Smart Mouse Travel

Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Tour Review

Disneyland has an amazing array of activities to celebrate the holiday season. A Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort tour is a great introduction to special details and unique holiday offerings at Disneyland. Experience lots of holiday fun plus guaranteed A Christmas Fantasy parade viewing and “it’s a small world” Holiday access on the 2023 tour.

  • What is Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Tour?
  • Full Holiday Tour Review
  • Tips for Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Tour
  • Booking a tour
  • Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Tour Cost

Check here for more information about Disneyland at the holidays.

What is Holiday Time At The Disneyland Resort Tour?

Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort lanyard with a plaid border and center gingerbread man helps tour guides keep track of the group

Holiday Time At The Disneyland Resort is a popular guided walking tour available seasonally. This 2½-hour group tour takes you to both Disney California Adventure and Disneyland Park to learn how Disneyland celebrates the holiday season. 

The 2023 Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Tour also includes a ride on “it’s a small world” Holiday plus reserved viewing for A Christmas Fantasy Parade.

Expect two treats and a souvenir mug of cocoa during the tour. The last souvenir is a gorgeous, unique pin/ornament which is a wonderful keepsake.

Full Holiday Time At The Disneyland Resort Tour Review

Tour check-in procedure.

A special Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort tour lanyard is held in front of the entrance to Tour Gardens at Disneyland

Arrive at check in about 20 minutes prior to your tour start time and check in at Tour Gardens.

When entering Disneyland Park go through the left side opening under the train tracks. Tour Gardens is a small white building located just past the tunnel immediately on the left.

While checking in for your tour, guests are asked about food allergies. If someone in the group has allergies you’ll be offered vouchers for replacement treats. Use these vouchers to find allergy friendly treats before or after your tour.

Find out more about dealing with food allergies at Disneyland here.

Holiday Time At The Disneyland Resort Tour Agenda

Each year the tour has a slightly different mix of information and tour stops. However, this review should give a good idea of what to expect on the 2023 tour.

Before Starting The Tour

A few minutes before the scheduled tour start time, guides began passing out headsets to everyone in the group. These headsets provide a great experience since the parks are loud and there are usually 20 guests per tour.

After everyone has their headsets, it is time to start. The tour begins in Disney California Adventure and the whole group walks across with a tour guide in the lead. At California Adventure cast members open a side gate allowing quick entry instead of waiting in the regular line.

Disney California Adventure

A Disneyland tour guide leads a group from Disney California Adventure to Disneyland

The 2022 Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort spent a lot less time in California Adventure than our previous experience. Once inside Disney California Adventure, our guide showed us special details around Buena Vista Street.

Our guide discussed why the Buena Vista decorations are special. It’s because the decor is representative of what Walt would have experienced in the LA area during the 1920’s and 1930’s.

From here we moved up Buena Vista Street to admire the signature Christmas tree near Carthay Circle. Learn about the significance of the tree’s decor before heading to Trolley Treats where everyone is given a chocolate cake pop.

Next is a quick stop at Julius Katz storefront window. This window ties in with the guide’s brief explanation of Hanukkah history and traditions before returning to Disneyland.

Disneyland Park

Main street.

A beautifully decorated Disneyland Christmas tree soars above Main Street USA

Upon returning to Disneyland our first stop is Walt’s apartment above the Disneyland Fire Department. Walt and his family used this apartment as a home away from home whenever they were in town. 

Walt was a huge fan of Christmas and cast members honor his memory with a Christmas tree. This tree stays lit in the apartment window all day and night throughout the season. 

A recording of Walt sharing a special Christmas memory is then played through the headsets. Disney fans will immediately recognize this special memory is commemorated in a classic Disney film.

Next, the focus shifts to the massive 60-foot (20-meter) Christmas tree and decor located throughout Main Street. The tree uses smaller ornaments at the top for forced perspective. This trick of smaller ornaments up high makes the tree seem even taller than its already impressive height.

The Disneyland tree is such an iconic part of Disneyland that the area is called Christmas Tree Point year round. This is true even when the iconic Mickey pumpkins reside there.

A short walk up Main Street leads to Plaza Point which is a new seasonal store at Disneyland. Here guides discuss history and traditions of both Diwali and Kwanzaa before heading to Adventureland.

Adventureland

From Main Street walk to an area near Jungle Cruise. Although the Jungle Cruise Christmas overlay is now only at Disney World , hints of jungle Christmas decor remain. A jungle inspired Christmas tree made of palm fronds and adorned with banana garland suit the Jungle Cruise atmosphere perfectly.  

At this point guides allow a “comfort break”. Use this short time to grab a drink, quick snack, or use the restroom before resuming the tour.

New Orleans Square

An angel serenely stands on a balcony adorned with greenery and gold embellishments in New Orleans Square

Learn about the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay, but return on your own to ride. Haunted Mansion Holiday is not included on the tour.

Admire New Orleans Square decorations and hear the tale of Papa Noel, the Cajun version of Santa Claus.

From New Orleans Square, walk as a group past Frontier Land before stopping at a small rest area. Hear a recording of Panchito sharing Los Posadas traditions before continuing to Fantasyland.

“it’s a small world” Holiday

it's a small world Holiday is completely transformed with holiday decorations and twinkling lights

Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort tour guests use the Lightning Lane entrance for this iconic holiday ride. Culturally appropriate holiday outfits, thousands of twinkling lights, and fully decorated trees make “it’s a small world” Holiday an essential Disneyland holiday experience.

A Christmas Fantasy Parade Reserved Viewing

Minnie holds a letter for Santa on A Christmas Fantasy Parade float

Rejoin your guide after exiting it’s a small World Holiday. Guides then lead the tour group all the way back to Main Street for A Christmas Fantasy parade reserved viewing. 

Upon arrival get gingerbread loaf and hot chocolate in a souvenir mug to snack on while you wait. Also get my favorite item, a Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort pin which is also an ornament.

Although the viewing area is now standing room instead of seated, the location is ideal. Views of the castle along Main Street make the Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort spot a great place to watch the parade. This is especially true if you are one of the first groups along the front. 

Tips For Holiday Time At The Disneyland Resort Tour

A Christmas tree in Walt's private apartment above Disneyland Fire Department stays lit all day and night for the season

Bring Your Own Headphones

Based on our previous experience, I packed comfortable, but basic wired earbuds for my daughter in my park bag . These earbuds plugged right into the receiver and fit her better than the ones provided.

Those without their own wired headphones are provided an earpiece that sits over one ear. Although a bit awkward at first they work fine for most guests.

Pack Snacks For Those With An Uncommon Food Allergy

If someone in your family has a food allergy, buy snacks before the tour starts. Cast members provide food to attendees very quickly during the tour. 

I used vouchers to pre-purchase items and was glad I did. Treat stops are so fast there isn’t time to buy allergy-safe snacks on the tour.

Have Space In Your Park Bag Or A Locker For Items You Receive

A souvenir mug filled with hot chocolate and a special edition pin ornament are wonderful keepsakes from Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort tour

Although the treats, souvenir mugs, and pins are a wonderful part of Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort tours, they can be cumbersome once you are done. 

Have extra space in a bag, rent a locker, or plan on running the items back to your hotel.

Wear Good Walking Shoes

The Holiday Time tour requires considerable walking and standing so comfortable shoes are a must.

Buy A Park Ticket and Book Theme Park Reservations

Admission to Disneyland is not included in the 2023 Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Tour price. Guests must have a valid theme park admission AND make theme park reservations to attend the tour. 

I accidentally booked our tour, which started at 1:20pm at Disneyland, on our Disney California Adventure park day. Thankfully our park hopper tickets allowed us access to Disneyland at 1pm.

Unfortunately I didn’t realize how long the park hopper entrance lines would be. Arriving on time for our tour was tighter than I expected. 

Pro Tip: Make Disneyland park reservations for your Holiday Time at Disneyland Resort tour day to avoid any issues entering the park.

Book The Tour Early In Your Disneyland Vacation

If possible, take your Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort tour early in your vacation. This gives you the best chance to get an overview of the special decorations and activities, plus time to explore on your own later.

How Do I Book A Holiday Time At The Disneyland Resort Tour?

Book tours 60 days in advance via the Disneyland website for the best chance of taking this popular tour.

How Much Does The Holiday Time At The Disneyland Resort Tour Cost?

During the 2023 season, a Holiday Time At The Disneyland Resort Tour costs $110 per person for those age 3 years and older. Please note you must also have a valid park ticket and theme park reservation to take the tour.

Final Thoughts On Holiday Time At The Disneyland Resort Tour

The Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort tour remains a great way enjoy Disneyland seasonal decor while learning about different holiday traditions. 

Premium access during a 2023 Holiday Time Disneyland Resort guided tour is a huge time and hassle saver. Skipping the “it’s a small world” Holiday queue and having reserved viewing for A Christmas Fantasy Parade is a relief especially on crowded days.

While the tour is open to all ages, some young children might not enjoy the history aspect of the tour. Smaller kids in our group got antsy while the guide was talking. You know your child best so carefully consider before booking your own Holiday Time At The Disneyland Resort Tour.

We always enjoy our Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort guided tours and will likely keep this Disneyland tradition. The tour changes some each year which means there’s usually something new to learn or experience. 

Pin it for later:

A Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort tour provides a look at Disneyland holiday decor plus reserved viewing of A Christmas Fantasy Parade

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DIS Disney Discussion Forums - DISboards.com

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disneyland holiday tour review 2022

  • Disneyland (California)

My Thoughts on the Holiday Time at Disneyland Tour

  • Thread starter WebmasterMaryJo
  • Start date Dec 3, 2022

WebmasterMaryJo

WebmasterMaryJo

  • Dec 3, 2022

Discover the Merriest Place on Earth ​

There’s more to celebrate ​.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

disneyland_is_magic

Dis veteran.

Well I imagine the company helped, you and Michael are both magical people and it really helps, I imagine 2 + 2 = 8 when it comes to Disney magic.  

D2Pugs

Forever Missing Captain EO

Happy to hear you and Michael enjoyed your trip to Disneyland . Also glad they made some improvements to the tour.  

ajrwdwgirl

Here we gooooo...

Thank you, Mary Jo!! It's so nice to hear good things and now I wish I'd booked the tour!  

Earning My Ears

  • Dec 4, 2022

If you could only do one, would you pick the Holiday Tour or Walts Tour? We are trying to decide!  

1dorseer said: If you could only do one, would you pick the Holiday Tour or Walts Tour? We are trying to decide! Click to expand...

Pluto468

Thanks for the report, it sounds like a wonderful tour. I hope to do one of the tours sometime.  

Mouseketeer

  • Dec 5, 2022
WebmasterMaryJo said: Our tour was on Friday, 2 Dec, at 1:20pm. There were 16 in our group. We had the same tour guide on this tour as the one I had with the Walt's Main Street Story tour, so I was really interested in how she delivered on this experience in comparison. The tour is just as advertised, except that instead of 2.5 hours, it was 2 hours, unless they count the parade as part of the 2.5 hours. Even at that, I really enjoyed it. Click to expand...
  • Dec 6, 2022
onatrek said: I'm not sure if it was our guide or just having start the earliest of those three tours during that block, but we were also the very last ones to the parade viewing spot, by what seemed like a lot - as most people had finished at least their cocoa if not also their treat (more than a bite or two thing). It may be worth booking the earliest of the tour slots since they all have a 'hard' finishing time in order for the groups to get to the parade viewing area it naturally gives the possibility for a longer tour time. Click to expand...
WebmasterMaryJo said: This is such a good tip. I'll remember it for future. Another piece of news that we were told. We asked about the Horticulture tour and they said that they are bringing it back. So, looking forward to it. Click to expand...

SOCALMouseMommy

SOCALMouseMommy

  • Dec 8, 2022

Rich M

Going on this tour on Dec 14th. After reading some bad reviews on other posts I am glad to see some positives. I have been to Disneyland over 100 times and have never done a tour. I am excited to experience this one as I am now trying to find other fun things to do besides the rides as I am getting older. Thank you for taking the time out to review this and giving me hope and not making me want to cancel.  

PaladinButters

PaladinButters

Still wants the redhead.

  • Dec 9, 2022

TinkAgainU

Trust In The Pixie Dust

Did they have a "reason" for no longer having chairs for the parade viewing? That might actually be our deciding factor for cancelling our Tour. At $110 per person it's double what they used to cost... [Update: We did cancel our tour - having somewhere to sit was the tipping point more than the price.] But sometimes with Disney the best way to have your opinion heard is by using (or not using) our credit cards.  

disney-inspired

disney-inspired

Disney on the brain 24/7/365.

WebmasterMaryJo said: When we went to Fantasyland we all boarded it's a Small World, and I thoroughly enjoyed the attraction. Disneyland really does a lovely job with it's a Small World, and every time I seem to find something new in the decor. After the attraction we made our way to the restrooms by Alice in Wonderland - by the Chesire Cat, and that is where our parade viewing was. Michael live-streamed Small World and the Christmas Parade , if anyone wants to watch. Although they no longer offer seats we still enjoyed our viewing location. One thing we noticed was that since there is only one viewing side all of the characters interacted with the crowd on our side, so this was much better than being in Town Square surrounded by people on both sides of the parade route. We were also given hot cocoa and a treat (not a rice krispy treat) to enjoy while watching the parade. Final thoughts. I'm really glad that I took this tour, and watching the parade really put me in the Christmas spirit. We got some treats and gifts that I wasn't expecting due to the lack of gifts on the Main Street Story tour. I went back to City Hall to leave my positive comments, and the cast member told me that 5 people had left positive comments about the tour. Also, I purposely left out details and what we got so that if anyone else wants to take the tour that it's not spoiled. After the tour we went on Haunted Mansion Nightmare Before Christmas. I didn't see the Monkey Bride in the attic although I know it's there, and I heard that there is one in the ballroom this year. The gingerbread house was great, as always. Final thoughts on the day in general. I wasn't really looking forward to going and am so glad I did. Disneyland at this time of year is just beautiful (even with the bit of rain we experienced), and I thoroughly enjoyed the day, and feeling the Christmas/holiday spirit. It was definitely a good day. View attachment 722931 ​ Click to expand...

Chickinvic

  • Dec 12, 2022
disney-inspired said: I went on IASW on Sunday and I was pleasantly surprised by the fragrances they have in there now - balsam and then peppermint. I don't recall those being used before but loved how they added to the holiday overlay. Click to expand...

pharmama

There have been scents on IASW holiday in the past for sure. Usually there is gingerbread at one point too.  

deejdigsdis

deejdigsdis

Chickinvic said: ? There were no scents when we were there (mid November). Click to expand...
  • Dec 13, 2022

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Disneyland Guided Tours: Front of the Line Access, Behind the Scenes at Disney

Disneyland Guided Tours

Selecting a Disneyland Tour is a popular choice for many guests looking to learn more about the fine details and history of the parks. In this guide, we provide an overview of every tour offered at the Disneyland Resort along with pricing, benefits, and more.

Many of the Disneyland tours include special keepsakes like pins and front of the line ride access to at least one attraction. Some of the tours are seasonal while others are offered year round.

We have experienced nearly all of the Disneyland Tours are cover everything you need to know about these tours in our guide including pricing, possible discounts, and our reviews of these experiences.

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Buying tickets from Get Away Today is easy and convenient since all their tickets are sent electronically. You can take their vouchers and head straight to the gate without needing to wait in any ticket booth lines. They also offer layaway plans so you can pay off your vacation over time.

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Disneyland Railroad Guided Tour

If you are a train enthusiast like Walt was, then The Disneyland Railroad Guided Tour  is a must-experience tour for you! On this Disneyland tour, you will hear memorable stories about Walt’s love of trains and how this love inspired many aspects of his films and the Disneyland Resort.

Disneyland Railroad Guided Tour  Tour Times and Pricing

This tour returns on May 11th with booking opening up on April 30th!

  • Age Interest: All ages
  • Tour Length: 2 hours
  • Tour Times: Check Disney’s website for up-to-date tour times.

Benefits of Taking Disneyland Railroad Guided Tour

  • Climb aboard the Disneyland Railroad’s parlor car – The Lilly Belle – and ride the rails around Disneyland. This unique experience is not available to Park guests!
  • See the Disneyland Park Roundhouse and learn more about the Imagineers that look after the Disneyland Monorail and trains.
  • Enjoy a beverage and a specially-themed donut before you chug your way through this tour.
  • Receive a tour-specific collectible, such as a copy of the Disneyland Railroad map and a credential.
  • Receive a collectible pin.

Cultivating the Magic Disneyland Tour

During the Cultivating the Magic Guided Tour guests can learn more about how the plants and flowers play an essential part of the storytelling at Disneyland. The tour includes trips to the flower beds in Town Square, the hub in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle, Tomorrowland, the exotic foliage on the Jungle Cruise, and more.

The tour includes front of the line access to the Jungle Cruise as the tour guide explains the significance the plants and flowers have while guests ride this classic attraction.

Cultivating the Magic Times and Pricing

Benefits of taking cultivating the magic  tour.

  • Front of the line access to the Jungle Cruise
  • Learn the history of the significance of plants and flowers at Disneyland.

“Walt's Main Street Story” Tour

Have you ever wondered what inspired Walt Disney to create what is now the go-to vacation hot spot in the world? In the “Walt's Main Street Story Tour” , you’ll hear classic stories of what inspired Walt to create a place for both the young and young-at-heart and hear some of the challenges he encounter along the way to building his dream. The tour features the history and details of Main Street U.SA. The highlight of the tour is a visit to Walt Disney's private apartment in the Disneyland Firehouse and refreshments on the patio.

“Walt's Main Street Story Tour” Times and Pricing

  • Cost: $160 per person (this cost does not include admission tickets nor tax!)
  • Tour Length: 90 minutes
  • Tour Times: The tour is currently listed as taking place from 9AM to noon or noon to 2PM (check Disney’s website for up-to-date tour times and to book)

Benefits of Taking the “Walt's Main Street Story Tour” Tour

  • Get a behind the scenes look at Walt’s apartment above the Firehouse on Main Street U.S.A.'
  • Refreshments on the Walt's apartment patio
  • Disney PhotoPass photo of your party
  • And more – In the past, guests have also received a commemorative pin

Disney’s Happiest Haunts Tour

Get ready to have a frighteningly good time with Disney’s Happiest Haunts Tour . Roam the Park where you will hear some spooky ghost stories that have occurred in Disneyland. This tour is returned in 2023 as part of the Halloween at Disneyland celebration . You can read our full review of Disney's Happiest Haunts Tour at Disneyland here .

Disney’s Happiest Haunts Tour Times and Pricing

  • The cost of this tour is $110 in addition to purchasing theme park admission. You can find out more information on the Disneyland Halloween Happiest Haunts Tour on the official website .
  • Age Interest: Tweens, Teens, Adults – Due to the spooky nature of this tour, guests 3 and over only.
  • Tour Times: TBA – Call for tour times or check Disney’s website .

Benefits of Taking Disney’s Happiest Haunts Tour

  • Expedited access to Pirates of the Caribbean
  • Enjoy a reserved viewing area for Halloween Screams, a nighttime spectacular
  • This is a new addition to the tour offering! We are curious to see where they pull guests in for this photo. Will it mean some kind of backstage access to the Haunted Mansion?
  • A Disney's Happiest Haunts Guided Tour Pin
  • A Halloween-themed treat

“Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort” Tour

See all that sparkles and shines on this holiday tour of both Parks! Hear how both Parks are transformed for the season and delight in listening to holiday traditions from around the world.

These tours return the first day of the Disneyland Christmas season .

“Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort” Tour Times and Pricing

  • Cost: $110 per person (this cost does not include admission tickets nor tax!)
  • Age Interest: Kids, Tweens, Teens, Adults
  • Tour Length: 2.5 hours
  • Tour Times: Check Disney’s website to book and for tour times.

Benefits of Taking the “Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort” Tour

  • Receive reserved seating for A Christmas Fantasy parade!
  • Receive a delicious treat on this tour. Treat could be a gingerbread man and hot cocoa or something new!
  • A ride on “it's a Small World Holiday”
  • And more – In the past guests have received a commemorative credential and pin

Disneyland Resort VIP Tours

VIP Tour guide talking to small girl ad smiling

Get to know the Disneyland Resort with your very own concierge! This ultimate Disneyland tour caters to you and your family’s every wish – giving you priority boarding to over 30 plus attractions, VIP seating at select parades and shows, easy access to character meet and greets, and more! Think this is outside your reach? Not necessarily! Here is how you can experience royalty at the Disneyland Resort with the Disneyland Resort VIP Tours .

Disneyland Resort VIP Tours Reservations and Pricing

  • As with all things Disney, reservations are strongly encouraged well in advance and are also required for this tour! Not surprisingly, tours book up fast! Reservations can be made by contacting Disney Special Activities at [email protected] or (714) 300-7710, Monday – Friday 8:00am – 6:00pm and Saturday – Sunday 8:30am – 5:00pm. Guests booking a tour must be 18 years of age or over.
  • Tours start at $4900 for a maximum of 10 guests. If there are more than 10 in your party, an additional Tour Guide is required, which is an additional cost. Yes, this sounds like a lot of money and it is; however, if you go with a group of family members who are willing to share the cost, this tour can be doable! Call to find out the exact cost for tours since prices are subject to additional fees.
  • Tours are customizable, but do require a minimum of 6 hours. Of course, longer tours equal more money. Tours are scheduled between 8:00am – 11pm.
  • Tips are not included, but highly recommended. Anywhere from $15-$20 per person makes for a good tip.

disney100 disneyland tour

Benefits of the Disneyland Resort VIP Tour

Yes, the price is super high to take a Disneyland Resort VIP Tour, however, the benefits are what make it so worth it. Here is what you get when you take this tour:

  • Customizable Day – The moment you book your Disneyland Resort VIP Tour, the magic begins with a call from a Tour Coordinator who will assist you in planning your prefect day, such as your start time, family specifics, and special celebrations. By no means is this a minute-by-minute set itinerary. This plan is flexible for any spur of the moment changes.
  • Priority Access to Attractions – This benefit alone is what makes the VIP tour worth the money! Get priority access to over 30 plus Disneyland Resort attractions! Have unlimited access to all Fastpass Attractions and 15 other attractions in both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park.
  • Priority Character Meet and Greets – Get priority access to meet and greet Mickey in his home in Toontown, available princesses in Fantasy Faire, and Anna and Elsa in Arrendale.
  • Reserved Seating – Get special VIP seating for select parades, shows, and fireworks!
  • Dining Reservations – Leave the dining reservations to your Tour Guide! Just tell him/her where you want to have breakfast, lunch, or dinner and your Tour Guide will try their best to accommodate your wishes.
  • Unlimited Disney PhotoPass – Capture your special day with unlimited Disney PhotoPass downloads for the day! This includes access to photos taken on select attractions and during select character dining experiences.
  • VIP Tips and Disney Stories – Your expert Tour Guide will share an earful of Disney insider tips and stories throughout your magical day!

  Remember:

  • Cancellation notice of 48 hours is required to avoid a cancellation fee equal to 2 hours at the booked rate per each VIP Tour Guide.
  • To check out a recent review of the Disneyland Resort VIP Tour, check out our personal review and guide here .

Disneyland Resort Tours Additional Information

  • Reservations can be made up to 30 days in advance. Same-day books are available for every tour (except the VIP tours) on a walk-up basis. Tours do sell out so it is a good idea to book ahead.
  • Please call (714) 781-TOUR or (714) 781-8687 to make reservations. Guests must be 18 years of age or over to book a tour.
  • Guests under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult (18 or older) during every tour for the entirety of tour.
  • Full payment is due at time of booking and is nonrefundable.
  • Tours in languages other than English may be available with advance notice.
  • Theme Park Admission tickets are needed to participate in all tours and are not included in the cost of any of the tours.
  • Same-day visits to one or both theme parks—Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park—requires separate admission to both parks.
  • Complimentary strollers, wheelchairs, and lockers offered to VIP Tour Guests (based on availability).
  • Plan to do a lot of walking on every tour since all tours are primarily outdoors. Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather.
  • Some tours are audio-enhanced and equipment is provided, but you may bring your own headphones. Call ahead of time to see if your tour is an audio-enhanced tour!
  • Tours are also subject to cancellation without notice due to, without limitation, attraction availability, inclement weather, or other conditions.
  • All offerings, services, and experiences are subject to availability, change, or cancellation without notice. Other restrictions may apply.
  • Some tours qualify for a 15% discount if you are a Disneyland Resort Annual Passholder or Disney Vacation Club Member. Also, Disney Rewards Visa card holders may be eligible for a 15% discount.

The Day Of Your Disneyland Tour Information

The day has finally arrived for your Disneyland Tour! What do you do now? Here is some helpful information to assist you so you’re prepared for your Disneyland tour!

  • Once in the Park, head to the Disneyland Tour Gardens kiosk (left of City Hall) for check-in.
  • Plan to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to the start of your Disneyland tour—late arrivals will not be accommodated.
  • Present your confirmation number (which you will be given when you book your tour with a Tour Specialist over the phone. Note your confirmation number because Disney does not send out confirmation emails) and photo ID at the tour kiosk. If you do not have your confirmation number, you may use your last name and the credit card number used to purchase the tickets.
  • After checking in, gather by the sign that says, “Guided Tour Guests—Please Meet Your Tour Guide Here.”

Plan Your Disneyland Vacation with a Specialized Disneyland Tour

Ready to book your Disneyland tour? First subscribe to our FREE Deals Newsletter . Our newsletter is full of helpful planning information, exclusive Disney deals, and access to the lowest priced Disney tickets anywhere. You can also find more information on planning your vacation here:

  • Disneyland Packages: Best Ways to Enjoy Your Disneyland Vacation
  • Flying to Disneyland – Which Airport to Fly into and How to Get to the Resort
  • Best Time to Visit Disneyland 2024
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disneyland holiday tour review 2022

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About Kim Schultz

Kim has her Bachelor's Degree in English Literature with a minor in Technical and Professional Writing from San Francisco State University. She received her editing certificate from University of Berkeley Extension and won numerous awards for fiction writing from the San Mateo County Fair Literary Stage.

One thing she loves most in life besides family and writing is Disneyland! Kim and her family are season pass holders and travel to Disneyland numerous times a year (between 10-15 times to be exact!).

For the holiday tour as it mentions both parks does that mean you must have a hopper ticket for that day? Or as it a tour & you’ll just be with the guide do they let you do the tour if you just have a 1 park pass for Disneyland that day? Thanks

It will be included in your tour!

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This Fairy Tale Life

Guided Tours at Disneyland (Updated for 2024!)

Close up of partners statue featuring Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse with Sleeping Beauty Castle in the background

If you’re looking to enhance your visit to Disneyland Resort, I highly recommend adding a Guided Tour to your visit!

A Disneyland Guided Tour is a great way to learn more about Disneyland, and even see some areas that are usually off limits to Guests.

Right now, Disneyland Resort is offering three tours: Walt’s Main Street Story Tour, Disneyland Railroad Guided Tour, and Cultivating the Magic. There are also seasonal tours – Happiest Haunts Guided Tour and Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort.

Keep reading to learn more about these tours at Disneyland including what you can expect on the tour, how to book your tour, and what they cost.

All About Guided Tours at Disneyland Resort in California

Table of Contents

Walt’s Main Street Story Tour

According to the Disneyland website, on this tour Guests will “Experience Main Street, USA through Walt’s eyes while uncovering the history and secrets of this iconic thoroughfare.”

This is a 90-minute tour led by dedicated tour guide. Guests will also learn how Main Street, USA ties into Walt’s hometown of Marceline, Missouri. The tour is offered daily at various times between 9am and 5pm.

The tour ends with a visit to Walt’s apartment over the Disneyland Fire Station in Town Square, including refreshments and photos on the apartment’s patio – which has never been open to Guests before now. Guests will also receive complimentary PhotoPass downloads taken during their tour.

The cost of the tour is $160 +tax per Guest ( prices are subject to change at any time ). Theme park entry and reservation are also required. For more information, visit the Disneyland website .

*Note the popular long-running tour “Walk in Walt’s Footsteps” is no longer being offered.

Disneyland Railroad Guided Tour

Anyone fascinated by trains will love this tour! This 2-hour tour will cover Walt Disney’s love for trains and offer guests a rare glimpse of the Disneyland Park Roundhouse, a backstage area where train vehicles receive maintenance.

Another special perk of the Disneyland Railroad Guided Tour is a ride on the Lilly Belle, the special train car named after Lillian Disney. (Dependent on weather; the Lilly Belle is not air conditioned and will not run if it’s too hot.)

The start date and pricing for this tour has not been announced yet.

Cultivating the Magic Guided Tour

Learn all about the plants and flowers that play a part in the storytelling of Disneyland Park. The tour starts at the front entrance with the Mickey Floral display, and visits nearly every land in the park, culminating with a ride on the Jungle Cruise attraction. 

Happiest Haunts Guided Tour

If you enjoy all things spooky, this may be the best tour for you. 

This 2-hour walking tour through Disneyland Park gives a history of Halloween tales specific to Disney, expedited access to Pirates of the Caribbean, a photo op with the Hitchhiking Ghosts, a complimentary pin and treat, and reserved viewing area for Halloween Screams nighttime spectacular. 

This tour has not been announced yet for 2024. If the tour returns, tickets should go on sale during the summer.

Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Guided Tour

As you may already know, the winter holidays are a very special time to visit Disneyland. The Holiday Time tour gives Guests the opportunity to experience some of the holiday fun in a new way!

This is a 2.5 hour tour that is only offered during the Holidays at Disneyland Resort. 

Your tour guide will share fun facts and anecdotes about holiday decor and traditions, and includes a ride on “it’s a small world” Holiday and reserved viewing for A Christmas Fantasy parade. The website also promises Guests will receive “delicious holiday treats.”

This tour has not been announced yet for 2024. If the tour returns, tickets should go on sale during the late summer.

Disneyland Resort VIP Tours

If the standard guided tours do not interest you, perhaps you can create your own private tour! But you have to have deep pockets for it!

Any Guest can book their own personal Disneyland VIP Tour for a group of up to 10 people, for the cool price tag of $500 to $700 per hour, with a minimum of 7 hours. So doing the math, that’s $3500 to $4900 as a starting price. That may sound high (and it is!) but if you split the cost between 10 people, it makes the cost a bit more manageable. 

Personal VIP Tours get you a lot of perks. VIP Guests get expedited access to most attractions, so you don’t have to worry about spending most of your day in lines. You’ll also get reserved viewing for any parades, shows, and nighttime spectaculars (if they are included in your time frame). And before your visit, your VIP concierge will help you with any dining reservations you desire.

Be aware that separate theme park tickets and park reservations are required! Park admission or reservations are not included in the price of a VIP Tour.

To book a VIP Tour you can call (714) 300-7710 or email Disney Special Activities at [email protected] , or visit the Disneyland VIP Tour website for more information.

On the Day of Your Tour

  • All tours start inside Disneyland, so make sure you choose Disneyland as your starting park if you have a park hopper ticket and your tour starts prior to 11am.
  • At the designated time, go to the Disneyland Tour Gardens which is on the west side of the park, between City Hall and the entrance. You will need to give the host/hostess your name and your tour confirmation number. The person who booked the tour may also need to show their photo ID. You’ll be given further instructions once you check in.
  • Your entire party needs to be present when checking in. Late arrivals may not be accommodated. 

Disneyland Tour Additional Information

  • Most tours can be booked 30 days ahead of time. Same-day bookings may be available, but it’s best to book in advance if there’s a tour you really want to do during your visit!
  • The theme park reservation system has made booking tours a little more difficult. Be sure you check for both theme park availability AND tour availability before booking anything! Note that park hopping is not allowed until 11am. 
  • There are no tour discounts for Magic Key holders.
  • Guests ages 2 and under do not need a tour reservation. 
  • Guests under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the tour.
  • There is a 24-hour cancellation policy for guided tours, and 48-hour cancellation policy for VIP tours. If you cancel after that time, you forfeit the entire cost.
  • Tours are subject to cancellation for any reason. All offerings are subject to change.

Need Disneyland Park Tickets?

I highly recommend Undercover Tourist for the best prices on multi-day Disneyland tickets!

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

About Mindy

Mindy Marzec is a life-long Disney fan who grew up in Los Angeles. She started This Fairy Tale Life to share Disneyland travel tips for adults. When not at Disneyland, you can find Mindy at home snuggling with her cats and re-watching Thor: Ragnarok for the billionth time.

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Disneyland Tours You Will Be Delighted You Took

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Betsy Malloy Photography

A Disneyland tour is just the thing for anyone who loves Disneyland and Walt Disney. But many of the most ardent Disney-loving fans never heard of them. They aren't well advertised, and it's hard to find information about them even if you know they exist.

If you're a true Disneyland fan, you may find taking a Disneyland tour is just the thing to add your Disney Bucket List. If you're a first time visitor, you may not want to tie up several hours of your day on a tour, but that depends on how much you love Disney.

This guide covers all the ways you can go behind the scenes at Disneyland, to see how they make the magic and get some insider stories,

Some Disneyland tours are seasonal, and others may only be offered during busier times of the year. You can get current prices and find out which tours are available  at the Disneyland Tour web page .

How to Reserve a Disneyland Tour

To take a tour on your own, you must be at least 18 years old. A paying adult must accompany guests under 16 years old, and there may be height restrictions on some of the included attractions.

To take a tour, you'll first need to buy a ticket to get into the park. It must be valid for the day you take the tour. To avoid disappointment, reserve your tour as soon as you can bu no more than 30 days in advance.

The only way to reserve your tour is by calling 714-781-8687. Write down the confirmation number they give you because you won't get a confirmation email. You must pay when you reserve and the fee is not refundable.

When you get to Disneyland, go to the tour kiosk near City Hall. Give them your confirmation number and be prepared to show your ID. Or give them your name and show them the credit card you used to pay for your reservation. You will meet your tour guide in the same area.

These are the Disneyland tours you may be able to take. Except for the Adventures by Disney tour, they don't include much that's really behind the scenes, but you will learn a lot and see things from a different perspective. The souvenir pins are unique fun collectibles, too.

Walk in Walt's Footsteps Tour : Designed for the Disney-lover, this 3.5-hour, fact-and-trivia-filled tour explores how Walt Disney's vision became a reality. The tour also includes a delicious meal and a collectible souvenir.

VIP Tour : Ths experience is just what you might imagine, with priority access to attractions, reserved seating, and a personal coordinator. Before you look at the price, know that it covers up to 10 people.

Grand Circle Tour : Go behind the scenes to explore Walt Disney's love for trains and get a ride in the Disneyland Railroad’s special parlor car, the Lilly Belle.

Behind the Scenes at Disneyland and in Hollywood

This multi-day tour definitely belongs on your Disney Bucket List, if you're a hardcore fan.

Adventures by Disney runs guided tours all over the world, but not are quite like their Backstage Magic tour. It's a six-day, five-night ramble you'll never forget. It goes behind the scenes at Disney Studios, Disney Imagineering, and both California theme parks. And the most fun is that you get into places not open to the public, which may include Disney Imagineering and Disney Studios.

Seasonal Disneyland Tours

Check the Disneyland website for seasonal tours. They include: 

Disney's Happiest Haunts is a Halloween-themed tour that features some spooking sightings at Disneyland, spine-tingling tales. And of course - a collectible souvenir pin, which is redesigned every year.

Holiday Time at Disneyland tours are offered from mid-November through early January. They usually include a chance to explore all the holiday traditions and decorations. You also get express boarding for "it's a small world" Holiday and Haunted Mansion Holiday. And reserved seating for the Christmas parade. And to keep it fresh, they change parts of the tour every year.

Related Articles

More related articles.

Disneyland Resort Holiday Guided Tour Review

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Right after exiting from “it’s a small world” Holiday, Michelle  led us to our preferred parade viewing section (with chairs!) adjacent from the attraction. You usually have

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

to wait  two or three hours for a spot like this! We waited about 30 minutes before the parade finally reached us, and while we waited we received a  special Holiday Time Tour pin, a yummy Mickey Mouse gingerbread cookie, and some hot chocolate in a Holiday  Time tumbler, which we got to keep! Michelle also offered to take photos of us with “it’s a small world” in the background, and she also showed us some pictures from a book highlighting the holidays at Disneyland throughout the years. The wait flew by and soon the parade was rounding the corner! The “A Christmas Fantasy” parade is my favorite Disneyland parade. I have always loved the ballerina at the beginning because I had a ballerina jewelry box as a little girl and seeing the ballerina instantly takes me back. And of course, who can resist Santa? I’m not sure if it was because we were in the “preferred” seating or simply because we were in the front row, but we received a lot of attention from the performers. It was really wonderful!

Overall I really enjoyed the Holiday Time at Disneyland tour and would recommend it for anyone who wants to get a little behind-the-scenes info about all the effort that goes into transforming the parks for the Christmas season. I will say I think very young children would be a little bored during certain parts of this tour. We had a 6- or 7-year-old adorable girl in our group and while she was well behaved, she was clearly bored out of her mind whenever we stopped to listen to Michelle. But for older kids, teens, and adults, the tour is a great way to see all of the spectacular holiday attractions without waiting in queues!   The Holiday Time at Disneyland Tour is offered up to six times per day, on select days, through January 6, 2015. The price is $80 for adults and Annual Passholders can save 20% off the regular price for up to six guests per pass. Keep in mind this tour price is in addition to the cost of regular theme park admission. The tour also involves a lot of walking and spending time on your feet, so plan ahead if anyone in your group has mobility issues. You may visit the official Holiday Time at Disneyland Tour website for additional information and tour availability. Call (714) 781-TOUR (8687) to make reservations.  I want to thank Lisa and everyone at Babes In Disneyland for having me visit today! I would love if you also stopped by my blog and said “hi!” Budget Fairy Tale features musings about my life as a regular girl trying to live the fairy tale lifestyle. Budget Fairy Tale also features Disneyland weddings (including our own!), Disneyland news, DIY projects, style posts, pictures of my cat Vela, and whatever else I think is interesting at the moment.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

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December 18, 2014 at 4:29 am

Thank you for having me, Lisa!

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January 9, 2015 at 11:29 pm

Fabulous, what a webpage it is! This web site presents usefuul data to us, keep it up.

[…] to visit again. In November I also visited Disneyland for the semi-annual Pinup Parade and for the Holiday Time Tour with my boss and colleagues at White Rabbit Photo […]

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Holiday Time at Disneyland Tour Review

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disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Updated May 20, 2024

I attended the holiday tour a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Holiday Time at Disneyland Tour is a limited time tour that takes guests through both parks highlighting holiday stops and ending with reserved seating for the Christmas Fantasy Parade.

Let’s check out all the details! The following shares my experience from a few years back.

The tour is set for two times each day, at 11:00am and 2:00pm. It lasts about 2.5 hours, leading up to the parade that follows it. Meaning, the 11:00am tour will end with reserved seating at the 1:30pm Christmas Fantasy Parade. The 2:00pm tour will end with reserved seating at the 4:15pm Christmas Fantasy Parade.

You will meet at the guided tour gazebo to the left of City Hall. Arrive about 20 minutes prior so that you can get set up with audio, get your cute nametag and use the restroom if needed. There is a little known restroom in this area.

The tour costs $85 and AP discounts do apply. You must call to make this reservation, rather than booking online. You must also pre-pay. There is no refund if you have to cancel.

The tour is open to kids and adults, although I don’t think young children would enjoy it. It really is a historical walk through with little that would keep a young child’s attention. I took my then 12 year old on the Walk in Walt’s Footsteps Tour and he enjoyed it, but I’m not sure he would enjoy this one.

This tour is wheelchair friendly and open to guests of all abilities.

I attended the 11:00am tour, but if I had to do it again, I would choose the 2:00pm option. The mid-day sun was tough at times for the earlier tour and I prefer the later Christmas Fantasy parade over the earlier.

What You Will Receive

In addition to 2.5 hours of nerdy Disney history (which I love), you’ll take home the following….

A cute button personalized with your name:

15107289_1079832915447684_6210420609411776204_n

At the Candy Palace, a sample of the chocolate peppermint bark will be offered to you:

15056256_1079829748781334_8381401983651253986_n

You’ll take home this commemorative pin:

15135752_1079830155447960_3681840072634665672_n

Just before the parade, you’ll enjoy this yummy gingerbread cookie:

15037324_1079830182114624_2945057300392715030_n

And, hot cocoa in this mug for you to keep:

15036652_1079830192114623_977726298981996169_n

What to Expect

Prepare to visit California Adventure for about 30 minutes at the beginning of your tour. You’ll walk down Buena Vista Street, into Cars Land, over to Grizzly Peak and then back down Buena Vista Street again.

At Disneyland, you’ll walk through Town Square, down Main Street, into Fantasyland, into Adventureland, through New Orleans Square, over to Critter Country, through Frontierland, and finally back to Fantasyland again.

You’ll set up about 15 minutes prior to A Christmas Fantasy Parade in lovely wooden chairs with front row or second row viewing.

You won’t enjoy attractions on this tour like in years past. While many seem upset by this, I prefer it this way. Enjoy the attractions on your own time and instead, savor the history and details you can’t find outside of the tour.

I loved that this tour included both parks. Take a look at some of the stops we made….

Cars Land – Learn about the creative decor here.

15036290_1079829485448027_7958294391084119622_n

Adventureland – Jingle Cruise!

15094327_1079829805447995_2282796476588692835_n

New Orleans Square – Such beautiful garland.

15027956_1079829968781312_1278401238764151132_n

Critter Country – Find where Winnie the Pooh added to Disney’s details.

15095098_1079829885447987_902359210247959446_n

Fantasyland – Learn about attractions in the park that you might not know incorporate a holiday theme.

15078739_1079830138781295_6962862941123335995_n

Other Details

The tour covers so many fun holiday points throughout Disneyland and California Adventure.

You’ll learn fun facts like how the DCA Christmas tree stands 50 feet tall, uses LED lights in 6 colors and included unique garland in 2016 for the first time ever. Below the tree, you’ll find little hidden gems like the train that pays homage to Walt.

Disneyland’s tree is 60 feet tall and is set on “Christmas Tree Point”, a term now used year round by cast members. You’ll learn how it’s stored – with ornaments on – in Critter Country while not in use and that some people have seen it peeking behind Splash Mountain.

Walt’s apartment, the tree that replaces the lamp, and more are discussed, as well:

15037212_1079829628781346_1341196181737859830_n

Other specifics to look forward to:

  • Festival of Holidays with specifics on each holiday celebrated
  • Cars Land Christmas tree info
  • How the airfield of Grizzly Peak ties into the holiday theme
  • Audio of Walt Disney talking about Lillian’s favorite Christmas gift ever
  • How the DLR Christmas tree uses forced perspective like Main Street buildings
  • Candlelight Processional history
  • Hanukkah on Main Street
  • Candy Palace and the scents piped into the park
  • Candy Cane traditions at DLR
  • Matterhorn star of past years, why it didn’t work and how the Monsanto House of the Future turned into a Christmas gift under the “Matterhorn tree”
  • Sleeping Beauty Castle holiday history with the most lovely story about its creator, Herbert Ryman, how he loved Christmas as much as Walt Disney and how there’s a special part of him with us today, at the castle, tied to Christmas.
  • Papa Noel in New Orleans Square
  • Country Bear Jamboree and how it was the first holiday overlay
  • Haunted Mansion Holiday and how it was first pitched to include a Charles Dickens themed overlay
  • it’s a small world Holiday details including how it includes 50K lights in 6 colors on the outside of the ride and 300K on the interior. 12 cast members take 35 days to create the exterior and 18 cast members use only 20 to perfect the interior.
  • How Walt was the first to lead a tour through Disneyland

This tour is perfect to help you get in the holiday spirit. Book early because the days do fill up and there is limited space.

Our tour guide, Jess, was Disney perfection and her love of the history of the parks shined through. I could listen to her talk about Disneyland for hours.

15078619_1079830245447951_3008965204053548580_n

I really loved the reserved seating at the parade, too.

15095008_1079830212114621_6521208748192311896_n

Take a look at what else you can expect from Holidays at Disneyland before you visit, too.

As always, let me know if you have any questions.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

13 thoughts on “ Holiday Time at Disneyland Tour Review ”

Hello, it sounds like a fun, interesting tour! Do we have to have a park reservation the day of the tour, or can we go not the Holiday tour on one of our “non” park days? Thank you!

You must have a park reservation and park ticket to enjoy the tour. It’s fun! Hope you like it.

Did you ever do the Grand Circle Tour? I tried your search box and related articles and can’t find it.

Hi Amy! I did the Grand Circle Tour in January and I really enjoyed it. I took my dad who is a huge model railroad enthusiast who was with me on his first ever trip to Disneyland and we did the tour together. You get to ride in the LillyBelle car and talk with some of the CM’s that keep the trains running. From a mechanical perspective, The Magic Behind our Steam Engines at Walt Disney World was a more interesting tour, but this one was very nice as well. I already knew the bulk of the history presented, but I always enjoy hearing it again. We were greeted with a special donut when we arrived at Tour Gardens to check in, so that was a nice touch. And of course we received a pin and a map of the railroad.

We did the Holiday Tour December 2017. We were not impressed with the tour and do not recommend it. The tour was promoted as a “backstage” look at the Holiday Decorations. The information was not particularly insightful and there was NO sense of being “backstage” — on the contrary, we walked through all the busiest parts of the park (ugh, crowds!) during the busiest part of the day with headsets to hear the guide. In addition to trying to make those work (they were ponderous and had poor sound) there was a background soundtrack to the tour that competed with the Christmas music being played along the streets. We did enjoy the treats, parade seating, and a “fast pass” on Small World good for anytime after the tour that day. The pin was nice, the ornament okay, and the “mug” not worth the luggage space. The cast members couldn’t have been nicer or more helpful, but it was not something I would repeat. My kids were bored and irritated by the walking pace (ages 7&8). This is a tour to skip.

Hi, Patricia.

I’m so sorry you didn’t enjoy it. I had a great time last year.

I checked Disney’s description for 2017 and didn’t see any mention of being backstage:

https://disneyland.disney.go.com/events-tours/holiday-time-at-disneyland/

But, I value your opinion and appreciate you sharing it with us.

Happy New Year!

Currently on hold to book this for my December trip! So excited! It’s also eligible for a discount if you book with your Chase Disney rewards VISA, just FYI 🙂

Thank you! Good info.

I thoroughly enjoyed the tour. In fact I took it because of this amazing post! Thanks Casey!! Already saving up for the next tour. ?

Found this page after I called an book my spot. My first ever time going to Disneyland and I don’t get eat to go on rides with a plaid ? Super sad now

It didn’t bother me. I’ve been on tours that include such, but I would rather spend my own time on the attractions and have more tour time with the tour guides. Sorry for your disappointment, though. 🙁

Hi there. I just want to confirm that there is no rides during the entire tour. Thanks and keep up the good work

No rides this year. All history!

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in Disneyland Resort

Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Daisy in front of sleeping beauty castle at Disneyland Park

Are you ready for the most wonderful time of the year? Here’s everything you need to know to spend the holidays at Disneyland Resort!

As all the spooktacular fun of the Halloween season fades from Disneyland Resort, with fun celebrations, frightfully cute decorations, snacks to die for, spooktastic merchandise , and the highlight of the season, Oogie Boogie Bash at Disney California Adventure, Disney Parks fans are ready to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year at Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure, and Downtown Disney District, as the Resort decks the halls with Disney magic. Want to know about the merry and bright offerings coming to the California theme parks this season? Let us tell you all about it!

Disneyland characters halloween header

Related: New Characters at Disneyland Spark Polemic, “Be Fair to Florida”

When do the holidays begin at Disneyland?

The holiday celebrations officially started on November 11, bringing all the festive fun to Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure, and Downtown Disney District with unique offerings across the Resort for Guests to enjoy. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year at Disneyland Resort!

Disneyland Sleeping beauty castle during the holidays at disneyland resort

Does Disneyland decorate the Resort for the holidays?

Absolutely! Holiday magic covers Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure, and Downtown Disney District, with millions of lights, wreaths, Christmas trees, and many more decorations.

Snow covers the turrets of Sleeping Beauty Castle at Disneyland Park for the season, and the iconic castle becomes a sight to see with icicles, wreaths, festive décor and thousands of twinkling lights illuminated in stages bringing the heart of Disneyland to life. And over at Disney California Adventure, you can feel the merry and bright ambiance in the air with entire lands covered with themed decorations.

group of Guests walking down main street usa during the holidays at disneyland resort

What other offerings can I find during the holidays at Disneyland?

In addition to mesmerizing decorations, the holidays always bring seasonal offerings to delight Guests during their visit. These offerings include seasonal merchandise, limited-time entertainment, enhanced photo ops, and mouth-watering seasonal snacks and dining offerings. There is much to enjoy at Disneyland Resort this holiday season!

main street usa decorated for the holidays at disneyland resort

Disneyland Park offerings this holiday season

While Disneyland Park will not be home to any hard ticketed event in 2022, as announced by theme park officials earlier this year, the Park is still the heart of the Holiday celebrations with so much to see and do. From attractions receiving a seasonal overlay to fan-favorite entertainment offerings returning to the Park, characters dressed in their holiday finest, mouth-watering snacks, and so much more, Guests are sure to have the merriest time when visiting Disneyland Park this holiday season.

Seasonal attractions

Disneyland Park becomes home to several attractions that receive a seasonal overlay, bringing even more Disney magic to the Park and enhancing the experience with new stories for Guests to enjoy.

Haunted Mansion Holiday

Haunted Mansion Holiday has been a Disneyland icon for over 20 years since the holiday overlay began in 2001. The Haunted Mansion at New Orleans Square gets covered, adorned, and deranged to welcome Jack Skellington as Sandy Claws, Sally, Oogie Boogie, Zero, and more characters from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993). 

haunted mansion holiday at disneyland resort

Haunted Mansion Holiday is described by Disney as follows:

Decked Out for the Hallow-Days
Pumpkin King Jack Skellington has been busy decorating the Haunted Mansion with frightfully festive touches inspired by Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas. Experience thrilling sights and seasonal surprises created by the citizens of Halloween Town. Sally, Oogie Boogie, and other Nightmare nasties will be on hand to wish you “Season’s Screamings!” Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Haunted Mansion Holiday opened at Disneyland Resort on September 2, 2022, and will be available through January 8, 2023.

“it’s a small world” Holiday

The happiest cruise that ever sailed takes Guests on a wondrous journey around the world with regional decorations and traditional holiday tunes for a limited time. Guests voyage through 10 scenes inspired by locations around the globe, showcasing unique holiday traditions from Europe, Africa, and Asia.

"it's a small world" holiday at disneyland

“it’s a small world” Holiday is described by Disney as follows:

An Exuberant Holiday Experience
Set sail along a wondrous wintry waterway transformed with whimsical décor. Behold jubilant regional adornments all along your world tour of good cheer. Listen as the costumed chorus of children sings the classic “It’s a Small World (After All)” song and traditional holiday tunes. The enchantment begins as you approach the iconic façade, which is adorned with thousands of shimmering lights for the season. Credit: Disney

Two dozen Cast Members took on the titanic task to bring the holiday spirit into this beloved attraction in 18 days. This year, Disney took a massive step toward promoting inclusion with this attraction, adding several new characters in wheelchairs across the scenes of the attraction. You can read more about this applaudable addition by clicking here.

Seasonal foods

The best part of the holiday season at Disneyland Park is the food, with plenty of delicious eats and sips for Guests to enjoy during the most wonderful time of the year. Inside the Magic prepared a complete guide with everything you need to know about the seasonal treats, snacks, drinks, and dining options arriving at the California theme park this holiday season. You can click here to check it out!

A red and green pizza, Macarons shaped like Toy Story Aliens, a hot cocoa in a clear glass, a burger loaded with onion rings, and a bright red juice drink.

Decorations

The festive décor at Disneyland presents many beautiful locations for holiday photos. The iconic 60-foot-tall Christmas tree greets Guests as they enter the park, and the Plaza Point holiday shop is decorated with garlands, nutcrackers, and more. Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle enchants Guests from day to night with shimmering icicles and twinkling lights.

holidays at Disneyland Resort

Entertainment offerings

Disneyland Park will see some of the Park’s most beloved entertainment offerings return this holiday season, with parades, fireworks, light shows, and snoap that adds to the magic of the holidays at Disneyland.

A Christmas Fantasy Parade

Beloved Disney characters join Santa Claus for a merry musical celebration down Main Street, U.S.A, from November 11, 2022, to January 2, 2023. Disney describes A Christmas Fantasy Parade as follows:

Ring in the Season
With prancing reindeer, marching toy soldiers, dancing gingerbread cookies and more, A Christmas Fantasy Parade brings the most magical time of year to Disneyland Park! Delightful Holiday Highlights Mickey and Minnie work with Chip ‘n Dale to organize an avalanche of letters to Santa. Anna, Elsa and Olaf bid you a warm winter welcome from their fantastic Frozen realm. Woody and Buzz give a playful wave from atop giant wooden building blocks. The Disney Princesses dance at the Candlelight Ball. In the grand finale, wave hello to Santa Claus himself. It’s a Christmas fantasy you’ll never forget! Credit: Disney

If you want to enjoy this merry celebration, you should arrive early to find the best possible viewing spot, especially if you plan to see the show along Main Street, U.S.A. There are also great viewing spots near “it’s a small world” Holiday and Matterhorn Bobsleds.

“Believe…In Holiday Magic” Fireworks Spectacular

With festive fireworks, stirring music, and a sprinkling of snow, Disney brings the magic of the holidays to life at Disneyland Park, as Sleeping Beauty Castle and Main Street, U.S.A, welcome “Believe…In Holiday Magic” Fireworks Spectacular, available from November 11, 2022, though January 8, 2023. Disney describes this festive nighttime spectacular as follows:

Enchantment Is in the Air
Feel your spirit soar during this splendid pyrotechnical spectacle. As the sky overhead lights up with dazzling color, more than 80,000 twinkling lights illuminate Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle with sparkling “icicles” and shimmering snow-capped turrets.
Tonight’s Forecast: Snow!
As a special wintry treat, experience a magical snowfall all around you when you head over to “it’s a small world” Holiday and portions of the Main Street, U.S.A. area! Celebrate the holiday season in grand style at this joyous jubilee in lights! Credit: Disney

“it’s a small world” Holiday Lighting

Light Up Your Holidays
As you approach, you’ll hear the classic “It’s a Small World (After All)” song playing along with traditional holiday tunes. As dusk begins to fall, gather in front of the attraction’s iconic façade and watch thousands of twinkling lights come to brilliant life. Then, every 30 minutes throughout the night, watch in wonder as a joyous light projection show animates the façade with a kaleidoscope of charming holiday colors and images. It’s a memorable nighttime treat and the perfect way to embrace the most wonderful time of the year! Credit: Disney

Disney California Adventure offerings this holiday season

Disney California Adventure is packed with fun, festive offerings for the young and the young at heart. Decorations galore, seasonal overlays to some attractions, returning entertainment offerings, delicious treats, and the Disney Festival of the Holidays make Disney California Adventure the perfect place to spend the most wonderful time of the year.

Disney California Adventure is home to two attractions that receive a seasonal overlay, Mater’s Jingle Jamboree and Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl, both located in Cars Land.

Disney describes Mater’s Jingle Jamboree as follows:

Enjoy a haul-iday tractor spin through Mater’s festively decorated junkyard in Cars Land—November 11, 2022 to January 8, 2023. Jingle All the Way
Whirl through Mater’s collection of car parts in a cute lil’ tractor as he croons classic holiday tunes with some tow-riffic original lyrics. Credit: Disney

And Disney describes Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl as follows:

Swing into holiday mode by taking a merry spin around Luigi’s decked-out backyard in Cars Land—November 11, 2022 to January 8, 2023.
Make the Holidays Wheel-y Fun
Luigi and his extended family of roadsters are celebrating the season in style with festive dances to tunes crooned by Luigi himself! Take a seat in a classic Italian import and enjoy the ride as the cars cruise to the music.

Cars Land decorated for the holidays at Disney California Adventure

Disney California Adventure is home to mouth-watering seasonal treats across the Park, but that’s not all. Disney California Adventure is home to the Disney Festival of the Holidays, bringing the sights and sounds of the joyous celebration of cherished holidays —including Christmas, Navidad, Hanukkah, Diwali, Kwanzaa, and Three Kings’ Day — in a festivity packed with diversity and seasonal traditions from around the world. Inside the Magic prepared a complete guide with everything you need to know about the treats available during the Disney Festival of the Holidays at Disney California Adventure this holiday season. You can click here to check it out!

family celebrating Disney Festival of Holidays

Disney California Adventure sparkles with holiday décor, highlighted by a 50-foot-tall Christmas tree in Buena Vista Street and automotive embellishments in Cars Land. The yuletide spirit shifts into high gear down Route 66, making Radiator Springs Racers the merriest destination this season.

California Adventure Festival of Holidays

Music, dance, beloved characters, and stories will be the stars of the entertainment offerings available at Disney California Adventure this holiday season, with beloved returning offerings like Disney ¡Viva Navidad!

Disney ¡Viva Navidad!

Disney ¡Viva Navidad! brings a celebration of the holidays from Mexico and Brazil to Paradise Gardens Park, with cultural performers bringing the magic to life. Disney describes this holiday party as follows:

Fabulous Fiesta
Join The Three Caballeros as they host the ultimate fiesta for Navidad! This joyous street party features exuberant performances, including authentic folklórico dancers, mariachis, Brazilian samba dancers, drummers and incredible 12-foot-tall mojiganga puppets of Santa and Mrs. Claus, with a special appearance by Mickey and Minnie in their fiesta best!

viva navidad holiday parade at Disney california adventure

World of Color – Season of Light

Paradise Gardens Park at Disney California Adventure is home to a delightful nighttime spectacular that fills the ambiance with music, color, and breathtaking effects with World of Color – Season of Light. This nighttime spectacular is described by Disney as follows:

Celebrate the Spirit of the Season
See beloved moments from Disney and Pixar films illuminate a towering wall of mist. Watch hundreds of sky-high fountains dance in time to festive music as shimmering snowflakes fill the scene. Experience a mesmerizing spectacle as enchanting and magical as the holidays themselves! Stories to Warm the Heart Weaving classic films like Cinderella, Lady and the Tramp, Beauty and the Beast, Toy Story and Fantasia with contemporary hits like Frozen and Inside Out, World of Color – Season of Light brings stories of friendship, family and love to life. Credit: Disney A Jolly, Joyous Musical Score From seasonal favorites to cherished movie tunes, the medley of music will have you singing and swaying along. And Goofy’s madcap musical light display adds hilarious hijinks sure to make spirits extra bright!  From the opening number to the breathtaking finale, this awe-inspiring show is a moving emotional tapestry. You may want to make World of Color – Season of Light part of your family’s holiday traditions.

Disney Festival of Holidays

The Disney Festival of Holidays will also bring many delightful entertainment offerings celebrating the culture and diversity that brings us together this holiday season. Some of the offerings that will be available at Disney California Adventure include:

  • Mickey’s Happy Holidays – Dance along with Mickey Mouse and pals to the magically merry rhythms of the Holiday Toy Drummers
  • Disney Character sightings, including Mirabel from Disney’s animated film  Encanto
  • Mariachi Divas put their own festive spin on classic holiday tunes
  • Mostly Kosher honors Hanukkah with an eclectic blend of musical styles from klezmer and jazz to Latin and rock
  • The spirited Blue13 Dance Company celebrates Diwali with traditional dances during an unforgettable Bollywood party
  • Phat Cat Swinger presents brassy, classy, swinging holiday music selections with a fresh new twist
  • Hear the magic of The Mistletoes! Celebrating Christmas and the spirit of Kwanzaa, this a cappella vocal ensemble reimagines holiday hits with rhythm and soul!
  • Tina and The Sounds of Celebration! – Powerhouse vocalist Tina and her dynamic musicians from all over Latin America hype up the crowd with Salsa, Merengue, Caribbean and Latin Rock music that’s sure to get everyone on their feet!
  • Holiday Toy Drummers march to their own beat while drumming up smiles wherever they go

Festival of the holidays at disney california adventure

As you can see, there is so much to see and do for the Holidays at Disneyland Resort, and we can’t wait to visit the Happiest Place on Earth this season!

Will you celebrate the holidays at Disneyland Resort this year? Tell us about your plans in the comments below!

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2024-2025 Disneyland Planning Guide

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Our Disneyland vacation planning guide covers what’s new & next this year and in 2025, when to visit to avoid crowds, best restaurants, hotels in Anaheim, money-saving ticket tips, Halloween & Christmas in the parks, and more. It’s a great resource for first-timers to Southern California or lifelong WDW fans. (Updated September 15, 2024.)

Let’s start with all of the latest update, which is that  Halloween Time at Disneyland is now underway! This also means Oogie Boogie Bash Halloween Party at Disney California Adventure. This is a fantastic time of year to visit, but it’s also  busy.  This is especially true now that the late summer off-season is over, there’s a last-minute surge due to the ticket deal, and school districts are about to take fall break.

Following Halloween’s conclusion, Christmas 2024 at Disneyland will start later than normal (November 15), which is unexpected given the popularity of the holiday season. This is our favorite time of year at Disneyland, as the parks look gorgeous decked out for the season, the food is fantastic, and there’s holiday cheer in the air (seriously). We visit strategically, targeting the lulls in Christmas-time crowds in between the peak weeks to enjoy the parks when they aren’t as busy.

From a planning perspective, the big new thing at Disneyland is Lightning Lane Multi Pass and Single Pass. This is essentially paid FastPass, for those who were familiar with that. It’s important to understand how this works and whether you should buy Lightning Lanes before you visit Disneyland.

If you’ve visited Disneyland in the last couple of years, Lightning Lane Multi-Pass and Single Pass might sound like a brand-new thing. It’s not. It’s mostly just a name change from Genie+ for the sake of continuity with Walt Disney World, where there actually were material changes to the line-skipping system.

If you were already familiar with Genie+ at Disneyland, all you really need to know is that it’s now called Lightning Lane Multi-Pass and Single Pass. And honestly, the new names make more sense and are less confusing to casual guests than pairing Aladdin and Cars characters for no reason in particular.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Everything you need to know, including ride priorities, where it’s NOT necessary to buy Lightning Lanes, and much more is covered in our Guide to Lightning Lanes at Disneyland and DCA . That’s regularly updated to include the latest price increases and additions to the Lightning Lane ride roster–both of which have changed in the last few months.

We’ve used Lightning Lane Multi-Pass many times, and cover our experiences and strategy there. If you’re a Walt Disney World regular, the good news is that it’s much easier to use at Disneyland. We’d recommend definitely recommend that guide to get a sense for how to use it and priorities–and would also advise having savvy strategy for Early Entry (if eligible) and rope drop. Other than that, you don’t need to overthink things. Lightning Lanes make visiting Disneyland and DCA so much easier.

Regardless of whether you end up buying the paid line-skipping, you’ll want to make the decision ahead of time, and plan your strategy accordingly to either get the most mileage out of Lightning Lane Multi-Pass or have an efficient itinerary that finds alternatives for beating the crowds. (Our strong recommendation is to purchase LLMP for at least one day. If cost is an issue, trim the ‘fat’ from your vacation budget somewhere else.)

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Disneyland has been relatively busy in the last couple of years, which is precisely why we recommend buying the Lightning Lane Multi Pass service to save time waiting in line. It hasn’t been all bad–and it does appear that “revenge travel” is starting to exhaust itself. However, not nearly to the same degree as Walt Disney World. It’s still varying degrees of busy–just slightly less busy than last year.

Our expectation is that pent-up demand continues to die down. Disney is doing everything possible to fight this, offering a range of discounts–including an unprecedented general public ticket deal through late September 2024 that was only available to California residents in past years. The return of ticket deals, plus park reservations dynamics (they’re frequently being fully booked…only for Disney to open more availability last minute) can make crowds less predictable and more scattershot.

Despite Disney’s best efforts, the slowdown is still happening. Disneyland is returning to a pre-2020 level of normal crowd dynamics, thankfully. Choosing less busy dates is important and that’ll continue to be the case going forward, but to the above points, you only have so much control. Trying to completely avoid crowds can be a fool’s errand, as they’re impossible to perfectly predict.

This is something we even admit in our totally free 2024-2025 Disneyland Crowd Calendars . Those offer day by day guides as to when the parks will be least busy and busiest. These crowd calendars are influenced by a variety of factors, including marketing, discounts, park hours, new attraction openings, special events, Anaheim Convention Center events, and even weather (good or bad). We strive to keep our Disneyland crowd calendars updated to reflect changes in attendance trends.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

We’re able to keep on top of all the changing crowd patterns and additions because we are Magic Key Passholders who reside in Southern California. Typically, we visit Disneyland and DCA at least once per week to refine this guide and provide you the best info.

In addition to park visits, we do frequent hotel stays, lots of eating, and field testing of Lightning Lane Multi-Pass as well as other itineraries and strategy for beating lines at the parks. Emphasis on typically since this past year has been a bit atypical and slower-paced for us as we our family grew in size.

But enough about us. Suffice to say, we’re at Disneyland and DCA frequently, and have planning updates and news to share on a regular basis. If you want to receive updates when discounts are released, new things are announced, etc., sign up to receive our free Disney email newsletter , which covers Disneyland plus Walt Disney World and the international parks.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Before we get to the nuts and bolts of Disneyland vacation planning, let’s start with quick background. Disneyland is “Walt Disney’s original magic kingdom.” It’s the castle park that debuted in 1955 and paved the way for other such theme parks around the globe. Disneyland is the only park that Walt Disney himself set foot in and had an active role developing. Beyond its historical legacy that makes it a California institution, Disneyland is incredibly attraction-dense, with enough rides to fill two full days or more (if you’re so inclined).

Directly across from Disneyland is Disney California Adventure (DCA), the second gate of Disneyland Resort. DCA is ostensibly inspired by the Golden State, but is more just a catch-all park with some attractions having a vague California connection and others being driven by Marvel, Pixar, and other Disney franchises.

In addition to the Disneyland and Disney California Adventure theme parks, Disneyland Resort is home to Downtown Disney and three official hotels. Downtown Disney is a shopping, dining and entertainment district just outside the two parks. The aforementioned resorts are Pixar Place Hotel, Disneyland Hotel, and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel–which is directly connected to DCA. The entirety of Disneyland Resort is walkable, with no transportation aside from your feet needed to get anywhere within the property.

Now let’s dig into planning, starting with what’s new and next at Disneyland Resort…

What’s New & Next at Disneyland

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Beyond the aforementioned substantive additions, there are smaller ‘experience improvements’ at Disneyland. Specifically, the start of Park Hopping has been moved forward to 11 am; this makes it easier to switch parks for lunch.

There are also a handful of new on-site perks for hotel guests, the best of which is Early Entry. See our Guide to Early Entry at Disneyland for what you need to know about this pre-park opening access to Disneyland and DCA. (Note that Early Entry is now every other day for each park as of 2024; it was previously in both parks every day of the week.)

Additionally, PhotoPass digital photo downloads of on-ride photos are now free for all guests on the Disneyland app. This includes attraction photos captured on Radiator Springs Racers, Space Mountain, Incredicoaster, Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout, and more.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Two of the biggest additions for 2024 at Disneyland are at the hotels. Late last year, the brand-new Discovery Tower opened at Disneyland Hotel. This is the new Disney Vacation Club wing, which can also be booked by cash-paying guests. Although they’re all technically part of the same resort, there’s a night-and-day difference between the DVC and hotel towers. See our Photo Tour of the Villas at Disneyland Hotel for more on the new tower.

In early 2024, Disney Imagineers overhauled Paradise Pier Hotel into Pixar Place Hotel. So here, it’s a matter of the same “bones” of the hotel, but with a fresh coat of paint ( and much more ). This project was truly transformative, breathing new life into the aging tower hotel. See our Pixar Place Hotel Review for more.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

In terms of new rides, the biggest relatively recent addition is Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and its two attractions, Millennium Falcon Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. The latter is Disneyland’s biggest blockbuster addition since 1995, a modern masterpiece of Imagineering that is immensely popular and well-worth the multi-hour waits.

Over at Disney California Adventure, the most recent expansion is the Avengers Campus Marvel Land. This features one ride, one restaurant, meet & greets, and shopping. It’ll also showcases a Stuntronics Spider-Man, which is a sight to behold.

The next big attraction on the horizon is Tiana’s Bayou Adventure , which opens at Disneyland on November 15, 2024. Extensive technical difficulties have plagued Tiana’s Bayou Adventure at Magic Kingdom, and we’re hoping this isn’t an issue with the Disneyland version. We’ve experienced Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and while it has a lot to love, it also has a lot of squandered potential. (To say nothing of the breakdowns and unreliability of the ride, which is flatly unacceptable.)

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Looking even further down the road, there is a lot on the horizon at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, including a new Coco ride, Avengers Campus expansion, and Pandora – World of Avatar land.

Unfortunately, there won’t be any new or even reimagined rides opening in 2025. See What’s New & Next at Disneyland in 2025 & Beyond , which covers the 5-year plan for the parks. Suffice to say, it’s backloaded.

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will still be less than a year old next summer, but the next new major attraction after that won’t be until Avengers Infinity Defense and Stark Flight Lab open in Avengers Campus. That’ll probably be 2027. It’s  possible  there will be a reimagined ride before then or maybe a new stage show, but we wouldn’t count on anything in 2025.

Now, let’s get down to business: what you need to plan a Disneyland vacation…

When to Visit Disneyland

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

The single most important part of planning a trip to Disneyland is determining when to visit. As mentioned above, crowds are a big component of this, but should not be the sole determining factor. Weather, seasonal events, pricing, and other variables are all important.

To that point, our we also have the Best & Worst Months to Visit Disneyland list, which ranks every month of the year. Even more to the point, this covers our 3 favorite weeks of the year to take a Disneyland trip. That’s more qualitative, and thus can more useful than crowd calendars for many Disneyland planners.

Again, our crowd calendars and month by month ranking resources have been updated to take into account changing attendance patterns brought on by Magic Keys, discounted SoCal tickets, entertainment, and more. Crowds have already changed, and we will continue to monitor and update accordingly in the future.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Another thing to consider is the cost. There are some times of year when tickets are less expensive, which is fairly obvious if you simply look at Disneyland’s date-based ticket calendar. For a much deeper dive, you should check out Cheapest Dates to Visit Disneyland to get an idea of the timeframes that will cost less and are generally better to take a trip to Southern California. That includes average hotel prices, airfare, rental cars, and more in addition to admission.

Throughout the year, Disneyland does seasonal events to help draw locals to the parks. Earlier in the year, there’s Lunar New Year and the DCA Food & Wine Festival . Both of these are smaller scale offerings aimed at locals that run in the spring, but they’re enjoyable for tourists, too. We wouldn’t recommend planning a trip around either, but shifting your dates slightly so a trip coincides with these events could be a smart move.

Later in the spring and summer, the seasonal events often rotate. Most recently, there was Star Wars Season of the Force and Pixar Fest. In the past, Disneyland has done Marvel Summer of Heroes. Summer 2025 will be the Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary . When this will start is unknown, as is what it’ll entail. Possibilities include a promotional event revolving around Paint the Night Parade, new or returning fireworks, a reimagined Fantasmic, and more.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

With all of that said, we have two tried and true favorite times to do Disneyland. We highly recommend Halloween, which is our #2 time of the year at Disneyland. Check out our Ultimate Guide to Disneyland at Halloween for reasons why, and assistance planning a trip during that specific timeframe.

One of our favorite parts about the spook season is Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party , which is held on select nights at Disney California Adventure. That’s a hard ticket event, meaning that tickets to it cost extra; you do not need  to attend Oogie Boogie Bash to have a great time during the Halloween season at Disneyland, but we recommend it to anyone who is willing and able to splurge–especially fans of rare characters ( and villains! ).

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Our favorite time of year at Disneyland–by a wide margin–is the holiday season. Unlike Halloween, there is no Christmas hard ticket event, meaning that everything is included with the price of regular admission. This means holiday fireworks, special parades, decorations, attraction overlays, entertainment, and so much more.

You could literally spend multiple full days focused exclusively on the seasonal offerings at Disneyland during the holiday season. Read our Ultimate Guide to Disneyland at Christmas to learn more about what makes this time of year so special–and see photos of the parks in all of their Christmas glory!

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Finally, before solidifying your travel dates, you’ll also want to check out our 2024-2025 Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar to make sure any must-do attractions won’t be closed for renovations during your visit.

We typically do not recommend relying heavily on the refurbishment calendar. While Disneyland provides advance notice of most major multi-month closures, that’s not always the case. Some are scheduled last minute for necessary repairs or preventative maintenance. Short projects are sometimes scheduled at the last minute, and unannounced downtime (due to breakdowns or other issues) can also impact attractions.

Our biggest piece of advice with regard to refurbishments is not to visit in January or February if a high number of ride closures will negatively impact your trip. Winter is typically Disneyland’s refurbishment season, with many attractions going down for annual maintenance after the holidays.

Where to Stay

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

There are a ton of options in terms of where to stay near Disneyland: Good Neighbor Hotels, official Disney resorts, nearby hotels within driving distance, sprawling resorts in nearby beach towns, and more.

In  Best Hotels Near Disneyland , we cover our top 10 picks for hotels within walking distance of the parks, with 5 family-friendly budget options, 3 luxury resorts, and 2 Disney-owned hotels. That’s a concise resource if you don’t want to comb through our more comprehensive hotel info.

For most vacation planners, the decision comes down to choosing among Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa ( our favorite! ), Disneyland Hotel ( second favorite ), and Pixar Place Hotel , or one of the cheaper hotels on Harbor Boulevard. We cover the pros and cons of each choice in our Where to Stay at Disneyland: Off-Site v. On-Site Hotels post.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

If you’re looking for something more thorough, we’ve stayed at every on-site Disneyland hotel and most of the Good Neighbor Disneyland hotels and other off-site hotels within walking distance of the Disneyland Esplanade.

All of these are covered in our Rankings & Reviews of the Best & Worst Hotels Near Disneyland . This post ranks ~60 hotels near Disneyland at which we have stayed, along with room photos, pros & cons, and other useful information. That also details how to score a good deal on a hotel that’s close to Disneyland.

Fair warning: those comprehensive rankings can be overwhelming. We do a lot of hotel stays in Anaheim and report on them; most of that’s overkill for planners–you just need to know which ones are the ‘hotel hell’ options (bottom of the list) to avoid at all costs and the best ones to book (top of the list). If you’ve already booked accommodations, you might also want to search the list to see where your selected hotel ranks!

Park Tickets

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Our Money-Saving Guide to Disneyland Tickets is a huge resource with recommendations on what type of Disneyland tickets you should buy, including how many days, whether you should get Park Hopper, and where you can buy Disneyland tickets to save some money.

There are some great offers right now–we recommend bundling park tickets and your hotel stay to save even more, especially with the 3rd and 4th night free specials at hotels near Disneyland . These package deals can save you a lot of money.

For the vast majority of guests visiting Disneyland, we recommend the Park Hopper ticket option. This allows you to bounce back and forth between the two parks throughout the day, which is easy to do given that their about a football field apart.

The practical upsides of this is starting at the park that opens first and ending your night at the park open later (Disneyland is often open 2 hours later than Disney California Adventure). You can also eat in the park with the dining options you prefer, grab a beer in DCA (there’s no alcohol in Disneyland outside of Oga’s Cantina in Star Wars Land), and enjoy the nighttime spectaculars in both parks.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

If you’re a local or just a big diehard Disney fan planning to make multiple trips in a single year, Magic Key Annual Passes are also an option. See our Guide to Magic Keys at Disneyland: 2024 Prices, Perks, Blockout Dates & Discounts for more details.

Prior to moving to California, we were Disneyland AP holders while living in Indianapolis, Indiana followed by Orlando, Florida. We’d make several long weekend trips out to Disneyland each year, and the APs more than paid for themselves.

With that said, Annual Passes were  much  cheaper when we lived in the Midwest–a fraction of the current price–and we blogged about Disney by the time we moved to Central Florida. So our circumstances are a bit unique. Nevertheless, if you live in Nevada, Utah, or even Northern California…and can do a few long weekends each year, Magic Keys might make sense for you, too!

Disneyland Strategy & Itineraries

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

There are over 75 attractions between Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. On a normal day, the average guest will only experience 10-11 of those. It would thus take you at least 6 days to experience everything in the two theme parks, assuming you didn’t want to re-ride anything. Obviously, not many people are devoting over a week to their Disneyland vacation.

As such, we’ve developed a few step-by-step Disneyland touring plans, each of which will enable you to efficiently experience the parks, while also enjoying their leisurely offerings and atmosphere. More to the point, you’ll be able to do 20+ rides per day–and skip the ones not worth your time.

When it comes to efficiency, the biggest piece of advice we have is to arrive early and stay late. This may seem obvious. After all, the more time in the park, the better, right? We’d take this a step further. The first three hours and last three hours of the day are more valuable than all of the time in between. If you could only do those 6 hours or the 10 hours (give or take) in between, we’d recommend opting for the 6 bookending the day. That’s how valuable that time is–even if you need to take a long midday break to make it happen, do it.

To that end, we’d highly recommend consulting our  Disneyland Park Opening Strategy & Rope Drop Tips for how to start your day. Less practical, but check out our Top 10 Disneyland Rides at Night for the best way to spend your final hours in the park. In a perfect world, you’ll have everything done by then and can just soak up atmosphere while doing those attractions with short waits–but you also might want to slip Space Mountain and Indiana Jones Adventure in there at the end of the evening.

Here are our best and recommended itineraries:

  • Disneyland 1-Day Itinerary – Only have one day to visit Disneyland? This is a step-by-step plan of attack for which attractions you should do, where you should eat, what to see, and more. This covers all of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, including Rise of the Resistance.
  • Disneyland 2-Day Itinerary – Same idea, but spread over two days. We recommend most guests allocate two full days to Disneyland.
  • Disney California Adventure 1-Day Itinerary – Unlike Disneyland, DCA is easier to fully experience in a single day. This touring plan includes strategy for beating the crowds at Radiator Springs Racers, Guardians of the Galaxy: Mission Breakout, Web Slingers Spider-Man Adventure, and more!

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

We are currently working on additional multi-day itineraries for trips of 4+ days at Disneyland Resort. For now, if you plan on spending more time at DCA, consult our Disney California Adventure Ride Reviews & Guide . The article reviews every attraction at Disneyland, giving each a numerical score out of 10, plus highlights key attractions that we consider the best ones, which should be prioritized if you have limited time.

Our Disneyland Ride Reviews & Guide does the same thing for the castle park, in case you want to spend 3+ days there. (Which you totally could, especially now that Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is open!)

Dining at Disneyland

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Food is half the fun at Disneyland. Both parks have great restaurants, iconic snacks, decadent desserts, and great drinks. We typically go all-out when visiting the parks, doing breakfast at one of the hotels (or sometimes in the park), followed by a mid-morning snack, counter service lunch, and table service dinner.

The stereotype that all Disney food is unhealthy food like burgers and hot dogs is entirely false. Disneyland has inexpensive unique dining options as well as expensive fine dining. Good dining can help define a trip! To that end, we highly recommend checking out our List of the 23 Best Restaurants at Disneyland . Those are the places we dine the most, and recommend to friends visiting the parks. You’ll find several hidden gems on there, as well as explanations for why we’ve snubbed several hotspots.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

If you want advice, food photos, and more about all restaurants, see our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews . (Honestly, we think that’s probably overkill for 95% of you. The ‘best of’ list above covers where you should do meals, and there are more lists below for bars, snacks, and desserts.)

Beyond full meals, we have a few resources that can help you plan memorable meals at Disneyland. If you have kids, we highly recommend consulting our Disneyland Character Dining Guide , which covers the best character buffets in the hotels and parks.

Looking for the best quick meals? Our Top 10 Disneyland Counter Service Restaurants list ranks the best meals in the castle park, while our Top 10 Disney California Adventure Counter Service Restaurants list offers the same for DCA.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Want to have fun with your food at Disneyland? Our Top 10 Delicious Desserts at Disneyland covers delicious treats, including some hidden gems, plus brand new items and recently-added restaurants in Downtown Disney!

If you’re into drinking, we also have posts about a few of our favorite lounges: Trader Sam’s , Lamplight Lounge , GCH Craftsman Bar , and Carthay Circle Restaurant . The last one is particularly noteworthy because–in addition to the lounge downstairs–the restaurant upstairs is the best in-park restaurant in either park.

Transportation

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Should you fly or drive to Disneyland? Rent a car or use public transportation? What about getting around Southern California? There are a ton of questions you might have, and our Guide to Disneyland Transportation covers everything you need to know, answering these questions for you based on our first-hand experiences visiting Anaheim as tourists and living nearby as locals.

If you’ve already decided on flying to California but aren’t sure of the pros & cons of each option, check out our Guide to Airports Near Disneyland. That covers the strengths and weaknesses of the 5 airports in Southern California that are relatively convenient to Disneyland.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

In a nutshell, our strong recommendation would be flying into SNA (or even LGB) over LAX. Even if the flight is a little more expensive, it’s worth it. Not only is SNA closer to Disneyland, but LAX has tons of chaos, construction, and crowds.

We like LAX and its eclectic energy, but it’s more than a little overwhelming for a first-timer. If you’ve never been to Southern California or a large city like Los Angeles, it can be a bit much and start your trip off on the wrong foot. Meanwhile, SNA is laid back and quiet. If there were a list ranking the best airports for napping, it would be near the top and LAX would be near the bottom.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

In addition to this, SNA is much closer to Disneyland than LAX, which makes it easier to simply take an Uber or Lyft from the airport to wherever you’re staying near Disneyland. In most cases, we’d recommend rideshare over renting a car at the airport, as the vast majority of hotels near Disneyland now charge for parking. So not only will you be paying to rent the car, but also to park it.

The vast majority of hotels near Disneyland are within walking distance, so you won’t need a vehicle during the theme park portion of your trip to Southern California. If you’re staying at one of the hotels we recommend in Anaheim, it’s literally counterproductive to drive to Disneyland since the parking structures are all farther away than most of the nearby hotels.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

If you’re venturing beyond Disneyland to one of the destinations discussed below–and we strongly recommend that you do–while visiting Southern California, our advice would be to book a rental car in Anaheim. There are numerous rental car companies within walking distance of Disneyland, and most offer one-way rentals to the nearby airports. Walk over to one of those on your checkout morning, pick up your rental car, and continue your California adventure!

We do not  recommend relying on rideshare if you’re heading to Los Angeles. However, if you’re doing Laguna Beach or another coastal community, a rental car may not be needed at all. Many coastal towns have free trolley service that is fantastic. Simply take an Uber or Lyft from Disneyland to wherever you’re staying in the beach cities.

Southern California BEYOND Disneyland

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

If you want to venture beyond theme parks, you’re in luck. Southern California is one of the best places in the world to visit! Thanks to Los Angeles, San Diego, and the beach cities in between, there’s a ton to do in the area.

In addition to this site, we have non-Disney blog: TravelCaffeine with resources for on an eclectic mix of the places where we’ve lived or visited extensively. California is one such emphasis, as we’ve spent a ton of time exploring our home state. If you’re planning on heading to LA after Disneyland, be sure to check out our Ultimate Guide to Los Angeles .

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

While LA is one of the greatest cities in the world, we’re particularly partial to Laguna Beach. It’s home to the best stretch of coast in California, has small-town charm and personality, and tons of things to do. To that point, see our  Ultimate Guide to Laguna Beach, California for extensive advice. If you feel overwhelmed by the idea of visiting Los Angeles, then Laguna Beach is for you!

In addition to these planning resources, we also give away a free eBook, 101 Things to Do in Southern California over on TravelCaffeine, so be sure to download that totally free resource!

If you’re thinking of visiting other theme parks in Southern California, we also have guides to those…

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Universal Studios Hollywood Trip Planning Guide – In just a few years, USH has transformed and improved dramatically. The opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter was what really put the park on the map as a vacation destination, but many other additions have made this a great park in the last few years. Our favorite new attraction is Secret Life of Pets: Off the Leash, a new family-friendly dark ride. (Read our review of it in Universal’s New Dark Ride Rivals Disney’s Best! )

The blockbuster new addition is Super Nintendo World. We love this land, and rate two of its biggest components in our Ride Review: Mario Kart Bowser’s Challenge and our Review of Toadstool Cafe in Super Nintendo World . For practical planning advice, check out our comprehensive  Strategy Guide for Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood . That offers tips & tricks, how to beat the crowds, and a ton of other advice for making the most of your time in this incredible new land.

Aside from that, the Studio Tour is our favorite attraction, which is a 45-minute plus tram tour through the working backlot of Universal’s studio. If you are only interested in this Studio Tour, you might broaden your potential options beyond just USH, and also consider the Warner Brothers Studio Tour and Sony Pictures Studio Tour as alternatives.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Guide to Knott’s Berry Farm – An Orange County institution that proudly proclaims itself as “America’s 1st Theme Park.” Really, Knott’s is a tale of two theme parks. It has modern roller coasters and other fare for thrill-seekers. Thematically, this leaves a lot to be desired.

Then there are the quainter areas, reminiscent of Frontierland at Disneyland. We love these areas–and the park’s annual Boysenberry Festival. All things considered, we love both Knott’s Berry Farm and Universal Studios Hollywood, and together with Disneyland Resort, these four gates make for a great theme park vacation in Southern California!

Other Disneyland Planning Resources

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Now that we’ve covered the essentials to ensure you have a great trip to Disneyland, we have a bunch of other resources that will guide you through the planning process to make your visit to Disneyland more enjoyable, helping you save time and money. Armed with all of this knowledge, you will have a much better vacation.

What to Pack – Packing for Disneyland is comparable to packing for any vacation, but with a few twists. Here’s our list of “unordinary” items to pack that will help enhance your Disneyland trip!

Guide to Downtown Disney – We sort of gloss over it here, but Downtown Disney is a massive area within Disneyland Resort’s security perimeter. You can easily leave either park and get to one of these restaurants for a meal…or some of the best ice cream you’ll ever have…in under 10 minutes.

Our 101 Best Disneyland Tips – This is not nearly as structured as our other advice, but these tips offer great advice and sometimes obscure little things that will help you visit the parks like a local. This is more granular advice than what you’ll find in our other planning articles, but we’ve had a lot of positive feedback from readers who really got a lot more out of their trips because of those tips.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Renting DVC Points to Save Money on Accommodations – This is written from a WDW perspective, but there are also Disney Vacation Club villas at the Grand Californian. Booking there can be a challenge (it’s incredibly popular), but you can save a ton of money if your timing is right and you get lucky.

Best Credit Cards for Disney Travel – Leveraging credit card rewards can be a great way of getting free airfare or hotel rooms, and there are several options near Disneyland that you can book for free thanks to signup bonuses.

Tips for Buying Discount Disney Gift Cards – Want to save at least 5% on every single thing you buy at Disneyland? These hacks are for you. Some are relatively simple and straightforward (like using the Target RedCard) while others require a bit more effort.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

In general, there are a variety of ways you can save money on a trip to Disneyland. If you’re looking for the best way to save on an entire vacation package, many of our favorite hotels near Disneyland can be booked via Get Away Today at a discount . If you bundle tickets into your hotel stay, you’ll get an even better deal. You can check package prices here .

Between this blog and TravelCaffeine.com , you should be totally covered with what you need to know if you’re thinking about visiting Disneyland Resort and Southern California sometime this year or in 2025 for Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary. We can’t encourage people enough to give Disneyland a try, especially Disney fans who are biased towards Walt Disney World as their “home” park. Disneyland is a totally different, much more relaxed experience. It’s intimate in both size and feel, and is oozing with history and incredible attractions.

I could go on for pages and pages about why I love Disneyland, and why everyone owes it to themselves to visit Disneyland, but hopefully this is a good-enough jumping off point. If you’ve never been to either Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort, it’s a good place to start as we attempt to weigh the strengths and weaknesses of each in an unbiased manner. If all of this is still overwhelming or you want personalized recommendations for Disneyland Resort, click here to get a vacation quote from a no fee Authorized Disney Vacation Planner .

Your Thoughts

Are you planning a Disneyland Resort visit this year or in 2025? Debating between Halloween and Christmas? Thoughts on Lightning Lanes, where to stay, best restaurants and snacks, or anything else covered here? Have you previously visited Disneyland? Have any tips of your own to add? Any questions you still have that this guide did not answer? We really appreciate reader feedback and your thoughts, so please share in the comments below!

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Written by Tom Bricker

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hey Tom, I LOVE the blog, huge long-time reader here, and this blog has really revolutionized and supported mine & my family’s Disney trips – including us going to Japan!!

can I ask – what is the pet-sitting situation for your household? I would also love to travel for weeks, but I have 2 cats, and I would love to explore different options for their care

P.S. Also we are going to Disneyland for the first time in 9 years or so, so I appreciate the Disneyland resources!!

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We are not the ones to emulate in that regard. Sarah’s mom watches them for us, which means either flying them back to Indianapolis or her coming out to pet-sit and stay at our house (she’s started coming out a lot, anyway, since Megatron was born–so this works out for shorter trips).

Either option is impractical, but our boys are old (16 and 17 years) and we no longer feel comfortable boarding them.

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Hi, my son is confined to a wheelchair and is to big now for us to pick him up to transfer into a ride vehicle. Are there any plans to make Disneyland rides more accessible for folks like him? We know there are some rides at DL and DCH that allow him to stay in his chair, but his favorites are Radiator Springs Racers and Haunted Mansion.

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Photos and Reviews: Holiday Treats in Disneyland Resort

The  HOLIDAY SEASON is a magical time at  Disneyland Resort ! In 2024, the festive fun will kick off on November 15th!   You can  find all of the special  holiday happenings around the Resort by clicking here . 

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Disneyland Candy Cane!

But you can check out the Season’s Eatings by staying right here on this page where we brought you ALL of our 2023 Holiday Treat reviews from Disneyland Resort!  As we await the scoop on all the treats for the 2024 Holiday Season, you can find our 2023 coverage below for your future planning reference!

We’re tasting lots of the goodies that Santa’s elves cooked up for Disneyland , Disney California Adventure , Downtown Disney, and beyond. And don’t forget, the return of the holiday season also means the return of the Disney California Adventure Festival of Holidays , where  Festive Foods Marketplaces deliver even more  seasonal snacks and sips!

Disneyland Candy Canes

A wonderful Disneyland tradition that takes place in BOTH parks is the creation of the famous   Disneyland Hand-made Candy Canes !

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Disneyland Candy Cane

The Candy Canes are created on  alternating days in the two parks throughout the season .  For 2023 , the locations and dates were as follows:

  • Candy Palace  at Disneyland Park: December 3rd, 5th, 10th, 12th, 17th, 19th, and 24th
  • Trolley Treats  at Disney California Adventure Park: December 4th, 6th, 11th, 13th, 18th, 20th, and 25th

These are  not  your typical candy canes. Each one is  hand-pulled and measures eighteen inches long . And  they sell out QUICKLY , which is why  you need to have a strategy…AND know  exactly WHERE AND WHEN  to find them !

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

If you want a CHANCE to purchase a candy cane,  you must enter the mobile waitlist via the QR code presented in the park to JOIN THE VIRTUAL QUEUE ,  on which you add your  name and phone number  to get a  text with the time you can purchase your candy cane . There is no guarantee that the candy canes won’t sell out before you’re able to purchase one, so  the earlier you get on the mobile waitlist, the better . Stay tuned for 2024 info!

Candy Canes are $19.99 each, and you can read about this year’s Candy Cane adventure HERE .

People Freak Out Over These Disney Candy Canes Every Year. And WE GOT ONE!

Disneyland park, holiday wreath funnel cake — stage door cafe.

FEAST YOUR EYES on the Holiday Wreath Funnel Cake!  It’s a wreath-shaped funnel cake  topped with apple cider drizzle, fresh baked apples, whipped topping, and holiday sprinkles.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Holiday Wreath Funnel Cake

Grab it at Stage Door Cafe for $9.99.

Click HERE to check out this fun and festive Funnel Cake!

Celebration potato — troubadour tavern.

WOW! The Celebration Potato   is a  Baked Potato with Pulled Smoked Turkey, Whipped Cream Cheese, Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce, Gravy, and Fried Onions . If you ever wanted a potato that tastes like a holiday dinner, THIS IS IT.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Celebration Potato

Thanks, Troubadour Tavern !! The Celebration Potato is $10.49.

Check out a full Thanksgiving Meal on a POTATO here!

Cinnamon roll pretzel — refreshment corner.

OOOOHH … The Cinnamon Roll Pretzel features a   cream cheese pretzel topped with cinnamon roll filling and drizzled with cream cheese frosting.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Cinnamon Roll Pretzel

It’s home is Refreshment Corner and it costs $7.59. 

What did we think of the Cinnamon Roll Pretzel? Find out here! (SPOILER ALERT: YUM!)

Chile verde firefly chips — refreshment corner.

The Chile Verde Firefly Chips are made up of spicy corn chips and topped with chile verde pork, cheese, and pickled chiles for an unexpected holiday treat with some KICK!

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Chile Verde Firefly Chips

Find ’em at  Refreshment Corner  for $7.49. 

Click HERE for our review of the Firefly Chips!

Mickey gingerbread — jolly holiday bakery cafe.

Next time you find yourself at Disneyland, make your way down to  Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe  on Main Street, U.S.A. for the  Mickey Gingerbread!

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Mickey Gingerbread Man

Each cookie is  $7.99 , and there is currently a limit of five Mickey Gingerbread cookies per person, per transaction.

Check out more of this CUTE COOKIE here!

Hyperdrive holidays sandwich —  galactic grill .

“PUNCH IT, CHEWIE!” It’s time to gran the all-new (hyperactive) Hyperdrive Holidays Sandwich ! This is a  fried Chicken Sandwich with cranberry-orange marmalade BBQ Sauce, provolone, onion rings, and arugula on a toasted brioche bun.  It is served with french fries or oranges.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Hyperdrive Holiday Sandwich and fries

You can get the meal for $13.79 at  Galactic Grill.

Should you take a Hyperspace JUMP to Galactic Grill for this dish? Find out here!

Disney california adventure.

Disney California Adventure is currently hosting the Festival of Holidays from November 10, 2023 through January 7, 2024. And we’ve visited each of the Festive Foods Marketplaces (Food Booths)  to taste every single food item and sip every drink to review for you…

Brews & Bites

Ok, sooo … the “Bites” are limited (tho TASTY!), but the Brews are in full force at Brews & Bites ! You’ll find our review below!

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

CHEERS from Brews & Bites!

REVIEW: These Drinks Are Basically Liquid Churros at Disney’s Festival of Holidays

Favorite things.

If CHURRO Cold Brew, Braised Pork Belly, and Macarons are “a few of YOUR Favorite Things,” then you should check out the Favorite Things Food Booth !

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Favorite Things Spread

REVIEW: We Tried FOUR Disney Treats, But We DON’T Recommend This One

Grandma’s recipes.

No one cooks for the holidays quite like Grandma… well, unless it’s the Grandma’s Recipes Food Booth …

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Grandma’s Recipes Spread

REVIEW: We Need To Find the Grandma That Makes These Disney Recipes So We Can Give Her a Hug

Holiday duets.

Unique ingredient pairings are the name of the game at Holiday Duets … like Esquites Carnitas Mac and Cheese and a TWIX tart!

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Holiday Duets spread

Review: We’re CONFLICTED About Disney’s NEW Treats

Making spirits bright.

The emphasis is on the “SPIRITS” at Making Spirits Bright , with a Tiramisu Yule Log Cocktail and Chocolate Mint Stout Shake. But you’ll find some tasty bites, as well. You’ll find our review below!

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Chocolate Mint Stout Shake at Making Spirits Bright

REVIEW: Yes, Disney Did Create a Chocolate Beer Milkshake and Yes, We Have Thoughts

Merry mashups.

Which dish is the most flavorful of the fusions at Merry Mashups this year? You can find OUR thoughts on that below!

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Maple Hazelnut Hot Buttered Rum at Merry Mashups

You may be surprised by our favorite item at the Merry Mashups Food Booth this year!

A twist on tradition.

Mac and Cheese? Check. Margaritas? Check! But since THIS Food Booth serves up “A Twist on Tradition, ” you can find out exactly what that means for these dishes with our review…

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Savory Kugel Mac & Cheese with herb breadcrumbs, sour cream and chives

REVIEW: This Disney Festival of Holidays Booth May Be the BEST One YET!

Winter sliderland.

When you’re “Walkin’ in a Winter SLIDERLAND …” how do you choose between a Beef Brisket or Togarashi Karaage Chicken Slider  and a Spiced Pear Mule ? Well… hopefully our review will help you decide — find it below!

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Winter Sliderland Spread

REVIEW: Um…We’re CONFUSED About This Slider at the Disney Festival of Holidays

Additional locations.

Eateries all around the park are serving special items for the Festival of Holidays!

Studio Catering

Over at Studio Catering, you can grab the  Holiday Turkey Empanada . This is a fried empanada filled with  turkey, stuffing, and gravy with cranberry dipping sauce .

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Holiday Turkey Empanada

Click here for out review of this unique twist on traditional Holiday Turkey!

Cappuccino cart and pym kitchen.

Over at The Cappuccino Cart, you can grab the  Cafe de Olla Cold Brew! Meanwhile, Pym Test Kitchen is where you’re find the  Cold Brew Infusion: Cinnamon & Spice.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Cold Brew Infusion

Which of these Cold Brews is a must-sip? Find our review here!

Novelty items.

Don’t forget to check out the 2023 Novelty Popcorn Buckets, Souvenir Sippers, and MORE around the parks! For instance… well, he’s not quite dashing through the snow but instead looks to have traded in the snow for holding your popcorn. This season’s release of the  Holiday Tow Mater Popcorn Bucket  is simply beaaaaa-utiful!

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Holiday Mater Popcorn Bucket

We spotted him available at a popcorn stand for  $27.79 , so keep those eyes peeled!

You can grab the Holiday Popcorn Bucket  at the following locations:

  • At Disneyland park:  Popcorn at small world Promenade, Popcorn at Tomorrowland, Popcorn near Central Plaza, Popcorn near Chip ‘n’ Dale’s GADGETcoaster, Popcorn near City Hall, Popcorn near Fantasyland Theatre, Popcorn near Haunted Mansion, and Popcorn near Mark Twain Riverboat
  • At Disney California Adventure park: Popcorn at Grizzly Peak Airfield, Popcorn near Carthay Circle Popcorn at Pixar Pier

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Holiday Popcorn Bucket

The Gold Musical Rotating Tin  is available at the following locations:

  • At Disneyland park:  Popcorn at Tomorrowland, Popcorn near Haunted Mansion, and Popcorn near Mark Twain Riverboat
  • At Disney California Adventure park:  Churros near Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, Popcorn at Pixar Pier, Willie’s Churros at Buena Vista Street, Popcorn near Carthay Circle Restaurant, and Popcorn at Grizzly Peak Airfield

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Gold Musical Rotating Tin

The Mickey Mouse Toy Soldier Bucket  is available at the following locations:

  • At Disneyland park:  Popcorn at small world Promenade, Popcorn at Tomorrowland, Popcorn near Central Plaza, Popcorn near City Hall, Popcorn near Fantasyland Theatre, Popcorn near Haunted Mansion, and Popcorn near Mark Twain Riverboat
  • At Disney California Adventure park:  Churros at Grizzly Peak Airfield, Popcorn near Carthay Circle, Popcorn at Pixar Pier, and Willie’s Churros at Buena Vista Street

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Mickey Mouse Toy Soldier Bucket

There is also a Mickey Mouse-shaped Red Glitter Jingle Bell Glow Cube, Holiday Kermit Straw Clip,  and a  Reindeer Parade Sipper  —  you can check them all out here!

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

Reindeer Sipper

Please join us for all of the merrymaking right here throughout the Season!

Aaaaand … HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

Want to learn more about disneyland check out the links below, dfb disneyland restaurants guide, disney genie and how to use it in disneyland, what you need to know about the theme park reservation system for disneyland and disney california adventure, closures and construction at disneyland, learn all about disneyland park, see what marvelous stuff you’ll find at avengers campus in disney california adventure, learn about pixar pier in disney california adventure, get all the details about the disneyland mobile app, everything you need to know about mobile order in disneyland, learn more about disneyland’s magic key program, full details about the holiday season in disneyland, full details about halloween time at disneyland, get some strange tips for disneyland, click here to check out lots of other dfb posts about disneyland, join the dfb newsletter to get all the latest disney news delivered right to your inbox click here to subscribe, check out our other ebooks.

disneyland holiday tour review 2022

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disneyland holiday tour review 2022

COMMENTS

  1. Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Tour Review

    The 2023 Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Tour also includes a ride on "it's a small world" Holiday plus reserved viewing for A Christmas Fantasy Parade. Expect two treats and a souvenir mug of cocoa during the tour. The last souvenir is a gorgeous, unique pin/ornament which is a wonderful keepsake.

  2. Review: Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Guided Tour

    Credit: Marisol. "Holiday Time at Disneyland Resort Tour" is offered daily during Holidays at the Disneyland Resort which runs through January 8, 2023. Valid theme park admission and park reservation are required and not included in the price of the tour. During the 2022 season, a Holiday Time At The Disneyland Resort Tour costs $110 per ...

  3. Holiday Time at Disneyland Tour Review

    To make reservations call (714) 781-4400 or visit the Tour Gardens Kiosk at the front of Disneyland Park, which is located right next to City Hall. Tours are offered daily multiple times (the first is usually at 10am) with a capacity of 20 guests per tour. Larger tours will utilize headsets, smaller tours typically do not.

  4. My Thoughts on the Holiday Time at Disneyland Tour

    Administrator. Joined. Dec 15, 1998. Dec 3, 2022. #1. After going on the Walt's Main Street Story tour, I didn't have high expectations for the Holiday Time at Disneyland tour. I took the tour with my friend, Michael Bowling (Connecting with Walt podcast), and we were both pleasantly surprised at the tour and treats and goodies.

  5. Is the Holiday Time Tour at Disneyland Resort Worth the Price?

    Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Guided Tour Review. The Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Guided Tour is a guided 2.5 hour walking tour through Disneyland and California Adventure where you'll learn about the festive decorations on display throughout the theme park, as well as Disneyland holiday traditions from around the world.

  6. Get an Inside Look Into the Holiday Guided Tour at Disneyland

    This holiday tour is 2 hours and 30 minutes long and costs $110 per person. Here is more on what Guests can expect from this tour, per Disneyland's website: Gather 'round for a festive tour of ...

  7. Disneyland Tour Options: Comprehensive Guide to All the Tours!

    Reservations can be made by contacting Disney Special Activities at [email protected] or (714) 300-7710, Monday - Friday 8:00am - 6:00pm and Saturday - Sunday 8:30am - 5:00pm. Guests booking a tour must be 18 years of age or over. Tours start at $4900 for a maximum of 10 guests.

  8. Guided Tours at Disneyland (Updated for 2024!)

    Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Guided Tour. As you may already know, the winter holidays are a very special time to visit Disneyland. The Holiday Time tour gives Guests the opportunity to experience some of the holiday fun in a new way! This is a 2.5 hour tour that is only offered during the Holidays at Disneyland Resort.

  9. Review: Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Guided Tour

    Join me as I take you through my experience and all the treats that come with the walking guided tour. Spoiler alert: it was worth it! Guided Walking Tours at the Disneyland Resort There are two different tours that […] The post Review: Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Guided Tour appeared first on KennythePirate.com.

  10. Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Guided Tour

    Experience the Disneyland Resort in a whole new way with these guided, outdoor walking tours. Celebrate the season with themed entertainment, food and festivities—November 15, 2024, through January 6, 2025. Celebrate this joyous season with a look at how we make the magic shine so bright at both parks of the Disneyland Resort.

  11. What You Need to Know About Guided Disneyland Tours

    You'll meet your tour at the Tour Gardens on Main Street, U.S.A. Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Guided Tour — $110 (for ages 3+), plus tax and optional gratuity. This 2.5-hour walking tour will return for the holiday season in 2024. It introduces Disneyland holiday traditions from around the world.

  12. Disneyland Tours That You'll Be Delighted You Took

    The souvenir pins are unique fun collectibles, too. Walk in Walt's Footsteps Tour: Designed for the Disney-lover, this 3.5-hour, fact-and-trivia-filled tour explores how Walt Disney's vision became a reality. The tour also includes a delicious meal and a collectible souvenir.

  13. Disneyland Resort Holiday Guided Tour Review

    Disneyland Resort Holiday Guided Tour Review - Babes in Disneyland ... Home

  14. Holiday Time at Disneyland Tour Review

    The tour is set for two times each day, at 11:00am and 2:00pm. It lasts about 2.5 hours, leading up to the parade that follows it. Meaning, the 11:00am tour will end with reserved seating at the 1:30pm Christmas Fantasy Parade. The 2:00pm tour will end with reserved seating at the 4:15pm Christmas Fantasy Parade.

  15. V.I.P. Tour

    There was no "front of the line" experience that I had before. For $5000 + the park tickets, some in my group didn't think it was worth it. Hi everyone! My family and I are thinking about booking the VIP tour experience at Disneyland in October. I'm looking for any insight from anyone….

  16. Disneyland Christmas 2022- Your Complete Guide

    The official Disneyland Christmas 2022 season runs November 11- January 8. As usual, Disneyland will be decked out in its holiday best with a massive, 60-foot Christmas tree in Town Square on Main ...

  17. Your Complete Guide to the Holidays at Disneyland Resort In 2022

    Experience thrilling sights and seasonal surprises created by the citizens of Halloween Town. Sally, Oogie Boogie, and other Nightmare nasties will be on hand to wish you "Season's Screamings ...

  18. 2024-2025 Disneyland Planning Guide

    2024 Disneyland Planning Guide. By Tom Bricker Planning 467 Comments. Our Disneyland vacation planning guide covers what's new & next this year and in 2025, when to visit to avoid crowds, best restaurants, hotels in Anaheim, money-saving ticket tips, Halloween & Christmas in the parks, and more. It's a great resource for first-timers to ...

  19. Disneyland Resort VIP Tours

    My Disneyland. Roll out the red carpet for your family with our customizable VIP experience—and get ready for your most magical day ever! Reservations are required. Email us or call (714) 300-7710 to book today! The concierge is open from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Pacific Time.

  20. Holidays at the Disneyland Resort

    My Disneyland. Experience the most magical time of year with celebrations throughout the Disneyland Resort—from November 15, 2024 through January 6, 2025. Pay tribute to multicultural and diverse music, cuisine and traditions! Honor the spirit of Navidad with daily entertainment, décor, food and some Disney friends.

  21. EVERYTHING Coming to Disneyland for the Holidays

    All three Disneyland Resort Hotels will be decked out with Christmas trees, feature carolers and visits from Santa, and the Grand Californian gingerbread house will be returning. At Disneyland Hotel, The Coffee House is going to feature an Indian chai Archisha Tea on the menu from October 17th, 2022, through January 9th, 2023.

  22. Events and Tours

    Disneyland Railroad Guided Tour. Disneyland Park. Disneyland Resort VIP Tours. Disneyland Park. Today's Hours: 8:00 AM to 12:00 AM. Disney's Happiest Haunts Guided Tour. ... Holidays at the Disneyland Resort. Multiple Locations. Lunar New Year. Disney California Adventure Park. 2 2

  23. Photos and Reviews: Holiday Treats in Disneyland Resort

    For 2023, the locations and dates were as follows: Candy Palace at Disneyland Park: December 3rd, 5th, 10th, 12th, 17th, 19th, and 24th. Trolley Treats at Disney California Adventure Park: December 4th, 6th, 11th, 13th, 18th, 20th, and 25th. These are not your typical candy canes. Each one is hand-pulled and measures eighteen inches long.