Foodie Guide to Festive Gingerbread Houses and Displays 2023

Ready for some mind-blowing Disney gingerbread displays? That’s exactly what to expect to find at both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, and even aboard the high seas on Disney Cruise Line during the holiday season. A true staple of both locations’ holiday festivities, these gingerbread displays are truly amazing. After months of hard work and creativity from the talented culinary teams, these displays are brought to life before our very eyes and are well worth the visit.

Some of these displays have returned for the holidays for more than 20 years, like the Gingerbread House found at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and the Gingerbread House found within (yes, within) Haunted Mansion Holiday at Disneyland Park, while others are making their dazzling debut for the very first time this year, like the Lighthouse coming to Disney’s Yacht Club Resort. It’s no surprise visiting these works of art have become a tradition for both guests and cast members alike. With plenty of hidden details, and maybe even some hidden Mickeys, guests can easily come back again and again to experience these gingerbread creations.

Shall we unwrap all the gingerbread fun coming this holiday season?

Starting Nov. 10, 2023, the Disneyland Resort will have a display to get guests in the holiday spirit – the Gingerbread House at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. The lobby will be home once again to one of its best holiday classics – the “Grand” Gingerbread House. This giant gingerbread replica of the hotel is a holiday highlight and can’t-miss stop in the lobby. Standing 7 feet tall and 12 feet wide, the structure is created from more than 600 pounds of gingerbread, 600 pounds of powdered sugar, 250 pounds of fondant, 1 pound of pixie dust, and features 25 hidden Mickeys!

Grand Californian Great Hall Cart Menu

If guests want a sweet treat to commemorate their experience, they can enjoy one (or multiple) of the following:

  • Mickey Mouse-shaped Poinsettia Cookie
  • Mickey-shaped Gingerbread Cookie
  • Christmas Cookie
  • Holiday Cookie Box: will include two milk chocolate-dipped Mickey-shaped cookies, two raspberry-filled cookies and two sugar cookies with festive sprinkles
  • Assorted Macarons: Assorted macaron box will include two gingerbread, two peppermint and two Mexican hot chocolate
  • Kwanzaa Sweet Potato Loaf
  • Crisped Rice Treat
  • Holiday Cinnamon Buns (New)
  • Hot Cocoa Cookies (New)
  • Coffee with Liqueur (Available with Amaretto, Butterscotch, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal Apple, Godiva Chocolate, Grand Marnier, Jameson Whiskey, Peppermint Schnapps, Rumchata, Rumple Minz, Skrewball Whiskey) (New)
  • Eggnog with Baileys
  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Shot with Milk
  • Gingerbread Cookie Shot with Milk (New)
  • Red Velvet Cookie Shot with Milk (New)
  • Chocolate Chip Cookie Shot with Liqueur (Available with Amaretto, Butterscotch, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal Apple, Godiva Chocolate, Grand Marnier, Jameson Whiskey, Peppermint Schnapps, Rumchata, Rumple Minz, Skrewball Whiskey)
  • Cookie shot with Louis XIII Cognac
  • Cookie shot with Clase Azul Ultra Anejo

Welcome foolish mortals to a gingerbread display unlike any seen before. Found within the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland park, a few ghosts have made room for a dazzling display this season. The Haunted Mansion Gingerbread House has been materializing for guests of the attraction for over 20 years from Halloween to the holidays. Jack Skellington, or should we say “Sandy Claws,” and his friends have transformed this beloved attraction into Haunted Mansion Holiday, inspired by “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas,” and this display is a welcomed addition. With three moving elements and nearly 300 pounds, this display took over 20 days to build and decorate with 13 cast members. Don’t forgot to take a ride to see if before Jan. 8, 2024.

Now heading over to Walt Disney World Resort, we’re stopping by Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa for their life-sized Gingerbread House! This beloved tradition is back again for its 24th year from Nov. 8, 2023, through Jan. 1, 2024, and is filled with plenty of sweet delights and decorations. All across this house, guests will 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 find them all.

Grand Floridian Gingerbread House Menu

If guests are looking to take a taste of gingerbread and the holidays home, they’re in luck because this display has quite the lineup of treats available for purchase that will dazzle their tastebuds, 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

As we keep going around crescent lake, we get to 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

Next up, let’s go on a tasty adventure to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge where guests will 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 Gignger 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. Guests will also be able to pick up some tasty treats to take with them, like the Gingeraffe Cookie, Hot Cocoa Flight, and beer, wine, and cocktails!

Now, let’s blast off to 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 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, we’ve got quite 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.

What an incredible (and tasty) lineup the talented culinary teams have put together for us this year. Throughout this holiday season, grab loved ones and get ready to see some gingerbread! There’s truly no limit to the ways guests can celebrate the holidays at Disney Parks.

(Note: All offerings are subject to change and availability.)

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