Holidays at the Disneyland Resort kick off on November 13, 2026, and continue through January 6, 2027. This year, guests visiting the parks, Downtown Disney District, and the hotels will enjoy multiple merry offerings. This includes the return of World of Color – Season of Light, Believe… in Holiday Magic, new holiday outfits for Mickey and friends, the return of the A Christmas Fantasy Parade, and much more! Below is a look at the highlights of this year’s holiday offerings (including a new place to meet Santa Claus)!
New Offerings in 2026
There are some changes coming to the Disneyland Resort this holiday season. First off, Santa Claus will be meeting with guests in a new location at Disneyland. As Bluey’s Best Day Ever! continues to delight fans at the Fantasyland Theatre, Santa will be moving over to Mickey’s Toontown. He will be meeting at Mickey’s Toontown Trolley Barn, near Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin.
Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and friends will be debuting new holiday outfits when guests meet them in Town Square. This continues a trend of recent years of new outfits for both Halloween Time and the Holidays for Mickey and friends. This year’s outfits capture the spirit of holiday travel and a wintry alpine gathering.
Disneyland Holiday Entertainment
At Disneyland, there will be some classic holiday entertainment to bring holiday cheer to guests visiting during this merry season. For many fans, seeing these holiday offerings is an annual tradition. A Christmas Fantasy Parade will be returning once again. This continues a tradition that began in 1995.
In the evenings, Believe… In Holiday Magic will bring magical light to the nights as guests enjoy seeing this fireworks spectacular from Main Street, USA/Sleeping Beauty Castle, it’s a small world, or Rivers of America.
Holiday Attractions
There will be holiday overlays of two beloved attractions as well. Over in New Orleans Square, this year’s Haunted Mansion Holiday is already delighting guests with Jack Skellington’s return and a new gingerbread house. This year, the gingerbread house is a music box! The overlay of this attraction will remain in place through the Holidays at the Disneyland Resort.
Over in Fantasyland, it’s a small world Holiday will bring holiday cheer as guests experience the merriest cruise around the world. The evenings will see the facade light up with 400,000 Christmas lights. This will include magical moments through the nights when the facade comes to life.
Disney California Adventure
World of Color – Season of Light first debuted in 2016. It replaced World of Color: Winter Dreams. This version of World of Color celebrates the warmth and the spirit of the season through moments from a variety of Disney and Pixar films.
Other offerings this year include the return of the Holiday Toy Drummers, Mickey & Friends in their winter outfits on Buena Vista Street, and more. Santa Claus will be meeting with guests at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail.
Cars Land will be celebrating the season as Radiator Springs is once again transformed with themed holiday decor. Along with the decorations found throughout the land, there will also be the return of Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl and Mater’s Jingle Jamboree.
2026 Disney Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure
Disney Festival of Holidays will also be returning to Disney California Adventure. This popular festival will celebrate different holiday traditions with entertainment, merchandise, culinary offerings, and more! This year will include six marketplaces for guests to visit and enjoy different holiday culinary offerings. To get the most out of these marketplaces, the Sip and Savor Pass will once again be available for purchase.
Mickey’s Happy Holidays will again be bringing the joy of the holidays to the performance corridor from Paradise Gardens Park to Hollywood Land. This is a happy entertainment offering with a song that is sure to bring a smile to your face.
The Paradise Gardens Bandstand will see live bands and cultural performance groups performing on a daily basis. This is a great place to catch incredible performers while enjoying some of the festival foods.
On select days, two other entertainment offerings will be bringing the holiday spirit to Disney California Adventure. The first is A Musical Christmas with Mariachi Alegría de Disneyland & Miguel! This is a beautiful holiday celebration on Buena Vista Street. Miguel from Pixar’s Coco and Mariachi Alegría de Disneyland come together and perform bilingual holiday music and invite those around to sing along.
Over at Paradise Gardens Park, Mirabel’s Gifts of the Season will be returning on select days as well. This will feature Mirabel from Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Encanto, along with some friends and family. This allows guests to enjoy live performances of songs from this hit film during this seasonal show.
Disney ¡Viva Navidad!
Disney ¡Viva Navidad! will be making its return again this holiday season at Disney California Adventure. This celebration is inspired by holiday traditions, music, dance, and storytelling from across Latin America.
On select days, guests will be able to see The Three Caballeros, folklorico dancers, mariachis, Brazilian samba dancers, drummers, and an appearance by Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in their festive holiday attire in Disney ¡Viva Navidad! Street Party.
There will also be the chance to encounter the Three Caballeros, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, and Goofy in their unique holiday attire at Paradise Gardens Park in Disney California Adventure at select times.
Hotels at the Disneyland Resort
There will also be multiple holiday offerings to be enjoyed by guests visiting the Hotels at the Disneyland Resort. A highlight for many, along with the decor and merriment, is getting to meet Santa Claus. He will be stopping by to meet guests at select times at Disneyland Hotel, Pixar Place Hotel, and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.
A 7-foot-tall gingerbread display will once again be found at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. This display will recreate the hotel in gingerbread form. This is always an impressive thing to check out during the holidays each year.
There will also be multiple character dining experiences to be enjoyed at the Hotels at the Disneyland Resort. These are incredibly popular, so be sure to get reservations early!
Character Dining Experiences for the Holidays:
- Goofy’s Kitchen Celebrates the Holidays! at Disneyland Hotel
- Daisy’s Holiday Pajama Party at Storytellers Cafe at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
- Mickey’s Christmas Carol Feast at Storytellers Cafe at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
There will also be holiday-themed treats and menu items found throughout the Hotels at the Disneyland Resort. A great place to find some of these treats is at the Great Hall cart at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa or the Broken Spell Lounge in the Disneyland Hotel. The Great Maple Modern American Eatery in Pixar Place Hotel will also have holiday offerings.
For those looking to relax during the holidays. Check out the Joy of Holiday body treatment at Tenaya Stone Spa.
New 2026 Disneyland Resort Hotel Offer
There is a new offer for guests looking to save while staying at the Hotels at the Disneyland Resort. This deal will be available for booking starting on September 22, 2026. It will offer savings of up to 20% on select stays of three or more nights at Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Pixar Place Hotel, and The Villas at Disneyland Hotel for visits from Oct. 11 through Dec. 18, 2026. As is always the case, this is subject to terms and availability.
Downtown Disney District
Plenty of merriment will be found when visiting Downtown Disney District during the holiday season. Starting on November 13th, Downtown Disney District will become a wintry wonderland. It will include glimmering décor, seasonal food and beverage, and festive entertainment that includes evening “snow.”
At the Downtown Disney LIVE! Stage, enjoy nightly entertainment ranging from holiday music performances to groovy DJs and bands where the whole family can dance along. Chip and Dale’s Ornament Trail will be returning. Guests can purchase an activity map, seek out the ornaments hanging in Downtown Disney District trees, and then receive a special ornament keepsake once they have finished the activity.
Throughout the district, there will be festive flavors to be found with seasonal menu items, sweet treats, and beverages available at participating locations.
2026 Holiday Treats and Merchandise
There will also be plenty of treats and merchandise to be found during the holiday season. This includes some seasonal collections like the Mickey Mouse and Family Christmas Collection, Holiday Pastel Collection, Disney Vintage Holiday Collection, and others. They will be found at different locations throughout Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, and Downtown Disney District.
The Mickey Train Light Up bucket and the Holiday Stitch Christmas Tree Sipper will be some of the must-have novelties that will be available at the Disneyland Resort this year.
Throughout shops at the Disneyland Resort, there will be a variety of things that make for perfect gifts for friends and family. This could range from apparel to collectible pins, festive headwear, or other gifts.
There will also be some festive favorites returning to the menu for the holidays this year. This includes the Mickey Elf Shake that will be available at Schmoozies! at Disney California Adventure and the Milk and Cookies Tree-shaped Macaron at Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe in Disneyland.
Leading up to the Holidays at the Disneyland Resort and Disney Festival of Holidays, food guides will be released that spell out all of the culinary offerings throughout the season.
For those who want to elevate their holiday experience at Disneyland or Disney California Adventure, there are dining experiences that will be available for A Christmas Fantasy Parade and World of Color – Season of Light. Details about these dining packages will be available closer to the holidays.
What do you think of this year’s holiday offerings? What are you most excited about? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
