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Are you planning on visiting the Walt Disney World Resort during the 2026 Christmas season? Have you considered staying at the Swan and Dolphin Resort? We want to go over why the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort are great choices for a hotel during the holiday season (and we want to tell you how you can save money on nightly hotel rates there!).
And that starts with the fact that the Swan and Dolphin Resorts are a great choice any time of the year. They are within walking distance of both Epcot and Hollywood Studios (and they offer convenient boat transportation to those parks, too). They also have bus transportation to Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, and Disney Springs, too.
And they are great hotels with lots of wonderful amenities. But they are even more special during the holiday season, which we will get to.
Swan and Dolphin Christmas Decorations
But first, let’s talk about the their wonderful Christmas decorations. The Christmas decorations are not up yet, but I have loved the decorations every year I’ve visited the Swan and Dolphin during the holiday season. I absolutely love the beautiful Christmas trees in the lobbies.
And the decorations in the entrances of the hotels.
They have this neat thing where when you enter the Swan, they have a revolving door and in part of it there are Christmas presents!
The swans are decorated for the holiday season.
Even some of their restaurants are decorated, like The Fountain.
The decorations outside the resort are great, too.
There is also a Chocolate Santa Display at the entrance to the Swan near Il Mulino New York Trattoria. It was made completely from chocolate and hand-crafted by the resort’s two-time World Pastry Chef, Laurent Branlard. And they boast it is the World’s Largest Chocolate Santa!
The Swan Reserve is the newest part of the Swan and Dolphin Resort complex. My family loved staying here, by the way. And we did it during the holiday season (got to walk to Jollywood Nights!).
Anyway, that hotel also has had some nice Christmas decorations.
Swan and Dolphin Christmas Activities
There are a lot of fun Christmas activities going on at the Swan and Dolphin, too. Here are some of the highlights.
Santa And Mrs. Claus
Turns out that while Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus live in the North Pole, they like to head to Florida in the winter, too! Because Santa, Mrs. Claus, and their special Elf, Kandy Kane, will be visiting the Swan and Dolphin Resort this holiday season! They’ll be at the Swan pool from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM on the following dates:
- November 27 & 28
- December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18,19, 20 & 21
This activity is only for guests of the Swan and Dolphin. You’ll need to register ahead of time since space is limited. You can show your key to get in.
Cookie Decorating
Cast members help children create and decorate holiday cookies Santa’s Holiday Hangout area at the Swan pool on select nights from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. This is a free activity where you get a complimentary cookie for decorating. You’ll have to make a reservation for this, though, ahead of time because space is limited.
Santa’s Dancing Lights Spectacular
One of the things I love about staying at the Swan and Dolphin is the nightly dancing lighted palms on the causeway between the Swan and Dolphin. It happens every 10 minutes. And it is holiday-themed this time of the year!
Elves Magical Workshop
Kids can enter a magical workshop where they are greeted by elves. There are numerous craft stations there where kids can decorate ornaments, assemble gift bags, or even create stuffed toys.
Santa’s Stocking
Since the Walt Disney World Resort is the most magical place on earth and all, Santa has given the staff at the Swan and Dolphin Resort permission to deliver his famous stockings stuffed with toys and candy for children of all ages. Please note reservations are required and fees apply.
Swan and Dolphin Christmas Menus
A couple of the restaurants at the Swan and Dolphin Resort have special Christmas menus.
Swan & Dolphin Hotel Deals
So, I am sure you haven’t forgotten I said I was going to tell you about how you can get a great deal for a stay here, right? Well, all you need to do is click on our links. And then you can book these hotels for a great rate.
