Fall has officially begun!
Special Events
This year, Disney did not abandon holiday special events in the parks. While they’ve changed a bit, you can still enjoy Halloween and Christmas in the parks. My favorite has always been Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, so this year I cannot wait to attend Disney’s After Hours Boo Bash instead. My friends out in Disneyland will get to enjoy their own party: Oogie Boogie Bash. Of course, Christmas will be merry with the Disney Very Merriest After Hours event. If you don’t want to spend the extra money on events at Disney, the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays will be celebrated for everyone in Epcot. At every event, Disney creates memories; my favorite for our family is always the different PhotoPass pictures we get to take during the events.
Don’t forget you can catch all of your favorite holiday events on ABC and Disney+, too. I can’t wait for The Muppets special airing October!
Music and Atmosphere
Whether you’re at home or in the parks, you can turn to Disney’s fall holiday music selection to find some favorites. Mine is This is Halloween. Similar to It’s a Small World, it gets stuck in my head, but I actually like that it does! I like all Christmas music, and, if you’re looking for a recommendation, I especially like DCapella. When do you begin to turn on your holiday playlist? Is September too soon?!
If you’re in the parks, Disney Springs will have their Christmas Tree Stroll and other events. I also love resort hopping, especially to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa for holiday décor.
Do not forget Thanksgiving!! My favorite Disney magic is how you can be there one day for Halloween and amazingly the next day the Christmas decorations in the parks are up. It’s amazing; yep, like magic! My family went on many Disney vacations during that turn-over week and it’s such a bonus when you get to have both celebrations around the parks. Seeing the pumpkins in the parks one day and the trees the next is unbelievable.
Food
Living in the New York/New Jersey area, for most of my childhood I spent every year at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, but Disney does do Thanksgiving, sort of. It’s not their very best, but food is a very fun way to enjoy Thanksgiving and Disney. In the parks at Walt Disney World, it’s easy to find Thanksgiving traditional food like at Liberty Tree Tavern or Trails End. If you’re looking for Hanukkah celebrations, try the black and white cookies on the Epcot Holiday Cookie Stroll. If you want an overall pumpkin fall theme, try the many pumpkin-spiced snacks (specialty popcorn, anyone?!) at Walt Disney World. Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks, anyone? I’m not a big foodie (I tend to enjoy the fall holidays more music-wise), but everyone can agree that an occasional holiday cupcake is a must!
Merchandise
And shopping. This is my downfall. Between the 50th anniversary and the fall holidays, I have to figure out how to manage this time without overdoing it! I went nuts for Disneyland’s 60th a few years ago; they had the most beautiful merchandise, so I can’t wait to see all the new merchandise this fall. I would love to see Disney sell the cookies from the holiday stroll in Epcot online to buy in a beautiful tin as gifts for those who can’t be there. Maybe I’ll just make them myself at home with Deni’s Saturday Snacks this year if they don’t!
If you check in with Magic Candle Company, you can often find new scents and discounts for the upcoming holiday months, too. They can make your home smell like a Disney park in autumn!
I am excited to see how Disney incorporates this time of year with the anniversary festivities. Will there be any holiday overlays this year? I also can’t wait to decorate my house with all the traditional Disney holiday items I have stored away. What do you love about Disney and the fall holiday time? What are you most excited about at home and in the parks Disney-style? Comment below!
Shari Kessler loves the Disunplugged and all things Disney. She has imparted her passion for the parks along with her husband of more than 25 years to their three young adult children. Their family vacations have included Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line and Aulani but their home base is Walt Disney World as she resides from New Jersey. Shari also loves her cats Ricky and Lucy(RIP Lucy 2021). As a former early childhood educator she is now assisting at an animal hospital in NYC. She enjoys the Disunplugged community and hopes her articles connect with the Dis family.
You can find her and all of her articles at:
https://sharikessler13.wixsite.com/my-site
Thanks for reading!
