An Iconic Holiday Tradition Is Changing
One of Walt Disney World’s most beloved holiday traditions will not be returning for a second consecutive year. The Grand Floridian Resort’s iconic gingerbread house was absent during the 2025 holiday season, and now Disney has confirmed it will not return for 2026 either. Instead, Disney’s culinary teams will create new miniature holiday displays for the resort. As LaughingPlace reported, the news was first shared by reporter Scott Gustin.
Disney has confirmed that additional details about gingerbread displays at other resorts across Walt Disney World will be shared later this year.
A Holiday Institution at Disney World
The Grand Floridian gingerbread house was one of the most photographed holiday experiences at Walt Disney World for decades, dating back to 1999. Each year, Disney’s pastry team constructed a walk-in gingerbread structure in the resort’s lobby, using thousands of pounds of real gingerbread, royal icing, and candy. The house featured a shop inside where guests could purchase gingerbread cookies and other seasonal treats, making it as much a culinary experience as a visual one.
For many Walt Disney World guests, a visit to see the Grand Floridian gingerbread house was a holiday season ritual, on par with Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and the EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays. With this now the second year in a row without the display, it appears the tradition as fans knew it has come to an end.
What’s Coming Instead
Disney has said its culinary teams will create new miniature holiday displays for the Grand Floridian this season. While the full scope of what those displays will look like hasn’t been revealed yet, the shift suggests Disney is moving toward a different kind of holiday presentation at the resort rather than simply skipping the tradition entirely. The 2025 absence had been attributed to the lobby’s major renovation, which added the new Perch lobby bar.
More details about holiday gingerbread experiences at other Walt Disney World resorts are also expected to be announced later this year. The 2026 holiday season at Walt Disney World runs from November 13 through January 6, 2027. Get the full rundown of what’s coming to Walt Disney World this holiday season.
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