Should I visit Disney World at Christmas? 

We took our first trip to Disney World at Christmastime 30 years ago, and only because one of the guide books promised that the first two weeks of December were the least crowded of the year. 

That turned out to be true, and while we thoroughly enjoyed the low crowd levels (and still reminisce about them), what we really fell in love with was everything Christmas around the parks. 

In the years since our first December trip, the holiday season has gotten longer and the celebration bigger. Decorations and special events have spread from the Magic Kingdom and Epcot throughout the World.

The crowds, too, have grown, but the holiday season here is still the most magical time of the year. 

Here’s some of what you can expect at Disney World during the Christmas holidays: 

Decorations galore: Everything—parks, resorts, Disney Springs—is all decked out for the holidays. Each resort has its own themed Christmas tree, and some have elaborate gingerbread displays. At Disney Springs, Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar is transformed into Jock Lindsey’s Holiday Bar, which has the feel of your grandmother’s attic, if the Christmas boxes exploded. The Springs is also home to the Christmas Tree Trail, about 2 dozen trees each with a different Disney theme (Haunted Mansion, villains, various movies and theme parks). Animal Kingdom was the last park to get a holiday overlay, and its Merry Menagerie puppets are an absolute delight. Over at Hollywood Studios, the Christmas tree sits in the middle of Echo Lake, surrounded by giant floating ornaments. Elsewhere in the park, the decorations have an Art Deco, 1930s vibe, and the Tower of Terror is a canvas for holiday storytelling. No matter where you are in the World, there’s something festive going on.

Epcot International Festival of the Holidays: This year, the Festival of the Holidays kicks off Nov. 25 with holiday kitchens and entertainment. We love the various storytellers around the world sharing their local holiday stories (don’t miss La Befana, the kindly witch in Italy). Epcot also is home to the Candlelight Processional, a retelling of the Christmas story by a celebrity narrator backed by a 50-piece orchestra and a full choir. Anyone can stop to listen, or you can buy a dining package that gets you preferred seating.

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party: One of the centerpieces of the season at Disney World is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. A special ticketed event held at the Magic Kingdom on select nights, the party features a Christmas parade and special fireworks show, plus character meet-and-greets and other entertainment. The party takes place on select nights from Nov. 8 until Dec. 22 with ticket prices range from $149-$199 depending on the date. 

Snacks and treats: As ubiquitous as decorations are, so are the holiday snacks. Every year, there’s a new crop of over-the-top holiday treats across the parks and resorts. (Not to mention those holiday kitchens at Epcot’s Festival of the Holidays.)

Shopping: Disney World is always the land of shopportunity, but never moreso than during the holidays. You could deck every hall in your house with Disney, from holiday plates and glasses to artwork. You could fill every closet with Spirit Jerseys, sweatshirts and other clothing. And you could stuff all the stockings with ornaments and plushies. If the holidays are your thing and you’re a fan of shopping (even window shopping), add this to the list of must-dos.  

Crowds: The first two weeks of December are still among the least crowded of the year, though they are no longer the barren wasteland they once were. (Other low-crowd times of year include September and January, with the exception of Presidents’ Day weekend. Early May is nice too. Basically anytime there isn’t a school vacation.) But Christmas week is a different story; it may be the most crowded time of year. Christmas day is said to be the busiest day of the whole year at Magic Kingdom. 

If there’s a good reason not to visit Disney World at the holidays, it’s timing: If the only week you can get off is Christmas week, you will be faced with crazy crowds and higher prices. If lower crowds are your priority, you might want to find a less crowded time of year. Even spring break might be better than Christmas week. 

After making an annual pilgrimage to Disney in early December for a few years all those years ago, we decided we should visit at some other time of year just to experience “normal” Disney. Once was enough; the parks seemed oddly naked without their trees and garland. The next year we went back to Christmas visits. All these years later, we live 10 minutes from Disney World, and Christmastime is still our favorite time of year to visit.