Top 5 Tips For Surviving Disneyland At Christmas For 2024 (Yes, You Can Survive & Thrive!)
A Disneyland Christmas is the stuff kids’ dreams are made of! And to be honest- mine too. We love spending the Christmas season at Disneyland and you will too. If you prepare, that is. Please: Christmas time at Disneyland is not for the faint of heart! Here are the top 5 tips for surviving Disneyland at Christmas this year. The holiday season starts November 15 and runs through January 6, 2025.
Yes, it’s early, but no, it’s never too early to talk strategy when it comes to Christmas time at Disneyland.
When have we ever steered you wrong regarding a Disneyland vacation?
If you’re considering a visit, check out these best Disneyland Christmas tips before you go!
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Top 5 Tips For Surviving Disneyland At Christmas in 2024
We’ve been fortunate to spend some Christmas time at Disneyland. It is as magical as you might expect.
And as crowded.
And as frustrating.
And as wonderful.
Who doesn’t want to know what Christmas at Disneyland is like, right?
It’s the most popular time to visit for a reason, and we know people would appreciate hearing the frankincense (see what we did there?) version of making a trip work.
Here are the top 5 Tips For Surviving Disneyland At Christmas in 2024.
1. Disneyland At Christmas Is All About The Timing
Ideally, we’d suggest visiting the Disneyland Resort in the sweet spot right after the Holiday decorations arrive. Is Disneyland busy in November?
Christmas time at Disneyland gets real busy real quick as the month of November progresses.
The out-of-town travelers tend to hold off until school is out for Thanksgiving or Christmas break.
The locals will still be around- but often not until the late afternoon/evening when school and work are let out.
Or they know better and avoid the crowds altogether.
When is the Best Time To Go to Disneyland at Christmas?
Ideally, we’d suggest visiting the Disneyland Resort in the sweet spot right after the Holiday decorations arrive.
You’ll beat the crowds and get a head start on the festive season.
Most of November is good to go, but avoid Thanksgiving week if possible. Early December is also a great time to visit Disneyland Park.
Is Disneyland busy in December? Find the best dates to go in 2024.
What Day Does Disneyland Decorate for Christmas?
Disneyland starts its decorating early when Haunted Mansion Holiday located in New Orleans Square opens in early September.
But the rest of Disneyland Resort waits until after Halloween to decorate for Christmas.
The Christmas trees sometimes show up the very next day on November 1, but the parks will be completely decorated by November 15.
2. Disneyland Christmas is About Managing Expectations
Our point here: don’t expect to ride all your usual rides or have perfect service from an overworked cast member when you go to Disneyland at Christmas time.
It is crowded and busy and people are human.
If you follow this tip and plan to go with the flow as much as necessary, you’ll have a wonderful trip.
Depending on when you arrive at the parks, you may experience crazy Disneyland Christmas crowds and long lines.
Or you may breeze right in.
The security lines are efficient and quick. Don’t forget to utilize mobile ordering at Disneyland too. It can save your bacon when it comes time to eat!
3. Packing Tip For Christmas At Disneyland: Layer It Up!
During our trip, we experienced chilly mornings & evenings but rather warm daytime temps.
Most hotels are within a 10 to 20-minute walk from the Disneyland Resort so you could make the case that leaving your jackets in the room would be no big deal.
This is an important point: if you leave, you may not get back into the parks.
Reservations are in play now, which helps with this issue. But if you leave Disneyland Park and go to Disney California Adventure as a park hopper, that reservation is not guaranteed any longer.
Remember: everyone wants to see those Disney Christmas decorations! It can get that busy at times.
During crowded days, the park gates can be closed to incoming guests.
Reaching capacity happens frequently.
If you leave, you risk not being allowed back in as a park hopper.
And if you promised your kids they’d get to see Santa Claus in the Christmas Fantasy Parade and get shut out? That’s no fun for anyone.
We wore layers and packed a bag with the change of clothing we would need for a stay at the parks the entire day.
The lockers were our first stop as we entered Main Street, USA.
They cost $7-10 for the whole day.
It was a simple in-and-out process, but it can get crowded during heavy times like New Year’s Eve.
That is one crazy, fun, crowded time of year and you might just want to dig deep and consider if New Year’s at Disneyland is worth it to you!
4. Disneyland Christmas Tip: Handle The Long Lines By Avoiding Them
That’s right.
You’ll zig when everyone else zags.
Around mid-morning, the park will be insanely packed. This is when you get creative.
Visit some of the off-the-beaten-path attractions that will have shorter or no waits.
- Take a trip to explore Tom Sawyer Island
- Paddle the Disneyland Canoes
- Walk through Sleeping Beauty Castle
- Explore Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge and use your Data Pad (cell phone) to play games
- Stake out a spot on the parade route
- Check the Disneyland app for your favorite characters’ sightings, like Minnie Mouse. Town Square is an excellent place for characters in the morning!
Think outside of the traditional box and you’ll find some great things to experience during a Disneyland Christmas trip.
5. Do Not Miss The Christmas Ride Overlays
Since the crowds should be heavier than normal, you should prioritize your attraction choices. By mid-morning, the wait times for these specific attractions will be huge.
In addition to the expected Christmas decorations throughout the parks, some attractions get extra special attention.
Holiday-specific overlays are in place for Haunted Mansion and “it’s a small world.”
Your family will love seeing Jack Skellington playing Sandy Clawz.
Our biggest tip yet: Don’t skip them! They make Christmas time at Disneyland special.
You’ll want to make them a priority and that means you’ll want to get to the parks early for rope drop.
If you are a Walt Disney World vet, it’s especially important to experience these attractions since they do not get the same overlay treatment on the East coast.
This attraction is the best example of Disney Christmas decorations out there!
You must ride this to enjoy your Christmas at Disneyland- it will definitely get you into the Disneyland Christmas spirit- I cannot say enough.
You. Must. Not. Skip!
Bonus: Disney Festival of Holidays Details
Disney California Adventure Park also decorates and celebrates Disneyland Christmas.
And DCA adds some great overlays to Cars Land which is a must-see. Be sure to ride Mater’s Jingle Jamboree and Luigi’s Joy when you’re there.
But one of the standouts of the holiday season is the Disney Festival of Holidays.
This runs from November 15 to January 6, 2025, as well.
If you are a Disney World regular and love the Food & Wine Festival, this is a mini holiday-specific version of that.
Holiday foods, festivities, and fun! It’s not to be missed.
Summary Of Our Disneyland At Christmas Tips
If your dream is to experience a Disneyland Christmas, we hope these tips will help you plan that trip.
Is Christmas time at Disneyland easy? No.
But was it still perfect? YES!
Despite showing up at a busy time, we still managed to have a fantastic trip.
It was a Disney Christmas after all at the Happiest Place on Earth.
But you’ll do better than we did since you have all our best tips now!
Disneyland Christmas FAQ
We heard about the famous Disneyland Candy Canes. How can we score one?
Disneyland does something truly special each year. They offer handmade candy canes made onsite but only on special days.
Breaking news from Candy Palace and Trolley Treats- the two locations where you can get your Disneyland candy canes from: here’s everything you need to know about scoring a Disneyland Candy Cane in 2024.
Where Can You Meet Santa At Disneyland?
Luckily, the big guy gets around!
You can meet him if you are staying at any of the Disneyland Hotels (which are gorgeous for the holidays!).
We love the Grand Californian Hotel the most when we’re visiting Disney parks.
You can also meet him in each park: Critter Country at Disneyland Park and in the Ahwahnee Camp Circle in the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail at Disney California Adventure Park.
Does Disneyland Have Any Christmas Parties Like Disney World?
Not in 2024, sadly.
For the first time ever in 2021, Disneyland did have a limited-time Christmas party on select nights. It was called Disney Merriest Nights.
These special events are full of holiday spirit raved over and well attended.
It was recently announced that they would not return for 2024.
Tell Us About The Candlelight Processional At Disneyland. Is It Like Walt Disney World?
Not exactly.
The basic premise and story/songs are the same, but the availability and location drastically differ.
Disneyland only holds its Candlelight Processional 2 nights a year, typically in early December. The narrators are not announced in advance, though you can usually spy on them during rehearsals early in the day.
2024 Candlelight will likely happen on December 6 and 7, 2024. The shows will run two times a night at 5:30 pm and 7:45 p.m.
Guests will have seating, but regular theme park guests can see the show from Main Street.
More Disneyland Posts You’ll Love
Holidays at Disneyland: Everything You Need To Know
Unique Ways to Remember Your Disney Vacation
Find the Closest Airport to Disneyland
Hotels Around Disneyland: Good Neighbor Hotels
Make Your Own Christmas Red Velvet Mickey Waffles
Patty Holliday is the owner and creator of all things No-Guilt Universe. As a lifelong fangirl and pop culture connoisseur, she’s been creating online since 2009. You can find her work at No-Guilt Disney.com, No-Guilt Fangirl.com, No-Guilt Life, and as host of the top-rated No-Guilt Disney Podcast.
You know this post just made me a little giddy, right? So excited to see Disneyland in November and the Jack Haunted Mansion takeover.
I thought about you when I wrote it! It’s pretty amazing. Ooohhh maybe jack and Sally will be on the course?!
We go before Christmas every year to Walt Disney World I love seeing the parks all decorated, and getting some cooler weather too! We usually stay at fort wilderness and the campers are all decorated too. We always get our picture taken with the downtown disney Santa and have used it for our Xmas card for the last 4 years.
What a fantastic tradition! I’d take my family back to Disneyland in a heartbeat!
Love the tips for holiday time! I’ve never been to DLR, but my entire newly extended family is all heading to WDW for the holidays this year to officially welcome our Disney virgins into the fam (my husband and my brothers new wife have never been, but I grew up a little Disney fanatic like your little ones!). It’s been a while since we’ve been at Christmas time, so these tips were great reminders!
Oh exciting! I was at WDW for wine and dine last year which means I saw the decorations there too! Really magical. Hope you have a great time!
My parents and I were at Disneyland last November. We did the Haunted Mansion many times since it was our first time to DL after the overlay. The first two days were great, but Saturday wasn’t. It should’ve been great, but they were filming for the Christmas parade they show on ABC. Ummm really no bueno! It was November and I shouldn’t expect to battle that.
The parade throws everything off I hear!
My first Disney park experience EVER, Disneyland the day after Christmas….yeah we were noobs and didn’t know any better, but lucky for us it was raining so it could have been worse. We didn’t know ANYTHING and yet we had fun and went back. I think attitude is so important like you said, just know it will be crowded and go with the magic. Great series though….wish it had been around when we went. And please warn people WHY Snow White has a short ride in the AM, its NOT for most 3 year olds LOL
Oh Disneyland at Christmas is beautiful!! I’m excited to live closer now to take my family! Love, love!
I love Christmas at Disney! I’ve only ever been for WDW, but am excited to see all the DL Christmas glory next year for the Avengers weekend!
Disneyland is on my Bucket List – during the holidays or not! I cannot wait to make it out to the west coast and see Walt’s original!
It is absolutely wonderful! Hope you get out there soon!
Great tips! I have definitely followed a few of those! I would love to take my mom and dad to Disneyland during the holidays! My mom works too hard and makes up too many excuses not to relax, but I know she loves holiday decorations!
Awwww that’s so sweet! Disneyland’s decorations are beautiful this year. Thanks for entering!
I love your blog! We are huge runDisney fans here! I’d take my whole family if I could!
Thank you Leila! Good luck- runDisney is the best isn’t it?!
It really is. My family does the Star Wars 5K together and I do the Disneyland race weekend and the Avengers race weekend. swooon we love it so much.
I would definitely take my dad. I need a Disney fix. D:
I hope that weekend for Avengers is better scheduled now. I was there with family in 2013, that very weekend, and they were filming everything for the Christmas Day broadcast. Talk about headache!
Heading out on Friday for Avengers!! SO so excited the Christmas decorations will be up!! I cannot wait. Finding it super hard to focus on anything. Thanks for all the great suggestions and tips.
I can’t wait for this weekend! Christmas and Avengers make for a perfect Disney day.
You can leave the park now that you have to make reservations because your spot is secured.
True- but only if you don’t park hop. If you park hop, that cancels out your reservation and you may not be let back in. If you go to the hotel or home or whatever— you will be let back in with your reservation.