The Disney bakery team has installed new decorations on the Grand Floridian gingerbread house as they continue constructing the display for its 25th year. We checked on it twice on Friday, November 1.
Grand Floridian Gingerbread House
The house is located in the lobby of Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. It’s been under construction for only a few days but already looks nearly complete. In the past day, the bakery team has finished installing shingles and decorated the roof with a dusting of sugar snow.
In the morning, the floor around the house was still covered in protective paneling. Most of this was gone by the afternoon, as were the table barriers around the space. A cherry picker was on site for crew members to reach the top of the gingerbread house, which features a new decoration. In years past, the highest rooftop had a Santa Claus figure, representing the jolly old elf preparing to deliver presents.
This year, the roof features an antler-like decoration with a white ring. On the top of the white ring is the figure of a reindeer pulling Santa’s slay. The base of the element features jingle bells.
Crews are adding final touches to the house, including decorations on the balcony and patios, above the windows, and along the roof edges.
Inside the tower is an oven and a cake (all made out of gingerbread, of course). Sitting on the oven are red and green Mickey-shaped cookies. The cake features a silver “25” topper honoring the gingerbread house’s anniversary.
A bakery team member was still adding the final few shingles on Friday morning. Crew members were also assembling lights and panels inside the house, where Cast Members will sell baked goods and merchandise.
The gable rooftops are lined with fake red, white, and silver sparkling poinsettias. Plants now surround the house as a slight barrier to guests who might try to take a bite.
On the fascias of the larger gable roofs are Mickey and Minnie-shaped gingerbread cookies. The Minnie cookies have polka-dot bows.
Lights now illuminate the windows of the gingerbread house. The shutters next to some of the windows are adorned with Mickey-shaped peppermint ornaments. More poinsettias make up flowerbeds below the windows.
Many of the windows now have small murals above them featuring different Disney characters. The murals reflect the key art featured in this year’s holiday merchandise collections.
On this window is Stitch dressed as an elf, drawing a picture of himself to show that he’s been good.
Chip and Dale are playing with a candy cane on another mural. Each image is lined with dots of white icing.
This mural depicts Minnie and Goofy preparing toys for delivery.
Other murals feature Mickey and Minnie decorating a tree, Pluto and Goofy with piles of gifts, and Daisy and Donald in front of a holiday castle.
While many parts of the gingerbread house are Mickey-shaped, you might spot a few special silver “hidden Mickeys.” There is usually one hidden Mickey for every year of the gingerbread house — so there should be 25 this year.
The usual 88-pound white chocolate Santa Claus figure is now sitting on the balcony of the house. Keep in mind everything on the house is made of sugar, flour, and other edible ingredients (although we must emphasize that you should not try to eat them).
Among this year’s new decorations are small tree-shaped figures decorated to look like different characters. Front and center on the balcony are trees inspired by Pluto, Mickey, Goofy, Minnie, Donald, and Daisy. They’re gathered in front of a taller “tree” made of ornament shapes.
Chip and Dale trees are on the front patio. Dale’s tree is even wearing a tiny “Rescue Rangers” Hawaiian shirt.
The house number is 1999, the year of the first Grand Floridian gingerbread house.
Trees inspired by Disney Princesses and Mary Poppins are also on the balcony.
Around the corner is a taller green tree featuring silver and gold bell baubles.
Some of the small trees appear to be more generic with colorful designs. There is also a snowman figure.
On the second patio are trees inspired by Winnie the Pooh and his friends.
Above the back window, where guests will order sweets and merchandise, is a silver plaque reading “Established 1999.”
We spotted another character-inspired tree next to the counter. The beige top, red skirt, green bow, and details resemble Minnie’s holiday outfit in Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade. A tree inspired by Mickey’s outfit may also be added to this balcony.
The “attic” space of the house has yet to be decorated.
The Grand Floridian gingerbread house may be finished today but it’s not set to officially open until Wednesday, November 6. Guests who visit the gingerbread house receive a 25th-anniversary sticker.
Disney has also announced the other Walt Disney World gingerbread houses and most of their opening dates. Holidays at Walt Disney World Resort officially begin on November 12, 2024.
What is your favorite Walt Disney World gingerbread display? Let us know in the comments.
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