Disney World is a wonderful place, no matter when you visit. That said, we have a special place in our hearts for Disney during the winter, and especially Disney during December. There are a number of reasons for this. While some of our usual reasons for preferring the holiday season aren’t going to be happening this year, the majority of the things we love about this time of year at Disney World are still around. Not only that, there are a couple of extra reasons to visit during December 2020! Read on to learn why we think December 2020 might just be the best time to check out Walt Disney World Resort and all it has to offer.
1. Low Crowds
Historically, the beginning of December has been a pretty slow time at Disney World, with crowd levels growing quite a bit during the week of Christmas. With crowd levels as low as they’ve been in general this year, we’re anticipating an extra slow beginning of December in 2020. While Christmas crowds will still exist, we’re betting they’ll be much lower than usual, making this the perfect year for a less crowded holiday vacation.
2. Wonderful Weather
One of the very best things about visiting Disney World in the winter is the incredible weather. While Florida is almost unbearably hot during the summertime, the winter is sunny, warm, and absolutely beautiful almost every single day. Therefore, if you’re looking for the perfect theme park weather, we highly recommend making a visit during December. All that said, it is important to note that nights do get chilly, and the occasional cold front can come through. Therefore, you will want to pack for both warm and cool temperatures.
3. International Festival of the Holidays
We adore all the various festivals at Epcot. A favorite of ours is the International Festival of the Holidays, which celebrates the holiday season by introducing visitors to holiday traditions, tastes, and stories from around the world. We especially love the holiday kitchens, each serving up favorite holiday dishes from the country they represent. This festival begins November 27th this year and will run through December 30th, making December the ideal time to visit and celebrate the holiday season at Epcot.
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4. Holiday Decorations
As you might imagine, Disney is the best of the best when it comes to holiday decorations. The Imagineers in charge of creating the holiday displays pull out all the stops and really create the kind of magical holiday wonderland many kids dream of. We love these decorations, and find that simply strolling through the parks to see the beautiful lights, trees, and colors puts us in the holiday spirit. This year, the holiday decor went up on November 6th, and they tend to be taken down in early-to mid-January, meaning you’ll catch these decorations no matter when in December you visit.
5. Special Entertainment
Another fantastic thing found in the parks during the holiday season is the special entertainment:
- – In Magic Kingdom, we will see such festive dun as a holiday projection show on the castle, and a barbershop quartet singing our favorite Christmas tunes.
- – Disney’s Hollywood Studios is home to another great projection show, along with the Santa Claus Motorcade.
- In Disney’s Animal Kingdom, look for festive characters as they float down the Discovery River.
- And in Epcot, enjoy the sights and sounds of the aforementioned Festival of the Holidays.
6. Seasonal Treats and Eats
Delicious foods are a big part of the holiday season for the vast majority of people. Therefore, it only makes sense that Disney offers a vast array of sweets and eats during the month of December, and we highly recommend trying as many as you possibly can. There are, of course, the amazing international foods found at Epcot’s International Festival of the Holidays. Epcot also plays host to the Holiday Cookies Stroll, which allows guests to try a variety of fun, festive cookies. Other special holiday foods include cookies and cupcakes found in all the parks, along with a special holiday meal hosted by Minnie Mouse herself in the Hollywood and Vine restaurant in Hollywood Studios.
7. Mickey Returns
As many of you already know, character dining has been scarce in Disney World since its reopening. Fortunately, we have seen some character meals return with a few restrictions, and there are others slated to return in the near future. One of these is Minnie’s holiday meal mentioned above, and we are beyond excited to have another option. That’s right, the meal character dining fans have been waiting for is the one offered at Chef Mickey’s in the Contemporary Resort! This is a favorite because it features classic characters and yummy comfort foods. Fortunately, we will see Mickey and his pals return to host this meal on December 16th, just in time for the Christmas holiday—and hopefully, your December visit!
Clearly, there are a huge number of reasons to visit Disney World during December this year. Why not start planning now so you can have the perfect holiday getaway and squeeze a bit of magic into 2020 before it’s over?
