Disneyland is The Happiest Place on Earth. My all-time favorite time of year to visit Disneyland is during the holiday season. There’s something about the magic of Disneyland, combined with the magic of Christmas that makes it an amazing family experience. During the holidays, you’ll find magical parades, festive rides and decor that’ll put you in the holiday spirit. But here are a few tips to help you make the most out of your Disneyland Christmas.

2023 UPDATE: Both Disneyland Resort and Disney’s California Adventure will be decked out for the holidays beginning Nov. 10, 2021. The decor typically remains through early January of the following year (roughly January 7, 2024).

Book your Disneyland vacation package today so you, too, can enjoy the magic!

Plan Things Out in Advance

Disneyland is AMAZING during the holidays. But sadly, everyone else always has the same great idea to visit the park in December. Although the park is likely to be busy, that shouldn’t stop you from booking a Disneyland vacation that works for you.

If you haven’t been to Disneyland recently, they’ve implemented an advanced reservation system. You’ll need to purchase tickets, then make reservations of the day(s) you plan to be in the parks. Keep that in mind as you plan our your vacation days.

If your schedule allows (meaning you’re okay pulling your kids out of school for a couple of days), plan your vacation in mid to late November or early December. Early January works, too. This season (2023), Disneyland will be in full holiday decor beginning Nov. 10 through early Jan. 2022. The busiest time is when kids across the country are out for the winter break (approximately December 20 to January 2). Weekends are also going to be busier than weekdays.

RELATED POST: 7 Ways to Make a Disneyland Family Vacation More Affordable

If the only time that works for your family is during the busy days, don’t cancel your vacation. The park is still manageable, and some of the later tips will help.

We LOVED a visit to Goofy’s Kitchen Dinner, located in the Disneyland Hotel. There are many other restaurants inside and out the parks. If you are set on eating at one of the popular restaurants (like Blue Bayou) or a character meal, book those as soon as possible. Reservations can be made starting 60 days in advance.

Arrive at the Park Right When it Opens

Believe it or not, Disneyland does have a maximum capacity limit. During the peak days of the holiday season, guests may be restricted from entering the park in early afternoon. I know my kids would be disappointed if that happened and we were delayed getting into the park.

If you’re a real Disneyland fanatic, you’ll be first in line and able to participate in the rope drop. My sisters did that several years ago and still talk about it today. They are Disneyland Addicts, if you will. 😉

While kids (and yes, sometimes adults) may not like getting up early, the sooner you can get to the park, the better your chances are of entering. Plus, you’ll be able to start getting your FastPasses through your Genie+ add-on and riding rides before things become too crowded. Although lines start filling up pretty fast.

Ride the Attractions with the Holiday Themes

The Haunted Mansion is a classic, yet popular ride at Disneyland. During the holidays, when it’s decked out as “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” it’s even more popular. And rightly so.

It’s a Small World is also decorated for the holidays. The exterior often has lights galore with projected images and symbols from the holidays. Inside, it celebrated Christmas around the world.

Main Street, U.S.A. and Sleeping Beauty’s Castle are also decked out during the holidays. We ended up visiting Disneyland while they were filming their holiday special, so we had some extra fun magic happening.

While many other rides in both Disneyland have holiday decorations, don’t forget about Disney’s California Adventure.

Experience the Parades, Shows and Fireworks

When we visited Disneyland in early November 2017, we caught a performance in front of the castle by Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell (Anna and Elsa from Frozen). It was being filmed for a Disney Channel special.

But outside of that extra event, Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure have a lot of other magical holiday events. Here’s a rundown with details:

• A Christmas Fantasy Parade travels down Main Street USA in Disneyland. Your favorite Disney characters join Santa and rock to the music as they make their way along the parade route. Times may vary, but they’re generally scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. and lasts 40 minutes.
• ‘Believe… In Holiday Magic’ fireworks spectacular runs every night at 9:30 p.m. in Disneyland. The 15-minute show is amazing. It’s even better when you can be in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle to experience the snow flurries. It’s hard not to feel the magic of Disney and the holiday season.
• Festival of Holidays is a celebration of diverse cultures via music, food and much more. It’s specific to California Adventure.
• Disney’s Viva Navidad parade in Disney’s California Adventure is complete with colorful clothes, authentic music and dance.
• World of Color: Season of Light. The usual World of Color takes on a magical holiday theme, adding to the magic of the California Adventure experience.

Enjoy the Decor Throughout BOTH Parks

One of my favorite places to explore at Disneyland during Christmas is Toontown. I just love the whimsical nature of that area, and with a few extra holiday trimmings, it’s fun to explore. And this year, Toontown will experience its first Holiday season after its remodel. I’m sure it will be even more amazing than before.

Regardless of where you visit in Disneyland or Disney’s California Adventure, the festivities of the holiday are everywhere.

Main Street USA greets visitors with a large Christmas tree, and lights and garland guide you through Main Street USA to your jumping off point at Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. While almost every ‘Land’ in Disneyland gets spruced up, Tomorrowland seems to have missed the memo. Maybe Christmas isn’t celebrated in the future? 😉

The holidays also bring a lineup of delicious treats. Grab a candy cane beignet in New Orleans Square. Or maybe a festive chocolate caramel apple on Main Street USA. You’ll probably find holiday treats at most restaurants, so indulge a little.

A Few Additional Notes on Disneyland

Christmas at Disneyland would be complete without a visit with Santa Claus. In Disneyland, kids of all ages can sit on Santa’s lap in Critter Country to let him know what’s on their list. In Disney’s California Adventure, you’ll find him along the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. Rumor has it that the line to meet Santa is shorter in Disney’s California Adventure than in Critter Country.

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Even with the holiday decor throughout the park, kids may get bored standing in long lines. Check out these tips for keeping kids (and adults) entertained while waiting in long lines at Disneyland.

If you’re wanting to take a family vacation to Disneyland but are afraid of breaking the bank, read 7 things you can do to make it more affordable for the whole family.

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