EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays 2023
EPCOT’s International Festival of the Holidays Guide
The festival fun continues at EPCOT with the return of the International Festival of the Holidays! The most cookie-filled festival has returned to Walt Disney World and we have all the details.
The International Festival of the Holidays celebrates holidays around the world and includes Holiday Kitchens, a Cookie Stroll, an Olaf-themed scavenger hunt, exclusive merchandise, World Showcase Storytellers, JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season, and the seasonal favorite, Candlelight Processional. In addition to the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays, EPCOT will get in the holiday spirit with holiday décor including a massive Christmas Tree, the Living with the Land annual holiday overlay, Figment in his holiday sweater, and more!
This year, Festival of the Holidays will run from November 24th to December 30th. Admission is included with park tickets and a park pass reservation to EPCOT.
Holiday Kitchens and Cookie Stroll
No EPCOT festival is complete without food booths! With seventeen Holiday Kitchens including four Disney100 booths remaining from EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival, plus additional exclusive holiday offerings, returning favorites and classic holiday food and drink are available throughout EPCOT. Check out this post for menus, photos, and prices of all the Holiday Kitchens at Epcot’s International Festival of the Holidays!
Who doesn’t love cookies? The Holiday Cookie Stroll is back! First you’ll need to pick up a Festival Passport. Then purchase five cookies of your choice from the eight participating cookie stroll locations and receive a stamp in your passport. Once you receive five stamps, present your passport at the Holiday Sweets & Treats booth near Port of Entry to receive a prize! For more information and a list of cookie stroll locations and prizes see this post!
While you’re walking around World Showcase, don’t forget to stop in and visit The American Adventure rotunda, where you’ll find a gingerbread display with recreations of classic monuments and EPCOT icons including the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, The American Adventure building with Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue, and a Festival Marketplace. The gingerbread display has 6 hidden Mickeys and will be available for viewing until December 30th.
Entertainment
The Candlelight Processional returns for EPCOT’s International Festival of the Holidays! The Candlelight Processional is a retelling of the story of Christmas presented by a celebrity narrator and accompanied by The Voices of Liberty, a 50 piece orchestra, and massed choirs made up of cast members and invited guest choirs from across Florida.
This popular seasonal performance runs from November 24th to December 30th at the America Gardens Theatre in the America Pavilion in EPCOT. There are three performances per night at 5:15pm, 7pm, and 8:30pm (subject to change). The Candlelight Processional is a very popular event, especially closer to the holidays in December. Seating is limited for each performance so be sure to show up early for the show you’re hoping to attend or book a Candlelight Processional Dining Package, which guarantees a seat to a performance that evening. Advanced reservations are highly recommended for dining packages and are available starting on October 17th, 2023.
World Showcase Storytellers are one of the festival highlights for me! Holiday entertainment streetmosphere performers, bands, and ensembles will be throughout the World Showcase as storytellers sharing holiday traditions and culture from around the world. Performances will be throughout the day- I suggest looking in the My Disney Experience app or at the daily times guide for performance times as they are subject to change.
World Showcase Storytellers to look for include:
Santa Claus – Visit with Santa Claus as he gets ready for Christmas (The Odyssey Pavilion) (Available until December 24th)
11am, 12:30pm, 2pm, 3:30pm, 5pm, and 6:30pm with hour-long performances
Las Posadas Celebration – Las Posadas dancers, piñatas, and the music of Mariachi Cobre celebrating the holidays in Mexico (Mexico Pavilion)
Sundays through Thursdays at 11:05am, 11:55am, 12:45pm, 2:45pm, 3:50pm, and 4:55pm with 25 minute performances
A Mischievous Barn Santa – Mischievous Barn Santa visits an unsuspecting Christmas storyteller named Sigrid in this humorous performance (Norway Pavilion)
11:35am, 12:20pm, 1:10pm, 2:05pm, 4:15pm, 5:20pm, 6:15pm, and 7:10pm with 15 minute performances
Chinese Lion Dance – Lion Dance performance that brings good fortune and happiness in the Lunar New Year (China Pavilion)
12pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm, and 4pm with 15 minute performances
La Befana – Listen to the tale of La Befana, a kind witch who visits sleeping children on the Eve of the Epiphany (Italy Pavilion)
11:15am, 12:15pm, 1pm, 2pm, 3:30pm, 4:15pm, 5pm, and 5:50pm with 15 minute performances
Daruma Storyteller – The fascinating story of the Drama doll and Japanese New Year customs (Japan Pavilion)
11:35am, 12:35pm, 1:40pm, 2:40pm, 4:20pm, 5:15pm, 6pm, and 6:45pm with 15 minute performances
Hanukkah Storyteller – A storyteller recounts traveling the world to explore the diverse music and traditions of Hanukkah (Between the Morocco and France Pavilions)
10:30am, 11:40am, 12:40pm, 1:35pm, 2:35pm, 4pm, 5pm, and 5:45pm with 15 minute performances
Père Noël – Visit Père Noël and rediscover the magic of Christmas through a child’s letter (France Pavilion)
10am, 11:05am, 12:10pm, 12:50pm, 2:20pm, 3:25pm, 4:30pm, and 5:15pm with 15 minute performances
Father Christmas – Father Christmas shares the holiday traditions of the United Kingdom and spreads good cheer (United Kingdom Pavilion)
11:30am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2:25pm, 4pm, 5:10pm, 6pm, and 6:45pm with 15 minute performances
Canadian Holiday Voyageurs – Explore holiday customs with a musical tour of Canada with the Canadian Holiday Voyageurs (Canada Pavilion)
1:40pm, 2:45pm, 3:50pm, 4:55pm, 6pm, and 6:40pm with 20 minute performances
Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt
Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt is back at the festival. Search for Olaf statues throughout World Showcase to get a free prize!
To participate, purchase a map for $9.99 from Festival merchandise locations including Creations Shop, Port of Entry, and World Traveler at International Gateway. Travel around the World Showcase and find the Olaf statues- once you find them, use the stickers provided with your map to mark the holiday tradition Olaf found. Whether you complete your map or not, you can bring it to Creations Shop or World Traveler to redeem it for a prize! This year, the prize is Frozen-themed cookie cutters.
The scavenger hunt map will be valid through December 30th.
JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season
JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season returns to World Showcase Plaza. The JOYFUL! ensemble will be performing gospel, R&B, and holiday songs celebrating Christmas and Kwanzaa four times a day at 1:15pm, 2:20pm, 3:25pm, and 4:30pm.
Voices of Liberty - Dickens Carolers
The Voices of Liberty will be singing holiday favorites as the Dickens Carolers for the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays. They will be performing in their usual location at the American Adventure pavilion rotunda at 11:15am, 12pm, 12:45pm, 1:30pm, 2:15pm, 3pm, and 3:45pm.
Ride Overlays
Living with the Land - Glimmering Greenhouses, a holiday overlay for Living with the Land with decorations and a nighttime light display
Figment is wearing his holiday sweater on Journey Into Imagination with Figment
Spaceship Earth: Beacons of Magic
Spaceship Earth: Beacons of Magic will rotate through three nighttime shows with a new show to “I’m a Star” from Disney’s Wish, the 100th Anniversary show to a new rendition of “When You Wish Upon a Star” from Pinocchio, and the Festival of the Holidays show to “When We’re Together” from Frozen 2 featuring the Northern Lights and holiday scenes.
Exclusive Merchandise
The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays merchandise collection includes a spirit jersey, Loungefly bag, cookie stroll cookie jar, Corkcicle tumbler, mug, blanket, ornament, pins and Annual Passholder exclusive zip hoodie. This collection is currently only available at EPCOT in Walt Disney World but we will update if any items arrive online on shopDisney.com.
More Holiday Fun!
EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays
Holiday Kitchens - Menus, Photos, and Prices
List of Holiday Kitchens
Holiday Cookie Stroll
Candlelight Processional
More Holiday Fun at Walt Disney World
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Food Guide
Jollywood Nights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Jollywood Nights Food Guide
Holidays at Walt Disney World
Holiday Treats at Walt Disney World
Disney Holiday Merchandise Collections
Holiday Hub
If you are attending the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays I hope this information enhances your experience- and that you have a holly jolly good time!
Thanks for spending a few extra magical minutes with me! Let me know if you have any questions about Festival of the Holidays in the comments.