Walt Disney World visitors can find several holiday-season experiences outside the theme parks, including activities at resort hotels and Disney Springs that do not require a theme park ticket.
At Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, Holiday Sleigh Rides are offered Dec. 1 through Dec. 30, excluding Christmas Eve. The 25-minute horse-drawn carriage ride starts at $80 and accommodates up to four adults or two adults and three small children. The resort is also known for holiday decorations put up by guests around the property.
Disney Springs hosts its annual Christmas Tree Stroll, with trees themed to Disney, Pixar and Star Wars. The Town Center also has nightly “snowfall,” and Santa is available for holiday photos through Christmas Eve. Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar at Disney Springs also adopts seasonal décor and a holiday cocktail and appetizer menu.
For a ticketed dining event outside the parks, Cake Bake Shop offers Dinner with Santa on Nov. 24, Dec. 1, Dec. 8 and Dec. 15. The experience costs $200 per adult and $150 per child age 12 and younger, and includes food, select adult beverages, a Disney PhotoPass digital family photo with Santa and a take-home holiday gift.
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Undercover Tourist is an authorized seller of Walt Disney World tickets, often at a discount off gate price.
Christmas Day dining is also offered at select Disney resort restaurants. Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge has its Celebrate the Season dinner, while Whispering Canyon Cafe at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge offers a special prix fixe lunch and dinner menu. Ale & Compass Restaurant at Disney’s Yacht Club has a Christmas Day brunch with holiday menu items.
Holiday gingerbread displays return to multiple Disney resort hotels each year. Mickey Visit reported that last year’s displays included Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge and Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. The Grand Floridian Resort & Spa’s gingerbread house, however, has been permanently retired. The outlet noted that visitors without hotel or dining reservations may have difficulty accessing resorts, particularly when arriving from Disney Springs.
