Hi there, Stephanie! Welcome back to planDisney. There is nothing that gets me more excited about visiting the parks than fall and winter. I’m not sure what it is about those last months of the year when the festive magic just takes over the parks. From pumpkins galore to the scent of peppermint and gingerbread tickling your nose, I’d love to walk you through the calendar of when you’ll be able to experience all things Christmas!
According to the
Seasonal Events Calendar on the Disneyland website, the
holidays at Disneyland officially kick off on November 18, 2026. This is when you’ll be able to catch the "Believe…In Holiday Magic" Fireworks and my personal childhood favorite, A Christmas Fantasy Parade! While your arrival date may not coincide with these offerings, you’ll still feel the holiday magic all around.
When I went to the parks for Oogie Boogie Bash on Halloween night last year, I found myself spotting hints of holiday magic throughout the shops. Merchandise was on full display, with Santa Mickey mugs and sweatshirts aplenty!
From my experience, Haunted Mansion closed around the beginning of August to transition into its Nightmare Before Christmas overlay, which ran until January 7 this year. It reopened around the end of August, giving Guests ample time to experience this beloved holiday attraction. We also visited the parks the day after Halloween and found “it’s a small world” was still undergoing its transformation to “it’s a small world” Holiday. It opened last year around mid-November when the holidays officially kicked off. I suspect something similar will happen this year with the closures of these two holiday favorites. My best advice is to keep an eye on each
attraction’s webpage for closures, as well as the
Disney Parks Blog, where more holiday news will be released as the year goes on.
Stephanie, thank you so much for visiting planDisney! I know that you’re going to have the most magical time visiting the parks at my favorite time of the year. If you have any more questions or need planning help, planDisney is always here for you!
With a Sprinkle of Pixie Dust,
Bev