9 Big Changes Coming to Disneyland in November & December 2026

As the Halloween season begins to wrap up at Disneyland, there are going to be plenty of major changes for the rest of the year, including entertainment, seasonal items, park hours, crowd levels, and more.

For guests visiting Disneyland for the rest of the year, there are numerous changes to be aware of for November and December. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including the new Santa’s Holiday Grove dining location opening at Disney World and 13 perks confirmed for the new Magic Kingdom hotel opening next year.

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1. Disneyland Fireworks Begin Changing

Once Halloween season ends at Disneyland, the fireworks schedule will change on November 1st before changing again on November 13th for the start of the holiday season. In November, there will be three different fireworks shows taking place. Once the holiday season begins, only two will be offered through the end of the year.

After Halloween night, Disneyland will shift to Mickey’s Mix Magic with projections on weekdays and with fireworks on weekends. Then starting on November 13, the “Believe…In Holiday Magic” show will be offered, with fireworks every night through the end of the year.

While Disneyland’s main fireworks show changes, Fire of the Rising Moons with fireworks in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge remains a consistent nighttime offering.

2. Seasonal Decor Changes to Christmas

Disneyland begins decorating for the holiday season with the snow on top of Sleeping Beauty Castle often arriving before Halloween day. Once Halloween ends, Disney moves quickly to remove the Halloween decor overnight, and then holiday decor starts appearing in stages leading up to the official start of the holiday season on November 13.

While the holiday decor, along with most of the merchandise, may arrive before the official date, the entertainment, ride overlays, and special foods won’t start until November 13. Once the holiday entertainment begins, there is a huge shift in entertainment and offerings.

3. Seasonal Ride Closures Begin and End

There will be two seasonal ride closures as Disney prepares “it’s a small world” to transform into the holiday version and Redwood Creek Challenge Trail transforms into a Santa meet-and-greet. “it’s a small world” will be closed October 30 through November 12, while Redwood Creek Challenge Trail will be closed November 1 through November 12.

Both will reopen as their holiday versions when the first day of the holidays begins on November 14. “it’s a small world” Holiday increases in popularity once it gets dark as the entire facade of the attraction is lit up with holiday lights. Haunted Mansion Holiday’s overlay will also continue, but there is no downtime required as the seasonal version is already up and running.

4. World of Color- Season of Light Returns After Extended Hiatus

At Disney California Adventure, World of Color – Season of Light returns twice a day at 9 PM and 10:15 PM. This version of World of Color combines classic holiday songs with scenes from Disney and Pixar films like Cinderella, Beauty and the Beast, Frozen, and more.

Last year, the holiday version of World of Color did not return because the resort was finishing up its 70th anniversary celebration, which included a special edition of the performance.

This will be the first time the holiday version has returned since the 2024 holiday season, so it may draw more interest than a typical year. Other holiday entertainment at Disney California Adventure includes Disney ¡Viva Navidad! with festive music and character performances.

5. Disneyland Construction Impacts Guests Visiting Soon

Multiple construction projects at Disneyland may also impact guests visiting in November and December. Over at Disney California Adventure, work is taking place on the upcoming Coco-inspired attraction, which means that Disney ¡Viva Navidad! Street Party is moving to Hollywood Land, in front of Mickey’s PhilharMagic. The seasonal entertainment is scheduled on select weekends from November 14 through January 3, rather than daily.

There are also impacts to guests accessing the resort as construction takes place on the Esplanade. A new rideshare area has opened near Downtown Disney, and four ticket booths in the eastern area have been demolished, which will result in changes to some security checkpoints. Read more in our recent construction update. 

6. Disneyland’s Best Parade Happens Twice Daily

A Christmas Fantasy parade, arguably the best Disneyland parade, starts taking place twice daily at 3:15 PM and 5:30 PM starting on November 13. This popular parade also has a dining package available at Plaza Inn from November 13 through December 30, with blackout dates on November 25, 26, and 29 through December 7, as well as December 24 and 25.

The dining package costs $61 per adult and $34 per child ages 3 to 9 and includes a festive meal, dessert, a beverage, and a voucher for reserved viewing of the parade’s second performance of the day, when two performances are scheduled.

7. Disneyland Starts Longer Operating Hours

Disneyland appears to be continuing its operating hours pattern it began last year, keeping most weekends open later and closing the parks earlier on weekdays, with the exception of Thanksgiving week. This shift in operating hours appears to be a new normal, moving away from the previous tradition of the parks in November and December to stay open late consistently, regardless of the day of the week.

On Fridays and Saturdays, along with Thanksgiving week, Disneyland’s closing time is 12 AM, and Disney California Adventure’s is 10 PM. As for Sundays and weekdays, Disneyland’s closing time is 11 PM, and Disney California Adventure’s closing time is 9 PM.

While December’s full hours are not posted yet, the daily hours will likely extend for each day of the week in the third week of the month as crowds begin to pick up.

8. Character Dining Themes Start Changing

Disneyland will switch up the themes for multiple character dining experiences throughout November as the resort transitions from fall to the holiday season. Some character dining will briefly transition to a non-themed experience for part of November before the holiday season officially begins.

The first part of the month, the standard brunch and dinner buffet will be offered at Goofy’s Kitchen from November 1 through November 15. The regular Donald’s Tales of Adventure Dinner Buffet at Storytellers Cafe will be offered from November 1 through November 15. Meanwhile, Mickey’s Autumn Adventures Breakfast and Brunch will still be offered through November 15. Goofy’s Kitchen and Storytellers Cafe will also offer special Thanksgiving dining on November 26, with seasonal menus and character appearances.

Then on November 16, these locations will transition to their holiday-themed character dining experiences, including Goofy’s Kitchen Celebrates the Holidays!, Daisy’s Holiday Pajama Party for breakfast and brunch at Storytellers Cafe, and Mickey’s Christmas Carol Feast for dinner at Storytellers Cafe.

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9. Disneyland Seasonal Foods Change to New Options

New and returning seasonal food will arrive across Disneyland Resort when the holiday season begins, with Disney California Adventure once again hosting the Disney Festival of Holidays. This festival is one of the highlights of the holiday food options, featuring six Festive Food Marketplaces serving a variety of holiday-inspired dishes and drinks representing different cultural traditions

Outside of the festival, some of the other seasonal foods teased so far will be the returning Mickey elf shake at Schmoozies! and a merry cranberry crispy chicken sandwich at Galactic Grill, alongside new holiday novelties such as a Mickey Train Light-Up popcorn bucket and Holiday Stitch Christmas Tree sipper.