Season's Greetings Justin, and welcome to planDisney!
I can't think of a more magical way to spend Christmas with the family than at the
Disneyland Resort! If you can split up the days and put a rest day in between your park days, then that is what I would personally recommend. You could spend a wonderful Christmas Eve in either
Disneyland Park or
Disney California Adventure Park, and stay as late as you'd like! We love to get to the parks early since the crowds tend to be lighter in the morning, take a mid-afternoon rest back at our hotel, and then head back to the parks to enjoy more fun in the evening.
A restful, relaxing day on Christmas Day sounds absolutely wonderful! You could sleep in, partake in any Holiday traditions with your family, and still enjoy some Disney magic even without being in the parks. We love to do a
character dining experience on a non-park day, not only do you get to enjoy a great meal, but you get to meet several of your favorite Disney pals at the same time!
We also love to do our souvenir shopping on a non-park day, our favorite store to visit is the
World of Disney store in the
Downtown Disney District. It's nice to take our time browsing through all of the apparel and merchandise, and then we can take our purchases right back to the hotel and not worry about carrying them around with us at the parks.
A good night's rest on that day is also a great idea, and then you'll be ready to take on another fun day in the parks the following day! Of course there is no wrong way to visit the Disneyland Resort, whatever works best for your family will be the best choice.
I hope this information is helpful for your trip planning, Justin! We are happy to help with any other planning questions you may have, so don't hesitate to
come back and ask!
Happy Holidays!
Melissa