We all know Christmas in the Disney parks is a beautiful and magical thing. But the Disney resorts are not to be missed either this time of year! Each resort has its own beautiful decorations that match that resorts aesthetic perfectly. They each have different little shops, displays and activities that go on throughout the season. Of course there are different treats you can get for the holidays that can only be found at the resorts. There are also lots of fun bars and lounges to visit with holiday cocktails! But it can be hard to get around to all of them. So I thought I would break down a few ways you can see a lot of resorts in an easy way. Let’s go Holiday Hopping around the Disney resorts!
Holiday Hopping The Monorail Loop Resorts
Our holiday hopping around the resorts is going to start with the Monorail resorts or the Magic Kingdom resorts but with a small twist. We are going to actually start at the Wilderness Lodge even though it isn’t on the monorail loop. This resort is usually easier to park at and you can take the friendship boats over to Magic Kingdom when you’re done to start that monorail loop! Please note that Disney has tightened up some on parking at the resorts. At Wilderness Lodge we usually say we are heading in for a meal at Geyser Point. You don’t need a reservation there. There is a chance you won’t be allowed to park there unless you have a dining reservation. So consider making a lunch or dinner reservation here to start your journey!
The Wilderness Lodge
We love this resort so much at Christmas time! There are beautiful decorations outside of the resort but the main attraction is the GIANT tree in the lobby! It is gorgeous and compliments the lobby so well. You will also find a little pop up shop behind the tree by the bridge that sells gingerbread cookies, hot cocoa and other seasonal treats. Here you also have the Territory Lounge and Geyser Point Bar and Grill where you might find some festive drinks!
You will even find some fun arts and crafts things to do here. And if you walk down the path to the DVC side of the resort, you will find another beautiful tree in that lobby. And some cute decorations in the train room as well. If you are looking for a nice quiet space to drink some coffee and read a book in a comfy leather chair by the fire this is the spot for you! Wilderness Lodge is the perfect spot to start your holiday hopping around the resorts.
The Contemporary
After you are done exploring the Wilderness Lodge you can hop on the Friendship boats and take a nice ride over to Magic Kingdom. You will get a great view of the Contemporary Christmas tree on your ride over since it is out front of the resort. Once you get to MK you will head over to the resort loop monorail and take it to the first stop, the Contemporary!
At this next stop on your holiday hopping around the Disney resorts stop you will find really classy and understated decorations. There is a huge tree out front of the resort that is lit with street light bulbs. It was raining the day we went, sadly, so we didn’t get the best picture of the tree. Inside there are smaller trees and pretty garlands. But the main attraction is on the third floor where Chef Mickey’s is located.
You will find a big gingerbread display with all kinds of hidden mickeys to find! There are even some 5 legged goats from the famous Mary Blair mural in the Contemporary! Right next to that is a little pop up shop where you can buy all kinds of treats and cookies including a 5 legged goat cookie. It’s so cute! Hahaha! This resorts gift shop always has the best window wraps for the holidays too. I always love going to see them. Of course this is the display from last year, I can’t wait to see what they create this year.
And while you’re holiday hopping through the Contemporary you can check out the Outer Rim bar, Top of the World Lounge or the Cove Bar for some festive eats and drinks!
The Polynesian
When you’re done with your 5 legged goat cookie you holiday hop back on the monorail and after a brief layover at the TTC you will arrive at the Polynesian resort. The style of this resort makes me happy all year long but I especially love the Christmas decorations here. I always say that I wish I could take the decorations from the Poly and put them at my house. You won’t find a huge tree here but the one they have in the lobby is gorgeous. They have the best garlands all over the place too. You can even get a special holiday Dole Whip here with Olu Mel the turtle on it! Don’t forget to go see Trader Sam at the tiki bar. Or go get some Ohana noodles and a tropical, festive cocktail at Tambo Lounge.
The Grand Floridian
Once you’re back on the monorail you are heading to what is your last but not least resort on your holiday hop around the resorts, the Grand Floridan! This is my moms favorite and it is breathtaking at Christmas time. When you walk in from the monorail you are treated with a tree display and a great balcony view of the open lobby and some pretty incredible smells.
Down below is another HUGE tree that is perfectly decorated. Sadly, we will not have the amazing gingerbread house in the Grand Flo lobby this year due to construction. This is so disappointing and I was definitely holding out hope that they would make a surprise announcement. But, your holiday hopping at the resorts is not totally ruined here. The brand new lobby bar called the Perch opens November 10th. I am sure it will have some holiday fun! You can also have a drink and a treat at Citrico’s Bar, the Courtyard Pool Bar or the incredibly beautiful Enchanted Rose lounge. This is the perfect end to the holiday resort hopping on the Monorail loop! If you have a pass or ticket you could even pop into Magic Kingdom to check out those decorations on your way back to Wilderness Lodge.
The Epcot Resorts
You could also cal this the Boardwalk loop since you walk around the Boardwalk to get to them all. This one will lead into our last set of resorts as well since there is access to them through the Skyliner. But we will circle back to that! A nice thing about this route is that there are so many places you can make a dining reservation so you can park at Boardwalk. You can also just say you are going to Cake Bake and get a pass to park at Boardwalk. This part of your holiday hopping around the Disney Resorts could be made into a whole day honestly. There are a lot of resorts you could access easily here.
The Boardwalk
I feel like the Boardwalk resort is underrated. It’s such a pretty resort on the regular but is extra special this time of year and there are so many things to do here. When you come into the lobby there are pretty trees and garlands but you won’t find the main tree inside. You will however, find a Gingerbread Boardwalk Bake Shop usually complete with Orange Bird which makes me happy!
They also have a pop up shop with all kinds of gingerbread cookies and treats including a completely plant based and gluten free gingerbread shingle cookie! When you walk outside you will find the big tree in the courtyard. It is a highlight of holiday hopping around the resorts. There are also garlands around the balcony by the courtyard. I love this area anyway but with the tree and the lights it’s extra special! This is also where the resort shows movies. So imagine watching a movie or having a s’more by this Christmas tree looking at the garlands on the balcony….Heaven!
You’ve got Belle Vue Lounge, Abracadabar, Leaping Horse Libations and more to check out the festive offerings. All of these places have a great vibe any time of the year but it’s always fun to get a little holiday libation!
The Beach Club
When you are done hanging out at Boardwalk you can start to holiday hop around the boardwalk to the Beach Club resort. You will pass right by the International Gateway entrance to Epcot. So if you want to pop in there to see all the Christmas decorations it’s very easy access! You can even stop at Cake Bake that is beautifully decorated for Christmas. This resort is so cool this time of year because they have a chocolate and gingerbread carousel that is a different theme each year. They have done Disney Princesses, Duck Tales and even Mickey Christmas Carol.
You will also find some smaller decorated trees and garlands as well as the light posts outside all lit up. They also have a pop up shop that is super cute. This is where you will find hot cocoa and all kinds of treats. You really only have the pool bar here but don’t worry, we are holiday hopping over to the Yacht Club next and those festive drinks are waiting over there!
The Yacht Club
Just down the sidewalk is the Yacht Club resort. This is home to a beautiful nautical themed tree and garlands. But it is also home to the coolest Christmas village. Except my moms Dickens Village, it takes up an entire room and is incredible! This village has a working train, a whole Mickey themed section and some really great lighting effects. Just behind the village you can usually find a gingerbread lighthouse. It has a plaque that tells you how it was made and what went in to making it. At Yacht Club you have the Crews Cup Lounge and the Ale & Compass Lounge to grab a drink and continue your holiday hopping around the Disney resorts!
You can continue your tour here by going over to the Swan and Dolphin resorts as well. Since they are also walking distance or a short boat ride away they are easy to visit. Full disclosure I have never been to either one of these resorts. But I have seen pictures and their trees are really pretty so if you’re making a day of it you might as well add these two on! Technically you would have seen 3 more Disney resorts and 5 if you decide to do Swan and Dolphin by visiting the Boardwalk. Where to next?
The Skyliner Resorts
Now if you really want to make a day of it you could continue your Boardwalk tour by hoping on the Skyliner, or it could be its own day! With the Skyliner route you could check out Epcot or Hollywood Studios decorations too. If you make this it’s own day I would suggest parking at Hollywood Studios and starting your holiday hop there for the day. The resorts you could hit up are:
- The Riviera – smaller decorations but still beautiful! You can check out Bar Riva and the Voyageur’s Lounge here.
- Caribbean Beach – only the pool bar, Banana Cabana will have libations but this is a beautiful resort to explore!
- Pop Century – same here on the Petals Pool Bar being the only spot for festive drinks but worth the decoration viewing.
- Art of Animation – again, just the Drop Off bar at the Big Blue Pool but a fun resort to check out the decorations!
Thats four more resorts with one transportation mode to get you there! And each one will have their own trees and styles that go with the resort. Plus you get to ride around in the Skyliner and personally, I love doing that. So I highly recommend doing this one even though they don’t necessarily have as much as the other resorts as far as decorations go. Your holiday hopping around the Disney resorts could turn into a pool hopping adventure here too since all these resorts only feature pool bars. Nice thing about Florida, the pools are heated and it’s always a good day for a swim!
Disney Springs Resorts
There are also resorts that connect with one another through Disney Springs so you could knock Springs off your holiday hopping list too. You could start at Port Orleans Riverside (home to us) to see their tree, then walk or boat over to French Quarter and from there you can boat to Disney Springs. If you want to see all that you can check out there you can read my Christmas in Disney Springs post from last year. But from Springs you could walk or boat over to Saratoga Springs and Old Key West to check out their decorations too. So on that loop you hit 4 resorts and Disney Springs, not too bad!
All of these resorts have at least a pool bar to visit but most also have a restaurant with its own bar or lounge. Not to mention each of these resorts has special holiday treats you will only find there, maybe some drinks too!
The Other Resorts
Of course there are many more resorts to check out. Corando Springs, Animal Kingdom Lodge has a gorgeous tree, the Allstar resorts and I know I’m missing some others. These others are no less wonderful, they are just more difficult to get to because you would have to take a bus or drive to each one and that can be hard when you are on vacation. But if you are looking for something to do on your non park day and it’s too cold for the pool (it does happen here!) this could be a great thing to do to see some things you have never seen at Disney and maybe eat somewhere new. Holiday hopping over to a resort like Coronado Springs would be a great date night.
A dinner reservation at Toledo, capped with drinks at Barcelona Lounge or Dahlia Lounge would be a great evening. Or maybe Sangria University and dinner at Three Bridges with a Christmas view of the Gran Destino Tower. Your holiday hopping could turn into just restaurant and bar hopping at this one resort. This one really is beautiful for the holidays!
Conclusion
Honestly, if I was able to pick up and go to a different resort every other day to just walk around and see the decorations and try a treat….I would do it! Holiday hopping around the Disney resorts is one of my most favorite things to do living here. The Disney resorts truly have a certain charm and magic that is unique to each one of them. I always wanted to go explore the resorts but never had the time on vacation, or at least I thought I didn’t.
I wish I had thought of how connected so many of them are back then and taken advantage of our “off” days by going to different ones. So I highly recommend you make time when you are here to try and hit some of these resorts, especially at Christmas time. They are so magical and beautiful. As always I hope you have enjoyed this weeks post and I thank you so much for reading along. Have a magical day!