Christmas at the theme parks runs from early November into the new year, at Disney and Universal resorts, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens, Six Flags parks, and parks like Dollywood, Silver Dollar City and Hersheypark.
A few are separately ticketed parties, like Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, but most come with a regular park ticket or season pass. Below is my guide to every major theme park Christmas event, by date and by chain, to help you plan.
Every Theme Park Christmas Event, by Date
Each row has the 2026 dates, the ticket, and my guide where I have one. Pick a chain or a state to narrow the list.
Nov. 6, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Independent parksIncluded with admissionSmoky Mountain Christmas, Dollywood, Tennessee. New this year: Snow in the Grove in Wildwood Grove, and Peppermint Valley in Country Fair. The park's event page.
Nov. 6, 2026, to Jan. 4, 2027Select datesUnited ParksIncluded with admissionChristmas Celebration, SeaWorld Orlando, Florida. Miracles, the orca show, returns for the first time since 2019. My guide.
Nov. 7, 2026, to Jan. 2, 2027Independent parksIncluded with admissionAn Old Time Christmas, Silver Dollar City, Missouri. New this year: the Stars, Lights & Christmas Nights Parade. The park's event page.
Nov. 7, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Select datesUnited ParksIncluded with admissionA Very Furry Christmas, Sesame Place San Diego, California. The park calls its Grand Illumination show all-new. My guide.
Nov. 7, 2026, to Jan. 5, 2027Select nightsDisneySeparate party ticketDisney Jollywood Nights, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World, Florida. New this year: the Checkin' It Twice Lounge in Animation Courtyard. My guide.
Nov. 7, 2026, to Jan. 6, 2027DisneyDisney Enchanted Christmas, Disneyland Paris, France. For the first time, Christmas extends to World of Frozen. My Disneyland Paris guide.
Nov. 8 to Dec. 22, 2026Select nightsDisneySeparate party ticketMickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World, Florida. With Mickey's Once Upon a Christmastime Parade. My guide.
Nov. 11 to Dec. 25, 2026DisneyDisney Christmas, Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, Japan. My Tokyo Disney Resort guide.
Nov. 12, 2026, to Jan. 4, 2027Select datesUnited ParksIncluded with admissionChristmas Celebration, SeaWorld San Antonio, Texas. My guide.
Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Select datesUnited ParksChristmas Town ticketChristmas Town, Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Virginia. New this year: The Queens of Christmas. Memberships include Christmas Town. My guide.
Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Select datesIndependent parksIncluded with admissionHersheypark Christmas Candylane, Hersheypark, Pennsylvania. New this year: the Fire & Ice experience and an Estate of Evil Holiday Open House. The park's event page. My Estate of Evil story.
Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Independent parksIncluded with admissionHoliday Lights, Kennywood, Pennsylvania. New this year: Finding Christmas: A Whimsical Journey on Ice, an ice skating stunt show. The park's event page.
Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027United ParksIncluded with admissionChristmas Celebration, SeaWorld San Diego, California. My guide.
Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 4, 2027Select nightsUnited ParksIncluded with admissionChristmas Town, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Florida. My guide.
Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 6, 2027DisneyIncluded with admissionHolidays at Walt Disney World, All four Walt Disney World parks, Florida. My Walt Disney World guide.
Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 6, 2027DisneyIncluded with admissionDisney Festival of Holidays, Disney California Adventure, California. My guide.
Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 6, 2027DisneyIncluded with admissionHolidays at the Disneyland Resort, Disneyland Park, California. My guide. My Haunted Mansion Holiday guide.
Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 17, 2027UniversalUniversal Holiday Wonders, Universal Studios Japan, Japan. The park's event page.
Nov. 14, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Select datesUnited ParksIncluded with admissionA Very Furry Christmas, Sesame Place Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. My guide.
Nov. 14, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027UniversalIncluded with admissionHolidays at Universal Orlando, Universal Orlando Resort, all three theme parks, Florida. New this year: holiday overlays at Epic Universe, including Snoggletog at How to Train Your Dragon – Isle of Berk. My guide.
Nov. 17, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027DisneyA Disney Christmas, Hong Kong Disneyland, Hong Kong. New this year: a festive winter market in World of Frozen. My Hong Kong Disneyland guide.
Nov. 19, 2026, to Feb. 20, 2027DisneyDisney Winter Frostival, Shanghai Disneyland, China. Christmas runs inside it from Dec. 1. My Shanghai Disney Resort guide.
Nov. 20, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Six FlagsIncluded with admissionKnott's Merry Farm, Knott's Berry Farm, California. New this year: Snoopy's Christmas Follies, an ice show in the Walter Knott Theater. The park's event page.
Planned for Nov. 20, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027UniversalNot announced yetWinter Holiday, Universal Beijing Resort, China. The resort's 2026 event calendar plans these dates, subject to the event's own announcement. The park's event page.
Nov. 21 to Dec. 31, 2026Select datesIndependent parksIncluded with admissionNorth Pole Nights, Gilroy Gardens, California. New Year's Eve runs to midnight, with fireworks. My guide.
Nov. 21, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Select datesSix FlagsWinterFest, Canada's Wonderland, Canada. The park's event page.
Nov. 21, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Select datesSix FlagsIncluded with admissionHoliday in the Park, Six Flags Great Adventure, New Jersey. Reimagined this year, with three new holiday lands. The park's event page.
Nov. 21, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Select datesSix FlagsIncluded with admissionHoliday in the Park, Six Flags Over Georgia, Georgia. Reimagined this year, with three new holiday lands. The park's event page.
Nov. 21, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027DailyUniversalIncluded with admissionHolidays at Universal Studios Hollywood, Universal Studios Hollywood, California. With Grinchmas, Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter and Illumination's Merry Minions. The park's event page.
Nov. 21, 2026, to Jan. 4, 2027Select datesSix FlagsIncluded with admissionHoliday in the Park, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Texas. The park's event page.
Nov. 22 to Dec. 30, 2026Select daysSix FlagsIncluded with admissionHoliday in the Park, Six Flags Over Texas, Texas. The park's event page.
Nov. 26, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Select daysSix FlagsIncluded with admissionHoliday in the Park, Six Flags Magic Mountain, California. Seven new live shows this year. The park's event page.
Nov. 26, 2026, to Jan. 17, 2027Select datesSix FlagsChristmas in the Park, Six Flags Mexico, Mexico. The park's event page.
Nov. 27 to Dec. 30, 2026DisneyIncluded with admissionEPCOT International Festival of the Holidays, EPCOT, Walt Disney World, Florida. With the Candlelight Processional. My Walt Disney World guide.
Nov. 27 to Dec. 31, 2026Select datesSix FlagsIncluded with admissionWinterFest, Kings Island, Ohio. The park's event page.
Nov. 27, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Select datesSix FlagsIncluded with admissionWinterFest, Carowinds, North Carolina. The park's event page.
Nov. 27, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Select nightsSix FlagsIncluded with admissionWinterFest, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, California. The park's event page.
Nov. 27, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027UniversalA Universal Christmas, Universal Studios Singapore, Singapore. New this year: Dazzling Dessert Studios and The North Pole Jingle Jam. The park's event page.
Six Flags' Nov. 4 holiday release lists holiday events at 11 theme parks in the United States, Canada and Mexico, and all 11 are above. Universal Beijing Resort's Winter Holiday is listed at the dates its 2026 event calendar plans, and the resort hasn't announced it yet.
Christmas at Each Theme Park Chain
DisneyDisney Jollywood NightsDisney's Hollywood Studios, Walt Disney World. Nov. 7, 2026, to Jan. 5, 2027Disney Enchanted ChristmasDisneyland Paris. Nov. 7, 2026, to Jan. 6, 2027Mickey's Very Merry Christmas PartyMagic Kingdom, Walt Disney World. Nov. 8 to Dec. 22, 2026Disney ChristmasTokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea. Nov. 11 to Dec. 25, 2026Holidays at Walt Disney WorldAll four Walt Disney World parks. Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 6, 2027Disney Festival of HolidaysDisney California Adventure. Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 6, 2027Holidays at the Disneyland ResortDisneyland Park. Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 6, 2027A Disney ChristmasHong Kong Disneyland. Nov. 17, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Disney Winter FrostivalShanghai Disneyland. Nov. 19, 2026, to Feb. 20, 2027EPCOT International Festival of the HolidaysEPCOT, Walt Disney World. Nov. 27 to Dec. 30, 2026All of Disney in my Disney parks hub
UniversalUniversal Holiday WondersUniversal Studios Japan. Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 17, 2027Holidays at Universal OrlandoUniversal Orlando Resort, all three theme parks. Nov. 14, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Winter HolidayUniversal Beijing Resort. Planned for Nov. 20, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Holidays at Universal Studios HollywoodUniversal Studios Hollywood. Nov. 21, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027A Universal ChristmasUniversal Studios Singapore. Nov. 27, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027
United ParksChristmas CelebrationSeaWorld Orlando. Nov. 6, 2026, to Jan. 4, 2027A Very Furry ChristmasSesame Place San Diego. Nov. 7, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Christmas CelebrationSeaWorld San Antonio. Nov. 12, 2026, to Jan. 4, 2027Christmas TownBusch Gardens Williamsburg. Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Christmas CelebrationSeaWorld San Diego. Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Christmas TownBusch Gardens Tampa Bay. Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 4, 2027A Very Furry ChristmasSesame Place Philadelphia. Nov. 14, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027
Six FlagsKnott's Merry FarmKnott's Berry Farm. Nov. 20, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027WinterFestCanada's Wonderland. Nov. 21, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Holiday in the ParkSix Flags Great Adventure. Nov. 21, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Holiday in the ParkSix Flags Over Georgia. Nov. 21, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Holiday in the ParkSix Flags Fiesta Texas. Nov. 21, 2026, to Jan. 4, 2027Holiday in the ParkSix Flags Over Texas. Nov. 22 to Dec. 30, 2026Holiday in the ParkSix Flags Magic Mountain. Nov. 26, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Christmas in the ParkSix Flags Mexico. Nov. 26, 2026, to Jan. 17, 2027WinterFestKings Island. Nov. 27 to Dec. 31, 2026WinterFestCarowinds. Nov. 27, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027WinterFestSix Flags Discovery Kingdom. Nov. 27, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027
Independent parksSmoky Mountain ChristmasDollywood. Nov. 6, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027An Old Time ChristmasSilver Dollar City. Nov. 7, 2026, to Jan. 2, 2027Hersheypark Christmas CandylaneHersheypark. Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027Holiday LightsKennywood. Nov. 13, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027North Pole NightsGilroy Gardens. Nov. 21 to Dec. 31, 2026
Which Christmas Events Need a Separate Ticket
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom and Disney Jollywood Nights at Hollywood Studios each need a separate party ticket, sold for select nights.
Every other event on this page comes with park admission or a season pass, according to each park's event page, and parks that open only for the holidays, like Kings Island and Carowinds for WinterFest, sell park tickets for those dates. At Busch Gardens Williamsburg, Christmas Town is sold as a separate ticket, and memberships include it.
Inside the included events, Universal Orlando sells the Universal Holiday Tour as a paid extra, Silver Dollar City sells a VIP Parade Experience for $45, and Dollywood sells a Smoky Mountain Christmas Guided Tour. Dollywood and Silver Dollar City also sell holiday food tasting passes.
My Theme Park Christmas Guides
Theme Park Christmas FAQ
When do theme park Christmas events start?
The first 2026 events opened Nov. 6, at Dollywood and SeaWorld Orlando. The 11 Six Flags holiday events open between Nov. 20 and Nov. 27, and the latest openings on this page are Nov. 27, at EPCOT, Universal Studios Singapore, Kings Island, Carowinds and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.
Which theme park Christmas events need a separate ticket?
At Walt Disney World, Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and Disney Jollywood Nights are separately ticketed parties. The rest on this page come with park admission or a season pass, though Busch Gardens Williamsburg sells Christmas Town as a separate ticket, which memberships include.
Which theme park Christmas season runs the longest?
Shanghai Disney Resort's Disney Winter Frostival runs Nov. 19, 2026, to Feb. 20, 2027, and covers Christmas and New Year's.
Have any parks posted Christmas 2027 dates?
Busch Gardens Williamsburg's 2027 schedule shows Christmas Town from Nov. 12, Six Flags Fiesta Texas lists Holiday in the Park for Nov. 20, 2027, to Jan. 2, 2028, SeaWorld San Antonio lists Nov. 11 to Dec. 31, 2027, and Sesame Place San Diego lists Nov. 6 to Dec. 31, 2027.
Is Universal Beijing holding a Christmas event in 2026?
Universal Beijing Resort's 2026 event calendar plans its Winter Holiday for Nov. 20, 2026, to Jan. 3, 2027, and notes that seasonal dates are subject to each event's own announcement. The resort hasn't announced it yet, and I'll add it when it does.
Latest Holiday News
- Disney Jollywood Nights 2026: Dates, Prices, Shows and What to ExpectNov. 9, 2026
- Disney Festival of Holidays 2026 at California Adventure: Dates, Food, Shows and What to ExpectNov. 9, 2026
- Ohio Christmas Factory 2026: Dates, Tickets and What’s New at Factory of Terror’s Christmas EventNov. 9, 2026
- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay Christmas Town 2026: Dates, Shows and What to ExpectNov. 8, 2026
- SeaWorld San Diego Christmas Celebration 2026: Dates, New Shows and What to ExpectNov. 8, 2026
- Sesame Place San Diego A Very Furry Christmas 2026: Dates, Shows and What to ExpectNov. 8, 2026
