On November 15, 2024, Holidays at Disneyland Resort kicks off. The merriest season of the year, there will be plenty of food to enjoy both in the parks and for Disney Festival of Holidays. There will also be some wonderful merchandise with apparel to wear in the parks and decorations to display at home! One of the most fun offerings during Holidays at Disneyland Resort is the wide variety of entertainment offerings! This year there will be more than ever! This will include nighttime spectaculars, live bands, Disney characters in festive outfits, A Christmas Fantasy Parade, and so much more! Below is a look at the holiday entertainment offerings at the Disneyland Resort this year! Check them all out and then share what you are most looking forward to!
Disney Festival of Holidays – Disney California Adventure
Mirabel’s Gifts of the Season (New)
When: Mondays through Fridays
Where: Outside Entrance of Paradise Gardens Park
What: See Mirabel from Encanto and some of her friends celebrate the spirit of the season. They bring people together for a Fiesta de Navidad celebration. This will be fun for kids of all ages as they sing along to their favorite songs from the film.
A Musical Christmas with Mariachi Alegría de Disneyland & Miguel!
When: Monday through Friday Evenings
Where: Buena Vista Street
What: Friends and families gather together to listen to heartfelt stories and timeless songs in an enchanting evening celebration of the holidays. The show will have Mariachi Alegría de Disneyland accompanied by dancers as they deliver intimate, bilingual performances of beloved Christmas songs. The end of the celebration culminates with the arrival of Miguel from Pixar’s Coco as everyone comes together for a beautiful rendition of Silent Night.
New & Returning Live Musical Acts
When: Daily at different times
Where: Various stages throughout Disney California Adventure
Throughout Disney Festival of Holidays, there will be a wide variety of musical acts and genres to enjoy. These will change throughout the season and music will include mariachi, jazz, klezmer, Latin pop, fusion, reggae, polka, and more. Some of the new groups will include Joy, Rangoli Rhythms, Malaya Filipino American Dance Arts, Keali’I O Nālani & Daniel Ho, and others. Blue13 Dance Company, The Mistletoes, and others will be making returns as well.
Entertainment will be changing throughout the season. Be sure to check Disneyland.com or the Disneyland App to see what group or act is performing on any given day at any given time.
Mickey’s Happy Holidays and Holiday Toy Drummers
When: Daily
Where: Disney California Adventure Parade Route and Obelisk
What: Mickey’s Happy Holidays will once again be bringing Disney characters in their holiday outfits to the parade route for this energetic and happy cavalcade. The Holiday Toy Drummers will also be performing and drumming up merry cheer in front of the obelisk in Paradise Gardens Park.
Disney ¡Viva Navidad! Street Party
When: Saturdays and Sundays from November 16 through January 5
Where: Near Bayside Brews on the Parade Route
What: This energetic celebration is hosted by the Three Caballeros and includes lively Mexican folklórico dancers and mariachis, uplifting Brazilian samba dancers and percussionists, and more. Mickey and Minnie also make an appearance in colorful fiesta attire.
Disney Characters and Santa Claus
Holiday Fun with Santa and Friends!
When: Daily
Where: Fantasyland Theatre
What: Meet Santa Claus and some Disney characters as they make appearances throughout the day and pose for some holiday photos at Holiday Fun with Santa and Friends! There will also be crafts, sing-alongs, and atmospheric music to be enjoyed at the Fantasyland Theatre as well.
Santa Claus at Disneyland Resort
When:
- Daily from November 15 through December 24 at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure
- Daily from November 28 through December 24 at the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort
Where:
- Redwood Creek Challenge Trail in Disney California Adventure through December 24, followed by Santa Goofy starting on December 25 through January 6
- Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa (November 28 – December 24)
- Disneyland Hotel (November 28 – December 24)
- Pixar Place Hotel (November 28 – December 24)
What: Meet Santa Claus at multiple locations throughout the Disneyland Resort!
Special Character Appearances
When: Daily
Where: Various locations throughout the Disneyland Resort
What: Meet Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and other Disney friends in their new holiday outfits in Disneyland. These outfits are inspired by the warm letters that are sent during the holiday season. In both parks, there will be other characters making special holiday appearances. This includes Mirabel and friends from Encanto on select days at the Paradise Gardens gazebo in Disney California Adventure.
Over at the Disneyland Resort hotels, experience some special holiday-themed dining offerings at both Goofy’s Kitchen and Storytellers Cafe!
Disney Holiday Dance Party
When: Nightly November 16 through January 6
Where: Tomorrowland Terrace
What: Dance the night away with some favorite Disney characters dressed in holiday outfits during this dance party at the Tomorrowland Terrace! There will be no shortage of holiday tunes during this nightly offering.
A Christmas Fantasy Parade
When: Daily
Where: Disneyland Parade Route
What: “The spirit of the season” will be returning with this Disneyland Christmas parade that has become an annual tradition for many families to see through the years. This parade is packed full of Disney characters who are also joined by Santa and Mrs. Claus.
Nighttime Entertainment and Snowfall
Believe…In Holiday Magic
When: Nightly
Where: Disneyland
What: This fireworks spectacular lights up the night sky over Disneyland nightly during Holidays at Disneyland Resort. On top of the beautiful music and fireworks, Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle shines as a beacon of magic in the night with 80,000 tinkling lights, sparkling “icicles” and snow-capped turrets. Snow also falls at the end of this show, which can be experienced along Main Street, USA, near it’s a small world Holiday, and also along the Rivers of America. This also can be experienced during Wintertime Enchantment at Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle nightly.
World of Color – Season of Light
When: Nightly
Where: Paradise Bay
What: See beautiful scenes from Disney and Pixar that are set to holiday music during World of Color – Season of Light. For a limited time starting on November 15, there will also be a new water short highlighting Moana 2, which arrives in theaters on November 22nd.
To view World of Color – Season of Light, utilizing the complimentary virtual queue through the Disneyland App is suggested.
Holiday Lighting Moments
When: Nightly at Dusk
Where:
- Buena Vista Street Christmas Tree – Disney California Adventure
- it’s a small world Holiday – Disneyland
What: In Disney California Adventure, the Buena Vista Street Christmas Tree lights up nightly at dusk. Over in Disneyland, it’s a small world Holiday sees its thousands of beautiful lights come to life nightly as well. Following the lighting, there is a projection show on the facade of it’s a small world Holiday frequently throughout the night.
Live Music and Nightly Snow at Downtown Disney District
When: Nightly
Where: Downtown Disney District LIVE! stage and lawn
What: Each night there will be live music presented at the Downtown Disney District LIVE! stage. Snow will be adding to the magic of this area starting nightly from November 29 through January 6.
Hotels of the Disneyland Resort Entertainment
When: Select days from November 21 through December 31
Where: All three Disneyland Resort hotels.
What: All three Hotels of the Disneyland Resort will be having carolers performing on select days. The Great Hall lobby of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa will be offering live holiday jazz in the evenings starting on November 22.
