt Disney World services! These services include having Get Away Today’s experts take care of all your dining reservations, Genie+ reservations, and more! This really takes all the stress out of planning a Walt Disney World vacation especially during the holidays. Rather than waking up at odd hours of the night to book all your reservations, why not let their travel agents take care of it for you- for free!
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Buying tickets from Get Away Today is easy and convenient since all their tickets are sent electronically. You can take their vouchers and head straight to the gate without needing to wait in any ticket booth lines. They also offer layaway plans so you can pay off your vacation over time.
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Another beautiful resort to visit or stay during the holidays is Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge. Similar to Fort Wilderness, this resort has a rustic feel that goes beautifully with the Christmas décor. We also love the animal themed Christmas trees and animal displays within the main lobby area during Christmas. This resort makes for another best Disney World Christmas hotels!
Although they may not be as large as the gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian, the Animal Kingdom Lodge displays life sized gingerbread animal statues in the lobby of Jambo House! These statues are so unique and lifelike, and it made such a great addition to this beautiful resort's lobby during the holiday season. These amazing gingerbread animals even have names: the giraffe is named Ginger and the zebra is named Debra. Make sure to stop by and say hello during your next trip during the Christmas season.Â
This resort is what we believe to be one of the most underrated resorts and can be thoroughly enjoyed by guests all year long. Although it may be more special during the holidays with its impressive Christmas tree and gingerbread animal statues, there isn't anything like staying at this resort. There aren't very many resorts in the United States where you can spot African wildlife from just outside your hotel room's window!Â
Disney's Beach Club Resort
The last but certainly not least resort to visit or stay during Christmas it Disney's Beach Club Resort. This is another fantastic resort due to it's close proximity to EPCOT, Hollywood Studios, as well as Disney's BoardWalk. Beach Club is one of the best resorts to visit during Christmas due to the beautiful life-sized gingerbread carousel displayed in the main lobby. Bakers even add hidden Mickeys to the carousel each year, so be on the lookout if you have the chance to go! This hotel offers so much decor making it one of the best Disney World Christmas hotels!
Last year, the gingerbread carousel had a DuckTales theme with the horses representing different EPCOT World Showcase countries that are part of the DuckTales mobile game in the Play Disney Parks mobile app. It goes to show how each year the bakers try to come up with new creative ideas for their displays, and it truly shows with their work.Â
Therefore, Beach Club is also another popular resort to stay or visit during the holiday season. In addition to the Christmas trees and gingerbread carousel, Beach Club is an overall beautiful resort to visit.Â
Preparing for a Disney World Vacation During Christmas
Although visiting the Disney World resorts during Christmas is highly recommended, it can be stressful due to the number of visitors during this time of year. Due to the high crowd levels, guests are usually not allowed to park at the resorts unless they are staying at the resort or have a reservation at one of the restaurants. Therefore, we always recommend taking an Uber or using Disney World's free transportation to visit any of these resorts during the holidays. Plus enjoying the best Disney World Christmas hotels for a midday break is another good way to decompress.Â
Out of town visitors should also be aware of the weather in central Florida during the holiday season. It's important to check the weather shortly before your trip and plan for varying types of temperatures and even potential rain. If you plan on visiting Disney World in December, check out our tips on what to wear to the parks here.
Overall, we recommend focusing on enjoying the overall atmosphere of Disney World during the holidays instead of focusing on experiencing every single ride and attraction. There is nothing like visiting the parks during this season, and due to the high crowd levels it's best to just enjoy the quality of the experience over the quantity during the holiday season. And one great way to do that is to plan on seeing the best Disney World Christmas hotels!
Plan Your Next Disney World Vacation
Be sure to subscribe to our FREE newsletter and read our blog for more tips on how to prepare for your next Disney World vacation. Whether or not you are visiting the parks during Christmas, we will help you plan everything from how to find the cheapest Disney World tickets anywhere to the best dining and shopping on property! You can find more information on planning your next vacation to Disney World below:
- Disney Gift Card Discounts 2024 – Save Money on Your Next Disney Trip
- FREE Things to do at Walt Disney World
- Finding Discount Walt Disney World Tickets
- Walt Disney World Genie+ Guide
- Disney World Packing List – Everything You Need to Bring
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all Disney resorts decorate for Christmas?
Yes, all Disney World resorts decorate for Christmas! All resorts put up large Christmas trees and light displays for guests to enjoy during the holiday season. Some resorts have extremely impressive displays such as the life sized gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Fort Wilderness Lodge is also a favorite resort to stay or visit during Christmas due to the rustic aesthetic that compliments the Christmas decorations very well. Guests can count on getting a fully immersive Christmas experience everywhere they go on Disney World property during the holidays.
How long are Disney resorts decorated for Christmas?
Disney resorts are decorated for Christmas between early November and early January. There are never any specific dates in which the decorations are put up and taken down, however, they are generally still up for at least a week or so after Christmas day. Therefore, even if guests plan on visiting Disney World in January where crowds are likely more manageable, they are still likely to see many holiday decorations throughout the resorts and theme parks.
Which Disney resort has the biggest Christmas tree?
Although all Disney resorts have beautiful and large Christmas trees, Disney's Contemporary Resort has the largest which stands at 70 feet tall. Since this Christmas tree stands outside the resort, guests who take the monorail to Magic Kingdom or other resorts on the monorail are able to see this impressive tree without having to drive to this resort.
Where are gingerbread houses in Disney World?
The gingerbread houses in Disney World can be found during the holiday season at the Grand Floridian Resort, Contemporary Resort, Beach Club Resort, BoardWalk Inn, Animal Kingdom Lodge, and the Yacht Club Resort. Although all of these gingerbread displays are beautiful and unique, the 10,000+ gingerbread shingle house at the Grand Floridian is the most impressive. Bakers spend over 500 hours baking the gingerbread for this house alone, and spend another 480 hours building and constructing the house within the Grand Floridian's main lobby. It is always worth a visit during the holiday season at Disney World.
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