EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays

EPCOT’s International Festival of the Holidays is here! Happening November 24th – December 30th, 2023, this holiday celebration is a great one! I love that Epcot celebrates with different festivals throughout the year, but this one is special! You’ll find festive decorations, music, and food/drinks throughout the park

Meet Santa Claus

Visit Santa at the Odyseey Pavilion from November 24th – December 24th, 2023.

JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season

Listen to wonderful music inspired by Christmas and Kwanzaa. You’ll hear all types of holiday music including Gospel, R&B, and other fun holiday-themed songs. This takes place at the World Showcase Plaza.

Holiday Storytellers

Listen to live storytellers who share holiday legends in each country around the World Showcase. This is so cool because you get to learn more about holiday traditions from each culture.

Voices of Liberty: Dickens Carolers

The Voices of Liberty celebrate the holiday season as Dickens Carolers. Visit the American Adventure Pavilion to hear them in their holiday attire. These performances last 15 minutes from November 24th – December 30th. Be sure to check the entertainment schedule or the My Disney Experience app for showtimes.

Candlelight Processional

This is a fan favorite!! Listen to the story of Christmas told by celebrity narrators. There is also a 5-piece orchestra with a massive choir. Shows take place nightly at the American Gardens Theatre at 5:15 PM, 7:00 PM, and 8:30 PM. This is a very popular event during the Festival of the Holidays. Guests will line up for HOURS in the standby line to get into the Candlelight Processional.

Protip: Book a Candlelight Processional Dining Package! This way, you can get a delicious meal on the day you want to see your favorite celebrity narrator as well as a guaranteed seat for a select showing. Be sure to book your reservations in advance. This is a limited-time dining experience and one of the most popular experiences! Guests with the Dining Package will enter America Gardens Theatre in a separate queue and will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis. Seating is guaranteed. Guests who have not reserved a Candlelight Processional Dining Package will be seated at the Candlelight Processional on a first-come, first-serve basis. Seating is based on availability due to limited capacity.

Candlelight Processional Dining Package

Choose from 8 different restaurants at Epcot that offer the Candlelight Processional Dining Packages. Dining package prices include taxes and gratuities. Guests will receive Candlelight Seating badges at the restaurant after their meal. The badge will specify the date and show the time they have reserved. Seating is guaranteed with a dining package.

A meal at participating restaurants includes:

At Spice Road Table: 2 small plates and one nonalcoholic beverage per person, plus a tagine and dessert platter for your party to share

All other participating restaurants: an appetizer, entree, and dessert, or one full buffet/family-style meal, as well as a nonalcoholic beverage

One guaranteed seat per person to the Candlelight Processional held on the same day

I have booked a dining package for Epcot’s Eat to the Beat series and this package works similarly. Read more about that experience here!

Holiday Kitchens

Make your way around the world and try different snacks and drinks from each country’s holiday kitchen. I love that these treats are paired with the country and actually something that the country would serve during the holiday season.

My favorite item so far is the Frozen Hot Chocolate Martini from France!

Holiday Cookie Stroll

The Holiday Cookie Stroll is fun for everyone to participate in. You can purchase 5 cookies from any of the official cookie stroll locations featured in your Festival Passport. When you purchase the cookies, you will then collect a matching stamp for each cookie purchased. Once you’ve collected 5 stamps, bring the stamped passport to Holiday Sweets & Treats to receive a specialty cookie.

Holiday Cookie Stroll Menu Items & Locations

Nochebuena Cocina: Spiced Chocolate Cookie

Yukon Holiday Kitchen: Snickerdoodle Cookie made with SNICKERS® bar pieces

L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen: Black and White Cookie (plant-based)

American Holiday Table: Gingerbread Cookie

Bavaria Holiday Kitchen: Linzer Cookie

Holiday Hearth Desserts: Peppermint Pinwheel Cookie

Sunshine Seasons: Jingle Sugar Cookie made with M&M’S chocolate candies

Connections Cafe: Holiday Sugar Cookie

Living with the Land Attraction

I love the Living with the Land attraction as it normally is. But, during the holiday season, it’s even better because Disney adds festive lights and holiday decor to see!

Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt

Kids love the scavenger hunt! Purchase your scavenger hunt map and stickers for $9.99 plus tax from select merchandise locations. This includes Creations Shop and World Traveler.

Using the stickers on your map, mark the “tradition” that Olaf has found in each Pavilion.

At the end of your hunt, you can bring your map to Disney Traders, Creations Shop, or World Traveler and redeem your map for a gift. You can still bring your map in to redeem for a gift even if you don’t find all of the holiday traditions.

Note: There is a limit of 5 game board purchases per guest and one surprise per game board. The game board is valid for redemption through December 30, 2023, or while supplies last.

Festival of the Holidays Merchandise

Purchase holiday-themed merchandise around the World Showcase to bring home to your friends or family.

Not going to be able to visit this fun festival in 2023? Let’s start planning your vacation for 2024! Disney is currently booking the entire year and we can make sure you get to visit the Festival of the Holiday celebration next year! Contact me for a free no-obligation quote!