Christmas at Hollywood Studios: What to See, Do, and Wear Without a Party Ticket
- Ashlie & Lauren
- Nov 26, 2024
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 21
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Disney’s Hollywood Studios is not to be missed if you’re visiting Walt Disney World during the holiday season. While Magic Kingdom often steals the spotlight at Christmastime, Hollywood Studios deserves just as much love—especially now that Disney has added several new holiday offerings.
And the best part? You don’t need an extra party ticket to experience the magic! Everything mentioned here is included with a regular park ticket, making Hollywood Studios one of the best parks to visit at Disney World for Christmas. In this guide, I’m breaking down all the festive things you can do and see during the day (and night!) at Hollywood Studios during the holidays—plus, what to wear for your park day.
Holiday Overlays at Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney World sometimes hides its seasonal overlays behind special events like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, but Hollywood Studios is the exception. You can enjoy two festive overlays with just a standard park ticket.
For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
The first offering is A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration. This is already one of my favorite shows, and adding a holiday theme just makes it even better. If you’re a fan of the original show, don’t worry! You still get the full story with the incredible Royal Historians and all of the songs, you’re just getting Arendelle ready to celebrate the holidays!
The show is extended by 5 minutes, and Olaf makes an appearance as they sing Frozen holiday songs, including my favorite, “When We’re Together”. I loved this addition and think it’s perfect for the holidays for any age!
Sunset Season’s Greetings
If you are sticking around Hollywood Studios during the evening (and you should because the decor at night is amazing!), don’t forget to check out Hollywood Tower of Terror. At night, it comes to life with holiday projections and themes. You never know what scene you might see up on the Tip Top Club!
Special Holiday Entertainment at Hollywood Studios
One of the main reasons Hollywood Studios has always been my favorite park is because of the live entertainment. Before 2020, Sunset Boulevard was full of performers like the Citizens of Hollywood — they interacted with guests, added humor to your day, and made waiting in long lines a little more fun. When they didn’t return after the parks reopened, the park just didn’t feel quite the same. It was missing that spark.
So when Disney announced that holiday street performers were returning this year, I was over the moon. It felt like the park was finally getting a bit of that magic back.
During my visit in November, I caught two performances — Season’s Jukebox and The Juggling Elves — and both were incredible.
Season’s Jukebox was upbeat, interactive, and full of holiday and pop-culture songs. They even got little ones dancing along to Taylor Swift’s Shake It Off! It was so much fun watching everyone get into the spirit.
The Juggling Elves were pure energy — hilarious, high-paced, and the kind of spontaneous entertainment that makes Hollywood Studios feel alive again.
You can find the times and locations for these shows in the My Disney Experience App (though they did start a little early on the day I was there). I hope these performers stick around for many seasons to come — they brought back that vintage Hollywood charm I’ve missed so much.
Holiday Characters at Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Studios is already a great park for character interactions, but during the holidays, everyone is dressed in their winter best!
I spotted Max, Daisy, Goofy, Jessie, Woody, and Buzz Lightyear sporting festive scarves and hats.
And don’t miss the chance to meet Santa Claus himself! You can find him at It’s a Wonderful Shop. The line uses a virtual queue, and when I visited on a Friday afternoon, the wait was only about 30 minutes.
( NOTE: It has not been announced where this will be for the 2025 season as Muppet Courtyard is being transformed into Monstropolis)
Holiday Snacks at Hollywood Studios
We can’t discuss the holidays without discussing snacks. During the day, you can find plenty of festive treats. Make sure you pick up the guide, as this will tell you all the snack offerings found throughout the park.
I opted for the Linzer Cookie Mousse Torte. And let me tell you…I was NOT disappointed! This might be one of the best desserts I have ever had at Disney World. If you are a fan of Disney’s famous Linzer cookies, do not skip this treat!
Holiday Decor at Hollywood Studios
I’m not sure I can even begin to explain how perfectly decorated this park is during the holidays. The vintage vibes combined with holiday magic really hit home for me. While the tree at Magic Kingdom is beautiful, the tree at Echo Lake will always be my favorite.
Echo Lake’s Tree is surrounded by giant ornaments floating in the water, and of course, the iconic Santa Gertie. From the street lamps to the rooftops, almost every inch of this area is festively dressed for Christmas.
Sunset Boulevard is another must-see area. The shop windows are filled with retro holiday displays, red stars light the street, and vintage Christmas music fills the air. I sat on a bench with coffee, soaking in the view as it started to “snoap.” It truly felt like stepping into a holiday movie moment.
Toy Story Land also gets some holiday cheer with Woody’s scarf being added to the sign, and even Ham gets in on the action.
And thanks to Jollywood Nights, you can spot Christmas decorations in almost every single section of this park. Each garland is themed to its location, and the details are really sweet.
Holiday Outfit Ideas for Hollywood Studios
I visited on November 15th, and the weather was perfect—upper 70s with a light breeze. I wore a sweatshirt and shorts, which is my ideal winter park outfit!
If you’re visiting in November or December, bring layers. Mornings and evenings can get chilly, while afternoons might feel warm.
If you are like me and love a sweatshirt and skirt combo, this pastel Mickey and Minnie holiday look is perfect. It brings together a sweet and softer side of the holiday celebrations. This look would also be great for park hopping!
As you can see, this park is really perfect for celebrating the holidays at Walt Disney World. I hope you’ll visit and see for yourself why it’s so special! If you need any outfits for future trips, be sure to check out our customized services!
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