The Holiday season at Walt Disney World and Disneyland extends beyond the parks into the resorts and even onto the high seas. Disney’s talented pastry chefs bring tried and true gingerbread treats and other magical displays to life for guests to enjoy. Best of all, enjoying these must-see marvelous creations in the resorts is free.
This year a new giant gingerbread creation will grace the halls of Disney’s Contemporary Resort with a Mary Blair-style Cinderella Castle. Previous years have seen a Frozen display at the Contemporary. Amorette’s Patisserie at Disney Springs will also have its first Gingerbread House display.
Below is a closer look at what will start rolling out across Walt Disney World beginning November 9th. (Note not all displays will be up immediately on the 9th.)
Life-sized Gingerbread House (Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – WDW)
Life-size holiday gingerbread house (with over 10,000 pieces of gingerbread) in the hotel lobby (at top). The Bake Shop uses a classic gingerbread recipe from Austria to make their gingerbread houses, ornaments, and cookies. Gingerbread house decorating demos are conducted in front of the gingerbread house daily. This year, the gingerbread house pin will feature penguins from Mary Poppins and celebrates its 19th year as a tradition at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.
See the time-lapse video below to see Disney’s bakers hard at work bringing this holiday favorite to life.
Life-size Holiday Carousel (Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts – WDW)
This life-size, edible spinning carousel is holiday tradition at Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resort celebrating its 18th year. Lilo & Stitch-themed carousel horses with coordinating, hand-painted holiday characters join handcrafted gingerbread snowman and snowflakes and spin round and round. This year, 18 hidden Mickeys will be added to commemorate each year of this beloved tradition and the holiday pin will feature Lilo & Stitch.
Cinderella Castle (Disney’s Contemporary Resort – 3rd Floor- WDW – New!)
Cinderella Castle recreated in a Mary Blair-style set on an “it’s a small world” backdrop, with oversized gingerbread cookies depicting Cinderella and Prince Charming greeting guests from the Castle forecourt. The 18’ tall display is crafted from thousands of gingerbread blocks, rolled fondant, and modeling chocolate.
Gingerbread African-Inspired Marketplace (Tusker House Restaurant, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park – WDW)
A 3-foot long Gingerbread African-inspired Market Place located at Tusker House Restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. This sweet display includes 25 lbs. of dark chocolate, 23 lbs. of bread flour, 10 lbs of confectioner’s sugar and plenty of holiday spirit!
United States Capitol Building (Epcot, The American Adventure Pavilion – WDW)
This historic U.S. sites comes to life in a sweet way with over 50 lbs. of gingerbread, 20 lbs. of icing, handcrafted chocolate holiday trees, a pond made entirely of sugar and 6 hidden Mickeys. Also on display is the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument.
Gingerbread Disney Springs Icons (Amorette’s Patisserie, Disney Springs – WDW – New!)
Represents the story behind the iconic Town Center at Disney Springs and includes 45 lbs. of bread flour, 15 lbs. of dark chocolate, 10 lbs. confectioners’ sugar, 15 lbs. eggs, 15 lbs. honey and one hidden heart.
Outside Walt Disney World:
Haunted Mansion Holiday Gingerbread House (Haunted Mansion, Disneyland)
This fanciful gingerbread creation features Oogie Boogie, who gets his chance to shine after a 13-year absence in the ballroom, thrilling fans of “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.” The house is six feet tall to the roof point, but the animated Oogie Boogie himself is seven feet tall. The house is made of over 200 lbs of gingerbread, 200 pounds powdered sugar, 4 gallons egg whites, 1 gallon lemon juice, 30 lbs white chocolate, 50 lbs gum paste, 50 lbs of fondant, 1/3 lb of glitter and over 200 hours of Disney Culinary Magic! There are more than 70 bugs “scurrying” across the ballroom table and the ballroom itself. We have been told there might be a few gingerbread bugs that have escaped out of the ballroom … think you can find them?
Grand Californian lobby (Disneyland Resort)
The Grand Californian lobby is getting an upgrade, so it is not clear if the Gingerbread House is coming back this year. But here’s a taste of last year’s display.
Life-size Gingerbread House (Disney Dream – Disney Cruise Line)
Holidays are magical aboard the Disney Dream where a giant gingerbread house fills the air with delicious smells and holiday cheer. During Very Merrytime Cruises, each Disney Cruise Line ship boasts its own oversized gingerbread house, handcrafted by the crew and decked in Disney-themed décor.
Is visiting the amazing holiday displays at Disney’s resorts and cruise ships something that’s on your Christmas list? Let The Disney Blog’s authorized Disney travel agent help you book a family vacation that will make magical memories for years to come.
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This article leaves me with some questions —
Is the gingerbread display at the Contemporary no longer on the Grand Canyon Concourse level? You say it’s on the 3rd floor, which is where the fitness center is located. The Grand Canyon Concourse the the fourth floor, and that’s where the display has been in the past. Has it moved this year?
Will the gingerbread Brown Derby Restaurant no longer be on display in the lobby of the Hollywood Brown Derby? That’s one of our favorites each year. How about the gingerbread “Sweet Treats” kiosk in the Boardwalk Resort?
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