What DVC Members Should Expect This Holiday Season
As October winds down, I have good news and even better news for Disney Vacation Club owners. The good news is it’s almost time for you to break out that Halloween costume for real, not just for Disney. The better news is that the Yuletide decoration season is only days away! Here’s a guide to making the most of the holidays as a DVC member.
The Change Occurs Soon
I often mention that Halloween is my favorite time to visit Walt Disney World. That’s because I know what happens during the witching hour at Magic Kingdom, and it’s not what you think! No, there isn’t a spooky happening about to unfold.
Instead, the park enters its final moments of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party for the season. As soon as the party ends, Cast Members go to work, quietly converting the decorations. Guests leave the park thinking about Halloween pumpkins. By the following morning, Christmas wreaths and lights are visible throughout the park.
Generally, the conversion process takes about four days to complete, which allows people like me to snap photos of the Christmas tree appearing. The timelapse videos are truly remarkable, underscoring how much work Cast Members perform in a matter of days. Here’s one Disney posted a few years ago:
The date of that conversion has nearly arrived, and DVC fans know what that means. The gingerbread houses are coming soon!
Let’s Talk about the Special Events
Before we get to the resort decoration goodness, let’s discuss the two special events at Walt Disney World.
Oddly, Disneyland doesn’t offer a holiday Christmas party as a ticketed event. Instead, Haunted Mansion Holiday, Wintertime Enchantment at Sleeping Beauty Castle, and the other exclusives come free with admission, which is nice.
At Walt Disney World, you’ll enjoy your choice of two different ticketed events, one of which is still quite new. That option is Disney Jollywood Nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. I discussed this decidedly adult party last year, but I wasn’t very flattering.
Frankly, opening night was something of a trainwreck, and even Disney would admit that. Crowd management proved problematic that entire evening, and Disney screwed up with its merchandise purchases. There was infamously only one Jollywood Nights shirt available on opening night, which is indefensible.
Thankfully, Disney course-corrected, and by the end of the final night in 2023, fans were begging for the return of Jollywood Nights. They’ll get their wish on November 9th, as the ticketed event returns.
Disney has enhanced it for 2024 as well! Park officials recently announced the thematic Glisten!, a skating show akin to Disney on Ice. It’s exclusive to Jollywood Nights and sounds like an instant classic.
Other favorites from last year are back as well. These include Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along and Disney Holidays in Hollywood, aka the Muppets show.
At Magic Kingdom, perennial favorite Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party begins on November 8th. Disney isn’t messing with perfection here. So, the holiday party will look eerily similar to the 2023 version. And yes, Mickey’s Once Upon a Time Christmas Parade and Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show are back!
DVC members choosing between the two events shouldn’t have much trouble here. Jollywood Nights direct-targets adults without children. It’s a boozy, laid-back atmosphere for a party. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is more of a family gathering that appeals to parents with younger children. So, you should know which one best fits your traveling party.
Why You Should Go Resort Hopping Soon
DVC members know that the fun of the holiday season doesn’t come from the parks, though. Well, it’s not just the parks. That’s because Disney decorates its gorgeous resorts for the holiday season.
Several of them go that extra step in creating giant gingerbread structures as well. For many of us longtime DVC owners, that’s the most memorable part of the holiday season. I know that I count down the moments until Disney’s Contemporary Resort opens its Gingerbread Store, but it’s not even the most famous one.
Obviously, all DVC Gingerbread House discussions begin at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. During the holiday season, Cast Members build an impeccable holiday building inside the hotel lobby.
Disney operates a store here, and it’s arguably THE go-to dessert destination at Walt Disney World. Here’s a video of the store’s 2023 opening day. You can glance at the menu and some of the confectionaries available here.
Many DVC members consider a shopping spree here to be their holiday tradition. At the Contemporary, you’ll find a pop-up display that’s terrific as a backdrop for family photos. There’s also a store that sells sweet treats, including my annual favorite, a gingerbread kit shaped like the hotel. It even shows a monorail entering the building!
Which Other DVC Resorts Add Gingerbread Houses?
While the monorail resorts are ideal for Resort Hopping due to their logistics, you’ll find several other DVC hotels worth your time. During this holiday season, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas, Disney’s Beach Club Villas, Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, and Disney’s Yacht Club Resort will host gingerbread displays.
Several of them are classics by now. So, let’s discuss the new one first. In 2023, Yacht Club added a gingerbread lighthouse. This impressive structure looks like brick, but it’s fully edible! Obviously, Disney won’t let you eat it, though. Take a look:
That’s the conceit of all the gingerbread houses on Disney property. Culinary Cast Members use real ingredients to build these things. You’ll notice that many of the videos include a parchment that shows the foods used.
That’s been a longstanding tradition at Beach Club, which hosts what I consider the most impressive structure. It’s a fully functional gingerbread carousel. Everything from the displays to the horses is edible. After all these years, I’m still in awe of it.
Speaking of gingerbread critters, you’ll find a gingerbread giraffe and zebra at Animal Kingdom Villas. These are newer compared to some of the other options but visually stunning:
The final Walt Disney World option is the gingerbread deli at BoardWalk Villas. It’s a recreation of scenes from Disney’s BoardWalk, but it’s even better because Mickey & Minnie Mouse appear in the kitchen!
By the way, I’ve stuck to Disney World today. However, those of you visiting Disneyland Resort will find another impeccable structure. The annual gingerbread construct at The Villas at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is an architectural marvel. The “Grand” Gingerbread House is a West Coast icon almost on a par with Haunted Mansion Holiday.
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