Disney Chefs Bake Up Holiday Magic with Gingerbread Displays at Disney Parks and Resorts, Disney Cruise Line
Wide-eyed wonderment will wash over Disney guests this holiday season when they see gingerbread displays at select Disney theme parks and Disney resort hotels, as well as the ships of Disney Cruise Line.
So magical is the aroma of gingerbread at holiday-time that National Gingerbread Day is celebrated Wednesday, Nov. 21. In the spirit of the season, Disney chefs decked the halls (roofs, doorways and windows, too) to create life-sized, gingerbread houses yummy enough to eat.
Here’s a look at storybook houses, carousels and other confections baked with love by Disney chefs, with savory sweets for sale in most locations:
- Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa – This year marks the 20th anniversary of this resort hotel’s gingerbread house. A classic recipe from Austria inspires the ornaments, cookies and a house standing 14 feet tall in the lobby. Home to The Bake Shop, the gingerbread house is the perfect place to pick up holiday treats. Gingerbread house decorating demonstrations occur daily Dec. 1-25.
- Disney’s Contemporary Resort – Cinderella Castle is re-created with an “it’s a small world” backdrop depicting Cinderella and Prince Charming greeting guests in the castle forecourt. The 18-foot display is crafted from thousands of gingerbread blocks. A life-sized spinning carousel highlights the display.
- Disney’s Beach Club Resort – Donald Duck- and Daisy Duck-themed horses are decorated with chocolate, sugar and fondant in this scrumptious classic carousel.
- Disney’s BoardWalk Resort – A delightful gingerbread version of the resort’s BoardWalk features iconic locales such as BoardWalk Bakery, Flying Fish, Trattoria al Forno and more.
- The American Adventure – Patriotic flair meets pastry magic at Epcot, where gingerbread renditions of the U.S. Capitol, Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument (topped with golden Mickey ears!) are on display
- Amorette’s Patisserie – This sophisticated pastry shop at Disney Springs dresses up its front window with a miniature gingerbread replica of itself – right down to the gingerbread trees!
- The Haunted Mansion – Disneyland Resort turns to Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” to create a wonderfully spooky gingerbread display inside this classic attraction. A giant spider with glowing eyes hangs over the Grand Hall Table, attempting to pry the edible gingerbread mansion from its foundation as gingerbread zombies watch in amazement.
- Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa – Disney artists, engineers and bakers teamed up on a gingerbread house that adds to the resort hotel’s festive lobby. With over 600 pounds of gingerbread and adorned with Hidden Mickeys, this grandly Californian gingerbread house is on display all season long.
- Disney Cruise Line – Aboard the four Disney Cruise Line ships, the chef competition is on! Bakery teams are challenged to create their own individual gingerbread houses for display throughout the holiday season in the atrium lobby of each ship. Taking weeks to conceptualize and construct, each features more than 600 pounds of gingerbread dough, 200-plus pounds of sugar and 5,000 gingerbread bricks.
- Aulani – A Disney Resort & Spa in Hawaii gets its gingerbread on with “A Kakamora Holiday.” This festive display includes a chocolate tree, a Moana-inspired gingerbread hut, chocolate sleigh and merrymaking Kakamoras celebrating with a tropical twist.
Here is a look at some of the Gingerbread houses:
HAUNTED MANSION HOLIDAY GINGERBREAD HOUSE (Anaheim, Calif.)– Now through Jan. 6, 2019, Haunted Mansion Holiday brings the frightfully fun cheer of “Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas” to the Disneyland Resort. This year, the gingerbread display features a giant five foot spider with eerie glowing eyes, attempting to pry the edible mansion from its foundation. This year’s gingerbread creation is made up of 90 pounds of gingerbread, 30 pounds of confectioner’s sugar, 10 pounds of white chocolate and 45 pounds of fondant. (Joshua Sudock/Disneyland)
HAUNTED MANSION HOLIDAY GINGERBREAD HOUSE (Anaheim, Calif.)– Now through Jan. 6, 2019, Haunted Mansion Holiday brings the frightfully fun cheer of “Tim Burton’s Nightmare Before Christmas” to the Disneyland Resort. This year, the gingerbread display features a giant five foot spider with eerie glowing eyes, attempting to pry the edible mansion from its foundation. This year’s gingerbread creation is made up of 90 pounds of gingerbread, 30 pounds of confectioner’s sugar, 10 pounds of white chocolate and 45 pounds of fondant. (Joshua Sudock/Disneyland)
DISNEY’S GRAND CALIFORNIAN HOTEL & SPA (Anahmeim, Calif.) – A highlight at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is the giant gingerbread replica of the hotel 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” glitter and features 25 hidden Mickeys. Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is located in Anaheim, Calif. (Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort)
DISNEY CRUISE LINE (CELEBRATION, FLA.) – Each of the four Disney Cruise Line ships, including the Disney Fantasy, has a gingerbread house unique to that ship displayed in its atrium. Bakery teams aboard the ships are challenged to create unique houses each holiday season. Taking weeks to conceptualize and construct, each features more than 600 pounds of gingerbread dough, 200-plus pounds of sugar and 5,000 gingerbread bricks – each one aligned and placed with icing. (Kent Phillips, Photographer)
DISNEY’S CONTEMPORARY RESORT (LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA.) – Cinderella Castle is re-created on the fourth floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort with an “it’s a small world” backdrop depicting Cinderella and Prince Charming greeting guests in the castle forecourt. The 18-foot display is crafted from thousands of gingerbread blocks, 80 pounds of rolled fondant and 155 pounds of modeling chocolate, and includes 18 Hidden Mickeys for guests to discover. (Kent Phillips, Photographer)
EPCOT (LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA.) – In the American Adventure Pavilion at Epcot, gingerbread miniatures of the United States Capitol Building, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial are brought to life with 140 pounds of gingerbread, 20 pounds of icing and 30 pounds of modeling chocolate. The patriotic pastry display also includes 6 Hidden Mickeys. (Kent Phillips, Photographer)
DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB RESORT (LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA.) – A life-size and edible spinning carousel with Donald, Daisy and classic Christmas-themed horses is on display in the lobby of Disney’s Beach Club Resort for the 19th year. The carousel is decorated with 50 pounds of dark chocolate, 100 pounds of confectioners’ sugar and 100 pounds of icing. It’s also home to 19 Hidden Mickeys – one for each year the carousel has been displayed. (Kent Phillips, Photographer)
DISNEY’S BEACH CLUB RESORT (LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA.) – A life-size and edible spinning carousel with Donald, Daisy and classic Christmas-themed horses is on display in the lobby of Disney’s Beach Club Resort for the 19th year. The carousel is decorated with 50 pounds of dark chocolate, 100 pounds of confectioners’ sugar and 100 pounds of icing. It’s also home to 19 Hidden Mickeys – one for each year the carousel has been displayed. (Kent Phillips, Photographer)
DISNEY’S GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT & SPA (LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA.) – The gingerbread house in the lobby of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The 15-foot-tall house is home to The Bake Shop, the perfect place to pick up holiday treats such as house-made gingerbread ornaments and caramel pecan fudge. Over 10,000 pieces of gingerbread are used to bring the house to life. (Kent Phillips, Photographer)
DISNEY’S GRAND FLORIDIAN RESORT & SPA (LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA.) – The gingerbread house in the lobby of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The 15-foot-tall house is home to The Bake Shop, the perfect place to pick up holiday treats such as house-made gingerbread ornaments and caramel pecan fudge. Over 10,000 pieces of gingerbread are used to bring the house to life. (Kent Phillips, Photographer)
What do you think of these Gingerbread houses?