The holidays are an interesting time in Orlando. Each park tries to get you into the holiday spirit by going all out with their decorations, but there is something about looking at a Christmas tree while wearing shorts that doesn’t always get the job done. But if you can get past that, there are some great enjoy the parks in a new way during the holidays. 

So as we enter the season, we want to pass along 15 ways you can celebrate the holidays at Orlando’s theme parks.

The Holidays at Walt Disney World Resort

Disney is famous for immediately putting out their Christmas decorations the moment Halloween ends. If you’re ready to celebrate Christmas on November 1st, then Disney is the place for you!

Christmas Tree Trail at Disney Springs — Arguably our favorite Disney holiday tradition (or at least the one we look most forward to visiting), this short stroll really gets us in the holiday spirit. The best part about this free event isn’t just the Christmas trees, but the fact they’re all themed. It’s really cool to see how each tree is themed to Lion King, The Little Mermaid or The Muppets, to name a few. Since this is a free event, we can’t recommend it enough!

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Epcot’s Festival of the Holidays — Travel around the world and delight in Christmas traditions and cookies! This Epcot festival is also the home to the famous Candlelight Processional where you can hear the Christmas story with a celebrity reader, an orchestra and a full choir.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party — Think of this event like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party…but with Christmas. Just like Not So Scary, this extra-ticketed event has exclusive desserts, ride overlays, a special parade and more. 

Resort hopping — It’s not just Disney’s parks that get decorated for the holidays, but the resorts as well. An easy way to see a lot of resorts in one shot is the monorail or Disney Skyliner. Every resort has its unique decorations so you can’t go wrong with any of them.

Hollywood Studios — There are a couple of ways to enjoy the holidays at Disney’s Hollywood Studios with Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! and the projections on the Tower of Terror. They’re both projection shows, just at different locations. Jingle Bell Jingle BAM! is a fun story of two elves told through music and scenes from Disney’s classic movies. The projections on the Tower of Terror don’t have a plot, but they’re a variety of short shows featuring holiday music and Disney themes.  Oh, and don’t forget about the snoap (“snow” made from soap).

Getting in a Festive Mood at SeaWorld Orlando

We think some of the prettiest Christmas decorations are at SeaWorld Orlando. The sea of trees is absolutely breathtaking at night. Not only that, the park decorations and the Christmas Market are absolutely beautiful (not to mention adult hot chocolate!)

O Wondrous Night — SeaWorld Orlando uses puppets and real animals to tell the story of the first Christmas. This fun, family-friendly event is a really unique Christmas show and perfectly on-brand with SeaWorld.

Winter Wonderland on Ice — Taking place at Bayshore Stadium this is a fun, ice-skating show that features some surprisingly scary moves! The skating is definitely beautiful, but you’ll be surprised at how often you’re on the edge of your seat. 

Sea of Trees — SeaWorld Orlando’s signature Christmas event, the sea of trees is at its best at night. The trees are already beautiful in the water, but a few times each night there is a mini-show where music plays and the lights dance.

Holiday-themed animal shows — Both the Clyde and Seamore (sea lion show) and Shamu shows have special once-per-day holiday-themed shows. The good news is that each of these shows is at a different time so you can easily see both in one visit.

Christmas Market — More than just a place to buy merch, the Christmas Market has giant fire pits, food, hot chocolate (both regular and alcoholic) and a place to warm up when it’s cold outside. This is also the place to meet Rudolph and his friends.  

Celebrating at Universal Orlando Resort

Of the three major theme parks, Universal Orlando resort is one that does Christmas the least. There are decorations and a few added bits, but overall there seems to be a bit more that could be done for some extra holiday spirit.

Universal’s Holiday Parade Featuring Macy’s — This parade features some of the balloons from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade as well as some beautiful floats. Fun tip – Universal Orlando Annual Passholders can watch from a special viewing location in front of Mel’s Drive-In. If you have your heart set on viewing the parade from this location, then plan on arriving early.

Grinchmas at Islands of Adventure — If you love the Grinch or all things Dr. Seuss, then this is a must-do while you are at Universal Orlando Resort. There is a live production of Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas and the land is trimmed with detailed decorations. All in all, it’s a great family-friendly activity.

Grinch Character Dining — If just seeing the Grinch in the parks isn’t enough, what about a little one-on-one time? Offered only during the holiday season, this special character dining lets you interact with the mean, green one and other Whovillagers.

Mannheim Steamroller — If you are a fan of Christmas music, then you need to check out a Mannheim Steamroller performance. They only play on select nights, so it’s best to consult the Universal Orlando Resort website or check social media. 

Christmas at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter — Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade really come alive during the holidays. Adding decorations to a snow-capped Hogsmeade really gives the area an extra-added holiday cheer. You also don’t want to miss the Christmas projection show on Hogwarts Castle. Plus, the holidays bring one of our favorite holiday treats back – hot butterbeer. Seriously, if you haven’t tried it you need to on your next visit.

The holiday season is one of the times of the year where the parks are at their most beautiful and unique. We obviously recommend seeing as much as possible, but it doesn’t matter if you can only visit one park (or not a park at all!) there is something for everything this holiday season.