8 Festive Must-Dos: A Family Guide to Disneyland’s Holiday Magic

If you’re a Disney fan, the holidays don’t really start until you’re standing on Main Street under the giant Christmas tree, Starbucks in hand, waiting for the “Believe in Holiday Magic” fireworks show to start. Visiting Disneyland at Christmastime has been a tradition in our family, ever since we spent our first holiday together in the parks as a new couple. Today, we have a four-year-old son and taking him to Disneyland during this magical season is an important part of how we celebrate. 

As a mom, I’ve enjoyed exploring the park with a different lens as I seek out opportunities to make magic for my little guy. Seeing the holidays through a child’s eyes has reignited my love for Disneyland during this season. Today I’ll be sharing 8 things we do every holiday season in the parks with our son, and why you might enjoy them too!

Ride “It’s a Small World” with its Holiday Overlay

The holidays officially start at Disneyland when Small World re-opens with its seasonal overlay. Take a ride inside to see how other parts of the world celebrate the season. The line for this ride does get long during the holidays, so consider riding early in the day, or purchase Genie+ if this ride is a must on your holiday list. 

In the evening, grab a cup of hot cocoa and enjoy the 50,000 tiny lights decorating the façade of the attraction, and the additional 350,000 lights adorning the surrounding area. Small World has a special Holiday Lighting ceremony at 5:15 PM each evening that’s sure to dazzle your little ones. Right outside Small World is also a magical place to watch the fireworks, as you will still experience both the projections and snow in this area.

Experience Snow on Main Street

Have a little one who can’t make it to the late night fireworks? While the “Believe in Holiday Magic” Fireworks are indeed magical, you can experience a little taste of the enchantment earlier in the evening. At 7:30 and 8:30 PM each evening, Sleeping Beauty Castle will light up along with special music and projections all down Main Street, ending a flurry of snow. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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You can also catch a modified version of The Wintertime Enchantment show near It’s a Small World, though we prefer the immersive experience on Main Street. The fireworks got canceled due to wind on our last trip, but our son wasn’t even disappointed because he had thoroughly enjoyed the snow and lights earlier in the evening. 

Check Out Cars Land Decked Out for Christmas

Don’t miss out on the clever and engaging holiday decorations in Cars Land. The whole land has a holiday overlay, with special changes on two of the attractions to spread some extra cheer. Both Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree and Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roasters swap out their traditional tunes with Christmas music during the holiday season.

This year, they have one of our favorite holiday treats at the Cozy Cone Motel: a mint soft serve ice cream cone with sprinkles, shaped to look like a Christmas tree! It’s delicious and festive. 

Visit with Santa

The best kept secret about Santa is that Disney Santa is better than Mall Santa. We take our family Santa photos at Disney every year because the experience is one you can’t find anywhere else. Santa spends time with each guest, getting to know your child. By the time the photos happen, our son is always happy and smiling because Santa has been so lovely with him. 

If you plan on visiting Santa, make sure to purchase a PhotoPass so you can take advantage of the fantastic photos the Disney photographer will snap for you. We got both good candids and posed photos from the experience. It’s still cheaper than a Mall Santa photo package. 

Our favorite place to meet Santa is at Redwood Creek Challenge Trail for the most immersive experience, but you can also find him in Critter Country in Disneyland. If you’re visiting the resort hotels, Santa also visits the lobby at the Grand Californian Hotel and Disneyland Hotel.

Sample Food at the Festival of the Holidays

We love tackling the Festival of the Holidays as a family because it’s a fun way to expose kids to new festive foods in small portions. With the delicious Mad Santa Macaron and two different types of mac and cheese on this year’s menu, there were plenty of items our four-year-old loved. He also enjoyed the Impossible Chorizo Queso Fundido – who doesn’t love chips and cheese dip?! And the Cherry Mango Punch is a tasty drink for kids to enjoy while mom and dad sample the Churro Ale or Hot Buttered Rum.

Stop by Main Street for the Nightly Tree Lighting

When we visit Disneyland for the holidays, we like to make sure we’re standing on Main Street at 5:00 PM for the nightly tree lighting. It’s a short but magical moment sure to put you in the holiday spirit.

We like taking our family photos under the tree each year and including a snapshot in our annual Christmas card. Both the tree on Main Street in Disneyland, and the tree on Buena Vista Street in DCA are a great family photo spot.

Make a Craft Together

As part of the Festival of the Holiday’s in DCA, Disney offers free crafts for kids. You can find the craft tables located in Hollywood Land near the stage and, sporadically, in Downtown Disney. This year’s crafts offer an opportunity to explore how different cultures celebrate the holidays with crafts for Hanukkah, Christmas, Diwali, Kwanzaa, and Navidad. 

Tour the Resort Hotels

The holidays at Disneyland aren’t limited to just the parks. If you have extra time during your next trip, make sure to head over to the resort hotels. The Grand Californian Hotel Lobby is stunning with a giant tree right in the center of the room. Each year, the GCH lobby boasts a huge, homemade Gingerbread House. This year you can find a candy Chip and Dale hanging out in front of the house which we found to be a fun nod to the Chip and Dale décor in the rooms at the resort. 

Head over to GCH’s Great Hall Cart for seasonal drinks, treats, and cookies. You can snag one of the sought after Mickey Gingerbread cookies in the lobby well after they sell out in the parks each day. They are just as delicious as the rumors say.

The Disneyland Hotel is also decked out for the holiday season. Depending on the time of day, you might catch live carolers or even Santa. We love sitting in the lobby, listening to the carolers and enjoying a final dose of holiday cheer on our way out of the parks.

What is your Disneyland family tradition during the holidays? Are there any new traditions you’ve made in the parks since becoming a parent? Disneyland does such a great job at making holiday magic, but we’ve found that the real magic is sharing the season with the people you love. Whether you’re a die-hard fireworks fan, or prefer to sip and snack your way through the Festival of the Holidays, what’s most important is the people doing it with you.