The holiday season at Walt Disney World is something special. MouseHouseNews.net has already reported extensively about specially-ticketed parties and holiday specialties inside the Disney theme parks (and don’t worry, there’s still more to come!). While super entertaining, these activities can certainly get expensive. Understatement of the year, I know. Today, it’s time to talk about some festive things you can do in Disney World completely for free. And who doesn’t love free?!?
Disney Springs is the place to head if you’re looking for an extensive collection of entertainment, shopping, and eateries all together in one place. It’s a great location to take a break from the theme parks, and you can easily spend hours (or even the whole day) there at any time of year. Starting November 13th, Disney Springs will receive a festive glow-up for the holiday season.
Roaming Holiday Entertainment
From November 13th through December 30th, you can find roaming holiday entertainment throughout the shopping district. Just some of the performers you can look forward to include:
- Douglas Fir – Daily from 1:00pm to 5:00pm
- DJ Sleigh – Daily 5:30pm to 9:30pm
- Icicle and Toy Soldier Stilts – Daily at 5:30pm, 7:00pm, and 8:30pm
- Holiday Brass Band – Daily at 6:00pm, 7:00pm, 8:00pm, and 9:00pm
- Toy Soldier Drummers – Thursday through Sunday at 6:15pm, 7:15pm, 8:15pm, and 9:15pm
- Seasonal-Skaters Holiday – Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 6:15pm, 7:15pm, 8:15pm, and 9:15pm
The Disney Springs Christmas Tree Stroll presented by AdventHealth
The Disney Springs Christmas Tree Stroll presented by AdventHealth will be available once again this year. From November 13th through January 4th, the entertainment district will be filled with intricately decorated Christmas trees. What makes them extra magical is how each tree’s extravagant decor is inspired by themes that embrace Disney characters, Pixar films, theme park icons, and more.
Some of the theming you can look forward to on this stroll include:
- Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse
- Frozen
- Lilo & Stitch
- Encanto
- The Lion King
- The Princess & the Frog
- Disney Villains
- and so many more!
You can simply wander around Disney Springs and check out any and all of the displays that you come across, or you can try your hand at finding all of the trees and completing the Christmas Tree Stroll Map Activity. This complimentary activity works lot like the scavenger hunts available at EPCOT festivals (except this one’s free!).
To participate, just stop by one of the participating locations to grab your map:
- City Works Eatery & Pour House
- Crystal Arts by Arribas Brothers
- Havaianas
- House of Blues
- The LEGO Store
- The Polite Pig
Then, simply keep your eyes peeled for all of the beautifully decorated trees as you make your way around Disney Springs. There are stickers included with the map that you will use to mark off the various tress as you come across them. Once you’ve located all of the trees, head back to one of the aforementioned map distribution locations to get a surprise!
It’s also worth mentioning there are also several displays that feature interactive elements using MagicBand+. You can find those special extras in displays including:
- Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas
- Haunted Mansion
- Star Wars
- the Annual Passholder display
- the Disney Cruise Lines topiary
Meet Santa Claus
What better way to kick off the holidays than by meeting the man himself, Santa Claus. Jolly Old St. Nick will be available to discuss your Christmas wishlist starting November 13th if you want to get your requests in early. If you need additional time to move from the Naughty List onto the Nice List, don’t worry! Santa will be at Disney Springs through December 24th.
Since Santa Claus is such a popular guy, meeting him at Disney Springs will utilize a virtual queue system. To join the virtual queue, you will need to be at Disney Springs. There will be multiple chances to join the queue at various times throughout the day. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again!
So board a bus and jingle your way on over to Disney Springs for some free entertainment this holiday season. While you’re there, be sure to check out World of Disney and Disney’s Days of Christmas, two of my absolute favorite stores to browse anytime of year. For more holiday news and reviews from around Disney World, be sure to check back with us here at MouseHouseNews.net. See ya real soon!
