Disneyland's 2026 Holiday Season: Everything Coming to Both Parks, Downtown Disney and the Hotels

Mickey and friends get new alpine outfits, Haunted Mansion Holiday celebrates 25 years of its gingerbread house and World of Color Season of Light returns, all from November 13 to January 6.

By Jeanpierre Florent · FirstDrop News TeamOct 10, 20266 min read

Sleeping Beauty's Winter Castle at DisneylandPhoto: Myrna Litt / Flickr, CC BY 2.0

Holidays at the Disneyland Resort run from November 13, 2026, through January 6, 2027, covering Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney and all three hotels. A lot of the lineup is returning, but there are new outfits, new treats and a big anniversary at Haunted Mansion Holiday.

A few things start on their own schedule. Chip and Dale's Ornament Trail begins a little early on November 11, and holiday character dining runs from November 16 through January 3.

Disneyland Park

Main Street, U.S.A. gets its 60 foot Christmas tree, and Sleeping Beauty Castle turns into Sleeping Beauty's Winter Castle each evening, covered in snow inspired decorations and about 80,000 lights. Down in Town Square, Mickey, Minnie and their friends debut new winter travel and alpine inspired outfits this year.

Main Street, U.S.A. dressed for the holidays at DisneylandPhoto: HarshLight / Flickr, CC BY 2.0

Santa has a new spot. From November 13 through December 24 he's at Mickey's Toontown Trolley Barn, near Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin. Over at the Fantasyland Theatre, Bluey's Best Day Ever! brings Bluey and Bingo out for music and dancing.

Fireworks and the parade

Believe... In Holiday Magic returns with holiday music and snowfall over the park. You can watch from in front of Sleeping Beauty's Winter Castle, near it's a small world Holiday, along the Rivers of America and from parts of Main Street.

A Christmas Fantasy Parade is back too, with gingerbread cookie dancers, toy soldiers, reindeer and plenty of performers before Santa closes the show. A dining package at Plaza Inn tied to the parade is planned, with details still to come.

A Christmas Fantasy Parade at DisneylandPhoto: HarshLight / Flickr, CC BY 2.0

Haunted Mansion Holiday turns a big page

Jack Skellington and The Nightmare Before Christmas take over the Haunted Mansion in New Orleans Square again. The ballroom's gingerbread display is marking 25 years, and this year's creation is a monstrous music box, which should be worth slowing down for as your Doom Buggy passes the table.

Haunted Mansion Holiday first opened in October 2001, and the gingerbread house has been its signature piece ever since, with a new design every year. It usually arrives before the rest of the holiday season and stays through the new year, so it is often the first sign of Christmas at the park.

it's a small world Holiday

The boat ride gets its holiday decorations and a soundtrack of holiday music from around the world. The facade glows with about 400,000 lights, and the clock gets a Santa hat for the season.

it's a small world Holiday dates back to 1997, which makes it one of the longest running holiday overlays at the resort. The evening lighting on the facade is the part most people remember, so try to pass by after dark.

If you want the history behind all of it, the Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort guided tour returns for an extra charge, with stories about holiday traditions, Walt Disney family memories and reserved parade viewing.

Haunted Mansion Holiday in New Orleans SquarePhoto: HarshLight / Flickr, CC BY 2.0

Disney California Adventure

World of Color Season of Light returns with fountains, projections and music, including scenes from Beauty and the Beast and Inside Out. A World of Color Season of Light dessert party is planned, with more details coming later.

Mickey and friends appear in seasonal costumes on Buena Vista Street, the Holiday Toy Drummers perform at Paradise Gardens Park, and Santa's Holiday Visit at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail adds outdoor games and activities before you meet the big guy.

Cars Land

Radiator Springs gets decorated for the holidays, and the sunset Sh-boom moment, when the neon flickers on, kicks off the nighttime celebration. Luigi's Joy to the Whirl and Mater's Jingle Jamboree return as holiday versions of the two rides.

Disney Festival of Holidays

The festival brings six marketplaces with a mix of new and returning dishes. The Sip and Savor Pass gets you six digital coupons for eligible food and nonalcoholic drinks, which is the easiest way to graze through a few booths.

Mickey's Happy Holidays parades between Paradise Gardens Park and Hollywood Land at select times, the Paradise Garden Bandstand hosts rotating bands and cultural groups, A Musical Christmas with Mariachi Alegría de Disneyland and Miguel plays on select days on Buena Vista Street, and Mirabel's Gifts of the Season plays on select dates at Paradise Gardens Park.

Disney ¡Viva Navidad!

Viva Navidad celebrates Latin American holiday traditions. On select days the Street Party features The Three Caballeros, folklorico dancers, mariachis, samba dancers and drummers, with Mickey and Minnie joining in. Donald Duck, José Carioca, Panchito Pistoles, Mickey, Minnie and Goofy also make select appearances around Paradise Gardens Park.

Downtown Disney

Starting November 13, Downtown Disney adds holiday decorations, seasonal food and drinks, live entertainment and nightly snowfall, with DJs, bands and holiday music on the LIVE! Stage.

For Chip and Dale's Ornament Trail, you buy an activity map, hunt down the hidden ornaments and then trade in your finished map for an ornament keepsake. It runs from November 11 through January 6.

The hotels

All three hotels get decorations, displays, carolers, specialty food and visits from Santa. Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa puts up a seven foot gingerbread creation, with holiday food and drinks at the Great Hall cart, the Broken Spell Lounge and Great Maple Modern American Eatery.

The lobby of Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & SpaPhoto: Ken Lund / Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0

Tenaya Stone Spa adds limited time treatments for an extra charge, including the Naughty or Nice foot treatment, the Underneath the Tree massage and the Joy of Holiday body treatment.

Holiday character dining

From November 16 through January 3, Goofy's Kitchen Celebrates the Holidays! takes over at the Disneyland Hotel, while Storytellers Cafe hosts both Daisy's Holiday Pajama Party and Mickey's Christmas Carol Feast. Reservations open later on Disneyland's website, so keep an eye out if one of these is on your list.

Treats and merchandise

New collections include Mickey Mouse and Family Christmas, Holiday Pastel and Disney Vintage Holiday. On the novelty side, look for the Mickey Train Light Up Bucket and the Holiday Stitch Christmas Tree Sipper.

Two favorites are back: the Mickey Elf Shake at Schmoozies! in Disney California Adventure and the Milk and Cookies Tree-shaped Macaron at Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe in Disneyland Park. Full Disney Eats Foodie Guides will be released closer to the start of the season.

Hotel deal and planning tips

You can save up to 20% on select stays of three nights or more between October 11 and December 18 at the Disneyland Hotel, Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, Pixar Place Hotel and The Villas at Disneyland Hotel, subject to availability.

Ticket prices changed on October 6, with four of Disneyland's middle date tiers going up $5 while the cheapest and most expensive days stayed the same. Holiday weeks fill up fast, so check our crowd calendar and the ticket calendar together before you pick your dates.

Written by Jeanpierre Florent, part of the FirstDrop News Team

Jeanpierre is the Southern California based creator behind JPLAND21, a theme park community of more than one million subscribers across YouTube and Instagram. Our reporting is grounded in regular firsthand park visits. More about us