Orlando’s heat is no match for its community members’ unwavering holiday spirit. In and around the city, there’s a slew of places to find Santa meet-and-greets, pick out a Christmas tree, ice skate, cheer on parades and even dance around in some (Florida-fied) snow.
Here are all the best Orlando spots for holiday festivities this year.
Leu Gardens, 1920 N. Forest Ave., Orlando
This family-friendly event transforms Leu Gardens into a stunning winter wonderland featuring twinkly lights, shining forests, magical displays, music and festive sculptures. Credit: Creative City Project
5250 International Drive, Orlando
The massive mall/amusement attraction Dezerland Park is now hosting its Christmas Wonderland event, complete with Santa and Grinch photo-ops, indoor ice skating, toy building, train rides, holiday displays and all the usual fun like go karting, classic cars and more. The holiday events go on through Christmas Eve. Credit: Dezerland/Facebook
36111 County Road 44A, Eustis
The farm’s most wonderful time of year offers Santa photo-ops, a winter wonderland with snow flurries, treats like hot chocolate, seasonal music, and even the chance to pick your own strawberries and sunflowers. The Christmas event happens now through Dec. 21.
Multiple locations including Sanford, Lake Mary, Kissimmee and Winter Garden
Open daily, this family-owned Christmas tree farm offers tons of tree varieties and a fun, festive experience at several lots across Florida.
1 Legoland Way, Winter Haven
The Winter Haven park turns into a brick-ified holiday wonderland through Dec. 31 with truly impressive Lego Christmas builds, plenty of lights and decor, character experiences and festive food and shopping. There are five holiday villages throughout the park featuring opportunities to build toys and a sleigh for Santa, sing-alongs, scavenger hunts and meet-and-greets with Lego Santa, Lego Gingerbread Man and Lego toys. Credit: Legoland Florida/Facebook
6955 Tavistock Lakes Blvd., Orlando
Lake Nona’s “Oh, What Fun!” holiday event features nightly “snowfalls,” live entertainment, holiday photo-ops, Santa meet-and-greets and plenty of twinkly lights. Credit: Lake Nona/Facebook
300 W. Plant St., Winter Garden
Winter Garden hosts an annual holiday light show on select dates throughout December. The light show tradition sees the facade of Winter Garden City Hall decked in holiday lights and synchronized music from 6 to 9 p.m. Credit: A Merry Winter Garden Light Show
Lake Eola Park
Through December, Orlando’s 64-foot Christmas tree will be lit up and adorned with 2,000 ornaments at Lake Eola’s Washington plaza. Keep a look out for holiday performances at the Walt Disney Amphitheater, as well as food trucks, a holiday market, vendor village, Santa visits, Florida “snowfall” and more. Credit: Downtown Orlando/Facebook
7007 SeaWorld Drive, Orlando
SeaWorld Orlando’s popular Christmas Celebration features a slate of holiday shows, live entertainment, immersive decor and snow flurries on the Waterfront. Popular attractions include the “O Wondrous Night” stage show retelling the story of Christmas through life-sized puppets and animal actors and “Mrs. Claus’ Magic Kitchen” cooking show. There’s also the Sea of Trees in the park’s lagoon, ice skating at Bayside Stadium, meet-and-greets with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Santa Claus, and the Holiday Reflections Fireworks Finale every night. Credit: SeaWorld/Facebook
Between Highway 192 and I-4 near Walt Disney World
Through Dec. 31, Celebration’s “Now Snowing” offers a synthetic ice rink, plus community performances by local talent, a tree lighting event, ice skating, train rides, horse-drawn carriages, and special concert events throughout the holiday season. Credit: Photo via Celebration/Facebook
100 N. Country Club Road, Lake Mary
Throughout December Hosted at Central Park, the Christmas celebration will include a holiday tree-lighting ceremony, dancing light show and a visit from Mr. and Mrs. Claus. There will also be plenty of activities such as a winter maze, balloon artists, holiday carolers, food vendors and more throughout the holiday season. Credit: Lake Mary/Facebook
6000 Universal Blvd., Orlando
Holiday festivities at Universal Orlando run through Jan. 4 at parks and CityWalk. That includes Grinchmas in Islands of Adventure, Christmas in the Wizarding World, the Holiday Parade featuring Macy’s and new menus of festive eats. Credit: Universal Orlando/Facebook
530 N. Donnelly St., Mount Dora
Keep the celebration going throughout the entire month of December in festive Mount Dora. With activities like Snow in the Park, the Lighted Boat Parade and Christmas at the Market, there are plenty of ways to remain cheery and bright through the season. Credit: mountdorachristmas.com
1486 Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista
Disney Springs offers both a Santa Experience and Christmas Tree Stroll during the holiday season. Credit: Santa Experience at Disney Springs/Facebook
8375 International Drive, Orlando
Through December, the 50-foot-tall tree on I-Drive is worth braving the deepest pits of tourist hell. There’s also a Santa Workshop Experience and plenty of Icon Park-centric things to do. Credit: Icon Park/Facebook
6000 W. Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee
Though not a theme park, Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee is known for having theme park-level attractions and entertainment and for being a destination vacation spot during the holidays with activities like the ICE! show, a naughty-or-nice escape room, a scavenger hunt, photos with Santa and more. It’s also one of the few places that Floridians can experience true winter temperatures. Credit: Gaylord Palms Resort & Water Park/Facebook
421 Broadway, Kissimmee
Through Jan. 6, Kissimmee’s Historic Downtown will be covered with holiday decor and lights with four Festival of Lights events: a tree lighting ceremony, movie in the park, Jingle Bar Hop, and a Festival of Lights parade. Credit: Kissimmee.gov
Disney World’s Magic Kingdom
This annual ticketed event is a Christmas sensory overload at Magic Kingdom. Mickey’s after-hours Christmas party promises low ride wait times, strolling for cookies and cocoa around the park, meet-and-greets with characters in their holiday outfits, exclusive holiday treats and merchandise, and a dizzying amount of live Credit: Disney Parks
Disney World’s Epcot
Over at the prototype community of tomorrow, the Festival of the Holidays showcases wintertime traditions from around the world. Stroll through festive decor and hear holiday tales from storytellers at select countries in World Showcase, like Norway’s Barn Santa and Italy’s La Befana. Indulge in classic and cultural food fare at outdoor kitchens around the park, and partake in the popular Christmas cookie stroll to take home a sweet souvenir. Credit: Disney Parks