ORLANDO – November 03, 2026 -- Orlando's holiday season runs from early November into January, with theme park parties, light displays and a free snowy festival. The city also made WalletHub's list of Best Warm-Weather Winter Holiday Destinations.
Theme parks start the season in early November
At Walt Disney World, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom runs on select nights from Nov. 8 to Dec. 22. Disney Jollywood Nights at Disney's Hollywood Studios runs on select nights from Nov. 7 to Jan. 5. EPCOT's International Festival of the Holidays runs Nov. 27 to Dec. 30 and includes a Candlelight Processional with celebrity narrators. Disney's Animal Kingdom adds hand-crafted animal puppets and a holiday edition of the Tree of Life Awakenings from Nov. 13 to Jan. 6.
Universal Orlando brings back Grinchmas at Islands of Adventure and a Universal's Holiday Parade featuring Macy's. Epic Universe's Celestial Park gets seasonal lighting. SeaWorld Orlando offers a Christmas Celebration with Santa meet-and-greets, and LEGOLAND Florida has a giant LEGO Christmas tree and a drone show.
Lights, lanterns and ice fill the calendar beyond the parks
Dazzling Nights at Harry P. Leu Gardens (Nov. 20 to Jan. 3) uses a million lights and adds an acrobatic dance performance. The Asian Lantern Festival at Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens (select nights, Nov. 13 to Jan. 17) lines a three-quarter-mile path with handcrafted lanterns lit by thousands of LEDs. At Gaylord Palms, ICE! featuring The Polar Express (Nov. 13 to Jan. 3) uses sculptures carved from two million pounds of ice.
The Orlando Museum of Art's Festival of Trees (Nov. 14-22) shows 50 designer-decorated trees and wreaths. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex hosts Kennedy Under the Stars: Holiday Edition on Dec. 19, ending with a drone show.
Free snowfall and small-town parades keep costs down
The Frontyard Holiday Festival at Dr. Phillips Center (Nov. 27 to Dec. 31) is free. It offers nightly snowfall, live entertainment, a holiday market and Santa's Story Nook. Winter Garden's $5 Holiday Flix at the Garden screens on Dec. 15, 22 and 29. Winter Park's 74th Ye Olde Hometown Christmas Parade on Dec. 5 features more than 80 participating organizations.
Dinner-show options include A Pirate's Christmas Carol at Pirates Dinner Adventure (select dates, Dec. 1-31) and A Speakeasy Christmas Carol at Teatro Martini (select dates, Dec. 2-30). Gatorland's Holiday Ho, Ho, Ho-Down (select dates, Dec. 5-20) features a character called Gator Claus.
Hotels add teas, skating and ballet
Winter at Grande Lakes (select dates, Nov. 26 to Jan. 3) adds an ice-skating experience, a Gingerbread School and a Christmas Market. The ette hotel hosts The Nutcracker Holiday Tea with Orlando Ballet on Dec. 5, 12, 19, 20 and 26. The Alfond Inn's 12 Days of Alfond (Dec. 13-24) includes Brunch with Santa and wine tastings.
Visit Orlando lists exclusive offers on its website. It also provides OPAL, an AI-powered trip planner, free of charge.