The Epcot International Festival of the Holidays 2018

The Epcot International Festival of the Holidays is in full swing. On Monday, November 26, I covered a media event. There are a couple of things that I’d like to share.

First, full disclosure. I was a guest of Walt Disney World. This included an Epcot ticket plus parking (neither of which I really needed, but that’s beside the point), a sampling of some of the festival foods, reserved Candlelight Processional seating, and a media dessert party before IllumiNations, among other things. None of that influenced my thoughts about this year’s Festival of the Holidays. It is so much fun this year.

One of the cool parts about the festival is seeing what takes place in each of the World Showcase countries. Pick up a Festival Passport when you enter so that you can see what is going on and where. I personally think that’s easier than trying to find the information on the My Disney Experience App. I was able to livestream on Facebook a couple of the acts, and I watched more than that. It’s fun to see the differences from one country to the next.

We saw Alfonso Ribeiro as the narrator for the Candlelight Processional. It’s his first year doing it, and I enjoyed it so much that I went back on Tuesday.

Ever wonder what happens if it rains during the Candlelight Processional? We found out. Fortunately our seats were covered, but the singers still walked in as always. They carried umbrellas, and then folded them immediately and handed them to a Cast Member who was collecting them right inside the covered area. It worked seamlessly.

If you have a sweet tooth, you’ll want to try the Holiday Cookie Stroll. You’ll purchase cookies at five different Holiday Kitchens and receive a stamp at each one. Then you can receive a sixth cookie and a glass of milk for no extra charge. It’s kind of a sweet and easy twist on a scavenger hunt.

Speaking of scavenger hunts, for the Epcot International Festival of the Holidays you can help Chip ‘n’ Dale look for tree ornaments. It’s called Chip ‘n’ Dale’s Christmas Tree Spree. When you finish your quest, turn in your map for a prize. It costs $6.99, which is a good value, especially if you have kids in your party who have a hard time getting excited about the architecture in World Showcase.

One more thing. If you’ve never experienced IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth during the holidays, you need to consider it. There’s an additional ending, wishing Peace on Earth to all. IllumiNations ends next summer, so this is your last chance to see this part.

The 2018 Epcot International Festival of the Holidays is a blast. I’ve barely scratched the surface of how much fun I had. If you’ve ever thought about dropping everything for a spur of the moment trip, now is the time to do it.