Is there anything better than seeing a magical Christmas lighting display around the holidays? This list of places to see Christmas lights in Orlando will show you the best possible spots for embracing the holiday season!
I absolutely love visiting Orlando in December.
With its distinctive air of holiday cheer and festive-inspired activities, it’s quite literally a winter wonderland that psyches me up for Christmas.
When I’m not heading to the Disney Parks, I’m driving around the various holiday lighting displays to really drink it all in.
From huge corporate displays and charity events to residential offerings from one-man bands, this list has it all.
Now let’s uncover the most glorious Christmas lights in Orlando that will fill your heart with magic!
Best Spots for Seeing Christmas Lights in Orlando
Casselberry Tree Lighting
Website: https://www.casselberry.org/628/Tree-Lighting-Ceremony
Address: 95 Triplet Lake Drive, Casselberry, FL 32707
Phone: 407-262-7700
Why it’s on this list: It’s a short and sweet experience that not many people know about outside of the local area!
If you’re looking for a short and sweet tree lighting ceremony in Orlando, you can’t beat Casselberry.
The annual tree lighting ceremony takes place on the first Saturday of December and the experience usually runs from 5 pm to 8 pm.
Along with the lights, you’ll find Christmas food trucks, photo ops with Santa, a traditional countdown, and Christmas crafts!
If you can hang around until 7:30 pm, there’s usually a holiday light stroll that takes you through the best of the lighting display.
Sanford Parade of Lights
Website: https://www.historicdowntownsanford.com/downtown-sanford-events/sanford-annual-parade-of-lights/
Address: 307 E 2nd St Sanford, FL 32771
Phone: 407-243-8494
Why it’s on this list: The size of the floats and the general excitement among locals makes this well worth seeing!
The Sanford Parade of Lights is another great option if you want to check out Christmas lights in Orlando this year.
This annual celebration takes place on the second Saturday of the year (usually!) and runs from 6 – 8 pm.
The parade floats feature lights, music, and over 75 people marching down 1st Street to ring in the holidays!
It’s not a huge display, but it’s an awesome option for locals who want to get in the Christmas spirit.
Johanessen Lights
Website: https://www.facebook.com/JohanessenLights/
Address: 7849 Georgeann St., Winter Park
Phone: N/A
Why it’s on this list: It’s entirely free!
If you’re in Winter Park this festive season, you need to catch the Christmas lights on Georgeann Street.
It first appeared on the TV show “The Great Christmas Light Fight” and has been a showstopper ever since!
It’s run by a single family who spend several months decorating their residence with an impressive 500,000+ lights. That includes setting up their annual snow flurry machine!
This local light display takes place every year and runs between 6 pm and 10 pm on Thursdays – Saturdays.
This usually starts on the first Thursday of December and runs until the end of the festive season. However, it’s subject to change each year!
While you’re here, you can also pick up unlit and pre-lit Christmas trees to take home.
The event is completely free, but the family always appreciate donations in the box outside the door to help with electricity costs.
Winter Wonderland of Lights
Website: https://www.orlando.gov/Events/2023-City-of-Orlando-Holiday-Happenings
Address: 101 North Rosalind Ave. Orlando, FL 32801
Phone: 407-46-4275
Why it’s on this list: It’s a short and sweet experience that takes place every day throughout the festive season.
Another excellent option for catching Christmas lights in Orlando is the Eola Winter Wonderland.
This amazing event takes place throughout December until just before Christmas.
It kicks off with a tree-lighting experience on the 1st December.
Then, you can expect meet and greets with Santa Claus and regular snowfall intervals (with bubbly snow!
But what I love most about this Christmas lights experience is that it’s free and you can easily cover it in an hour if you need to.
On the last day of the experience, you can also see a dazzling drone show that creates Christmas-themed designs in the sky!
Dazzling Nights at Leu Gardens
Website: https://www.dazzlingorlando.com/
Address: 1500 Falcon Dr, Orlando, FL 32803
Phone: 407-246-2620
Why it’s on this list: It’s a majestic lighting display that includes holiday-inspired food and drink!
If you want to visit one of the more immersive examples of Christmas lights in Orlando, try out Dazzling Nights.
It’s a paid-for experience that usually runs between mid-November and the last day of Christmas (AKA: January 6th!).
This display features light-up trees, giant rollable ornaments, light tunnels, and gorgeous Moroccan lanterns.
Plus, each year something new is added to the mix.
Not only can you see a different display by the Leu Gardens Horticulture Team each year, but there’s an amazing nighttime show.
The show usually incorporates 100 10-inch-tall light beacons and a 30-inch tree!
The lights themselves are huge selling points, but the mulled wine, sweet treats, and Christmas market goodies are also big draws!
Legoland
Website: https://www.legoland.com/florida/things-to-do/seasonal-events/holidays-at-legoland/
Address: 1 Legoland Way, Winter Haven, FL 33884
Phone: 863-318-5454
Why it’s on this list: The theme park goes ham on Christmas décor, events, and activities!
If you want to have tons of fun while you see some of the best Christmas lights in Orlando, visit LEGOLAND!
The park is decorated for the Christmas season every year, and the park runs holiday-themed entertainment too.
The holiday season usually runs between late November and December 31st, but the exact dates tend to vary year on year.
While you’re here, you can send letters to Santa at the Holiday Village Postal Service and even take ELFIES with holiday characters!
As you walk around the park, there are tons of Christmas lights dotted around.
From the central Christmas tree to blingy decorations, it’s a great option for catching the lights!
Light Up the Holidays in Altamonte Springs
Website: https://www.altamonte.org/788/Light-Up-the-Holidays
Address: Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
Phone: 407-571-8000
Why it’s on this list: It’s a completely free event that’ll get you into the holiday spirit early!
Light Up the Holidays is an annual Christmas tradition that takes place in Alamonte Springs every year.
It usually takes place on the first Saturday of December and involves lighting display, kids’ activities, and live entertainment!
So, it’s a complete festive wonderland.
The festivities run between 5 and 9 pm and admission is 100% free. You just need to pay for any food and drink you purchase on site.
Oh, and no coolers are allowed (sorry!).
If you can’t make the Christmas display, there are concerts, Santa meet-and-greets, and movie showings throughout the season.
Light Up Kissimmee
Website: https://www.kissimmeemainstreet.org/events-calendar/light-up-kissimmee
Address: 421 Broadway Kissimmee, FL 34741
Phone: 407-846-4643
Why it’s on this list: It’s an old tradition in Kissimmee that turns Historic Downtown into a gorgeous center of Christmas light goodness.
If you’re planning to catch Christmas lights in Orlando, I recommend stopping by Light Up Kissimmee.
This ever-popular event kicks off the holiday season every year and sees Historic Downtown lit up with thousands of Christmas lights.
The event usually takes place in late November and the lights stay up until the end of the Christmas period.
Even if you’re just driving through Kissimmee, you should be able to see the Christmas lights across the Downtown area!
Talk about multi-tasking.
I-Drive Holiday Tree Lighting
Website: https://www.internationaldriveorlando.com/events/i-drive-district-holiday-tree-lighting.html
Address: 8375 International Drive Orlando, FL 32819
Phone: 407-601-7907
Why it’s on this list: It’s conveniently located near Disney World and it’s easy to stop by before grabbing dinner around I-Drive.
Are you heading to Disney World for the holiday season? If you’re staying off-site, you can catch amazing Orlando Christmas lights right on I-Drive!
This is a super popular place to stay (and dine!) if you’re not staying on property and there’s a tree lighting every year.
It usually takes place at ICON Park on the 1st of December at around 6 pm and is entirely free to attend.
So, it’s super easy to get to if you’re already around the parks or are a true-blue local.
Plus, the tree is 50-foot tall and that’s reason enough to visit!
Lake Mary Christmas Celebration
Website: https://www.lakemaryfl.com/
Address: 100 N Country Club Road Lake Mary, FL 32746
Phone: 407-585-1421
Why it’s on this list: It’s an entirely free event that’ll get you in the Christmas spirit (with free parking!).
There’s an awesome Christmas Lights display around Downtown Lake Mary from the first Friday of December.
The Holiday in the Park celebration decks out the Downtown area with thousands of twinkling lights.
Plus, they usually release fake snow at regular intervals to really get you in the holiday spirit!
While you’re at this (FREE!) event, you can also check out the:
- Winter Maze
- Balloon artists
- Tree lighting countdown (on the first day of the event)
- Local food vendors
- A synthetic ice rink (this comes with an extra charge)
You can easily park at Lake Mary Elementary for free, so there’s basically no excuse NOT to check out these Christmas lights in Orlando.
Give Kids the World in Kissimmee
Website: https://www.gktw.org/lights/
Address: 210 South Bass Road Kissimmee, FL 34746
Phone: 407-396-1114
Why it’s on this list: It’s got a bit of everything and supports a great cause!
Head to Kissimmee to check out the Give Kids the World Holiday Lights event this year.
This fundraising VIP experience gives guests the chance to experience the Give Kids the World Village decked out for the holidays.
Along with holiday dessert parties, you’ll get to see the Night of a Million Lights experience.
It runs at Island H20 Water Park every night from early November through January 1st.
The timings of the light event are usually between 6 pm and 10 pm, but it can change year-on-year (so, it’s worth double-checking!).
While you’re here, you need to make sure you check out the Avenue of Angels that’s decorated with 1.6 MILLION Christmas lights.
If you stick around, you’ll also get nightly musical performances and get to check out the five-story water slide!
Now that’s a creative place to see Christmas lights in Orlando this year.
Lake Nona Lights
Website: http://www.lakenonalights.com/
Address: 9800 Old Patina Way, Orlando, FL 32832
Phone: 407-536-8822
Why it’s on this list: It’s a fun and festive way to spend a few minutes as you head through Lake Nona!
Running from Thanksgiving evening to New Year’s Eve, Lake Nona Christmas Lights has been around for over a decade.
It’s a light display that synchronizes the dazzling lights with festive music at a SINGLE HOUSE IN TOWN!
The show is ongoing between 6 pm and 10 pm between Sunday and Thursday and 6 pm and 11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays.
To make things even sweeter, this is one of the spots to see Christmas lights in Orlando that’s completely free!
Although it’s on a relatively small scale, this annual light show just keeps growing and now features over 25,000 lights!
I mean, just look at this thing being set up by the owners – that’s commitment, all right!
Christmas in Mount Dora
Website: https://www.mountdorabuzz.com/holidayevents.html
Address: Sunset Park 230 W 4th Ave, FL 32756
Phone: N/A
Why it’s on this list: It’s one of the largest displays of Christmas lights in Orlando – plus, you can’t beat that Polar Express Train!
Mount Dora has a sensational lighting display each year that includes a mind-boggling 2 MILLION LEDs across the entire town.
Not only do they create gorgeous displays with reindeers, Santas, and toy soldiers, but they even light up the fountains!
Oh, and did I mention the enormous Polar Express Train? That’s right, these guys nail holiday lighting!
The main lighting ceremony takes place at Elizabeth Evans Park at the end of November (usually on Thanksgiving evening).
This involves lighting up the Christmas tree and a visit from Santa Claus at Sunset Park.
After dark on the first night of the festivities, there’s also a firework display.
The lights then stay up through to the 1st of January to chase away those post-Christmas blues!
Just so you’re aware, the lights are usually turned on at 6:15 pm – don’t arrive too early to avoid disappoint.
Bivona Christmas Lights
Website: https://www.facebook.com/BivonaChristmas/
Address: 1601 N Wind Ct, Winter Springs, FL
Phone: N/A
Why it’s on this list: It’s a great choice for local residents who want to see an ornate lighting display (without any additional activities).
Tucked away in Winter Springs, the Bivona Christmas Light Show is an annual event that’s been wowing locals and visitors since 1983.
Along with a fabulous light show every evening that’s set to music, you’ll get to walk around the neighborhood’s residences.
And you guessed it – they’re ALL beautifully lit up!
The display is usually up by December 1st, but they can sometimes be ready by late November if you’re around for Thanksgiving.
I suggest keeping a close eye on the Facebook page I’ve linked above as the residents regularly update visitors on their progress!
Walt Disney World
Website: www.disneyworld.com
Address: 1180 Seven Seats Dr, Orlando, FL 32830 (this is for Magic Kingdom – find the other addresses here!).
Phone: 407-939-5277
Why it’s on this list: It’s the most magical place on earth, and glorious Christmas lighting displays come with the territory.
As a Disney blogger, I couldn’t write a list of places to see Christmas lights in Orlando without mentioning the Disney World!
This park has one of the most impressive lighting displays in the state.
From the glorious lights on Cinderella’s Castle to the beautiful garlands and strings of lights across Main Street – it’s breathtaking.
Oh, and don’t get me started on the Merry & Bright Lights around Living with the Land in EPCOT.
The greenhouses get beautifully illuminated around the holidays, and it adds an air of magic to an already wonderful attraction.
If you can grab a ticket, I also suggest trying to see the lights at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party.
Along with the typical Magic Kingdom lights, you’ll also get to see the Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks Show.
If you can’t make it to the party, head over to Jollywood Nights at Hollywood Studios.
It’s set to be less busy than Magic Kingdom and features a dramatic nighttime show packed with fireworks and lights!
Holiday Drone Show
Website: https://www.downtownorlando.com/Fun/Events/Holiday-Drone-Show
Address: 512 East Washington Street, Orlando, FL 32801
Phone: 407-246-2121
Why it’s on this list: The drones are SO cool and make an interesting change from classic lighting displays.
If you’re looking for a different take on typical holiday lighting displays, the Violectric Holiday Show is a great option.
It’s a 12-minute light show that uses drones to create a collection of holiday-inspired designs across the night sky.
The show is short but sweet, making it the perfect after-work festive activity for those busy weeks.
You don’t even need to book a ticket – it’s entirely free and you can just pull up a picnic blanket or lawn chair!
Christmas at the Gaylord Palms
Website: https://christmasatgaylordpalms.marriott.com/
Address: 6000 W Osceola Pkwy, Kissimmee, FL 34746
Phone: 407-586-0000
Why it’s on this list: It’s a completely free experience that features more Christmas lights than almost any other display in the city.
One of the best options for seeing Christmas lights in Orlando is the FREE (yes, FREE!) show at the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center.
This dazzling display includes millions of Christmas lights that dance around to a festive soundtrack.
The lights move around a central tree that stands at an impressive 60 feet tall (so, I recommend standing as close as possible to the tree for the best views).
Once you’ve enjoyed the light show, you can enjoy live shows, grab some food, or simply call it a day.
Either way, you don’t need to spend a penny to get in the festive mood!
Disney Springs
Website: https://www.disneysprings.com/entertainment/christmas-tree-stroll/
Address: 1486 Buena Vista Dr, Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Phone: 407-939-5277
Why it’s on this list: The Christmas Tree Stroll is a fabulous free activity for kids and adults alike. Plus, you can stop off and grab some grub (or check out the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique afterward!).
From its fabulous restaurants to its amazing stores, Disney Springs is an amazing place to spend the holidays.
But did you know that it’s home to an impressive lighting display? That’s right, it’s not just inside the parks where you’ll find festive décor!
The Christmas Tree Stroll is probably the highlight of the holiday season at Disney Springs and runs from early November to the end of the year.
The Tree Stroll includes a free map that guides you through a list of beautifully-decorated Disney-themed trees.
There are usually 20 different trees on offer, so make sure you set aside plenty of time to explore the area properly.
You can tick them off as you go before grabbing a cup of hot chocolate for the road!
Before leaving, stop by the central Christmas tree in the Town Center where you’ll find regular snow flurries.
Universal Studios Orlando
Website: https://www.universalorlando.com/web/en/us/things-to-do/events/holidays-at-universal
Address: 6000 Universal Blvd, Orlando, FL 32819
Phone: 407-363-8000
Why it’s on this list: I don’t think the lights at Universal are quite as magical as the ones you’ll find at Disney World. But the magic of Hogwarts is very obvious around this time of year.
To round off this list of the best Christmas Lights in Orlando, I’ve got Universal Studios!
You’ll get amazing nighttime lights at Hogwarts Castle, but there are also garlands and strings of lights across the main sections of the park.
But honestly, it’s Diagon Alley that takes the cake.
The hundreds of Christmas lights here give the entire area a whimsical and mythical vibe that oozes festive vibes.
The lighting displays are all included in your park ticket, so enjoy them!
I hope that you enjoyed this list of amazing places to catch Christmas lights in Orlando!
Have you seen any of these displays so far this year? Do you have any on your list? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
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