By: Katie Van Zant, a Marvelous Mouse Travels agent
The holidays are upon us, and EPCOT is overflowing with seasonal cheer! Each year, Disney transforms the park into a holiday wonderland complete with splendid decor, festive music, fun shopping, and of course we can’t forget the delicious holiday treats! This festival is a celebration of holiday traditions around the world, and it takes place throughout the countries of World Showcase. There is so much to see, do, and eat. It is impossible to do it all in one day! Make sure to grab a EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays passport when you enter the park so you can plan your day.
If you’ve attended a festival at EPCOT before, you will be familiar with the themed “kitchens” throughout the park. You will find traditional holiday fare from around the globe, located throughout the park. The festival passport has a list of each kitchen and their menus. The items are sample-size portions, perfect for grazing around the world! My personal favorite was the Lomi Lomi Salmon with tomatoes, onions, salmon roe, yuzu-mayonnaise, and yuca chips. This is located at the Mele Kalikimaka kitchen near Port of Entry.
The cookie stroll is a popular tradition in EPCOT. Many holiday kitchens have specialty cookies on the menu. Once you purchase 5 cookies, you can receive a specialty treat! Be sure to have your festival passport stamped each time you purchase a cookie, and present it at the Holiday Sweets and Treats kitchen to receive your treat. My favorite cookie is the Alfajores cookie from the Nochebuena Cocina kitchen.
In addition to the holiday music being played throughout the park, you will find many opportunities to enjoy festive live entertainment. Each country has a Holiday Storyteller with delightful tales of holiday traditions around the world. Be sure to visit Santa in the Odyssey pavilion!
A crowd favorite is the Voices of Liberty-Dickens Carolers. You will find them in the Rotunda of the American Pavilion. Make sure to arrive early for the best seats.
The Candlelight Processional is an annual Disney tradition, dating back many years. Join the Voices of Liberty, along with a celebrity narrator and a live orchestra as they tell the traditional Christmas story. There are three opportunities per night to see this performance, which takes place in the American Gardens Theater. Dining packages are available; contact your travel agent for more information.
Disney has transformed two rides in Epcot with holiday themes. Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind has a holiday remix, and Living With the Land has glimmering light displays throughout the greenhouses.
There is enough holiday themed merchandise throughout the park to keep you shopping for hours! Be sure to check out the holiday merchandise booths scattered throughout the World Showcase to find one-of-a-kind gifts. Pickup this cute cookie jar so you can store all those cookies from the Cookie Stroll!
EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays is a joyous celebration that will delight everyone! When you book your Disney vacation through Marvelous Mouse Travels, your travel agent will guide you through the process of planning for your exciting holiday trip.
Please reach out to Katie, an agent with Marvelous Mouse Travels to plan your next vacation or you may contact Marvelous Mouse Travels.
