Holiday D-Lights Tour

Get an exclusive look into the many ways Walt Disney World Resort is turned into a sparkling wonderland on a special tour that celebrates the magic of the holidays.

• Accompanied by a holiday host, visit Epcot theme park and unwrap some of the secrets behind time-honored Disney traditions.
• Become inspired by the Candlelight Processional, a retelling of the Christmas story brought to life by a 50-piece live orchestra, choir and celebrity narrator.
• Travel to Magic Kingdom theme park, where Main Street, U.S.A. is decked with holiday trimmings.
• Behold the majesty of Cinderella Castle, which becomes a crystalline ice palace.
• Stroll through the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights and be dazzled by the millions of twinkling lights choreographed to the music of the season.
• Meet the Event & Decorating Support teams who plan and produce thousands of grand-scale signature events each year.
• Enjoy a light, holiday buffet. [In 2011, the holiday buffet was replaced by a family-style skillet dinner at Whispering Canyon Cafe in Wilderness Lodge Resort]

Time & Location: This seasonal tour runs select nights in November and December at 4pm outside Epcot Guest Relations on the far right of the turnstiles.

2011 Dates: M,Tu,W – 11/28-30, 12/5-7, 12/12-14

Duration: 4.5-5 hours

Cost: $199 + tax (Discounts Available: AAA Diamond, AP, DVC, Disney VISA)

Theme Park Admission: Not included or required.

Parks Visited: DHS, Epcot, MK

Includes: Dinner at Whispering Canyon Cafe (in 2011), Commemorative Tour Pin

Sample Tour Content*:

• Dinner at Whispering Canyon Cafe
• Backstage at Event & Decorating Support
• View the lighting of Cinderella’s Castle in the Magic Kingdom
• Visit the Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
• Candlelight Processional viewing in Epcot’s World Showcase

*Disney’s tour schedules and content can change at any time due to a variety of factors. Rest assured, if for some reason the tour can’t or doesn’t go to one of the stops you’ve read about here or on other websites, your Tour Guide still has plenty of magic up their sleeves to make sure you have a wonderful tour experience.

Maximum Group Size: 40

Listening Devices Available: Yes

Hearing Disabilities: Yes

Wheelchair Accessible: Yes

Requirements: Guests must be 16+

Photography Restrictions: No photography is permitted during the backstage portion of this tour. (In 2011, there was one photo op backstage at Event and Decorating Support)

Bag Storage: You can leave your baggage on the bus during all stops if you would like. The bus driver stays with the vehicle at all times.  You may also take your bag/purse backstage with you.

Additional Notes: Dress appropriately – many tour reviewers discuss how cold they were, especially for the outdoor viewing of the Candlelight Processional.  Disney will not cancel or provide refunds for this tour (or most others) in the event of inclement weather (Disney will cancel for hurricanes, but not average rain).

Book: Call (407) WDW-TOUR (407-939-8687)

Check out our full DTR Review of the Holiday D-Lights tour here. A version of this review was also posted on the Touring Plans Blog here.

You can also find other DTR posts about the Holiday D-Lights tour here.

• Extra Walt Disney World Magic Review by Nora & Nick, from December 2010.  This very detailed review includes tons of spoilers and some feedback on how the tour didn’t meet expectations based on reviews from 2009.

• WDWMagic.com Reader Review 1 reviews, from December 2010.

• AllEars.net Blog Review by Mike Bachand (DizneyMike) from November 2009.  Mike went on the first Holiday D-Lights tour ever offered, and his review includes some valid criticism of the viewing locations with respect to the price of the tour.

• DIS Unplugged Podcast Review DIS Unplugged guests, Jenn and Brian Selke, provide a review of their experience on the first Holiday D-Lights tour in November 2009.   Jenn talks about the tour content as it compared with her expectations.  Tour segment starts at 52:24.

• Know of any more podcasts that discuss the Disney’s Holiday D-Lights tour?  Let us know at DisneyTourReviews@gmail.com