Walt Disney World Announces Its Holiday Offerings for 2023
Disney Vacation Club members know that the holidays are one of the best times to visit Walt Disney World.
If you were on the fence about a Disney visit late in 2023, you’re probably going to want to go after I tell you everything.
Here are all the holiday offerings Disney just announced for 2023.
Magic Kingdom’s Holiday Offerings
Disney confirmed that Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is coming back this year.
The first 2023 event will occur on November 9th. Disney will host a total of 25 after-hours Christmas parties this year.
The final one will take place on December 22nd. After that, a couple of nighttime presentations will become free to all Magic Kingdom guests.
Disney typically offers them to everyone during Christmas Week as a holiday treat.
However, party guests can watch these performances, like Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration and Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks, starting in early November.
Disney has changed one presentation for 2023. A Frozen Holiday Wish isn’t coming back, but that’s a good thing.
Imagineers have upgraded with a new presentation called Frozen Holiday Surprise, which will “will illuminate the castle in a whole new way.”
Otherwise, most of what’s coming to Magic Kingdom is stuff you’ve seen before.
Jingle Cruise should arrive as early as November 1st. As a reminder, it’s a holiday overlay of Jungle Cruise.
For a couple of months, cast members switch their Skipper spiel to make plenty of Yuletide puns instead.
Then, during the after-hours holiday party, other attractions add holiday overlays.
For 2023, Disney has confirmed that Mad Tea Party, Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, and Space Mountain will change during the party.
So, you can experience the standard version of each attraction during the day. Then, you can try the alternative at the after hours event!
The other Magic Kingdom party news involves Tron Lightcycle / Run. Disney will operate a virtual queue during the party.
Your odds of snagging a Boarding Group are extremely high during the party!
Hollywood Studios’ Holiday Offerings
Disney’s Hollywood Studios unquestionably claims the shocker from this year’s announcements.
This park will host its own after-hours ticketed event in 2023! Disney Jollywood Nights will operate on ten nights.
During this party, you can experience all the E-ticket attractions at the park without waiting in the typically long lines.
I track this stuff for one of my gigs, and it’s not unusual for Hollywood Studios to have seven rides with hour-long waits on average.
You’ll skip all the waiting and ride your favorites. Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance will even join Tron in offering a virtual queue during the party!
Consider Disney Jollywood Nights one of your best opportunities to ride Rise of the Resistance without all the stress and aggravation.
Tickets to this party range from $159-$179, as compared to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, which falls between $159 to $199.
So, the Jollywood event is slightly cheaper on average. And it comes with some unique offerings.
Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy will appear live (i.e., not on a projection screen) as the emcees of a live show at the Theater of the Stars.
In front of the Hollywood Tower Hotel, Disney will offer…whatever this is:
Yes, The Tip Top Club from the ride’s theme will come to life as a real thing you can do during the party.
Similarly, The Hollywood Brown Derby will serve as a jazz lounge during this event.
Also, the park will host Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along at the Hyperion Theater during the party.
That’s three distinct events you can only experience during Disney Jollywood Nights. Obviously, you’ll want to be among the first to attend this event!
Other Walt Disney World Holiday Offerings
I’ll start by reassuring you that most of your favorites are definitely coming back this year.
Disney hasn’t revealed all the details yet, but we know that EPCOT will host both of its returning favorites.
The Candlelight Processional will once again retell the Nativity Story via several celebrity narrators.
This is legitimately one of the park’s most beloved annual events and should again sell out every night in 2023. Please plan accordingly.
On November 24th, the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays will open. This year’s event lasts through December 30th.
As usual, Disney will end the festival in time for New Year’s Eve/New Year’s Day festivities.
The 2023 version of the Festival of the Holidays will include storytellers at the various World Showcase pavilions, which everyone loves.
Disney didn’t go into detail about the new foods available at this year’s event, as the Parks Blog emphasized special snacks during Disney Jollywood Nights instead.
I’m sure we’ll learn more later, but as long as those two events are available, we’ll all happily visit EPCOT in November/December.
This year’s only change is that Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind won’t add a holiday overlay. I think Disney realized it wasn’t that great.
At Disney’s Animal Kingdom, the Merry Menagerie of winter animals will return again this year. If you missed it, here’s what this is:
Disney Springs will also bring back the beloved Christmas Tree Stroll. Also, snow will fall at Town Center throughout the holidays.
Obviously, Disney performs a magic trick here, as Florida will still be in the 60s, if not higher, throughout December.
About Disney This Holiday Season
The other big event is that Santa Claus will hold court throughout Walt Disney World.
You can find everyone’s favorite gift-giver at all four Disney theme parks, plus Disney Springs and whichever water park is open during the holidays.
Overall, Disney has brought back virtually everything we love for this holiday season, and it hasn’t even announced everything yet.
We’re still awaiting word on what the various resorts will do to decorate for the holidays.
That announcement probably won’t come until the fall, but what we already know is enough to believe this will be an unforgettable holiday season.
All DVC members will want to say that they attended Disney Jollywood Nights during its first year.