Holidays at the Disneyland Resort Begins November 13 with ‘Frozen’ Additions and Returning Favorites

Erin Glover

by , Director, Publicity, Walt Disney Animation Studios

It’s almost here! The most wonderful time of the year is here, November 13, with the return of Holidays at the Disneyland Resort. Through January 6, 2015, the Happiest Place on Earth will get merrier … and yes, even more frozen.

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Fans of Disney’s “Frozen” will especially love this holiday season, as even more touches inspired by the animated film are woven into the celebration. First, stars Anna and Elsa will be featured in A Christmas Fantasy Parade each day at Disneyland park. Also, over at Disney California Adventure park, more songs from the hit soundtrack have been added to “World of Color – Winter Dreams” for the show’s second season. And returning this year is Olaf’s Frozen Ice Rink, which will return this year as part of the Downtown Disney Winter Village.

And that’s not all that’s new this year. Jingle Jangle Jamboree in Frontierland will host an all-new comedy and music show that invites guests to sing along in a wacky tale of Christmas in the West.

Here’s a look at this year’s returning favorites:

Disneyland Park

Disney California Adventure Park

  • “World of Color – Winter Dreams”
  • Disney ¡Viva Navidad! (featuring Three Kings Day celebration, January 2-6, 2015)

Downtown Disney District

Destinations: Holidays at the Disneyland Resort Begins November 13 with ‘Frozen’ Additions and Returning Favorites, Downtown Disney District

Comments

  • This is my favorite time to go to Disneyland…I especially love to hangout in New Orleans during this time its just so beautiful!!

  • Will there be gingerbread house displays at the DLR resort hotels this year, like the WDW resort hotels – Grand Floridian, Contemporary, Boardwalk, and Beach Club?

  • we are headed to the park this evening! Going to see ACF for the first time this season and BIHM yay! So Excited!

  • Excited to see new additions to Winter Dreams, but at the same time I hope nothing else got cut from the show. It was amazing seeing various characters such as Wreck it Ralph, Rapunzel, and the toy store characters. I really hope the variety will still be there! 🙂

  • But when will the Frozen fun start at Disney California Adventure?

  • Sounds awesome. Thanks for the info Erin. Looking forward to seeing the new additions in Winter Dreams and the Christmas Fantasy parade.

  • The Holidays at Disneyland Resort are truly the most beautiful time to be in the parks, without question! I love other seasons at DLR too, of course, but there is a certain spark of magic in the air that is present during the holidays which is not there at any other time of year. It is hard to describe if you haven’t been there to experience it, but it is absolutely enchanting.

    From the 3 Hotels’ décor (and each hotel had some sort of new décor added to it in 2013!) to the themed embellishments around each land of both parks, to the lively, upbeat atmosphere of Downtown Disney (complete with the ice rink and the Winter Village), Disneyland Resort is immersed in seasonal splendor! The level of detail and effort that goes into setting up this glorious overlay is amazing — and it keeps getting better every year!

    As much as I love Halloween Time and Springtime at Disneyland Resort, the Holidays cannot be matched. I am giddy with childlike glee when I set foot on DLR soil and see the twinkling lights, stunning trees and smell the gingerbread and cocoa in the air. I can’t wait to enjoy it all again this year. 🙂

  • Erin (or anyone else),
    Can you tell me if there will be Holiday stuff that will be earlier than Nov. 13? I know the Haunted Mansion overlay, obviously, but will there be decorations in the parks this weekend?

    Thanks!

  • Adrienne —

    It’s a Small World Holiday is opening this weekend (probably tonight). Both the Believe…in Holiday Magic fireworks and A Christmas Fantasy Parade are starting tonight/this weekend.

    Aside from the ride overlays and special holiday entertainment (some of which may not begin until 11/13 or after), the actual decorations slowly start to go up in both parks even before Halloween. It is a gradual process, and a little bit appears here and there, over a couple of weeks. New Orleans Square and Toontown often get their decorations first, as does A Bug’s Land. If this year follows previous years’ schedules, mostly everything should be in place in the 2 parks, decorations-wise, this weekend, with just a few extra touches put up on Main Street between now and 11/13.

    The 3 hotels at DLR, however, usually get their decorations a little bit later than the parks do. The hotels are usually (“usually” being the operative word here) not decorated right when the Holidays begin, but maybe a week or two later — by or before Thanksgiving.

  • Very pleased about the return of ¡Viva Navidad! Very festive, colorful, and a great addition to the holidays at California Adventure! 🙂

  • Adrienne,

    The castle has the snow overlay on it and Jungle Cruise is now Jingle cruise. I am not sure about any other changes right now. Hope this helps. 🙂

  • Isabelle,

    Thanks very much for the info! I wish Disneyland’s holiday season would officially start just a bit earlier, like WDW is doing. Also, announcing the dates well in advance so vacation plans can be made around it would be great!!

    Adrienne

  • Looking forward to the Holidays again this year; we have booked our hotel room and will be taking our grandchildren. I have heard that Mrs. Claus has been removed from the Parade? I hope this isn’t true, out last visit was picture perfect with Mrs. Claus and Santa Clause over at the ranch, and then the kids loved seeing them in the Parade.

  • You’ll have to excuse my inexperience, we only just had our first trip to Disneyland & I find there’s a lot more information on blogs about WDW than DL….

    Am I correct that there is no similar holiday party for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Disneyland?? (Such as there’s Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party at WDW to the Mickey’s Halloween Party at DL) — Could someone tell me why this is? It’d be something I would want to experience… without having to fly to Florida.

  • #8 & #12 – Adrienne

    #9 – Sherry from CA is addressed to you as well.

  • Planned a special trip (just my sister and myself) specifically to see the decorations! It will be her first time seeing Disneyland at Christmas time. I can’t wait!!!

  • Are you advising that Viva Navidad is only running between Jan 2-6 or the actual holiday is celebrated during those dates? I’ll be there next week and I’ll be super important disappointed if I can’t see it.

  • Skip — Thank you! 🙂 I had wondered if my detailed response had gotten lost in the shuffle. 🙂

    Bri — Viva Navidad is happening all season long, from the starting day of November 13, 2014 through January 6, 2015. It’s a wonderful, jubilant, lively celebration!

    In those last few days of the Holidays (from January 2nd – 6th, 2015), the Three Kings Day festivities are incorporated into Viva Navidad (prior to 2013, the Three Kings Day celebration took place in Disneyland park), just as it happened this past January 2014.

  • Sherry from CA

    You’re welcome; my pleasure.

  • Thanks to everyone who responded. We just got back from our trip. Small World is gorgeous at night. The Disneyland tree went up during the night — one day it wasn’t there, the next it was!

    To Isabelle – the Jingle Cruise is not opening until the 13th. They were doing construction on it still yesterday, so the ride is shut down. Also, the fast pass distribution area for Indiana Jones is shut down until the 13th, since it is inside the construction zone.

  • Adrienne —

    Re: Jingle Cruise not being open. That’s exactly why I didn’t mention Jingle Cruise in my response to you (which is #9 above, two replies before Isabelle’s reply). I knew that Jingle Cruise was not running yet, but I thought that maybe Isabelle had just obtained some breaking news/inside scoop that I somehow didn’t have!

    Jingle Cruise soft opened a bit earlier last year, but this year it is opening a few days later. 🙂 )

    Meanwhile, Viva Navidad actually just opened a bit earlier than it did last year.

    Yes — It’s a Small World Holiday is absolutely gorgeous at night (and the ride is pretty spectacular as well)!

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