Disney World just dropped a TON of details about the holiday season around the parks and hotels this year, and we’re SO excited for Disney to deck the halls once again.
Animal Kingdom Lodge at Christmas
While we can’t wait to experience Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, Jollywood Nights, the EPCOT Festival of the Holidays, and more, there is one thing we’re a little concerned about. Disney has recently been restricting travel to its resorts for non-hotel guests, and now, it looks like those restrictions may get even stricter during the holiday season.
This past spring, Disney Springs started a new rule where guests using the bus system had to have a dining or hotel reservation to visit the resort they were going to. It was in place during a holiday weekend, likely to control the crowds and limit how many guests were able to use the free transportation and visit the hotels.
Disney Springs Transportation Rule
However, that rule is coming back, and Cast Members have confirmed that it is permanent. While transportation will still be available from Disney Springs, you will need to show proof to be able to get on the Disney buses or boats to resorts. You can show a hotel or restaurant reservation, but if you’re just coming to check out the resorts, you might run into some issues.
Blockades put up
When Disney World announced its holiday offerings for 2026, the announcements came with some interesting language that makes us think these rules are about to become stricter — and not just for those using Disney World transportation. In the announcements, Disney said, “For guests staying at the resorts or for those with valid dining reservations, the Disney Resorts Collection offers a wide array of bright and merry holiday decor.”
This sounds like only those staying at the hotels or those with dining reservations will be able to explore the resorts and see their holiday decor.
Grand Floridian Christmas Tree
Disney also said, “With more than 25 hotels to choose from in the Disney Resorts Collection, there are plenty of ways to make this holiday season special for you and your loved ones while staying or dining with us.” The language that says “while staying or dining with us” supports our theory that Disney will be even further limiting visits for non-hotel guests or those with dining reservations.
Polynesian at Christmas
And then, there was the devastating news that one of the most popular holiday traditions at the Grand Floridian Resort has been permanently retired. We confirmed that the gingerbread house at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa will not be returning. The amazing house did not return for the 2025 season due to construction throughout the resort, specifically in the lobby, where they installed The Perch, a birdcage bar, but it has been confirmed that the gingerbread house is gone for good.
2024 Grand Floridian Gingerbread House
While Disney didn’t share a reason for this controversial change, many fans are speculating that it has to do with just how popular the gingerbread house has become in recent years. Folks without reservations at the Grand Floridian would flock to the resort to see the display and take in the holiday decor, creating a bit of chaos in the process and making it harder for hotel guests to enjoy it.
One commenter on our Instagram post about the changes said, “I am sad for everyone that loves it, including me, but as someone that stays there at Christmas time, last year it was nice not having to fight the crowds in the lobby. I’m willing to do it for the house, but I can’t lie, it was beautiful and peaceful.”
Gingerbread crowds
Another person said, “I think Disney is pushing out non-staying guests out of their resorts little by little. 1st the buses and boats…next…But I get it, the price tags are really high, and when I stayed at GF last year, the absolute chaos of the crowds in the lobby made it not as dreamy as I wished for.” Someone else commented, “This confirms that resort hopping is officially over. Wasn’t planning on canceling my AP when it’s time to renew, but now I am.”
Resort boat launches
From what Disney has said, it sounds like there will be even more restrictions at the Disney World hotels moving forward. The days of resort hopping may be over, but Disney hasn’t officially come out and said it. We’re sad if this is the case, because it’s one of our favorite things to do at Disney World, but we also understand wanting to make the Disney hotel experience better for those people who are staying there. Either way, we’ll be sure to update you with any official changes.
Contemporary Resort Christmas tree
We’ll be on the lookout for more details about the holiday season at Disney World and any changes at the resorts. In the meantime, make sure you stay tuned to the Disney Food Blog for the latest Disney news and more!
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Restricting access to only those with hotel or dining reservations would be a completely idiotic decision and likely finally cause us to drop our APs. Lounges, quick service dining and shopping by anyone other than hotel guests would be wiped out. Lounges in particular would be empty. Disney is increasingly prone to idiotic decisions, but this would be one of the most stupid.
Just another “more for less” ripoff for off-property guests. Disney seems intent on running WDW in to the ground. No wonder DIS is one of the worst performing stocks over the last decade. The entire executive management team and board should be shown the exit.
I thought that they wanted guests to visit other hotels so that they could get to see them and decide which hotels they would like to visit in the future. I guess that that idea is down the drain. 😞
Just another nail in the coffin, if you don’t have lots of money to spend you are not welcome at WDW. What’s next, start charging to use the transport every time? It’s a very sad day at WDW. Like everything else it’s not about making sure you enjoy the Disney experience any more, it’s just about making money.
We are having a debate in office. Hopefully you can conclude the debate. If we are staying at Pop Century and want to go get Dole Whip at Polynesian would be still be able to? Or do we now need to book at the Polynesian to get Dole Whip from there?
I’m a DVC owner at the Grand and only stay there. I think the gingerbread house along with all the festive things that the resorts do are wonderful. However I’m all for whatever keeps non-resort guests out of resorts. I don’t want crowds around my resort caused by people who aren’t staying there. Those who visit and aren’t staying then end up clogging up the monorail and bus system. If you want to visit, then do what I do and have a dining reservation at the resort you want to visit. It’s pretty simple.
I can understand the restrictions from Disney Springs, given that the parking remains free, but it would be a massive shame is this is extended across WDW. A big part of my decision to become a DVC member was having resort hopping as an option, rather than having to buy park tickets for each and every visit.
It will be interesting if they stop all resort hopping. That will require a cast member to check each individual getting on a particular bus. Wow! that will really make the bus boarding go faster. So one main check outside each bus depot to make sure you are eligible and then check to make sure they get on the right bus??? Or have people checking at the bus stop when disembarking at the resort. Nothing like making your high paying resort guests stand in another line to get back to their rooms. That should go over real good. This sounds like one of their biggest hair brained ideas in a long time.
It’s a wonderful thing for Disney to do that for their hotel guests as I was always there visiting during the holidays it was massive and it was packed full of people.
To find out they were not hotel guests they were just basically visiting they spoiled it for everybody else.
To see the gingerbread house gone hopefully it will come back and hopefully Disney will get everything in order for their guests and our accommodations when we’re there this is not a big deal.
We pay the price to be at Disney we pay the price to be in an expensive resort so I look for the accommodations to accommodate the guests not the people that are coming in.
So, just to clarify, if I have a hotel reservation at Wilderness and want to take a Lyft to the Poly to hang out at Tambu lounge, that is no longer allowed? We don’t have annual pass, but are DVC at Copper Creek and our favorite thing to do is resort hop and shop and eat. If we can no longer do this, we may sell our DVC. So so sad
In other words, Disney is about to charge for this. Over the last several years everything they have taken away came back but with a cost. Get ready for holiday display dynamic pricing.
I do get why Disney is limiting so many people from coming to these resorts, especially the Deluxe resorts, but I hope that guests staying on property won’t have issues going to another resort to enjoy some of the things that they have to offer.
Hi Ari! If you are staying at any Disney Resort you can still use the transportation to get to any other resort, so you will be able to go from POP! to the Polynesian for your Dole Whip.