25+ Best Orlando Christmas Lights 2023 (Map + Scavenger Hunt Included)

MAP OF THE BEST ORLANDO CHRISTMAS LIGHTS (NEIGHBORHOODS + MORE)

ORLANDO CHRISTMAS LIGHTS SCAVENGER HUNT

BEST NEIGHBORHOODS FOR CHRISTMAS LIGHTS IN ORLANDO AND CENTRAL FLORIDA

If you want to avoid the big city events and displays, Orlando has some homes and neighborhoods that go all out for Christmas. They start decorating months before Christmas. Then it takes a long time to take everything down at the end of the season.

Some neighborhoods work together to put on a coordinated display while others have friendly competitions between neighbors. Still others are on their own to light up their neighborhoods each season. Here are some of the best Christmas lights Orlando has to offer. Trust me, you don’t want to miss them!

Here is a quick reference guide (click to go straight to that section):

JOHANESSEN LIGHTS AKA ORLANDO GREAT CHRISTMAS LIGHT FIGHT HOUSE

Dates & Times: Open Thursdays through Saturdays starting December 7th (see below for exact dates)
Cost: $10 for the backyard
Address: 7849 Georgeann St., Winter Park, Florida

Also known as the Johanessen Lights, this crazy Christmas house first became famous outside of locals when it was on the TV show, “The Great Christmas Light Fight.” The family spends months each year decorating and then putting everything back away including half a million Christmas lights.

While the backyard has been closed for the last two years, it is open again in 2023. While the front yard is free, they put a donation box out each year with a suggested donation for the backyard. This helps with the electricity costs and costs of materials to decorate.

This year the road is closed to all vehicle traffic. You must park at the office center at the end of Georgeann or at the Publix Plaza across Goldenrod. There is a special crosswalk set up by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office to cross Goldenrod and get to the display.

In 2023, they are open from December 7 – 9, 14 – 16, 21 – 23, and 26 – 31. They are always closed on Christmas and Christmas Eve.

Just around the corner is the Winter Park Lights on Waunaqua at 7510 Waunaqua Drive. You’ll find fewer people at this one than the Johanessen Lights and you can walk over while you are there – it’s just one neighborhood north of Georgeann Street. It was previously known as Conway Christmas Light on Blonigen but recently moved to Winter Park.

If you want another great display with the true spirit of Christmas in Winter Park, stop by 4564 New Broad St. Baldwin Park has lot of great displays, so drive around the area.

This one gives $3 to support local schools and nonprofits for every $1 donated. As someone who graduated from Winter Park High School and taught in Orlando for almost a decade, I love that they are supporting local schools.

CLEMWOOD STREET

Dates & Times: Evenings in December
Address: 2811 Clemwood Street

This one technically could go under the next section for Conway Christmas lights, but it is so good that it deserves its own section. In 2020, this house had 220,000+ lights covering the house and the front yard. Each light represented a life lost in the US that year to the pandemic.

In 2021, they have even more to represent the over 700,000 lives lost. It’s a truly impressive Christmas light display for the sheer number of lights they have covering every inch of the home.

This one is quite popular, so prepare for a crowd. Even early in December, there were already crowds coming to see this one. You may also need to park further away and walk. You can drive by slowly but do not block the road and keep an eye out for pedestrians in the dark.

While you’re here, check out the Conway Christmas lights map later in this post to find some other great holiday displays nearby.

BIVONA CHRISTMAS LIGHT SHOW

Dates & Times: All December long from 6:30 p.m. – 10:45 p.m.
Address: 1601 N Wind Ct, Winter Springs, Florida

There are Christmas lights, and then there are Christmas light installations that have coordinated music. For a truly impressive show put on each year, head to the Bivona Christmas light show in Winter Springs.

Kids especially will love this one as the lights dance to the music and there is a screen playing a video to go along with it as well. We arrived to “Let It Go” and Frozen playing on the screen as the music for the light show, but it quickly turned to more traditional Christmas music.

Tune in to 91.3FM to hear the music that goes with the lights and plan to stay for at least a few songs. You can get out and walk around for a closer look, but most people just park along the road and sit in their car to listen to the music and watch the light show.

As with all of the personal homes, please be respectful of the home, the neighbors, and others enjoying the show. If you drive down the cul-de-sac this one is on, there is another house with a cute display on the cul-de-sac.

Other Great Winter Springs Neighborhoods for Christmas Lights

While you are at Bivona, just a mile or two away is another great display. Head to 1209 Wolverine Trail for a yard full of inflatables and Christmas lights that kids will love.

There are more good lights nearby on Gazell too, and stop by 991 Sleeping Rock Court for a beautiful display. Drive down the nearby Northern Way for more good displays in the area.

Fye’s Crazy Christmas House is in nearby Casselberry at 407 Eagle Circle. With a Christmas light tunnel over the driveway and every inch of their yard filled with holiday cheer, this is a great one to stop by for the whole family.

LAKE NONA LIGHTS

Dates & Times: Thanksgiving until New Year’s starting at 6:00 p.m.
Address: 9800 Old Patina Way

The Lake Nona Lights are the perfect display to add on to Oh, What Fun! in Lake Nona. They turn on Thanksgiving night and stay on through New Year’s.

Enjoy thousands of dancing lights accompanied by festive music while you take in this Lake Nona Christmas light show. The neighbor across the street has four chairs sitting along the sidewalk so you can stay and enjoy the show.

Parking is extremely limited in front of this one, and you don’t want to block the stop sign across the street, so you’ll most likely need to park and walk if you want to stay for long. Your best bet is probably to park on Old Patina Way across Caroline Park Drive as many of the homeowners also park on the road here.

I found myself standing in the cold for much longer than expected watching this one because it was so well-done. This is one I plan to visit again this season to take other family members to see.

Other Lake Nona Christmas Lights to See

There are lots of lights in the same neighborhood as Lake Nona Lights and even along Old Patina Way, so spend some time driving around the area and see what else you can find.

Then head over to 11403 Great Commission Way in the Moss Park area for a crazy bright display of lights. This one is a winner of the Orlando Sentinel’s Twinkly Awards for 2023.

Finally, don’t miss driving through the Laureate Park Lights where they also host a yearly Halloween show. You may want to park nearby to walk by this Lake Nona light show and be able to spend time watching it for a few minutes. Tune in to 89.5 FM to hear the music that goes with the show.

CROSS CHRISTMAS

Dates & Times: December 3 through New Year’s starting at 6 p.m.
Address: 4241 N Econlockhatchee Trail

Santa is known to make an appearance close to Christmas at the top-ranking Cross Christmas that even has regular snow flurries. Every inch of the yard is covered in decorations and inflatables, and it is on a little cul-de-sac off of the road that makes it easier to find parking or to just pull in and watch.

This has become my favorite of the East Orlando Christmas lights, and it is right across the street from where I grew up. You can listen to the holiday music and get out and walk up the driveway to get a closer look at all of the decorations.

If you like Disney, they have lots of Disney inflatables and even a countdown clock to Christmas on the side of the garage. There is a donation box at the end of the driveway if you want to support this local Christmas light house.

Don’t miss driving by this East Orlando Christmas light display near UCF on your holiday rounds. While you’re in the area, stop by the Lights of Newbridge Lane for another display with a snow machine and dancing lights. Check out their Facebook page here.

CHULUOTA CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

Dates & Times: December 1 – January 1
Address: 274 Clearview Road, Chuluota, Florida

This one is a massive Christmas display full of lights, blow-up displays, and music. It’s a massive yard filled to the brim with Christmas decorations which makes it worth the drive out to these East Orlando Christmas lights.

This is my favorite display of all of the Central Florida Christmas lights. The yard is so large that they have plenty of space to fit tons of decorations, and you can walk along the driveway to go through them all. It’s one of the biggest and best displays I’ve ever seen.

On Christmas Eve, you can share cookies and hot cocoa with Santa’s Elves as they celebrate another year of making toys for all the boys and girls.

Their neighbor a couple of houses down has a great Christmas tree display made of lights. If you go around the corner to 1200 Enderby Court, this house also has a great display to see.

Plus, on the drive there, you’ll see lots of other great displays along Lake Mills Road. Clearview also has more displays than just this one, and Aquilla does as well. There are more good lights on Snow Hill Road near Overlook Drive.

Kilowatt Christmas is another great option in Chuluota, but due to construction issues, they are not doing lights in 2023.

BANBOR LIGHTS SPECTACULAR

Dates & Times: November 25 – 1, 5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. (10:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays)
Address: 7237 Mysticbrook Way, Davenport, Florida

Turn in to 91.5FM to get the music that goes along with this spectacular display. Located right close to Disney, this is a good one to check out if you are visiting the parks. The Banbor Lights also sells $5 Glow with the Show wristbands with all proceeds going to Toys for Tots.

You can also donate toys or money to Toys for Tots at this display that gives back. Leave toys by the front door in the box or leave money in the donation box at the end of the driveway on the right-hand side.

With water canons and spotlights to accentuate the already impressive show, this one is one to see. While you are out here, you can take a trip a little further south to Winter Haven to see Santa’s House by the Bigda’s. It is located at 4314 Shadow Wood Trail.

ELF’N EDWARDS WINTER WONDERLAND

Dates & Times: Throughout December, but check their Facebook page for hot chocolate nights
Address: 7324 Blue Jacket Pl W, Winter Park, Florida

This one is right close to where I grew up going to school, and it gets a place on my list not just because of the Christmas lights but also because of the hot chocolate nights and the Christmas village in their window.

Check their Facebook page to see which nights they will be out with hot chocolate for those who come by, but make sure to park and follow the path through the lights to look through the picture window. The neighbors across the street also have good decorations to see.

They have a Christmas village on display, but it changes every week up through Christmas. That means you can come back to see this one multiple times to see what has changed throughout the holiday season.

The LEGO Christmas Village is the biggest one I’ve ever seen. My favorite one might have been the house from UP in the middle of the village. This is one I need to take my nephews to see when they come to visit.

BELLE ISLE & CONWAY CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

Since my grandparents have lived in Belle Isle since the mid-1900s, Conway was the first area I explored for Christmas lights as a kid. As this Central Florida neighborhood has grown, the Christmas Lights have become even more impressive.

Some of my favorites are on Cullen Lake Shore Drive (near Gramont Ave especially) and Oak Island Road. Here are the addresses from some of our favorite finds so that you can enjoy them too:

• 2306 Trace Avenue – This one may not have many lights, but the 40-foot Santa makes it a great spot to stop and see the biggest Santa Claus you may ever find.
• Hoffner Avenue from Conway to Hansel – There are a few houses along this drive that have lots of holiday lights starting at the end of November and all throughout December. Just be careful as it is a main road through Belle Isle, so make sure you are not impeding the flow of traffic.
• Corner of Meadowood and Teriwood in Lake Conway Woods – This whole corner is covered in lights, and Lake Conway Woods is a beautiful neighborhood for Christmas lights in Orlando
• 3100 Cullen Lake Shore Drive – This is one of my favorites each year because of the sheer number of lights used to decorate the property. Just when you think it stops, you turn the corner and there are even more lights around the side of the property. You can even see their boat covered in Christmas lights most years for the lighted boat parade through the Conway Chain of Lakes.
• 4901 Dorian Avenue – This one is beautifully done, and I love the Christmas display on the roof. This road has a few displays, but this one was my favorite
• 2643 Vine Street – I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many Christmas inflatables in one place in my life. Every inch of their yard is completely covered right up to the property lines. Kids will love this one! It’s only a few minutes from Clemwood, so they are easily combined.
• 4101 Summerwood Avenue – The tunnel of lights over the driveway sets this house apart from others nearby, but the two houses next to this one also are in on the holiday cheer with great displays of their own.
• 713 Adirondack Avenue – With fun patterns of lights covering the yard and trees, this brightly colored yard is another great one to drive through when visiting Clemwood.
• 3727 Sarasota Court – Kids will especially love the Christmas decorations in the garage, complete with Rudolph and a screen showing Christmas movie clips.
• 1919 Stanley Street – Get a preview of the 31-foot tall Christmas tree made of 2,200 individually computer-controlled lights in this YouTube clip.
• 3028 Crystal Oak Court – You’ll find lots of lights covering the yard and the house at this over-the-top and impressive Christmas display.
• Lake Conway Estates – If you will be in the area on Christmas Eve or Christmas night, it is always beautiful to drive through Conway Estates where most of the neighbors put out luminaries. Take a drive down Dorian Avenue, Monet Street, and Gramont Avenue for some of my favorite streets to see.

For a fully interactive map to plan your drive through the area, the map below has the best lights of 2023. Click on the address to see if pictures have been added of that house to decide which ones you want to visit:

And the 2022 map for more addresses (although they may or may not decorate their homes this year):

OVIEDO CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

There are quite a few houses to check out in the Oviedo area, but you can find some of the best here:

• Neely Nights at 1003 McKinnon Ave. – Thousands of lights cover the home and the trees at this Twinkly Award winner
• 1009 Cutoff Branch Court – Inflatables and lights cover the yard and the roof
• 517 Oak St – Tune in to 90.1 FM for the music to go with this one
• Lake Claire Circle has a few great homes
• Alafaya Woods Christmas Light Show at 1037 Brielle Ave is one of many Alafaya Woods houses to see

Dates & Times: Evenings in December
Address: 2606 Topsail Hill St

Avalon Aglow, or the Lights on Topsail Hill Street, is an Avalon Park Christmas light show to stop by and see as you tune into 89.7FM. With dancing Christmas lights synchronized to music, this one is similar to several of the other Christmas light shows on this list and perfect for those near Waterford Lakes and Avalon Park to stop by.

GOELZ DANCING CHRISTMAS LIGHTS IN SAINT CLOUD

Dates & Times: December 10 – 31 from 5:45 PM – 10 PM every night
Address: 3501 Rhapsody St.

This is another great Christmas light show for anyone in the St. Cloud area. They run from 5:45 p.m. until 10 p.m. every night starting sometime in early December. The Goelz Dancing Lights also do a light show for Halloween from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. as they start getting their show ready for Christmas.

Check their Facebook page for updates here.

MINNEOLA CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

Dates & Times: Evenings in December
Address: 15635 Turkey Farm Road, 1701 Bonser Road in Minneola, 1362 Cavender Creek Road

This marks the fifth year of the HoLedet Show (pronounced Ho-La-Day Show) by the Ledet family in Minneola. It runs from December through early January from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday through Sunday.

If you live on the west side of Orlando, don’t miss a dancing light show on your side of town. They use music from Disney light shows and parades along with water canons to accompany the light show.

Afterward, stop by 1701 Bonser Road in Minneola for the Lights on Bonser from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. each night. Tune in to 97.1FM to hear the Christmas favorites that go with this light show. You’ll even find the leg lamp from A Christmas Story at this one.

Right around the corner is 1362 Cavender Creek Road and the Lights on Cavender Creek. This one is on from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday but shuts off at 10 p.m. on other nights of the week.

This music show impresses viewers with spotlights, snowflakes, lights covering the garage, and a massive tree lit up to a variety of Christmas hits. They also have a snow machine running on weekends from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. or until the snow runs out.

If you are headed out here from Central Florida, stop by LaPrada Lights in Winter Garden at 2121 White Feather Loop. It runs from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. nightly from November 26 through January 1. This one allows you to control the music by putting songs in the queue here.

CHRISTMAS WONDERS HOUSE IN KISSIMMEE

Dates & Times: Evenings in December (6:30 – 9:30 p.m. on Sundays – Thursdays and 6:30 – 11:00 p.m. on Fridays & Saturdays)
Address: 1642 Sunburst Way, Kissimmee, Florida

This house in Kissimmee earned a spot on the 2009 national top five list of holiday light displays from Reader’s Digest. Christmas music plays as you take in the thousands and thousands of lights covering the home.

The lights stay up through New Year’s Day, and they have a massive Christmas tree made of Christmas lights as part of the display. Make sure to roll your windows down to hear the music that goes with the light show.

This one is lesser known and not as popular. It’s also easy to view from your car without having to get out. We simply pulled over to the side of the road and enjoyed the show before continuing in our Christmas light hunt.

BEST ORLANDO CHRISTMAS LIGHTS HOSTED BY CITIES IN CENTRAL FLORIDA

While Orlando is certainly the most well-known of the Central Florida cities, there are lots of other cities and towns that make up the Greater Orlando area. Many of these cities and towns host their own Christmas events featured in our blog about the top things to do in Orlando at Christmas. A few of them have amazing Christmas lights that make them worth including here too.

CITY OF ORLANDO LIGHT SHOW

Dates & Times: December 1, 2023, until early January, with synchronized music and light shows hourly starting at 5:45 and running until 9:45 p.m. each evening
Location: Lake Eola Park, 512 East Washington Street, Orlando, FL 32801

Orlando kicks off the Christmas season with the Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony on December 1 when the Lake Eola Christmas lights in Downtown Orlando come on. Every night, there is an hourly light show with synchronized music starting at 5:45 p.m. and ending at 9:45 p.m.

Take the time to walk around Lake Eola and see the other Christmas decorations and not just the massive Christmas tree. The nearly one mile path (.9 mi/1.4 km) around the lake takes you through a light tunnel and through the best Downtown Orlando Christmas lights with beautiful views of the city and Lake Eola.

There are also several Christmas events at the Walt Disney Amphitheater you can find in our Orlando Christmas events post.

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OH, WHAT FUN IN LAKE NONA

Dates & Times: December 7 – December 23, 2023 (check calendar for times)
Cost: FREE but bring money for ice skating, food, and drinks
Location: Lake Nona Town Center

Each Christmas, the Lake Nona Town Center transforms into a Christmas village complete with photo ops, Christmas light installation, and fun for the whole family. You can also enjoy free movies on select nights each year.

Lake Nona understands the power of an Instagram-worthy photo. They not only have Christmas lights and Christmas decorations, but they also have photo spots set up to capture your Christmas Instagram posts and TikToks.

Leave some time to drive through the nearby neighborhoods to see what homeowners have done to decorate each year either before or after you stop by the event.

Get more details here.

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LIGHT UP WINDERMERE ON MAIN STREET

Date & Time: November 17 through December
Cost: FREE
Location: Windermere Town Hall, 520 Main Street

Held annually on the last Friday before Thanksgiving, Light Up Windermere takes place during the monthly Windermere food truck event. Live entertainment and over 100,000 white lights add to the holiday feel while dining on local food truck cuisine.

If you miss the kick off event, that’s okay. You can still visit Windermere to check out the holiday decor throughout the rest of November and December.

LIGHT UP MOUNT DORA & MOUNT DORA CHRISTMAS EVENTS

Dates & Times: November 25 through end of December
Location: Downtown Mount Dora at Sunset Park & Elizabeth Evans Park

Mount Dora makes the list for best things to do in Orlando at Christmas even though it is located about 45 minutes outside the city. Covered in over two million twinkling lights and known for its Polar Express train (canceled for 2022), Mount Dora knows how to do Christmas right.

Christmas gets into full swing on November 25 with the lighting of the Main Street Christmas tree and an appearance by Santa Claus in Sunset Park. Light Up Mount Dora takes place from 3:30 to 9 p.m. with a firework display after dark and Santa arriving by boat.

The two million Christmas lights in Mount Dora will still be on for all to enjoy throughout the rest of November and all of December.

You can get the full lineup of events here for Mount Dora and Tavares.

LIGHT UP THE HOLIDAYS AT CRANES ROOST PARK IN ALTAMONTE SPRINGS

Date & Time: December 2 – first weekend in January starting at dusk
Location: Cranes Roost Park in Altamonte Springs

Celebrate the season with the City of Altamonte Springs at the annual Light Up the Holidays event at Cranes Roost Park. Take a walk around the lake so you don’t miss out on the 200,000 Christmas lights and the 60-foot Christmas tree that remain on display throughout the season.

The Holiday Fountain Show happens hourly from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. each night with the water and lights synchronized with holiday music. Food and drink vendors serve a holiday menu at the initial lighting event in December. More details on the events are here.

While you’re here, drive over to Lemonwood Court. This Altamonte Springs neighborhood all got in on the holiday spirit with every house decorated for Christmas.

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HOLIDAY IN THE PARK LAKE MARY

Date & Time: December 1, 2023 through the end of December
Location: Central Park at City Hall in Lake Mary

Lake Mary hosts the Holiday in the Park even with over a million holiday lights covering Central Park. Santa Claus comes to visit on December 1, and there is free admission to the synthetic ice rink. You’ll also find lots of food trucks at the main event on December 1, so come hungry and enjoy this local event.

LIGHT UP WINTER GARDEN

Date & Time: December 1, 2023 from 6 – 9 p.m. (lighting at 6:15 p.m.)
Location: 300 W. Plant Street, Winter Garden

Winter Garden sets up a beautiful display each year along W. Plant Street. There are lots of great photo spots including in front of City Hall where we took our family Christmas photo the last two years.

You can visit anytime to see the decorations and lights, but on certain nights they do a Christmas light show set to music projected onto the City Hall. Find parking along or just off of Plant Street and take time to walk through and enjoy the lights all along the road before stopping by City Hall.

You can find lots of great options for food in the area too. One of our favorites is The Whole Enchilada with rooftop seating and delicious Mexican food. You can also grab an ice cream one of my favorite Orlando dessert spots, Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream.

BEST THEME PARK AND HOTEL CHRISTMAS LIGHTS IN ORLANDO

While you can easily enjoy Christmas lights in Orlando without ever taking a trip to the touristy side of town, some displays are worth the trip. From theme parks to popular resorts, you can find some of the best Christmas lights in Orlando near the theme parks.

Universal Studios Orlando, Walt Disney World, and SeaWorld also have Christmas events throughout November and December. However, this list focuses on events featuring Christmas lights and not on other events. Get the full breakdown of theme park Christmas events here.

CHRISTMAS AT THE GAYLORD PALMS

Dates: November 17, 2023 – January 3, 2024
Cost: Varies per activity (discounts for Florida residents and others; bundled tickets also available)
Location: Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, 6000 West Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee

Each year, Gaylord Palms hosts more and more Christmas events. From events for couples to activities for kids, Gaylord Palms could easily be a hub for you to enjoy the best Orlando Christmas activities.

ICE! is back in 2023 with “A Charlie Brown Christmas” as the theme. Make sure to walk through the St. Augustine atrium to take in the 60-foot Christmas tree.

The Shine Christmas light show features over 2 million choreographed lights that make the tree and atrium even more beautiful at 9:15 p.m. each evening. Check out the Christmas Tree Trail too for eight more Christmas trees, each with a different theme.

Get updated details on all of the events at Christmas at Gaylord Palms here.

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CHRISTMAS TREE STROLL AT DISNEY SPRINGS

Dates & Times: November 10 – December 30, 2023
Location: Disney Springs

Formerly the Christmas Tree Trail at Disney Springs, Disney changed it to a “stroll” in 2020 to allow for more social distancing. The stroll returns in 2023 with a new set of trees decked out in a variety of themes. If you plan to visit the Walt Disney World Resort when you are in Orlando, this is a fun, free activity even the kids will enjoy.

The Christmas Tree Stroll is one of the few free holiday theme park activities in Orlando. The trail features 20 Christmas trees, each with its own theme. While some feature a character, others feature an entire movie. Take a walk through and see what themes were chosen for 2023.

While you’re here, get a spot in line for Gideon’s Bakehouse. You can thank me after you’ve tried their cookies and cakes!

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OTHER AMAZING ORLANDO CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

Besides homeowners, city events, and theme parks and resorts, there are also several other noteworthy Christmas light displays in Central Florida. Some of these events do have an entry fee, but they are worth it.

LIGHTS OVER ALOMA

Dates & Times: December 8 – 10, 2023 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m.
Cost: FREE
Location: 1815 Semoran Blvd, Winter Park

Lights over Aloma is a new event in 2023. It is a drive thru Christmas light show with audio that can be heard here on any device as you drive through the lights.

My husband and I went on the first night of the event and were impressed. You hear the story of Christmas while driving through the scenes that go with the audio story. It only takes about 10 minutes to drive through, and it’s right off of 436 making it an easy stop while out and about.

This is a family-friendly free way to see Christmas lights in Orlando without having to get out of your car, and you’ll even seen snow falling at the start of the drive.

DAZZLING NIGHTS AT HARRY P. LEU GARDENS

Dates & Times: November 24, 2023 – January 6, 2024 (Closed on Christmas)
Cost: $25 for adults, $22 for children (ages 2 and under are free)
Location: Harry P. Leu Gardens

Located in Winter Park, Harry P. Leu Gardens transforms into a winter wonderland each year. With a million lights and a path that takes you on a three-quarter mile walk, this is a truly interactive holiday experience and one of the best holiday events Orlando has to offer.

Start with a photo opportunity in front of a 30 foot tall Christmas tree. Then take a stroll through a forest of lights and fog. The entire event has been remade this year to feature new surprises. Enjoy an 8,000 square foot light maze and 185 candlelit hanging Moroccan lanterns as part of the new features.

Parking is available at Harry P. Leu Gardens for a fee. Otherwise, you can park at Blue Jacket Park (2501 General Rees Avenue) and take a free shuttle to Leu Gardens.

GIVE KIDS THE WORLD VILLAGE: NIGHT OF A MILLION LIGHTS

MAIN EVENT MOVED FOR 2023 TO ISLAND H20 BUT VIP TOURS STILL AVAILABLE

Give Kids the World Village hosted Night of a Million Lights during the pandemic years, but now that families are back at the village, they are no longer hosting this event. Instead, it has been moved to Island H20 with a portion of the proceeds going to Give Kids the World Village.

You can still take a VIP tour of the facility to see the Christmas decorations at the village itself.

You can see current events at Give Kids the World including VIP holiday tours here.

HOLIDAY NIGHTS AT ISLAND H20

Dates & Times: Select nights from November 8 – December 10 and nightly from December 13 – 31
Cost: $34.99 for adults and $29.99 for children
Location: Island H20 Water Park

Island H20 hosted the Christmas in Color Drive Thru Light Show before but shifted to focus on their own event to give back to Give Kids the World in 2023.

Featuring photo areas, a train ride through the island, a chance to write a letter to Santa Claus, dry slides for kids, a scavenger hunt, and a blizzard bash foam party, families will love this new Orlando Christmas event.

Find more information and get tickets here.

DINOS IN LIGHTS AT ORLANDO SCIENCE CENTER

Dates & Times: November 17, 2023 through January 9, 2024
Location: Orlando Science Center

The Orlando Science Center gets a makeover with a music and lights show running every 30 minutes from 11:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. It is included in the price of admission, and you’ll want to see it from a variety of angles since the music changes each show.

Come see Stan the T-Rex and his friends in DinoDigs all lit up for the holidays!

ASIAN LANTERN FESTIVAL AT THE CENTRAL FLORIDA ZOO & BOTANICAL GARDENS

Dates & Times: Select nights from November 17, 2023 – January 14, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Cost: Tickets start at $22.99 (kids 2 and under are free)
Location: Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens

This event is a little different from your typical Orlando Christmas event. The Asian Lantern Festival: Into the Wild features over 30 different hand-made lantern displays. Follow a 3/4 mile path to take in the illuminated sculptures of animals, plants, and other elements of Chinese culture.

Santa Claus will be in town and visiting the zoo on December 16 and 20 this year.

This event is outside of Zoo hours, so you are not purchasing a ticket to the Zoo for this event. You will need a ticket for entry, and tickets for adults are $22.99. Bring some extra money if you want to enjoy the food and drinks available or to purchase any of the artisan crafts for sale.

Find out more and buy tickets here.

While you’re here, stop by 242 Buena Vista St. in Debary to see a home covered in lights. Make sure to get out and follow the trail through this display to see what you can find!

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THE SANTA WORKSHOP EXPERIENCE AT ICON PARK

Dates & Times: November 10 – December 24
Cost: $20 – $60
Location: ICON Park

Stop in to visit Santa at ICON Park in Orlando where he will even give your child a personalized gift if you plan ahead.

You’ll also get to take a ride on The Wheel (formerly The Orlando Eye) decorated and lit up for Christmas. Kids ride free with a Santa photo package and get a discount for additional riders.

Find out more here.

WHEN TO SEE THE ORLANDO CHRISTMAS LIGHT DISPLAYS

While the Christmas lights in Orlando start turning on in November, your safest bet is to visit Orlando in December. A few of the displays continue until the first weekend in January if you are visiting for New Year’s.

Christmas Eve and Christmas night are usually the busiest nights, especially for the neighborhoods with beautiful displays. Plan some extra time to your itinerary if you go on those evenings.

We usually go either earlier in December or the week after Christmas and have not had issues. You can easily spread out a few spots each night to keep the kids busy over Christmas break or pick out a few new ones to try each year for a special evening out.

If you are looking for more of the best things to do in Orlando at Christmas, get our complete guide here.

Looking for more Florida travel tips? Don’t miss out on our review of Westgate River Ranch and our favorite place to stay for a Cocoa Beach vacation.

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