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A Disneyland Resort Christmas Guide

Christmastime is my absolute favorite time to visit Disney. I love walking down Main Street under the lights and holly garlands. All the special touches drag you into the holiday spirit whether you want it to or not and you just want to sing right along with all the Christmas music.

A Disneyland Resort Guide to Holiday Decorations

The Disneyland Christmas makeover starts at the beginning of November. Main Street comes alive with lights, holiday garland and decorations all leading each guest to the enormous, gorgeous and towering Christmas Tree. Cinderella’s Castle shimmers and shines with lights. Head back to Fantasyland where the It’s a Small World Every facade is covered in 50,000 lights and special video projections for and amazing transformation. Each and every land joins in the holiday fun!

What about California Adventure? How do they join in the festivities? Bring back nostalgia from times gone by with the beautiful vintage holiday decorations up and down Buena Vista Street. Feel dwarfed and inspired by the 50 ft. Christmas tree. Wander through Paradise Pier, Grizzly Peak and other lands immersing yourself in holiday cheer. And don’t miss Cars Land, where the residents of Radiator Springs have decked the streets in seasonal a-tire. Two not to miss attractions: Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl and Mater’s Jingle Jamboree.

Of course Downtown Disney and the resorts are not to be outdone. Find your holiday home-away-from-home festooned with frosty flair. The Disneyland Hotel, Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa welcome Guests with splendiferous displays that send spirits soaring. Each Disneyland Resort hotel features a unique holiday tree decorated with whimsical flourishes, traditional trimmings and dashes of pure Disney magic.

When can you see the decorations?

The decorations go up the first week of November and come down the first week of January.

A Disneyland Guide to Special Holiday Events and Activities?

Disneyland

Disneyland resort Christmas guide with the lights of It's a Small World

A Christmas Fantasy Parade— With prancing reindeer, marching toy soldiers, dancing gingerbread cookies and more, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Disneyland Park! Wave to all your Disney friends as they pass by on fantastic holiday floats.

“Believe…In Holiday Magic” Fireworks Spectacular— Feel your spirit soar during this splendid pyrotechnical spectacle. As the sky overhead lights up with dazzling color, more than 80,000 twinkling lights illuminate Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle with sparkling “icicles” and shimmering snow-capped turrets.

“it’s a small world” Holiday–This classic attraction dresses up for Christmas. The holiday dolls sing medleys of holiday music as well as the classic song. Outside each evening, every 30 minutes, thousands of lights come alive as well as video projections to bathe the exterior in colorful lights and images.

Haunted Mansion Holiday–The ghosts and ghouls are in festive holiday spirit and want to wish you a merry macabre holiday. Enjoy the spooky mansion inspired by Tim Burton’s Nightmare before Christmas.

“Holiday Time at Disneyland Resort” Guided Tour–This 2 1/2 hour guided tour will share favorite Disneyland holiday traditions from around the world. You will also enjoy reserved seating for the Christmas Fantasy Parade, delicious holiday treats, a collectible pin and more. Cost: $99 (theme park admission also required)

California Adventure

Explore celebrating the holidays at Disneyland in the Disneyland Resort Christmas Guide

Disney’s Festival of Holidays

  • Festive Foods Marketplace–Delight your taste buds with festive foods and treats from around the World
  • Disney ¡Viva Navidad!–Dance along with the Three Caballeros at the Viva ¡Navidad! Street Party. Celebrate Three Kings Day January 3-6, 2020 honoring Epiphany, a holiday in Mexico, South and Central America.
  • Meet Santa and his elves at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail

Buena Vista Street Holiday Tree Lighting— Watch in wonder as the tree twinkles to life with a kaleidoscope of colored lights, hundreds of whimsical ornaments and swags of gleaming garland.

A Disneyland Resort Guide to Holiday Crowds?

This is a very busy time but all the special additions make it worth the extra crowds.

The busiest times are when schools are on vacation–the week of Thanksgiving and Christmas Break.

If you want to try to experience the parks with a little fewer people your best bet is the first few weeks of November and December. Weekends will be quite busy but Tuesdays-Thursdays might be a little less crowded.

How do I handle the crowds?

The best way to enjoy the holidays at Disneyland is to be prepared. Have a plan! Touring Plans is a great place to help plan your day.

Here are some other things to keep in mind:

  • Expect lots and lots of people and lots and lots of waiting!
  • Stay in the park on the busiest days (definitely Christmas and New Year’s Day). They often reach capacity and if you leave you won’t be able to go back.
  • Know what are your must do’s (keep the list short) and what can wait until another trip.
  • Purchase tickets before arrival. Ticket lines get very long.
  • Get to the park early (30 min-1 hour before opening)! Maximize your time while others are sleeping.
  • Get your FastPass for World of Color-Seasons of Light early in the day.
  • MAXPASS!! Make sure app is downloaded before your vacation so you are ready to roll right as you walk through the gate.
  • Stake out your spot for the Parade and Fireworks VERY early if you want a good spot.
  • Focus on entertainment and activities as well as rides.
  • Be patient! Everyone around you also desires a magical holiday.

I hope that you found this information helpful for your Disneyland vacation planning. Remember, even though November and December are very busy with lots of people you can still have a memorable and magical vacation!

Happy travels to you…until we meet again!

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Celebrate the Holidays at Disney World

Walking the streets of Disney World when Christmas magic has descended is my absolute favorite time to visit! I love the lights, the decorations, the stories, the treats, and special performances. My favorite place to celebrate the holidays is at Disney World!

When do the decorations go up?

celebrate the holidays at Disney World and Epcot

Disney magic strikes again making it seem like the transformation from Halloween to Christmas happens overnight. At the beginning of November, right after the last Halloween party, the magic begins. The decorations stay up until the last week of December with some decorations still remaining until the beginning of January.

Magic Kingdom is the first park to receive the treatment due to the Christmas party with the other parks quickly following. All the resorts participate in the holiday fun. Some of the Deluxe resorts

If you are planning a trip the first week of November or the beginning of January you will see decorations in flux. Some will be there but not the full picture.

What are the crowds like at this time?

While you can have a wonderful time and celebrate the holidays at Disney World no matter how many people are there, some time definitely have lower crowds than others. As other times of year crowd levels depend on school breaks. Every year is different and Disney World has been working hard to offer incentives to guests to visit at the slower times. But, listed below is some of what you can expect with November- early January crowds.

Less Crowded periods:
  • Around Novmeber 12th crowds die down a bit until the weekend before Thanksgiving
Moderately crowded periods:
  • After the 1st weekend in November (the Wine and Dine Marathon) until Veteran’s Day weekend
  • The Monday after Thanksgiving until toward the end of the 2nd week of December (historically this was a very slow time but events have been added to increase attendance)
Very crowded periods:
  • Beginning of November during the Wine and Dine Marathon
  • Veteran’s Day Weekend
  • The weekend before Thanksgiving until the Monday after
  • End of the 2nd week of December until 1st week of January when school is back in session. The days around Christmas until New Years Eve are the absolute most crowded of the year. Sometimes they have to close the park so go early.
2019 Holiday Season exceptions:

Since Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge just opened at the end of August expect the crowds to be more for the entire holiday season. The Rise of the Resistance experience will open December 5th so there will probably be a boost in attendance around this time.

One more thing:

Not all parks have the same boost in crowds during the season. Crowds during the Food and Wine Marathon will concentrate in Epcot. Some will spill over into the other parks.

Pop Warner events during the 1st week of December cause a huge influx in the value resorts. These competitors and their families will increase the park attendance but they also spend a lot of time at their competitions out of the parks.

Hollywood Studios will be very busy the entire season due to the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge.

What’s the weather like?

November weather averages in the 70’s to low 80’s. December averages in the 70’s. Both months have relatively little rain. In our experience the temperatures in December have been a little all over the place. In one two week trip we had some lovely weather in the upper 70’s and then some cooler weather in the 60’s. So, it is a good idea to bring layers.

What makes celebrating the holidays at Disney World special?

At Epcot:

I would say that Epcot is my favorite park at Christmastime. I love to see how other countries celebrate.

celebrate the holidays at Disney World and Epcot

Epcot International Festival of the Holidays

  • Celebration of Holiday traditions and culture in the countries around the World with stories, decorations, and activities.
  • Savor food around the world from the Holiday kitchens.
  • Candlelight Processional–Experience the Christmas Story read by an actor (Neil Patrick Harris, Gary Sinise, Whoopie Goldberg, and more) accompanied by a 50 piece orchestra and full choir.
  • Candlelight Processional Dining Package–Enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner at one of 16 restaurants and then guaranteed seating to the Candlelight Processional that night.
  • Holiday Cookie Stroll–Purchase any 5 cookies from any of the official cookie stroll locations featured in your Festival Passport—and be sure to collect a matching stamp for each cookie purchased. Once you’ve collected 5 stamps, bring the stamped Passport to the designated redemption Holiday Kitchen to receive a complimentary cookie!
  • Joyful! A Celebration of the Season– Experience the joy of Christmas and Kwanzaa in the uplifting Gospel, R&B, and holidays songs of the ‘Joyful!’ vocal ensemble.
  • Chip ‘n Dale’s Christmas Tree Spree–Purchase a Map (from select Epcot stores) for a fun filled scavenger hunt. Help Chip ‘n Dale find Christmas ornaments for their tree. As you find them place stickers on your map. When you finish turn you map in to Disney Traders or World Traveler and exchange it for a festive surprise, courtesy of Chip & Dale!

At Animal Kingdom:

Cross the bridge to Discovery Island and find yourself in the midst of a celebration of winter, hand-crafted by the eclectic community of artists who make the island their home. 

In the evening the villages shimmer and shine with luminaries and bird lanterns. The Tree of Life comes alive with wintery tales and holiday music and sparkles throughout the night.

Over in Dinoland, U.S.A., all the Disney character friends gathered for Donald’s Dino-Bash! get into the spirit with colorful holiday decorations in the style of Donald Duck and each of his pals, and at night, you’re invited to gather ‘round Truck-O-Saurus for the Holiday Hoopla Dance Party with Chip ‘n Dale and plenty of interactive fun and games.

Asia, Africa, and even Pandora dress up for the holidays with lights, music, costumes, decorations that reflect the land they represent. The residents of Anandapur celebrate Diwali, the holiday festival of lights in India. Various groups appearing throughout Harambe will delight your eyes and ears with performances of African holidays. The inhabitants of Pongu Pongu have their own way of celebrating the holidays that will surprise and delight.

At Hollywood Studios:

  • Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM!!— Featuring traditional holiday tunes and stories brought to you by Mickey, Minnie, Olaf and friends, state-of-the-art projections from Disney Animation classics, amazing laser effects, fireworks and even a little “snow,” this spectacular evening celebration builds to a festive finale that must be seen—and heard—to be believed! Enjoy the Jingle Bell, Jingle BAM! dessert party (extra cost) and watch the performance from preferred seating.
  • Sunset Seasons Greetings–Every night the Hollywood Tower Hotel comes to holly-jolly life with colorful projections. Boasting new laser effects and projected falling “snow,” this exuberant celebration also includes stories, songs and holiday cheer brought to you by Disney pals like Mickey, Minnie and Olaf.
  • Andy’s backyard gets a touch of holiday magic in Toy Story Land.

At Magic Kingdom

Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party

Christmas at the Magic Kingdom is beautiful. Nothing will put you in the Christmas spirit like passing by the giant Christmas tree and walking down twinkling Main Street underneath the swagging holly vines and Mickey Mouse wreaths. But the extra special Christmas events are centered on Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. This is an extra ticketed event that takes place 23 magical nights between Nov. 8 and December 22, 2019. What are the special activities?

  • Minnie’s Wonderful Christmastime Fireworks–an all new fireworks show celebrating the magic of Christmas with medleys of beloved holiday songs and fireworks seen from all over the park. A dessert party is available for additional cost and provides yummy snacks/desserts and preferred viewing for fireworks.
  • Once Upon a Christmastime Parade
  • A Totally Tomorrowland Christmas–Join Tomorrowland friends for an Out-of-this-World celebration
  • Mickey’s Most Merriest Celebration Stage Show
  • A Frozen Holiday Wish stage show– Queen Elsa will magically transform Cinderella Castle with glistening ice.
  • Specialty eats and holiday treats
  • Club Tinsel–A mega-fun dance party at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe
  • Snow on Main Street
  • Tomorrowland Speedway, Space Mountain, Monster’s Inc Laugh Floor and Mad Tea Party join the festivities with some Christmas fun.

Tony’s Most Merriest Town Square Party

  • Holiday food ( savory hors d’oeuvres including meats, cheeses and of course meatballs) and beverages (including beer and wine)
  • Festive atmosphere with holiday hits and decor
  • Entertainment by Tony himself!
  • Reserved seating for 11PM Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade
  • Festivities take place at Tony’s Town Square Restaurant from 9:30-12:30 (you get to stay after the party ends)
  • Cost $99/person. Admission to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is also required.

At Disney Springs:

  • Christmas Tree Trail–Holiday music, falling snow, and seasonally themed trees
  • Stitch’s Holiday Gift Hunt–Embark on a very merry mission to find the items on Stitch’s lost list and earn a surprise even Santa would love.
  • Holiday shopping for everyone on your list
  • Don’t miss the Days Of Christmas store
  • Joyful Entertainment
  • Say “Hi” to Santa

Special Holiday tours

  • Disney’s Yuletide Fantasy Tour–During this fun-filled 3 hour tour you will get a sneak peak at how the Disney elves transform the resort into the holiday wonderland. This tour costs $149. Theme park admission is not required nor included.
  • Disney’s Holiday D-lights Tour–After a delicious BBQ dinner at the Whispering Canyon Cafe your “holiday hosts” will unwrap some of the secrets of holiday traditions at Magic Kingdom (the lighting of Cinderella’s Castle) and Epcot (the Candelight Processional) and ending with the Epcot Forever fireworks display. This 6 hour tour costs $289.
  • Note: These tours are available on select dates during November and December. These tours are for ages 12 and up.

As you can see, Disney World is dripping with Holiday Magic in every corner. Even the resorts get a Christmas makeover. Head on over to some of the Deluxe resorts and feast your eyes on some amazing life size Gingerbread House displays as well as all the festive decorations. Enjoy the extra special magic as you celebrate the holidays at Disney World this year!!

Happy travels to you…until we meet again!

Here are some other posts that you might enjoy:

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The Ultimate Disney Christmas Package 2019

Want something really magical for you family this Christmas? Celebrate the magic of the holidays in The Most Magical Place on Earth with the Ultimate Disney Christmas Package at Walt Disney World Resort.

The Ultimate Disney Christmas Package 2019

Book your Christmas stay at Walt Disney World from now until October 26, 2019 (or until package rooms fill up)!

  • Check in December 21, 2019 and check out December 26, 2019
  • Stay in a Disney Moderate, Deluxe or Deluxe Villa resort for 5 nights
  • 4 day Park tickets with Park Hopper Option
Watch the Once Upon a Christmastime Parade as part of the Ultimate Disney Christmas Package
Be dazzled by the Once Upon a Christmastime Parade at Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party included with your package.
Ultimate Disney Christmas Package Perks:
  • Dec. 21, 2019– EXCLUSIVE nighttime access to experience Avatar Flight of Passage, Na’vi River Journey and Expedition Everest®. Plus catch an exclusive showing of the park’s new Rivers of Light: We Are One show.
  • Dec. 22, 2019– Celebrate the season with tickets to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom® Park. 
  • Dec. 23 or Dec. 24, 2019 (one night per reservation)– EXCLUSIVE reserved viewing area at World View Plaza to watch Epcot® Forever, an all-new nighttime spectacular. Plus, each Guest (ages 3 and up) will receive a digital $50 Epcot Theme Park Dine Promo Card to use at participating Epcot locations.
  • Dec. 25, 2019– An Ultimate Disney Christmas gift delivered to your Client’s room. 
  • Dec. 26, 2019– Bid a fond farewell 

Package starting at $199 per person/night

For example, for just $199 per person, per night (total package price of $3,980), a family of four can stay in a standard room at Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort.  This is based on 2 adults, 1 junior (age 10-17) and 1 child (age 3-9).

Book NOW as rooms for this package are limited! Only a $200 deposit is needed at time of booking to secure this enchanting vacation your family will remember for a lifetime! Don’t miss out on this Ultimate Disney Christmas Package!

Check out this post and see what other exciting adventures await during the holidays at Disney World!

Contact me today to experience the holidays like never before with Mickey and the Gang!

Happy travels to you…until we meet again!

Some other posts you might be interested in:

And some package fine print:

Price based on 2 adults, 1 junior (ages 10–17) and 1 child (ages 3–9). The number of rooms allocated for this offer is limited. The number of packages available for purchase is limited. Deposit due at time of booking. Valid Theme Park admission is required to attend Theme Park events included in this package. Theme Park ticket is valid for admission beginning on 12/21/19 and must be used by 12/27/19. Special event ticket to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party is valid only on 12/22/19. Exclusive fireworks viewing area at Epcot® is one night per reservation; viewing night to be chosen at time of reservation and is reserved in order booked. Capacity for each night is limited. Epcot® Theme Park Dine Promo Card will be sent on 12/23/19 to email provided at check-in. One Ultimate Disney Christmas gift per room. Cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion. Advance reservations required. Offer excludes the following room types: campsites, 3-bedroom Grand Villas, Cabins at Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge and Bungalows at Disney’s Polynesian Villas & Bungalows.

The Epcot® Theme Park Dine Promo Card (“Promo Card”) is not valid for use until purchased, activated and monetary value added. Card will be active 12/23/19 through 12/26/19. After 12/26/19, any unused funds will be forfeited. The Promo Card can only be used at select participating locations at Walt Disney World Resort, at select food locations at Epcot®, select third-party lessees and select Operating Participants for food and beverage. Check with individual locations for program participation before redemption. For participating locations and additional terms and conditions visit disneyterms.com/epcotdinepromo. Except as required by applicable law: The Promo Card is not redeemable for cash; cannot be replaced if lost, damaged or stolen without required proof of purchase and complete dine card number; may not be resold in any manner whatsoever; and may not be used toward the purchase of any Disney Dollars or gift certificates/cards or toward the purchase of a real estate interest in a Disney Vacation Club® Resort. The Promo Card is issued by Disney Gift Card Services, Inc., which reserves the right to modify, alter, amend or change the terms and conditions of program upon notice at disneyterms.com/epcotdinepromo.