It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Shh…don’t tell me it’s too soon, I can’t hear you over my jingle bells. Besides, Disney is all decorated, and as we all know, the Theme Park Calendar is an acceptable marker of the seasons. Disney has already decked their halls and back again this year are the beloved Gingerbread houses! Let’s take a look at some of these delicious decorations that fill our hearts with joy year after year!
Grand Floridian
This Gingerbread House is a life-size creation that has been a Disney World holiday tradition for 24 years! It takes 1,050 pounds of honey, 800 pounds of flour, 600 pounds of chocolate, 600 pounds of powdered sugar, 140 pints of egg whites, and 35 pounds of spices to bake this famous Gingerbread House. Unsurprisingly, it also takes an entire team of bakers 400 hours to bake the delicious gingerbread and then over 160 hours to construct and decorate the Grand Floridian Gingerbread House! Did you know that the house serves as more than a decoration? It also serves as a sweet shop where guests can indulge in festive holiday treats and even buy a Gingerbread shingle of their very own! That’s one delicious souvenir.
Animal Kingdom Lodge
Let your Christmas decor take a walk on the wild side at Animal Kingdom Lodge! Last year the hotel displayed a life-size baby Giraffe made of Gingerbread for the first time. She must have been lonely because this year, Imagineers have added a life-size baby Gingerbread Zebra to the display! Take a look at last year’s inaugural display. Can you believe that is entirely made of Gingerbread?
Beach Club
The Carousel at Beach Club is back! This absolute marvel has been on display every year since 1999, with no signs of stopping anytime soon. The gorgeous display features chocolate, sugar, and fondant along with hand-painted characters and hand-crafted gingerbread shingles and snowflakes and actually spins! New this year, each carousel horse will feature a different Disney Princess! In 2019 the resort celebrated the Carousel’s 29th anniversary with a recipe board (made entirely of chocolate, of course). Check it out below:
Boardwalk Inn
This fantastic display is less a house, and more a village as the resort recreates itself in Gingerbread form! New this year, the centerpiece will be, of course, the Boardwalk Deli. In years past, the iconic Boardwalk Bakery took center stage, but the beloved foodie spot was replaced earlier this year by a New England-style deli.
Contemporary Resort
For the 11th straight year, the baking team at the Contemporary Resort will proudly display their Cinderella Gingerbread Castle! In keeping with the resort’s theme, the castle will be heavily influenced by the style of Mary Blair and designed by Walt Disney Imagineers. New this year, the castle will feature a brand-new 50th-anniversary overlay… and 11 hidden 5-legged goats! If you know, you know.
Can’t get enough Gingerbread? Several spots across Resorts will feature a new Gingerbread Martini with Absolut Elyx Vodka, Rumchata Cream Liqueur, and gingerbread spice featuring a rim of gingerbread freshly baked in the Resort Bakery. It’s the perfect blend of sugar, spice, and everything nice! You can find this delicious holiday beverage at Grand Floridian Café, Cítricos, and Enchanted Rose at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Boma: Flavors of Africa and Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Chef Mickey’s and Outer Rim at Disney’s Contemporary Resort, and dinner at Cape May Café at Disney’s Beach Club Resort. Trust us; you’ll want to try this one!