2023 Foodie Guide to Festive Gingerbread Houses at Walt Disney World

It’s that time of year when Disney shines the most! The holidays have already began which in turn it is time for the some of these festive displays to return and for some more than 20 years plus! The Gingerbread House found at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spaand making their dazzling debut for the very first time this year, like the Lighthouse coming to Disney’s Yacht Club Resort is always a pleasant sight to see. It’s no surprise visiting these works of art has become a tradition for both guests and cast members alike. With plenty of hidden details, and maybe even some hidden Mickeys, you can easily come back again and again to experience these gingerbread creations.

Let’s see what Disney has instore this year!

At Walt Disney World Resort, stopping by Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa for their life-sized Gingerbread House! This beloved tradition is back again for its 24^th year from Nov. 8 through Jan. 1, 2024, and is filled with plenty of sweet delights and decorations. All across this house, you’ll find white chocolate candy canes, edible snowflakes, sugar poinsettias, and over 10,000 pieces of gingerbread. Not to mention the 85 lb. chocolate Santa (yes, you heard that right), nutcrackers, toy soldiers, and snowmen that are all hand-painted by the Grand Floridian Bakery team led by Pastry Chef de Cuisine Kristine Farmer. The 500 hours spent baking gingerbread and 480 hours spent decorating are well worth it. Be on the lookout for the 24 hidden Mickeys found throughout the entire display to see if you can find them all.

Grand Floridian Gingerbread House Menu

If you’re looking to take a taste of gingerbread and the holidays home with you, you’re in luck because this display has quite the lineup of treats available for purchase that will dazzle your taste buds, including:

Freshly baked, homemade items, such as Gingerbread Mickeys and Shingles, Stollen Bread, Brownie Christmas Tree, and Gingersnap Cookies
House-made Gingerbread Ornaments and Gingerbread Houses
Assorted Gingerbread Cookie Bags, Marshmallow Pops, and Milk Chocolate Pecan Fudge
Grand Floridian Combo Box featuring assorted fan favorite treats, including the cookies n’ cream Christmas Tree, exclusive to this box
Plant-based, no sugar added, and gluten-friendly options

Joining this impressive lineup this year is the Lighthouse at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. This brand-new creation was created by Pastry Chef de Cuisine Michael Craig who used the actual blueprints from the real lighthouse located outside the resort along Crescent Lake. This sweet version is not to be missed on your gingerbread festivities this year. Also, available for purchase are some sweet delights sold at the Holiday Pop Up Shop, including the new Lighthouse Fudge, which is a nod to this new offering.

Just next door at Disney’s Beach Club Resort, we’ve got the classic Holiday Carousel gingerbread display. The life-size creation has been at the resort for 22 years and it actually moves – how cool! This year, this gingerbread offering is inspired by Ducktales, with the horses themed after Donald Duck and his nephews, Huey, Duey, and Louie. To celebrate all the years of tradition, there are 22 hidden Mickeys to find throughout the display, as well as 434 pounds of honey, 25 pounds of spices, 200 pounds of icing, and a whole lot of creativity and talent from the culinary team!

Disney’s Beach Club Resort Gingerbread Display Menu

Some of the holiday treats available at this location include:

Signature Stollen Bread
Lighthouse Fudge
Mickey Snowman Pop
Crispy Rice Treat
Peppermint Bark
Gingerbread Shingle
Hot Chocolate Flight
Hot Chocolate

Keep going around Crescent Lake, Disney’s BoardWalk Inn where their display is shore to impress from Nov. 17 through Dec. 27. This creation is a miniature version of some of your favorite spots found along the BoardWalk itself, including the BoardWalk Deli, which is home to none other than the BoardWalk Inn Bakery team led by Pastry Chef Alex Vacher.

Disney’s BoardWalk Inn Gingerbread Display Menu

Before leaving, be sure to check out some of the treats made by the team, like:

Mickey and Minnie Sugar Cookies
Mickey Caramel Corn Cookie
Christmas Tree Pop
Peppermint Bark
Gingerbread Shingles

Gluten/ Wheat-Friendly and Plant-based Gingerbread Shingles

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge where you’ll find one of the most adorable giraffes and zebras around. In the Jambo House lobby from Nov. 22 through Dec. 31, the Animal Kingdom Lodge bakery led by Pastry Chef Lexy Ross has continued the tradition with the Life-Size Baby Gingerbread Giraffe and Baby Zebra. This can’t-miss giraffe, or should we say ginger-affe, named Ginger and baby zebra, Debra, are made with a combination of gingerbread, sugar dough, and modeling chocolate. In fact, the giraffe stands near 7 feet tall. You’ll also be able to pick up some tasty treats to take with you, like the Gingeraffe Cookie, Hot Cocoa Flight, and beer, wine, and cocktails!

Disney’s Contemporary Resort where their gingerbread display is back once again for its 12th year led by Pastry Chef Jeff Barnes! Found on the fourth floor of the resort from Nov. 10 through Jan. 6, 2024, this year’s Mary Blair-inspired 100th Celebration-themed Castle Display was designed by Walt Disney Imagineers for this momentous occasion for The Walt Disney Company. It stands over 17 feet tall with 612 pounds of sugar, 1012 pounds of flour, 112 pounds of gingerbread spice, over 4000 castle gingerbread bricks, and 12 sprinklings of magical pixie dust! And, be sure to keep your eyes peeled with the 12 hidden five-legged goats.

Disney’s Contemporary Resort Gingerbread Display Menu

For those wanting a sweet treat, the following will also be available for purchase:

Gingerbread Castle Brick
Paint Your Own Cookie Box
Hot Chocolate Caramel Fudge
Chocolate Peppermint Cookie
Pistachio Linzer Cookie
5-Legged Goat Cookie
Gluten/Wheat Friendly Gingerbread Cookie
Gingerbread Latte Cupcake
Christmas Tree Butter Cookie
Frozen Hot Chocolate (Also available with Peppermint Schnapps)
Frozen Apple Cider (Also available with Fireball Cinnamon Whisky floater)

Last but certainly not least for Walt Disney World Resort, the impressive display at The American Adventure in EPCOT. From Nov. 24 through Dec. 30, this unique display recreates some classic monuments in America and EPCOT alike with gingerbread versions of the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, The American Adventure building with Regal Eagle Smokehouse: Craft Drafts & Barbecue, and even a Festival Marketplace. There are also 6 hidden Mickeys found within. See how many you can find on your next visit to EPCOT.