The holidays are (almost) here!
It’s beginning to feel like the holidays at the Disneyland Resort! Halloween decorations are down, snow is on Sleeping Beauty’s castle, and the garlands have started to appear on Main Street as well as around other various parts of the park. The holiday season officially starts at both Disneyland and California Adventure on November 8, 2019 and continues through January 6, 2020.
Returning for the Season
“it’s a small world” Holiday will be reopening on November 8th with its holiday overlay. Sail through the lands while listening to a medley of holiday songs. At night, this classic attraction features thousands of lights that shimmer and make the area even more majestic feeling.
Jack Skellington and company continue to scare and wish you a “Season’s Screamings” as the Haunted Mansion Holiday continues through the holiday season. This year’s gingerbread house looks (and smells!) great and celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Haunted Mansion. This attraction is one of my favorites and one that I look forward to every year. The details that go into this overlay are extraordinary and make the attraction feel like a whole new ride.
For me, it’s not the holiday season without a parade! A Christmas Fantasy Parade continues to delight park goers at Disneyland Resort. Running annually since 1995, this parade is a seasonal staple of the Disneyland Resort. It’s one parade I’ve seen dozens of times but still feel the need to view for it to “officially” start my season off right. One word of advice is- do be prepared for crowds. As the holiday season typically draws more attendees to the parks than usual, this parade can get quite busy and finding a decent spot for viewing can be difficult, especially if you have little ones who want to catch a glimpse of Santa in his sleight at the end of the parade.
Returning to California Adventure is the Festival of Holidays where multicultural traditions are celebrated. Here you can find some unique food and beverage pairings. It’s a good time to be adventurous and try something new! Festival of Holidays also offers great entertainment and music.
Merchandise
Merchandise for the holiday season is starting to arrive and the Disney Showcase store on Main Street is choc full of festive items. This is a great little shop that’s filled to the brim with all things holiday related- from adult onesies to ornaments and holiday Mickey ears, this shop has it all!
Candy Canes
What’s the holiday season without a delicious hand-pulled candy cane?! Candy canes can be found at Candy Palace on Main Street at Disneyland and Trolley Treats on Buena Vista Street at California Adventure. Each candy cane is priced at $13.99 and are very limited in daily quantity. Be sure to get to the parks early to get a wristband to ensure that you will receive one of these yummy seasonal treats! Fun fact: each candy cane takes approximately 2 hours to create and has a shelf life of about 1 year!
*As of this blog posting, dates for when the candy canes will make their appearance have not yet been released but you may reach out to the Disneyland Candy Hotline at (714) 781-0112 for more information.
Santa Claus
Santa returns to the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail in California Adventure from November 8, 2019 through December 24, 2019. This area is always beautifully decorated for the holiday season and offers great photo opportunities. Don’t forget to put your name on Santa’s nice list!
Happy Holidays to all! See you in the parks!
