How to Celebrate the Holidays at Walt Disney World Without a Park Ticket

It’s the most magical time of the year at the Walt Disney World Resort, and with that extra holiday magic comes a massive increase in crowds at the Parks and hotels.

The holiday season brings with it special events like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party in Magic Kingdom Park, and the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays (including Candlelight Processional.) Disney’s Hollywood Studios is celebrating the season with festive decor and treats, and Animal Kingdom has welcomed back the Merry Menagerie puppets to Discovery Island.

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With tickets nearly entirely sold out for this year’s Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, and theme park reservations booking up quickly, we wanted to share other ways to celebrate the season at Walt Disney World that do not require tickets but are just as magical.

Visit Disney Resorts

Disney’s Resorts will be all dressed up for the holiday season, with many hotels featuring sweeping Christmas trees in their lobbies and even full-sized gingerbread displays. The Resorts along the Magic Kingdom monorail route are favorites for taking in holiday decor with the iconic gingerbread house at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, a Cinderella-inspired gingerbread display at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and delicious seasonal treats at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort.

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is not to be missed as well, and a walk around Crescent Lake will showcase the EPCOT Resort Area which has some of the best holiday decorations around. Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts are especially magical with a chocolate and gingerbread carousel, but it’s worth the walk around this Resort area to stop at the Disney’s BoardWalk and the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resorts, too.

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Spend time at Disney Springs

During the holiday season, Disney Springs celebrates with a Christmas Tree Trail. You can stroll the trail (free of charge, with no reservations required) to see up to 20 trees all uniquely decorated with different themes. Santa Claus is around for meet and greets at Disney Springs once again as well, with a virtual queue set up to meet him inside Once Upon a Toy through December 24, 2022.

Of course, if you are shopping for the holidays while in Walt Disney World, Disney Springs likely has a shop for everyone on your list. Most of Disney’s seasonal merchandise can be picked up at World of Disney, making the Resort’s shopping, dining and entertainment complex a nice addition to your holiday trip.

And, the restaurants and even snack kiosks in Disney Springs serve up new seasonal treats with festive twists, so whether you sit down for a table service dinner or are simply looking for a snack you are sure to find something delicious.

Make a splash at Blizzard Beach

Disney’s water parks may not seem like the most wintry choice for a holiday trip, but Blizzard Beach has several festivities planned to help celebrate the season.

Along with a Santa meet and greet, Guests will find festive treats, holiday decor, themed inner tubes, and maybe even some “snowfall.” If you have not yet visited Blizzard Beach since it reopened from its annual refurbishment, you can also check out the new Frozen theming.

Blizzard Beach of course does require a ticket, but unlike the theme parks, Disney’s water parks do not require reservations. So if you find yourself on the wrong side of a sold out theme park, Blizzard Beach can be a great option to enjoy some Disney magic and holiday cheer.

However you choose to celebrate the season at Walt Disney World, we hope you have a magical time!