Disneyland Rings in the Holiday Season with Returning Entertainment and Festive Traditions

Holidays at the Disneyland Resort return now through January 8, 2023, bringing an abundance of festive fun, and joyful décor to Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, Downtown Disney District, and the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort. During this magical time of year, friends and family can make merry memories together with treasured traditions and distinctly Disney experiences, such as seasonal nighttime spectaculars, transformations of favorite attractions, special food and beverages, and more. Learn more below.

1 – At Disney California Adventure Park

Returning this year, the nighttime spectacular “World of Color – Season of Light” wraps guests in holiday magic by fusing cherished holiday music with memorable moments from treasured Disney animated films.

Through energetic live entertainment, culinary delights and special traditions, Disney Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure highlights a diverse season of celebrations, including Christmas/Navidad, Diwali, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Three Kings Day. Nine Festive Foods Marketplace kiosks across the park serve a wide array of delectable foods and beverages, including Visions of Sugarplums, a returning marketplace featuring sweet and savory bites. Guests may choose to purchase a Sip and Savor Pass*, which can be shared or used over multiple visits during this year’s Disney Festival of Holidays, to taste their way through eight food or non-alcoholic beverage selections from participating Festive Foods Marketplace kiosksand dining locations.

As part of the festival, guests may enjoy live musical performances at different locations in Disney California Adventure. New this year, Tina and The Sounds of Celebration! brings her powerhouse vocals and dynamic musicians to perform holiday tunes with an uplifting repertoire of salsa, merengue, cumbia and rock Latino. Other returning acts include the Mariachi Divas, Mostly Kosher, Blue13 Dance Company, Phat Cat Swinger and The Mistletoes.

The jolly lineup of holiday entertainment continues with “Mickey’s Happy Holidays,” a procession of Disney and Pixar characters dancing and marching along to the upbeat rhythms of the Holiday Toy Drummers. The “Disney ¡Viva Navidad!” street party also returns, featuring Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse donning festive fiesta attire, Mexican folklórico dancers and Mariachis, Brazilian samba dancers and percussionists, and giant mojiganga puppets. Guests can encounter Disney characters in holiday attire and, at Paradise Gardens Park, visit with Mirabel from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Encanto.”

Disney California Adventure sparkles with holiday décor throughout, highlighted by a 50-foot-tall Christmas tree in Buena Vista Street and automotive embellishments in Cars Land. The yuletide spirit shifts into high gear with two seasonal attraction transformations: Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl and Mater’s Jingle Jamboree.

2 – At Disneyland Park

Anna, Elsa and Olaf from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Frozen,” along with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Santa Claus and many other friends celebrate the season in “A Christmas Fantasy” Parade. Disney characters also greet guests in their finest holiday attire, with some debuting new, vintage-inspired outfits!

In the evenings, the festivities continue with the “Believe… in Holiday Magic” fireworks spectacular, which features magical “snowfall” and colorful projections on Main Street, U.S.A., and the façade of “it’s a small world.” Families can also dance along with characters during nightly holiday dance parties at the Tomorrowland Terrace.

Two beloved Disneyland attractions return with fan-favorite seasonal transformations. Celebrating its 25th anniversary, “it’s a small world” Holiday features dolls and toys representing children around the world, enjoying the distinctive holiday traditions of their respective countries. Unique to this year’s presentation, each room in the attraction features a small detail displaying the number 25. Over in New Orleans Square, Jack Skellington and his friends cause a collision between Christmas and Halloween to transform the Haunted Mansion into Haunted Mansion Holiday.**

The festive décor at Disneyland presents many beautiful locations for holiday photos. Guests are greeted by the iconic 60-foot-tall Christmas tree as they enter the park, and the Plaza Point holiday shop is decorated with garlands, nutcrackers and more. Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle enchants guests from day to night with shimmering icicles and twinkling lights. The Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort guided tour offers a hosted experience of select seasonal offerings and reserved viewing for “A Christmas Fantasy” Parade.***

3 – Holiday magic throughout the Disneyland Resort

Direct from the North Pole, Santa Claus makes appearances at various locations throughout the Disneyland Resort, including Critter Country in Disneyland, Redwood Creek Challenge Trail in Disney California Adventure and at the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort.

All three Hotels of the Disneyland Resort display beautifully themed Christmas trees and feature performances from convivial carolers. The Disneyland Resort culinary team continues its annual gingerbread house display at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. To commemorate Diwali at the Disneyland Hotel, The Coffee House features an Indian Chai Archisha tea on the menu through Jan. 8, 2023.

At Downtown Disney District, guests will discover dazzling décor and photo opportunities, festive musical entertainment, a holiday craft station and seasonal offerings from shops and restaurants. For the first time, the fun of Disney Festival of Holidays will extend to Downtown Disney District with special “Friends of the Festival” menu items. Featuring a breadth of boutiques to explore, Downtown Disney District is an ideal destination to find holiday gifts.

Guests can make their holiday visits more magical with digital technology and the Disneyland app.**** In addition to its hands-free conveniences and immersive experiences, the recently debuted MagicBand+ adds extra magic to select seasonal nighttime spectaculars by coming alive with vibrations and colorful holiday lights during “World of Color – Season of Light” and the “Believe… in Holiday Magic” fireworks spectacular. Guests who choose to maximize their day with the purchase of Disney Genie+ service will have access to Disney PhotoPass Lenses***** in the Disneyland app – including three limited-time holiday lenses – which immerse guests in favorite Disney stories using augmented reality. For a speedier in-store shopping experience at select merchandise locations, guests can scan and pay for select items right from their phones using merchandise mobile checkout in the Disneyland app.