Wide-eyed wonderment will wash over you this holiday season when you see the gingerbread displays! You can find these works of art at select Disney theme parks and Disney resort hotels, as well as the ships of Disney Cruise Line.
I think the best part of stopping by is the aroma of gingerbread displays! Of course, Disney doesn’t miss a beat and National Gingerbread Day is celebrated Wednesday, November 21st. It’s amazing to see every year the work of the Disney chefs who decked the halls (roofs, doorways, and windows, too) to create life-sized, gingerbread houses yummy enough to eat.
Disney World Gingerbread Locations
Here’s a look at storybook houses, carousels and other confections baked with love by Disney chefs, with savory sweets for sale in most locations:
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – This year marks the 20th anniversary of this resort hotel’s gingerbread house. A classic recipe from Austria inspires the ornaments, cookies and a house standing 14 feet tall in the lobby. Home to The Bake Shop, the gingerbread house is the perfect place to pick up holiday treats. Gingerbread house decorating demonstrations occur daily December 1-25.
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort – Cinderella Castle is re-created with an “it’s a small world” backdrop depicting Cinderella and Prince Charming greeting guests in the castle forecourt. The 18-foot display is crafted from thousands of gingerbread blocks. A life-sized spinning carousel highlights the display.
- Disney’s Beach Club Resort – Donald Duck – and Daisy Duck themed horses are decorated with chocolate, sugar, and fondant in this scrumptious classic carousel.
- Disney’s BoardWalk Resort – A delightful gingerbread version of the resort’s BoardWalk features iconic locales such as BoardWalk Bakery, Flying Fish, Trattoria al Forno and more.
- The American Adventure – Patriotic flair meets pastry magic at Epcot, where gingerbread renditions of the U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument (topped with golden Mickey ears!) are on display.
- Amorette’s Patisserie – This sophisticated pastry shop at Disney Springs dresses up its front window with a miniature gingerbread replica of itself – right down to the gingerbread trees!
- The Haunted Mansion – Disneyland Resort turns to Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” to create a wonderfully spooky gingerbread display inside this classic attraction. A giant spider with glowing eyes hangs over the Grand Hall Table, attempting to pry the edible gingerbread mansion from its foundation as gingerbread zombies watch in amazement.
- Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa – Disney artists, engineers, and bakers teamed up on a gingerbread house that adds to the resort hotel’s festive lobby. With over 600 pounds of gingerbread and adorned with Hidden Mickeys, this grandly Californian gingerbread house is on display all season long.
- Disney Cruise Line – Aboard the four Disney Cruise Line ships, the chef competition is on! Bakery teams are challenged to create their own individual gingerbread houses for display throughout the holiday season in the atrium lobby of each ship. Taking weeks to conceptualize and construct, each features more than 600 pounds of gingerbread dough, 200-plus pounds of sugar and 5,000 gingerbread bricks.
- Aulani – A Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii gets its gingerbread on with “A Kakamora Holiday.” This festive display includes a chocolate tree, a Moana inspired gingerbread hut, chocolate sleigh and merrymaking Kakamoras celebrating with a tropical twist. Sounds like a good enough reason to me to make a trip right?
Let us know in the comments below if you plan on catching one of these gingerbread masterpieces!
I have been visiting the parks annually since my parents first brought me at just a year old. Recently I was able to fulfill my life long dream of being a Florida local and moved from the wintery Northeast to the sunshine and fun of central Florida. Now I am hoping to share my Disney knowledge with you so you can have the best vacation possible!
