Disneyland Holiday Tips to Help You Enjoy the Christmas Season
The Holidays at the Disneyland resort are extra magical. There is something special in the air and in the festive details all around the resort. Here are some Disneyland holiday tips for how to enjoy the Christmas season when you visit Disneyland this year.
Bring a Sweater or Jacket
Even though the winters are mild in Southern California, the desert climate means that after nightfall the temperature drops dramatically. It's not going to snow (at least not for real), but you will be happier if you pack an extra layer or two, just to stay comfortable. It also helps to get into the holiday spirit when you wear warmer clothes. Bring a backpack that you can carry water snacks and other essentials in and carry your additional clothing inside. Otherwise, you can store personal items in the locker room near the test wall midway down Main Street USA.
Buy Park Hopper Upgrades
Even if you stay for two days at the Disneyland resort, or purchase multi-day tickets so you can experience each park, it's a good idea to take the Park Hopper upgrade so you can go back and forth between the two. It's much easier to hop from park to park at the Disneyland resort than it is at Walt Disney World. The gates are less than a minute away from each other. There is so much going on at both parks, that if you hop on the first day of your visit, you can see in both parks, what attractions and entertainment you would like to return to. If you stick to one park per day, you almost need a third day, to pick up on anything you missed on your first go-round.
Visit the Grand Californian
Whether or not you stay at one of the Disneyland resort hotels, you should take time during your schedule to pop into the lobby at the Grand Californian. This vast space features cozy seating, splendid holiday decor, a Christmas tree, and an enormous fireplace. This is a particularly inviting place when you need a break from the crowds and some hot chocolate. You can even enjoy a holiday buffet at the Storyteller Cafe, or a special character brunch with Mickey Mouse.
Take the Downtown Disney Monorail
If you are doing some holiday shopping in Downtown Disney, enjoying drinks, or touring hotels and want to experience the holiday magic of Disneyland at night, hop on the monorail at Disney Springs. It's an express path to Tomorrowland and it positions you for a short Walk to It's a Small World Holiday or the Train Station. The Disneyland Railroad will take you past the historic Grand Canyon and Primeval World dioramas and reveal a lit-up Town Square at the end of the tunnel. Enjoy the charm and warmth of Main Street USA, or stay on track for New Orleans Square and the Haunted Mansion Holiday.
Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Tour
If you want to gain some inside scoops and visit all the magic of the holidays at Disneyland. The 2.5 hours guided tour includes reserved viewing for A Christmas Fantasy Parade. The audio-enhanced tour is refreshed every year so returning guests can experience something new, including updated collectible souvenirs.
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I went to Disneyland for Christmastime in 2018!
I am dying to see Disney at the holidays! Ive got to do this.
These are great tips! I'm from Ohio and there was one year as a child where a lot of my family put money together to rent a condo and spend Christmas at Walt Disney World. I will never forget and want to do this for our kids one day.
That's cool that the gates are so close together for park hopping. We are getting ready to go too, but in Florida. It's not as easy to get from park to park, but we want to see the new attractions at one and then head over to Magic Kingdom for the rest of the day. 🙂 Love your parade pics!
Disneyland is a destination for my son and family this coming year so these will be good suggestions for them. They are so looking forward to it. What a great place to spend the Holidays.
We've done Disney World during the holidays, Disney Land is on my bucket list!
I was at Disney Land many years ago and I had so much fun. My niece has a secret saving account and her goal is to take her daughter. So many great tips and suggestions
Would love to got to the Disney Christmas Parades, everything looks so perfect
What a great trip! My granddaughters went once so far, when they were 7 & 8.
Thanks for all of these great tips for Disneyland.
I have not been there in a long time. It is about time I gathered the family together and go have some fun. It is so nice to escape reality here for a few days. Thank you so much for sharing this. Happy New Year
We live in Florida, a mere 40 minutes from Disney World. These are wonderful tips. Disney parks are so beautiful this time of year with all of the holiday decorations, parades and landscaping.
I have always wanted to go to Disney during the holidays. I have been told it is fantastic.
THe kids so want to go during the holiday season. I am nervous it will be crazy busy and even more difficult to manage than a visit at another time during the year. Thanks for the tips.
I wish we could have gone to Disneyland this year! It's so much fun.
I've always wanted to visit Disney at Christmastime and see all of the beautiful decorations. The holiday tour sounds like a lot of fun! Thanks for sharing these tips.
I went to Disneyland when I was 13. My parents pulled my brother and I out of school for two weeks and we drove from Minnesota to California (my mom is scared of driving). We spent one day at Disneyland and it was awesome. Someday I hope to have kids of my own and I'm going to take them to Disneyland during the holidays. These tips will come in handy.
I wish I could go to Disneyland
Loved this post! I've always wanted to do Disney during the holidays!
Paige
I wish I could afford a vacation to visit right now. It looks amazing and something my kids would love to do.