5 Changes Coming to EPCOT Next Month

 

December is shaping up to be a major month at EPCOT! Disney World’s second gate will host one of its most popular annual events — complete with a truly beloved Christmas tradition — throughout the month, a seasonal take on an iconic ride, and certain guests will have extra time to see it all. Oh, and after all that, the park is set to send off 2026 and welcome 2027 with a BANG!

Don’t fret if you’re heading to the park next month, though. We’ve assembled every change you’ll need to prepare for in December!

The Bulk of the Festival of the Holidays!

EPCOT’s International Festival of the Holidays, which is included in park admission, launches on November 27th and extends through the bulk of December, with its final day being December 30th.

The event features dozens of international food booths, decorations, and storytellers celebrating the holiday cultures of nations around the world. And then there’s the Candlelight Processional with a STACKED celebrity lineup this year (more on that in a minute), the cookie crawl which ends with a free prize, and so much more.

Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 EPCOT Festival of the Holidays

Candlelight Narrators

A longtime Disney tradition that got its start at Disneyland decades ago and has been a part of Disney World since the resort’s first Christmas season, the nightly event features celebrity narrators reading the Biblical Christmas story, joined by a 51-piece orchestra, the Voices of Liberty, and a choir of more than 150 Disney Cast Members and community singers.

December’s Candlelight Processional Narrator lineup is as follows:

• Dec. 1 – Gary Sinise
• Dec. 2 & 3 – Benjamin Bratt
• Dec. 4 & 5 – Whoopi Goldberg
• Dec. 6 & 7 – Robin Roberts
• Dec. 8 & 9 – Jason Kelce
• Dec. 10 – 12 – Neil Patrick Harris
• Dec. 13 & 14 – Josh Groban
• Dec. 15 & 16 – Lauren Daigle
• Dec. 17 – 19 – Ralph Macchio
• Dec. 20 & 21 – Henry Winkler
• Dec. 22 & 23 – Lacey Chabert
• Dec. 24 & 25 – Jodi Benson
• Dec. 26 & 27 – Simu Liu
• Dec. 28 – 30 – Eva Longoria

FULL LIST: Celebrity Narrators Announced for EPCOT Candlelight Processional 2026!

Ride Changes

Cosmic Rewind is already a must for most EPCOT visitors, but it becomes unskippable during the whole month of December. That’s because holiday music takes over the ride all month long! Starting November 25th and running through January 6th, you’ll hear one of the following songs on your ride: 

• “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” by Andy Williams
• “Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24” by Trans-Siberian Orchestra
• “Christmas Wrapping” by The Waitresses

Speaking of EPCOT Holiday traditions, the Glimmering Greenhouses Living with the Land overlay that presents a “special voyage through greenhouses decorated with dazzling lights” is running in conjunction with the Festival of the Holidays, ending December 30th.

Not only can you ride with the holiday overlay, but even the Behind the Seeds Tour gets a Christmas makeover! For $59 per person during the holiday season, you can explore behind the scenes at Living With the Land.

The 9 Best Things to Pack for the 2026 EPCOT Festival of the Holidays

Extended Evening Hours

Extended Evening Hours offer two extra hours to guests staying at Disney Deluxe Tier or Deluxe Villa resorts at select theme parks on select evenings after the park closes to the general public. Extended Evening Hours for EPCOT are available on December 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th.

The Extended Evening Hours perk is available to guests at the following hotels:

• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
• Disney’s Beach Club Resort
• Disney’s BoardWalk Inn
• Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
• Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Yacht Club Resort
• Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort
• Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Jambo House
• Disney’s Animal Kingdom Villas – Kidani Village
• Disney’s Beach Club Villas
• Disney’s BoardWalk Villas
• Disney’s Old Key West Resort
• Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows
• Disney’s Riviera Resort
• Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa
• The Cabins at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort – A Disney Vacation Club Resort (The extended evening theme park hours
  benefit applies to Disney Vacation Club Cabins only.)
• The Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Walt Disney World Swan Hotel
• Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel
• Walt Disney World Swan Reserve
• Shades of Green on Walt Disney World Resort

How To Get Extended Evening Hours in Disney World Without Paying $875 A Night

New Year’s Eve!

With the Festival of the Holidays wrapping up on the 30th, the 31st is free to send 2026 off with a massive goodbye! On New Year’s Eve, EPCOT will be open until 1 AM, with DJ booths scattered across the park.

And, of course, there will be FIREWORKS. There will be a performance of Luminous The Symphony of Us at 6:30 PM, followed by the Cheers to the New Year: A Sparkling Celebration countdown fireworks beginning at 11:54 PM and leading into 2027.

This $179 EPCOT Fireworks Experience Could Now Cost You $194

If you’re planning a trip to EPCOT in December, know that a lot is changing over the course of the month, including which festival you’ll experience! Stay tuned to DFB for more on Disney World’s operational calendar!

These changes are part of a much larger pattern at EPCOT. We broke down all of it here:

4 Weeks When EPCOT Will Be Empty in 2027

Are you heading to EPCOT in December? Let us know in the comments below.