Disney Springs tree lighting opens the Walt Disney World holiday season

By entgrove · October 24, 2026

Walt Disney World kicked off the holiday season with a Christmas tree lighting at Disney Springs, lit by a guest family with a handful of pixie dust. The district brings back the 19-tree Christmas Tree Stroll presented by AdventHealth, debuts the Disney Enchanted Holiday Art Gallery, and adds holiday menus, roaming performers, and Santa greetings through January 4.

Walt Disney World opened its holiday season on Thursday night with a Christmas tree lighting at Disney Springs, where a guest family blew pixie dust to switch on the lights. The celebration returns the Christmas Tree Stroll, debuts a new holiday art gallery, and runs through January 4.

The tree lighting kickoff

A guest family lit the Town Center tree to open the season at Disney Springs.

• Pixie dust moment. One family chosen from the crowd blew pixie dust onto the tree, bringing it to life with twinkling lights.
• Nightly snowfall. The ceremony marked the first night of the district's nightly snowfall in Town Center.
• Live entertainment. Entertainment moments led the countdown to the tree lighting on Thursday night.

Christmas Tree Stroll presented by AdventHealth

The scavenger hunt tree trail returns with 19 themed trees across the district.

• Nineteen trees. Guests pick up a Tree Stroll Guide and find 19 themed trees spread throughout Disney Springs.
• Sticker hunt. Match the right icon sticker to each tree, then redeem the guide for a surprise while supplies last.
• Film themes. Trees honor Pixar's Coco, Walt Disney Animation's Moana, and The Princess and the Frog.
• Interactive trees. Some trees respond to a MagicBand+, the light-up wearable that links to park experiences.

A new holiday art gallery

A first-year gallery sells original holiday artwork from local artists.

• Eleven artists. The Disney Enchanted Holiday Art Gallery features work from 11 artists, most of them Florida natives.
• Range of pieces. Items span original paintings, prints, and canvas wraps across many styles and techniques.
• Disney subjects. Featured art includes Mickey and Minnie, Alice in Wonderland, and Beauty and the Beast.
• Signing events. A schedule of artist signing events runs during the gallery's showcases.

Festive sips and bites

Holiday menus and treats arrive across Disney Springs restaurants and snack spots.

• Hangar Bar menu. Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar runs a holiday menu through January 4, with A Wreath of Wellington and Boughs of Holly Deviled Eggs.
• Sweet stops. Amorette's Patisserie pours a North Pole Bar and The Ganachery sells Mickey chocolate-covered gingerbread cookies.
• Marketplace treat. Marketplace Snacks serves a Sven Reindeer Food Waffle Sundae.

Holiday entertainment and Santa greetings

Roaming performers, music, and Santa fill the Marketplace through the season.

• DJ Sleigh. DJ Sleigh spins holiday tunes, including seven new songs from the Jonas Brothers' A Very Jonas Christmas Movie.
• Roaming performers. Toy Soldier Stilt Walkers, Drummers, Holiday Skaters, and the fan-favorite Douglas Fir entertain shoppers.
• Santa greetings. Santa Claus meets guests at Santa's Marketplace, with a virtual queue through the My Disney Experience app.
• Window displays. World of Disney shows holiday-themed window displays for shoppers.

Everything runs through January 4

The Disney Springs holiday lineup stays in place until early January.

• Season window. The tree lighting, stroll, gallery, and holiday menus continue through January 4.
• Beyond the district. Magic Kingdom's nighttime holiday entertainment and the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays run alongside it.

Our take. Families short on park time can get a full dose of holiday Disney at Disney Springs, where no theme park ticket is needed to walk the Tree Stroll, browse the gallery, or meet Santa.