Christmas at Animal Kingdom for the Holidays

The Holidays at Walt Disney World are all about magic and Animal Kingdom is no exception. With marionettes, new holiday snacks, merchandise, and more you’ll want to spend a whole day in this park! Here’s everything happening at Animal Kingdom for the Holidays.

What Can You Do at Animal Kingdom for the Holidays?

With new snacks, holiday overlays, and fun Disney Character Christmas Cavalcades, Animal Kingdom has really brought in the holiday spirit! Aside from an overall increase in holiday cheer, like added wreaths, garlands, and wreaths, there’s a lot to look forward to at Animal Kingdom for the holidays this year. 

Festive Floatillas at Animal Kingdom

Featuring Disney Characters in their holiday best keep an eye out for Festive Flotillas. These floats will appear throughout the day for festive fun to look forward to. And you can see Santa Claus! The big man himself will be floating on a Festive Flotilla down Discovery River as part of the Animal Kingdom Celebrations. While you won’t get to sit on his lap, there will be plenty of magic as part of his arrival!

• Santa Claus Festive Flotilla
  • The big man himself will be floating on a Festival Flotilla down Discovery River as part of the Animal Kingdom Celebrations. 
• Donald’s Dino-Bash Festive Flotilla
  • See Donald Duck, Daisy, and Launchpad from Ducktales happy with holiday cheer while sailing Discovery River.
• Chip & Dale’s Festive Flotilla
  • Don’t miss Chip ‘n’ Dale grooving to the holiday music as they float down Discovery River for the festive season.
• Mickey and Friends Festive Flotilla
  • Mickey and Friends, in their best safari holiday gear, can be seen from bridges, and alongside Discovery River throughout the day!
• Discovery Island Drummers Festive Flotilla
  • Listen for the Island drummers cruising along the river playing fun and festive tunes. 

Whimsical Winter Puppets

Our favorite addition to the holiday offerings at Animal Kingdom is the Merry Menagerie of life-size artisan winter puppets! These puppets are not only absolutely adorable, but they are so fun to interact with! The cast members who handle these puppets are wonderful and really get everyone involved and excited about these creatures. The puppets are located at Discovery Island, near the Tree of Life.  They change throughout the day, so be sure to check back to find your favorites!

We were lucky enough to see flying birds, foxes, polar bears, penguins, a baby seal, and reindeer! The detail on these animals is just stunning, so be sure to take your time when visiting them. And take a million photos of them too… because that’s what we did:) Their facial expressions are just priceless and really add to the character of these puppets. In addition to the whimsical puppets, there is also a new wall to match the theme, as well as adorable wintry luminaries atop the shops on Discovery Island, that light up when the sun goes down. 

Holiday Snacks at Animal Kingdom

We are happy to report that Animal Kingdom now has new Disney snacks for the holiday! We tried a double chocolate peppermint cookie ice cream sandwich from Dino-Bite Snacks. It was delicious and all the flavors of chocolate and peppermint, perfect for the season. Be sure to check out all the Snacks at Animal Kingdom for Christmas!

Holiday Overlay in Dino-Land U.S.A

Dino-Land is by far our favorite of the decked-out areas in Animal Kingdom this year and almost has a Hollywood Studios-like aesthetic to it. With Kitschy décor during the day and Christmas lights at nighttime, the atmosphere is definitely jolly in Dino-Land this year!

Meet Mickey and Minnie in their Christmas Outfits

For the last few years, guests have been able to meet Mickey and Minnie in their holiday sweaters in Animal Kingdom. If you’re looking to play matchy, check out our Mickey and Minnie Holiday Sweaters DIY post for how you can make your own outfit for your next Disney Vacation. 

Holidays in Pandora

Pandora has joined in on the holiday fun too; and even though it may be minimal, the Ex-pats on Pandora have brought some handmade holiday decorations to Pongu Pongu. and made it their own this holiday season! And if you need one of the Best Animal Kingdom Snacks while you browse,  check out the Pongu Lumpia. 

Holiday Tree of Life Awakenings at Animal Kingdom

Before you leave for the night, you’ll want to make sure you stop by the Tree of Life to catch the new wintry scenes and holiday music, specially created for this time of year. It’s such a peaceful and relaxing way to end the night and can be seen from many different angles, meaning there’s plenty of room for everyone! The scenes replay throughout the evening, so feel free to take it all in as much as you want. 

With so many new things at Animal Kingdom for the holidays this year, we say Animal Kingdom is an absolute must-do for the holidays. Be sure to set aside some time during your winter trip to enjoy all it has to offer!