Top 10 Reasons to visit EPCOT this Holiday Season

There are so many reasons to visit EPCOT this holiday season. Which one is your favorite?

Candlelight Processional

The holiday season is truly magical at EPCOT. Each night, a celebrity narrator tells the story of Christmas, recounting the Biblical tale of a Savior born in Bethlehem. The Christmas story is told along with a talented orchestra and choir.

You can see this show nightly at 5:15 PM, 7:00 PM, or 8:30 PM at the America Gardens Theatre at EPCOT. You can see a full schedule for Candlelight Processional narrators HERE and also dining packages for this show HERE. This is such a moving performance hosted by a diverse cast of celebrity narrators.

Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition

Are you ready to join the happiest snowman this holiday season? You can step into “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure” and join a quest to gather holiday traditions all throughout the World Showcase. Simply purchase your map and stickers from select Festival merchandise locations—including Creations Shop, Port of Entry, and World Traveler at International Gateway. 

The price for each Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition map is $9.99 plus tax. As you make your way throughout the World Showcase, use stickers to mark the “traditions.”

After you complete the expedition, you can bring your map to Creations or World Traveler at International Gateway to redeem your map for a special holiday keepsake! This year it is one of three coin pouches featuring our favorite Frozen pals.

Each festival at EPCOT features a unique scavenger hunt, and Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition is one of our favorites. Redemption is valid through December 31, 2022, or while supplies last.  

Holiday Storytellers

Guests can enjoy these Storytellers around the World Showcase during the festival. Holiday Storytellers performers staged in countries around the World Showcase interact with Guests and share customs and stories from the country they represent. 

Guests can learn about the traditions of each different country featured. Some of these storytellers are quite comical like the one featured in Norway. Be sure to check out a full listing of showtimes for each Holiday Storyteller HERE.

Meet Santa

At EPCOT, Santa is meeting at a new location. Guests can meet with Santa at the Odyssey Pavilion. This is the indoor location that previously held the EPCOT preview center between the front of the park and the World Showcase on select dates from November 25 to December 24. 

Each performance lasts 60 minutes. Guests can plan to see Santa every day at here at the following times:

• 11:00 am until 12:00 pm
• 12:30 pm until 1:30 pm
• 2:00 pm until 3:00 pm
• 3:30 pm until 4:30 pm
• 5:00 pm until 6:00 pm
• 6:30 pm until 7:30 pm

You can check out each of the different locations where you can meet Santa all throughout Walt Disney World Resort HERE.

Cosmic Rewind Holiday Overlay

In June, we first shared that EPCOT’s newest attraction, Cosmic Rewind, will offer a holiday overlay.  “Guardians will trade in their classic hits playlist for a mash-up of seasonal jams at Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT. Guests will blast off to the tune of an awesome holiday single, bringing joy to Xandar and Terra, too.”

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind will debut a custom song. During this time, the original playlist including six iconic songs will be paused. This holiday overlay has received mixed reviews from Disney guests, but it does offer a festive experience.

Holiday Cookie Stroll

Enjoy an array of sweet treats during the Holiday Cookie Stroll! Purchase 5 cookies from any of the official cookie stroll locations featured in your Festival Passport—and be sure to 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 treat! Check out Maggie’s review of last year’s cookie stroll HERE. 

If you plan to visit EPCOT this holiday season, be sure to check out a full listing of each cookie featured this year HERE.

Holiday Kitchens

EPCOT features several festivals throughout the year, and each festival features unique outdoor kitchens. With over 15 Holiday Kitchens, you’ll find flavors from across the globe highlighting ways the world celebrates the season.

From Nov. 25 through Dec. 30, you can enjoy holidays around the world at these Holiday Kitchens.

There are so many great items featured this holiday season. You can check out the full menu featured at each Holiday Kitchen HERE.

Enjoy “JOYFUL”

You do not want to miss out on this soulful performance by the group “JOYFUL.” Both Christmas and Kwanzaa are featured in this dynamic performance including uplifting Gospel, R&B, and holiday songs of the JOYFUL! ensemble.

Performances begin at 1:15 PM, 2:20 PM, 3:25 PM, and 4:30 PM daily at World Showcase Plaza. With so many performance times, you want to mark these down on your travel touring plans.

Spaceship Earth Overlay

For the 50th Anniversary celebrations, each of the four theme parks displays a Beacon of Light. EPCOT hosts one of the magnificent beacons with Spaceship Earth. For each EPCOT festival, Spaceship Earth received a unique overlay. It seems as though the Disney Imagineers worked a little holiday magic this year.

Imagineer Zach Riddley shares, “for the first time we are bringing that concept to life – by referencing visual elements from the Lights of Winter holiday display that graced the World Showcase bridge from 1994 until 2008. Fans of EPCOT’s history may even be able to pick out these visual elements!” See more great images from this display HERE.

American Adventure Gingerbread House

At the American Pavilion, you will not want to miss this year’s gingerbread display. This features three very different gingerbread displays each enclosed in a glass case to allow guests to enjoy the many amazing details. Check out each display HERE.

There is a beautifully detailed display of the American Adventure building, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.  Each of these displays has a Mickey Mouse hidden somewhere throughout. Try to see if you can spot each hidden Mickey Mouse if you visit this year.