{"id":2074,"date":"2018-11-07T22:57:12","date_gmt":"2018-11-08T06:57:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.themeparksforgrownups.com\/?p=2074"},"modified":"2024-03-07T07:35:10","modified_gmt":"2024-03-07T15:35:10","slug":"christmas-in-disneyland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.themeparksforgrownups.com\/christmas-in-disneyland\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas in Disneyland – Everything You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"

It doesn\u2019t matter whether you visit Disneyland, Disney World, or Tokyo Disney, as soon as you set foot on Disney property you\u2019re transported into your very own Hallmark movie. You\u2019re Lacey Chabert about to meet your one true love working at the local Christmas tree farm. Disney World tends to outshine Disneyland with their flashy special-ticket Christmas Party and grandiose resort makeovers. So, if you\u2019re used to visiting Disney World for the holidays, just know that everything is smaller and quainter in the California parks. However, Disneyland is still incredibly adorable and has a lot to offer in terms of the holidays. Due to crowds and overall hominess of Disneyland, I’m starting to prefer spending the holidays in California as opposed to Disney World. The best part is you don\u2019t need to spend money on a separate ticket to enjoy the holiday parade and shows!<\/span><\/p>\n

So, where do you start when planning a Disneyland Christmas vacation? \u00a0When is the best time to visit for the holidays? What are the must-do shows, parades, and activities? Handmade candy canes, dancing reindeer, and snow on Main Street, these are a few of my favorite things!<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Santa

Santa Claus in the Christmas Fantasy Parade<\/p><\/div>\n

When to Visit<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Decorations start to go up the day after Halloween, so you might see some lights and d\u00e9cor before this date. For daily showtimes of all parades, street parties, and shows check out the times guides in the parks or online.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you have a choice, try to visit sometime between <\/span>the week after<\/b> Thanksgiving through the second week of December. <\/b>The lights, decorations, shows, and overall holiday atmosphere will be in full swing and it won\u2019t be overly crowded and possibly a bit cheaper.\u00a0\u00a0 Last year, my mom and I visited December 9th-December 15th and it was so dreamy. With the Max Pass, we didn\u2019t wait more than 20 minutes on any ride. Even without the Max Pass, we could have accomplished quite a bit.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"it's<\/p>\n

On Christmas Day and New Years Day,<\/strong>\u00a0Disneyland crowds are notoriously high and reach their peak capacity. Disney has been known to reach maximum park capacity and close their gates temporarily for new guests to enter around midday, but that doesn’t happen every year. In order to ensure that you enjoy some of what the parks have to offer, I suggest arriving at Disneyland at least an hour before it opens. That way, you can enjoy a few rides before the masses come and you won’t be refused at the gate. If you do get refused at the gate, try visiting California Adventure for a few hours. Disneyland may reopen later in the afternoon.<\/span><\/p>\n

Where to Stay<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Grand

Gingerbread Replica of the Grand Californian Hotel<\/p><\/div>\n

On-Property<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Dressed in lights, baubles, and enormous Christmas trees you can\u2019t go wrong at any of the on-property resorts. Each resort is visited by a group of carolers and gets their own personal lobby Santa for pictures too! The only con to staying on-property at a Disney resort is that it\u2019s more expensive than any of the off-property hotels.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the Grand Californian and the Disneyland Hotel, they imitate the life-size gingerbread house displayed in Florida\u2019s Grand Floridian every year. The gingerbread house in the Grand Californian is a replica of the hotel itself and the house at the Disneyland Hotel is a replica of the castle. If you’re not staying at a Disney hotel, I suggest grabbing a holiday cocktail from the Hearthstone Lounge and curling up next to the lobby fire while the pianist plays relaxing holiday ambiance music. This is my favorite place to take a midday break and separate from the park crowds!<\/span><\/p>\n

Off-Property<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Most off-property resorts are within walking distance or a short bus\/Lyft ride to the entrance. I usually opt for a non-Disney hotel because I spend more time at the parks than I do in my hotel room. My three favorite hotels are Anaheim Portofino Inn & Suites <\/span>(Budget-Friendly), <\/span><\/i>The Anaheim Hotel<\/span> (Moderate), or<\/span><\/i> Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim Theme Park Entrance <\/span>(Deluxe).<\/span><\/i> Off-site hotels may do some light decorating, but it won\u2019t be quite as extensive as a Disney hotel. The great thing is, the Disney hotels are very close to the parks so you can pop in and enjoy the decorations whether you stay there or not. If you want to be completely immersed in the Disney and holiday magic, then go for one of the Disney hotels! If you’d rather save some money, then a non-Disney hotel will be just fine too.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Christmas

Main Street Christmas Tree<\/p><\/div>\n

Christmas at Disneyland<\/b><\/h5>\n

Holiday Treat<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Can’t-Miss Holiday Menu Items:<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n