Hi Valerie,
Welcome back to planDisney! I am excited to hear that you have an upcoming trip to Disney World and are busy finalizing all of the details to make your trip extra special.
EPCOT's International Festival of the Holidays runs from November 29th through December 30th this year. Since it looks like you are arriving on the 29th, I would prioritize visiting EPCOT first if you want to see the storytellers and taste all of the decadent food that is part of this festival. December 30th is also the last day of the Candlelight Processional, which is an epic retelling of the Christmas story featuring
celebrity narrators, an orchestra, and a choir. I highly recommend catching this event if you can. It will be especially busy on the 30th since it is the last night and the narrator is Jodi Benson, otherwise known as Princess Ariel in the flesh! If you plan to attend, the
Candlelight Processional Dining Package is the way to go because it guarantees you a seat for the show and you get a fabulous meal.
All of the holiday decorations at Disney World's theme parks and Resort hotels will start to come down the first week of January. This process takes time because the decorations are extensive, but they are almost always completely gone by the second week of January. You will likely see this process throughout your trip. You may still catch decorations at a few places, but I would not plan anything around it after the first of the year.
Since you will be visiting during one of the busiest times of the year, I also recommend utilizing
Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Lightning Lane Single Pass to help cut down on wait times and maximize the number of attractions and rides you experience.
Happy Planning,
Jenna