Our cheerful celebration of the holiday season continues with a whimsical wonderland of DisneyDIY ornaments and how-to decorations for everyone to unwrap at home!
Whether it’s a perfectly personalizable Mickey-inspired ornament or a creative character centerpiece, our step-by-step instructions will help add a special touch of Disney magic to your day. So, especially for the season, we’ve rounded up some favorite DIY projects, special holiday ornaments from our friends at shopDisney.com and more.
Our selection of happy holiday DIY projects begins with a tutorial on how to make adorable Mickey-inspired marble glass ornaments. The ornaments can be personalized in a variety of ways with family or friend’s names and favorite Disney memories or with different colors, words or quotes.
Another festive and fun project for the holiday season is creating your own Mickey-inspired centerpiece. To create your own, just grab the following items and check out the instructions below:
There are many other Disney DIY ornaments to create this season, including a Cinderella Castle decoration and a festive Ariel ornament, which uses green paint and purple sequins to evoke the “Little Mermaid‘s” timeless look. Visit the Disney Family ornaments page for more.
And along with our DIY projects, there’s an assortment of ornaments now available from the popular Disney Sketchbook Ornament Collection. All of these heartwarming holiday ornaments can be found at shopDisney.com.
We hope you enjoyed our special look at creating some over-the-top ornaments and Disney decorations at home for the holidays! Be sure to check back for more of these types of stories on our “Everything Holidays” section on the Disney Parks Blog.
Now more than ever we could all use a little Disney holiday magic in our lives and I’m so excited we’ve officially kicked off the holidays at Disney Springs. One of my favorite traditions is watching the amazing transformation at World of Disney as beautiful window displays appear and holiday merchandise fills the shelves. Have you seen this year’s ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas and Silver and Gold Collections? (Everything is on my shopping list!) This year is even more special as we find new and safe ways to celebrate with our loved ones and Disney Springs is the perfect place to enjoy the spirit of the season with family-friendly fun, sparkling décor, and gift ideas galore. Here’s a look at what’s happening:
Virtual Gift
Guide
Need a little gift-giving inspiration? The Disney Springs Gift Guide is back with an all-new format on Instagram! Head to @disneysprings and use the highlight buttons to explore 8 different gift categories including classics like “For Her” and “For Kids” and of course, the “For the Disney Fan” that has a little something for everyone! This collection of items will give you can find at Disney Springs but it gives you a little taste of the amazing variety of gifts to complete your shopping for everyone on your list. There’s always something new to discover so make sure you keep checking back through the holiday season.
Disney Springs
Christmas Tree Stroll presented by AdventHealth
We’ve taken all the holiday magic and spread out the fun with the new Disney Springs Christmas Tree Stroll presented by AdventHealth featuring a collection of elaborately decorated Disney-themed Christmas trees. As in year’s past, each tree is themed to a popular Disney character, attraction, or story, with trees now spread throughout all four Disney Springs neighborhoods.
My absolute favorite tree is located in the heart of Town Center and is the crowning jewel to the Disney Springs Christmas Tree Stoll presented by AdventHealth. Check out this time-lapse video of our cast members hard at work as they turn the holiday magic on for our guests.
Create a new holiday family tradition and prepare for a jolly holiday scavenger hunt that allows you to safely wander and explore the Disney Springs Christmas Tree Stroll presented by AdventHealth. The scavenger hunt is complimentary and collateral can be picked up from select retail stores, Disney Springs Welcome Center, and Disney’s PhotoPass Studio. As you explore, don’t forget to take advantage of special discounts and offers available on the back of your map from select retail and dining locations. Once you complete your scavenger hunt, bring it to a redemption location for a special surprise.
Santa’s Winter
Watercade & Holiday Entertainment
Discover other select entertainment throughout Disney Springs that will immerse you in the holidays while you safely enjoy time together and make new memories. The popular Toy Soldier stiltwalkers and Snowflake Skaters will be back bringing holiday magic to the promenade along with guest DJs cranking out your favorite seasonal tunes at the AdventHealth Waterside Stage and at Exposition Park across from Disney’s Candy Cauldron.
Of course, it wouldn’t be the holidays without a little snow and it’s in the forecast! Be delighted in a magical snowfall that will add a little extra touch to your holiday shopping happening intermittently at Disney Springs Town Center and West Side.
Later this month, Santa and Mrs. Claus will pack their winter wear as they plan to soak up the last bit of Florida sun before their big night. Keep an eye out this season on the waters of Lake Buena Vista where you might spot them waving and sending season’s greetings from afar in a festive and colorfully-decorated pontoon boat.
Jock Lindsey’s
Holiday Bar
Jock Lindsey’s Holiday Bar is back and has been transformed with merry décor and festive fun through December 30, 2020. The Light Deviled Eggs return to the menu alongside some new delicious additions like Grandma’s Favorite Sliders (made with venison!) and Milk and Cookies by the Fireside paired with Coquito and Malibu Rum (believe me, this is a must-try!). Popular holiday cocktails are back as well like the Jock’s Holiday Nog, Berry, Merry Margarita and a new Mistletoe Mule. Keep an eye out on the Disney Parks Blog for another story coming soon with a roundup of other delicious Holiday Eats & Treats you’ll find this holiday season at Disney Springs.
Disney’s PhotoPass Studio
It’s beginning to look a lot like the holidays at the Disney PhotoPass Studio at Disney Springs! Starting November 16, get all your family photos for the holidays, including a virtual backdrop featuring Santa, and other festive virtual backdrops that combine the magic of the holidays with the magic of Disney! To download all the photos taken the day of your visit (including your photos from the studio from that day), take advantage of a special offer of $49.99 for Memory Maker One Day*, in addition to great prices and specials on prints, available only at this location November 16 through December 26, 2020. Put on your ugly (or not-so-ugly) Christmas sweater, and jingle all the way to the studio – no reservations required.
FreeForm’s “25
Days of Christmas” Photo Op
Freefrom is counting down to the holidays with another themed photo-op at Disney Springs. Be sure to make a stop at the new “25 Days of Christmas” Instagram wall located right outside Disney’s Days of Christmas. Tag those “elfies” using #DisneySprings and #25DaysofChristmas.
As you can see, there’s so much holiday shopping, dining, and fun to be had at Disney Springs this holiday season. Be sure to follow us on social media @DisneySprings as we continue to highlight new merchandise arrivals including any special Thanksgiving week deals and releases.
As a friendly reminder, be sure check our “Know Before You Go” resources to learn more about our current health and safety measures. If you’re planning to drive, please allow at least 60 minutes to reach your destination. Digital message boards along Buena Vista Drive will indicate when garages and surface lots are full.
*Disney PhotoPass Service and Memory Maker One Day are subject to the applicable terms and policies. Memory Maker One Day includes photos taken during the applicable Memory Maker Window as defined in such terms (generally, photos taken within one day). Online registration required. Disney PhotoPass Photos in your account will expire pursuant to the expiration policy. Downloads are restricted to personal use only. Not responsible for missing, lost or damaged photos. Valid theme park admission required for certain photo locations. The $49.99 special offer on Memory Maker One Day is available for purchase only at the Disney PhotoPass Studio at Disney Springs from November 16, 2020, through December 26, 2020. Special offer not valid for purchases made at other locations, online or in the My Disney Experience app. Offer cannot be combined with any other offers or used on previous purchases. Subject to restrictions and change without notice.
Disney Channel is celebrating the holidays for kids and families in some special ways this year, including bringing more holiday magic to Walt Disney World Resort! Disney Channel’s first of three holiday specials is “Disney Holiday Magic Quest,” a high-stakes challenge that navigates Magic Kingdom Park.
Raven-Symoné virtually hosts the challenge, which features “ZOMBIES 2” stars Milo Manheim, Kylee Russell, Ariel Martin, and Pearce Joza competing in a holiday adventure through Magic Kingdom Park. After iconic Disney villains Maleficent and Evil Queen steal holiday magic, the stars must overcome obstacles and complete challenges to restore the joy of the season. The challenges take place throughout Magic Kingdom Park and include iconic attractions and locations like Haunted Mansion and Cinderella Castle. The four stars are also competing for a grand prize that will benefit Toys for Tots, a nonprofit organization that delivers hope and the magic of the holidays to less fortunate children.
Tune in for the premiere of “Disney Holiday Magic Quest” on Disney Channel, Friday, Dec. 4 at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT to see if the stars successfully restore the holiday magic throughout their Magic Kingdom Park adventure!
On behalf of all of us at Disney, we would like to give a warm “Bienvenida” to Princesa María!
Just last week, six-year-old María, who is being treated for leukemia, had her wish to be a princess come true. As a native Spanish speaker from Phoenix, Maria received a virtual royal visit – all in Spanish – from Princess Belle. Check out a heartwarming video of this first of its kind Disney wish in the United States to see how we were able to make María an honorary princess – creating a day of laughter and hope.
“María was fascinated and asked me, “mom did you see that Belle is like me? That we are the same, that she speaks Spanish like me?” said wish mom Brenda. “She loved the video and we thought it was truly beautiful. Their words, everything they said, it was exactly how María is.”
Like many children around the world, María grew up watching Disney movies in her native language. So when it came time for her wish, we wanted to create a magical meeting with Belle, who read a personalized story to María and taught her how to become a Disney Princess entirely in Spanish.
“Just as Disney stories are shared in dozens of languages around the world, Make-A-Wish grants wishes for children of all backgrounds,” said Richard K. Davis, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish America. “This wish is the perfect example of how we strive to creatively grant wishes that also resonate culturally and authentically with wish kids and their families.”
Since 1980, Disney and Make-A-Wish have been making wishes come true for children with critical illnesses around the world. We are so proud to celebrate this 40-year milestone with them, just as we were proud to help grant the very first official wish at Disneyland Resort back in 1980. And while 2020 has been a challenging year for everyone - wish granters included – it has also created opportunities to grant wishes in a whole new way. Disney and Make-A-Wish have had to think outside the box to continue to make life-changing wishes come true and provide hope and inspiration to children around the world.
Pre-pandemic, one out of every two wishes granted in the U.S. was a Disney wish, and together, Disney has worked with Make-A-Wish to make more than 140,000 wishes come true, including their recently granted 500,000th wish. Granting these inspiring Disney wishes creates magical memories for children and their families, and we will continue to do our part to make children’s wishes come true in a meaningful way. A global pandemic may be enough to put some aspects of life on hold, but monumental moments and wishes like these are far too important to be missed! Felicidades a la Princesa María y a todos los niños y niñas con enfermedades graves que quieren cumplir sus deseos.
A big part of the holidays are about giving back and we are thrilled that shopDisney.com and Disney store are teaming up with Toys for Tots for the third year in a row to help bring joy to children in underserved communities this holiday season.
This year, we have a little help from actor and self-proclaimed Disney super-fan Neil Patrick Harris to kick off the initiative and spread the word that from now through December 13, 2020, you can donate a toy online at shopDisney.com/ToysForTots, or a new, unwrapped toy at any Disney store in the U.S. or World of Disney at Disney Springs and the Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort World of Disney, and Disney will donate an additional $1 to Toys for Tots.
In addition to donating a new, unwrapped toy, guests can support Toys for Tots by purchasing a Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse Gingerbread pin. Disney will donate $1 to Toys for Tots (toysfortots.org) for every Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse Gingerbread pin purchased at a U.S. Disney store or on shopDisney.com from Nov. 1 – Dec. 24, 2020.
As the magic of the holidays arrives, you can also celebrate at Disney Parks around the globe. Among the many discoveries, guests will find enchanting experiences, delectable dining options and merry-making merchandise that welcome new and returning favorites to the season.
Bring the Disney Parks magic of the season home with new holiday-themed merchandise available throughout Walt Disney World Resort, as well as the Downtown Disney District at Disneyland Resort in California and online at shopDisney.com.
