ORLANDO, Fla. (Nov. 2, 2026) – This holiday season, Orlando shines brighter with new experiences and returning favorites across the destination. Visitors can celebrate expanded holiday offerings at Universal Epic Universe, a new Christmas drone show featuring LEGO Santa at LEGOLAND Florida Resort and fresh immersive experiences at Dazzling Nights. Beyond the attractions, festivities include a free downtown holiday wonderland featuring North America’s only transportable carillon, a Nutcracker-inspired holiday tea at ette hotel and Wekiva Island’s new Elf Lounge holiday pop-up, alongside beloved traditions that transform Orlando into a holiday wonderland from November through January. It’s no wonder Orlando made WalletHub’s list of Best Warm-Weather Winter Holiday Destinations. 

“The holidays in Orlando offer countless ways to celebrate the season and create holiday memories,” said Casandra Matej, president and CEO of Visit Orlando. "From beloved theme park celebrations and dazzling light displays to festive performances, neighborhood traditions and unique resort offerings, visitors planning a family vacation, a couple’s getaway or multigenerational trip will find their own unforgettable way to celebrate in Orlando.”  

Visitors can discover exclusive savings on VisitOrlando.com/offers and take advantage of Visit Orlando’s free vacation planning resources, including OPAL, the destination’s AI-powered trip planner, and complimentary, personalized Vacation Planning Services, where local destination experts help travelers build the perfect Orlando itinerary. 

THEME PARKS 

Walt Disney World Resort | Nov. 7 – Jan. 6 

  • Walt Disney World Resort spreads holiday cheer across all four theme parks:  

  • Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom Park (select nights, Nov. 8 – Dec. 22) creates a storybook holiday atmosphere with “Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmas Parade,” “Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show,” and “Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration” plus complimentary cookies, festive sips and bites, holiday-clad character experiences, snowfall on Main Street, U.S.A. and more.  

  • Disney Jollywood Nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios (select nights, Nov. 7 – Jan. 5) combines Hollywood and holiday glamour featuring dapper décor, merry mashups, nighttime spectaculars, unique tastes and sips, appearances from classic characters and signature entertainment including Disney Holidays in Hollywood, Glisten! skating spectacular and The Nightmare Before Christmas Sing-Along. 

  • Disney's Animal Kingdom (Nov.13– Jan. 6) adds a festive twist with the Merry Menagerie’s hand-crafted animal puppets; a holiday edition of the Tree of Life Awakenings, set to a heartwarming seasonal score; Mickey & Minnie Mouse meet-and-greets in their holiday outpost attire, and cheerful sights and merry music throughout the park. 

Universal Orlando Resort | Nov. 14 – Jan. 3 

  • Universal Orlando Resort celebrates with festive offerings across its four parks including:  

  • Universal Holiday Tour, a two-and-a-half-hour add-on tour that offers exclusive guided access to holiday experiences, reserved viewing areas and character meet-and-greets with The Grinch, The Grinch’s faithful dog, Max, and Santa. 

  • Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, featuring seasonal holiday shows and festive decor in Universal Islands of Adventure’s Hogsmeade, Universal Studios Florida’s Diagon Alley and Universal Epic Universe’s Ministry of Magic. 

  • Seasonal lighting and decorations within Celestial Park plus seasonal décor expanding into SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™ and How to Train Your Dragon - Isle of Berk at Universal Epic Universe. 

SeaWorld Orlando | Select dates, Nov. 6 – Jan. 4 

  • SeaWorld Orlando’s Christmas Celebration is a winter wonderland with millions of lights, live shows and themed parades, Santa meet-and-greets, character dining add-on options and the Holiday Reflections: Fireworks Finale.  

LEGOLAND Florida | Select dates, Nov. 21 – Jan. 3 

  • The LEGOLAND Christmas Bricktacular will feature holly jolly LEGO® décor and lights with a gigantic LEGO Christmas Tree, a festive drone show featuring LEGO Santa, and themed LEGO entertainment and activities, plus character meet-and-greets throughout the park. 

FUN FOR ALL AGES AND LIVE SHOWS BEYOND THE PARKS 

  • Asian Lantern Festival: Into the Wild, presented by Publix, returns at Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens (select nights, Nov. 13 – Jan. 17) with all-new handcrafted lantern displays, including glowing wildlife scenes, celestial-inspired landscapes and traditional Chinese folklore brought to life with thousands of LED lights situated on a three-quarter-mile pathway around the zoo. 

  • Festival of Trees: “Forty Seasons of Joy” at Orlando Museum of Art (Nov. 14 – 22) features more than 50 designer-decorated trees and wreaths, artisanal gingerbread creations, Santa Claus Lane and daily live entertainment. Special events include Breakfast with Santa, the children's Reindeer Romp, holiday workshops and more. 

  • Dazzling Nights, Presented by AdventHealth at Harry P. Leu Gardens (Nov. 20 - Jan. 3) blooms into a winter wonderland with a million sparkling lights, shining forests and beautiful sculptures. The three-quarter mile, family friendly interactive experience features new immersive elements, including a high-energy acrobatic dance performance in the wintry Driftlands and a light show at the Twinkle Market. Highlights also include The Poinsettia Promenade” - a 60-foot-long tunnel of illuminated poinsettias. 

  • During the I-Drive District Holiday Tree Lighting (Nov. 20 – Jan. 4 at 6 p.m.), International Drive dazzles with a glittering lighting ceremony of a 50-foot Holiday Tree at ICON Park, where guests can enjoy special performances during the nightly tree lighting.  

  • Ivanhoe Village kicks off the holiday season with Jingle Eve (Nov. 21), a free family friendly event featuring a variety of yuletide festivities, including beer gardens, live music, arts and crafts vendors, food trucks, a children’s holiday village, a fireworks finale and more. 

  • Crayola Experience’s Colorful Christmas (Nov. 21 – Jan. 3) returns with holiday crafts, seasonal scavenger hunts, festive photo opportunities, singing light shows, character appearances and letters to Santa, all included with the attraction's hands-on experiences. 

  • Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts will Celebrate The Holidays with a series of star-studded concerts and joy-sparking events like Lindsey Stirling’s Snow Waltz Tour (Nov. 21); Home for the Holidays presented by Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra  (Nov. 28) featuring Broadway powerhouse Michael James Scott; The Nutcracker presented by the Orlando Ballet (select dates, Dec. 4-27) and more. 

  • Frontyard Holiday Festival at Dr. Phillips Center supported by AdventHealth (Nov. 27-Dec. 31) transforms downtown Orlando into a free holiday wonderland with nightly snowfall, festive light displays, live entertainment, holiday movies, seasonal treats, Santa's Story Nook, a holiday market and the return of North America's only transportable carillon featuring nearly four tons of bronze bells. 

  • The 28th annual Now Snowing (Nov. 28 - Dec. 31) returns to Celebration Town Center as Central Florida's original family friendly "snowing" event, transforming the picturesque downtown into a winter wonderland with nightly snowfall, strolling carolers, festive décor and holiday activities for all ages.  

  • Wekiva Island’s Winter Wonderland (Nov. 29 – Dec. 25) features nightly “snow” flurries, dazzling trees, a holiday market and Santa’s Workshop, plus interactions with Santa and Mrs. Claus, festive holiday characters and the new Elf Lounge holiday pop-up experience featuring whimsical North Pole décor, a build-your-own holiday popcorn bar, festive hot cocoa and cozy cabana seating. 

  • A Pirate’s Christmas Carol (select dates Dec. 1-31) at Pirates Dinner Adventure Orlando gives Charles Dickens’ holiday classic a swashbuckling twist, combining Christmas magic with live sword fighting, aerial action, music and comedy, plus a three-course dinner served during the immersive, family friendly production. 

  • A Speakeasy Christmas Carol (select dates Dec. 2-30) at Teatro Martini reimagines Charles Dickens’ holiday classic in a 1924 New York City speakeasy, blending gangsters and ghosts with live entertainment, Christmas carols and festive surprises. The family friendly immersive experience also includes a holiday-themed dinner, with seasonal cocktails and mocktails available for purchase. 

  • Oh, What Fun! Holiday Festival (select weekends Dec. 4-20) transforms the Lake Nona Town Center into Peppermint Square, a winter wonderland with nightly snowfalls, live entertainment, festive photo ops and more.  

  • Gatorland's Holiday Ho, Ho, Ho-Down (select dates Dec. 5-20) puts a unique Florida spin on the season with holiday music, festive décor, interactive characters and seasonal treats. Guests can snap photos with Gator Claus in his swamp-ready sleigh, meet the mischievous Krampus Croc, sing along with the Florida Skunk Ape's "cryptid carols" and browse arts and crafts vendors for one-of-a-kind holiday gifts. 

  • Historic Downtown Winter Garden will be home to several holiday happenings this season, including the Winter Garden Christmas Parade (Dec. 5), a long-standing holiday tradition as festive floats, local bands, dance troupes and more march through downtown; the Winter Garden Christmas Golf Cart Parade (Dec. 5), where participants can show off their festive, elaborately decorated golf carts; $5 Holiday Flix at the Garden (Dec. 15, 22, 29), classic holiday movie screenings at the 295-seat refurbished Garden Theatre; plus other festivities. 

  • Winter Park’s 74th annual Ye Olde Hometown Christmas Parade (Dec. 5), the oldest continuous holiday parade in Central Florida, will feature 80+ participating organizations, including marching bands and an appearance by Santa.  

  • Kennedy Under the Stars: Holiday Edition (Dec. 19) transforms Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex into a space-themed holiday celebration with live entertainment, festive décor, holiday drinks, a Rocket Tree Trail Scavenger Hunt and after-hours access to popular attractions, culminating in the Holidays in Space Drone Show Spectacular. 

HOTEL HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS 

  • Evermore Orlando Resort's holiday experiences (November through Jan. 1) transform the 1,100-acre destination into a festive retreat featuring holiday celebrations around Evermore Bay, seasonal crafts and workshops, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, electric surfboard shows, family friendly races and beachside holiday parties. 

  • ICE! featuring The Polar Express at Gaylord Palms Resort (Nov. 13 – Jan. 3) features oversized sculptures carved from two million pounds of ice, along with new POMP, SNOW & CIRQUEumstance, an immersive cirque-style holiday show based on the storybook and TV special.  

  • Winter at Grande Lakes (select dates Nov. 26 – Jan. 3) returns with a new ice skating experience; hands-on activities such as Gingerbread School; Santa’s Teddy Bear Tea, offering a lavish selection of tea, culinary delights, crafts, storytelling and a special visit from Santa Claus; a Christmas Market featuring a European cottage-inspired holiday village; and additional seasonal experiences, including a holiday magic show presented by America's Got Talent finalist Drew Thomas.  

  • The ette hotel, in partnership with Orlando Ballet, will host The Nutcracker Holiday Tea (Dec. 5, 12, 19, 20 and 26) at Salt & The Cellar by Michelin-starred Chef Akira Back. The experience will feature traditional tea sandwiches, scones and intricately designed pastries, bringing the artistry and elegance of The Nutcracker to an intimate setting. 

  • The Alfond Inn’s 12 Days of Alfond (Dec. 13-24) celebrates the season with a dozen days of festive experiences, including Brunch with Santa, holiday cocktail and wine classes, wreath and gingerbread making, live carolers and jazz, a chef-guided pie-making class and Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dining at Hamilton’s Kitchen.

  • Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort celebrates the holidays with seasonal activities at the resort's heated five-acre water park and through its complimentary Kids for All Seasons childcare program. Enjoy holiday dining experiences at Michelin-recommended restaurants, Capa Steakhouse and Ravello, plus dazzling holiday desserts and displays, including a hot cocoa pop-up at the lobby’s gingerbread house. 

  • Conrad Orlando celebrates the season with elevated holiday experiences including strolling Conrad Carolers, a whimsical Holiday Bubble Bash, festive room décor, holiday-themed poolside cabanas, seasonal programming for children, indulgent dining experiences such as a Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes at Sophia's Trattoria and a rooftop New Year's Eve celebration at Ceiba. 

More information on Orlando’s holiday events can be found here and on VisitOrlando.com, the destination’s official visitor source. 

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About Visit Orlando    

Visit Orlando is The Official Tourism Association® for Orlando, the most visited destination in the United States, Theme Park Capital of the World® and No. 1 meeting destination in the country. A not-for-profit trade association that brands, markets and sells the Orlando destination globally, the organization represents more than 1,600 member companies comprising every segment of Central Florida’s tourism community. 

Visit Orlando connects consumers and business groups with all facets of Orlando’s travel community, whether for a vacation or meeting. Home to 15 of the world’s top theme parks and water parks — as well as nature and outdoor adventures, vibrant neighborhoods, a dynamic dining scene with Michelin-recognized restaurants, and a robust calendar of entertainment and sports events — Orlando is a diverse, welcoming and inclusive community for all travelers. Find more information at VisitOrlando.com, VisitOrlando.org or OrlandoMeeting.com. 

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