The wrapping paper has been removed, and Disney has confirmed the dates and full lineup for the 2026 EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. World Showcase storytellers, the Candlelight Processional, Holiday Kitchens, and a Gingerbread Spaceship Earth display all return for another season. Here’s what’s coming back, and what’s new.
EPCOT Festival of the Holidays 2026: Dates, Food, and Entertainment
IN THIS ARTICLE:
- The festival runs November 27 through December 30, 2026, opening the day after Thanksgiving.
- The World Showcase storyteller lineup spans 10 pavilions, from Las Posadas in Mexico to the Canadian Holiday Voyageurs.
- Goofy as Santa returns at The Odyssey, with Santa sightings across CommuniCore Hall and World Showcase.
- The Holiday Cookie Stroll and Holiday Kitchens bring back the festival’s seasonal eats.
- Candlelight Processional returns nightly, though this year’s celebrity narrators are still unannounced.
Festival of the Holidays 2026 Dates
The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays runs November 27 through December 30, 2026. It opens the day after Thanksgiving, the same Black Friday start that the festival has held in recent years.
Holiday Traditions With World Showcase Storytellers
The Holiday Storytellers return throughout World Showcase, each presenting how a different culture celebrates the season. Disney describes the program as a daily fixture across the festival, with performers stationed in pavilions around the promenade.
This year’s storyteller lineup spans most of World Showcase. Confirmed locations include the Mexico Pavilion with the Las Posadas celebration, the Norway Pavilion with a mischievous Barn Santa, the China Pavilion with a Chinese Lion Dancer and Si-Zhu Trio, the Germany Pavilion with the Adventskalender, the Italy Pavilion with La Befana, and the Japan Pavilion with a Daruma storyteller.
The rest of the promenade rounds out the slate. A Hanukkah storyteller appears between the Morocco and France Pavilions, with Père Noël at the France Pavilion, Father Christmas at the United Kingdom Pavilion, and the Canadian Holiday Voyageurs at the Canada Pavilion.
Where to Find Santa Around EPCOT
Santa Claus makes special appearances throughout the festival, traveling around World Showcase to greet guests. Disney confirmed several set spots where you can find him during your visit.
You can see Père Noël telling the story of Babette and her Christmas letter in the France Pavilion, Barn Santa in the Norway Pavilion, and Santa greeting guests in CommuniCore Hall. Goofy as Santa also returns at The Odyssey, dressed in his holiday best for photos.
EPCOT Holiday Decor and the Gingerbread Spaceship Earth Display
Festive decor transforms the park for the season, from lights and garlands to trees inspired by global traditions in each World Showcase pavilion. Disney points to the displays as a wonderful backdrop for holiday photos across the park.
The Gingerbread Spaceship Earth display returns with its Celebration Countdown presented by Citizen. The display lights up every 15 minutes with a new song and light shows, so time your visit to catch one of the countdown moments.
Festival of the Holidays Shows and Entertainment
The Candlelight Processional returns nightly at the America Gardens Theatre. The retelling of the Christmas story pairs a celebrity narrator with a mass choir and full orchestra, running multiple showtimes each night. Disney has not yet announced this year’s narrators or Candlelight Processional Dining Package details.
Live entertainment fills out the rest of the schedule. JOYFUL! A Celebration of the Season blends gospel, jazz, and R&B in a performance built around Christmas and Kwanzaa. The Voices of Liberty also return as the Dickens Carolers, performing classic tunes in a Victorian-era English style.
Festival Kitchens: Holiday Food and Beverage
Holiday Kitchens return with seasonal bites and beverages from around the world, each location carrying its own menu tied to holiday traditions. A full rundown of the menus will come at a later date.
The Holiday Cookie Stroll is back as well. Purchase five qualifying cookies from select Holiday Kitchens, collect the matching stamps in your Festival Passport, and redeem the completed stroll for a special treat.
Holiday Overlays and Festive Features
Several attractions and walkways pick up a seasonal layer for the festival. Living with the Land becomes Glimmering Greenhouses, with twinkling lights and decor throughout the greenhouses on the boat ride, and Spaceship Earth shines with festive lighting and effects after dark.
There’s more to find on foot. Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition scavenger hunt sends you through World Showcase to find Olaf as he discovers global holiday traditions, with a keepsake for completing it. Festive Fragrances presented by Scentsy also returns for a third year along the walkway between the Imagination! pavilion and World Showcase, this time with all-new scents spanning holidays from Noche Buena to Diwali.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!