For many visitors, the holiday season at Walt Disney World doesn’t stop at the park gates. Each year, select resorts feature large scale gingerbread displays in their lobbies, continuing a long running holiday tradition.

That tradition dates back more than two decades, when Disney pastry teams began building fully edible gingerbread structures as part of the resort’s holiday seasonal decor. What began as a single showcase gradually expanded into multiple displays across property. In 2025, the tradition continues, though on a smaller scale than in some past years.

The Changed Lineup

This year’s gingerbread lineup is reduced, largely due to the absence of the flagship display at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. The resort’s Victorian style gingerbread house, long considered the largest and most elaborate on property, is not part of the 2025 holiday season. Disney has confirmed the pause is related to ongoing construction, with space constraints and guest flow cited as the main reasons.

Without that centerpiece, the remaining displays are spread across several resorts. Rather than one main attraction, the 2025 season features a smaller group of displays, each continuing the focus on detail and craftsmanship that has defined the tradition over the years.

Disney’s Contemporary Resort

At Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the 2025 gingerbread display once again takes the form of Cinderella’s Castle. Featured in the resort’s main concourse, the castle themed build continues turning the familiar Magic Kingdom landmark into one of Walt Disney World’s most recognizable icons indoors.

The Contemporary’s gingerbread display marks its 14th consecutive holiday season at the resort. The design includes multiple golden Mickeys to celebrate.

Above: a photo of Walt Disney World's Contemporary Resort 2025 Gingerbread House. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for NavFile.

Above: a photo of Walt Disney World's Contemporary Resort 2025 Gingerbread House from the side. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for NavFile.

Disney’s Beach Club Resort

At Disney’s Beach Club Resort, the gingerbread carousel returns as a long-standing holiday feature. Unlike the static displays at other resorts, the Beach Club’s design is fully rotating, with gingerbread figures arranged around a central carousel structure in the lobby.

The 2025 display also marks the carousel’s 25th anniversary at the resort. To mark the milestone, the design includes 25 hidden golden Mickeys, a small Easter egg among this year’s displays.

Above is a photo of Walt Disney World's Beach Club Resort 2025 Gingerbread Carousel / House from the front. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for NavFile.

Above: a photo of the Walt Disney World Beach Club Resort 2025 Gingerbread House from the side. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for NavFile.

Above: a photo of the Walt Disney World Beach Club Resort 2025 Gingerbread House details and ingredients list. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for NavFile.

Disney’s Boardwalk Inn

The Boardwalk Inn’s gingerbread display draws from the resort’s turn-of-the-century Atlantic City theme. Presented as a small scale boardwalk scene, it features gingerbread storefronts and decorative candy details that mirror the surrounding decor.

Set near the lobby, the display visually extends the resort’s existing aesthetic. The emphasis is on the details rather than its size.

Above: a photo of the Walt Disney World Resort Boardwalk Inn Deli 2025 Gingerbread House. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for NavFile.

Above: a photo of the Walt Disney World Resort Boardwalk Inn Deli 2025 Gingerbread House sidview. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for NavFile.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge features a gingerbread display that offers a different take on the house style builds found at the other resorts. Instead of a single structure, the display focuses on gingerbread animal figures, reflecting the resort’s wildlife focused theme.

Featured in the Jambo House lobby, the display includes gingerbread animals such as Ginger, a life size baby giraffe, and Debra a baby zebra. The figures are crafted using gingerbread, sugar dough, and modeling chocolate.

Disney’s Wilderness Lodge

At Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, the seasonal lobby offerings include a new small chocolate and gingerbread cabin displayed alongside the resort’s holiday table. Rather than a life size structure this year, the petite cabin is inspired by the lodge’s architectural character with a green roof, chimneys, and festive accents such as miniature Christmas trees and woodland figures, set near the holiday treats counter in the main lobby.

This scaled down interpretation complements the resort’s rustic Christmas decor and offers visitors a sweet seasonal accent during their holiday visit.

Above: a photo of the Walt Disney World Resort Wilderness Lodge 2025 Gingerbread Chocolate House (not clear if any gingerbread was used to make the house). Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for NavFile.

Above: a photo of the Walt Disney World Resort Wilderness Lodge 2025 Gingerbread Chocolate House from the right side. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for NavFile.

Above: a photo of the Walt Disney World Resort Wilderness Lodge 2025 Gingerbread Chocolate House from the left side. Photo by David Aughinbaugh II for NavFile.

A Smaller Season, Still Worth the Visit

Without the Grand Floridian’s signature gingerbread house, the 2025 lineup is smaller than in some previous years. Even so, the gingerbread displays that return this year continue to bring a familiar sense of the holidays to Walt Disney World’s resort hotels.

Below is a video from the NavFile team with David Aughinbaugh II covering the gingerbread houses featured above.