The BEST Disney hotel to visit at Christmas Time - The Grand Floridian
If you are planning a trip to Walt Disney World and wondering where to stay, look no further than The Grand Floridian. It is considered one of the nicer properties aka more expensive, but we share how we managed to stay here during the holiday season and why you should consider it for your stay during the holidays.
We stayed here in early December and it was the most festive Disney resort experience during the holidays. From the most elaborate holiday décor and magical Christmas traditions to prime Magic Kingdom access, it’s the most perfect resort with old-world charm and that Disney wonder. It’s like stepping into a storybook Christmas scene—with monorail access to get to parks faster.
1. Over-the-Top Christmas Decorations
The life-sized Gingerbread House:
The Grand Floridian is home to an enormous, life-sized gingerbread house built every year in the lobby. It’s made with real ingredients and doubles as a working sweet shop selling holiday treats like peppermint bark, cookies, gingerbread shingles and even ornaments.
Over 500 hours of baking and decorating go into it and hundreds of pounds of real gingerbread go into it! It is decorated different on the outside every year and is a huge attraction for anyone visiting Disney during the holidays.
The chimney puffs out real smoke to complete the effect!
40+ Foot Victorian Christmas Tree:
Towering in the center of the main lobby, this tree is fully decorated in Victorian-themed ornaments, velvet ribbons and beautiful figurines. Most of the ornaments are custom designed and 45,000 white lights. It is literally breathtaking to see when you first walk in the lobby. It’s surrounded by wrapped presents and garlands for a perfect place to take photos
Disney actually assembles the tree overnight in mid-to-late November (before thanksgiving) so it feels like “magic” when it appears the next morning!
2. Classic Holiday Atmosphere
The Grand Floridian exudes timeless elegance with its Victorian architecture, amazing balconies, and twinkling lights. The overall resort is elegant and has an upscale feel without being “stuffy”.
During the holidays they have live music in the grand lobby. The grand piano and string ensembles often play Christmas music in the lobby, adding to the ambiance. You will also see carolers on select nights, and string quartets or jazz trios playing Christmas classics. If you’re looking for something magical but more refined than the character-heavy theming of other resorts, this is it.
3. Unbeatable Location (for Christmas Events too!)
This map gives you an idea of how the monorail runs and what you can get to. Also, looking at the arrows is important to show you the direction each one runs.
The Grand Floridian is located on the monorail. Being on the monorail means you can also get to some of the other parks and resorts very easily. The Polynesian is a 5 minute walk and the Contemporary is just 2 stops on the monorail. Not only are you tust one stop away from Magic Kingdom on the monorail, you’re minutes from:
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party - a separate ticketed event inside of the Magic Kingdom on select evenings in mid November to late December that includes holiday treats, a
Holiday fireworks and parades - you can even watch the fireworks from the resort, many rooms offer great views, and the beach area has a lovely vantage point.
Being on the monorail means you can also get to other parks and resorts very easily. The Polynesian is a 5 minute walk and the Contemporary is just 2 stops on the monorail.
TIP: Visit Downtown Disney
You might have heard of what is known as “Downtown Disney” as a good place to get souvenirs or window shop. You do not need a ticket or have to pay to get in this area, which also makes it a free activity and a GREAT place to visit one night. During the holidays, they decorate this outdoor shopping and restaurant area so festive! They also have a nightly snowfall holidays, specifically from late November through early January. During this period, fake snow (or "snoap") is generated in Downtown Disney every half hour between 6 PM and 10 PM. It is so magical because they also play Disney music through the speakers and my kids LOVED it! They would dance and play in it like they have never seen snow before (we live in central PA so they see it quite often actually).
4. Reasonable rates when booking through Disney Vacation Club
When looking to stay on property at WDW, it can be overwhelming and quite frankly pretty expensive, which detours people from doing it. Since finding the DVC Rental Store, our Disney experience has not only been more budget friendly but there really so many benefits from staying in these suites and villas in general. You can Read all about how we discovered the Disney Vacation Club Rental Store and how we use it to find amazing deals for our on property resort stays to Disney World - but here is the TLDR version:
Get up 30-60% the normal cost of a Disney Hotel Stay (this is the MAIN benefit and why we always book this way now!)
The DVC Rental Store is a service connecting Disney Vacation Club members who want to rent their points with guests seeking resort accommodations.
Disney Vacation Club Members (members of Disney’s points-based timeshare program) sometimes have points they won’t be able to use, and so they can “rent” their points out to people like you and me - DVC Rental Store facilitates this exchange! Additionally, sometimes a Disney Vacation Club Member uses their points and makes a reservation at Disney - only to realize they will not be able to make the trip happen. In this case, they can sell their “confirmed reservation”.
Early and Late Access to the Parks on certain days (the same benefits ANY guest staying at a Disney world resort gets)
Kitchenettes: DVC villas come with full kitchens, helping you save money since you can prepare meals and snacks
Separate bedrooms and living spaces: the villas we have rented have all had multiple bedrooms and bathrooms and come with a separate living space and balconies! They have room configurations for up to 12 people at the Grand Floridian specifically. Being able to travel as a large family and have everyone stay in ONE spot rather than multiple hotel rooms is amazing. We can put the kids to be and still all spend time together in the living area hanging out.
5. Festive Dining
The Grand Floridian has a huge variety of dining offers. We like to split our time eating between the parks and the hotel (especially when we would come back for my youngest to nap and let my older kids have lunch). Some options below:
Grand Floridian Café - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner: Casual American food in an elegant yet unpretentious eatery.
Cítricos - Dinner ONLY: Fine dining/American: Dine underneath the lovely London sky in this newly re-imagined restaurant inspired by Mary Poppins Returns.
Victoria & Albert’s - Dinner ONLY: An elegant but ultimate fine dining experience—with just one seating each evening. Reservations NEEDED.
Narcoossee's - Dinner ONLY: American/ Seafood dishes in a waterfront setting with spectacular panoramic views
Gasparilla Island Grill - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner: Casual quick restaurant that is self-service option with mickey waffles for breakfast and American food like burgers, flatbreads and sandwiches for lunch and dinner.
Seasonal treats are available throughout the resort, and the gingerbread house kiosk sells custom cookies, ornaments, and hot chocolate.
6. Ideal for Families or Couples
For families:
Of course any Disney resort on property is going to be family-friendly, but the Grand Floridian is the top one in our opinion. It’s an easy commute with strollers to Magic Kingdom or you can take the monorail just one stop! They have so many different room types that sleep up to 12 people, which is amazing for bigger families (like us) or even 2 families who want to stay together and split the cost!
For adults:
The holiday ambiance is romantic, and amenities like the spa, lounge, and upscale restaurants make it feel like a grown-up getaway. The grounds are lit with subtle, warm white lights—enhancing the romantic, cozy feel. You can get drinks at the Enchanted Rose - a cocktail bar that is inspired by The Beauty and the Beast and browse in the shops located right in the hotel grand lobby.
Bonus: Character Sightings
Occasionally, you might spot Santa Claus or Disney characters in holiday attire making special appearances in the lobby. We ran into Donald, Daisy, Chip and Dale during our stay! This was truly one of the high points of our trip! It’s never guaranteed so we usually book a character meal when in one of the parks so my kids are guaranteed to see the characters but this was just the best surprise. Our blog on the Top Disney Mistakes explains what they are & the best character meals.
The Grand Floridian combines the comforts of a deluxe resort with that truly special Disney magic. Christmas is peak season, so staying here lets you enjoy the holidays with extra comfort, less hassle, and shorter travel times between parks. Although we usually prefer to go when its warmer so the kids can fully utilize the pools (Spring Break), we thoroughly enjoyed spending some of our holiday season here and plan to go back between Thanksgiving and Christmas again.
FAQ
Q: Can you walk to any park from the Grand Floridian?
A: Yes, you can walk to and from the Magic Kingdom OR take the monorail just ONE STOP! You can take the monorail to the Transportation and Ticket Center and change monorails to get Epcot. You can take a direct bus to the Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.
Q: How can you get to Downtown Disney from the Grand Floridian?
A: You can take a direct bus from the resort.
Q: Does the Grand Floridian have a pool?
A: Yes, there are 2 pools. A beach pool (with waterslide and splash area) & a courtyard pool (quieter, more relaxed). We were there in early December and the pool was open but it was a bit chilly but my kids did swim one day. The pool is opening is weather dependent though.
Q: Is character dining available at Grand Floridian?
A: Yes! 1900 Park Fare offers character meals, often with Cinderella, Tiana, and other rotating characters. Check Disneys website when booking to confirm who will be there.
Q: Do Grand Floridian guests get early park access or Genie+ perks?
A: Yes!! You receive Early Theme Park Entry (30 minutes before opening) & Extended Evening Hours
Q: Is the Grand Floridian good for families with kids?
A: Absolutely!!! It is our favorite Disney Property resort. Despite its upscale reputation, it’s family-friendly with pools, a playground, character dining, and an amazing proximity to Magic Kingdom.
