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Holidays at Disneyland 2023: Your Complete Guide

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It’s the merriest place on Earth! The Holidays at Disneyland are a special time to visit the parks. This is your guide to the Holidays at Disneyland 2023.

Christmas season at Disneyland is filled with wonder and joy! It is part of the reason I visit Disneyland every year during the holiday season (ometimes more than once). Here is a quick overview of what we will cover:

Article Highlights:

  • The Holidays at Disneyland take place Nov 10, 2023 – Jan 7, 2024.
  • Most lands include some Christmas decorations at the park. Most notably Sleeping Beauty Castle, Main Street USA, and “it’s a small world holiday” in Disneyland. In California Adventure Buena Vista Street, Cars Land and Viva Navidad are the central focus.
  • Four rides have Christmas overlays
  • Thanksgiving week and December 18-Jan 7 are expected to be the busiest days during the Christmas season at Disneyland
  • Special holiday offerings include A Christmas Fantasy Parade, World of Color Season of Light, Believe… In Holiday Magic and the Vivia Navidad Street Party
Sleeping Beuaty Castle with snow at Christmas

Looking ahead: For the first time ever, Disneyland has released a calendar for the full year for 2024. Holidays at Disneyland will kick off November 15, 2024. Plan now to get the best deals on Holiday 2024 vacations.

Disneyland Holidays 2023 Guide

The holidays are one of my favorite times to visit Disneyland Resort. In 2023 the Holidays kick off on Veterans Day Weekend, but I do expect plenty of holiday decorations will be up the week leading up to the holiday for those in the parks.

There is so much happening during Christmas and the holidays at Disneyland, that many guests feel overwhelmed trying to get all the information.

Planning to visit Disneyland in 2024?

Disneyland has released its calendar for celebrations and seasons.

That is why I am going to break it down for you right here to help make sure you have everything you need to know to have the merriest vacation possible.

When are the holidays celebrated at Disneyland in 2023?

Officially the Holidays at Disneyland are celebrated November 10, 2023 – January 7, 2024.

Many members of the Disneyland with Kids Facebook group ask how quickly the decorations go up. A popular answer is that as soon as the last guest leaves on October 31st, the decorations get switched over. Truth is though, there have been many years that you will see decorations sneaking up around the land in October.

And while many decorations will be up before then, you may have a few Disneyland Christmas decorations that are still not up until mid-November.

What Disneyland Christmas Decorations Can I Expect?

Since we just talked about when they start to put up decorations, let’s break down some of the decorations you might find. Disneyland goes all out on its holiday decorations, but we will break it down for you to make sure you are able to find some of the unique offerings that will add a little extra magic to your trip.

Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle

At Disneyland, during the holidays Sleeping Beauty castle is transformed into Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle, with snow, icicles, and more.

This is probably the most recognized of Disneyland Christmas Decorations, save some of the ride overlays. I personally cannot picture Christmas at Disneyland without Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle.

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Disneyland Christmas Decorations throughout the parks

At both Disneyland and California Adventure, you can find Christmas and Holiday decorations throughout the park. Be sure to take a few moments to enjoy the many decorations.

All decorations tend to be themed towards the land. So in Critter Country, all the decorations are made of nuts or pine tree branches, but in Cars Land you will see everything made from something related to cars.

Two of the most uniquely decorated lands are Cars Land, as mentioned above, and New Orleans Square.

In Cars Land you will find a Christmas tree made out of tires. Garlands include a tire wreath hanging from them, and you will find a snow car at the entrance to Cars Land.

Christmas at Disneyland Cars Land entrance

In New Orleans Square, everything is Mardi Gras-themed. A giant Mardi Gras mask hangs over the walkway.

No matter which land you are in, look around and find the unique decorations. You can see the decorations in each land, throughout the resort in our Picture Tour of Disneyland Christmas Decorations.

Holiday decorations at Disneyland outside the parks

Disneyland doesn’t just celebrate the holidays within the parks. You can find lots of decorations throughout the entire Disneyland Resort, including the Disney-owned hotels and Downtown Disney.

The great thing about Disneyland at Christmas, and the Holiday decorations including these areas, is that park admission is not required to visit the hotels or Downtown Disney and take in the decorations.

INSIDER INFO: One of my favorite hotels, Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance also goes all out in Holiday decorations. So even if you aren’t staying onsite, you can keep the Holiday Magic going at your hotel.

Ride Overlays During Christmas at Disneyland Resort

One thing I love about going to Disneyland during the Holidays is that they have unique ride overlays that you will not find at other Disney parks (looking at you, Walt Disney World!). There are two rides in each park that get a holiday overlay.

Haunted Mansion Holiday

Haunted Mansion Holiday is what happens when holidays collide. This ride overlay is also part of Halloween at Disneyland, but continues through the holiday season as well.

In this ride overlay, Jack Skellington and his friends have taken over the Haunted Mansion and are decorating it for a spooky Christmas event.

One of the most celebrated parts of this overlay is that each year Disneyland Resort creates a new, unique Gingerbread house for the ballroom scene. (Note, I love the smell of the ballroom because the gingerbread smell is so yummy!)

One thing I love about the Haunted Mansion Holiday is that I feel it is less spooky than the traditional version for kids. My twins are usually a little spooked out from the Haunted Mansion but love Haunted Mansion Holiday.

The exception is at night. Because it has so many decorations on the outside that glow, it can be a bit spookier at night.

“it’s a small world holiday”

The “merriest” cruise that ever set sail is when “it’s a small world” has its holiday overlay. If you normally avoid this ride I would suggest going ahead and riding it during the holidays at Disneyland.

Inside of the ride, you will see how the holidays are celebrated around the world. In addition to the traditional ride soundtrack, you will also have holiday songs mixed in, so it changes up the tune a bit.

Not only does “it’s a small world” get a ride overlay on the inside, but the outside gets completely decked out in lights. Each night they have a small lighting ceremony (a couple of times each night) so be sure to check it out.

(Photo credit: Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland Resort)

Luigi’s Joy To The Whirl

The two ride overlays in California Adventure are both in Cars Land. These ride overlays are much more subtle, mostly entailing a change in soundtrack.

Luigi’s Joy To The Whirl takes on holiday tunes and a slightly different dance routine than Luigi’s Rollickin Roadsters.

Mater’s Jingle Jamboree

Much like Luigi’s Joy To The Whirl, Mater’s Jingle Jamboree is a subtle overlay to Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree in Cars Land, mostly focusing on a change in music during the ride.

I definitely suggest taking a spin on this ride simply because it is a lot of fun and the change is music is a nice touch.

Food at Disneyland During The Holidays

One of the biggest parts of the Holidays at home is the food, and at Disneyland, it is no different! You will find more food than you can possibly eat during your visit to Disneyland during the holidays.

Holiday Treats

Throughout the Disneyland Resort, you will find holiday treats especially for the season. From Christmas-themed Carmel Apples to a whole slew of Disneyland Holiday Churros, you will find a wide array of sweets specifically for the holidays at Disneyland.

Hand-Pulled Candy Canes

One of the most popular items at Disneyland Resort is the hand-pulled candy canes. These items are available on limited days. You will need to receive a wristband in the morning to come back and get your candy cane later as the number available is limited.

Keep checking back to this page as I will update this post with all of the candy cane info as it is released.

Disney Festival of Holidays at California Adventure Park

One of the most unique offerings for Holiday foods at Disneyland is the Festival of Holidays at California Adventure. This is a Food and Wine Festival with a Holiday twist.

Located in Paradise Gardens Park, you will find booths celebrating holidays from all around the world with food. Each booth will have a theme or holiday it represents, and a selection of items you can try.

You can also purchase a Sip and Savor pass for Festival of Holidays.

festive foods marketplace Disneyland during the HOlidays

A sip and savor pass is a card you can purchase that has vouchers that you can redeem for food items at the Festival of Holidays booths. Starting in 2018, the sip and savor pass was available to both Annual Passholders and non-passholders.

I will update this post once I verify the cost of this year’s sip and savor passes.

Special Holiday Meals at Disneyland Resort

If you will be at Disneyland for Thanksgiving or visiting Disneyland at Christmas, you will have the opportunity to book special dining options for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinners at Disneyland Resort. These tend to book quickly, so follow my Facebook page and the Disney Parks Blog to know when these reservations will open up.

Holiday Entertainment at Disneyland

DISNEY ¡VIVA NAVIDAD! STREET PARTY AT PARADISE GARDENS PARK (ANAHEIM, Calif. ) Disney ¡Viva Navidad! at Disney California Adventure Park is a jolly, joyous celebration of friendship and culture, featuring authentic mariachi and samba musicians, folklórico dancers, and Disney characters alike. (Paul Hiffmeyer/Disneyland Resort)

Disney ¡Viva Navidad!

This is one of my favorite offerings at Disneyland during the Holidays and it will be back in 2023. Disney ¡Viva Navidad! is a high-energy show celebrating some of the traditions of Latin cultures during the Holidays.

This show is performed multiple times each day, so be sure to check your entertainment schedule on the Disneyland app.

Mickey’s Happy Holidays

This is a cute little character parade with upbeat music that starts in Paradise Gardens Park and goes down to Carthay Circle making a couple of stops for some fun and dancing.

This happens a few times each day so check the entertainment schedule.

A Christmas Fantasy Parade at Disneyland Park

Disneyland’s Christmas parade is a beloved tradition for many. A Christmas Fantasy Parade takes place two times per day along the parade route between “it’s a small world holiday” and Main Street USA.

One of the best viewing areas for this parade is near “it’s a small world” or near the King and Queen Restrooms (near Alice in Wonderland).

TIP: My secret tip is to viewfrom the Main Street Railroad Station area. I have often been able to walk up and find a second-row seat right before the parade.

Among the merriment at Disneyland Park, Mickey, Minnie, Disney Princesses and Santa celebrate the season in “A Christmas Fantasy” parade, a daily procession with floats, music and marching “tin soldiers.” (Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort)

World of Color – Season of Light – Returning for 2023

In Disney California Adventure, World of Color – Season of Light is hosted by everyone’s favorite, warm-hugs-loving snowman, Olaf. The nightly show features water, projections, lasers, lights, and music celebrating the holidays.

Disneyland also has reserved viewing for the Dessert party and dining packages. The Dessert Party is the only option that allows guests to sit during the show, so I would definitely choose this option over any other.

At Disney California Adventure Park, guests will be dazzled by the return of “World of Color – Season of Light,” a holiday-themed production of this nighttime spectacular that features lights, lasers, water, fire and hundreds of fountains bringing animation to life. (Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort)

Meet Santa at Disneyland Resort

If you are wanting to meet Santa during Christmas at Disneyland, you have a few options of where to meet him. In past years, Santa has appeared in Critter Country by Pooh’s Corner. This line can get quite long and doesn’t have much to entertain kids in my opinion.

meet Santa at Redwood Creek Challenge Trail Disneyland during HOlidays

I much prefer to meet Santa at Disneyland Resort in California Adventure. The Redwood Creek Challenge Trail is transformed for the holidays and has a great meet and greet with Santa. I love the backdrop for this location as well.

In the past Santa has also been available for meet and greets in the Grand California. I will update this post once I verify this is true for 2023 as well. After all, what is Christmas at Disneyland without being able to meet Santa?

(Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort)

“Believe…In Holiday Magic” Fireworks Show

Disneyland has a great fireworks show for the holidays. “Believe…In Holiday Magic” takes place nightly and includes music, lights, lasers, projections, fireworks…and SNOW!!!!

That is right folks, it snows in Disneyland during the fireworks.

The show can be viewed from several locations, but if you also want to experience snow, you will want to view the show on Main Street USA, or in front of “it’s a small world holiday”. In years past, you could also have snow by the Rivers of America, but since Fantasmic is not running, this may not happen in that area.

“Believe … in Holiday Magic” fireworks spectacular and its magical snowfall finale create lasting holiday memories for guests. (Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort)

Crowds at Disneyland During The Holidays

One of the biggest questions we hear in Disneyland with Kids is how crowded will the parks be during the Holidays. This answer can vary greatly so we will break it down for you below.

Disneyland in November

If you plan on visiting Disneyland in November to take in the Holidays, there are a few things to watch for with the crowds.

Holidays kick off Veterans Day Weekend

Veteran’s Day Weekend is the opening of the Holiday Season at Disneyland Resort. This weekend tends to be crowded with locals and bloggers (guilty!) trying to cover the opening of the holiday season, plus several people taking advantage of the long weekend.

The week tends to remain semi-crowded, especially if Disneyland is taping anything for the multiple Christmas specials that will air on Disney-owned networks for the Holiday season. In fact, in 2018, the taping day was the most crowded day of the week I was there.

Thanksgiving Week at Disneyland

In the past, Thanksgiving week has been a wild card as far as crowds. Some years the entire week is busy, others only the last half of the week is busy, and some years, the crowds have been tolerable the entire week.

This year, I am not sure what we will see as far as crowds.

Disneyland during the rest of November

The rest of November should be a great time to go. Crowds will pick up in the evenings and on weekends as the locals head to the parks to enjoy the festivities, but as long as you are prepared, you will have a great time.

Disneyland in December

If you are heading to Disneyland in December, again, the crowds vary greatly from week to week.

Disneyland at the beginning of December

Starting the week after Thanksgiving, you will see lower crowds during the weekdays. The weekends and evenings will continue to be more crowded as local Magic Key Holders head to the parks before their Disneyland Annual Passes are blocked out for Christmas break.

Disneyland the week before Christmas

The week before Christmas the crowds at Disneyland tend to pick up as colleges begin their winter breaks and some schools start to release.

This time will be crowded, but if you head to the parks early, and really have a plan you will be fine.

Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort)

Disneyland at Christmas Break

Christmas or winter break is the most crowded time of year at Disneyland. Specifically the time between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.

If you are wondering why this time is so crowded, just remember, basically the entire country has this week off from school, and it is a popular travel time.

During this time, Disneyland may reach capacity in the parks. Disneyland has several levels of “reaching capacity” from simply not allowing people to enter for the first time, to not allowing any guests to enter until the park empties some.

If you will be going to Disneyland this week, utilizing the early morning hours and packing patience is vital.

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4 thoughts on “Holidays at Disneyland 2023: Your Complete Guide”

  1. So much great information. With Fanstamic returned to the lineup this summer and fall (weekends), do you think it will continue into the Holidays? I don’t see it listed specifically in the announcements, but it seems to be fairly popular and I’m curious what you’d think, or if you’d heard? Thanks

    Reply
  2. Great post, thank you! I do have a question though about It’s a Small World. We will be in the park Nov 8 to 10, what are the chances the ride will be open? Thank you in advance!

    Reply
    • It is not scheduled to open until November 11, but you may luck out and have a soft opening on the 10th. That is a very small chance though.

      Reply

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