Magical vacations without spending a lot of cash: 7 free (or very cheap) Disney World Christmas activities
As you may already know, tickets to Disney World’s Merry Christmas Party can run up to nearly $200 per person on peak nights — and they’ve mostly sold out throughout the year.
If you’ve accidentally missed purchasing your tickets in time for the occasion, or you’ve been kicked out of this year’s Christmas celebrations, don’t stress: There are still a few other ways to get in the holiday spirit at Disney World free (or nearly so).
Related: Disney World Christmas Tips: Mickey’s Merry Christmas Party and More
Visit Santa at Disney Springs
Naturally, Santa has Disney on his pre-Christmas visit list because so many children pass by. This year, you’ll find him at Disney Springs’ Once Upon a Time Toy store.
To meet the man of the season, you need to join a virtual queue, which accepts guests at 9am, noon, 3pm and 6pm daily. There is no fee to see the big man. However, entering the virtual queue requires selecting a time through the My Disney Experience app while on the Disney Springs premises. Be sure to drop by when you’re ready to arrange a meet and greet.
See a life-size gingerbread house at Grand Floridian
In Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spaone of three onsite hotels located on the monorail, you’ll find a life-sized gingerbread house made from over 1,000 pounds of honey, 700 pounds of chocolate, and 800 pounds of flour, plus all kinds of sweet ingredients.
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You’re free to admire the house — and if you’re a little lucky, you might find yourself at the property at the same time as the hotel’s pianist, meaning you can listen to live piano music while watching. home. For an even more festive experience, you can also try the thinly sliced gingerbread served with dark chocolate, though it will set you back $11.
Before visiting, know that you may need to take some extra steps when driving to the hotel. If you want to park at the Grand Floridian, you may need to make a dining reservation, which is recommended as early as possible as winter is a popular time to visit the surrounding parks and hotels.
Related: Best Credit Cards for Disney and Universal Holidays
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Find 20 themed trees at Disney Springs
At Disney Springs, you can hunt down 20 giant themed trees on display throughout. Each tree’s theme is different, with decor inspired by movies like “Frozen,” “Encanto,” and “Star Wars,” plus games like The Haunted Mansion.
You can casually enjoy the trees as you find them, or — if you want to add some fun — you can make finding them more of a sport by marking them on the map with symbols. corresponding sticker. Rumor has it that there is a prize for those who find all 20.
Play in the snow’
Yes, it snowed on Main Street, USA, during the Mickey Christmas Party Parade – and I have to admit, it was magical. However, this location inside the Magic Kingdom isn’t the only place you can see “snow” while visiting Disney.
Every night at Disney Springs Town Center, you’ll see white snowflakes fall from the sky. Best of all, you don’t need a park ticket or a party ticket to join this magical experience.
When you’re not busy catching “snowflakes” with your kids, visit the holiday-themed Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar for a mint hot chocolate or creamy white chocolate cookie and hot chocolate.
If you’re craving even more delicious chocolate, head to nearby Ganachery for a mouthwatering reindeer pinata with mint bark.
Look for towering Christmas trees at resort hotels
all of Disney resort hotel are getting ready for Christmas, but some go a step further and really go all out for the holiday.
In addition to Grand Floridian, properties such as Disney’s Animal Kingdom Hostel and Disney Wilderness Inn displays some of the largest and most elaborate Christmas trees available at Disney resorts.
Similar to Grand Floridian, you’ll sometimes need a dining reservation to park your car at these resorts, so plan accordingly or take advantage of Disney’s free transportation from Disney Springs to visit . To justify the added effort, spend the evening gazing at the trees by hopping into the resort and enjoying snacks, drinks and sweets as you go.
Check out the Candlelight Procession (if you visited Epcot)
This is borderline cheating on this list as it requires being in Epcot, but I’m including it anyway because no special party tickets are needed for this seasonal event.
Running from November 25 to December 30, the park’s famous Candle Procession will feature celebrity guests retelling the Christmas story three times each night from Epcot’s America Gardens Theatre. As they narrate the event, an orchestra and a choir will perform.
Going to see the procession is free (when you’re in Epcot), but you may need to get there early or book a meal plan to get a seat, especially on popular nights. This year, celebrity guest readers include Angela Bassett, Josh Gad, Neil Patrick Harris, Whoopi Goldberg and Simu Liu.
Related: Why Epcot is now Disney World’s must-do park
Watch holiday fireworks from the Polynesian Village Resort
Every night there is a special Christmas party at the Magic Kingdom, in addition to a holiday-themed fireworks display that usually takes place at 10pm
Although not exactly the same, watching the show from Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is a definite alternative to seeing it in the park. Head to the Polynesian for dinner (or even just a Dole Whip) before venturing to the hotel beach for the fireworks spectacle.
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bottom line
Now then ticket prices increase again, Disney World is becoming increasingly difficult to visit on a tight budget. However, there are a few ways to enjoy it without spending too much cash.
By supplementing expensive Disney key experiences with some free or near-free themed festivals that take place around the holidays, you’ll find yourself feeling the magic of the holiday season.
