The holiday season brings with it some of the busiest travel days of the year with millions of Americans hitting the roads and skies to visit family. But what if your holiday travel plans this year had an added layer of thrill? What if instead of arguing over who gets the last dinner roll, you’re arguing instead over who gets to sit in the front row of your favorite roller coaster? Theme parks across the nation deliver big when it comes to holiday offerings, and things are currently kicking into high gear.
Whether you’re considering a last-minute holiday trip this year or you’re already planning ahead for next year, the following theme parks pull out all the stops when it comes to their holiday festivals. As a theme park and travel writer, the holidays are one of my favorite times of the year to visit as temperatures are far more comfortable, the decorations are stunning, and the food often rivals your grandma’s holiday feast.
Several of the following theme parks even have deals on holiday travel like hotel and ticket packages. There is some urgency here to point out: While some of these theme parks are open year-round, for many regional parks, this is your last chance to ride your favorite ride before operations shut down temporarily in the winter months. With all of that in mind, be sure to jot down the following theme parks if you want this holiday season to be the most memorable yet.
Dollywood: Smoky Mountain Christmas
Dolly Parton is known for making a lasting impression, and that standard extends to her very own theme park, Dollywood. Located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, Dollywood has become one of the most celebrated theme parks in the country, thanks in large part to its seasonal festivities like Smoky Mountain Christmas.
Smoky Mountain Christmas is a two month-long celebration of the holiday season, with its 2025 dates running from November 1, 2025 through January 4, 2026. The festival includes over six million twinkling lights found throughout the park, festive fireworks that are launched in tandem with cheerful holiday classics, and an immersive winter wonderland called Snow In The Grove.
It wouldn’t be Dollywood without some song and dance, and Smoky Mountain Christmas includes indoor theater shows like “Christmas in the Smokies” and “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” as well as daily outdoor performances. Dining locations around the park update their menu to include seasonal bites like Santa’s Skillet Potatoes, Peppermint Mocha Milkshake, and plenty of Christmas Tree and Gingerbread People cookies.
For 2025, visitors can take advantage of Christmas Stay and Play where you can save up to 10% per night at Dollywood’s two resort hotels — Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort & Spa and Dollywood’s HeartSong Lodge & Resort — as well as two exclusively discounted 1-day Dollywood admission tickets.
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Silver Dollar City: An Old Time Christmas
Silver Dollar City is located in the heart of the Ozarks — Branson, Missouri, to be specific. The theme park is known for its standout seasonal events that take place throughout the year, culminating in An Old Time Christmas. The event runs for a couple of months, and for 2025, the official dates are November 1, 2025 through January 4, 2026.
Much like Smoky Mountain Christmas, An Old Time Christmas features 6.5 million lights strung throughout Silver Dollar City in a dazzling nighttime display. You can also catch a new Grand Fir tree in the park’s Plaza complete with a Rockerfeller-style lightning ceremony.
The long-running Broadway-style show A Dicken’s Christmas Carol is a fan favorite and is celebrating 25 years this Christmas. When you’re hungry, there’s plenty of festive food and beverage items to try, including Smoked Prime Rib, Mashed Potato Bowls, and a full Holiday Harvest Buffet.
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Magic Kingdom: Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
The flagship after-hours holiday festival at Walt Disney World is Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, taking place on select nights in Magic Kingdom this year from November 7 through December 21.
This hard-ticketed event is a cherished holiday tradition for many repeat guests. Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party takes place after the park closes to day guests from 7:00 pm until midnight, giving attendees the chance to enjoy the park at night often with lower wait times on attractions.
Party-exclusive offerings include Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade and Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show along with a variety of holiday food and beverage items.
If you’re looking to book a last-minute holiday trip to Walt Disney World, guests can currently save up to 20% on rooms at Disney World Resort hotels for stays most nights from November 23 to December 25, 2025. More information is available on Disney World’s website.
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Disney’s Hollywood Studios: Disney Jollywood Nights
Disney World’s newest holiday party is Disney Jollywood Nights, which is offered on select evenings at Disney’s Hollywood Studios this year from November 8 through December 22, 2025. The hard-ticketed event takes place after the park closes to day guests from 7:30 pm to 12:30 am.
Disney Jollywood Nights pulls out all the stops to give the holidays a little glitz and glamour — think the golden era of old Hollywood meets the holiday season. Swanky entertainment like Twilight Soirée at the Tip Top Club pairs perfectly with a glass of bubbly, and guests can enjoy a holiday feast with Jazzy Holidays at The Hollywood Brown Derby.
Jollywood Nights caters to guests of all ages with fun character meet and greet opportunities, dance parties, and plenty of party-exclusive food and beverage items.
EPCOT: Festival of the Holidays
In addition to the two hard-ticketed after-hours events mentioned above, Walt Disney World is also home to holiday happenings that are included with park admission. The big one that fans look forward to each year is the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays, returning this year from November 28 through December 30, 2025.
EPCOT’s Festival of the Holidays includes a number of outdoor Holiday Kitchen food booths where an array of festive bites and sips are available for purchase. At night, the fan-favorite Candlelight Processional performs at the American Gardens Theatre with a celebrity narrator. Admission to Candlelight Processional is available to all EPCOT guests at no extra cost, but you’ll want to line up early as seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis. You can bypass the standby line when you book a Candlelight Processional Dining Package.
Throughout the day, you can catch even more entertainment like JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season as well as Holiday Storytellers found throughout World Showcase.
Universal Orlando Resort
Universal Orlando Resort is a holiday highlight in its own right with seasonal festivities. Holidays at Universal returns this year from November 21, 2025 through January 4, 2026. Several lands throughout the Universal Orlando theme parks go all-out with decor and holiday offerings, like Grinchmas at Seuss Landing.
Popular dining experiences include The Grinch & Friends Character Breakfast at Circus McGurkus Cafe Stoo-pendous at Islands of Adventure. Holiday-themed character meet and greets are a highlight at Universal Orlando, with wildly popular experiences like The Grinch and, of course, Earl the Squirrel.
For the first time, Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will take place in three theme parks at Universal Orlando with festive decorations at Universal Studios Florida, Islands and Adventure, and Universal Epic Universe. Each evening, Hogwarts Castle comes to life in Hogsmede at Islands of Adventure with The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts Castle.
Can’t make it to Manhattan for the Thanksgiving Parade? Universal throws its own celebration w ith the Universal’s Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s. Floats and larger-than-life balloons march through Universal Studios Florida at 5:30pm daily during the holiday season.
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Disneyland Park
Let’s head to the West Coast now where there’s just as much holiday magic to be had at Disneyland Resort. The theme park that started it all has a number of cherished holiday traditions as this year’s season officially takes places from November 14, 2025 to January 7, 2026.
Disneyland Park’s holiday season offerings include popular ride overlays including “it’s a small world” Holiday and Haunted Mansion Holiday. You’ll also want to check out the long-running A Christmas Fantasy Parade during the day and Believe…In Holiday Magic Fireworks Spectacular at night. Around the first weekend in December, Disneyland hosts its own Candlelight Processional, a tradition started by Walt Disney himself.
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Disney California Adventure: Festival of the Holidays
Disneyland’s second theme park, Disney California Adventure, is where all of the holiday foodies will want to carve out time to visit. The Disney California Adventure Festival of the Holidays returns this year from November 14 through January 7, 2026.
The Disney California Adventure Festival of the Holidays includes food booths with menus that highlight “a season of diverse celebrations.”
This year’s festival includes over 30 new food and beverage items. In addition to the feast of holiday goodies, the Festival of the Holidays includes entertainment like Disney ¡Viva Navidad!, Holiday Toy Drummers, and Mirabel’s Gifts of the Season.
Knott’s Berry Farm: Knott’s Merry Farm
There’s even more West Coast holiday magic to be had at Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California. Knott’s Merry Farm returns this year from November 21, 2025 through January 4, 2026.
A day at Knott’s Merry Farm is not complete without sampling the wide array of festive food and beverage items available for purchase, like the Meatball Hoagie with Cranberry Gastrique and Mash Potatoes, or taking in some seasonal entertainment like a holiday ice skating show featuring Snoopy. Every live show along with the park’s twinkling light displays are included with your park admission.
You can get plenty of holiday shopping done at Knott’s Merry Farm as well when “Ghost Town transforms into a shopping wonderland filled with dozens of local artisans selling their unique gifts.”
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Hersheypark: Christmas Candylane
There’s plenty to see and do at Herseypark, a.k.a. the Sweetest Place on Earth, located in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Its holiday event Christams Candylane featuring over five million lights is back on select nights this year from November 14, 2025 through January 4, 2026. In addition to all of your favorite rides and coasters, your ticket to Hersheypark during this time includes holiday strolls through the in-park immersive experiences, plus the chance to visit Santa himself.
That’s not all. Beginning on November 26, TREEville At the Boardwalk brings more than 20 towering Christmas trees deck The Boardwalk. You’ll also want to catch NOEL, the Christmas-themed night show timed to festive music. Head inside the Chevrolet Music Box Theatre this holiday season to enjoy Twinkling Thru Time, the first all-new holiday stage show at Hersheypark since 2019. Not too far from Hersheypark is Hershey Sweet Lights, a drive-thru experience with over two miles of wooded trails and dazzling light displays.
Looking to spend the night for an extended visit to Hersheypark? On select nights starting November 14, guests can enjoy a Hersheypark Christmas Candylane 1-night and 2-night packages at The Hotel Hershey and Hershey Lodge that include deluxe accommodations, Hersheypark Christmas Candylane tickets, breakfast and more.
Busch Gardens Virginia and Tampa: Christmas Town
Whether you are looking to visit Busch Gardens in Williamsburg, Virigina or Tampa, Florida this holiday season, you can enjoy a visit to Christmas Town. The limited-time holiday event begins on November 14 at both parks and concludes in Williamsburg on January 4, 2026 and in Tampa on January 5, 2026. Christmas Town is included with park admission at Busch Gardens Tampa, while the Williamsburg Christmas Town is considered a separate-ticketed event.
The Williamsburg and Tampa offerings are similar, so no matter which park you choose, you’re set to have a festive experience with the whole family. You can enjoy your favorite rides, take in a live show, meet Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, feast on a variety of seasonal food and beverage items, and stroll among miles of twinkling lights throughout the park. In Tampa, that includes the Holly Jolly Express, a seasonally decked-out locomotive where you can enjoy festive songs and views of the park’s 65-acre animal habitat.
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11 Theme Park Destinations Nationwide With Holiday Celebrations You Can’t Miss was originally published on The World of Spark.
