Looking for a seasonal tradition? Vacations at Disneyland bring a great festive atmosphere

As a lifelong Californian, I don’t think snow or sleigh bells are key parts of the holiday spirit. For me, it’s about getting together with family and friends, decorating and celebrating, and, especially with my kids, experiencing the festive atmosphere of Disneyland during the holidays. This year, my 13-year-old daughter and I immersed ourselves in the magic of a Disneyland Resort vacation.

Whether you’re getting ready or want to keep the holiday spirit going, vacations at the Disneyland Resort now run through January 7, 2026. Since it’s also Disneyland’s 70th anniversary (with the celebrations that go with it), vacations at the park are a little more magical this year. As my daughter and I wandered around the park, we found surprise delights around every corner, with decorations and special events enhancing the holiday cheer at Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, Downtown Disney District and all three hotels.

Just set foot anywhere in Disneyland Resort to set the stage for a magical vacation experience. Upon entering both parks, my daughter and I were greeted by a giant, fully decorated Christmas tree. In Disneyland Park, the tree led to garlands and lights stretching down Main Street, which instantly transported us to a holiday wonderland. In Disney California Adventure park, the tree led to the holiday markets that allowed us to eat during the holidays. Being from California, snow isn’t usually on our holiday bingo card, but we experienced Orange County’s only snowstorm at Downtown Disney while enjoying some holiday fun.

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The more time we spend at Disneyland Resort, the more we realize that the magic of the holidays doesn’t stop at the decor. In the parks there are many other opportunities to celebrate the season, don’t miss them:

Festive character meets and greets Santa

If you’ve ever wondered how your favorite Disney characters might spend the holidays, it’s probably cuter than you imagined. Think Christmas sweaters, Santa hats and elf costumes. Both parks offer plenty of opportunities to meet characters dressed in their favorite holiday attire.

In Disneyland Park, “Holiday Fun with Santa and Friends” takes place at the Fantasyland Theater. This immersive holiday experience includes carolers singing classic holiday songs, crafts, character meet and greets, and a chance to meet and have your photo taken with Santa. For us, the Fantasyland Theater has always offered one of our favorite places to rest and refuel while visiting the park. But this time it was very special. We grabbed our favorite baked potato at the Troubadour Tavern and ate it while listening to carolers in Victorian costume, then said hello to Chip and Dale in front of their tree.

At Disney California Adventure Park, we didn’t want to miss out on Mirabel’s seasonal gifts. Here you can meet Maribel and other members of the Madrigal familia. Even though we haven’t seen Mirabel, we may have seen Bruno (with rats on his back), but we don’t talk about it. We also spotted the Three Caballeros, as well as Mickey and Minnie in their best party attire. Although we missed Santa here, we heard he was making appearances for souvenir photos at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail.

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Guests at all three Disneyland hotels also have the chance to meet Santa Claus, but with a special twist. Santa visits at each of the hotels bring the season’s finest reflection to each hotel’s heart, including artist Santa at the Pixar Place Hotel, Santa in a red suit that fits perfectly with the mid-century vibe at the Disneyland Hotel, and a Santa with a handsome coat and jeweled belt buckle at Disney’s Grand California Hotel and Spa.

Sip and Savor Pass

Rides aren’t the only way to experience adventure in the parks. The Sip and Savor Pass is a six-coupon digital pass that makes it easy for guests to sample festival markets at Disney California Adventure park. From turkey legs and breasts to tamales and Buñuelos Biónico, there’s no shortage of tempting options. We actually had to spread our tasting over two days because there were so many things to try. The six markets at this year’s festival include some new additions to the menu as well as some favorites from years past. The festive atmosphere isn’t limited to the six markets either, as seasonal additions are also available at the park’s restaurants and stalls.

We really liked how the Sip and Savor Pass allowed us to sample items from different stalls and, if we planned well, avoid the order lines. Ordering what turned out to be our family favorite, The Holiday Duet with Al Pastor Mac & Cheese and Savory Kugel Mac & Cheese, we decided we also wanted the Strawberry Basil Churro from a different location, so we placed an order for both and were able to pick up our churro later without waiting in line.

Park entertainment

The holiday and celebration of the 70th Disneyland Resort is on full display throughout the day in parades and shows throughout the park. At Disneyland, the usual parade gets a holiday glow to become “A Christmas Fantastic Parade” with reindeer, toy soldiers, dancing gingerbread cookies and Santa Claus, plus some special 70th celebrations.

Disney California Adventure park hosts several holiday celebrations, including ¡Viva Navidad! Street party, with fascinating 12-foot-tall mojinganga puppets representing Santa Claus, folk dancers, mariachis and Brazilian samba dancers. During Mirabel’s Fiesta de Navidad, guests are treated to musical performances of their favorite Encanto songs.

If you miss the parades and parties, there are still plenty of other opportunities to enjoy live entertainment with live performances by singers at Downtown Disney and Disneyland Park, as well as a global celebration featuring R&B, soul, polka, traditional Latin and Hawaiian at Disney California Adventure park. Don’t miss A Musical Christmas with Mariachi Alegría from Disneyland & Miguel! A bilingual celebration of holiday favorites with a special appearance by Miguel from “Coco” from Pixar Animation Studio.

Rides

It’s not just the streets that are decorated for the holidays. We ventured into The Haunted Mansion for its annual Nightmare Before Christmas makeover, where we were taken into the world of Jack Skellington. From the moment we stepped into the elevator, the entire mansion was transformed. And no trip to Disneyland is complete without a ride on the Small World ride, which has been transformed into an almost dreamlike world tour of winter celebrations, complete with an It’s a Small World-Jingle Bell mash-up. Unfortunately, rain prevented us from experiencing “Haul” days in the Springs Radiator Races at Disney California Adventure park, but we were still able to enjoy the decorated streets and see the decorated backyard at Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl.

Merchandise

For my family and maybe yours too, no trip to Disneyland is complete without a visit to the shops. This year, a variety of items are guaranteed to delight everyone. My family was especially delighted with the candy cane themed items. While my 13-year-old daughter insisted she was too old for mouse ears, she couldn’t resist wearing a pair of candy cane ears for most of our visit. And I always enjoy my Mickey Mouse candy cane light decoration as a festive way to celebrate even at home.

The Disneyland Resort vacation runs through January 7, 2026. On January 6, to close out the season, the Three Kings will visit Paradise Gardens.

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