Christmas at Disneyland is the best time of the year to visit. The holiday celebration typically takes place from early November through the first week of January (see 2025 Disneyland Christmas dates below).
The celebration takes place across both the Disneyland and Disney California Adventure theme parks, at all of the Disneyland Hotels, and in Downtown Disney and features special holiday versions of attractions, beautiful decorations in the theme parks, holiday entertainment, special food, and more.
We visit Disneyland more during the holiday season than any other time of year. At Mickey Visit we are in the parks every single week trying everything new and the Disneyland Christmas celebration always brings so much new for us to try and share. This article has been completely overhauled in 2025 and updated with all currently available information. Some of the information from previous years has been kept here to give you a sense of what will likely be offered in 2025.
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When Does Disneyland Christmas 2025 Start?
The 2025 Christmas season at Disneyland will take place from November 14, 2025 through January 7, 2026. Typically Christmas decorations start to go up around the last week of October – yes, sometimes you'll see snow on the castle at Disneyland on Halloween night!
Then, more decorations and merchandise will be put out during the period leading up to the official kick-off of the holidays. We discuss when Disneyland decorates for Christmas in our dedicated guide here.
When to Visit Disneyland Christmas 2025 For Lowest Crowds
The roughly two months that the Disneyland Christmas season runs contains both some of the most crowded dates and best dates of the year to visit. We break down every single date of the year in our Mickey Visit Disneyland Crowd Calendar. The calendar includes a rating for both theme parks and any major special events take place that day.
The two key periods of time during the Christmas season that have traditionally been the busiest are the week around Thanksgiving and the final two weeks of the year going into New Year's Eve at Disneyland. These weeks used to be way more crowded, but now Disneyland Magic Key Annual Passholders are actually blocked out during his period which has greatly reduced the crush of crowds. This period is still busy, but not completely packed the way it once was. Other popular dates in here include the Veteran's Day weekend that typically falls near the beginning of the celebration.
This period is also home to our favorite two weeks to visit during the entire year – the first two weeks of December. Kids are still in school so it's very quiet but the celebration is in full swing. During the first weekend, there is also a special event at Disneyland that causes a major shift in how crowds see the parks that opens up easy access to rides for anyone who is focused on that instead of the special event. We detail why that is our favorite time to visit Disneyland all year long. These are the quietest two weeks at Disneyland during this celebration.
If you do end up having to visit during the busiest time of the year, there are plenty of strategies to avoid major issues. You can read more about managing crowds at Disneyland in our guide and be sure to check out our specific Disneyland Christmas touring strategy for our best tips to handle this time of the year.
2025 Disneyland Christmas Overview
The highlights of the Disneyland Christmas celebration include a number of attraction overlays, entertainment, and seasonal foods. Each of these events are based on what is currently available about the holidays at Disneyland.
Typically we'll get more information about the holidays at Disneyland about six months out from the event and then in the two months beforehand. We will update this section with everything new for 2025 as it is released.
These are the key offerings in Disneyland Park:
- Haunted Mansion Holiday (open during both Disneyland Halloween and Christmas seasons)
- it's a small world holiday
- “A Christmas Fantasy Parade”
- “Believe…in Holiday Magic” Fireworks Show
- Nightly Snowfall
- Sleeping Beauty Castle Holiday Lights
- Meet Santa Claus
- Main Street Decorations
These are the key offerings in Disney California Adventure Park:
- Festival of Holidays (includes food festival and entertainment)
- Viva Navidad entertainment offerings
- Mater's Jingle Jamboree
- Luigi's Joy to the Whirl
- World of Color – Season of Light
- Buena Vista Street & Cars Land Decorations
- Meet Santa Claus
Highlights beyond the theme parks at resort hotels and Downtown Disney
- Nightly Snowfall in Downtown Disney
- Carolers at Disneyland Resort Hotels
- Meet Santa Claus
- Holiday Character Meals
We'll go into each of these highlights in the below sections of this guide in more depth and share links to our other key coverage of Disneyland Christmas. Since we first started Mickey Visit, the amount of articles that we put together for each time of year has exploded. There is simply so much to talk through and so much appetite from readers to know about every single holiday detail.
Throughout this guide we refer to the celebration as Disneyland Christmas as that's what most people are searching for. The official name is the “Holidays at the Disneyland Resort” because the event celebrates all the holidays that take place throughout November, December, and January. The Festival of Holidays, which we cover in much greater detail in our guide, celebrates Christmas/Navidad, Diwali, Hanukkah (see how Disneyland celebrates), Kwanzaa, and Three Kings Day through entertainment, food and beverage, and merchandise. All of these celebrations come together to make the Holidays at the Disneyland Resort one of my personal favorite times of year to visit.
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Disneyland Christmas Ride Overlays
There are four rides at Disneyland that receive a special Christmas overlay. Two are located in Disneyland Park and are a higher production level, and two are located in Disney California Adventure in Cars Land.
Disneyland has it's a small world and Haunted Mansion and Disney California Adventure does overlays to the two smaller Cars Land rides: Mater's Junkyard Jamboree and Luigi's Rollickin' Roadsters. Previously the Jungle Cruise also received an overlay, but this only lasted for a short period. That holiday overlay can now be found at Disney World during Christmas.
“it's a small world” Holiday
“it's a small world” Holiday brings thousands of sparkling Christmas lights to the classic attraction facade and super elaborate cute decorations throughout the interior of the ride. The classic song is melded with Jingle Belles throughout the ride. Just l like the year-round version of the ride, the song is performed in different languages throughout the ride honoring the countries around the world.
This is a beautiful ride and a complete Disneyland Christmas tradition. It's the perfect offering for the entire family to enjoy together. “it's a small world” Holiday is best enjoyed at night to take in the nearly 250,000 lights that adorn the facade of its a small world. Also don't miss the lighting of the exterior facade that takes place every evening. Our pro tip is to hop on the ride right after watching the Christmas Parade here to avoid a wait or grab a Disneyland Lightning Lane Multi Pass return time.
It's so bright standing in front of this facade, it truly takes your breath away. You can always get great pictures in front of the ride while you wait too!
Haunted Mansion Holiday
The Haunted Mansion Holiday is a Disneyland ride overlay based on The Nightmare Before Christmas. For some guests, they actually prefer this version over the classic because it's just that good! If you haven't seen the Tim Burton flick then you should definitely add it to your Disneyland movie list before your visit.
The Haunted Mansion gets the makeover from start to finish from the decorations outside to the music throughout the attraction to new figures and decorations along the entire ride. A key highlight of the ride is a custom gingerbread house display that sits in the ball room scene of the ride. The Disneyland chefs actually create this gingerbread every single year and each year there's a different crazy design. You can smell the gingerbread scent from your doom buggy!
You will see many of your favorite characters from The Nightmare Before Christmas featured throughout the ride. Oogie Boogie is my favorite! The Haunted Mansion Holiday feels less intimidating for younger guests than the traditional Haunted Mansion is as the ride is far brighter and the characters are more cartoonish.
Cars Land Christmas Ride Overlays
When Disneyland opened Cars Land they almost immediately ensured that there would be a great set of Christmas and Halloween offerings here. The two smaller rides get holiday overlays featuring fun songs. Overall the highlight here though are the Disneyland Christmas decorations throughout the land which we'll dive into more below.
Mater's Jingle Jamboree is decked out in holiday lights along with a couple of Christmas songs sung by Larry the Cable Guy, the voice of Mater. This ride gets overlooked often because it appears like a simple child's ride but it's really fun.
Even better, in my humble opinion, is the Luigi's Joy to the Whirl where you can enjoy Christmas themed songs while you spin around in Luigi's fleet of cars. Both of these rides are cute additions to the Cars Land holiday vibe. This is one of our favorite areas of the parks when decorated for the holidays. You can see more looks at that below.
Disneyland Christmas Entertainment & Shows
After you make sure to see all the holiday overlays, the next step is enjoying all the Disneyland Christmas entertainment. The entertainment at Disneyland is part of what really sets it apart from just an average theme park. The parades, fireworks, and shows are kind of the soul of any Disney theme park day and it's especially true during the holidays.
Disneyland Christmas Parade 2025
The Disneyland Christmas parade is the A Christmas Fantasy parade which follows the traditional Disneyland parade route from it's a small world to Main Street. This parade is a favorite among Disneyland guests and includes favorite Disney characters performing alongside holiday characters like snowmen, gingerbread men, reindeer, and Santa Claus himself.
The song for this parade is a wonderful blend of Disney classics and Christmas music that literally made me cry the first time I saw it. This continues to be one of my favorite parts of the Disneyland Christmas celebration.
There are also typically Disneyland dining packages available for the parade. There have been packages at the Plaza Inn in recent years. However, I don't think a dining package is necessary for the parade unless you're visiting on a crazy busy day! If you get your parade spot in front of it's a small world, you can enjoy the lights from the themed overlay while you wait. There are restrooms nearby, snack kiosks, and plenty of room for kids to run around while you wait.
Disneyland Christmas Fireworks
The “Believe… in Holiday Magic” is a wonderful Disneyland fireworks show! This nighttime fireworks show features Disneyland-themed Christmas music, breathtaking fireworks, and scented gingerbread snowfall in front of the castle.
You can see this show from all over Disneyland including along Main Street USA, in Fantasyland in front of “it's a small world”, and along the Rivers of America. In each of these places there are projection effects that accompany the show. The coveted spot for any fireworks show is directly in front of the castle. You'll have to wait quite a long time to enjoy that spot. It's truly moving to see the show from up here and I recommend considering it if you are open to hanging out for a while to hold your spot. We waited about 90 minutes ahead of the show to secure a front-row spot. I recommend bringing some snacks and some patience. If you get a prime spot for the nightly fireworks, you'll also have the perfect chance to get a picture like this without any people in it.
If the castle viewing isn't your thing, which is understandable, watching the fireworks from in front of “it's a small world” is a great spot too! And much more convenient with smaller children.
Nighttime Castle, Small World, and Tree Lightings
During the holidays, Disneyland goes all out to decorate Sleeping Beauty Castle. Throughout the evening you'll see the castle twinkling with over 80,000 LED lights. During the day, the snow on the castle sparkles in the sun and it's a sight to see. But at night it transforms into an amazing work of art.
You can see the castle lit up throughout the night or you can catch lightning ceremonies multiple times each night that include snowfall on Main Street. The ceremony lighting moments have occured at 7:30PM and 8:30PM every night in the past. The details of the castle are beautiful. Take a moment when walking over the drawbridge to look up at all the lights.
There are similar evening moments to celebrate the lighting of the Christmas Tree in Town Square and the lighting of the “it's a small world” facade. These all happen in quick succession and you're able to see them all if you time it right hopping from one to the next. Schedules for these lighting events do switch each year so you'll have to check the latest entertainment schedule in the app for when these lightings occur. You can see video of the Christmas Tree lighting on our @MickeyVisit Instagram here.
Special Disneyland Christmas World of Color Edition
In Disney California Adventure, the major holiday entertainment is the seasonal version of World of Color. This special event is called the “World of Color–Season of Light”. This show features a special mix of holiday music combined with Disney moments from related holiday films. The music is almost reverential and more regal than other World of Color shows and other holiday entertainment at the resort.
The opening moments feature beautiful symphonic moments that bring to life the massive fountains, lights along the Incredicoaster structure, and the amazing lasers. The finale of the show brings a big, almost gospel, musical number to life with all of the incredible effects.
You can read our guide to the World of Color dessert party which you may want to consider for viewing of this show. The show's reserved seating sections will still function with a virtual queue to secure a seat. You can see details on how that works in our World of Color guide.
Viva Navid and Other Disney California Adventure Character Shows
Across Disney California Adventure, the key celebration as part of the holidays is the Festival of Holidays celebration. This event within the Holidays at Disneyland celebration includes dining booths with holiday food items, more global holiday bands, and a couple of fantastic holiday shows.
The key shows here are the ¡Viva Navidad! street parade, Mirabel's Gifts of the Season based on Encanto, and A Musical Christmas with Mariachi Alegría de Disneyland & Miguel. Last year the popular Viva Navidad celebration shifted from daily performances to just on the weekends. When they made that switch they introduced these two new shows themed to Coco and Encanto. They were both super cute and provided a reason to visit during both the weekdays and weekends of a holiday trip to enjoy both. We'll keep you updated on if these shows return.
¡Viva Navidad! is a Latin American inspired experience that features a street parade along with unique meet and greets. Mickey and Minnie's arrival on fun festive bicycles is always greeted with cheers during the street parade. I loved seeing The Three Caballeros in action! Donald Duck fans will love it! The dancers are mind-blowing. So much talent and culture, it's worth the time to stake out a quick spot to see this street parade. The street parade happens a few times throughout the day over by Goofy's Fly School. Check the Disneyland app for the most current show times on the day of your visit. Be sure to pick a spot in the shade – that afternoon sun can feel really hot once you're sitting in it for awhile. I liked the spot over by Symphony Swings to wait because I was close enough to watch my son ride the swings (over and over) while I held our spots. Kids ages 8 and up that meet the height requirement can ride without an adult. This might be my favorite offering at Disneyland Christmas!
Mirabel's Gifts of the Season is a new show that features each of Mirabel's siblings and their respective gifts. It's a smaller footprint show that takes place at the far end of the Paradise Gardens section of the park right in front of Goofy's Sky School. It's a very cute show that brings a to of energy and a fun way to see all of your favorite Encanto characters.
A Musical Christmas with Mariachi Alegría de Disneyland & Miguel features a mariachi band along with the Miguel from Coco character. This show takes place on Buena Vista Street in front of Carthay Circle Theater. The show features great songs and a celebration of Mexican culture. I was really pleased that they brought this show into the holiday celebration. There are some songs from Coco and also some holiday songs. There's a wonderful moment where they sing “Silent Night” in a mix of English and Spanish.
Mickey's Happy Holidays Parade
Twice a day in Disney California Adventure there's a cavalcade of Disney and Pixar characters that dance down the parade route to the beat of holiday drummers. All the characters are wearing some version of a holiday outfit.
This is more of a cavalcade than a parade as there aren't really floats and this is more of a group of fun characters. You'll spot Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, and the rest of the fab five along with Pixar characters which last year included Joy from Inside Out, Mr and Mrs Incredible, Woody and Jessie from Toy Story, and more. The party stops in Paradise Gardens Park and at Carthay Circle where guests can join in and dance with the characters.
Where to Meet Santa at Disneyland Christmas
And of course, you can't have a complete Christmas at Disneyland without a meeting with Santa Claus! You can find Santa and his elves in an elaborate photo op set up throughout the day in Fantasyland Theatre in Disneyland Park, Redwood Creek Trail in Disney California Adventure, and in the lobby of each of Disney owned hotels throughout the day.
I recommend you check the Disneyland phone app for times. This character meet and greet is quite popular, for good reason, so make sure to line up early. I preferred the area in Redwood Creek Trail for taking my son to see Santa because I found the photo area to be more elaborate. It was also fun enjoying the area while we waited too.
My tip for taking kids to see Santa is to do this first thing in the morning right when Santa makes his first appearance. This way everyone is looking fresh and kids are happy so you will get the best pictures. Don't save the meet and greet with Santa towards the end of the day when everyone's exhausted!
Other Disneyland Christmas Entertainment
There are so many other special entertainment acts that perform throughout Disneyland during the holidays. All of the atmosphere bands and groups such as the Dapper Dans are pulled into the celebration with special set lists of music. There are also other musical acts added for the celebration.
In the hotels I love watching the carolers and bell ringers that make appearances. Be sure to check for the set times in the lobbies if you are staying there or pop into Disney's Grand Californian to see this even if you aren't staying there. Note that they perform at all three hotels but I prefer being at the Grand during the holiday period.
There are also great bands in Disney California Adventure as part of the the Holiday Sunset Concert series with bands on select nights which is part of the Disney California Adventure Festival of Holidays. While the 2025 performers have not yet been announced, you can see the ones from a past year for reference.
- The Suffragettes- This festival cover band covers famous holiday songs on select nights.
- Phat Cat Swinger- The West Coast’s “Little-Big Band,” will showcase their swinging selection of irresistible holiday music..
- Blue13 Dance Company- This band presents a spirited tribute to Diwali through traditional Indian folk dances and Bollywood.
- Mostly Kosher- This band brings the spirit of Hanukkah in a concert that combines Klezmer, Jazz and Rock & Roll.
- Mariachi Divas- The Grammy Award-winning Mariachi Divas bring the joy of Navidad to Disney's California Adventure.
- The Mistletoes – an a cappella group celebrating an R&B Christmas and the spirit of Kwanzaa.
The Disneyland Candlelight Processional is another annual Disneyland tradition that dates back to 1958 and the days Walt himself walked the park. Each year features a celebrity narrator joined by a large choir for a retelling of the biblical story of Jesus' birth in front of the Main Street Station. Some of the past narrators have included Kurt Russell, Dick Van Dyke, Kathryn Hahn, James Earl Jones, and John Wayne.
Disney is always pretty tight-lipped on who the celebrity narrator is and usually manages to keep it a secret until they step onto stage! This special event is limited to just four performances over two days during the first weekend of December. The reserved seats for the show are not available to the general public but you can stand alongside the white rope and listen to the performance. See our guide for all of the additional details on the impacts of this event on the rest of Disneyland.
Best Disneyland Christmas Food 2025
Disneyland has continued to evolve their holiday food offerings dramatically every single year with more items every single year. The items have become more interesting and even more photogenic with every passing year. We cover all of the new Disneyland Christmas foods very closely every single year and always put together a printable of all the new foods
Some of the highlights include updates to all of the seasonal churros that are offered, new different quick service offerings, and all of the food that comes to the Festival of Holidays booths. There are also always holiday baked goods that come to the candy cases. Also, don't miss the seasonal beignets which typically are peppermint. The gingerbread Mickey Mouse cookies are also a staple that we always make sure to grab to enjoy while waiting for the fireworks or Fantasmic! during our visits. My favorite gingerbread during the holidays can be found in Disney's Grand Californian lobby next to their massive gingerbread house.
There are also plenty of seasonal savory food options as well. We break it all down in our holidays food guide linked above.
Disneyland is one of the remaining places to make their candy canes homemade. Each batch of candy canes is carefully crafted by a Disneyland cast member- many of who have been making them for years. This is a Disneyland tradition that dates back to 1968 and it's a special experience to be a part of. Each candy cane is 18 inches long and they are absolutely to die for. Guests line up the very instant the gates open to receive their wristband which is limited to only about 120 people per day. Guests are only allowed one wristband per person and it entitles you to one candy cane at that location. No discounts apply for candy canes and you must present your wristband to purchase one! These are only available on specific dates throughout the end of November and early December. These are available on alternating days at Candy Palace and Trolley Treats.
Transitioning to our next section, I recommend grabbing any of these sweet treats, perhaps a hot chocolate, before you wander around both theme parks in the evenings to enjoy all of the lights and decorations.
Disneyland Christmas Decorations & Great Photo Opportunities
As you've already seen throughout this guide to Disneyland at Christmas, there are so many great decorations and key iconic spots not to miss throughout your visit to Disneyland during this time of year. Here are some of the Disneyland Christmas decoration highlights across the entire resort.
There are plenty of amazing spots around Disneyland to enjoy the holiday decor but the decorations on Main Street, U.S.A. are breathtaking. As you enter the park, right in front of the train station, you will see the gigantic 60 foot Christmas tree in Town Square. Don't forget to get your picture taken in front of the beautiful Disneyland Christmas tree on Main Street. There is usually a line for this but it's worth it. Ask your PhotoPass photographer if they have any holiday Magic Shots to add! As you can see above, we got Zero added to our picture on this trip and it ended up being one of my favorite pictures. Plus you get that high-quality photo of the tree behind you that a cellphone could never do justice for.
New Orleans Square is another great spot to find beautiful holiday decor. The decorations are bright and festive. The charm of this area really sparkles with some added festivities. I love the large ornaments and decorations here that really bring in the vibe of Mardi Gras and the party city.
In Disney California Adventure you will find holiday decor the most heavily concentrated in Cars Land and on Buena Vista Street. You can also find a giant 50 foot tall Christmas tree in front of Carthay Circle so make sure you don't miss it! Similar to over at Disneyland, the large Christmas tree takes front and center stage for PhotoPass pictures- save some time to get in line for this great photo op. I especially love all the old time toys you see scattered lovingly underneath the tree. We always enjoy the Disney details and these fantastic trees are filled with them. There are also very fun old time tinsel laden decorations on all of the street lights up and down either side of the street in the Hollywood Pictures Backlot area.
Cars Land by far has some of the best holiday décor you can find in both parks. The amazing amount of detail that's already present in Cars Land is further enhanced by the Christmas festivities. Notice the snow-caped tire Christmas tree! And of course, you need to come back at night to see everything all lit up! Most of the lit areas in Cars Land get some extra Christmas flair! My favorite part was the area by the Cozy Cone Motel. I could spend all night here. Do I see tinsel? Each store gets their own festive holiday lights that match their theme. Also don't miss the clever holiday movie posters on the way into the land.
Don't forget your photo op with the Snow Car outside the Cars Land entrance! You may have to wait awhile for this one but it's worth it. Or get it first thing in the morning before the crowds build. There are other fun holiday touches throughout the park like Roz sporting a Santa hat inside Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!
Downtown Disney also decorates for the season and you can take in all the full lights as you wander around to enjoy the shopping, dining, and entertainment options. Downtown Disney is the place to go to find plenty of holiday treats and shopping. I particularly enjoyed the Disney Home store as it was filled with an abundance of fantastic holiday decor to fill my suitcase with. During the holidays there is now a snow fall within Downtown Disney throughout the evening all season long. This was a wonderful addition made to the area so that even if you don't have a Disneyland ticket you can enjoy this celebration.
One of my favorite parts of the resort year-round is Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. Most guests don't realize you don't actually have to be staying at this hotel to enjoy the dining and special foods in the lobby. At Christmas time, this is especially fantastic as this deluxe hotel pulls out all the stops for the holidays. This hotel features one of the best holiday traditions – the “Grand” Gingerbread House featuring Chip and Dale in their pajama attire seen in Mickey's Holiday Pajama Party Breakfast and Brunch at Storytellers Cafe. This giant gingerbread replica of the hotel stands at 7 feet tall and 12 feet wide, the structure is created from more than 600 pounds of gingerbread, 600 pounds of powdered sugar, 250 pounds of fondant, 1 pound of pixie dust, and features 25 hidden Mickeys. There's also a cart filled with some of the best holiday treats of the season right next to the house.
Look at the details in the fireplace! So majestic. So delicious. The back of the gingerbread house is also decorated and you can find more hidden Mickeys on this side too!
While there are decorations at both the Disneyland Hotel and Pixar Place Hotel, neither of those hotels are really worth your walk unless you are headed over there anyways for dining or you're staying there. The really showstopper is Disney's Grand Californian! Here's one more photo from the lobby with the magnificent tree. Note that if you visit during the first day of the holiday season the decorations here including the tree will not necessarily be up yet. They beginning working on the gingerbread house when the holidays start so you'll likely have no tree in the lobby and a partially complete gingerbread house during this period.
Even with my above comment on the Disneyland Hotel, they still have really improved their holiday decorations for those staying there. Here's what the entrance looks like. A kind of mid-century modern Christmas to match the overall design of the hotel.
In addition to all of the above we'll keep updating this Disneyland Christmas guide with everything for 2025 as it is released.
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Start planning your visit to see Disneyland at Christmas now! Subscribe to our FREE newsletter where you can expect timely, quality information on exclusive Disney deals and access to the lowest priced Disney tickets anywhere. You can find more information on planning your Disneyland at Christmas vacation here:
- Christmas Treats Galore: A Foodie’s Guide to Eating Your Way Though Christmas Time at Disneyland
- Best Disneyland Tips
- Christmas Time: Disneyland Touring Strategy to Maximize Time and Experience the Magic
- Universal Studios Hollywood at Christmas: Everything You Need to Know
- Top 12 Disneyland Christmas Must-Sees
- 25 Christmas Pictures of Disney Parks Around the World: Get in the Spirit of the Holiday Season
- 20 Magical Disney Fan Christmas Gift Ideas
- Disneyland Christmas Tips and Tricks Guide
- Knott's Merry Farm Christmas Guide
- 15 Pictures of the Disneyland Resort during the Holiday Season
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Hey Team, we will be there from 9th November – 21ST November 2020 and was wondering:
a) when did the Christmas fireworks kick off last year? from the 2nd weekend in November or from the start? and are they only of a weekend or just Friday, Sat & Sunday?
b) When did the Christmas tree’s go up and go live with lights/lighting? from the websites i have read Christmas time at Disney starts the 2nd weekend of November but i don’t know if this usually means for everything or if the trees go up before hand or have a separate lighting ceremony?
c) when does the holiday themed food usually start arriving in stores?
When do you think they will kick off the holiday season this year for 2020?
Thankyou!
In 2020 when will Disneyland turnover to Christmas. I want to be in Disneyland from November 9-12. Will we make the Christmas turnover?
We don’t have the official dates yet but I think it’s safe to say yes!
Hello, are the Candy Canes going to be available on Dec7th at Trolley Treats next week? Since Buena Vista St. is open but with Covid restrictions, I was wondering about this. Thanks Jacki
Unfortunately, there won’t be candy canes this year. 🙁
Is DisneyLand open on Christmas day?
Yes they are!
Everything looks wonderful and exciting. Any possible info about Candlelight Christmas ceremony?
Thank you
Not yet, but Walt Disney World announced they are doing theirs so fingers crossed for Disneyland!
What about ice skating in downtown Disney?
No news yet but will post when we hear more!
Hi. Thanks for all the tips! I look forward to looking for all these exciting things. Just wondering…do you have inside info to confirm the parade will be done every day during the season this year? I know their site says it will be Nov 12 through Jan 9, but it’s only listed for Merriest Nites and also on Nov 12 and 13. All days after that say it’s not occurring that day (doesnt say “schedule not yet available”). Might Disney be saving the parade for those extra paid nights and maybe the opening and closing of the holiday season?
Disneyland is usually pretty slow in posting entertainment schedules- the parade will run daily at 3:30 and 5PM during the holiday season.
We are planning a company Holiday Event for Dec 3rd to go to Disneyland and we are coming from Arizona, in regards to the Merriest Nites if they do it again this year 2022 and we purchase tickets for our large group for just regular entrance, will the park close at 5pm on that Sat Dec 3rd? I ask because we may have to book on a different Sat where the park may be open later.
Thank you
We don’t know yet if Disney will hold Merriest Nites this year, keep checking back as we will post info as we find out more news!
We have Disneyland booked nov 9-12 this year on our way back from Aulani. It hit me we may see the beginning of the holiday season. I am able to make our park reservations on July 7th. If I have 2 park days, Nov 10 and 11, Which Park – based on trends of previous years- do you think I should I reserve, which day, if I do NOT have hoppers? I have never been to Disneyland at Christmastime. Thank you.
What a fun trip! Aulani and Disneyland… exciting! I would expect that you will be either the first days of the holiday season or a week into the holiday season. Typically the holidays start on one of the first Fridays in November. Without any specific knowledge, I would bet that Disneyland Christmas 2022 will start on November 11th.
Well, we don’t yet know if there will be a Merriest Nights holiday party again this year which could impact the day. I would personally recommend Disneyland on Friday and Disney California Adventure on Saturday. Friday will be crowded also but you will have a lot of locals coming in on Saturday to see the holidays. Lots of variables up in the air but I would start there!
You will love Disneyland at Christmas in 2022! The holidays at Disneyland are my absolute favorite time of year.
Good morning. Always checking your site because we do a Disney vacation at least once a year, (plus I love the wordle.) We are going to Disneyland mid-September, and I’ve been noticing that Fantasmic! has disappeared from the schedule. Any scuttlebutt as to what is going on with that? Thanks.
Hi Matthew,
Glad you enjoy the Wordle and following along. From what we know Fantasmic! is not going anywhere.
Gavin
Thanks, Mickey Visit! Can someone tell me if the nighttime shows will run every night during the indicated holiday season? I’m taking my son January 2-5, so I want to make sure we can see them.
While we don’t have a complete schedule yet, we can be pretty sure that the parade and fireworks will be performed daily throughout the holiday season based on previous year’s schedules.
Hello, do you know if the park is usually open late on December weekdays or just weekends? I plan to visit first week of December and want to get max hours while possibly avoiding weekend crowds. Thanks for your help
The parks are usually open late throughout December, especially as we get closer and closer to the end of the month holiday period.
Hi! Do you know when we can know of the Merriest Nights are coming back this dec?
I am going with my family dec 7th – 13th and wouldnt want to purchase tickets on Night Party day due to having to leave early.
Thank you!
No word yet on if Merriest Nites will return, we will update this guide immediately if we get news!
Is this truly updated for 2023? You click on the Breakfast with Santa link and it says Catal Restaurant is closed.
The article is updated with information as we get it. The Catal restaurant is now closed. We will remove that mention in the holiday guide. Thank you for commenting. As you can imagine, there is lots of information on the site that is always changing.