The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays Begins

We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday…with family and friends gathered around the table to partake in turkey, cranberry sauce and good old pumpkin pie. I understand there are still some of you who will get up at the crack of dawn (or earlier) on Black Friday to get a jump on your Christmas shopping. At least, that’s the rumor I heard. Me? I’ll be sleeping in until noon thank you very much! But Friday the 24th also welcomed in a favorite Disney holiday tradition as the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays began, spreading Christmas cheer to Guests as they took in the sights, sounds, and tastes!

The yearly celebration, presented by AdventHealth, runs through December 30, and features immersive experiences throughout World Showcase. Here you’ll discover international cuisine, live entertainment, and family-friendly activities. But where to begin? How about with perhaps the most celebrated of all Disney Christmas traditions, the Candlelight Processional!

An Evening You Will Never Forget: The Candlelight Processional

Every night at the America Gardens Theatre in front of the American Adventure Pavilion, a celebrity narrator tells the story of Christmas, accompanied by the beautiful sounds of the Voices of Liberty a capella ensemble, a 50-piece live orchestra, and the real stars of the show, the massed choir made up of Disney Cast Members and local community groups. Last year we had the good fortune of seeing Raúl Esparza (yes, there are several BIG fans of Law & Order in our family!), and it was an experience we will never forget. Raul won’t be returning this year, but Disney did recently release the Celebrity Narrator lineup for this year:

• Chrissy Metz (NEW): Nov. 24-25
• Luis Fonsi (NEW): Nov. 26-27
• Ann-Margret (NEW): Nov. 28-29
• Simu Liu: Nov. 30-Dec. 2
• John Stamos: Dec. 3-5
• Neil Patrick Harris: Dec. 6-8
• Marlee Matlin: Dec. 9-11
• Brendan Fraser (NEW): Dec. 12-14
• Eva Longoria (NEW): Dec. 15-16
• Joey McIntyre (NEW): Dec. 17-18
• Sterling K. Brown (NEW): Dec. 19-20
• Jordan Fisher (NEW): Dec. 21-23
• Steven Curtis Chapman: Dec. 24-26
• Audra McDonald (NEW): Dec. 27-28
• Lisa Ling: Dec. 29-30 *

To make the evening extra special (and to ensure you get a great seat), you can book a Candlelight Processional Dining Packages. You can dine at one of these eight locations, and you’ll get priority seating for that evening’s performance as well!

• Akershus Royal Banquet Hall | Norway Pavilion
• Biergarten Restaurant | Germany Pavilion
• Coral Reef Restaurant | The Living Seas (This is where we dined last year…and one of our favorite places to eat in all of EPCOT! The Shrimp & Grits are to die for!)
• Garden Grill Restaurant | The Land Pavilion
• Le Cellier Steakhouse | Canada Pavilion
• Regal Eagle Smokehouse | American Adventure Pavilion
• Rose & Crown Dining Room | United Kingdom Pavilion
• Spice Road Table | Morocco Pavilion

The Holiday Storytellers

One of our favorite Disney Holiday Traditions is to wander around World Showcase and listen to the Holiday Storytellers. This is where you can learn how Christmas is celebrated around the globe, or in lieu of Christmas, the Winter festivities that are celebrated by other cultures. Straight from Disney, here is this years lineup of Storytellers (all of the Storytellers appear daily, with the exception of Las Posadas Celebration in Mexico, who only appear Sunday through Thursday)

• Mexico Pavilion – Las Posadas Celebration (Sunday through Thursday)
  ¡Feliz Navidad! Join the fun and pageantry of Las Posadas with dancers, piñatas and the music of Mariachi Cobre.
• Norway Pavilion – A Mischievous Magical Barn Santa
  Celebrate the season with laughter as a mischievous Barn Santa visits Sigrid, an unsuspecting Christmas storyteller.
• China Pavilion – Chinese Lion Dancer
  Catch a glimpse of a colorful performance that brings good fortune and happiness in the Lunar New Year.
• Italy Pavilion – La Befana
  Come hear the tale of La Befana, the kindhearted witch who visits sleeping young children on the Eve of the Epiphany.
• Japan Pavilion – Daruma Storyteller
  Hear the fascinating story of the Daruma doll and the Japanese customs of the New Year!
• Between the Morocco and France Pavilions – Hanukkah Storyteller
  Witness a storyteller recount traveling abroad to explore the diverse music and traditions of Hanukkah around the world.
• France Pavilion – Pere Noel
  Visit with Père Noël and rediscover the magic of Christmas through the letter of a delightful child.
• United Kingdom Pavilion – Father Christmas
  Join Father Christmas as he rings in the season, sharing the traditions of the United Kingdom with good cheer.
• Canada Pavilion – Canadian Holiday Voyageurs
  Explore holiday customs from the various regions of Canada on a musical tour of the Great White North with the Canadian Holiday Voyageurs.
• You can also stop by the Odyssey Pavilion and meet Santa!
  This is a great photo op where you can meet jolly Santa Claus—also known as St. Nick, Père Noël and Father Christmas around the world!

(Holiday) Snacking Your Way Around the World

You can sample holiday cuisine from across the globe at the seventeen Holiday Kitchens throughout World Showcase and World Discovery. Indulge in scrumptious recipes and festive drinks from around the globe, including slow Roasted Turkey with Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans and Cranberry Sauce. We’re looking forward to visiting the Tuscany Holiday Kitchen in the Italy Pavilion, but we’re torn between the Montanara (fried house-made pizza dough with Pomodoro sauce) and the Dolce Pizza (fried pizza dough with sugar and cinnamon). What’s that you say? Why not have both? Now why didn’t we think of that! Here is a list of all the Holiday Kitchen locations:

1. American Holiday Table — American Adventure Pavilion
   Enjoy a savory salute to the season—with traditional dishes reminiscent of grandma’s cooking.
2. Bavaria Holiday Kitchen – Germany Pavilion
   Willkommen! Help yourself to heartwarming holiday cuisine like Pork Schnitzel with Mushroom Sauce
3. Bubbles & Brine – Near Port of Entry
   Indulge in succulent seafood (such as Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail with Prosecco Cocktail Sauce) that pairs beautifully with Champagne.
4. Char & Chop – Near Disney Traders
   Stop by this butchery-inspired holiday kitchen for gourmet meats including Roasted Porchetta with Lemon-Parsley Salsa Verde 
5. Holiday Hearth Desserts — The Odyssey Pavilion
   Cozy up with sweet treats (such as Red Velvet Mini Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Icing), hot cocoa, blissful brews and more.
6. Holiday Sweets & Treats — Near Port of Entry
   Rock around the Christmas tree with hot cocoa and sweet treats like the Peppermint Sundae (Chocolate Ice Cream, Whipped Cream and Peppermint Candy)
7. L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen — Between the Morocco and France Pavilions
   Propose a toast to life as you enjoy classic deli noshes (such as Pastrami on Rye and a Smoked Salmon Potato Latke) with a side of New York flair.
8. Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen – Mexico Pavilion
   Feliz Navidad! Take your taste buds south of the border to sample tasty selections like the Giant Tostada de Chorizo (a Giant Tostada with Chipotle Black Bean Purée, Ground Chorizo, Salsa Verde, Queso Cotija, Crema Mexicana and Pickled Onions)
9. Le Marché de Noël Holiday Kitchen – France Pavilion
   Feast on très magnifique fare such as Crème de Saumon Fume en Brioche à l’Aneth. Plus, refresh your spirit with specialty cocktails.
10. Nochebuena Cocina – At World Discovery
    Spice up your holiday with delicious dishes like the Tamale with Plant-Based Chorizo, packed with bold Latin flavors.
11. Shanghai Holiday Kitchen — China Pavilion
    Have yourself a merry little meal (Our favorite? Definitely the Chicken Skewer with Creamy Peanut Sauce!) with popular Chinese plates and potables.
12. Shi Wasu Holiday Kitchen — Japan Pavilion
    Please your palate with festive dishes and drinks from the Land of the Rising Sun. Sushi lovers will definitely want to try the Sushi Tree: Sushi Roll with Krab Meat and Cream Cheese topped with Aonori Seaweed, Ikura Salmon Roe and Spicy Mayonnaise.
13. Swirled Showcase — Near Port of Entry
    Cool off with whimsical frozen treats like the Mickey-shaped Liquid Nitro Cake and chilled beverages.
14. Tangierine Café: Flavors of the Medina Morocco Pavilion
    Embark on a culinary adventure to Morocco—featuring grilled kebabs, hard cider and more.
15. Tuscany Holiday Kitchen — Italy Pavilion
    Mangiare! Savor a seasonal take on some of the world’s best-loved food like the Montanara: Fried House-Made Pizza Dough with Pomodoro Sauce, Parmesan and Fresh Basil.
16. Wine & Wedge — Near Disney Traders
    Snack on artisanal cheeses and accoutrements—which pair well with wine, port and more.
17. Yukon Holiday Kitchen — Canada Pavilion
    Jingle your bells with delightful dishes (such as the Seared Salmon with Butternut Squash Purée, and Maple Bourbon Glaze) and libations from the Great White North.

We do need to remember to make room however for the Holiday Cookie Stroll, one of our other favorite EPCOT holiday traditions. If you’ve done the Cookie Stroll before then you know the drill: when you purchase a cookie from any of the official cookie stroll locations, you’ll get a stamp for your Festival Passport. Collect five of them and you’ll get a specialty cookie! (We also got a Guardians of the Galaxy pin last year, we’ll see what treasures await us in 2023!)

If you want to plan ahead (that’s a lot of cookies to eat, you may want to plot out a strategy!), here are the locations for this year:

• Nochebuena Cocina: Spiced Chocolate Cookie
• Yukon Holiday Kitchen: Snickerdoodle Cookie made with SNICKERS® bar pieces
• L’Chaim! Holiday Kitchen: Black and White Cookie (plant-based)
• American Holiday Table: Gingerbread Cookie
• Bavaria Holiday Kitchen: Linzer Cookie
• Holiday Hearth Desserts: Peppermint Pinwheel Cookie
• Sunshine Seasons: Jingle Sugar Cookie made with M&M’S® chocolate candies
• Connections Café: Holiday Sugar Cookie

Where’s Olaf?

Finally, what EPCOT festival would be the same without a good old-fashioned Scavenger Hunt? Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt is back again, and your adventure begins with the purchase of a map and stickers (which you can find at any of the festival merchandise locations). And now the quest begins! See if you can spot Olaf in each World Showcase Pavilion, where you’ll learn about the traditions that Olaf has discovered in every pavilion. (Photo © Collin Kendall)

​