Disneyland at Christmas: 6 Holiday Attractions to See

Disneyland is one of the best places in Southern California to get in the holiday spirit. They go all out every year to decorate the park and put on fun events that make the warm Southern California winters seem a little more like Christmas. Amie and I hadn’t been in years, so this year we decided to make the trek to Disneyland and experience all of the holiday cheer the park had in store. We really enjoyed our time in the park (other than the cost of getting in), and you can see what we visited in the below video or read on for all of our favorite spots.

Details

• Cost: Ranges from $104 to $149 for one park, depending on the day (as of 2019)
• Disneyland holidays run from the middle of November to early January

Video

Here is the video we made of the day if you want to check it out.

Top Christmas Attractions

Here are some of Amie and I’s favorite things we saw during our Christmas trip to Disneyland.

Main Street Christmas Tree and Lights

The first thing you see when you walk into Disneyland is Main Street. It is full of shops and restaurants, and it is decorated to the nines for Christmas. It is especially beautiful at night when the lights come on, and the massive Christmas Tree gets lit up. Be sure to spend some time walking around it while you are at the park.

Haunted Mansion

By far, my favorite ride during the holiday season is the Haunted Mansion. This ride transforms the ghosts and ghouls into characters from the Nightmare Before Christmas, one of my favorite movies. It is a popular ride during the Christmas season since others love it as well, but it is worth the wait to experience.

Candy Cane Beignets

There are many holiday treats around the park, but a popular one is the candy cane beignets near Haunted Mansion. People love these things and are excited about them each year. Amie and I weren’t the biggest fans, but we still enjoyed trying them. Let me know what your favorite treat is in the comments.

Christmas Parade

Happening twice daily, the Christmas parade that goes along Main Street is an annual Disney tradition. People line up an hour before it starts to get a good spot for the procession. It is a lot of fun to see all of your favorite characters on the floats, singing, dancing, and interacting with each other. The song is played many times during the parade though, and it will get stuck in your head.

It’s a Small World

My favorite Christmas thing to do in the park is to watch the lighting of It’s a Small World. The facade of this famous ride has one of the best Christmas light displays I have ever seen. It is beautifully decorated and a sight to behold. The lighting happens at 5:15 PM, and people start showing up about an hour before to get a prime spot for this light display as well. Be sure also to go on the ride since it is decorated for Christmas too.

Cinderella’s Castle

Lastly, the crown jewel in the middle of the park, Cinderella’s Castle is beautiful to see during the holidays. The lights are elegant, and it is very photogenic. They also have a light display twice per night here as well that Amie and I thought was going to be a lot more exciting then it was. It does snow though, so make sure to stay a little back from the castle so you can experience it.

Those are some of my favorite spots in Disneyland for the holidays. Let me know what yours are in the comments.