Disney World Gingerbread Displays You Can’t Miss This Christmas
- Ashlie & Lauren
- Nov 7
- 5 min read
The holidays have officially arrived at Disney which means my favorite free activity is just around the corner! Spending the Christmas season at Walt Disney is full of magic, but it can leave your wallet feeling empty.
Some of the most amazing holiday events at Disney World come at an additional cost like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party or Jollywood Nights. However, you can enjoy one of the cutest Disney holiday traditions without stepping foot into a Disney theme park!
Back in 1999, Disney unveiled its first gingerbread display at Walt Disney’s Grand Floridian. And of course because it’s Disney, it wasn’t just your average-sized gingerbread display. The Grand Floridian gingerbread house is not only historic because it was the first, it’s also life-sized. This baked masterpiece inspired most resorts to showcase their talents in unbelievable ways.
Sadly, the Grand Floridian lobby has been under construction, so this beauty will not be up, but there are plenty of others to see around the resort! We’ll show you where you can spot a piece of Christmas magic and why they are worth a visit.
If you’re planning to visit, note that Disney now restricts parking at the resorts, unless you have a confirmed room or dining reservation. You can book a dining reservation at any of these resorts, but if you’re not wanting to go that route, you can always take a bus to Disney Springs and get to your destination that way. These displays can be found at DVC resorts, which can be pricey. A great way to save a little money while staying at one of these top tier resorts is to book through David’s DVC Rentals. You can browse their confirmed reservations to see if these dates align with your trip!
Matching outfits are not necessary, but if you’re looking for some cute outfit inspiration for the day, check out our previous post! These outfits were planned for a Very Merrytime Cruise, but would be so cute for your day exploring the gingerbread displays!
Disney’s Beach Club Gingerbread Carousel Display
While the life-size gingerbread house at the Grand Floridan is impressive, there is another display that might just knock you off your feet. Over at Disney’s Beach Club, you can find a life-size gingerbread carousel. Complete with 5 horses in which four of them rotate, the Disney culinary team truly reaches new heights with this presentation.
Each year, the team chooses a new theme to keep it fresh and fun for returning guests. Last year, the theme was A Christmas Carol. As if that wasn’t enough, they hide hidden Mickeys throughout the design. This kept my family entertained for at least 20 minutes. We truly loved seeing all the work and details put into this design.
A bonus to visiting this spot is the treat station. During select times, you can purchase baked goods, candy, hot cocoa, and even adult beverages. It really is a special place to visit for the holidays! And while you’re there, don’t forget to hop on over to the Yacht Club. They don’t have a gingerbread display, but they do have an adorable Christmas village set up that’s worth seeing! You can check that out here on our previous blog.
Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Gingerbread Display
Just a hop, skip and a jump away from Beach Club is Disney’s Boardwalk Inn. Disney’s Beach & Yacht Club, and the Boardwalk Inn are all on the same property, so you won’t need to worry about transferring buses or making multiple reservations for this spot!
This gingerbread display isn’t quite as large as the Beach Club, but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in cuteness. The theme of this display is the Boardwalk Deli, which by the way, used to be my favorite breakfast spot. RIP glazed donut.
Anywho, the detail in this gingerbread house is absolute perfection. I cannot get over the teeny tiny cookies and treats in the window, as well as the baking and cooking ingredients in the trees.
If you time it right, you can catch Orange Bird, as the gingerbread display is also a functioning cuckoo clock! The Boardwalk Resort is another place that offers treats and drinks during certain hours. When we visited last year, we were a bit too early for the baked goods, but the menu looked so delicious!
Disney’s Contemporary Resort Gingerbread Display
Over at the Disney Contemporary Resort, you can see a marvelous gingerbread display of the Cinderella Castle. Although this display isn’t quite life-size, it is still quite large and stunning.
This castle usually gets a new theme each, with last year’s being inspired by the Cinderella Dream Caste. As you might have guessed, this spot also offers holiday treats and drinks!
As previously mentioned, getting here might be difficult if you aren’t staying at the Contemporary. However, if you are staying at the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, or Wilderness Lodge, you can take the monorail or water taxi. Or, if you’re looking to squeeze in a character dining meal for your trip, Chef Mickey is a great place to grab a bite to eat with Mickey and friends!
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Resort Gingerbread Display
Most of the gingerbread displays we’ve shared have been more traditional displays modeled after building structures. But the one at Animal Kingdom Lodge is quite different from the rest, and even though this is another life-size structure, you might miss it if you’re not looking closely!
Meet Debra and Ginger, the life-sized baby giraffe and zebra crafted completely out of gingerbread, sugar dough, and melting chocolate. These displays are so beautiful and realistic that they fit right in with the rest of the Animal Kingdom Lodge’s decorations.
Last year, the treats were very limited with only a cookie being available for purchase. If you’re looking for a dining reservation recommendation, you can’t go wrong with anything at Kidani or Animal Kingdom Lodge. I personally love Sanna, but everything at this resort is delicious!
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge Resort Gingerbread Display
Back after a 6 year hiatus, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge will host a gingerbread house display. Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is known for its stunning Christmas decorations and massive tree. We attempted to see this resort in all her holiday glory last year in November, but we were a bit early and missed out.
In years past, the bakery team has built an adorable cabin out of gingerbread. As of right now, a theme has not been announced, but we will update this blog as we gather more information!
This resort has also hosted treats and drinks even without a display, so we anticipate that this will be available for this year’s season. There are a lot of wonderful restaurants here if you need a dining reservation, but you can also take a water taxi from Magic Kingdom if you are looking for free transportation!
The holidays at Disney are truly the most magical time of the year. We hope you are able to soak in as many memories as possible and enjoy your vacation. If you are able to make it to any of these displays, we’d love to hear your favorite ones!
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