The Happiest Place on Earth is gearing up to become the jolliest as the holidays descend upon us all! Disneyland, one of the preeminent themed entertainment venues in the world, has plenty of traditional festivities planned for families looking to travel to Disneyland between November 15th, 2024 and January 6th, 2025.
From the classic meet and greet with Santa himself and special outfits donned by your favorite Disney characters in the parks, to special food and beverage options to help make the holidays feel that much more cozy, Disneyland has no shortage of festive entertainment to help make the holidays as perfect as they can be! Old classics meet new and exciting activities that are sure to become tradition as the park introduces guests to some of their most magical holiday cheer yet!
A Christmas Fantasy Parade
Mickey and Minnie have asked Chip n’ Dale to help organize a mountain of letters to Santa! Joined by all your favorite Disney characters, like Anna, Elsa, and Olaf, Buzz Lightyear, Woodie, and Jessie and the Disney Princesses old and new, this parade is a spectacle that takes place along Main Street, USA, and features prancing reindeer, marching toy soldiers, dancing gingerbread cookies, and all the sugar plum fairies you can dream of! Guests will be able to wave to Santa as he joins the cast of characters in a true celebration of the Christmas spirit! Disneyland suggests finding your parade spot as early as possible for the best viewing, as Main Street, USA tends to crowd easily for this parade, and all the good spots get swept up pretty fast! This show lasts about forty minutes, so be sure to listen to the park attendants watching out for your safety during the parade to know where it’s safe to sit, and when it’s safe to cross the street!
Holiday-Themed Attraction Overlays, with Haunted Mansion Holiday and It’s a Small World Holiday
This Disneyland Classics are a must-do any day of the year. Two of Disneyland’s most beloved and enduring attractions are being given a holiday overlay, allowing guests to experience the mystery and magic of these two beloved attractions in a whole new way.
Jack Skellington has taken over The Haunted Mansion to bring you a unique and frighteningly festive blend of Haunted and Holly-Jolly, with the mansion receiving a long-beloved makeover that brings Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas to life in this magical mashup. The Residents of Halloween Town are gearing up for Christmas, and have a few spooky seasonal surprises for you as you meet characters like Jack Skellington, Sally, and Oogie Boogie, along with other downright nightmarish characters in this seasonal attraction.
While the Haunted Mansion Holiday is currently open and will be for the duration of the holidays, Disneyland has noted that only the virtual queue is available at this time, as work on the surrounding area of the physical queue is still ongoing. Still, that’s no reason not to visit this iconic and beloved holiday attraction!
If fiends and holiday frights aren’t your idea of the Christmas spirit, however, guests can always visit one of Disneyland’s other holiday-themed attractions. Based on the whimsical art of illustrator Mary Blair, It’s a Small World has always been a classic within the Disney parks that house it – but during the holiday season, this piece of Disney history is transformed into one of the most dazzling and impactful holiday experiences in the park. From the façade, adorned with thousands of shimmering lights, to the special costumes that the choir dons for the holiday season, this ride has been given a holiday overlay that is a must-see for the Christmas Season. From special costumes to Christmas carols sung by the children’s choir within the ride, It’s a Small World Holiday is an enchanting experience that remains to this day unparalleled in its simplicity and the impact of its message. A true piece of living history, It’s a Small World is the perfect representation of the Christmas spirit in all its forms across the world.
Wintertime Enchantment and Believe… In Holiday Magic Fireworks Spectacular at Sleeping Beauty’s Castle.
This fifteen minute fireworks display happens nightly, with dazzling fireworks, music exemplary of the heart of Disney Parks music, and a sprinkling of “snow” in Anaheim to bring true magic to the holiday season, the pyrotechnics are accompanies by over 80,000 twinkling lights illuminating Sleeping Beauty Castle with shimmering icicles and snow covering the turrets of the castle.
In addition to the spectacle at the castle, a magical snowfall can be found at It’s a Small World Holiday, in select places along Main Street, USA, and along the Rivers of America.
Park-wide Holiday Treats and Eats
One of the best parts of any special event in the theme parks is the whole new menu of specialty items that can be sampled, from new sweets to specialty beverages and everything in between, the holidays bring out the sweetest side of some of Disneyland’s most delectable treats. The Festive Foods Marketplace is located within Disney’s California Adventure, and offers a slew of new foods to try! With their new snack menus prices at 14.99 or under, it’s easier than ever to sample the flavors of the holidays.
Sample new foods like Turkey Galantine Croissant Muffin Sliders, or Sticky Toffee Pudding Macarons. If you prefer savory foods, the Braised Pork Belly Adobo or the Chicken Chicharrón might be your new favorite flavors! These recipes come from global cuisine and are sure to introduce you to some of your new favorite holiday traditions.
For guests really looking to nosh around the world, a Sip and Savor pass can be purchased, entitling guests to either four or eight digital coupons that you can redeem for select foods and nonalcoholic beverages at participating Festive Food Marketplace locations. While Disneyland’s website hasn’t yet updated with the full menu for the Festive Foods Marketplace, there’s no doubt that the Sip and Savor Pass is going to be a great deal for those looking to get the most out of their festive foods!
Disney Festival of Holidays and Disney’s ¡Viva Navidad!
An ambitious and exciting new festival of culture and holiday cheer at Disney’s California Adventure, guests will be transported to holiday traditions around the world with a high-energy street party and unique meet and greets that are sure to put you in a festive mood!
The Disney ¡Viva Navidad! street party will not be scheduled on all days, but will feature live music, dances, and beloved Disney characters donning colorful fiesta costumes; this street party, hosted by the Three Caballeros, aims to bring a touch of Hispanic culture to the streets of Disney’s California Adventure, with authentic folklórico dancers, mariachis, Brazilian samba dancers, drummers, and impressive 12-foot tall mojiganga puppets of Mr. and Mrs. Claus. Mickey and Minnie Mouse will join the festivities as well, dressed in their own traditional fiesta garb, to help usher in the holidays with a different kind of tradition!
The street party will take place on November 16th, 17th, 23rd, 24th, and 30th. It will continue in December with the 1st, 7th, 8th, 14th, 15th, 21st, 22nd, 28th, and 29th, and conclude in January with the 4th and the 5th.
On the days this fiesta aren’t being held, guests will instead be able to enjoy meet and greets, with encounters with Mirabel from Encanto or Coco’s Miguel in their own unique street performances that celebrate the festivities and family.
There’s no doubt that the holidays at Disneyland Resort are going to be bigger and better than ever, with a festive blend of old and new tradition big enough for even the holliest and jolliest of Christmas connoisseurs.
Guests can check out the Disneyland website or the My Disney Experience App for Disneyland for more information on their favorite festivities this year, and can rest easy knowing that their trip to Disneyland Resort in California is sure to be one of the most magical Christmas celebrations out there!
