Although the holiday festivities may look a little different this year, the 2020 holiday season at Disney World will return Friday, November 6, 2020.

From the Disney Parks Blog:

From November 6 through December 30, 2020, you will be able to enjoy festive décor, themed merchandise, seasonal food & beverage offerings and entertainment all across Walt Disney World Resort. Holiday magic will be in full force at the four theme parks and Disney Springs, and Santa Claus will make time for special pop-up appearances at each location, waving and exclaiming holiday wishes to all. 

Guests will be delighted by the sight of festive flotillas at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, holiday promenades at EPCOT and merry motorcades at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Character cavalcades at Magic Kingdom Park will take on a special holiday twist, with Christmas friends on festive floats in their holiday finest. Gingerbread Men? Check! Elves and Reindeer? Check, check! And, we can’t forget the Toy Soldiers, who will join the Main Street Philharmonic as they march through Magic Kingdom Park, bringing musical holiday cheer for all to hear.  

When night falls, special projection effects will give a festive look to Cinderella Castle this year, providing a colorful backdrop for our guests’ photos. The appearance of the iconic castle will be transformed with a rotating series of designs including a whimsical Christmas sweater and a regal overlay of red, green and gold ornamentation. This will be in place of the Castle Dream Lights. Other holiday experiences that draw big crowds will be on hiatus this year as well, such as Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Candlelight Processional at EPCOT. 

Of course, the holidays wouldn’t be complete without enjoying a meal among friends and family. Minnie Mouse will be hosting a yuletide gathering for all her friends at Hollywood & Vine at Disney’s Hollywood Studios starting November 6. Santa Goofy will be there, along with Minnie and more in their holiday best.

Over at Disney Springs, guests will discover Christmas around every corner as they come across a collection of elaborately-decorated Disney Christmas trees spread throughout this retail, dining and entertainment destination. In the evening, guests visiting areas within Town Center, West Side and The Landing will encounter a magical snowfall, adding an extra touch of wonder to their holiday shopping. And to top it off, Jock Lindsey will once again be turning his hangar bar into Jock Lindsey’s Holiday Bar complete with delightful holiday décor and a delicious limited-time menu filled with festive favorites.

Disney Resort hotels will also be decked out for the holidays, with their lobbies featuring iconic trees and other festive flourishes. However, guest favorite gingerbread displays will not return to any of the Walt Disney World Resort hotels this year due to physical distancing guidelines.

Starting a bit later in the 2020 holiday season at Disney World, highlights from the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays will return on Friday, November 27. Holiday kitchens will be offered around World Showcase promenade with favorites like American Holiday Table featuring Slow-roasted Turkey with Stuffing and Bavaria Holiday Kitchen with dishes like Cheese Fondue in a Bread Bowl.

Guests can step inside World ShowPlace to enjoy the returning group, JOYFUL!, who present a journey through R&B, Gospel, contemporary and traditional Christmas and holiday music. Also, the Voices of Liberty will bring their incredible 8-part harmonies to the America Gardens Theatre stage for a special concert of favorite carols and songs of the season.

We can look forward to creating new holiday traditions as Disney introduces unique ways to enjoy the season together. So, make your list – and check it twice – because there’s a lot of holiday fun to see and do at Walt Disney World Resort!