What Will Walt Disney World Be Like in December 2022?
Are you thinking about spending December in Florida? Of course, you are! The temperature there is probably 50 degrees warmer than many states.
Plus, you can visit Walt Disney World, the Most Magical Place on Earth.
Then again, before you book, you may wonder what Disney is like in December. Well…
Let’s Talk about December Visits
I almost think of Walt Disney World in December as two different timeframes. To understand how your vacation will work, you must decide when you’re arriving.
Should you visit before, say, December 17th, you’ll likely discover relatively light crowds but most of the same amenities.
However, when you arrive in and around Christmas Week, the story changes. Those are historically some of the busiest days of the year at Walt Disney World.
How much does that matter? Realistically, the answer depends on what you’re expecting during your trip.
Throughout December, you’ll experience the best of Disney during the holidays. Christmas decorations will populate the parks and resorts.
Photo: Disney
Special holiday foods and beverages will be available everywhere on the Disney campus.
Also, you may have the opportunity to attend an after-hours event, albeit for an additional price. This option presents you with extra park time to do everything you want.
Honestly, the only difference between an early and late December visit comes down to how much you’ll accomplish during a park day.
Some of you might not have an option, though. For many guests, Christmas Week represents the only time families can line up their vacation time.
If you’re in that group, you should know that the crowds won’t ruin your time!
You’re still at the Most Magical Place on Earth at Christmas! What could be better than that? You’ll win the holidays just by being at Disney!
Photo: Disney
Let’s Talk about the Weather
I live in the south, and the average temperatures here range from 33 to 50 degrees in December. Many people would kill for that sort of weather.
So, you can imagine how lovely Central Florida sounds. According to WeatherSpark, the temperature in Orlando rarely drops below 53 degrees.
Photo: Disney
That’s the average low temperature for the month, although Orlando has recently fallen as low as 40 degrees. Those instances are statistically insignificant, though.
For the most part, you know that even when you visit during Christmas Week, you can safely expect a temperature between 53 and 71 degrees.
Yes, Central Florida somehow manages to be the place of Goldilocks’ dreams in December. It’s neither too hot nor too cool.
The average high temperature is usually at least 60 degrees but rarely more than 82 degrees. You won’t have to worry about sweating in Florida for a change!
For this reason, many families consider December the ideal time to visit and have turned it into an annual tradition.
Let’s Talk about Disney Events in December
You can do so much during a Walt Disney World visit in December that your only regret will be a lack of time.
Photo: Disney
Most guests wish they had more vacation time that they could spend at Disney because the amenities are remarkable.
Each year, EPCOT hosts the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays.
We don’t have exact dates for 2022 yet, but it usually starts at the end of November and finishes right after New Year’s Day.
During this event, you can sample all the holiday cuisine from the various international pavilions at the park.
Image Credit: Disney
Even better, storytellers at the pavilions will describe how their countries celebrate the holidays. It’s remarkably engaging and especially entertaining to children.
That’s only one of two significant park events, though. Last year, Magic Kingdom hosted Disney Very Merriest After Hours, an after-hours Christmas ticketed event.
Credit: Disney
However, in past years, we’ve known this event as Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
Since Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party returned in 2022, I expect the Very Merry party to come back as well. It’s a lot like Disney After Hours, only with more amenities.
This event includes various shows, character interactions, and even some holiday ride overlays.
Notably, the show usually ends before Christmas Week. At that point, some of the paid events switch to free ones with standard Magic Kingdom admission.
That’s like getting the Very Merry party for free! Okay, I’m exaggerating slightly but not as much as you might think.
Park officials want the holidays to feel extra magical for guests. Disney really goes all out to ensure the best possible time.
Let’s Talk about Central Florida Events in December
Obviously, all the other tourist options in Central Florida take the holidays seriously as well.
Recently, the most recognizable of them is the Give Kids the World Village’s holiday lights…half a million of them, to be exact.
Image Credit: Give Kids the World Village
Several other relatively local theme parks, including Universal Orlando Resort, also offer holiday festivities, especially lights, decorations, and shows.
On the sports front, I often recommend University of Central Florida football games in the winter. Alas, their season ends the week before December in 2022.
Photo: UCF
Similarly, Orlando City’s Major League Soccer season will have ended by then as well.
You can still attend some Orlando Magic home games. Also, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jacksonville Jaguars are within driving distance if you love the NFL and have a car
Photo: Orlando Magic
Realistically, you’re probably not attending Walt Disney World in December for sports events or concerts, though.
Final Thoughts
Honestly, I have barely scratched the surface in describing Disney during the holidays.
Starting on November 1st each, cast members decorate the various parks and resorts. Some of the amenities will take your breath away.
At Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, you’ll find a Gingerbread House large enough for people to fit inside.
Photo: (Kent Phillips, photographer)
Disney has hired some elves to sell baked goods inside the house! Disney’s Contemporary Resort also hosts a gingerbread bakery on its Grand Canyon Concourse.
Before the pandemic, the best new addition occurred at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. Cast members built a gingerbread cabin there. It was spectacular!
My sincere hope is that Disney brings that cabin this year now that the world has calmed down some.
Look, I’m gushing, but that’s because I know what the holidays are like at Walt Disney World. I want everyone reading this to experience that kind of joy.
You deserve that happiness, especially around the holidays! So, deck the halls and speak to a MickeyTravels agent about booking a Disney vacation for this December!
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Feature Photo: Disney
