If EPCOT is already one of your favorite Walt Disney World parks, the holiday season gives you even more reasons to spend an evening wandering around World Showcase. The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays returns in 2026 with sparkling lights, international holiday traditions, festive food and drinks, entertainment, and a few experiences that are easy to overlook when you’re busy trying to fit everything else into your park day.
And if you’re planning a holiday trip to Walt Disney World, some of these experiences are worth knowing about before you arrive. Here are a few of the festive features you can look forward to at EPCOT this holiday season…
Living with the Land Gets a Holiday Glow-Up
Living with the Land is already one of EPCOT’s most relaxing attractions, but during the holidays, the greenhouse gets a completely different atmosphere.
During Glimmering Greenhouses, guests can board a festive version of the attraction and cruise through the greenhouses surrounded by twinkling lights and seasonal decorations. It’s a quieter kind of holiday experience compared with the big nighttime shows and busy festival areas. You still get the educational side of Living with the Land, but with plenty of holiday sparkle mixed in.
And there’s an even more immersive option for guests who want to take a closer look.
Behind the Seeds: Glimmering Greenhouses
Instead of seeing the greenhouses from a boat, Behind the Seeds: Glimmering Greenhouses takes guests on a limited-time holiday walking tour through The Land pavilion.
During the tour, you’ll learn more about the crops growing inside the greenhouses, including plants that help flavor some of your favorite holiday dishes, while taking in the seasonal lighting and decorations.
This is one of those experiences that could easily become a favorite for Disney fans who have already done the major attractions and want something a little different.
Bookings open September 24.
You can find more information on DisneyWorld.com or through the My Disney Experience app.
Spaceship Earth Gets Even More Spectacular After Dark
Spaceship Earth is one of those Disney icons that doesn’t need much help standing out. But once the sun goes down during the holiday season, the geodesic sphere becomes part of EPCOT’s nighttime holiday magic. Lights on Spaceship Earth brings dazzling holiday lighting and dynamic effects to the park’s most recognizable landmark.
If you’re visiting EPCOT during the holidays, don’t make the mistake of treating Spaceship Earth as something you only see during the daytime. The nighttime version is part of the experience.
This is also a great reason to plan some time at EPCOT after dark rather than rushing through World Showcase earlier in the day.
Help Olaf Find His Holiday Traditions
If you’re traveling with kids, there’s another festive activity to add to your list. Olaf’s Holiday Tradition Expedition Scavenger Hunt sends you throughout World Showcase on a holiday adventure with Olaf.
The premise is exactly what you’d hope for: Olaf is exploring holiday traditions from around the world, and guests get to help search for him throughout World Showcase. You’ll purchase the scavenger hunt, complete the activity, and receive a holiday keepsake when you’re finished.
It’s a fun way to turn a stroll around World Showcase into a little more of an adventure, especially for kids who might otherwise be less interested in stopping at every pavilion.
Get Ready to Smell the Holidays
One of the more unique offerings returning to EPCOT is Scentsy’s Festive Fragrances: A Sensory Wonderland. Returning for its third year, Festive Fragrances features new scents inspired by holidays and celebrations around the world, including Noche Buena and Diwali. You’ll find the experience along the walkway between the Imagination! pavilion and World Showcase, where you’ll discover a garden filled with snow globes infused with festive fragrances.
It’s a different way to experience the holidays at EPCOT because it isn’t just about what you see. The scents are designed to evoke holiday traditions and memories from around the world. And considering how strongly scent can be tied to memories, this could end up being one of those little festival stops you remember long after your vacation is over.
The Best Part? You Don’t Have to Do Everything
This is one of the biggest mistakes people make when planning a Walt Disney World holiday vacation. They try to do everything.
Between the attractions, holiday entertainment, festival booths, character experiences, shopping, nighttime spectaculars, and special events, it is incredibly easy to create a schedule that looks perfect on paper and feels exhausting in real life.
EPCOT is especially easy to overpack because World Showcase alone can take hours to explore.
Instead of trying to check every single thing off your list, think about what kind of experience you want.
Want a relaxed evening? Ride Living with the Land, explore the holiday offerings, and take your time around World Showcase.
Traveling with kids? The Olaf scavenger hunt could give you a fun objective while exploring the pavilions.
Already visited EPCOT many times? Consider adding something you may not have experienced before, such as Behind the Seeds: Glimmering Greenhouses.
And if you’re there in the evening, make sure you take a moment to look up at Spaceship Earth.
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