Santa, Characters in Holiday Outfits, and Merry Menagerie – Our Day Enjoying the 2023 Holidays at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Yesterday was a beautiful day here at Walt Disney World, clear weather in the mid 70’s which made it a perfect day to enjoy the Disney holidays at Animal Kingdom.
We walked into the Park early, hoping we would get to the park the last day before the major holiday crowds showed up. As it turned out the park was crowded but not packed, we could walk around and enjoy low wait times for rides, and enjoy the Merry Menagerie.
I have written before about how much we absolutely love Merry Menagerie. We can sit for an hour or so at Discovery Island by Island Merchantile enjoying the various puppets that come out, and the musicians that accompany the puppets. Seriously, when the Arctic fox acts like he is playing with you or your kids you forget a person is behind it and that sense of wonder and excitement hits. Disney Magic!
When you visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom this holiday season, you’ll find festive new entertainment and holiday décor in every land. It all begins on Discovery Island, where you’ll be surrounded by a celebration of winter. The village is filled with sparkling white holiday decorations and colorful, animal-inspired luminaries, and throughout the day, the area springs to life with a Merry Menagerie of winter animals, accompanied by serenading musicians as they create a playful atmosphere of festive fun.
The team at Disney Parks Live Entertainment realized this collection of reindeer, foxes, polar bears, penguins and more in the form of life-size, artisan-sculpted puppets, each designed and hand-crafted using natural materials and fabrics. The animals were then brought to life through a variety of theatrical techniques that will allow them and their performers to interact directly with guests like never before.
We got ourselves a return time to meet Mickey and Minnie in their festive outfits, but before we got over to see them, it was time to visit friends of ours Jeff and Denise at Mousesteps.com, who gave away the best location to see the Holiday Flotillas.
Not only was the spot perfect, but we had personal interactions with all the characters that went by. We got to see Goofy and Pluto on one float, which Pluto was in his holiday collar. Followed by Launchpad McQuack and Scrooge dressed in their holiday best.
The Flotilla parade on the Discovery River was capped off by Santa Claus. Who waved and loved the holiday shirts we were wearing.
Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost – Enjoy an adventurous encounter with world travelers Mickey and Minnie at their exploration headquarters.
Mickey and Minnie are both dressed up for the festive season. Unfortunately, we were rushed in and out. I normally will not add a negative to the fun recaps, but this felt like they just wanted us in and out, and we did not get very much time to enjoy seeing Mickey and Minnie. Although, we did end up with a nice photopass.
Which reminds me, of the 14 images taken, only one turned out decent. I don’t know about you, but we hate the photo box. Give us a human Disney Photopass Photographer any day of the week. Okay, enough negative, this is supposed to be fun. I digress.
We capped the day off by seeing the Tree of Life Awakenings: Holiday Edition show on the Tree of Life! Witness the majestic centerpiece of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park come to life at night.
A Mesmerizing Nighttime Experience
Flickering fireflies magically appear and stir to life the animal spirits in the tree’s towering trunk—bringing to light a dazzling visual display swarming with color and animated imagery.
Gaze upon a young doe embarking upon a thrilling journey. Behold love blossoming between a pair of hummingbirds. Spy a sly fox spreading gifts of love among the denizens of a wintry forest.
A feast for the eyes, each revelation celebrates the eternal balance and harmony that exists in all living things—big or small—and is sure to inspire and delight your whole family tree.
If you get a chance to see the Tree of Life and the Holiday decorations at nighttime take full advantage of it. During the long summer here in Florida the sun stays out late and Disney’s Animal Kingdom closes before the darkness comes. So we do not get many days to enjoy how beautiful DAK is at night.
Great day!
We did spot some new Holiday merchandise. Two new ornaments, a magnet, a blue hoodie, and a shirt featuring the Merry Menagerie animals.
Santa, Characters in Holiday Outfits, and Merry Menagerie – Our Day Enjoying the 2023 Holidays at Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Discover the magic of nature—and enjoy seasonal delights along the way.
Highlights include:
- Merry Menagerie – See Discovery Island come to life with artisan-sculpted puppets of arctic animals—like penguins, reindeer, foxes and polar bears.
- Tree of Life Awakenings Holiday Edition – Watch in awe as the park’s magnificent icon shimmers and sparkles each evening, accompanied by a heartwarming musical score. The experience begins at dusk and is subject to change.
- Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurer’s Outpost – Pose for a photo with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse all decked out in their holiday attire.
- Seasonal Décor – Discover festive trimmings and touches around the park.
