Hey Everyone, it’s Kimberly from Packed with Fun, the official blog for Get Away Today. Today marks the official beginning of Holidays at the Disneyland Resort, and since so many families visit during this magical time of year, I thought it would be fun to share all that’s going on. If you’ve been before, you should know that this year will be different than previous years because it’s also the Diamond Celebration. This is the ONLY year where the holidays and Diamond Celebration will happen at the same time, so it’s one not to miss. Here’s an overview of what’s different, what’s the same, and what’s new:
What’s the same:
Holiday overlays to classic favorite attractions will be back and include Haunted Mansion Holiday (which has been open since mid-September since it’s Jack Skellington themed where Halloween and Christmas collide), “it’s a small world” Holiday, and the Jingle Cruise.
The biggest Christmas trees you’ve ever seen can be found in both parks and Downtown Disney. Cars Land, “a bug’s land,” Main Street U.S.A., are all going to be decorated for the occasion. Disneyland knows how to deck the halls.
A Christmas Fantasy Parade will be back this year during the daytime hours only. You’ll see it once per day as it replaces Mickey’s Soundsational Parade.
World of Color Winter Dreams is the holiday version of the nighttime spectacular and it will be back for its third year in a row. It is hosted by Olaf, and is tons of fun.
There are so many seasonal sweets that you can only find during the holidays at the Disneyland Resort. They are all expected to be back.
What’s different:
The normal holiday fireworks display will not play this year. Instead, Disneyland Forever, the new fireworks show for the Diamond Celebration will play nightly. Don’t worry, it is magical, immersive, and… there’s still snow. It is unlike any other fireworks I’ve ever seen.
Sleeping Beauty Castle will not get its frosty overlay for the holidays this year. Instead, it will continue to shine bright with thousands of sparkling diamonds that dazzle both day and night as part of the Diamond celebration.
Olaf’s Snow Fest was at Disney California Adventure Park for a brief time this Spring, but they’re bringing it back for the holiday season only. Here you can build a snowman with real snow, race on a sled, and see how Arendelle celebrates the holidays. It is “snow” much fun. (Sorry, I had to.)
What’s new:
Paint the Night Parade has been the brightest of all of the Diamond Celebration additions, and you won’t want to miss it. It will play at least once each night, possibly twice on busier nights. You can see the parade on Main Street U.S.A., but if you’re going during a busier time, you can also watch it go by near “it’s a small world” holiday where there are fewer crowds.
Although it’s not technically holidays, Star Wars Season of the Force is coming to Tomorrowland during the holidays. It will extend through spring, but is a huge draw. There will be new interactive character experiences, updates to the Jedi Training Academy and Star Tours, plus other Star Wars surprises. If you have a Star Wars fan in your house, you really won’t want to miss it.
And, I think that’s about it! And when I say “about it,” of course I mean in addition to all of the regular attractions and fun that make Disneyland so special. As I mentioned, the holidays kick off today, November 13 and will continue through January 6, 2016. The closer you get to the holidays; Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s, the busier it will be. In fact, the week between Christmas and New Year’s has historically been one of the busiest times at Disneyland. If you want to go over those dates, you will want to check out this post I put together over on Packed with Fun on How to Survive Peak Holiday Travel Times at Disneyland.
If you’re going to go to Disneyland over the holidays, I definitely recommend giving it to your family for Christmas. We’ve put together some really fun ways you can do that, and many have free printables to go along with them to make it easier for you. Check out our vacation surprise page here for ideas. If you need help booking your Disneyland vacation for the holidays, let us at Get Away Today know! You can book at getawaytoday.com or call 855-GET-AWAY. Use promo code: OSSS10 and save an extra $10 off any 2-night or longer vacation package.
If you’re going to surprise the family with a Disney vacation, you should check out the following posts to get organized:
Stars Wars Disneyland Vacation Reveal
10 Reasons to Book Your Disneyland Vacation With a Travel Agent
Mariel says
Great info, Kim! You truly are the Disneyland Master.