Let’s Go on a Tour of DVC Holiday Decorations

The holidays have arrived, and with roughly two weeks remaining until Christmas and Hanukkah, this seems like the perfect time to admire Disney’s gingerbread artistry. Let’s go on a tour of DVC resort holiday decorations.

How Disney Has Decorated the Monorail Resorts

Disney’s busy season is just around the corner, as the time from December 20th through January 5th will feature several full park sellouts. That’s an inescapable part of a holiday visit. It’s going to be crowded!

Each year, Disney decorates its resorts with unique holiday amenities as a way to entice many guests to skip the parks and hang out at the hotels. This strategy proves remarkably effective, as some would argue the resort lobbies provide a calmer, more relaxing environment than the parks. 

As usual, this year’s highlights are the DVC monorail resorts, which I consider the pinnacle of holiday decorations. The gingerbread store in the hotel lobby at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is a 25-year tradition. Here’s a glimpse at this year’s offering:

Disney actually started working on this building in October, and it’s more detailed than ever. I presume that’s due to the extra TLC. This year’s foodie highlight is a new offering called the Let It Snow Cube, which consists of Almond-Praline mousse, Confit Apricot, and Orange Chiffon. I’m not much on apricots, but orange chiffon is my everything. 

At Disney’s Contemporary Resort, I missed this year’s gingerbread store by one day. That’s gonna haunt me until November 2025. These YouTubers were more fortunate than me and have video of what I missed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhpnZoslPqg

My park reporter friends are raving about the Chocolate Hazelnut Log, which the Disney Parks Blog shows here. It’s also at the 4:10 mark of the above video. Personally, I go to the Contemporary for the photo op, though. Standing in front of the gingerbread castle always gives me such a thrill. 

Finally, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is the place to go next week. That’s not nothing to do with the holidays per se. Instead, it’s the reality that you’ll want to check out the Island Tower once it opens on December 17th. 

Still, you should glance at this year’s decorations. I always love the Christmas trees and lights on display here. Fittingly, they’re more floral than you’ll find anywhere else. Here’s an example:

How Are the Other DVC Resorts Decorated?

Disney has made some changes to various resorts this year, not all of them welcome. Last year, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort added a gingerbread lighthouse that proved instantly popular. Alas, you won’t find it in 2024. I’m afraid it’s gone the way of the gingerbread cabin at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, which I miss every year. 

On the bright side, Disney’s Beach Club Resort has brought back its gingerbread carousel once again. This is probably Disney’s most impressive gingerbread architectural feat. In case you’re unfamiliar with it, the carousel works! I had no idea you would make a fully functional carousel from foods, yet Disney somehow does it each year. 

The above video shows something else decidedly Disney. At the 13-minute mark, you can read the full list of ingredients used to build the carousel. So, all you need to do is buy those ingredients, and you can build your own at home. Good luck! 

Honestly, it’s just easier to walk around DVC resorts. So, let’s cross the street to Disney’s BoardWalk Inn. You can examine the decorations in the previous video, which actually starts at the BoardWalk. As usual, the highlight this year is a miniature gingerbread recreation of BoardWalk Deli. It even includes Minnie and Mickey Mouse baking goodies inside the kitchen.

Meanwhile, at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, the Christmas Tree Forest returns this year. You’ll find it behind the hotel’s check-in desks, which are just past the massive Christmas tree in the lobby. The holiday lights and decorations here always mesh perfectly with the rustic wooden infrastructure. It’s somehow a throwback to a bygone era, only with modern illumination. Don’t miss this year’s holiday cart, either! 

Here Are a Few Other Highlights

DVC members are emphatic about the greatness of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. So, I’m happy to tell you that Ginger the Giraffe and Debra the Zebra have returned in gingerbread form this year! Somehow, that’s not even the best part.

Apparently, management intends to add all the various species living at the hotel gradually. This year, we get a new flamingo named Francisco! You can see Debra, Francisco, and Ginger here:

Finally, we have the West Coast classic that warms my heart each year. Take a look at the gingerbread house at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. 

Well, the first thing you’ll notice is the gigantic Christmas tree on display here. It’s impossible to miss. Just beyond it is the charming gingerbread house where the entire crowd is hovering. It builds quite the buzz each year. 

This year’s structure features a delightful living room fireplace complete with stockings hanging above it. Chip and Dale clearly love it here, as they’re engaging in a snowball fight just outside. My favorite part is that this house is at least partially made of candy. It’s like a Hidden Mickey-type game to spot as many different sweet treats as you can.

These are the kinds of engaging touches you’ll find at Disney each holiday season. It’s why DVC members pack our luggage and visit as often as we can. I haven’t even been away for a month, and yet I wish I were there right now. The holidays are just plain better at Disney.