Christmas at Walt Disney World is planned by a team of Cast Members year-round in a department called Holiday Services. They’re responsible for everything Christmas you see from the tiniest wreath to the tallest tree. Most of the time, you won’t even see them make their holiday magic as they decorate through the late night hours. But what if you could? We watched the Wilderness Lodge Christmas tree being constructed and we’re showing you how Holiday Services brings this giant Christmas icon to life.
A sixty-plus-foot Christmas tree and decorations for this huge resort travel to the lodge in four semis and a series of vans.
Loading into the resort starts around 11 p.m., after most guests are in their rooms for the night.
Holiday Services is responsible for not only the giant tree, but also all the garlands, wreaths, and  smaller trees that are placed around the lodge for the season. Everything is brought into the main lobby and staged so that it can be placed quickly and efficiently by a team of around 100 people.
Once decorations are loaded in, the furniture is moved from the center of the room, and a piece of the floor is taken out to reveal the tree setup.
The tree poles are brought in and, in a funny twist, are just gigantic versions of the faux tree setups you may use in your own home with lettered spaces that correspond to similarly lettered branches. More than 34 rows of branches will eventually be part of the tree.
Things begin with the top-center section of the tree, which is all one piece. It’s staged over the pole inset and all the branches are brought in on labeled carts.
Next, the construction crew brings a cherry picker crane into the lobby and sets up a pulley from the ceiling to hoist the center section.
The top-center section is hoisted and the first pole is placed under it. Once the top-center section is connected to the first pole, Holiday Services Cast Members install the individual branches of the middle section. Each branch is pre-decorated and lit individually for efficiency and to prevent large sections of the tree from going out if something happens.
The first section is looked over and filler ornaments are placed in sections that need a little something extra. Once the section is approved, the tree is hoisted again and the second pole is placed underneath.
The addition of more branches continues. Meanwhile, other Cast Members put up the small trees, garlands, wreaths, and other decorations around the lodge at lightning speed.
After approval of the tree once more, it’s hoisted yet again and the third and final pole is placed.
As the tree takes its final shape, the top section is checked out and the star is prepped.
The tree crew takes a break and the outside decorations go up.
Guide wires are added to the tree to keep it straight and safe. Finally, around 7 hours after constructions begins, the top of the tree is hoisted and placed and the area is cleaned up and furniture replaced as the star is set. Resort guests wake up to a Christmas celebration like no other that will stay in place until early January.
This tree is a can’t-miss-it “attraction” at Walt Disney World Christmas and now you know how it comes to be.