WDW Daily News

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.