Get set for an Orlando Christmas Cracker!

Andy Williams called it “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” and we’d be hard pushed to argue with him about it when it comes to Orlando’s Christmas season. It simply is the ideal time to be here.

Yes, the US calls this whole period ‘The Holidays,’ but it is full of the kind of festive spirit we have come to know and love over the years.

And, in our humble estimation, no one does Christmas quite like Orlando does. From the theme parks to downtown, and just about everywhere in between, it genuinely sparkles with seasonal snap, crackle and pop!

Basically, from now until January 1, this wonderful destination is alive to the sound of carols, jingle bells and Ho-Ho-Ho’s. It is punctuated by the additional weekend holiday of Thanksgiving (Nov 24-27), but otherwise it is a non-stop Santa-fest.

Christmas all Starts with the Theme Parks in Orlando

Inevitably, Disney and Co lead the way when it comes to the festivities, and you can’t go wrong for a truly heart-warming occasion at any of them, as well as enjoy some real highlights.

Walt Disney World puts on a terrific amount of Yuletide splendour, notably with decorations at the Magic Kingdom and the evening Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party event (which we’ll tell you all about after we visit next week!).

Epcot positively glows with seasonal charm thanks to its International Festival of the Holidays programme (from Nov 25-Dec 30), which features a period presentation from most of the countries around World Showcase, including storytelling, sweet and savoury treats and other live entertainment.

It also showcases the annual Candlelight Processional, the stirring story of Christmas presented by a celebrity narrator, accompanied by an orchestra and massed choir, while the new Guardians of the Galaxy rides gets a holiday overlay with a mash-up of seasonal pop songs.

At Disney Springs, there are even more decorations and themed activities, notably a chance to meet Santa, enjoy festive musical performances and snow flurries in the Town Center area. There’s also the Christmas Tree Stroll, a trail of cleverly themed trees throughout the different neighbourhoods.

Then There’s Universal Orlando’s Christmas Celebrations

If Disney deals in all the charm of the season, Universal goes all out for a more adventurous and lively style. Just to start with, there is the edgy fun of Christmas Grinch style, with the famous Dr Seuss story coming to life in the Islands of Adventure park. The warm fuzzies, with a side helping of sarcasm, as they like to say!

At Universal Studios, there is the eye-popping spectacle of the daily Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s, a real classic cavalcade based on the annual New York fiesta, as well as the chance to see best-selling Christmas music group Mannheim Steamroller live (Dec 3, 4, 10 and 11).

There is also the hugely imaginative and festive wizardry that goes into the Harry Potter lands at this time of year, including the superb Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle show and additional holiday-themed shows from The Frog Choir and Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees. Oh, and don’t miss out on that distinctive Universal winter taste – hot Butterbeer!

It all starts on November 12 and continues through January 1 at both parks, and there’s even a Grinch & Friends Character Breakfast this year, with the chance to enjoy the seasonal buffet samplings of the Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoopendous (Nov 12-Dec 29; $41.99/adult, $26 children 3-9; bookings required on this link).

There’s SeaWorld and Busch Gardens, too

SeaWorld Orlando is another riot of festive fervour, with a truly magnificent Christmas Celebration on select dates (Nov 11-13 and 18-27, Dec 2-4 and 9-31, and Jan 1-3), featuring Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer, the Sesame Street Christmas Parade, a Santa meet-and-greet, daytime ice-skating and terrific live shows, including Elmo’s Christmas Wish and the must-see event of the Winter Wonderland on Ice.

Year after year, we think this is THE Christmas event to have on your wish list, with the most elaborate park-wide decorations, superb entertainment and a real spirit of the season with the signature Sea of Trees on the main lagoon and SeaWorld’s own array of tempting treats and fancy beverages.

Similarly, Busch Gardens is wonderfully impressive with its Christmas Town presentation, a park-wide celebration of the holiday period that includes all its animal encounters and thrilling rides as well as seasonally-inspired culinary delights and festive shows.

You should definitely make time for Christmas on Ice at the Moroccan Palace Theater, as well as the Three Kings Journey at the Dragonfire Grill and, if you have young children, Elmo’s Christmas Wish. The park also keeps the holiday spirit shining bright with millions of twinkling lights and, on select nights, a dazzling festive fireworks show, plus heart-warming moments with Santa and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

And There’s More for Christmas!

Orlando’s seasonal attractions aren’t confined just to the theme parks. The wonderful Give Kids the World Village in Kissimmee will stage its new annual tradition of Night of a Million Lights at the Island H2O water park this year (Nov 11-Jan 1), with another dazzling display of set-piece extravaganzas, and then there’s the razzle-dazzle of Leu Gardens’ special Holiday presentation, Dazzling Nights, a family-friendly adventure from the Creative City Project.

We’re also excited and delighted to see the return of the mind-boggling ICE! presentation at the wonderful Gaylord Palms Resort this year, after missing out in 2020 and 2021 thanks to the pandemic.

This unique tableau is hand-crafted by Chinese artisans from more than two million pounds of coloured ice, carved into extravagant winter scenery and with this year’s theme being How The Grinch Stole Christmas, from the classic Dr Seuss story.

There’s plenty more in store at this vast resort, too, including ice tubing, snowball throwing, an elaborate Cirque show, Santa and Mrs Claus, gingerbread decorating, an atrium light show and a whole Alpine market village to explore. It’s a seasonal delight all under one roof, and well worth exploring.

Need more? How about the Colorful Christmas at the Crayola Experience at the Florida Mall, with lots of extra seasonal activities for children, and the evening thrill of ‘Snowing Nightly’ – among other festivities (Nov 24-Dec 31) – in the Disney-inspired town of Celebration, where the locals also decorate their houses in hugely extravagant ways.

It all adds up to a hugely impressive celebration of the season and a genuine Christmas cracker. Don’t miss it!

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