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Credit: Inside the MagicIn just a few weeks, things are going to look a lot different at EPCOT. Beginning November 28, Walt Disney World Resort will reimagine its second theme park as one of the only free Christmas celebrations at the Central Florida vacation destination.
EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays
November 28, 2025, marks the return of the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays, one of the most popular seasonal events at Walt Disney World Resort. Unlike Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom and Disney Jollywood Nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays is an all-day experience included in your theme park ticket. No extra special event ticket required!
Like most EPCOT festivals, one of the biggest perks of this Christmastime event is the international food booths scattered around the World Showcase and other park neighborhoods. Pick up a Cookie Stroll scavenger hunt book when you enter the park and try every offering on the list to receive a special prize!
There’s plenty of entertainment, too! Between snacks, visit the Holiday Storytellers in several World Showcase Pavilions to learn about Christmas and other winter holiday traditions around the world. Make sure to let Santa know what you want for Christmas at his meet-and-greet in CommuniCore Hall! Check the Walt Disney World Resort website or the My Disney Experience app for updated showtimes and character greeting schedules.
Of course, it wouldn’t be the end of a day at the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays without the Candlelight Processional. Celebrity guests lead a live orchestra and Disney cast member choir in unforgettable retellings of the traditional Christmas story. Get there early for the best viewing spot, or secure your seat with a dining package!
Make sure to schedule time for a ride on Living with the Land, as the Glimmering Greenhouses overlay returns for the 2025 season. This festive attraction transformation brings dazzling lights, festive garden displays, and holiday-themed plant spotlights to the classic EPCOT boat ride.
Like any Walt Disney World Resort special event, exclusive EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays merchandise will be available around the park. Stop by select stores to purchase an Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt kit. Find the snowman throughout the World Showcase and turn in your completed scavenger hunt for a prize!
The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays runs from November 28 to December 30, 2025. Don’t miss it!
Paid Christmas Festivities at Walt Disney World Resort
If the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays isn’t enough Christmas magic for you, check out the two after-hours events at Magic Kingdom Park and Disney’s Hollywood Studios!
Disney Jollywood Nights
For the third year in a row, Disney Jollywood Nights returns to Disney’s Hollywood Studios on select nights from November 8 to December 22, 2025! Guests step back in time to the glitz and glamour of old Hollywood, made even more magical at Christmastime. The event offers a range of exclusive food and beverages, as well as special character meet-and-greets.
Event exclusive entertainment offerings include Disney Holidays in Hollywood (starring The Muppets), What’s This? Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along, and the Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! fireworks spectacular.
Adult guests can sip and snack at several themed dining experiences, including Jazzy Holidays at The Hollywood Brown Derby (reservations highly recommended) and The Twilight Soirée at the Tip Top Club (below The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror).
Tickets for Disney Jollywood Nights range from $159 to $199. The event runs from 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m., but ticketholders can enter Disney’s Hollywood Studios as early as 5:30 p.m. Annual Passholders and Disney Vacation Club (DVC) members can save $10 on tickets to any available event night.
No dates for Disney Jollywood Nights have sold out yet, but availability is limited. Get your tickets here!
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is Walt Disney World Resort’s premier holiday event, taking over Magic Kingdom Park on select nights between November 7 and December 21, 2025. Stroll down a snowy Main Street, U.S.A., with a complimentary cookie and a cup of hot cocoa, cider, or eggnog during the most wonderful time of the year at The Most Magical Place on Earth!
This family-friendly after-hours event features festive entertainment, including Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade, Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime fireworks, and the Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration show on the Cinderella Castle stage.
Characters in their holiday best pose for photos and sign autographs around the park, and attractions like Space Mountain and Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor get exclusive seasonal makeovers.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is nearly sold out for the 2025 season, with only three event dates remaining: December 14, 16, and 18. Tickets for the remaining nights are $219 per adult and $209 per child aged 3-9 (children under three can enter for free). Magic Kingdom Park shuts down for the event from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m., but ticketholders can enter the park as early as 4:00 p.m. Get your tickets here!
What is your favorite Christmas celebration at Walt Disney World Resort? Inside the Magic would love to hear from you in the comments!