Don't miss these underrated but wonderful holiday sights at Walt Disney World!

There's something about Walt Disney World at Christmas time that is truly magical. Every park and hotel is decked out for the holidays with scores of trees, parades, ride overlays, treats and more. The big sights are famous with all the trees and shows to get guests' attention.

Yet some fine WDW holiday traditions aren't as well known but still remarkable. They can range from decorations in the resorts to some underrated park shows, but each offers a unique view of the season. More fun are bits celebrating not just Christmas but other holidays as well. In light of the season, here are ten overlooked but fun WDW Christmas sights for 2023 and a reminder few make Christmas as magical as Disney does. 

Grand Floridian Gingerbread Houses

This is one of the more famous sights, but it's still amazing how the gorgeous deluxe resort brings out some great gingerbread houses. There are a variety of them about the area, many themed to Disney characters and movies. But the big one is the massive house that takes weeks to bake but is always worth it.

The smells of fresh dough and candies flow around the lobby, and it's a great spot for meet and greets with Santa and other characters. It's a key reason the Grand Floridian tops lists of the best Disney resorts at Christmas time. 

The Yacht Club Train Village

The Yacht Club's decorations are always nice, with trees fitting the old-style New England theme of the resort. The standout is the spectacular miniature village with a train running through it. It's never the same every year as there are always shifts in the design with some wonderful details.

Obviously, there's a Disney influence as you can see characters around from Elsa and Anna to Mickey but also captures an old-timey English setting too. It's wonderful to examine and take in all the details to make this a lovely sight for train lovers. 

Beach Club Carousel

The Yacht Club's sister resort has its own decorations, most utilizing the laid-back feeling of the resort. Their showcase is the "edible" Carousel, that is always a marvel. The theming changes every year (for 2023, it's modeled after Duck Tales), but the fantastic detail and decorations are always top-notch. It's better at night with the fun lighting. No wonder it has to be fenced off as kids (and a few adults) would love to give it an actual spin (and yes, it spins too). 

Wilderness Lodge Lobby

The Wilderness Lodge always has one of the best lobbies of any Disney resort, so it's no surprise they go all-out for Christmas. The massive 60-foot tall tree is as amazing as any in the parks, always boasting some fine decorations and shines wonderfully at night. A great bit is the decorations look like they were crafted by settlers with a nice Western theme to them.

The bridge over Copper Creek Falls has some good wreathing and garland. There's also a small spot by the roaring fireplace at night, so even if it's warm outside, this feels cozy and makes the Wilderness Lodge a wonderful place to visit for the holidays. 

Disney Springs Christmas Stroll

The Disney Springs area is already lovely enough for Christmas with the decorations, trees and shops decked out for the season, not to mention the bevy of Christmas meals and treats on sale. The Christmas Tree Stroll has become a nice tradition to enjoy.

Guests can wander around the area to take in 19 trees, each modeled after a different Disney property. This year's offerings include Frozen, Moana, Marvel, a special 30th anniversary for The Nightmare Before Christmas and Wish. Each tree is fun to see and best of all, there's no fee for this, just a great way to spend an afternoon. 

The Voices of Liberty

Long one of the more underrated entertainment acts at Epcot, this acapella singing group performs in the atrium of the American Adventure several times a day. Most of the time, they sing colonial songs, but for the holidays, they perform special old-styled Christmas Carols.

The atrium itself has some nice garland and decorations as the group gives their all for these classic songs. It's a great way to kill time before a show while the performers themselves are great for some lovely caroling. 

Epcot Holiday Storytellers

Epcot's holiday traditions are well known, from the Candlelight Procession to fireworks. So, the Holiday Storytellers at World Showcase can be unfairly ignored. Each World Showcase pavilion has a special character from the host nation sharing some stories.

Mexico is Feliz Navidad with pinatas, a Norway farmer visited by a mischievous Santa, Italy tells of the kindly witch La Befna and more. Interesting are the nations that don't celebrate Christmas with China's Lion Dancers and Japan's Daruma puppets. Also, for those celebrating Hannakauh, a special performance recounts the story. It's a lovely view of other cultures celebrating the season for the park. 

Fort Wilderness Sleigh Rides

Yes, it's Florida, but that doesn't mean folks can't enjoy a classic horse-drawn sleigh ride. Fittingly, Fort Wilderness is offering these special rides, even if the sleighs are on wheels. It has an extra charge of $80, but worth it to see the campgrounds and areas at night with the decorations and lighting as well as the feel of a real horse pulling you along with the driver supplying some banter. Leave it to Disney to get a sleigh ride in a state that never gets snow. 

Sunset Seasons Greetings

After sadly getting rid of the Osborne Light Display, the Hollywood Studios needed something nice for Christmas. They got it with the Sunset Seasons Greetings, which oddly doesn't get the press of other WDW Christmas shows.

As the title suggests, it takes place on Sunset Boulevard which has some great lights, songs and even some snow falling. The focus is on the Tower of Terror, which is bathed in hologram lights for some festive light shows. That makes the ride look less foreboding than usual, but it fits the Studios have a fantastic holiday light show. 

Diwali at Animal Kingdom 

Animal Kingdom has some fun holiday stuff, from Santa Claus flotillas to the parades. Yet the Asia section has an overlooked entry for a different type of holiday. At night, the place comes alive with the Anandapur section decorated for Diwali, the festival of lights in India. The theater district is bathed in lanterns and glowing flowers of Indian design. It's a standout amid the area and good of Disney to give this culture more attention. 

These are just a few fun sights to ensure a WDW visit at Christmas time is a magical period!