WDW Daily News

Let the holidays begin! A magnificently merry makeover at Magic Kingdom Park is officially ushering in the most magical season of the year at the Walt Disney World Resort. 





After a year of planning, our Holiday Services department has transformed Magic Kingdom Park for the holidays with twinkling lights, toy soldiers, poinsettias, wreaths and other decorations on Main Street U.S.A., – and of course, our iconic 65-foot Christmas Tree. Today, we have a special look at the magic.




Also this season, there will be a joyful look for Cinderella Castle when night falls and special projection effects transform the iconic palace with festive designs with the decorations. 

Along with Magic Kingdom Park, delightful displays of decorations can also be found throughout the Walt Disney World Resort – including Disney Springs – throughout the season. 

The holiday season at Walt Disney World Resort starts today, and we’re unwrapping more details about the magical experiences happening across our theme parks and Disney Springs, including special pop-up appearances by Santa Claus. Read on for all the festive fun!

Magic Kingdom Park
Favorite Disney characters don their holiday best and celebrate the season in a series of special cavalcades, complete with Christmastime floats and music. From Mickey and friends trimming a tree to Goofy and his pals whipping up a bakeshop full of scrumptious treats, character cavalcades bring holiday spirit to the streets of the Magic Kingdom throughout the day. And keep an eye out for Santa, as he glides down the parade route in his sleigh.

Main Street, U.S.A. is the spot to catch the Holiday Trolley, bringing festive harmonies from the Dapper Dans barbershop quartet, and guests may just see some Toy Soldiers joining the Main Street Philharmonic when they march through Magic Kingdom playing their merry melodies.

At night, holiday magic brings a festive look to Cinderella Castle with special projection effects, producing a kaleidoscope of designs including festive stripes and dots, a whimsical Christmas sweater look, a jeweled winter castle and a regal overlay of red, green and gold ornamentation. It’s sure to provide the perfect, colorful backdrop for your holiday photos.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park 
Holiday fun returns to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, bringing unique seasonal décor and a flurry of festive flotillas with favorite Disney characters sailing down the Discovery River to a jolly holiday soundtrack. 

Donald’s Dino Bash Festive Flotilla takes its seasonal celebration to the water, with character friends waving to everyone as they pass, and Chip ‘n’ Dale jingle through the jungle, bringing their own style of holiday flair to the river. The Discovery Island Drummers cruise along, entertaining guests on the shore with an energetic holiday beat, and when Santa Claus makes the trek to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, he’ll spread the joyous spirit of the season to all he sees along the way. 



Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Guests visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios get their own visit from Santa when he brings glitz and glamour to a motorcade down Hollywood Boulevard, led by an entourage of elves and riding in his candy-apple red convertible packed with presents. And just in time for the holiday season, “For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration” adds a festive finale, featuring everyone’s favorite snowman, Olaf, and celebratory songs of the season.

After dark, the iconic Hollywood Tower Hotel on Sunset Boulevard will twinkle with projection effects as it becomes the Hollywood HolidayTower Hotel, magically transforming into a Muppets gingerbread masterpiece, a “Toy Story” toy hotel, a snowy corner of Arendelle and a Dickensian village inspired by “Mickey’s Christmas Carol.”

Disney Springs
The holidays arrive at Disney Springs on Nov. 7, when the area will transform into a winter wonderland, full of sparkling lights, enchanting décor and holiday surprises. Disney Springs is the place to find the perfect gift for everyone. And here, guests will want to take a break and savor the comforting flavors of the season. 

Wander and enjoy the Disney Springs Christmas Tree Stroll presented by AdventHealth, with elaborately-decorated, Disney-themed trees appearing throughout the shopping, dining and entertainment district. There will also be music-playing DJs during the day, and in the evening, stilt-walking toy soldiers, skating snowflakes and a magical snowfall will add a touch of wonder for holiday shoppers at surprise locations.

Santa and Mrs. Claus are also making the trip to Disney Springs this year, where guests can catch them starting later in November, as they soak up their last bit of Florida sunshine before their big night. Look for them cruising Lake Buena Vista and sharing Christmas wishes from a pair of colorfully decorated pontoon boats.

Disney Parks Holiday Merchandise
Guests can bring the Disney Parks magic of the season home with new holiday-themed merchandise available throughout Walt Disney World Resort, as well as the Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort in California and online at shopDisney.com. From apparel to accessories to homeware and more, these very merry collections feature the latest ear headbands, spirit jerseys for adults and children, plush, mini-backpacks by Loungefly, cloth face coverings and more. Highlights include:

• The first Disney Parks holiday snow blower
• Matching holiday onesies for the whole family
• Fuzzy clogs by Crocs
• A new holiday collection from BaubleBar
• And much more!

This is just a sampling of all the festive fun guests will enjoy across Walt Disney World Resort this year. And there’s more to come! EPCOT gets into the spirit a little later in the month, when the Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays presented by AdventHealth kicks off Nov. 27 with live entertainment, holiday kitchens, the Holiday Cookie Stroll and more.

By all accounts, the strict requirements for wearing approved face masks for everyone aged 2 and up, the distancing, liberal use of plexiglass dividers, cleaning and capped capacity are doing what they were designed to do — keep people safe while keeping the “magic” alive.

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It’s clear the Force is strong with Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Since its debut last year, this spectacular experience inside Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge has proven to be one of the most popular attractions at Walt Disney World Resort.  

To better help guests visiting Disney’s Hollywood Studios plan ahead for their day at the park, we’re piloting a new approach to the virtual queue system for Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. Starting Nov. 3, 2020, here’s how it will work: 

• Guests with a valid ticket or annual pass and a Disney Park Pass reservation for Disney’s Hollywood Studios will be able to access the virtual queue system and check for an available boarding group starting at 7 a.m. on the day of their park reservation. This can be done before the guest leaves their Disney resort hotel, or wherever else nearby they might be at that time. 
• Just as we do today, the virtual queue will reopen daily at 2 p.m. for anyone who wasn’t already able to join a boarding group earlier in the day. Note: Guests must be inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios to access this second virtual queue opportunity, and access to a boarding group is subject to availability and not guaranteed.  

We’re hoping this new approach will make a day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios more enjoyable and relaxing, as guests no longer need to be inside the park each morning to request a boarding group for the first virtual queue opportunity. As a reminder, they do need to be inside the park to request the 2 p.m. boarding groups. 

To try to maximize the number of boarding groups we’re able to accommodate while adhering to current health and safety guidelines, we recently added a clear barrier between the two rows of seats on each First Order Fleet Transport vehicle inside the attraction. This enables us to invite more guests to board Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance each day. 

The attraction’s virtual queue is only accessible via the My Disney Experience mobile app. To maximize your opportunity to secure a boarding group, here are some tips we recommend you check off your list prior to your day at the park: 

• Register an account in My Disney Experience
• Download the My Disney Experience mobile app on your smart device or ensure you’re using the most updated version of the app before you arrive at the park. 
• Link and assign all park tickets in your party to a My Disney Experience account
• Have a valid Disney Park Pass reservation for Disney’s Hollywood Studios for the day you’re visiting
• Select one member of your party to access the virtual queue for everyone in your group; if multiple people in your party try to join the virtual queue simultaneously, that may complicate your ability to secure a boarding group
• Remember, virtual queue boarding groups are limited and subject to availability  

This new pilot approach to the Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance virtual queue is designed to give guests the best possible experience during a day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

Walt Disney World Enchanting Extras Collections includes a variety of activities, dining events, tours, and more. Beginning today, some of these Enchanting Extras will available to book on DisneyWorld.com and the My Disney Experience app. 

Enchanting Extras available to book online today include:

• Droid Depot
• Savi’s Workshop
• Wilderness Back Trail Adventure 

The remaining Enchanting Extras will continue to require a phone call to book. However, we will provide updates when online booking capabilities for additional experiences become available.

Guests staying at Disney Resort hotels, Walt Disney World Swan Hotel, Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel, Shades of Green® Resort, Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels, Four Seasons Resort Orlando, Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek and Waldorf Astoria Orlando can make reservations up to 60 days in advance plus the length of their stay (up to 10 days).

Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew will soon offer over-the-top donuts that will add to the amazing variety of sweet spots guests can find on property. Here is a rendering of the specialty food and beverage location opening soon at Disney Springs West Side.

Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew will be located adjacent to Splitsville and near the west entrance and exit of the Orange Parking Garage. The overall design of this sweet spot will have a unique spin on a classic donut shop featuring graphic pops of color, iconic signage, and a beautiful outdoor seating area in the “donut garden.” Before guests enter the venue, they may catch a glimpse of a culinary experience unfolding through the windows of the exposed kitchen where hot and fresh donuts will bake daily.

“We like to say our little oasis of indulgences is going to be where ‘Happiness is Glazed Daily,’” says Mark Gibson, co-owner of Everglazed. “The menu will be full of sweet surprises and a unique spot for guests wanting a quick treat, cold brew or nitro-infused chilled coffee.” Everglazed will specialize in hand-crafted donuts featuring mouthwatering yeast and cake donuts with an assortment of cold brew lattes and coffee cocktails and a few sweet-yet-savory sandwich bites.

“The humble donut has truly become a global phenomenon. The fried circle of dough is a simple concoction with the ability to showcase chef-inspired flavors and toppings,” says Guy Revelle, co-owner of Everglazed. “We can’t wait to offer guests at Disney Springs our robust menu of sweet delights, but you are officially warned: We spoke to your diet – and it’s taking some time off when we open our doors.”

“Are we there yet?”

If you’ve ever traveled to Walt Disney World® Resort with children – or maybe even adults! – you’ve heard that phrase once or a hundred times. Everyone’s so excited to experience their favorite attraction or grab their best bite to eat, so the trip can feel like it takes FOREVER.

When you stop and think about it for a moment, though, the very first bit of magic you experience is actually driving underneath the Walt Disney World gateways – those grand arches stretching over the roadways that tell you, yes, you’ve finally arrived at The Most Magical Place on Earth. You are here!

Starting today, these gateways to a Disney vacation are about to get some pixie dust as we begin to adorn them with a new color palette that complements the recent royal makeover of Cinderella Castle at Magic Kingdom Park. The rendering above gives you a first glimpse at what the entrances will look like when they’re finished. In addition, you’ll see these colors appear on the Magic Kingdom Park Auto Plaza as we bring a new shimmer to that iconic entryway.

These refreshed gateways will continue to set the tone for all the stories you’ll tell and the memories you’ll cherish long after your visit. They’re also part of the broad tapestry of new experiences happening across Walt Disney World Resort as part of the resort’s historic transformation that includes expansive themed lands like Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, new attractions like Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, and new places to stay like Disney’s Riviera Resort.

Keep checking for more updates on this exciting project and more as we continue to chronicle the transformation of The Most Magical Place on Earth!

Looking for sights, sounds and flavors from holiday festivities around the world this year? Then be sure to check out the Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays presented by AdventHealth, taking place Nov. 27-Dec. 30, 2020 at Walt Disney WorldResort. This magical event will feature delicious food, fun activities for the whole family and the chance to see some Disney characters in their holiday finest.

At this year’s festival, enjoy a global celebration of seasonal cuisine at the Holiday Kitchens, located throughout World Showcase, including three kitchens inside World ShowPlace Events Pavilion. Indulge in festival favorites like the slow-roasted turkey from the American Holiday Table, pork schnitzel at the Bavaria Holiday Kitchen or the beef bourguignon from the Yukon Holiday Kitchen. 



As guests sip, savor and sample their way through the Holiday Kitchens, they may spot some of their favorite characters – dressed in their holiday best – traveling through World Showcase to spread holiday cheer. Keep an eye out for Queen Anna and Elsa in the “Frozen Holiday Promenade,” and Mickey Mouse and his pals making merry on the “Mickey and Friends Holiday World Tour.” And we can’t forget about Santa Claus! When Santa visits EPCOT during this festive time of year, he’ll take a grand horse-drawn tour around World Showcase, calling out happy holiday wishes to all.

Be sure to visit America Gardens Theatre to enjoy the sounds of the season from Voices of Liberty, who will share favorite carols through their incredible harmonies. Mariachi Cobre will bring to life Las Posadas, a celebration of Mexican holiday customs through music and dance. Over at the Canada pavilion, JAMMitors will grace the Mill Stage with their playful percussion. And, enjoy the shopping, sights AND sounds inside World ShowPlace as fan-favorite JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season will bring you on an uplifting journey through R&B, gospel, contemporary and traditional Christmas and holiday music. 



The Holiday Cookie Stroll returns this year, with a complimentary cookie as reward for completing the confectionary collection. The delicious array of sweet treats to choose from will include cookies from five different locations throughout the park. You can also pick up an adorable cookie jar to collect all of your cookies, available for purchase at the Holiday Markets throughout World Showcase, while supplies last.

To share holiday traditions from around the world, everyone’s favorite snowman from Frozen invites kids of all ages on the new “Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition,” a festive adventure around World Showcase to round up holiday traditions Olaf misplaces. Guests can purchase the expedition map at Mouse Gear, Disney Traders or World Traveler at International Gateway, then look for hidden Olafs throughout the World Showcase pavilions. Once they find them all, they’ll receive a gift worth melting for (while supplies last).

The holiday season across the rest of Walt Disney World Resort begins Nov. 6, 2020, with seasonal celebrations at Magic Kingdom Park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, Disney Springs and Disney Resort hotels.

A global celebration of the visual, culinary and performing arts is on its way to Walt Disney World Resort early next year, as the Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Arts is set for Jan. 8 – Feb. 22, 2021. 

The Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Arts offers fun for the whole family. Here is just a sketch of what to expect when the event debuts in January:

• Indulge in over 15 Food Studios serving culinary art all around World Showcase
• Explore and purchase the brilliant and diverse work of Disney and other invited artists on display in marketplaces encircling World Showcase Lagoon
• Step into the scene at special photo locations scattered around the park
• Participate in a paint-by-number mural that serves as a collaborative art project for all
• Watch as visiting artists create magic right before your eyes
• Catch performances by favorite EPCOT musical artists Mariachi Cobre and the JAMMitors.
• Join an artful scavenger hunt and search for Figment around World Showcase
• Shop for festival-exclusive merchandise

We’ll have more details on the Taste of EPCOT International Festival of the Arts in the weeks and months to come.

On weekdays starting October 14, Passholders can discover a shop just for them. Located in Der Teddybar in the Germany pavilion of World Showcase in EPCOT, the shop will be open Mondays to Fridays from 11:30 a.m. to park close October 14 through November 17, 2020. Please note that the shop’s dates and hours are subject to change. 

This shop is exclusively for Annual Passholders and you will need to show your annual pass card and government-issued photo ID to enter. Once inside, Passholders will discover exclusive merchandise, new World Showcase products and more. Passholders should check this page often for the most up-to-date information on new and available products. 

Important Information
Shop capacity is limited, and entry is not guaranteed. Operating hours and dates of operation are subject to change without notice. Valid park admission and park reservation for the same park on the same day are required for theme park entry. Passholder must present a valid annual pass card and government-issued photo ID to enter the shop and at time of purchase to receive any available discounts. Discounts are for personal use only and may not be used to purchase merchandise with the intent to resell the merchandise. The Annual Passholder Pop-Up Shop is located in Der Teddybar in the EPCOT World Showcase Germany pavilion. Passholders should follow signs to enter queue. Location, product availability and operating hours subject to change without notice and while supplies last. Limit of 10 units of a single item per transaction.