Hi Matthew,
You've picked one of my favorite times of year to visit Walt Disney World! The holiday decorations are nothing short of spectacular, and I'm glad you have the life-size gingerbread house at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and the Holiday Carousel at Disney's Beach Club Resort (and yes - those ponies are made of chocolate and it really spins!) on your "must see" list. If you're making a list - and checking it twice - don't forget about the amazing displays at the other Disney Resort hotels, too. Last year, a new "Frozen" gingerbread ice castle debuted at Disney's Contemporary Resort and a life-size version of a Jersey Shore concession stand was set up at Disney's BoardWalk Inn.
Usually, the holiday decorations begin to magically appear around the second week of November and are completely in place by Thanksgiving, so your timing should be perfect. The decorations will stay up until just after New Year's Day and then will slowly come down in the weeks that follow.
You may also want to check out the festivities of
Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party, which includes snow on Main Street, U.S.A., cookies and hot cocoa, Mickey's Once Upon A Christmastime Parade, a special fireworks display and jolly old St. Nick himself.
Wishing you a wonderful vacation, Matthew! Please stop by the Disney Parks Moms Panel again if we can help answer any other questions as you put the final pixie dust on your plans.
Beth