Updated November 2026
The Disney World holiday calendar for 2026 runs from November 13 to January 6, and every party night, Candlelight Processional narrator and holiday ride date is below. I put it all into three printable month calendars, because Disney spreads these dates across a dozen different pages.
We went in mid-December last year, and Christmas is my favorite season at Disney World. Here's what's on, when it's on, and how to pick your dates.
What's Inside This Article
What Is the Disney World Christmas Season?
It's Disney's official holiday season, when all four parks, the resort hotels and Disney Springs are decorated for Christmas. In 2026 it runs from November 13, 2026 to January 6, 2027.
Most of it comes with a regular park ticket: the decorations, the giant trees, the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays and the Candlelight Processional. Two evening events cost extra: Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom and Disney Jollywood Nights at Hollywood Studios.
Last December our goal was simple: see all four park Christmas trees in three days. We made it, finishing at EPCOT's tree on our last afternoon.
Disney World Holiday Calendar 2026: November, December and January
Here's every confirmed date, month by month. Each calendar shows the party nights (with sold-out nights marked), Jollywood Nights, Extended Evening Hours, the Candlelight Processional narrators and the big start and end dates. November still has the tail end of the EPCOT Food & Wine Festival, which runs through November 21, and January adds Disney After Hours nights and the Festival of the Arts.
Download the free printable calendar (PDF, all three months)
Extended Evening Hours give guests at Disney's Deluxe and Deluxe Villa resorts (and a few other select hotels) two extra hours in one park after it closes. This season they're on Mondays at EPCOT, 9 to 11 p.m., and Wednesdays at Animal Kingdom, 6 to 8 p.m., with dates posted through January 4 so far.
Pro Tip: Every date here comes from Disney's official pages, checked November 6, 2026. Dates and times can change, so check the My Disney Experience app before you go. I'll update this page if Disney changes anything.
When Are Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and Jollywood Nights in 2026?
Both are separate-ticket evening events, and both close their park early to day guests on event nights.
| Event | Park | 2026 dates | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party | Magic Kingdom | Nov 8, 9, 12, 13, 15, 17, 19, 20, 24, 25, 27, 29; Dec 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 20, 22 | 7 p.m. to midnight (in from 4 p.m.) |
| Disney Jollywood Nights | Hollywood Studios | Nov 7, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28; Dec 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21, 23; Jan 3, 5 | 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. (in from 5:30 p.m.) |
Party tickets are $189 to $229 per person plus tax, depending on the night. They sell out fast: as of November 7, only December 10, 11, 13, 15 and 17 still had tickets, and Jollywood Nights had sold out November 7, 14 and 28. Sold-out nights are marked on the calendars. We went on a Friday in mid-December, and it's the one extra ticket I'd add to a first Christmas trip. My guide to Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party has our night hour by hour.
I haven't done Jollywood Nights yet, and it's on my list. This is its first year running into January.
When Is the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays and Who Narrates the Candlelight Processional?
The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays runs from November 27 to December 30, 2026, and it's included with park admission. You'll find Holiday Kitchens around World Showcase, the Holiday Cookie Stroll, storytellers and JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season. The food is extra.
The Candlelight Processional is the Christmas story told by a celebrity narrator with a massed choir and a 50-piece orchestra. It plays nightly at 4:45, 6:30 and 8 p.m. at the America Gardens Theatre.
| Dates | Narrator |
|---|---|
| Nov 27–28 | Jordan Fisher |
| Nov 29–Dec 1 | Gary Sinise |
| Dec 2–3 | Benjamin Bratt |
| Dec 4–5 | Whoopi Goldberg |
| Dec 6–7 | Robin Roberts |
| Dec 8–9 | Jason Kelce |
| Dec 10–12 | Neil Patrick Harris |
| Dec 13–14 | Josh Groban |
| Dec 15–16 | Lauren Daigle |
| Dec 17–19 | Ralph Macchio |
| Dec 20–21 | Henry Winkler |
| Dec 22–23 | Lacey Chabert |
| Dec 24–25 | Jodi Benson |
| Dec 26–27 | Simu Liu |
| Dec 28–30 | Eva Longoria |
We saw it on our last afternoon, with Deaf actress Marlee Matlin narrating. It was a little more religious than we expected, since it retells the nativity story, but it was a relaxing hour and the weather was great.
Personal Tip: We booked the Candlelight dining package at Coral Reef, and I'd do it for a first Processional. Coral Reef is never crowded, it's a great place to eat, relax and cool off, and the best part is the view: the giant fish tank.
Pro Tip: A Candlelight Processional dining package includes a meal and a guaranteed seat for that day's show, but not park admission. The lowest adult prices for 2026 are Regal Eagle Smokehouse ($43, same-day only), La Crêperie de Paris ($59) and Spice Road Table ($63). Coral Reef is $82.
Which Disney World Rides Get Holiday Overlays?
A holiday overlay is a ride's Christmas version, with new music, lights or jokes. Here's the 2026 lineup:
- Rock ‘n' Roller Coaster Starring The Muppets and Alien Swirling Saucers (Hollywood Studios): November 4 to January 6
- Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind holiday songs (EPCOT): November 25 to January 6
- Jingle Cruise (Magic Kingdom): all day during the holiday season
- Space Mountain, Tomorrowland Speedway, Mad Tea Party and Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor (Magic Kingdom): Christmas party nights only
At the party we spun the teacups in their Christmas lights and rode Space Mountain's holiday version. Neither Hollywood Studios coaster had its holiday version on our trip, and the park still won me over. Snow falling on Sunset Boulevard and the Sunset Seasons Greetings projections on the Tower of Terror made it the best-decorated park, in my opinion. Those projections run nightly with a regular ticket.
Is Early December or Christmas Week Better at Disney World?
For most first-timers, early to mid-December is better. You get the full decorations, Christmas party nights and the Festival of the Holidays, with lower crowds and better prices than Christmas week.
We picked mid-December for exactly those reasons. My husband loves Disney's deluxe hotels, and those were the dates when our passholder discount, about 30% off booked early in the year, made Wilderness Lodge work.
Thanksgiving week was a different story. In 2023 we couldn't move on Saturday at Magic Kingdom. We also didn't plan well, and that's why I started this blog.
I haven't been for Christmas week myself. The week between Christmas and New Year's is the busiest and most expensive stretch of the year, the party ends on December 22, and Disney's 2026 holiday room offers stop at December 24.
Here's how our three days went:
| Day | Plan |
|---|---|
| Thursday | Animal Kingdom's tree in the morning, check in at Wilderness Lodge, Hollywood Studios at night for the snow and projections |
| Friday | Magic Kingdom in the morning, back to the hotel at 11 for The Midday Reset, the Christmas party from 5 p.m. to the parade |
| Saturday | Slow checkout, then EPCOT: lunch at Coral Reef, Cosmic Rewind, the fourth tree and the Candlelight Processional |
What Disney Christmas Events Run Into January?
A few holiday pieces carry over into the new year:
- Jollywood Nights: January 3 and 5
- Extended Evening Hours at EPCOT: January 4
- Disney Springs holidays: through January 3
- The holiday season and the ride holiday versions: through January 6
January also has a few extras that aren't about the holidays. Disney After Hours, a separate-ticket late-night event, runs at Magic Kingdom on January 11 and 18, Hollywood Studios on January 16 and 27, and EPCOT on January 21. Disney's 2027 room offers start January 3.
Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend runs January 6 to 10, with the half marathon on January 9. I ran that half years ago. Race weekend brings tens of thousands of runners, so plan around it if you're not one of them. The EPCOT International Festival of the Arts starts January 15, and it's on my list for 2027.
Disney World Holiday Calendar 2026 FAQ
When does Disney World's holiday season start in 2026?
Disney's 2026 holiday season runs from November 13, 2026 to January 6, 2027. Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party starts earlier, on November 8, and Jollywood Nights on November 7.
What are the Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party dates for 2026?
Select nights from November 8 to December 22, 2026: 12 nights in November and 13 in December. The party runs 7 p.m. to midnight at Magic Kingdom.
When is the Candlelight Processional in 2026?
Nightly from November 27 to December 30, 2026, at 4:45, 6:30 and 8 p.m. at EPCOT's America Gardens Theatre, with a different celebrity narrator every few nights.
Is the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays included with a park ticket?
Yes. The festival, the storytellers and the Candlelight Processional are included with EPCOT admission. Holiday Kitchen food and dining packages cost extra.
When are Extended Evening Hours during the 2026 holidays?
Mondays at EPCOT from 9 to 11 p.m. and Wednesdays at Animal Kingdom from 6 to 8 p.m., with dates posted through January 4. They're for guests at Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa resorts and a few select hotels.
Is early December or Christmas week better at Disney World?
Early to mid-December. You get the decorations, party nights and the festival with lower crowds and prices. Christmas week is the busiest and most expensive week of the year.
If you can pick only one stretch, make it early to mid-December. Print the calendar, circle your nights, and leave room for a slow afternoon at the hotel.
Planning your first trip? Try my free Odie AI Park Planner.
Related Posts
- Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party for First-Timers
- EPCOT One-Day Itinerary
- Hollywood Studios One-Day Itinerary
- The Year of Disney Challenge
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