The Happiest Place on Earth gets merrier once again as Holidays at the Disneyland Resort returns from Nov. 10, 2017-Jan. 7, 2018. From a 60-foot-tall Christmas tree on Main Street, U.S.A., to more than 400,000 lights adding sparkle to “it’s a small world” Holiday, the Disneyland Resort offers dozens of returning traditions and new experiences. Here are 12 “must-dos” to begin your holiday adventure.

For the 59 days of Holidays, Disneyland Resort gave to me:

• 12 toy soldiers: “A Christmas Fantasy” Parade in Disneyland Park features a daily procession complete with tin soldiers, roller-blading snowflakes, floats and holiday cheer. Mickey, Minnie, Disney Princesses and Santa Claus are just a few of the merry makers who share the joy of the holidays in this merry Disneyland tradition.
• 11 festive food offerings: With an abundance of seasonal flavors, resort guests will want to try these 11 and more: roasted turkey slider with cranberry sauce, macaroni & cheese with cornbread crumbles, gingerbread crispy treats, beef corn tamale a la plancha with spicy rojo sauce, braised pork belly adobo, peppermint marshmallow wands, beef brisket & brown sugar glazed carrots, peppermint bark, snowman cake pops, caramel apples and horchata fudge.
• 10-foot-wide snowflake: Dazzling decorations dress up “it’s a small world” Holiday with spectacular icicles, a snowman, a giant snowflake and dolls depicting children of the world dressed in seasonal costumes. For the first time, guests will enjoy FastPass on this festive, yuletide version of the classic Disneyland attraction.
• 9 special performances at Festival of Holidays: Guests will be immersed in the universal language of music and dance with exciting performances at Festival of Holidays, in Disney California Adventure Park: “Disney ¡Viva Navidad!” street party, the Disney ¡Viva Navidad! bands, Mariachi Divas, Princess Elena’s Musical Grand Arrival, Holiday Toy Drummers, Blue13 Dance Company and the music of Mostly Kosher, The Sound and Phat Cat Swinger.
• 8 Christmas-themed challenges: Mischievous elves invite younger guests to play some interactive games at Santa’s Holiday Visit at Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. Guests will complete puzzles, cross a jingle bridge and more on a journey to visit Santa Claus in Disney California Adventure.
• 7-foot-tall Oogie Boogie: In Disneyland, Christmas and Halloween collide at Haunted Mansion Holiday. This year, Haunted Mansion Holiday marks the 17th season of its traditional gingerbread house with a giant, 7-foot-tall gingerbread Oogie Boogie; he’s caught feasting on an infestation of gingerbread bugs.
• 6 laser projectors: Half a dozen laser projectors combine with nearly 20 high-definition projectors in “World of Color – Season of Light” to illuminate Paradise Bay at Disney California Adventure. This sparkling winter fantasy blends classic holiday songs with memorable moments from treasured Disney and Disney•Pixar animated films.
• 5 diverse cultural celebrations: Festival of Holidays brings Christmas/Navidad, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Diwali and Three Kings Day to Disney California Adventure with 12 marketplace kiosks in the Festive Foods Marketplace. Guests will get into the holiday spirit and discover delicious foods inspired by different cuisines and traditions.
• 4 Dapper Dans: This iconic Disneyland quartet sings a scintillating selection of a capella holiday tunes as they play the chimes, tap dance and regale audiences with vaudeville humor on Main Street, U.S.A.
• 3 feathered friends: Donald Duck, Panchito from Mexico and José Carioca from Brazil host the “Disney ¡Viva Navidad!” street party at Disney California. Guests who want to get up and dance to the infectious sound of Mariachi and Samba musicians will come alongside 12-foot-tall mojiganga puppets and authentic folklórico dancers.
• 2 new Cars Land experiences: The magic is put into overdrive as two attractions transform for the first time this holiday season, adding to the car-themed décor throughout Cars Land. Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters becomes Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree becomes Mater’s Jingle Jamboree.
• 1 more spectacular sight: Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle is illuminated each night with 50,000 twinkling LED lights and the “Believe…in Holiday Magic” fireworks spectacular. It all culminates with the grandest of grand finales as “snow” falls lightly over the three viewing locations: in front of “it’s a small world” Holiday, portions of Main Street, U.S.A., and near the Rivers of America.

Disneyland Resort will bring its biggest Lunar New Year celebration yet to Disney California Adventure Park, Friday, Jan. 26 to Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018. To commemorate the Year of the Dog, guests will experience more Lunar New Year fun than ever before as the celebration expands to 24 days full of multicultural performances, fun-filled activities, beautiful décor, delicious cuisine and themed merchandise to celebrate the start of a new year.

Guests at the Lunar New Year festivities will discover plenty of Disney magic as they experience Asian culture through inspired food, music and entertainment with their family and friends. Lunar New Year, traditionally celebrated within Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese cultures, commemorates the moment when both the sun and the moon begin their journey for another year. Highlights of the Lunar New Year celebration at Disney California Adventure will include:

• God of Good Fortune Goofy and Pluto greet guests at the Disneyland Resort Lunar New Year celebration, along with pals Mickey, Minnie, Mulan and Mushu, all dressed in their Lunar New Year attire
• “Hurry Home—Lunar New Year Celebration,” the heartwarming nighttime water show at Paradise Bay prior to “World of Color” which tells the tale of a little lantern’s quest to reunite with family for the annual celebration of good luck and fortune
• “Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession,” a magical celebration hosted by Mulan and Mushu that honors Lunar New Year and celebrates family and friendship
• Three Asian marketplaces offering delightful foods inspired by Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese cultures, as well as a special Lunar New Year menu at Paradise Garden Grill
• Live, daily performances with authentic musicians, and an area for guests to try their hand at arts and crafts with local artisans
• A Lucky Wishing Wall, where guests may add their own wishes for a wonderful future
• Beautiful Lunar New Year décor, including ornamental lanterns and banners wishing guests a Happy Lunar New Year in English, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese
• New Lunar New Year merchandise inspired by different cultures of East Asia
  • Special items all the way from Shanghai Disney Resort, including traditional red envelopes for gift-giving, Mickey Mouse plush, Minnie Mouse snow globes and a limited-edition pin
  • Commemorative items featuring special Lunar New Year designs, including adult tees and hoodies

For a limited time, guests of the Disneyland Resort will celebrate the lively and colorful traditions of Lunar New Year, only at Disney California Adventure. Guests may check for daily entertainment schedules as they become available, at Disneyland.com/LunarNewYear.

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa

Capturing the spirit of early California through inspiring design and daring architecture, Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is a deluxe 948-room resort hotel property, offering a premium option for business or pleasure visits to the Disneyland Resort. Recently completed an exciting, hotel-wide renovation, this AAA Four-Diamond hotel is the first Disney resort hotel in the world to be located inside a theme park—Disney California Adventure—making stays at the deluxe hotel a uniquely themed experience.

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa celebrates the romantic Arts & Crafts movement of early 20th century California. Designed to capture the artistic exploration of California’s coastlines with its Monterey pines and redwood forests, the hotel is layered with the memories of the arroyo craftsmen, the mission pioneers and the Plein Air school of painters.

Disneyland Hotel

At the Disneyland Hotel, guests will find a family vacation resort brimming with Disney magic and benefits.  Offering 973 rooms, the hotel features a variety of restaurants and lounges, shops, and three swimming pools, among other amenities.

Recent renovations to the Disneyland Hotel include a new pool and water play area, featuring slides and a splash pool in an architectural design reminiscent of the 20th Century Disneyland Hotel Monorail Station. Guests can grab a bite near the pool at Tangaroa Terrace, or sip on tropical cocktails and flavorful juices at Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar.

Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel

Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel overlooks Paradise Pier, one of the most colorful sections of Disney California Adventure, making the hotel’s name and theme a natural fit.

Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel prides itself on being one of the finest hotels in its class.  The 15-story, high-rise structure encompasses 481 guest rooms, including suites and poolside cabana rooms, as well as 15 meeting rooms totaling 30,000 square feet of space.  The hotel also has a rooftop swimming pool and whirlpool, a fitness center, dining in the mellow PCH Grill, quick bites and refreshments at the lobby Surfside Lounge or the poolside Sand Bar, gift shops and a game arcade.

Merry holiday moments from Disney theme parks around the world and a star-studded cast of entertainers will launch a “25 Days of Christmas” countdown when “The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration” airs Thursday, Nov. 30, 2017, from 9:00–11:00 p.m. EST on The ABC Television Network.

The magical two-hour event will be hosted by Emmy® Award-winner Julianne Hough, multiplatinum recording artist and television personality Nick Lachey, and sports star, broadcast correspondent and commentator Jesse Palmer.  The show will give viewers a front-row seat to a Disney Christmas party like no other – a family holiday tradition brimming with colorful lights, snow flurries, memorable music and more.  From the Cinderella Castle stage at Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida, Hough and Lachey will perform a spectacular opening number named for the primetime special.

Tony Award-winning actress Idina Menzel will join fellow “Frozen” star Kristen Bell to perform together for the first time on primetime television.  The pair, who voiced the characters of Elsa and Anna in the animated blockbuster, will perform in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle at  Disneyland Park in California accompanied by a 30-voice choir.  The two stars of stage and screen will sing “When We’re Together” from the brand-new Walt Disney Animation Studios featurette, “Olaf’s Frozen Adventure.”

The holiday special’s other unforgettable, wish-come-true moments will include an extraordinary castle lighting extravaganza from Disney theme parks around the world – traveling the globe from California and Florida to Paris, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

A Sneak Peek at New Star Wars– and Toy Story-Themed Lands

The force will be with all who tune in for a sneak peek at Disney’s new Star Wars-themed lands, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, opening at both Disneyland Park in California and Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida in 2019. The new lands promise adventure on a galactic scale when guests steer the Millennium Falcon on a customized secret mission in one attraction and engage in a climactic battle between the First Order and the Resistance in another.

From the edge of the galaxy “to infinity and beyond,” viewers will discover Andy’s world in the new Toy Story Land to open next year at Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida.  The new family-friendly Slinky Dog Dash roller coaster and the Alien Swirling Saucers attraction will join the original Toy Story Midway Mania! attraction to give Woody, Buzz and Andy’s entire toy collection a backyard play land scaled to render park guests seemingly toy-sized.

Musical performances in the primetime special will include:

• Ciara will perform a joyful Christmas medley, including “Jingle Bells” and “Jingle Bell Rock” from a sparkling Cinderella Castle at Walt Disney World Resort.
• Grammy Award-winning country artist Darius Rucker will sing “Winter Wonderland.”
• Emmy-nominated actress and singer Lea Michele will be joined by special guest Joey McIntyre to sing the classic holiday duet, “Baby It’s Cold Outside.”
• Multiplatinum-selling group Fifth Harmony will sing “Can You See,” from The Star soundtrack, plus “The Christmas Song.”
• Fitz and the Tantrums will perform their platinum-certified hit, “HandClap,” and their original Christmas song, “Santa Stole My Lady.”
• Multi-Grammy-nominated trio Hanson will light up the night singing “Finally It’s Christmas,” from their recently released Christmas album.
• Boy band In Real Life will sing “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”
• Multiplatinum powerhouse Jason Derulo will perform “This Christmas.”

Viewers at Home Will Be Able to “Glow with the Show”

For the first time, viewers will be able to “Glow at Home” during select performances in the holiday special, thanks to the brand new “Made with Magic® 3.0: Connected Ear Hat” and the Shop Disney Parks app. Leveraging Bluetooth® technology, the Shop Disney Parks app enables viewers wearing the new 3.0 edition ear hats at home to sync with the ABC holiday special playing on the viewers’ TVs or other devices.  Viewers will feel like they are part of the show.

The app also has a remote-control feature to adjust the ear colors and speed of the strobe – a brand-new feature for the Made with Magic® Ear Hats. If viewers at home don’t have the special edition ear hats, not to worry. The Shop Disney Parks app will allow them to enjoy a second screen experience as their mobile phone comes alive, mirroring the spectacle on-screen during select performances. The Made with Magic® 3.0: Connected Ear Hat and the interactive ear hat remote control feature on the Shop Disney Parks app will both be available Nov. 17.

Holiday magic is endless as Disney theme parks transform into winter wonderlands filled with seasonal attractions, joyful entertainment, festive décor and special treats that make every day feel like a holiday. The spirit of the season shines even brighter in these magical places where families share traditions and make memories together.

For more details about Disney Parks holiday magic, visit Disney Parks Blog and follow Disney Parks news @DisneyParks#DisneyHolidayCelebration and #DisneyChristmasCelebration.

The Happiest Place on Earth gets merrier once again as Holidays at the Disneyland Resort returns from Nov. 10, 2017-Jan. 7, 2018. From a 60-foot-tall Christmas tree on Main Street, U.S.A., to more than 400,000 lights adding sparkle to “it’s a small world” Holiday, the Disneyland Resort offers dozens of returning traditions and new experiences. Here are 12 “must-dos” to begin your holiday adventure.

For the 59 days of Holidays, Disneyland Resort gave to me:

• 12 toy soldiers: “A Christmas Fantasy” Parade in Disneyland Park features a daily procession complete with tin soldiers, roller-blading snowflakes, floats and holiday cheer. Mickey, Minnie, Disney Princesses and Santa Claus are just a few of the merry makers who share the joy of the holidays in this merry Disneyland tradition.
• 11 festive food offerings: With an abundance of seasonal flavors, resort guests will want to try these 11 and more: roasted turkey slider with cranberry sauce, macaroni & cheese with cornbread crumbles, gingerbread crispy treats, beef corn tamale a la plancha with spicy rojo sauce, braised pork belly adobo, peppermint marshmallow wands, beef brisket & brown sugar glazed carrots, peppermint bark, snowman cake pops, caramel apples and horchata fudge.
• 10-foot-wide snowflake: Dazzling decorations dress up “it’s a small world” Holiday with spectacular icicles, a snowman, a giant snowflake and dolls depicting children of the world dressed in seasonal costumes. For the first time, guests will enjoy FastPass on this festive, yuletide version of the classic Disneyland attraction.
• 9 special performances at Festival of Holidays: Guests will be immersed in the universal language of music and dance with exciting performances at Festival of Holidays, in Disney California Adventure Park: “Disney ¡Viva Navidad!” street party, the Disney ¡Viva Navidad! bands, Mariachi Divas, Princess Elena’s Musical Grand Arrival, Holiday Toy Drummers, Blue13 Dance Company and the music of Mostly Kosher, The Sound and Phat Cat Swinger.
• 8 Christmas-themed challenges: Mischievous elves invite younger guests to play some interactive games at Santa’s Holiday Visit at Redwood Creek Challenge Trail. Guests will complete puzzles, cross a jingle bridge and more on a journey to visit Santa Claus in Disney California Adventure.
• 7-foot-tall Oogie Boogie: In Disneyland, Christmas and Halloween collide at Haunted Mansion Holiday. This year, Haunted Mansion Holiday marks the 17th season of its traditional gingerbread house with a giant, 7-foot-tall gingerbread Oogie Boogie; he’s caught feasting on an infestation of gingerbread bugs.
• 6 laser projectors: Half a dozen laser projectors combine with nearly 20 high-definition projectors in “World of Color – Season of Light” to illuminate Paradise Bay at Disney California Adventure. This sparkling winter fantasy blends classic holiday songs with memorable moments from treasured Disney and Disney•Pixar animated films.
• 5 diverse cultural celebrations: Festival of Holidays brings Christmas/Navidad, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Diwali and Three Kings Day to Disney California Adventure with 12 marketplace kiosks in the Festive Foods Marketplace. Guests will get into the holiday spirit and discover delicious foods inspired by different cuisines and traditions.
• 4 Dapper Dans: This iconic Disneyland quartet sings a scintillating selection of a capella holiday tunes as they play the chimes, tap dance and regale audiences with vaudeville humor on Main Street, U.S.A.
• 3 feathered friends: Donald Duck, Panchito from Mexico and José Carioca from Brazil host the “Disney ¡Viva Navidad!” street party at Disney California. Guests who want to get up and dance to the infectious sound of Mariachi and Samba musicians will come alongside 12-foot-tall mojiganga puppets and authentic folklórico dancers.
• 2 new Cars Land experiences: The magic is put into overdrive as two attractions transform for the first time this holiday season, adding to the car-themed décor throughout Cars Land. Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters becomes Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree becomes Mater’s Jingle Jamboree.
• 1 more spectacular sight: Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle is illuminated each night with 50,000 twinkling LED lights and the “Believe…in Holiday Magic” fireworks spectacular. It all culminates with the grandest of grand finales as “snow” falls lightly over the three viewing locations: in front of “it’s a small world” Holiday, portions of Main Street, U.S.A., and near the Rivers of America.

For many guests at the Disneyland Resort, a visit during the holidays means a must-do voyage through the heartwarming “it’s a small world” Holiday. Now in its 21st season, “it’s a small world” Holiday is transformed from the classic attraction into one that depicts children of the world dressed in seasonal costumes and happily singing a mix of holiday songs, along with the “it’s a small world” theme. The story of the attraction changes from a charming party with dolls, toys and decorations representing children of many nations, all joining in a song of unity, to the winter wonderland of “it’s a small world” Holiday. As a special treat this holiday season, FastPass will be available for this attraction.

Fun Facts:

• Jolly decorators use 50,000 lights on the façade of “it’s a small world” Holiday, and an additional 350,000 mini-lights in the trees, hedges and animal topiaries surrounding the attraction in whimsical Fantasyland. Thousands of additional lights decorate the shops and food kiosks around the attraction, bringing the total to more than 400,000 lights adding sparkle and wintry ambiance to the plaza area around “it’s a small ”
• The warm holiday atmosphere of the plaza area is further enhanced with colorful garland, festive poinsettias and beautiful, international holiday
• After dark, the smiling clock at the front of “it’s a small world,” decked out in a Santa hat, reveals a sparkling projection On every quarter hour, the brightly light façade of the attraction is transformed into an enormous clockwork mechanism with advanced 3D- projectiontechnology. The gears and springs pull back to reveal a world of holiday wonders hidden behind the whimsical clock.
• Guests on “The Merriest Attraction on Earth” sail through 10 scenes inspired by places around the world, such as Europe, Asia and Africa, each representing unique cultural holiday traditions celebrated in these
• Among the holiday special effects inside the attraction are scents of fresh pine from a glistening winter forest and peppermint from tantalizing candy canes in the European In the South Seas scene, hundreds of iridescent bubbles float through the air.

• Nearly 150 giant candles decorate the Christmas Tree in the European Once a common tradition in Western European countries, the lighting of candles has inspired the string lights seen on modern Christmas trees today.
• The attractions’ finale features a 14-foot snowman made of glimmering crystal snowflakes that shine with thousands of luminous The snowman stands atop a 10-foot-wide snowflake and holds a beautiful “icicle” sign that spells out “Happy Holidays” in colors that change as guests drift along. The snowman joined this festive attraction in 2011, bringing an extra sprinkle of holiday pixie dust with him.
• The iconic music of “it’s a small world,” written by the legendary Sherman Brothers, is one of the attraction’s signature elements throughout the regular During “it’s a small world” Holiday, guests may still hear this classic tune weaved in between the joyous caroling of holiday favorites “Jingle Bells” and “Deck the Halls.”
• Many languages of the world can be heard serenading guests, with cheerful tunes in English, French, Italian, Spanish and Scandinavian Festive signs and banners throughout the attraction spread holiday greetings in such dialects as French Canadian, Dutch, Asante and Hawaiian.
• The Disneyland Resort has its own team of holiday “elves” who help create the magic of “it’s a small world” Holiday each It takes a talented and dedicated team of nearly three dozen cast members 35 days to install the glittering façade, and nearly 18 days to decorate the holiday attraction’s dazzling interior.
• Throughout the regular year, 100 percent of the holiday props and scenic elements are actually stored inside the A merry reminder: Do not open until the holiday season begins!

The holidays begin here at the Disneyland® Resort. This is the place where traditions are shared, memories are made and new experiences make the spirit of the season shine even brighter. And this year, from Nov. 10, 2017-Jan. 7, 2018 the holiday celebration returns with wonder, joy and, of course, plenty of Disney magic in both Parks.

World of Color—Season of Light, the sparkling nighttime winter fantasy, blends cherished holiday music with treasured Disney moments, while Disney Festival of Holidays brings the sights, sounds and tastes of diverse seasonal celebrations to Disney California Adventure® Park. The centerpiece of this spectacular festival is Disney ¡Viva Navidad!, a lively street party featuring Mexican folklóric performers, Brazilian samba dancers and Disney Characters. And guests can also cruise over to Cars Land, where Mater’s Jingle Jamboree and Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl put the holiday cheer in overdrive!

Of course, what would the holidays be without the timeless seasonal favorites in Disneyland Park? From the shimmering Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle and the twinkling “it’s a small world” holiday to “A Christmas Fantasy” Parade, and Haunted Mansion Holiday there’s so much for guests to enjoy. And be sure they don’t miss the dazzling “Believe…in Holiday Magic” fireworks spectacular, complete with its heartwarming “snowfall” finale.

So, whatever says “the holidays are here” to guests — the taste of a freshly made candy cane from the shop on Main Street, U.S.A., the warmth of a hot cocoa as they watch the parade go by, or the laughter as they gather with friends and family for a photo in front of the towering tree on Buena Vista Street — they can get ready to experience it again. Because this is where the holidays begin…and the magic never ends.

At Disney California Adventure® Park, Festival of Holidays will bring a new take on delicious holiday comfort food. All-new cultural favorites are coming to the Festive Foods Marketplaces, including Beef Corn Tamale a la Plancha with Spicy Rojo Sauce, Braised Lamb Cheeks with Mediterranean Cauliflower, Sweet Potato Pie and Fruit and Nut Rugelach.

In Cars Land, Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters will transform into Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl, and Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree will become Mater’s Jingle Jamboree, both featuring new holiday tunes for the season.

All of this is, of course, is in addition to the return of Disney ¡Viva Navidad! and “World of Color – Season of Light” at Disney California Adventure Park. At Disneyland Park, Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle, “Believe…in Holiday Magic” fireworks, “A Christmas Fantasy” parade, “it’s a small world” Holiday and Haunted Mansion Holiday will delight guests throughout the season.