The holidays are in full swing at the Disney theme parks around the globe, and I might be personally biased, but nobody does it better than the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. Now through January 9, 2022, both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure have been transformed into a merry and magical place with so much holiday cheer everywhere you turn that it even spills over into the Downtown Disney District and the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort.
Since it’s the newest offering for this holiday season, I’d like to give a special spotlight to the Disney Merriest Nites after-hours holiday party at Disneyland, hosted by Mickey Mouse and his friends and taking place on select nights from 8pm until midnight (with entry allowed three hours prior to the start of the event). With six themed parties within one giant celebration, there is a lot to cram into a limited amount of time so you need to make sure you plan wisely, but if you do, you can work in a little bit of everything.
As the crowds continue to ramp back up, closer to pre-pandemic levels, after-hours parties are always good for shorter or even non-existent lines for the rides (although Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is not open during the event and somehow Peter Pan’s Flight still has a longer wait time), but for me, the character interactions were a true highlight. On Main Street, U.S.A., you could get your photo with Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in their Christmas Carol outfits or Scrooge McDuck and Goofy as the ghost of Jacob Marley, while Princess Tiana was in New Orleans Square, Miguel from Coco was in Frontierland, Lilo & Stitch were in Adventureland, and the characters from Frozen were in Fantasyland. And if you wanted to get your groove on, Buzz Lightyear was DJ-ing a dance party in Tomorrowland.
There were specialty food and beverage offerings around Disneyland that were exclusive to the event, so you could pick up sipping chocolate with a dipping waffle at the Jolly Holiday Bakery Café, coffee nog at the Red Rose Taverne, or a Thanksgiving leftover burger at Galactic Grill, before checking out the “A Christmas Fantasy” parade, the Handbell Carolers, or the Mariachis on the balcony of the Golden Horseshoe. And while I enjoyed everything I got to experience at the event, the absolute best part was The Muppets Christmas Caroling Coach inhabited by Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie the Bear, Gonzo the Great, Pepe the Prawn and Sam Eagle, with performances four times a night (including some back-up vocals from the chickens). I had the most delightful time singing along with The Muppets for a show that was just so pure and fun. Sadly, if you don’t already have a ticket to Merriest Nites, you won’t be able to get one, as the event is sold out, but the event seems more like a test run (they only put five dates on sale total) than a one-off, so you’ll likely see it again in the future.
With this being the first holiday season since before the Disneyland Resort was closed down due to the COVID pandemic, it all feels just a little bit more magical and there’s still plenty to do and experience at both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure during normal operating hours. The iconic 60-foot-tall Christmas tree on Main Street that’s decorated with nearly 1,800 ornaments is a welcome sight and the snow and sparkles added to Sleeping Beauty’s Castle for the winter made me a little misty-eyed. And adding to the festivities, you can also catch the “A Christmas Fantasy” parade, the “Believe in Holiday Magic” fireworks, snowfall and colorful projections on the buildings down Main Street, and many of the characters in their winter holiday finest, in between rides on Haunted Mansion Holiday and It’s a Small World Holiday (as soon as it reopens from a recent flooding). The character meet-and-greets are still socially distanced for safety, but the interactions are truly top-notch.
And over at DCA, the Festival of Holidays allows guests to experience the sights, sounds and tastes of Christmas/Navidad, Diwali, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Three Kings Day, with live entertainment offerings, themed merchandise and eight food marketplaces with a variety of food and beverage choices. While there are enough options that everyone should be able to find something that appeals to them, my own personal recommendation is to be sure to try the hot cocoa marshmallow macaron at the Making Spirits Bright booth, as it was the type of dessert that dreams are made of.
You can keep the street party going with ¡Viva Navidad!, featuring Mexican folklórico dancers and mariachis, Brazilian samba dancers and percussionists, giant puppets, and Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse in their fiesta best. There is also a daily dance along with Mickey and Minnie and a variety of characters, Santa Claus greeting guests at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, and the introduction of Mirabel from Encanto to the park. The festive merriment continues in Cars Land with detailed holiday décor everywhere you look and overlays for Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl and Mater’s Jingle Jamboree.
Unfortunately, because we are still in the midst of a pandemic, capacity is more limited than before, so if you don’t already have a reservation for December, the month is currently sold out. Unless that changes and dates open up, you’ll have to plan for January 2022, before the decorations come down again until the next holiday season. And stay tuned for Lunar New Year, commemorating the traditions of Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese cultures, being held from January 21 through February 13, and the Food & Wine Festival, which will run from March 4 through April 26, both at DCA.