Disneyland Festival of Holidays 2024 Menu, MUST SEE Entertainment, TIPS

Disneyland Festival of Holidays is the central piece of the Disneyland holidays celebration in Disney California Adventure park. The celebration brings together entertainment and food offerings throughout Disney California Adventure park that celebrate Christmas/Navidad, Diwali, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Three Kings Day.

The 2024 Disney California Adventure Festival of Holidays runs from the third week of November, and an end date has not yet been announced. Festival of Holidays menu with all of the food items available, a look at the various entertainment offerings, and tips based on our recent Festival of Holidays visit.

The festival is a refreshing example of how the size of a Disney Park allows for the specific spotlight of multiple cultures without being reductive. The variety of offerings during the Festival of Holidays is a great foil to the more traditional Victorian-esque Disneyland Christmas celebration throughout the rest of the resort. Click here for a review of some of the Festival of Holidays food items from this year.

The Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure begins November 15, 2024 along with the rest of the Holidays at the Disneyland Resort.

Disneyland Festival of Holidays 2024 Food Items and Menu

One of the highlights of the festival is the Festival of Holidays marketplace. Throughout Disney California Adventure there are eight different food booths with a variety of food and drink items for purchase. The booths (example seen in the photo above) are the same ones used for the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival. These booths are placed up and down the parade corridor between the Buena Vista Street entrance area of the theme park and Pixar Pier. The festival also extends to some participating food and beverage locations in the park.

Get a FREE PRINTABLE of all of the Festival of Holidays and Disneyland Christmas Foods when they are released! Click button below.

GET FREE PRINTABLE!

While the 2024 Festival of Holidays foods have not yet been released, you can see last year's information below for reference. 

There is actually one fewer food booth now available as part of the marketplace. The “Visions of Sugar Plums” booth from last year has been eliminated and now the favorites from that booth, particularly the TWIX Chocolate Tart will be offered at the Holiday Duets booth. Generally a number of different menu items have moved around. Of our favorites that we reviewed last year (see our personal experience at the festival reviewed at the bottom of this article) many are not returning. The beef brisket slider at Winter Sliderland which has become a staple is back, but many of the others are gone. We like to see Disney continue to give their chefs the flexibility to refresh these menus and try new things.

Over the years of covering the festival we have gotten to know the head chef for the festival and manager over the entire area. They and their teams work tirelessly to try the mix of unique and fun flavors that make up these dishes. They'll tell you it's a plum gig to get to try all the different varieties that come to the festivals, but we know that it's hard work to deliver flavors that will be popular with guests and push the boundaries.

To experience the festival, you can either purchase items individually or purchase a Sip and Savor pass which is $59 dollars and gives you 8 tabs that you can redeem at booths throughout the festival. I typically use one card to share with an entire group. The pass is a lanyard with tabs around the edges that can be ripped off and redeemed. For more on the pass including the Magic Key discount information, see our specific section below on the Disney California Adventure Sip and Savor pass here.

Disneyland Discount Tickets and Savings

The best way to save on your Disneyland holidays trip is to book with our travel partner, Get Away Today. They offer the lowest prices on multi-day tickets and discounts on hotels with exclusive discounts just for Mickey Visit readers. Beyond their low prices, they also provide incredible customer support.

Get your discount Disneyland tickets here through our exclusive link!

Buying tickets from Get Away Today will help you to save money for your trip (so you can have more money to spend freely when you arrive on things like the great food we review from the festival below). All tickets are sent electronically so that you can make your park reservations. They also offer layaway plans so that you can pay off your vacation as you go.

Now, let's get into the festival of holidays food items at Disney California Adventure…

2024 Festival of Holidays Food Locations Map

While the 2024 Festival of Holidays offerings have not yet been announced, you can see last year's map below for reference. 

The Festival of Holidays food locations are located all across Disney California Adventure. Below, you can see a map of where each location is. If you're going to a certain ride, or if you have several food items you are picking up, it's helpful to know where each marketplace and participating location is so that you can grab food on the way to wherever you are heading. See the map for the Festival of Holidays food locations below:

Disney California Adventure Festival of Holidays 2024 Menu Food and Drinks

For all the other food offered at Disneyland during the holiday period, read our guide to 2024 Disneyland Christmas food.

While Disney has not yet released the 2024 Festival of the Holidays food items, you can see last year's menu below for an idea of what to expect. 

Disney Festival of Holidays Marketplaces

A Twist on Tradition (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)

• Savory Kugel Mac & Cheese with herb breadcrumbs, sour cream and chives (New)
• Guava-Melon Lassi: Guava nectar, rock melon syrup, yogurt, and honey garnished with cinnamon whipped cream and honey-flavored cereal (Non-alcoholic beverage)
• Glacier Margarita: Blanco tequila, blue curaçao, coconut and rosemary syrups, and white cranberry and lime juices garnished with champagne bubbles candy (New)

Brews & Bites (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)

• IMPOSSIBLE Chorizo Queso Fundido with house-made tortilla chips
• Churro Ale with Frozen Beer Slush: Churro ale with a frozen slush of beer, butterscotch, gingerbread, and house-made churro toffee syrups (New)
• Garage Brewing Co. Churro Ale (New)
• Boulevard Brewing Company Quirk Hard Seltzer – Cranberry Apple Cinnamon (New)
• Two Coast Brewing Co. Saint Father Authentic Oktoberfest Festbier
• Unsung Brewing Co. Agents of Anaheim Vienna Lager (New)
• Golden Road Brewing Christmas Cart Wheat Ale
• Eureka Brewing Co. Hibiscus Bloom Blonde Ale (New)
• Ballast Point Brewing Co. Grunion Pale Ale (New)
• Dust Bowl Brewing Co. Mouthful of Miracles Cold IPA (New)
• Brewery X Feliz Guavidad IPA (New)
• Rogue Brewing Co. Hazelnut Brown Nectar Brown Ale (New)
• Allagash Brewing Curieux Bourbon Barrel-Aged Golden Ale
• Bottle Logic Brewing Co. Study Break Sweet Stout (New)
• Holiday Flight (New)
  • Dust Bowl Brewing Co. Mouthful of Miracles Cold IPA
  • Ballast Point Brewing Co. Grunion Pale Ale
  • Unsung Brewing Co. Agents of Anaheim Vienna Lager
  • Bottle Logic Brewing Co. Study Break Sweet Stout
• Festive Favorites (New)
  • Two Coast Brewing Co. Saint Father Authentic Oktoberfest Festbier
  • Eureka Brewing Co. Hibiscus Bloom Blonde Ale
  • Brewery X Feliz Guavidad IPA
  • LA Bodega Brewing Co. Mama Coco Coconut Milk Stout
• Brewed Traditions (New)
  • Boulevard Brewing Company Quirk Hard Seltzer – Cranberry Apple Cinnamon
  • Golden Road Brewing Christmas Cart Wheat Ale
  • Allagash Brewing Curieux Bourbon Barrel-Aged Golden Ale
  • Rogue Brewing Co. Hazelnut Brown Nectar Brown Ale

Favorite Things (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)

• Braised Pork Belly Adobo with garlic rice
• Mad Santa Macaron Inspired by the Disney+ series “The Santa Clauses”: Chocolate macaron filled with ganache, peanut butter mousse, and salted pretzels (New)
• Cherry Mango Punch: Mango purée, cherry and peach syrups, and lemon juice garnished with a frozen peach (Non-alcoholic beverage)
• Churro Toffee Cold Brew Latte: Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co. Mexico Origin Coffee, cinnamon sugar, vanilla bean, and almond milk garnished with churro syrup-flavored whipped cream and toffee crumble (Non-alcoholic beverage)

Grandma’s Recipes (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)

• Barbacoa Tamal de Res with Oaxaca cheese, tomatillo salsa and crema (New)
• Berry Pomegranate Paloma: Blanco Tequila, blueberry purée, lime, cranberry, and pomegranate juices, and agave syrup topped with fresca mixed vodka spritz and garnished with an orange wheel and chile lime seasoned rim (New)
• Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc
• Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon
• McBride Sisters Sparkling Brut Rosé (New)
• Winter Wineries Flight (New)
  • Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc
  • Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon
  • McBride Sisters Sparkling Brut Rosé

Holiday Duets (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)

• Esquites Carnitas Mac & Cheese with salsa macha and spiced puffed rice
• Chocolate Tart Made with TWIX Cookie Bar Pieces: Sugar tart filled with caramel and chocolate mousse, topped with TWIX cookie bar pieces and holiday sprinkles (New)
• Cuban Parranda Cocktail: White rum, falernum and maraschino liqueurs, soursop nectar, grapefruit juice, and mint syrup garnished with a dried grapefruit wheel (New)
• Cantaritos Pineapple (New)

Making Spirits Bright (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)

• IMPOSSIBLE Chicken Curry Bites with lemon raita and coriander chutney (New)
• Pumpkin Layered Cheesecake: Layers of New York-style cheesecake, pumpkin gooey cake, and graham cracker topped with spiced Chantilly and a chocolate decoration
• Tiramisu Yule Log Cocktail: Vodka, hazelnut liqueur, oat milk, tiramisu syrup, and chocolate bitters garnished with chocolate shavings
• Chocolate Mint Stout Shake: Garage Brewing Marshmallow Milk Stout, coffee liqueur, crème de menthe, horchata cream liqueur, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate syrup garnished with cookie crumbles (New)

Merry Mashups (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)

• Southern Mac & Cheese with andouille sausage and spiced panko crunch
• Santa’s Milk & Cookies Hot Cocoa Inspired by the Disney+ series “The Santa Clauses”: Whole milk, cookies and cream powder, and white chocolate with whipped cream
• Maple Hazelnut Hot Buttered Rum: Dark rum, butter, hazelnut paste, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove with a salted caramel whipped cream

Winter Sliderland (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)

• Togarashi Karaage Chicken Slider with furikake mayo slaw on a Hawaiian roll (New)
• Beef Brisket Slider with smoked onions and horseradish ketchup on a pretzel roll
• Spiced Pear Mule: Pear vodka, gin, apricot liqueur, house-made spice syrup, pear nectar, and lemon juice garnished with a white orchid (New)

Additional Locations Throughout Disney California Adventure Park

Cappuccino Cart (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)

• Cafe de Olla Cold Brew: Piloncillo-sweetened coffee spiced with star anise, clove and cinnamon topped with a hot chocolate cream cold foam (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New)

Hollywood Lounge (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 9; mobile order available)

• Three Gifts Flight: Includes Gin Lavender Lemonade, Smoky Hibiscus Orange Cocktail, and Shimmering Apple Pie Cocktail (New)

Lamplight Lounge (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)

• Holiday Special Duck Confit: Duck confit with celeriac purée, cherry gastrique, rutabaga, and arugula citrus salad (New)
• Pan Dulce Donuts: Warm and fluffy donuts dipped in cajeta and topped with pan dulce crumbles paired with a champurrado dipping sauce (New)
• Holiday Cocktail: Chai Tea-Oat Mix, vanilla vodka, and Kahlúa Coffee Liqueur topped with chocolate liqueur and ground cinnamon (New)

Pym Test Kitchen (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 9; mobile order available)

• Cold Brew Infusion: Cinnamon & Spice: Cinnamon caramel cold brew with cardamom cream foam (Non-alcoholic) (New)

Smokejumpers Grill (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)

• Kielbasa with Pierogi: Kielbasa served with potato and cheese pierogies, sautéed peppers and onions, and Dijon-sour cream (New)

Sonoma Terrace (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)

• Pan con Pollo: Braised chicken, spiced tomato sauce, mayonnaise, and mustard dressing in a French bread roll served with pickled vegetable slaw (New)
• Bottle Logic Brewing Holiday Hopscotch: Golden ale with creamy vanilla and butterscotch (New)

Studio Catering Co. (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 9; mobile order available)

• Holiday Turkey Empanada: Fried empanada filled with turkey, stuffing and gravy with cranberry dipping sauce (New)

Terran Treats (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)

• Hot Chocolate Churro: Chocolate chile churro with chocolate and chile streusel, mini marshmallows, and hazelnut spread

Outdoor Vending Locations (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)

• Chicken Chile Verde Empanada served with a side of slaw and salsa roja (New)
• Honey-glazed Turkey Leg (New)
• Mickey-shaped Gingerbread Cookie
• Cantaritos Pineapple

Seasonal Snack Locations Throughout the Park (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)

• Chicken Chile Verde Empanada served with a side of slaw and salsa roja (New)
• Pumpkin Cinnamon Cake: Pumpkin cake with cinnamon streusel finished with icing and sprinkles (New)
• Cantaritos Pineapple

Churros near Goofy’s Sky School (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 22)

• Fresas con Crema coated in cinnamon sugar and topped with strawberries saturated in condensed milk (New)

Churros at Hollywood Land (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)

• Yule Log Churro: Crème filled chocolate churro with berry drizzle and powdered sugar (New)

Churros near Redwood Creek Challenge Trail (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)

• Chocolate Peppermint Churro: Churro coated with crushed candy canes and drizzled with chocolate and vanilla sauce

Downtown Disney District

Splitsville Luxury Lanes (Available Dec. 1 through Jan. 7)

• Holiday Churros: Sweet, crispy dough coated in red and green sugar and topped with dulce de leche drizzle (New)

Tortilla Jo’s (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)

• Traditional Holiday Pozole: Pork cushion, guajillo, hominy, garlic and onion powder, chicken base, salt, cumin, oregano, bay leaf, and water
• Tamale Trio: Three different types of tamales – pork, beef, and chicken mole
• Mexican Buñuelos: Traditional fried dough fritter dusted with powdered sugar, and topped with condensed milk and strawberries
• Chocolate Feliz Navidad: Tequila, Irish cream liqueur, Mexican-style chocolate mix, and garnished with toasted marshmallows (Non-alcoholic version also available) (New)

Novelties Available Throughout the Park

• Holiday Swizzle Stick (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7; limit 2 per person, per transaction); Available at the following locations:
  • Brews & Bites
  • Favorite Things
  • Grandma’s Recipes
  • Holiday Duets
  • Making Spirits Bright
  • Merry Mashups
  • A Twist on Tradition
  • Winter Sliderland

• Holiday Travel Tumbler (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7; mobile order available; limit 10 per person, per transaction); Available at the following locations:
  • Paradise Garden Grill

• Mickey Mouse-shaped Peppermint Glow Cube (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7; limit two per person, per transaction); Available at the following locations:
  • Brews & Bites
  • Favorite Things
  • Grandma’s Recipes
  • Holiday Duets
  • Merry Mashups
  • A Twist on Tradition
  • Winter Sliderland
  • Paradise Garden Grill
  • Seasonal Snack Locations

Disney California Adventure Festival of Holidays 2024 Sip and Savor pass

How much is the 2024 Festival of Holidays Sip and Savor pass?

The Festival of Holidays Sip and Savor Pass is $59 for regular park guests and discounted to $54 for Disneyland Magic Keyholders. That comes out to tabs costing you $7.38 for regular guests and $6.75 for Magic Key Holders.

If you were to purchase items individually they typically cost about $5-6 per item for sweets and $8 for savory items. Thus, the Sip and Savor pass is really only worth it if you are planning on eating mainly savory items.

Where can you buy the Sip and Savor pass at Disney California Adventure?

Though you'll see a large line to purchase the Sip and Savor pass at the specific booths labeled selling the Sip and Savor passes, you do not have to wait through the inevitable line that will have formed here. The Sip and Savor passes are sold at locations throughout Disney California Adventure.

Sip and Savor passes are sold at:

• Sip and Savor Pass kiosks
• Each individual festival food booth
• Seaside Souvenirs next to Ariel's Undersea Adventure
• Kingswell Camera Shop on Buena Vista Street
• Rushin' River Outfitters next to Grizzly River Run

Best Food We Tried at Disney California Adventure Festival of Holidays

The below reviews are from the foods we tried at the Disney California Adventure Festival of the Holidays. Here are the top 3 items you can't miss!

During our sampling of food at the Festival of Holidays we had a few standout dishes:

1. The Savory Kugel Mac & Cheese with herb breadcrumbs, sour cream, and chives at A Twist on Tradition was a can't-miss item we tried. We loved how the sour cream flavor blended harmoniously with the cheese, and it featured a great balance of textures between the creaminess of the mac and the crunchiness of the breadcrumbs. This was our favorite item we tried this year at the Festival of Holidays!

2. Another one of our favorite items this year was the Holiday Turkey Empanada, which is a fried empanada filled with turkey, stuffing, and gravy with cranberry dipping sauce offered at Studio Catering Co. We loved the crunchy exterior of the empanada and the heavenly interior that tasted much like turkey pot pie. The flavors work together beautifully, and unsurprisingly, each incredible bite tastes like Thanksgiving dinner.

3. Our next can't-miss item is the Beef Brisket Slider with smoked onions and horseradish ketchup on a pretzel roll offered at Winter Sliderland. Though it's a bit messy to eat, the slider has a combination of amazing flavors that work together perfectly. This is definitely one item you have to try this year at the Festival of Holidays!

Key Disneyland Festival of Holidays Food Tips

1. The Festival of Holidays booths each have their own lines to order food. What most don't realize is that you can actually order all of the food items that you want from the festival from one of the booths rather than going to each individual booth to order. So, you should take a look at our above guide and mark down what items you are most interested in and then order them all at the same time from one booth. You'll then be given a receipt with the items listed out. Don't lose this receipt. You'll use it redeem all of your food items from the various booths as you are ready to eat them. As you pickup items, the Cast Member at the pickup line will cross out the item. At the other Festival of Holidays booths you'll proceed directly to the pickup lines and skip the growing ordering lines.
2. Share food items with other members of your party. It's worth looking at the offerings ahead of time to see what interests you and take into account if your party is composed of heavy or light eaters. During this trip, we had two lighter eaters, so we shared items through the Sip and Savor pass and got several meals out of it. If you are sharing with another member of your party and feel like you need more after redeeming all of your tabs, you can always make a la carte purchases.
3. If you do decide to mix utilizing the Sip and Savor pass and a la carte purchases, make sure you use the Sip and Savor pass for higher-price items and save your a la carte purchases for less expensive items.
4. Look at the Festival of Holidays foods map before starting to walk anywhere! If you're going to pick up multiple items, you might find that you accidentally passed one marketplace on the way to another and need to walk back in the other direction. Or, you might be headed to a ride with a marketplace of interest located nearby or on the way. Before you start picking up items, see where the marketplaces are located on the map so that you can effectively plan your route and save some walking.

Disney California Adventure Festival of Holidays Entertainment

I can't tell you how refreshing it is to be at Disneyland right now. The entire resort across both theme parks is BUZZING with musical acts and character performances. It feels like there is some live music or performance to see at every moment of your day.

The Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure feeds this frenzy of entertainment. There are a number of bands that perform throughout the day, a character cavalcade, and a character street show that you can't miss.

First up, I'll share more on what might be my favorite Christmas entertainment that's part of the festival (it competes for the top spot with A Christmas Fantasy Parade).

Disney ¡Viva Navidad! Street Party During Festival of Holidays

Tucked in the back corner of Disney California Adventure in the Paradise Gardens area the Disney ¡Viva Navidad! celebration is a ~12 minute high energy street party that occurs throughout the day. The show features authentic folklórico dancers, mariachis, Brazilian samba dancers, and drummers. The show also features Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and the three caballeros (Donald Duck, Panchito, and Jose) and two large Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus 12-foot-tall mojiganga puppets.

Throughout the twelve minutes there is a collection of authentic dances and music types. The show artfully mixes together Disney characters and the various music. The dancers are SO impressive and really put a ton of energy out there to give you a great show. Each performer is clad in a beautiful authentic costume. There are floats and bikers darting around the performance area at high speeds which just adds to the energy and excitment.

You can watch the finale of the Disney ¡Viva Navidad! show below.

You can watch the entire show on Youtube here.

The ¡Viva Navidad! area also features character meet and greets with favorite characters (including Mirabel from Encanto), special food items, and other live entertainment. This is a great addition to the Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure.

Viewing Area Tip for Disney ¡Viva Navidad! 

Right in the middle of the performance area there is a section that is marked off during the lead up to the show because the main float of the show has to turn in that spot and uses the area. Right after the float has turned (happens one minute in), this area opens up and is accessible for guests to view. This is also where the technical leads for the show stand to supervise. As is the rule for most shows, standing right near the director will provide a great central view of all the action.

So, the best way to get a good view for Disney ¡Viva Navidad! is to line up right next to this yellow line and then after the float turns and the Cast Member gives you the go ahead to move forward into this protected section. Stand right in front of Bayside Brews in the shade (the mid day sun can be hot even when in the winter) while you wait. This also allows you to walk up a little closer to showtime and still end up with a front row view.

Other Festival Entertainment – Live Music, Character Cavalcade

Mickey's Happy Holidays is a character cavalcade that travels the length of the Disney California Adventure parade route featuring toy soldier drummers and some of your favorite Disney characters dressed in holiday gear. You'll spot some characters that you wouldn't usually see dressed up for the holidays – Mr. Incredible and Frozone from the Incredibles were sporting red and blue, respectively, Santa hats.

At other moments throughout the day, you'll also encounter the toy soldier drummers performing in front of Ariel's Undersea Adventure. These live drummers really bring the energy.

There are also other bands and musical acts representing the various different holidays and cultures that play throughout the event. Those include:

• Mariachi Divas – a supremely talented group of performers that put their own spin on holiday tunes
• Mostly Kosher – Eclectic blend of music that honors Hanukkah with music styles ranging from klezmer and jazz to Latin and rock
• Blue13 Dance Company – The group celebrates Diwali with traditional dances
• Phat Cat Swinger – Big band group that performs swinging holiday music with a twist
• The Mistletoes! – This a cappella vocal group celebrates both Christmas and Kwanzaa through rhythm and soul
• Tina and The Sounds of Celebration! – This group from Latin America fires up the crowd with Salsa, Merengue, Caribbean and Latin Rock music

These music groups provide an awesome atmosphere and are easy to walk up and enjoy at the festival stage in front of World of Color or in the Wine Country terrace area. Check the Disneyland daily entertainment schedule for times during your trip.

Meet Santa at Disney Festival of Holidays

Santa Claus meets guests in Disney California Adventure in the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. Santa will be here meeting guests until Christmas. That day he has to get back to the North Pole to get ready to deliver presents.

Planning a Trip to Disneyland?

Be sure to join our free planning newsletter (use the form below) for the latest information on planning your trip and what you need to know. Read our various important planning guides below for all the information on visiting during Disneyland Christmas and below.

• When to Visit Disneyland – Planning Guide
• Disneyland Christmas Touring Strategy – Ride the Most
• Best Hotels Near Disneyland
• Disneyland in November 
• Disneyland in December 
• How to Save Money on Discount Disneyland Tickets