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Credit: DisneyA staple of the Walt Disney World Resort won’t be around this holiday season. Here’s what fans are saying.
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Halloween is steadily approaching Walt Disney World, which can only mean one thing: Christmas is right around the corner. Once Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party wraps up this October, all eyes and ears move ahead toward Disney World’s Christmas event, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
Just like the resort’s Halloween celebration, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party sees Magic Kingdom transform, only this time into a winterized version of the classic castle theme park.
Other areas of the resort also undergo holiday transformations, with Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa perhaps being one of the most magical destinations. This luxurious and illustrious hotel has served as one of the defining landmarks of Walt Disney World since it opened in 1988, standing tall among other iconic hotels like Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.
During Christmas, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort gets a makeover, though in 2025, this overhaul will be absent one key feature.
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Earlier this year, Disney confirmed that its iconic Grand Floridian gingerbread house would not return for the holiday season this year due to the hotel’s ongoing refurbishments.
The sugar-coated life-size house has been a staple of the Walt Disney World Resort since it was first unveiled back in 1999. Created with thousands of handmade gingerbread pieces, the Christmas installation has become one of the most popular and cherished traditions at Disney World.
Fans were quick to share their disappointment with the news, with a recent Reddit post gaining traction online. “I’m going to miss the gingerbread house this year,” reads the post’s caption. Other users chimed in, sharing their disappointment and frustration.
“I’m super bummed it’s not going to be there,” said one user. “One of the things I was most excited about was showing everyone the GF gingerbread house. I’m the only one of us who’s seen one. You can only imagine my disappointment when I learned there wouldn’t be a gingerbread house at Grand Floridian this year,” said another.
I'm going to miss the gingerbread house this year
byu/ImpossibleSun1633 inWaltDisneyWorld
On the original announcement post, fans responded with slightly harsher words. “This seems like an egregious error. I chose to go two years ago during Christmas just so I could see this gingerbread house for the first time. I loved it so much we went for last Christmas too.”
“People are talking about canceling their trip!” another user said.
“This is very sad and disappointing not to have it,” one user wrote. “What are they going to take away next?”
Even though there won’t be a gingerbread house to enjoy, Disney encourages guests to stay tuned for updates on the hotel’s refurbishment progress and any alternative holiday offerings the resort may have in store.
In April, Walt Disney World Resort shared a first look at plans for an updated lobby at the Grand Floridian. The update includes the first-ever lobby bar, inspired by the golden bird cage that has welcomed guests to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa for over three decades.
The rest of the hotel’s lobby is also getting a makeover, with stained glass, murals, new furnishings, and custom carpeting that will bring a refreshed, modern feel without sacrificing the hotel’s Victorian charm. Walt Disney World Resort has promised that two of the lobby’s most cherished elements, the vintage cage-style elevator and grand piano, will remain in place post-renovation.