Get in to the holiday spirit by traveling to Walt Disney World in November. The weather is mild with temperatures in the upper 70s in the day and upper 50s at night. Still warm enough to spend some time during the day next to the pool. The crowds are actually less than in October. This means less wait times and a more enjoyable experience. If you love Christmas this is the time to travel because Disney will give you a jump start on your holiday spirit with the start of their Christmas celebrations and decorations. Let’s look at why I pick to travel during the month of November besides the great weather, lower crowd levels and usual Disney magic.
Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
I love food and the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival is my chance to taste and sip my way around the world. It ends in mid-November and is included in your ticket in to Epcot. You will have to pay for the items you want to sample but the cost isn’t too high and is well worth it! If you are on the Disney Dining Plan, most of the items actually count as snack credits. I always end up with extra snack credits at the end of my trip but not when I go during the Food & Wine Festival! There are around 30 different booths set up around World Showcase and each one represents a different country, continent, region or culinary style. Everyone will be able to find something they will enjoy because there are so many options. Make sure you go hungry! There is also live music through the festival called Eat to the Beat Concert Series. They have multiple shows a night and have some great talent performing. If you are there without kids you should check out some of the specialty events. You can attend seminars, culinary demonstrations, food & beverage pairings, or try your hand at learning how to make desserts, cocktails or appetizers from around the world. Try to go during the week because this event is popular for the locals to attend on the weekends.
Disney’s Wine & Dine Half Marathon
Before I consume hundreds of calories around the world I always love to participate in one of Disney’s races. The Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon is on my list of races to run. It starts at ESPN Wide World of Sports complex and takes you through Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios before finishing at Epcot. The route is filled with Disney characters, live entertainment and Cast Members cheering you on. If you aren’t up for the full half marathon you can always participate in the 10k or 5k held during the weekend as well. Now if you really want to burn some calories you can always do the two course challenge and participate in both the 10k and the Half Marathon. Disney also has some of the best finisher medals from any race I have ever run. Check out my post here to learn more about RunDisney Races and why they are fantastic for runners and even beginner runners to participate in! Guilt free eating during the Food & Wine Festival is my number one motivation here!
Holiday’s Around the World – Candlelight Processional
This is another magical event held at Epcot. Epcot in November really just rocks! The Candlelight Processional is a huge choir, with a 50-piece live orchestra and celebrity narrator, telling the story of Christmas. While this is a December event it actually begins on Thanksgiving Day. There are three performances a night in the America Gardens Theater across from the American Adventure in World Showcase. This is an extremely popular event and there are large lines for seating. There are dining packages available which reserves your seating for the event. Over half of the venue is reserved for those people so it is worth it to book a dining package. Multiple restaurants all over Epcot offer the dining package. It’s a very moving show that you must see at least once.
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party
Imagine sitting on Main Street USA watching a magical Christmas parade and “snow” softly starts falling all around you. Is that not the most magical moment? It can happen to you when you attend Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. There are exclusive fireworks, a parade complete with falling snow, special stage shows and other themed entertainment throughout the park. Plus you can eat as many sugar cookies and drink as much hot chocolate as you want. Not only can you experience the magic of Christmas at the Magic Kingdom but you can also find shorter wait times and a park at a lower capacity since it is a special ticketed event. You can enter the park at 4pm and stay until midnight. There are multiple dates in November and the crowds for these dates will be lower than dates in December that are closer to Christmas. My suggestion is to get there earlier in the day and take the monorail to each Disney Resort and check out their decorations and elaborate gingerbread displays. The one at the Grand Floridian is incredible!
The holidays are full of magic for so many and make you feel like a kid again. Disney waves a magic wand all over their Resorts and Parks and everything becomes even more magical. If you don’t feel the spirit of the holidays you will definitely find it when you are at Disney during November! Visiting Disney during November is what I want more than anything else that could be under my Christmas tree this year!
PC: Disney Photo Snapper & WDW
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