It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and the holiday displays have made their way into Walt Disney World! When the clock struck midnight on Halloween, the pumpkins disappeared and the jolly wreaths made an appearance. That’s not all that made an appearance though. Let’s find out what is to come for the 2024 holiday season at Walt Disney World Resort!
Returning to Walt Disney World is the Life-Size Baby Gingerbread Giraffe and Baby Zebra that are located at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge for the fourth year in a row. The gingerbread holiday displays will be on display beginning November 24, 2024. The pair have the official names of Debra the baby zebra, and Ginger the baby giraffe with Ginger standing seven feet tall. New for the year, guests have the opportunity to purchase gingerbread inspired merchandise like a limited-edition pin, holiday ornament, and even a cookie jar! There will also be a specialty menu offering a Gingeraffe Cookie plus a few specialty cocktails!
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa proudly displays its gingerbread house for the 25th year! The construction of the house has begun and will be completed by November 6th. To create this magical display, the culinary team at Disney used 800 pounds of flour, 600 pounds of confectioner’s sugar, and over 1000 pounds of honey! All of these ingredients Standing tall outside of the gingerbread house is Santa Claus sculpted out of 88 pounds of white chocolate! In total, the creation spent over 500 hours baking the pieces and 480 hours to bring it to life. Disney Destinations also mentions that to celebrate the 25 year old tradition of the house, there are 25 hidden Mickeys throughout the display. To help guests remember visiting during the anniversary, there will be limited-edition merchandise available for purchase. Items like a t-shirt, pin, cookie jar, ornament, and more will be available.
The Grand Floridian Gingerbread House also comes with its own little treat station. Items like a Gingerbread Mickey, Peppermint Bark, Brownie Pop, and even a Grand Floridian Gift Box (comes with a few treats and a Santa Gnome Hot Cocoa Surprise) will be available for purchase. Please note that if you plan to visit Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, you will need to take a Disney mode of transportation to the resort unless you have current hotel or dining reservations.
Continuing over to Disney’s Beach Club, another tradition continues for its 24th year, the Holiday Carousel. This year the theme of the carousel will feature hand painted characters from “Mickey’s Christmas Carol.” Did you know that the amazing carousel is also made to rotate and crafted with 2024 pieces of gingerbread that is used in conjunction with 432 pounds of honey, 200 pounds of icing, and about 100 pounds of eggs. Just like at the Grand Floridian Gingerbread House, there are hidden Mickeys hidden within the display, 24 golden Mickeys to be exact.
More merchandise is available for purchase here too, so be sure to leave room in your suitcase! A limited-edition pin, ornament, and cookie jar will be available to purchase. Other items like a Spiced Orange and Cranberry Bundt Cake, Hot Cocoa Brownie, and Hannukah Sugar Cookie will be featured on the specialty treat menu.
While not as large, but just as grand and amazing, a BoardWalk Deli Gingerbread House is a miniature version of the location and is hosted at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn beginning on November 12th. This creation is made possible by the bakery team at the BoardWalk Inn.
The limited-edition pin, ornament, and cookie jar will be available here as well along with an adorable Mickey and Minnie Sugar Cookie, Gingerbread Shingle, and a Mickey Caramel Corn Cookie.
We’ve covered a lot of ground so far, but there are still a few more resorts that offer incredible sights and smells of the holiday season. The 4th Floor of the Disney’s Contemporary Resort has another great display for guests to enjoy. The display itself is a castle, which is fitting for the view of Cinderella Castle from the resort. With this being the 13 year anniversary, you guessed it, there are 13 hidden Mickeys within the display. The castle stands over 17 feet tall and a width of 25 feet, with over 4,000 gingerbread bricks creating the display.
Yes, this location also has a limited-edition pin, ornament, and cookie jar available for purchase! On the tasty treat list we have Caramel Apple Cake with Gingerbread Streusel, Chocolate Hazelnut Log, Pistachio Cranberry and Cherry Cake, Santa Peppermint Hot Chocolate Tart, and two beverages of Winter Berry Freeze and Frozen Hot Cocoa.
The final stop at Walt Disney World is Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. While there is not a gingerbread house, there is a large gorgeous tree in the lobby and some sweet treats. A Dark Chocolate Bar, Cheddar Gougere, Molasses Crackle Cookie, and an assorted Cookie Box.
If you want to visit Walt Disney World during the holiday season, be sure to leave some down time to visit the resorts and experience the magical holiday displays that the culinary team works so hard on. Marvelous Mouse Travels is ready to help plan your next holiday adventure, reach out today!
