Disney Announces Its 2025 Holiday Schedule
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Yes, I know the temperature may be 100 degrees where you are, but Disney wants to put you in the holiday spirit. So, Disney just announced its 2025 holiday schedule. Here’s everything you need to know.
When Is This Year’s Event?
Based on recent behavior, we can safely expect Walt Disney World to add some holiday decorations toward the end of October. Then, as soon as Magic Kingdom hosts the final evening of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, the Christmas transition will begin.
Typically, Cast Members spend the first week of November prepping the parks and resorts for the holiday season. Then, the event officially begins on a set date. For 2025, the Christmas holiday at Walt Disney World begins on November 14th and ends on December 31st.
Is Disney Hosting Its Usual Special Events?
Disney hasn’t confirmed full details yet, but we know that both of its popular after-hours events will return this year. The official Disney Parks Blog indicates that Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Disney Jollywood Nights are back for 2025. We knew about the former and strongly suspected the latter. Still, it’s nice to have confirmation.
Thankfully, Disney did confirm the dates for the 2025 EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. This year’s version of the popular festival will run from November 28th through December 30th, 2025. And yes! That means the Candlelight Processional will return as well.
Disneyland first hosted this event on Main Street, U.S.A., in 1958, which means we’re coming up on 70 years of retellings of the Nativity Scene. At Walt Disney World, Magic Kingdom hosted the Candlelight Processional from 1971 until 1993. Then, the show switched to EPCOT in 1993, where it has remained for more than 30 years. It’s an essential part of the holiday season at the park.
Disney hasn’t published the list of this year’s celebrity hosts yet. However, it has confirmed the (usual) schedule of nightly showings at 5, 6:45, and 8:15 p.m.
As for the Festival of the Holidays, Disney has already listed this year’s batch of storytellers. They include:
- Mexico Pavilion – Las Posadas Celebration
- Norway Pavilion – A Mischievous Magical Barn Santa
- China Pavilion – Chinese Lion Dancer
- Italy Pavilion – La Befana
- Japan Pavilion – Daruma Storyteller
- Between the Morocco and France Pavilions – Hanukkah Storyteller
- France Pavilion – Père Noël
- United Kingdom Pavilion – Father Christmas
- Canada Pavilion – Canadian Holiday Voyageurs
We’re also getting JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season again as a part of this year’s Christmas offerings at EPCOT. Here’s a video of this if you’re unfamiliar with it:
What Else Can You Expect This Holiday Season?
Disney announced many returning favorites. So, let’s quickly run down a few other entertainment options during your holiday visit, starting at Magic Kingdom.
The Frozen Holiday Surprise will once again illuminate Cinderella Castle. It’s the go-to nightly event at the park, and it’ll be that much better in 2025. That’s because you can experience it just before or after a viewing of Disney Starlight: Dream the Night Away.
There’s a catch, though. Disney has indicated that it won’t host the parade on nights when Magic Kingdom offers Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. So, please keep that in mind.
On the plus side, Jingle Cruise is back for another batch of yuletide puns! Similarly, at EPCOT, Living with the Land will undergo its holiday transformation as well. Speaking of that park, Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt is back this year as well, as are the Voices of Liberty at The American Adventure Pavilion. They’ll again be acting as Dickens Carolers.
At Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the visual splendor that is Sunset Seasons Greetings is back. It wouldn’t be the holiday season at this park without the glow show at the Hollywood Tower Hotel.
Disney also lists For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration as part of the announcement. I presume this indicates that the holiday version of the show will return this year, although it’s not explicitly stated.
Here Are Even More Holiday Activities
Disney’s Animal Kingdom will also bring back what has become one of the most popular holiday interactive activities. Yes, we’re getting the Merry Menagerie again in 2025! I never get tired of this one. Just look how happy these children are!
The Tree of Life Awakenings Holiday Edition will provide you with some gorgeous photo ops, too. Disney indicates that “the show begins after dark each night and occurs approximately every 10 minutes until the park closes.” Please plan accordingly.
There will also be a holiday character greeting with Mickey & Minnie Mouse as well as the usual assortment of Santa Claus encounters at all the parks. Oh, and the Disney Springs Christmas Tree Stroll is back for 2025 as well!
As you can see, Disney is really going all out for the 2025 holiday season. If you haven’t booked your DVC vacation yet, you better hurry. This announcement will fuel a wave of new reservations as we all plan our Christmas vacations.
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