ParkSwiz
Peak crowds

EPCOT in December

World Showcase turns into a global holiday tour this month, with storytellers, Holiday Kitchens and the Candlelight Processional, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind pulling peak-season crowds all day long.

Updated Reviewed by ParkSwiz research
Ask Swiz about DecemberJump to all 49 attractions
Crowd level
Peak
Avg high
73°F
Avg low
54°F
Rain days
5 days
Pros

Reasons to visit in December

  • The EPCOT International Festival of the Holidays fills World Showcase with storytellers sharing holiday legends from around the world, plus Holiday Kitchens and a holiday cookie stroll.
  • Candlelight Processional brings a celebrity narrator and live orchestra to tell the Christmas story, with a dining package that guarantees a same-day seat.
  • Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind anchors World Discovery and is worth building a whole morning strategy around.
  • Luminous The Symphony of Us gives World Showcase Lagoon a nightly holiday-season capstone that draws crowds well before showtime.
  • Remy's Ratatouille Adventure and Frozen Ever After let you dip into France and Norway's holiday decor while you wait out standby lines.
Cons

Things to watch out for

  • Crowds run at peak all month, so Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Frozen Ever After post long standby waits from open to close.
  • World Showcase promenade gets genuinely congested during Festival of the Holidays, especially near Candlelight Processional showtimes.
  • Popular Candlelight Processional dining packages and showtimes sell out fast, leaving walk-up guests stuck watching from the back of a packed viewing area.
  • World Discovery and World Nature offer little shade, so exposed midday waits at Test Track or Soarin' Across America feel long even in cool weather.
  • Luminous and holiday fireworks draw dense crowds to the lagoon walkways well before showtime, making a quick exit or pavilion-hop difficult.
Special events

Events in December

Resort-wideNew Year's Eve celebrations

Must-do rides

View all attractions
Day plan

Tell Swiz your December dates. Get a plan, not a brochure.

Party size, budget, must-do rides. Swiz builds your EPCOT day around them.

Build my December plan
A ParkSwiz day plan for EPCOT, shown on a phone
Attractions

Attractions at EPCOT

With EPCOT running at peak crowd levels all December, knowing which rides to prioritize matters more than usual. Here's the full lineup, from World Discovery's Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind to World Showcase's pavilion attractions.

By land
Lightning LaneSingle PassMulti Pass tier 1Multi Pass tier 249 shown
Ask Swiz

49 attractions. Ask Swiz which ones you can skip.

Straight verdicts on what is worth your time in December.

Ask Swiz
Ask SwizEPCOT · December
What should I do first at EPCOT?
Tap to ask Swiz. It is free to start, no account needed.
Best time for the headliners?Where to eat?

Explore more

EPCOT, other months