The December is here which means the Christmas Season has finally arrived at Disneyland Resort. Between the two theme parks, 3 on-site hotels and Disney Springs, There are so many incredible ways to celebrate the holidays that visitors during December each year are spoiled for choice.
To show you just how much there is to experience during a Yuletide visit at Disneyland, here’s a fun way to countdown to Christmas with a seasonal list of amazing activities happening across both theme parks. So curl up with your cocoa and sing along…
For the 59 days of Holidays, Disneyland Resort gave to me:
12 Toy Soldiers: One of the highlights of “A Christmas Fantasy” Parade each holiday season is the march of the tin soldiers down Main Street U.S.A. If that isn’t enough this idyllic Christmas vision continues with roller-blading snowflakes, floats, Disney characters including Mickey, Minnie and Disney Princesses and ends with a visit from Santa himself. “A Christmas Fantasy” is one of the highlights of Disneyland each year and shouldn’t be missed.
11 Festive Food Offers – Christmas at Disneyland is absolute bliss for Disney foodies as each year the resort pulls out all the stops and introduces an unbelievable range of holiday treats. Some of the highlights this year will include: roasted turkey sliders with cranberry sauce, macaroni & cheese with cornbread crumbles, gingerbread crispy treats, beef corn tamale a la plancha with spicy rojo sauce, peppermint marshmallow wands, peppermint bark, braised pork belly adobo, beef brisket and brown sugar glazed carrots, snowman cake pops, caramel apples, horchata fudge and so much more. So if you’re heading to the parks this holiday season, be sure to bring your appetite.
10-foot-wide Snowflake: Each Christmas season, “its a small world” undergoes a magical holiday transformation. From spectacular icicles, snowmen, dolls depicting children of the world dressed up for the holidays and a festive tune or two you’ll be in the Christmas spirit in no time. The ride also features a 10-foot-wide giant snowflake. As a special treat for visitors this year, guests can also book a Fastpass for this holiday attraction for the first time, which means you can avoid those long wait times.
9 special Festival of Holidays performances – Head on over to Disney California Adventure Park to be immersed in a festive music and dance. Performances include “Disney ¡Viva Navidad!” street party, the Disney ¡Viva Navidad! bands, Mariachi Divas, Princess Elena’s Musical Grand Arrival, Holiday Toy Drummers, Blue13 Dance Company and the music of Mostly Kosher, The Sound and Phat Cat Swinger.
8 Christmas-themed challenges at Redwood Creek – Hop, skip and jump over to Disney California Adventure to take part in some interactive Christmas games. Santas mischievous elves invite younger guests to enjoy the Christmas version of the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail where you’ll complete puzzles, cross a jingle bridge and even have a chance to meet Santa himself!
7-foot-tall Oogie Boogie – Here’s one for all you Nightmare Before Christmas fans, each year at Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion attraction, Christmas and Halloween collide for the fantastic seasonal ride: Haunted Mansion Holiday. A highlight of the overlay each year is the traditional gingerbread house that sits on the dining room table in the Mansion’s Grand Ballroom. This year’s creation (above) features a giant 7-foot tall gingerbread Oogie Boogie who is caught dining on an assortment of gingerbread creep crawlies.
6 Laser Projectors Used in “World of Color – Season of Light”: Half a dozen laser projectors combine with nearly 20 high-definition projectors to illuminate Paradise Bay at Disney California Adventure. Guests won’t want to miss the dazzling display of state-of-the-art water projections, holiday songs and memorable moments from much-loved Disney and Pixar films.
5 Diverse Cultural Celebrations at Festival of Holidays – Each season, this California Adventure Park festival brings Christmas/Navidad, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Diwali and Three Kings Day. Guests will get into the holiday spirit and discover traditions and delicious foods inspired by different cultures from around the world.
4 Dapper Dans – This iconic Disneyland quartet adds an amazing array of a capella holiday tunes to its line-up each Christmas season. Get into the Christmas spirit as they play chimes, tap dance and share a joke or two on Main Street U.S.A.
3 Feathered Friends – Donald Duck, Panchito from Mexico and José Carioca from Brazil host the “Disney ¡Viva Navidad!” street party at Disney California. Guests will get to celebrate the season with the festive sounds of Mariachi and Samba musicians and dance along with 12-foot-tall mojiganga puppets and authentic folklórico dancers.
2 New Cars Land Experiences- It’s shaping up to be a Christmas like no other over at Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Park. This season two attractions will transform into special holiday offerings: Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters becomes Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree becomes Mater’s Jingle Jamboree.
1 Spectacular Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle – Each year this Disneyland icon is illuminated nightly with 50,000 twinkling LED lights and the “Believe…in Holiday Magic” fireworks spectacular. It culminates in the grandest of grand finales as “snow” falls over the three viewing locations: in front of “it’s a small world” Holiday, portions of Main Street, U.S.A., and near the Rivers of America.
These are just a handful of the amazing offerings worth counting down at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park this Holiday Season.
Keep following along with Disney Addicts for the latest in Disneyland Christmas news and updates.
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Thinking about a Christmas visit to Disneyland? Find articles like this helpful? Then why not consider working with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner? As an agent with MickeyTravels, I’ll be on hand to help you with everything from finding your perfect resort and ticket package to helping you add-in lots of festive touches to make your destination Christmas truly magical. Best of all my services are absolutely FREE. Get in touch at 1.800.801.4025 via email at mroden@mickeytravels.com or follow along on Facebook.
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