Move Over, Magic Kingdom – This Park Is Winning Christmas 2025
Magic Kingdom is usually the go-to spot for holiday cheer at Walt Disney World. Between the snowfall, the castle lights, and that famous Christmas party, it’s the one that gets all the love. But in 2025, it might not be the fan-favorite anymore. Hollywood Studios has quietly—and stylishly—become the new must-visit park for the season.
The Usual Holiday Hotspots
Magic Kingdom still brings the heat with Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. It’s packed with entertainment, treats, and characters. But with high prices and big crowds, it’s not for everyone.
Meanwhile, EPCOT continues to celebrate holidays around the globe with the Festival of the Holidays. There’s food, there are storytellers, and the Candlelight Processional delivers some serious emotional punch.
Animal Kingdom stays quieter but offers some lovely surprises, like the glowing winter puppets and subtle, nature-inspired decor that gives the whole place a peaceful kind of magic.
Hollywood Studios Takes the Stage
This park has fully embraced the retro Christmas style, and it works. Echo Lake’s giant ornaments are stunning. Sunset Boulevard’s tinsel-draped palm trees are so photogenic. Gertie in her Santa hat is an icon.
It’s like stepping into a holiday variety show from the 1950s—honestly, that’s the kind of holiday escapism we could all use.
Jollywood Nights Is the Game-Changer
What really elevates Hollywood Studios is Jollywood Nights. This after-hours holiday event returns in 2025 on select nights from November 9 to December 21, and it’s finally living up to its potential.
This year’s event is packed with entertainment, including a Nightmare Before Christmas sing-along, a live jazz show at the Tip-Top Club in the Tower of Terror courtyard, and a Disney Holidays in Hollywood stage spectacular with singers, dancers, and favorite characters in festive gear. Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy also host a holiday variety show at the Theater of the Stars.
The food and drink options have expanded, and several rides remain open with no wait times. You can sip on a gingerbread martini while walking into Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, or grab a peppermint churro before catching a live show.
And yes, it’s more laid-back, less packed, and more stylized. It’s ideal for adults, couples, or even families who want a Disney holiday vibe that’s a little less chaotic and a little more classy.
This Year’s Holiday Winner?
So while Magic Kingdom still has that holiday sparkle, Hollywood Studios is doing something cooler, classier, and unexpected. If you’re heading to Disney this winter and want to experience something different, this park will win you over.
