Where to see Christmas lights in Orlando

Orlando’s best theme parks are known for their Christmas celebrations, but if you want to experience the magic of the castle parks without the hefty entrance fee, head straight to Disney Springs. The shopping, dining, and entertainment district is known for its beautiful decorations, including a towering Christmas tree, garlands, stilt walkers, and “snow” falling throughout the evening. When it’s time for a break, head to Jock Lindsey’s Hangar Bar, which gets a full holiday makeover with lights and decorations, plus a festive menu with drinks and shareable appetizers. From November 8 through December 24, you can meet Santa near Disney’s Pin Traders. And don’t forget the Christmas Tree Stroll, where you can see almost two dozen Disney-themed trees around Disney Springs. The holidays at Disney Springs start November 8 and run through December 30, 2024.

For the fifth year, Harry P. Leu Gardens is getting transformed with a million lights for its Dazzling Nights event. The winter wonderland display features luminaria walls, oak trees wrapped with thousands of lights, a 70-foot tunnel of garland, and a stained glass window forest aglow with 800 candles. The event also has live entertainment, food and drinks, and snowfall. Tickets must be purchased in advance and have a timed entry, so don’t be late getting to the garden. Dazzling Nights runs nightly from November 29, 2024, through January 5, 2025.

If you’re looking for an event filled with fun for the entire family, head to the Oh, What Fun! Holiday Festival in Lake Nona. Here, the Lake Nona Town Center turns into Peppermint Square, where you can find different mini-events every weekend. On Friday, kids and adults will love seeing Santa’s Toy Box Live Acrobatics Show. Saturdays bring snow-themed entertainment offerings, and Sundays are family fun days where local school groups take the stage. Of course, there’s plenty of other festive fun, too, including a holiday market, a tree trail to see beautifully decorated Christmas trees and plenty of photo ops with lit-up displays. Oh, What Fun! Holiday Festival takes place on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, December 6 through 22.

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The Asian Lantern Festival at the Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens is an Orlando holiday highlight every year. The festival features dozens of hand-constructed lantern displays that are lit by thousands of LED lights. Tickets for the unique holiday event often sell out and must be purchased in advance. The event runs most days of the week, but weekends bring live entertainment, and on December 11 and 20, kids can visit with Santa to tell him what they want for Christmas. The festival runs from November 15, 2024, through January 19, 2025.

Christmas at Gaylord Palms is like stepping into a winter wonderland. The signature attraction here is ICE!, which brings the story of Elf to life through ice sculptures. Inside the ice room, there are also ice slides, games, and more. Around the hotel, you can also enjoy taking pictures with Santa, seeing Mrs. Claus tell stories, decorating gingerbread houses, and more. When the sun starts to set, the lobby of the resort comes to life with acres of decorations, a glowing Christmas tree trail, and a light show centered around the lobby Christmas tree. The event runs from November 15, 2024, through January 4, 2025.

Free events can be hard to find in Orlando, especially around the holidays. But the town of Celebration near Walt Disney World is hosting its annual Now Snowing event and it’s completely free to park and enter! Talk about a Christmas miracle. The event features nightly snowfall, strolling Charles Dickens-style carolers, a chance to meet Santa, horse-drawn carriage rides, train rides, and ice skating. With so much to do, you really can make a whole night or two of the event. On November 30, you can head to the main square for the tree lighting ceremony, and on December 3 and 10, the event will also host a holiday-themed art festival. Now Snowing runs from November 30 through December 31, 2024.

There’s always something going on at the Promenade at Sunset Walk, and during the holiday season, locals and tourists gather for Holinights Celebration. The centerpiece of the event is the 45-food animated Christmas tree, which is lit every night at 6:30pm. After the tree lighting, you can enjoy live music and visits with Santa. One of the most unique activities at Holinights is the Pearl Express, which is a miniature steam engine that takes guests on tours of Sunset Walk. Holinights run on select nights from November 21 through December 25, 2024.

There’s nothing like a good holiday parade, and the Festival of Lights Parade in downtown Kissimmee is one of the best in Orlando. The evening starts at city hall at 4pm with the holiday festival that features an entire kids zone and a spot to write letters to Santa. Then the parade kicks off at 7:30pm, making its rounds from Broadway Avenue to Church Street, and ending at Stewart Avenue. The parade features floats, characters, and lights, making it a great family-friendly holiday activity. Festival of Lights is December 14, 2024, from 4pm to 8:30pm.

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Downtown Orlando has a lot to offer, no matter when you visit, but during the holidays, the main events happen around Lake Eola, which has been transformed into Eola Wonderland. The park has a beautiful Christmas tree that comes alive with synchronized lights and music throughout the night. Every Saturday, the park will host Christmas movie nights, with showtimes starting at 7pm. Then, on December 21, there’s a holiday-themed drone show at Lake Eola. For something a little more relaxed, enjoy the holiday stroll, which goes through the Central Business District and features holiday lights and decor all around. The list of holiday activities downtown around the park is lengthy, but let’s just say that these highlights are worth driving across town for. Downtown for the Holidays kicks off November 22, 2024, and runs through January 6, 2025.

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One of the most incredible places in Orlando isn’t a theme park or Michelin-starred restaurants, it’s Give Kids the World Village. The village plays host to kids with critical illnesses and their families to have a week-long, cost-free vacation in Central Florida. During the holiday season, you can take holiday VIP tours, which start with a dessert party. Then, you’ll get to walk along the Avenue of Angels, which is decked out with over one million lights. The guided tours are 90 minutes each, and all proceeds go right to helping more families. The tours are on select nights from December 5 through December 22.

If you’re willing to hop in the car for a long weekend away, head straight for St. Augustine for Nights of Lights. The incredible festival turns the Ancient City into a walkable holiday display. All around the historic district of St. Augustine, trees, buildings, lamp posts, and more are adorned with white lights, making the city glow under the night sky. Nights of Lights has more than three million lights, and most businesses downtown stay open later so you can enjoy some shopping and dining, too. Hop on one of the trains or trolleys to get a special tour of the city, complete with an expert narrator who shares stories about the city. Nights of Lights runs from November 23, 2024, through January 26, 2025.