While the Magic Kingdom is home to some truly wonderful holiday delights, it is far from the only park at Walt Disney World infused with seasonal spirit. Epcot’s International Festival of the Holidays is currently underway. In true Epcot fashion, it blends the wonder and whimsy of Disney with a sharp eye on education and understanding our big, beautiful world.
If you’re visiting Epcot in December, here are a few highlights you can’t afford to miss.
Holiday Cookie Stroll
This one isn’t particularly educational, but good food is always one of the highlights at Epcot. To take part in the Cookie Stroll, you’ll need to pick up a Festival Passport. Then, purchase one cookie from each of the five locations listed. You’ll get a stamp for each cookie. Once you are done, you can then present your passport for…you guessed it: another delicious cookie!
Here are the treats featured in this year’s stroll and where to find them:
- Yukon Holiday Kitchen: SNICKERS®-Doodle Cookie made with SNICKERS bar pieces
- L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen: Black and White Cookie (plant-based item)
- American Holiday Table: Chocolate Crinkle Cookie made with DOVE® Dark Chocolate
- Bavaria Holiday Kitchen: Linzer Cookie
- Holiday Hearth Desserts: Gingerbread Cookie
Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt
In Olaf’s Frozen Adventure, everyone’s favorite snowman (sorry Frosty) goes in search of family traditions around Arendelle at “that time of year.” Having learned all of that, it seems he wants to learn traditions from the rest of the world too, and you can join him. Purchase a map and stickers from select Festival merchandise locations—including Creations Shop, Port of Entry, and World Traveler at International Gateway, and then set out to find different traditions throughout the World Showcase Pavilions.
Like the Cookie Stroll, you’ll be rewarded for completing the hunt. Take your finished map to Disney Traders, Creations Shop, or World Traveler at International Gateway and you’ll receive a special prize.
Living With the Land – Holiday Edition!
The holiday cheer isn’t just in the World Showcase. Take a trip on Living With the Land in the Land Pavilion, and enjoy the twinkling lights and holiday decorations that have been added to the boat tour. Along with the lights, you’ll see presets and some rather festive shrubbery. It’s a lovely change that does nothing to distract from the peaceful nature of this fan-favorite attraction.
A Very Merry Figment
After taking a trip through Living with the Land, pop over and pay a visit to Dr. Nigel Channing at the Imagination Institute for Journey Into Imagination with Figment. Pay attention as Dr. Channing guides you through his tour of how the senses impact imagination, specifically when you enter the Sound Lab. You’ll notice that his mischievous little friend Figment is wearing a holiday sweater instead of his usual yellow and red jumper.
Touring the Holidays Around the World
The cultural celebrations taking place around the World Showcase are, without doubt, my favorite feature of the International Festival of the Holidays. Hearing the music and stories of different winter celebrations is a special experience.
- At the Showcase Plaza, you can listen to the soul-stirring music of the JOYFUL! ensemble as they perform Christmas and Kwanzaa music.
- In Mexico, you’ll encounter Los Posadas (which means The Inns in Spanish). Typically an eight-day celebration, you’ll see dancers, piñatas, and the always entertaining Mariachi Cobre.
- Travel to Norway to meet Sigrid, a storyteller, who will teach you all about Julenisse, the mischievous “barn Santa.” Of course, Sigrid is too clever to really believe those stories. So, the little fellow just might have to make an appearance to change her mind.
- Late winter brings us the Chinese or Lunar New Year. Guests can experience a taste of the festivities by watching the Chinese Lion Dance, blessing the viewers with good luck and prosperity in the coming year.
- In Italy, the holiday celebrations don’t end with Christmas. They continue all the way to Epiphany (January 6). While visiting the Italy pavilion, you can listen to the tale of La Befana, the kind old witch who visits children on Epiphany Eve. You’ll learn how and why she started making her annual journey.
- Meeting Santa Claus is a thrill for kids from one to ninety-two, and Guests get their chance at the America Pavilion. Jolly old Saint Nick is located near the large Christmas tree. He’s a popular fella, so be aware that you may have to wait a bit.
- The Daruma doll is a key part of New Year celebrations in Japan, and you can learn all about it from a Japanese storyteller at the Festival. Modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of Zen Buddhism, the doll is a symbol of persistence and patience, as well as good luck.
- Celebrate Hannukah, the Festival of Lights, with storytelling and music. You’ll learn how different communities around the world celebrate Hannukah, remembering the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem and the miracle of the oil. Located between the Morocco and France pavilions.
- In France, Santa Claus is known as Père Noël. At the France Pavilion, you’ll hear him read a letter he received from a young child, in addition to learning about French traditions at Christmas.
- Father Christmas, located in the United Kingdom pavilion, looks like the living embodiment of Charles Dickens’s Ghost of Christmas Present, and he’s every bit as joyous. Join him as he rings in the holiday season. It’s one of the best holiday photo ops in the entire festival.
- Finally, take a musical tour of Canadian Christmas with the Canadian Holiday Voyageurs.
The Candlelight Processional
One of the most beloved holiday traditions at Epcot is the Candlelight Processional. This unforgettable experience features a breathtaking choir, as well as a celebrity narrator who relates the tale of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. The narrator changes throughout the month, and a full schedule can be found on Walt Disney World’s official webpage. You can also find information on the dining packages and special seating available for the show.
Tis the Season
No matter how or what you celebrate this holiday season, Epcot’s International Festival of the Holidays has something for you. It’s an incredible experience that brings that special feeling we all get at “that time of year.”
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