DISNEYLAND UPDATE: Wet Weather, Holiday Lights & Leadership Fights

The holidays officially launched at the Disneyland Resort on Friday… and, as a fitting omen for where Disney finds itself right now, it literally rained on the parade. The big debut of Christmas at the parks came wrapped in gray skies, slick sidewalks, and a full shutdown of most of the entertainment.

But if you’re willing to trade comfort for atmosphere, it was gorgeous. We slogged through the puddles, watched holiday lights ripple across the wet pavement, and enjoyed that rare combination of low(ish) crowds and high drama in the sky. Not quite the postcard Disney marketing had in mind, but visually, it was a win.

And that messy little contrast feels about right for the company as a whole this week. On the ground, there’s plenty of cheer: new holiday food, a refreshed Storybook Land scene, surprise entertainment tweaks, a nearly empty refurbishment calendar (for now), and construction projects quietly reshaping the resort. But higher up the chain, Disney’s latest earnings report and looming leadership questions are casting some longer shadows over 2026 and beyond… which brings us to our first topic…

Holiday Humbugs

Disney’s latest earnings report landed with a soft thud — not a disaster, but not exactly fireworks either. The company beat profit expectations, thanks largely to its “Experiences” division (read: Parks, Cruise Line, and travel), which continues to do the heavy lifting. That segment posted solid growth and remains the one part of the company investors can count on to behave.

Elsewhere, things get murkier. Revenue overall came in lighter than Wall Street hoped, with Disney’s traditional TV business continuing its slow, inevitable fade and the film slate not doing much to help. Streaming is improving, but still isn’t the financial powerhouse Disney needs it to be heading into 2026.

For theme parks specifically, the outlook remains relatively strong. Domestic travel demand has softened a bit, but not enough to drag down results — and international parks are still performing well. Tourism for 2026 isn’t expected to crater, but Disney also isn’t projecting any sudden boom that will solve all its problems.

In short: If the parks weren’t propping up the company, this earnings call would’ve been a much tougher listen.

And looming over all of this is the elephant in the room: Bob Iger’s exit. Disney’s numbers may be mixed, but the bigger question is who takes over — and whether anyone inside the company is actually prepared for a job that now feels like two roles stitched together. There’s no clear successor with credibility on both sides of the business: entertainment and parks.

If a parks leader like Josh D’Amaro ends up in the top seat, that could deepen the company’s problems on the already-struggling film and TV side. But if a studio executive were to take over the parks, investors might wonder why Disney would risk the one division that’s actually growing. It’s the central tension: Disney is essentially two very different companies welded together out of legacy and habit.

That’s why you’re now hearing (quiet) speculation about more radical options — a dual-CEO model, a formal split of the businesses, or even spinning off or selling the studio side to a major partner. After the Chapek era imploded, it’s clear Disney can’t afford another misstep. And with no obvious heir apparent, the pressure is building.

Josh D’Amaro is widely seen as the likely choice if Disney sticks with a single CEO… but there’s still plenty of time for palace intrigue. Iger has been a strong CEO for Disney, but succession has been his Achilles’ heel, and it now sets the stage for another dramatic upheaval in the months ahead.

Hang on tight… It’s shaping up to be another (very) bumpy ride.

Holiday Happenings 

We’ve been writing about it for months, but the holidays are finally here. A Christmas Fantasy Parade, Believe in Holiday Magic fireworks, Festival of Holidays, seasonal attraction overlays, festive decor… and food… glorious holiday food… have once again taken over the resort.

Festival of Holidays

The Festival of Holidays is officially underway at California Adventure , and while there are certainly fewer festival items than in the past (just 6 booths this year compared to 14 in 2016), we still found a few new and returning favorites. 

We’re happy to report that one of our favorite bites from last year is back at the Favorite Things Festival Marketplace, the Mickey-Shaped Sticky Toffee Pudding Macaron filled with vanilla buttercream, date cake, and salted toffee sauce.

We also tried Favorite Things’ Braised Pork Belly Adobo with garlic rice. It’s a very good thing indeed. 

At Grandma’s Recipes, we sampled the Cookie Dough Yule Log filled with chocolate chip cookie dough and white chocolate mousse covered with chocolate buttercream and the Barbacoa Tamal de Res with Oaxaca cheese, tomatillo salsa, and crema. We can recommend both of them. 

While not available on the Sip & Savor Pass, we also tried the new Tacos Dorados de Camarón at Paradise Garden Grill (two shrimp tacos topped with zesty slaw, salsa roja, and salsa macha, served with Spanish rice and refried beans).

We really loved this dish (and will definitely order it again), but we were warned by a Cast Member that it’s pretty spicy, so we asked them to skip the salsa macha.

Disneyland Holiday Reading

• Your Guide to Disneyland Holiday Time 2025 – Food, Entertainment, Merch & More
• Disneyland Holiday Menus 2025
• Disneyland’s Famous Candy Canes Are Back for 2025: How To Nab One!
• The Holidays are Here at Disneyland – And so is the Merchandise!

Rain Day Washout or Magic?

It depends on your point of view. While nearly all of the entertainment was canceled on Friday, there was still some rainy day magic. Plus, wet weather generally means lower crowds. So, even if you see rain clouds on the forecast this holiday season, you might still want to stick it out. 

Disney also puts the characters on Main Street vehicles for a quick cavalcade instead of a parade. And while it only lasts about a minute, it’s a chance for you and the kiddos to see the characters without having to get soaked for very long.

And then there are the views. The gorgeous, gorgeous views. The rain-soaked pathways become a mirror that reflects the holiday lights. There is no other season that is more beautiful in the rain than the holidays.

We even spotted a rainbow over Downtown Disney!

Tangled Debuts

Rapunzel’s Tower from “Tangled” has been added to the Storybook Land skyline. Last Friday, the new addition debuted with the reopening of Storybook Land Canal Boats and Casey Jr. Circus Train.

As guests pass by the tower during the day, they’ll hear “When Will My Life Begin?” When they ride at night, they’ll hear “I See the Light” from the movie’s beloved lantern festival scene. The song switches at dusk when the attraction’s lights go on, so it will vary depending on the time of year (we rode at 4:30 p.m. on Friday and heard the nighttime song).

Be sure to keep a keen eye out for the row of tiny Flynn Rider wanted posters along the top of the wall after you pass the tower… we’re serious, they’re really tiny (you can spot one of them at the very end of our video below).

It’s a cute little addition to a classic Disneyland ride. 

Which movie would you like to see added to Storybook Land next? 

Constructionland

Aside from the launch of the holiday season, the biggest news is the relative lack of projects happening at the resort. Yes, Downtown Disney is still in a state of renewal, and Avengers Campus is expanding quickly, but refurbishments have completely dried up for the first time in years, and the highly anticipated construction for the upcoming Avatar Land and Coco attractions has yet to even break ground. Come January, all of that will change as multiple projects will suddenly burst onto the scene… so enjoy this rare moment when almost every ride is open… weather permitting. 

There is a bit of news coming out of Downtown Disney. After many extensions, The Earl of Sandwich has finally closed at the east end of the district to make way for a new Porto’s cafe in that spot. 

But don’t worry holiday turkey sandwich fans, the Earl is still operating out of a temporary trailer at the other end of the district as construction lingers on for the new two-story building that will house Earl of Sandwich and Gordon Ramsay’s Carnaby Tavern.

Construction is also still ongoing for the new lululemon store coming to the former ESPN zone.

And the Lego Store also remains open while exterior construction continues. 

Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar 

No, you’re not seeing things. There are currently no projects on Disneyland’s refurbishment calendar (and only a short Indiana Jones refurb scheduled for next month). We expect the calendar to be quiet for the next couple of weeks, but what’s noteworthy is that this is the first time since COVID that Disneyland has nothing under refurbishment.

Upcoming Refurbishment(s)

• Indiana Jones Adventure: December 1 – 3

This & That

There’s a bit more for you… read on dear friends…

Disneyland Live

Dusty, Suzanne and friends head to Disneyland just as the holiday season is about to launch. They start their visit with fistfuls of Festival of Holidays food before making their way to Disneyland. You won’t want to miss this one…

Opera House Change Up

Missing good ol’ honest Abe at the Opera House? You might get a surprise. When the new Walt animatronic runs into technical hiccups—as it has over the last few days—Disneyland has been quietly rotating the stage to bring back Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.

Eventually, Walt and Lincoln will officially alternate throughout the day. But during the remainder of the 70th celebration, Walt is supposed to be the star. Still, you may catch Abe stepping in here and there when Walt needs a little extra time to collect himself.

Zootopia 2

Officer Clawhauser of the Zootopia Police Department is making his debut at California Adventure starting November 24th. Clawhauser, along with Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde (sporting their new looks from “Zootopia 2”) will meet guests near Stage 17 in Hollywood Land. 

Another “Zootopia 2” experience that started last Friday, Nov. 14, is the addition of the movie’s new character Gary De’Snake (voiced in the movie by Ke Huy Quan), to the lineup for the “How to Draw” lessons at Animation Academy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Happy Life Day!

The Wookiee holiday, Life Day, is today, November 17, and Chewbacca is celebrating in Galaxy’s Edge with evening appearances wearing the traditional red robe and carrying a glowing Life Day orb.

There are also Life Day menu items across Galaxy’s Edge:

Milk Stand:

• Wookiee Ookiees – Pecan chocolate shortbread and salted caramel
• Blue Milk with Golden Lichen Paddy Frog Eggs – Blue Milk with strawberry puree and golden lychee popping spheres (Non-alcoholic)

Kat Saka’s Kettle:

• Kerkoiden Cold Hot Chocolate – Cold hot-white chocolate, Mexican chocolate spice mix, and strawberry crumble (Non-alcoholic)
• Life Day Cheese Branch with Kat Saka’s Sauce: Croissant dough mixed with cream cheese, parmesan, cheddar, and spicy alfredo dipping sauce

Oga’s Cantina:

• Joh Blastoh Sangria Gocola – Red wine, apple vodka, apple cider, orange-pineapple juice, and cinnamon, falernum, pomegranate syrups rimmed with a blend of cinnamon sugar, spiced nutmeg, and ground cloves topped with star anise and an apple chip
• Millaflower Toast – Cinnamon-swirl toast, whipped ricotta cream, cheesecake frosting, strawberries, lychee pearls, chocolate crumble, and matcha powder

Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo:

• Felucian Kefta Garden Spread – Impossible Meatballs, Roasted Butternut Squash Purée, Tzatziki, Toasted Sage, Pita Chips
• Endorian Roasted Chicken Salad – Marinated chicken, mixed greens, roasted seasonal vegetables, pumpkin seeds, and green curry ranch
• Kublag Curry – Herb rice, curry-spiced shrimp, creamy chicken curry, cilantro, and feta crumbles
• Kashyyyk Cake – Brownie base, raspberry sauce, tiramisu, and dark chocolate mousse

We spotted some Life Day merch last week in Downtown Disney.

Check out our guide for more “theme park holidays” you’ll want to put on your calendar in 2026:

Let’s Talk About Fake Theme Park Holidays

Toy Story 30th

The Pixar Place Hotel is celebrating the 30th anniversary of Toy Story with a special Art of Pixar Galley.

There’s also a special Toy Story-themed confection on display commissioned by Great Maple restaurant and created by Chef Nicolas Forte, who graduated with honors from the French Pastry School.

Fun Fact: The culinary showpiece was made with approximately 70 pounds of premium chocolate manufactured in Tain-l’Hermitage, France.

MiceShots

The first day of the holiday season may have been a washout for entertainment… but it was a masterpiece for lovely images of the parks. 

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