How Long Are Disneyland Christmas Decorations Up

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How long are Disneyland Christmas Decorations Up?

Visiting Disneyland during the holidays is nothing short of magical. From the festive lights on Main Street, U.S.A., to the whimsical overlays on popular attractions, the park transforms into a winter wonderland. If you’re planning a trip to the Disneyland Resort to soak in the holiday spirit, you might wonder: how long are the holiday decorations up? Here’s everything you need to know about enjoying the seasonal magic.

When does Disneyland Resort start putting up Christmas decorations?

Disneyland’s holiday season typically kicks off in mid November, shortly after Halloween festivities conclude. The day after Halloween, the park undergoes a rapid transformation. Overnight, pumpkins and spooky decor give way to twinkling lights, garlands, and a towering Christmas tree on Main Street.
You will start to see some Christmas decorations go up throughout the park even beginning in mid-October. They try to keep this lowkey so you don’t really notice that the holidays at Disneyland are slowly creeping in. But it is fun to try to spot the holiday decor.

When is the official start of Disneyland Christmas time?

This year, Christmas at Disneyland officially began on November 15th, 2024. That is when you could experience the full decorations, Festival of Holidays, the Christmas Fantasy Parade, World of Color – Season of Light, special holiday treats, Christmas music throughout the parks, holiday entertainment, and even more holiday magic during the Christmas season.

When does Christmas at Disneyland end?

Thankfully, the holiday season at Disneyland doesn’t end right after Christmas. They keep the Christmas festivities and holiday fun going until January 6th, 2025. So even if you don’t get a chance to visit Disneyland at Christmas before Christmas Day, you still have time to experience the holidays at Disneyland Park and California Adventure Park.

Disneyland Park during Christmas

There is so much you won’t want to miss at Disneyland during Christmas. From the food to the entertainment to the holiday overlays, you’ll want to make sure you see everything!

It’s a Small World Holiday

The It’s a Small World Holiday overlay is a MUST SEE during the Disneyland Christmas celebration! It’s so adorable and a magical experience to any age visitor. They also do a special Small World lighting at 4:45pm each day that is super cute!

Haunted Mansion Holiday Nightmare Before Christmas Overlay

This is also so much fun! Because it encompasses Halloween and Christmas, this special overlay starts at the end of August for the Halloween festivities and continues through mid-January 2025 for the Christmas holidays! It’s super fun to see Jack and his friends take over the Haunted Mansion for a few months!

Christmas Fantasy Parade

Disneyland’s Christmas Parade is definitely a can’t miss event! This parade is a highlight of the season, featuring so many of your favorite Disney characters. It’s a magical parade that your whole family will love. It runs at 2:30pm and 5:30pm each day.

Believe…In Holiday Magic Fireworks

You won’t want to miss this fireworks display that happens nightly throughout the holiday season! The nighttime spectacle is filled with beautiful fireworks, music, and ends with a magical snowfall! It starts at 9:30pm each night and is subject to weather. It will definitely be a family favorite!

Does Disney California Adventure Park decorate for the holiday season?

Yes! Disney California Adventure has so many amazing holiday decorations and offerings during the holiday season! Disney Festival of Holidays takes place in California Adventure and is full of delicious holiday food to try! They also have holiday music and performers, the World of Color – Season of Light, the Holiday Toy Drummers, and festively dressed Disney characters. Also, you can’t miss Cars Land during the holiday! It so much fun to see all of the decorations and holiday overlays!

Does Downtown Disney decorate for Christmas?

Downtown Disney, like the rest of Disneyland decorates for Christmas. You will find displays in windows, holiday food offerings, lights, wreaths, garlands and everything else you would expect from the holidays at the Disneyland Resort! You can even experience magical snowfall! It happens every 30 minutes from 6pm to 10pm from November 29th, 2024 to January 6th, 2025.

Disneyland Resort Hotels at Christmas time

The Disneyland Hotel, the Grand Californian Hotel, and the Pixar Pier Hotel all partake in Disneyland during Christmas They will have decorations throughout their lobbies, restaurants, and public spaces. You don’t want to miss the Gingerbread House at the Grand Californian Hotel!

When is the best time to visit Disneyland during Christmas?

I’m not going to lie to you, if you are planning a trip to Disneyland during the holidays, it’s going to be busy! The week of Christmas is considered one of the busiest times of the year. The week from Christmas to New Years is also very busy. Many people find that the week before the week of Thanksgiving is very manageable. Also, the first two weeks of December seem to be a good time to go as you’ll see a little bit lower crowds and short ride wait times.
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Disneyland Christmas Decorations

If you want to plan a Disneyland vacation to see decorations and celebrate Christmas make sure you plan your vacation between now and January 6th, 2025 so you don’t miss out on all the offerings at Disneyland!

Are you wondering how much it will cost to go to Disneyland? Check out our post on How to Budget for Disneyland here!