Disney Springs Kicks Off Holiday Season With Snow, Santa, and More!
Get out the ugly sweaters and grab a hot cocoa, because the holidays have officially started at Disney Springs. And honestly? It’s giving full-on Christmas magic.
Last night, Disney Springs kicked off its holiday season with a big tree lighting in Town Center, and now the whole place is decked out. There’s snow, new Christmas trees, Santa, and some seriously good holiday food and drinks. And the best part? You don’t need a ticket to enjoy any of it.
Disney Springs Is Looking So Festive
Seriously, the whole place got a holiday glow-up. There are giant snowflake signs all over wishing everyone Season’s Greetings, and the lamppost banners show the Disney Springs water tower wearing a Mickey wreath. Cute, right?
And it’s all sticking around until early January, so you’ve got plenty of time to see it.
The Big Kickoff Night
Okay, real quick about last night. A huge crowd gathered around the giant Christmas tree in Town Center, and there was a little stage set up right in front. Disney hosts in holiday ears and plaid welcomed everyone, and a vocal group sang holiday songs.
Then a family got to go up on stage with two Walt Disney World Ambassadors and help light the tree. It glowed gold and white, and then it started “snowing.” Like, actual snow falling in Florida. Okay, fake snow, but still. Magical.
Don’t Worry If You Missed It
If you weren’t there, no need to be sad. The tree lights up every hour on the hour every night this season. It won’t have the full stage show, but you still get to see it light up.
And the snow? It’s coming back every night too. In past years, it fell every half hour once the sun went down, so you’ve got lots of chances to catch it.
New Christmas Trees, Including Bluey!
The Christmas Tree Stroll is back, and there are three brand-new trees this year. We’re obsessed with all of them.
First up, there’s a Bluey tree outside Level99. It’s covered in gold tinsel, red and gold ornaments, little Bluey character ornaments, and a gold star on top. So cute.
Then there’s a Monsters, Inc. tree for the movie’s 25th anniversary. It has a yellow scream canister on top, giant eyeballs, tiny closet doors, and Boo in her purple monster costume. Honestly, iconic.
And the Hallmark tree has a gold crown on top, with Mickey and Minnie standing on little ladders, hanging ornaments. It ties into the Hallmark pop-up shop at Disney Springs and the new Hallmark movie, Holiday Ever After: A Disney World Wish Come True, which premieres November 28.
Plus, favorites like Frozen, Toy Story, Encanto, Moana, Star Wars, and The Nightmare Before Christmas are back too. The trees are up through January 3, 2027.
Here’s the fun part. Grab a free map from a brochure rack or places like The LEGO Store or The Polite Pig. Find the trees, match the stickers, and when your map is done, turn it in for a prize. It’s basically a holiday scavenger hunt.
Santa’s in Town
Santa is back at Santa’s Marketplace. Just know you’ll need to join a virtual queue in the My Disney Experience app, and you have to be at Disney Springs to do it.
Let’s Talk Holiday Food
Over at Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar, the holiday menu is back through January 11, 2027, and 10 of the 12 items are brand new.
On the food side, there are turkey croquettes with a cherry-orange brandy glaze, crispy fried brie with lingonberry marmalade, a seafood sampler, and short ribs. A Wreath of Wellington and the Boughs of Holly Deviled Eggs are back too.
And the drinks? The Hot Chocolate Around the Globe Flight comes with three spiked versions of Joffrey’s hot cocoa. Yes, please. There’s also a Frosted Passage Martini, a Cranberry Negroni, and a Cranberry Apple Compass Mule. Not drinking? Try the Hangar Holly Jolly with apple juice, kiwi syrup, lime, and ginger ale.
Holiday Mode: Activated
Free admission, free parking, snow every night, new trees to find, and spiked hot cocoa? Disney Springs is honestly one of the best places to celebrate the holidays this year.
So, are you heading to Disney Springs to get in the holiday spirit?
