Holidays at Disney World Resorts and Marketplace

Beyond the Theme Parks – Special Christmas Events and Décor

Nov 9, 2009
Debra Peterson

Grand Floridian's Gingerbread House - Mike Miley

Walt Disney World resorts and Downtown Disney celebrate the 2010 holidays with Christmas décor and events, offering shopping, sightseeing, and visits to Santa Claus.

Disney decks all of its halls, not just its four major theme parks, for guests who visit Walt Disney World (WDW) over the holiday season. Festivities begin in mid-November, in time for the busy Thanksgiving weekend, and continue through New Year’s Day. Guests who choose to spend time outside the theme parks will find the entire Disney property offers themed holiday décor, seasonal activities, and overall holiday cheer.

Here are some highlights of holiday happenings at the resorts and Downtown Disney.

Author's Note: This article has been updated for the 2010 Christmas season. Last update: Nov. 11, 2010.

Disney Resorts – Grand Floridian’s Gingerbread House, Beach Club’s Carousel, Contemporary's Tree

In addition to offering more conventional decorations like trees and lights, each resort’s holiday décor is designed to complement its overall theme. Port Orleans holiday decorations have a Mardi Gras spin, for example, while Coronado Springs uses a southwestern theme. Especially impressive are the decorations at the Grand Floridian, Beach Club, and Contemporary.

Highlights of the Grand Floridian include a five-story tree and a miniature railroad. Its most famous decoration, however, is something right out of a children’s fairy tale: a Victorian-style gingerbread house complete with shutters, balconies, and trim. It is made out of more than 1,000 pounds of honey and uses thousands of pieces of gingerbread.

As impressive as the gingerbread house’s details are, what is most immediately striking about it is the scale. The Grand Floridian’s gingerbread house is 16-feet-tall, big enough to walk inside. Although guests aren’t allowed to sample the house’s siding, gingerbread and other holiday treats are available for purchase inside the house for those who can’t resist temptation.

Disney’s Beach Club also specializes in gingerbread. Its lobby showcases a spinning gingerbread carousel made by the Yacht and Beach Club Bakery. The four horses, made of chocolate and fondant, are attached to candy cane poles, and the confection uses over 2,000 pieces of gingerbread, 50 pounds of dark chocolate, and 100 pounds of icing.

New this year is the Contemporary's 17-foot-tall gingerbread tree inspired by the work of Mary Blair, the It's a Small World artist whose mural also enlivens the resort's fourth-floor concourse. The tree is made of gingerbread "shingle" and needed 75 pounds of icing. The tree also features a special hidden Mickey.

Downtown Disney's West Side and Downtown Disney Marketplace

In addition to the Disney’s Days of Christmas shop, the largest Christmas store on property, Downtown Disney offers a number of sightseeing opportunities for its "Festival of Seasons." Its West Side features a holiday tree showcase, strolling musicians, and stilt walkers, while Santa will visit the Marketplace for picture-taking opportunities Nov. 19 – Dec. 24, 2010. Santa Goofy visits Dec. 25, 2010 – Jan. 3, 2011.

While visiting the Marketplace area, guests may wish to check out the holiday displays at the LEGO Imagination Center, Tren-D, and Team Mickey. Princesses might enjoy dressing themselves up in holiday sparkles at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique inside the World of Disney. And if touring works up family members’ appetites, they can enjoy some hot chocolate at Ghirardelli Soda Fountain or nibble on a sweet from Goofy’s Candy Company.

Exploring Walt Disney World’s resorts and Downtown Disney can be a smart, less stressful alternative for families visiting over the holidays. Guest can take a break from the crowds, enjoy the sights, and save a little money by exploring the (Walt Disney) World beyond the theme parks.

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