The EPCOT International Festival of Holidays is a celebration of international holiday traditions from around the world that takes place in the World Showcase in EPCOT.
This popular holiday tradition at Epcot features holiday marketplace booths including a holiday cookie stroll and the famous Candlelight Processional.
Keep reading to find out more about the EPCOT International Festival of Holidays including our best tips on celebrating the holidays at Walt Disney World.
EPCOT International Festival of Holidays
The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays takes place November 28 and concludes December 30, 2025. This festival experience includes:
- An International Yuletide Extravaganza: featuring 11 holiday traditions of the 11 World Showcase nations.
- The popular Candlelight Processional as guests experience the story of Christmas with a full choir and celebrity narrator.
- Holiday Kitchens: featuring seasonal food from around the world at select kiosks around the park- nearly 25 in total!
- The Holiday Cookie Stroll: sample cookies from around the world.
EPCOT Festival of the Holidays Entertainment
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The EPCOT International Festival of Holidays is about much more than the holiday food marketplace booths (although they’re not to be missed!) with plenty of variety of holiday entertainment.
EPCOT Holiday Storytellers
World Showcase countries have their own Holiday Storytellers ready to share their legends and lores of the season. Shows take place multiple times throughout the day. Holiday Storytellers featured includes:
Future World
- JOYFUL! A Gospel Celebration of the Season Gospel style music
- America Music Machine: Cappela group
World Showcase
- Norway: Storyteller Sigrid tells the tale of the mischievous Christmas Gnome Julenissen.
- Germany: Helga tells a story of the first Christmas tree and the tale of the nutcracker
- Italy: La Befana, a kind-hearted witch, recalls her first Christmas 2000 years ago
- Japan: Daruma (doll) seller speaks about the Japanese New Year customs.
- France: Pere Noel recreates the magic of Christmas through the eyes of a child.
- United Kingdom: Father Christmas shares Christmas traditions.
- Canada: The Canadian Holiday Voyageurs take guests on a musical tour through the seasonal customs of the Great White North.
- China: Chinese Lion Dance to celebrate the New Year.
- Mexico: Fiesta de Navidad- dancers and mariachis.
- Morocco: Storyteller shares holiday traditions.
Spaceship Earth Light Show
And don’t miss the light show at Spaceship Earth invoking the sights of winter, including snowflakes, northern lights, and warm candles.
Gingerbread Spaceship Earth at EPCOT
NEW this year is the Spaceship Earth gingerbread display located at CommuniCore Hall in EPCOT. This 8-foot-tall gingerbread display took over 160 hours and lights up and dances to music throughout the day. There are also 11 Mickeys hidden throughout the display to reflect the 11 countries of the World Showcase.
Santa Claus- American Adventure
Santa Claus greets guests at the American Adventure throughout the day. You can also enjoy the Voices of Liberty singing holiday Christmas carols in Charles Dickens-themed costumes plus view gingerbread displays of U.S. monuments. See all Disney World gingerbread houses ranked.
There will also be Holiday Storytellers at the American Adventure where guests can learn about Kwanzaa and Hanukkah.
Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt
Like all Epcot festivals, the International Festival of Holidays also includes a scavenger hunt! Search for holiday traditions Olaf has gathered from around the world. You can purchase a map for $9.99 from the Creations Shop, Port of Entry, or International Gateway gift shops. Once you’ve submitted your map (you can also decide to just get your prize without doing the scavenger hunt) you can redeem it for a prize.
Living with the Land- Glimmering Greenhouses
Don’t forget to view the holiday overlay on Living with the Land as you drift through the twinkling holiday displays in the greenhouse. This is a beautiful addition for the season, it’s worth taking the time to see!
EPCOT Candlelight Processional
The Candlelight Processional has been a Disney Parks tradition dating back to 1958 at Disneyland. The Candlelight Processional at Epcot takes place at the America Gardens Theatre featuring the Voices of Liberty and a choir of Disney cast members, a live orchestra, and celebrity narrators retelling the traditional Christmas story.
In the Candlelight Processional, you will hear the biblical story of Christmas typically told by a celebrity narrator and accompanied by a 50-piece orchestra and massed choir. This is a beloved tradition at Walt Disney World so be sure you don’t miss it!
How do you get tickets to the Candlelight Processional at Epcot?
You do not require a separate ticket or reservation to see the Candlelight Processional at Epcot as its included in your park admission. The seating in the America Gardens Theatre is on a first come, first served basis so plan on reserving a spot early in the day.
If you don’t want to worry about having to devote part of your park day reserving a spot, you can also purchase a dining package which are typically offered for the Candlelight Processional.
Since this is such a popular tradition at Epcot, I recommend either booking a dining package or being committed to reserving your seat at least 90 minutes prior to showtime.
2025 EPCOT Candlelight Processional Celebrity Narrators
- Nov. 28-29 – Constance Wu (NEW)
- Nov. 30-Dec. 2 – Jordan Fisher
- Dec. 3-4 – Jennifer Garner (NEW)
- Dec. 5-6 – Ashley Eckstein
- Dec. 7-8 – Ralph Macchio
- Dec. 9-10 – Leslie Uggams (NEW)
- Dec. 11-13 – Marlee Matlin
- Dec. 14-15 – Henry Winkler (NEW)
- Dec. 16-17 – Lauren Daigle (NEW)
- Dec. 18-19 – Gary Sinise
- Dec. 20-22 – Brendan Fraser
- Dec. 23-24 – Luis Fonsi
- Dec. 25-26 – Joel Smallbone (NEW)
- Dec. 27-28 – Brie Larson (NEW)
- Dec. 29-30 – Sheryl Lee Ralph (NEW)
EPCOT Candlelight Processional Dining Packages
If you already had plans to eat at one of these restaurants then this is a great way to bundle that experience with a guaranteed spot to see the Candlelight Processional at Epcot!
- Candlelight Processional Dining Packages are only offered during the holiday season.
- Alcohol will only be served to Guests ages 21 and older.
- Reservations require a credit card guarantee.
- Guests will receive Candlelight Seating badges at the restaurant after their meal. The badge will specify the date and show time they have reserved.
- Guests with the Dining Package will enter America Gardens Theatre in a separate queue and will be seated on a first-come, first served basis. Seating is guaranteed.
- Guests who have not reserved a Candlelight Processional Dining Package will be seated at the Candlelight Processional on a first-come, first-served basis. Seating is based on availability due to limited capacity.
- To enter EPCOT, both a theme park reservation and valid theme park admission are required. EPCOT admission is not included in the price of the dining package.
Read our review of the EPCOT Candlelight Processional dining package.
Holiday Kitchens at EPCOT
The Holiday Kitchens for 2025 offer returning favorites like the Cheese Fondue at Bavaria Holiday Kitchen and the Salted Caramel Spaceship Earth Cookie from the Experimental Prototype Cookies of Tomorrow. New items this year include Liquid Nitrogen Chocolate-Peppermint Mousse at Swirled Showcase and the Red Velvet Cake Pop from Holiday Hearth Desserts.
The popular Holiday Cookie Stroll also returns, featuring cookies from around the world. Guests can collect stamps in their Festival Passport by purchasing five of these items to redeem a special treat from Holiday Sweets & Treats.
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