Walt Disney World has just announced new, modified holiday offerings for the 2020 season.
Building off of recent experiences of operating in a new environment, Disney has reimagined the holidays with current health and safety measures while still keeping the joy and magic of the season. With that being said, Holiday experiences that draw big crowds will sadly be on hiatus this year, namely Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom and the Candlelight Processional at EPCOT.
From Nov. 6-Dec. 30 guests will be able to enjoy festive décor, themed merchandise, seasonal food & beverage offerings and entertainment all across Walt Disney World Resort. Holiday magic will be in full force at the four theme parks and Disney Springs, and Santa Claus will make time for special pop-up appearances at each location, waving and exclaiming holiday wishes to all.
Guests will be delighted by the sight of festive flotillas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, holiday promenades at EPCOT and merry motorcades at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Character cavalcades at Magic Kingdom Park will take on a special holiday twist, with Christmas friends on festive floats in their holiday finest. The cavalcades will feature Gingerbread Men, Elves, and Reindeer. Also, the beloved Toy Soldiers will join the Main Street Philharmonic as they march through Magic Kingdom Park, bringing musical holiday cheer for all to hear.
Minnie Mouse will be hosting a yuletide gathering for all her friends at Hollywood & Vine at Disney’s Hollywood Studios starting Nov. 6. Santa Goofy will be there, along with Minnie and more in their holiday best.
Shifting gears to Disney Springs, guests will discover Christmas around every corner as they come across a collection of elaborately-decorated Disney Christmas trees spread throughout this retail, dining and entertainment destination. In the evening, guests visiting areas within Town Center, West Side and The Landing will encounter a magical snowfall, adding an extra touch of wonder to their holiday shopping. And to top it off, Jock Lindsey will once again be turning his hangar bar into Jock Lindsey’s Holiday Bar complete with delightful holiday décor and a delicious limited-time menu filled with festive favorites.
Disney Resort hotels will also be decked out for the holidays, with their lobbies featuring iconic trees and other festive flourishes. One thing to keep in mind is that our gingerbread displays will not return to the Resort hotels this year. While we know they are a favorite of people taking in the holiday décor, we’re not able to include those displays due to physical distancing guidelines.
Starting a bit later in the season, on Nov. 27, Disney will “celebrate highlights from the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays”. Holiday kitchens will return around World Showcase promenade with favorites like American Holiday Table featuring Slow-roasted Turkey with Stuffing and Bavaria Holiday Kitchen with dishes like Cheese Fondue in a Bread Bowl. How many will return and if the event will fold into the ongoing Taste of the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival remains to be seen.
Guests will be invited to step inside World ShowPlace to enjoy the returning group, JOYFUL!, who present a journey through R&B, Gospel, contemporary and traditional Christmas and holiday music. Also, the Voices of Liberty will bring their incredible 8-part harmonies to the America Gardens Theatre stage for a special concert of favorite carols and songs of the season.
So, what do you think of the unique holiday lineup at Walt Disney World in 2020?
wow thats a hard blow. my familt had to cancle are disney world 3 times because of covid and travel ristrictions. I really wanted our dec rescheldule to work out but with this and less hours its looking like disney 2020 is just not in the cards for us,
we get:
i mean the list goes on. but iit will still cost us 7k to go.
Jessica😒, you need a happier profile photo, you’re working for The Happiest 😁 Place on Earth gosh darn it !!! SMILE 😁!!!
TheChamChamofIMDb 😉
women just don’t get told to smile enough
No Fireworks at ALL?
So sad, why not go all out and just cancel Christmas all togther.
It wouldn’t be the end of the world if they did. I, for one, would love to watch Scrooge McDuck walking up and down Main Street USA, pulling down all the wreaths and garland, making decidedly unmerry comments the whole way. Universal could do something similar with the Grinch. That’s MY kinda holiday show.
So sad about this. My little girl is going to be sad all over again. This will be the 3rd time we’ve canceled or rescheduled and I was really hopeful that things would open up by December. There’s truly no reason to pay that much to bring my daughter when she literally lives to meet characters, dine with characters and go to the bipity boppity boutique. Take those away not to mention everything else and it’s not worth it to bring her unfortunately.
I am upset but i understand it’s for safety reasons
I mostly agree but they could hang lights on the castle. I feel like some of this is in the spirit of cost-cutting more than health and safety. Like a sit down character meal is a lot less safe than fireworks if they turned it into a ticketed event with socially distanced viewing spots. But ah well.
I’d love to go in early December! Although I do love the Christmas party with the Christmas parade, I can envision a fun time without the pressure of having to stand for hours on Main Street to get a front row slot for the parade. I think the character cavalcades that you don’t have to wait for might be cool! I’m assuming the decorations will be up and that there will be special Christmas treats (even if not free like at the party). Perhaps a more laid back but relaxed and not frenetic celebration of Christmas. I’m feeling it!
What do I think of the alternative offerings you ask at the end of the article? They suck. There’s absolutely no reason to go to Disney World this fall in winter. My wife and I were looking at coming in November before the food and wine festival ended and stay for when the Christmas decorations go up. But between reduced hours and the fact that you’re basically doing away with most of Christmas, especially the candlelight processional, there’s no reason to go. I mean I understand the lead time to schedule stuff but what if a vaccine is released around election day or shortly thereafter and this Corona virus crap starts to go away? I don’t know how much it costs for the celebrity narrators for the candlelight processional or if they do it for free but it’s like you canceled it and other stuff because you’re not bringing the revenue in. I get all the Florida restrictions made you close from March through July so that’s not your fault but you’re a multi-billion dollar company between all the divisions (the parks, ABC, ESPN, and everything else) you couldn’t find the money somewhere to make Christmas like it has been? The social distancing you could have made the social distancing work for the candlelight processional. Just limit the admission, don’t make it general admission. Do it like every other row or block off rows or whatever. Test the performers daily for COVID. I mean heck the NFL and college are playing football. They get a heck of a lot closer than the performers do for the candlelight processional. It’s just stupid.
I have been a huge fan of the Magic Kingdom for 40 years, and plan to be in Orlando-Tampa around Christmas, but I will NOT be going to the MK for a 10-hour visit. I like to arrive at 9 AM and leave at 11 PM, or later. That’s my idea of a real day at Disney, so unless/until those park hours get extended, I won’t be going.