EPCOT Festival of the Holidays with kids is easiest when you treat it as a snacking-and-strolling event rather than a ride day. Each year, EPCOT's World Showcase fills with holiday food booths, seasonal music and evening shows, and it runs for several weeks in late fall and December. Check Disney's website for the current dates, since they change from year to year.
What the festival is like for families
The heart of the festival is the Holiday Kitchens: small booths around World Showcase serving seasonal bites and drinks, many of them kid-friendly. There are also holiday storytellers, decorations and music throughout the park. It is a relaxed event, which suits younger children who tire of long ride lines.
Plan your EPCOT Festival of the Holidays day
- Arrive earlier than you think you need to. The park is calmest in the first hours, and the booths are easiest to visit before the lunch rush.
- Walk the booths counterclockwise or clockwise, but pick one. Going around World Showcase once beats zigzagging with tired kids.
- Share everything. Small plates add up quickly, so order one item per person and trade bites.
- Save the evening for the shows. Holiday music and lights are best after dark, so rest in the afternoon and come back.
Kid-friendly food strategies
- Look for familiar flavors first (cookies, hot chocolate, mac and cheese-style comfort food) and add one adventurous bite per child.
- Bring a refillable water bottle and a few snacks for the in-between moments. Review what you can bring into Disney World before you pack the bag.
- Check Disney's website for the current menus and any special-event pricing. Don't rely on last year's list.
The Candlelight Processional and other shows
The Candlelight Processional is a popular evening tradition with a narrated holiday story and a large choir. It draws a crowd, so check Disney's website for the current showtimes, how seating works and any dining packages. Plan the rest of the evening around it, and let little ones nap or rest first.
Crowds, weather and what to wear
December is one of Disney's busiest months, and weekends and the days right before Christmas are the heaviest. Weekday visits earlier in the festival run lighter. Central Florida weather swings, so dress in layers: warm mornings, cooler evenings. Our December crowd and weather guide and packing list for fall and winter help you plan ahead. If you enjoyed the autumn event, our EPCOT Food and Wine Festival guide uses the same snack-and-stroll approach.
A comfortable home base near EPCOT
A long festival day goes better with a place to recharge. Windsor Hills is a gated resort where Disney property is usually about 5 to 10 minutes away by car, and Magic Kingdom is about 10 to 12 minutes, depending on traffic. There is no resort shuttle, so plan on driving or a rideshare. Back at the resort, kids can wind down at the clubhouse, games room or the heated lagoon pool, and families can spread out in private-pool homes, condos and townhouses with full kitchens and room for big groups. Holiday weeks fill up early, so see how to book a vacation home for Christmas week and browse Windsor Hills rentals to book direct with owners.
