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From our Holiday Specialist
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December 2024
December is the most festive time for your 2024 Florida holiday and would likely be the warmest Christmas you have ever celebrated. December also has the added benefit of having a two-week School Christmas Holiday, allowing families to enjoy an extended holiday in Florida during this time.
For a festive Christmas experience on your 2024 December Florida holiday, why not stay in the quaint town of Celebration - formerly owned by Walt Disney World. Celebration is modelled on a quintessential American town with several hotels to choose from such as the Meliá Orlando Celebration and the Celebration Hotel; In December, Celebration hosts their very own Winter Wonderland in the town centre. Every night snow will fall, horse drawn carriages offer festive rides through the streets, light shows take place on the buildings, and ice skating is open and ready for tourists and residents alike. Plus, Celebration is just a short drive from Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort.
Walt Disney World host several festive activities during the month of December that you will be able to enjoy on your 2024 Florida holiday. In Magic Kingdom you can take part in Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, in EPCOT you can enjoy the International Festival of the Holidays, and at Disney Springs you can join in on their Christmas Tree Trail, live entertainment and holiday magic throughout the complex. However, at all the Disney theme parks (Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom, and EPCOT) you will be able to enjoy the Disney Christmas celebrations and decorations in all of their spectacular glory.
Walt Disney World will also hold special celebrations for New Year's Eve in December; you will be able to enjoy New Year's Eve celebrations at Magic Kingdom, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs, and EPCOT on December 31st. EPCOT is most often the most popular Disney theme park to spend New Year's Eve at thanks to the beautiful countdown firework display, live music and entertainment, and great food around the World Showcase. Magic Kingdom will also offer a firework display alongside Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration stage show - what better way to celebrate the New Year than with fireworks lighting up the sky atop Cinderella’s Castle. Disney's Hollywood Studios also offers a smaller countdown and firework display, and Disney Springs and Disney's Animal Kingdom offer more Low-key New Year's Eve celebration that might be better suited for families with young children.
At Universal Orlando Resort the Grinchmas festivities will be in full swing and you will be able to see all of the Universal Christmas decorations throughout the two theme parks - Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure. The December crowds at the Universal Orlando theme parks often returned to the levels seen during the months of July and August - because of this, a great option for your 2024 Florida holiday in December would be to stay in one of the 3 Premier Universal Orlando Hotels (Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel, and Loews Royal Pacific Resort) for 3-4 nights during your Florida holiday. This option is very popular among those travelling to Florida in December thanks to the Free Unlimited Express Passes offered to guests of these hotels for the nights they stay there (A valid Universal Orlando theme park entry ticket is required). The inclusion of Free Unlimited Express Passes proves to be extremely beneficial during December as it allows visitors to the Universal Orlando theme parks (Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure) to skip the regular lines!
Universal Orlando also has their own New Year's Eve celebrations where guests can enjoy live music and character appearances in the theme parks. The Universal hotels, such as Loews Portofino Bay Hotel and Universal’s Hard Rock Hotel, will also hold their own New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Many guests to Florida in December will split their stay between one of the 3 Premier Universal Orlando Resort hotels and another Hotel or Villa in Orlando. A great option for your Orlando 2024 holiday in December is to stay at Margaritaville Orlando - Margaritaville is a new resort in Orlando that offers both hotel rooms, hotel suites, and Cottages which resemble an Orlando Villa. The benefit of staying at a Margaritaville Cottage rather than simply an Orlando / Disney Area Villa is that you have access to all of the Margaritaville Resort amenities including the pool, the restaurants, the evening entertainment, the water park, the spa, and much more. Additionally, across the road from Margaritaville is the shopping and dining complex Sunset Walk; Sunset Walk is a great place to spend the day, and evening, but also a great place to spend New Year's Eve for families of all ages, as Sunset Walk put together a ticketed Street Party event that offers a nice and safe environment to ring-in the New Year together. We recommend booking a table outside at one of the restaurants to enjoy the street party whilst you have dinner, and then you will also be able to have your own space throughout the entire event.
There are plenty more areas to enjoy Christmas festivities at in Florida including at Tampa’s Busch Gardens where they will put on their own Winter Wonderland, at Legoland in Central Florida (Winter Haven) the little ones can enjoy a Lego themed Christmas with a Lego Santa and Gingerbread Man, Miami will host its own Christmas themed event – Santa’s Enchanted Forest - which will be full of Christmas themed rides and attractions, The Gaylord Resort holds its own Christmas party: ICE! - Which will take you on a walk through ice castles and sculptures inside the giant Gaylord Resort lobby, Key West invites visitors to The Harbor Walk of Lights - a spectacular light show display honouring the maritime history of The Florida Keys, The Orlando Museum puts on a wonderful showcase called the Festival of Trees where you can enjoy the beautifully decorated Christmas displays, and so much more!
To book your 2024 Florida holiday in December and enjoy the Florida Festive Season, get in touch with one of our Florida Travel Specialists today!
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