Disneyland Resort Holiday Guide 2024: Festive Events, New Shows, and Seasonal Magic

Miguel from Coco plays guitar with a mariachi musician in a festive, lantern-lit scene, surrounded by dancers and musicians under a starry sky.

Get ready to celebrate the season as Holidays at Disneyland Resort returns from November 15, 2024, through January 6, 2025! This year’s festivities promise a wide array of family-friendly entertainment, character sightings, nighttime spectaculars, and an exciting mix of returning favorites and new performances. Here’s a complete guide to all the must-see events and activities across Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney District, and the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort.


Disney Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure Park

NEW! “Mirabel’s Gifts of the Season”
When: Mondays through Fridays outside Paradise Gardens Park
Mirabel from Encanto and her friends invite guests to a joyful Fiesta de Navidad, where families can sing along to popular songs from the film in a heartwarming holiday performance.

NEW! “A Musical Christmas with Mariachi Alegría de Disneyland & Miguel!”
When: Monday through Friday evenings on Buena Vista Street
Experience the magic of the holidays with Mariachi Alegría de Disneyland and graceful dancers as they share holiday stories and beloved songs. The show closes with a special duet with Miguel from Coco, performing a heartfelt rendition of "Silent Night."


Expanded Live Musical Performances

When: Daily at various stages in Disney California Adventure

Enjoy a diverse selection of live bands and cultural performances, ranging from mariachi and jazz to klezmer, Latin pop, reggae, and more. New performers include Joy, Rangoli Rhythms, Malaya Filipino American Dance Arts, and the return of fan favorites like Blue13 Dance Company and The Mistletoes. Performances vary daily, so check Disneyland.com for up-to-date schedules.


“Mickey’s Happy Holidays” and Holiday Toy Drummers

When: Daily at Disney California Adventure Park

Dance along as Mickey and friends parade through the park to lively holiday beats alongside the spirited Holiday Toy Drummers, bringing joy to all ages at Paradise Gardens Park.


Disney ¡Viva Navidad! Street Party

When: Saturdays and Sundays from November 16 through January 5

Hosted by The Three Caballeros, this vibrant street party features Mexican folklórico dancers, mariachis, Brazilian samba dancers, and percussionists. Catch Mickey and Minnie in their festive attire as they join in this energetic celebration.


Meet Santa Claus and Holiday Characters

NEW! “Holiday Fun with Santa and Friends!” at Fantasyland Theatre
When: Daily at Disneyland Park
Santa and favorite Disney characters greet guests at Fantasyland Theatre, where families can take photos, make holiday crafts, and sing classic carols.

Meet Santa Across Disneyland Resort
When: November 15 through December 24 at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, November 28 through December 24 at Resort Hotels
Santa will be greeting guests across the parks and hotels through December 24, with Santa Goofy taking his place from December 25 to January 6. Don't miss this chance to share holiday wishes with Santa before he heads back to the North Pole!

Special Character Appearances
Throughout both parks, look for Mickey, Minnie, Mirabel, and friends dressed in festive attire, with themed dining experiences at Goofy’s Kitchen and Storytellers Cafe in the Resort Hotels.


Parades, Dance Parties, and Nighttime Spectaculars

“Disney Holiday Dance Party” at Tomorrowland Terrace
When: Nightly at Disneyland Park from November 16 through January 6
Dance the night away at Tomorrowland Terrace to festive music with appearances by Disney characters on a seasonally decorated stage.

“A Christmas Fantasy Parade”
When: Daily at Disneyland Park
This cherished parade features Disney characters, prancing reindeer, dancing gingerbread, and Santa Claus himself! Parade viewing areas are available near “it’s a small world” Holiday, the Matterhorn, and Main Street, U.S.A., with reserved viewing included in the Holiday Time Guided Tour.


Nighttime Entertainment and Snowfall

“Believe...In Holiday Magic” Fireworks
When: Nightly at Disneyland Park
The skies above Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle sparkle with over 80,000 twinkling lights, while magical snowfall falls on Main Street, U.S.A., “it’s a small world” Holiday, and the Rivers of America.

“World of Color – Season of Light”
When: Nightly at Disney California Adventure Park
Marvel at Paradise Bay’s water display set to holiday music and scenes from Inside Out and Frozen. An all-new short featuring Moana 2 will play before the main show. Be sure to join the virtual queue for this magical experience.

Holiday Lighting Moments
When: Nightly at Disney California Adventure and Disneyland Park
Catch the magnificent 50-foot tree lighting on Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure and the dazzling holiday lights at “it’s a small world” Holiday in Disneyland.


Downtown Disney District: Music and Snowfall

When: Nightly from November 29 through January 6

Downtown Disney District will come alive each night with holiday décor, seasonal shopping, and live music covering genres like rock, jazz, and caroling. Special snowfall moments will create a winter wonderland atmosphere near the Downtown Disney LIVE! stage.


Entertainment at the Hotels of Disneyland Resort

When: Select days from November 21 through December 31

Enjoy live holiday jazz in the Great Hall at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, along with carolers bringing festive cheer to the Disneyland Resort hotels.


This year, the Disneyland Resort is brimming with holiday magic, from spectacular shows and interactive character encounters to festive parades and musical celebrations. For the latest schedule and full entertainment details, guests should check the Disneyland app and Disneyland.com.

Recent Posts

Magic Kingdom’s Villains Land Reveals Its Wickedly Detailed Story

The fairest land of them all is taking a delightfully darker turn. Disney has revealed fresh details about Villains Land, the upcoming Magic Kingdom expansion where poisoned wishes, towering villain lairs and a little delicious trouble await beyond the safe side of the forest. Inspired by classic Walt Disney Animation Studios characters, Villains Land will…

Magic Kingdom Puts Two Piston Peak Rides in Gear

Start those engines: Piston Peak National Park is bringing two Cars-inspired attractions to Magic Kingdom, and this particular national park has a geyser field, a snowcapped summit and one very large school bus with demolition-derby energy. New details revealed at D23 put the pedal down on the expanding land’s ride lineup. Guests can expect an…

Disney Believe Takes Shape—and Three New Disney Cruise Ships Are on the Horizon

Disney Cruise Line is putting a little more wind in its sails. The Disney Believe, due to set sail in late 2027, has revealed its first big design details-right down to the characters hitching a crayon-powered ride on the stern. That is not the only fleet news making waves. Disney Cruise Line also shared an…

Disneyland’s New Coco Ride Will Sail Through Miguel’s Memories

Time to go un poco loco: Disneyland Resort’s all-new Coco attraction is taking shape, and its story will send families sailing straight into Miguel’s memories of the Land of the Dead. Announced at D23 2026, the upcoming Disney California Adventure Park attraction is being developed with Pixar and will draw from both the original Coco…

Animal Kingdom’s Encanto Ride Gets Its Official Name and a Whole Lot of Animals

Casita is getting ready to throw a party, and Animal Kingdom visitors are officially on the guest list. Disney has shared a lively new batch of details for the Encanto attraction heading to the park’s upcoming Tropical Americas land-including its name, its returning voices and one particularly important planning perk: everyone can ride. Revealed during…

Let's Start the Magic!

Crazy Imagination Travel Advisors are experts at the art of vacationing Disney and beyond. No two families are alike and no two vacations are alike. Each vacation is carefully planned and customized to our guest. From the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida to world-wide adventures in Australia, our Travel Advisors are ready to help guests plan their dream vacation. Go ahead. Put our service to the test!

Authorized Disney Vacation Planner Logo

Special Offers

Guests of Crazy Imagination Travel receive the best available pricing for their Disney vacation. Always.