These Are the Best Ways to Celebrate a Special Occasion at Disney World to Make Your Day Memorable

We love any excuse for a trip to Disney World, and special occasions give us some of the best ones! While staying at a Disney resort hotel and visiting the parks may already feel rather celebratory, planning something uniquely festive to commemorate the moment can add some extra pixie dust to your plans.

Whether you're celebrating a first visit, birthday, anniversary, graduation, or completing a half-marathon, we've got you covered with ten of the best ways to make your trip even more magical. From dining experiences and culinary creations to recreational activities and room upgrades, our guide can help you personalize your experience to suit your interests and complement your special occasion.

We've celebrated various life events at the most magical place on Earth, and we always enjoy marking those events by doing something different. Recently, my family celebrated my son's 13th birthday at Disney World. We presented him with several possibilities and let him choose a special experience to give the trip particular meaning for him. Whoever and whatever you might be honoring, we hope the following will get your creativity flowing as you plan your celebration.

Shout it Out

The first thing anyone should do when celebrating a special occasion at Disney World is notify Disney what you're celebrating via your online resort check-in, using the My Disney Experience app. Typically, Cast Members will then leave celebration buttons (pins) hanging on the door to your room or inside the room. If the buttons aren't there when you arrive, you can get them at the front desk of the lobby at your resort. If you're staying off-property, you can pick them up at any guest relations location.

Wear your buttons throughout your time at Disney World to get lots of congratulatory wishes from Cast Members and guests. You never know—you may even receive some extra pixie dust! Guests have been known to get stickers, free balloons and desserts, and more! It's best not to expect this kind of special treatment—after all, Disney World sees hundreds of thousands of guests every day, and many of them are celebrating something. However, it never hurts to be kind to Cast Members—not just on special occasions, but every day.

In-Room Celebrations

Every year on the night before my kids' birthdays, I decorate our house while they're sleeping with streamer curtains outside their bedroom doors, a big birthday banner in the dining room, and a bouquet of balloons in the living room, at the very least. I do this so that when they wake up the next morning, they already feel there's something special about that day. When my family celebrates at Disney World, we like to continue our tradition of decorating and leaving small surprises to make an important day during our trip feel especially magical.

On the date of my son's birthday during our last visit to Disney World, I decorated the window of our resort room and filled the floor with balloons to be sure he knew I hadn't forgotten him in the midst of our Disney fun. If you want to have surprises waiting when you return from the parks without the hassle of creating them yourself, Disney offers in-room deliveries through Florida Fresh Floral's Magical Floral and Gifts service. Available options include gift baskets, balloons, sweets and treats, and floral arrangements for a variety of occasions, and they provide same-day delivery if you order before noon.

Reserve Signature Dining

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Disney dining experiences are one of our favorite ways to celebrate with a splurge! Whether you're toasting an anniversary over an elegant dinner at a signature restaurant, wishing a happy birthday to a young (or young-at-heart!) family member with a character meal, or celebrating a personal achievement at a dinner show, there are dining options to suit all tastes and interests spread between the parks, resort hotels, and Disney Springs. Just don't forget to make reservations as soon as possible to avoid missing out on your dream restaurant.

Here are some of our favorite places to celebrate:

For a character experience, try:

Storybook Dining at Artist Point – Wilderness Lodge

Cinderella's Royal Table – Magic Kingdom

Topolino's Terrace – Riviera Resort

‘Ohana – Polynesian Resort

For a romantic or upscale dining experience, try:

California Grill – The Contemporary

Morimoto Asia – Disney Springs

Trattoria al Forno – Disney's Boardwalk

Le Cellier Steakhouse – Epcot

Space 220 – Epcot

San Angel Inn – Epcot

Citricos – The Grand Floridian

Jiko – The Cooking Place – Animal Kingdom Lodge

For groups or families, try:

The Boathouse – Disney Springs

Chef Art Smith's Homecomin' – Disney Springs

Sanaa – Animal Kingdom Lodge

Jungle Navigation Co. LTD Skipper Canteen – Magic Kingdom

Spice Road Table – Epcot

For dinner and a show, try:

Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue – Fort Wilderness

Raglan Road – Disney Springs

Biergarten – Epcot

To explore more dining options for your special celebration, check out our list of the best Disney World restaurants.

Attend a Special Event

Disney World hosts a few separately ticketed events in the parks throughout the year, all of which boast extra time to experience attractions with smaller crowds. Disney After Hours events at Magic Kingdom, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot allow guests to enter the parks at 7:00 PM and stay through park closing until 12:30 or 1:00 AM, with lower wait times for high-profile attractions and access to many more! Special snacks and beverages are included in the ticket cost, and several beloved and sometimes rare Disney characters are available for meet-and-greets.

Holiday parties are another way to experience the parks with fewer guests and access to special activities and entertainment. Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party and Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at the Magic Kingdom feature exclusive parades, stage shows, nighttime fireworks displays, character appearances, and more! Hollywood Studios also offers a 5-hour holiday event called Jollywood Nights, featuring entertainment offerings themed to the glitz and glam of the evening, along with unique photo-ops designed to capture guests dressed in their holiday best.

Although tickets to these special events can often cost more than a day ticket to the parks, they can still be a fun way to mix up your park experience and add fun to your celebration.

Schedule a Celebratory Activity

Disney World offers an overwhelming number of recreational activities, arts and crafts opportunities, culinary experiences, and tours of various kinds. Adding one of these activities to your itinerary is another way to personalize your time at the resort to suit the person or special occasion you're celebrating.

The Enchanting Extras page on the Disney World website is a great place to start searching for your perfect adventure. From spa treatments to wine tastings, fishing excursions, archery lessons, painting classes, cake decorating, starlight safaris, scuba diving, and more, you're sure to find an activity that piques your interest! See our list of some of the coolest hidden things to do at Disney World that are all great ideas for celebrating a Disney World special occasion.

Book a Photo Session

Many guests choose to purchase Disney's Memory Maker add-on to receive digital downloads of all the photos Disney PhotoPass photographers and on-ride cameras capture during their time at Disney World. While this can be a worthy purchase, these photos can often feel rushed, since other guests are almost always waiting for their turn for that money shot in front of Cinderella Castle or any number of other iconic Disney World backdrops.

For those who wish for a more personal photography experience, Disney now offers 20-minute “Capture Your Moment” photo sessions with a Disney PhotoPass photographer at several key locations throughout the parks. You can celebrate your birthday, anniversary, engagement, or runDisney achievement with pictures featuring picturesque Disney World settings and customized props. Your Disney PhotoPass photographer will have some themed props available, but you can also bring your own, as long as they comply with Disney rules and regulations.

To make the most of your 20 minutes, it's best to come prepared for your shoot with specific ideas of the kinds of photos and poses you want. You should plan to check in 10 minutes ahead of time to discuss details with your photographer. The 20-minute time limit is firm, and you don't want to waste any time. These sessions are $99 and do not include downloads of your photos. However, guests who already have Memory Maker or a qualifying annual pass with PhotoPass add-ons will receive access to the digital downloads at no extra cost.

Create a Special Souvenir

Although shopping for Disney treasures can be part of the fun during any Disney World vacation, I don't usually devote too much of my valuable time in the parks to searching for the perfect souvenir. A special celebration might be the ideal moment to build some shopping into your resort or non-park day, or you can plan to mark the occasion with some iconic memorabilia from the parks.

Maybe you've been coveting an expensive item, like the hand-built light sabers and droids in Galaxy's Edge at Hollywood Studios, or maybe, like me, you've always dreamed of having a silhouette portrait done for each member of your immediate family on Main Street, U.S.A. Whatever your dream Disney souvenir is, a special occasion at Disney World is a great excuse to make it happen!

Indulge with a Treat or Festive Beverage

While planning for my family's recent visit to Disney World to celebrate my son's birthday, we encountered the option to add a Mickey Mouse Celebration Cake to our table service dining reservations through the My Disney Experience app. These specialty cakes are shaped much like Mickey Mouse ear hats, and flavor choices include dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or white chocolate. You can opt to have either a “Happy Birthday” or “Congratulations” message engraved on the chocolate ears, or you can leave them blank.

If cake is your celebratory treat of choice, you can also pre-order one from Amorette's Patisserie in Disney Springs and pick it up to enjoy at your resort or at home, or you can visit the newly opened Cake Bake Shop for a one-of-a-kind handmade cake.

Of course, any Disney snack, sweet treat, or tasty beverage can be celebratory in nature, and the possibilities abound! You may crave one of the exceptionally delicious cookies at Gideon's Bakehouse, Mickey Beignets from Scat Cat's at Port Orleans French Quarter, or a tropical cocktail from Trader Sam's Grog Grotto at the Polynesian. If it's me we're celebrating, I have to go with the fish and chips from Yorkshire County Fish Shop at the UK Pavilion in Epcot. The Ger's Bread and Butter Pudding at Raglan Road wouldn't go amiss, either.

Premium Fireworks Viewing

Watching a nighttime spectacular can be a magical culmination of your day at Disney World. The crushing crowds on Main Street during Happily Ever After, on the other hand, sometimes might not feel so magical. That's why we recommend celebrating your special occasion by purchasing a fireworks dining or dessert package for a premium viewing experience that includes dinner or a selection of sweets, treats, and spirits.

With one of these packages, you can enjoy an idyllic view of the fireworks at Magic Kingdom or Epcot, or watch Fantasmic at Hollywood Studios, without wasting time lining up early to get a decent spot. These packages come at an extra cost that may not always be feasible for everyone, which is why they make a great splurge item for those who are celebrating something out of the ordinary.

Upgrade Your Resort

Finally, if you have never stayed at a Disney World resort, or if you have never stayed at a moderate or deluxe Disney resort, a Disney World special occasion might be the opportune time to consider upgrading. All Disney World resorts offer immersive theming, clean rooms, and many desirable perks, including early entry to the parks. Moderate resorts offer sweeping grounds, more dining options, slightly bigger rooms, more activities, and nicer swimming pools and can be a more affordable option than deluxe resorts.

Deluxe resorts are obviously going to be the nicest and most elaborately themed accommodations you can get at Disney World. Most offer closer proximity to the parks, more transportation options, the best pools on property, and exclusive access to extended evening hours in the parks. If a deluxe resort stay gives you sticker shock, don't count it out entirely. We have made deluxe stays happen several times in the past by renting Disney Vacation Club points. Regardless of where you choose, any Disney resort hotel stay can feel like a special occasion.

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