Disneyland in December
Are you headed to the Disneyland in December? This post will give you all of the information on what to expect and all of the happenings at the Disneyland in December! Everything from attraction openings and closures, special events, weather, crowd calendars and more!
December is a great time to visit the Disneyland Resort but because it is the holidays, it can be busy! But also so magical! There is so much to do in both parks and Downtown Disney! Christmas is in full swing so you will see Christmas decor, characters in their cute holiday outfits, lots of fun holiday activities and special holiday treats and merch around both parks!
As always, there are some closures happening in Disneyland in December so be prepared for that, however the list this month is really small with only 3 rides closed and one of them reopens on December 2nd!
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Here is everything that’s happening at Disneyland in December 2023!!
Closures
- Mark Twain Riverboat- Closed December 1-TBA
- Astro Orbitor- Closed December 1-TBA
- Incredicoaster- Closed December 1
- California Adventure closes early on December 6th for a special ticketed event
Openings
- None
Shows, Fireworks and Parades
Here is a quick overview of all of the shows, fireworks and parades happening at the parks in December. Check out this link to find out the days and times the shows are running on specific dates.
Disneyland
- Believe in Holiday Magic Fireworks: Runs every night at 9:30pm. No Fireworks on December 31st
- A Christmas Fantasy Parade: Runs daily at 3:30pm and 6:30pm. December 19th times change to 2pm and 5pmTimes can vary based on other entertainment so check schedule
- Storytelling at Royal Theatre: Runs multiple times per day, but does not run on Tuesday-Thrusday
- Tale of the Lion King: Runs multiple times per day, but does not run on Tuesday’s or Wednesday’s
- The Heartbeat of New Orleans- A Living Mural: Runs multiple times every night.
- It’s a Small World Holiday Lighting: Runs every night around 5:15pm but times vary so check the entertainment schedule. Ends December 23rd
- Main Street USA Tree Lighting: Runs every night at 5pm but times can vary so check the entertainment schedule
- Disney Holiday Dance Party: Runs 7-9pm every night
- Wintertime Enchantment at Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle: Runs 2 times every evening, around 7:30pm and 8:30pm. Times can vary so check entertainment schedule for exact times Ends December 23rd
- Candlelight Processional: December 2nd and 3rd. 45 minute musical retelling of The First Christmas story. 5:30pm and 7:45pm. Expect higher crowds these days.
California Adventure
- Festival of the Holidays: Runs every day from park open to close.
- World of Color- Season of Light: Runs 2 times per day every day at 9pm and 10:15pm then changes to 10:30 on December 16th. December 31st World of Color will show at 7pm and 8:15pm
- Mickey’s Happy Holidays Cavalcade: Runs 3 times per day at 12:45pm, 2:30pm and 4:30pm
- Disney Jr. Dance Party: Runs multiple times per day.
- Disney Viva Navidad! Street Party: Runs multiple times per day
Check out the schedule for more atmospheric entertainment and specific showtimes happening throughout both parks as well as Downtown Disney
The Holidays at Disneyland
The Holidays at Disneyland runs November 10-January 7!
This is one of the best and most popular times to visit Disneyland! It is super family friendly, fun and magical. You will find Christmas celebrated throughout the entire resort, including Disneyland, California Adventure, Downtown Disney and even the Resort Hotels! And Christmas celebrations are included with your regular theme park admission!
Fun things to expect at Disneyland during the Holidays:
- Haunted Mansion Holiday- The Haunted Mansion is transformed into Nightmare Before Christmas and runs through the end of Christmas season, January 7th
- It’s a Small World Holiday- It’s a Small World is transformed into a Holiday version with Christmas decor and traditional holiday tunes
- It’s a Small World Holiday Lighting- At dusk, catch a dazzling display of thousands of twinkling lights come to life
- A Christmas Fantasy Parade- Watch Disney Characters join Santa in this magical Christmas parade
- Believe… In Holiday Magic Fireworks- A dazzling fireworks show with holiday music and snow on Main Street USA!
- Wintertime Enchantment at Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle- Sleeping Beauty’s Castle is transformed with icicle lights, wreaths lights and snow! Make sure to catch the castle lighting each night
- Disney Characters dressed in Holiday outfits- Your favorite Disney Characters will be dressed up in their own holiday outfits for the holiday season
- Holiday treats and merchandise- Seasonal treats and merch will be available in all of the shops around the parks!
California Adventure
- World of Color: Season of Light- Disney stories and Holiday magic brought to life with this special version of World of Color in DCA
- Mater’s Jingle Jamboree- A holiday version of the ride Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
- Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl- Enjoy this seasonal transformation of Luigi’s Rollicking’ Roadsters
- Disney Festival of Holidays- Take in the sights and sounds of this joyous celebration of cherished holidays—including Christmas, Navidad, Hanukkah, Diwali, Kwanzaa and Three Kings Day
- Disney Viva Navidad!- Enjoy a fun street party featuring live musicians with folklórico and samba dancers along with Mickey and Minnie in their fiesta best!
- Festival Foods Marketplace- Food booths set up around California Adventure with various cultural foods to try. Purchase a Sip and Savor Pass or purchase food items separately
Disney 100 Celebration
Happening all year long! However, now with the kickoff of Halloween and soon Christmas in the park, you will see less Disney 100 and more Holidays.
- Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway is open!
- World of Color One is new in DCA and runs through November 10
- Tons of new specialty food and drinks around the parks
Photo credit: Disney Parks Blog
Weather
The weather in Southern California in December is typically in the 60’s but could get cooler so be sure to bring layers and some warmer clothes especially for the nights and mornings. Always check the weather before you go so you know how to pack and what to expect! The lows are low 40’s.
There is not usually a lot of rain in California but always check the weather before you go and make sure to pack accordingly! If it does get cold, dress well for the cold, take breaks, go for a lot of indoor rides and shows.
Crowd Calendar
Crowds will be higher during December and the busiest time of the entire year is the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. If possible, I would avoid this week entirely. The beginning of December is usually the slowest time of the month, getting increasingly busier as it gets closer to Christmas. I highly recommend reading this blog post here about tips for busy days at Disneyland. And Genie + is a must at this time of year!
Tips for Busy Days: Plan well, buy Genie +, take advantage of rope drop and early entry (if you’re staying at a Disneyland Resort hotel) and hit rides during the shows/fireworks and 2 hours before park closing for shorter lines. Also, if a ride has a single rider line, that is a great option as well. Read busy day tips blog here!
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday will be the least busy day of the week so if you can go on those days you will see lower crowds.
*Keep in mind this is just a prediction. Crowds may be higher or lower on any of these days
Reservations
You still need reservations to enter Disneyland and can make those when you buy your tickets through Get Away Today or Disneyland. Make sure the dates you want are available before purchasing your tickets. And if they aren’t, check back every day because sometimes new reservations will pop up. Also, Disneyland just changed how they do reservations and you can now modify a reservation in the app instead of having to cancel and rebook a reservation! YAY! This will make life so much easier if you need to change days or starting parks!
You can begin park hopping at 11am!
Save with Get Away Today
Want to save a little money on your next trip to Disneyland? Get Away Today has got you covered! They are always running great deals such as free nights hotels or free park days! You really can’t beat their prices or their customer service!
Get Away Today is an authorized Disneyland ticket seller and is cheaper than buying directly from Disneyland. Get an extra day free when you purchase a 4 day ticket! It works on both single day tickets and park hoppers! Click here to book and use code MMSA10 on any vacation package for an additional discount!
Disneyland Tips for December
- Crowds will be highest of the year the week after Christmas with crowds getting increasingly busier the closer to Christmas you get. If you want to make the most of your time, use rope drop, early entry, single rider lines and Genie+ to maximize your time in the park. Try to avoid weekends if possible.
- Weather may be chilly so check the local weather and pack accordingly!
- Make dining reservations for restaurants or utilize mobile ordering! Check for dining reservations 60 days before your trip. If you can’t get dining reservations on your own, check out Mouse Dining! They will email you when the reservations you want pop up. All you have to do is sign up for a FREE account at this link
December can still be a great time to visit Disneyland and the holidays are incredible! It is just so magical! There are some refurbishments happening, but honestly not many at all. And even with refurbishments, there is still so much to do! The weather should be a little cooler so pack accordingly. The holiday fireworks, World of Color and parades are happening (minus Fantastic) and you don’t want to miss those! Check the dates of your vacation in the Disneyland app to make sure you don’t miss anything! Christmas Time is amazing and there is no shortage of things to do during this time! Have an amazing time!
XOXO 
Amanda
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