Greetings, Gabriel, and welcome to planDisney! Visits to the Disneyland Resort are extra magical during the holiday season. I can picture it now: a towering tree, snow on Sleeping Beauty Castle, twinkling lights, garland, and more merry details will adorn the parks.
I love that Character Dining is on your radar, Gabriel.
Storytellers Cafe, where Mickey’s Holiday Pajama Party debuted last year for breakfast and brunch, is my favorite place to dine in the company of Disney pals. It's a little too early to know how exactly Storytellers Cafe will celebrate the holiday season this year, whether it's with a pajama party experience or something else. I suggest following the
Disney Parks Blog for updates as the holiday season draws nearer. Last year, information was shared near the end of August.
Gabriel, you do not need to stay at the hotel or have theme park tickets to make a reservation at Storytellers Cafe or any
Disneyland Resort hotel restaurant. In fact, it's a great way to be immersed in Disney magic on days when you may not be visiting a theme park. My family likes to go at least once in the summer when my kids'
Magic Key passes are blocked out. There's something extra special about having a meal while being visited by Mickey, Minnie, or their pals.
Dining reservations are typically made up to 60 days in advance, so start checking for availability at the end of September. You can check for reservations and book via the
Disneyland mobile app or
on the website. Make sure you're signed into your MyDisney account, and have an idea of your party size (including yourself and any infants), and the date and time you want to reserve. You can also indicate any special dietary or accessibility requests. I also appreciate that you can select a date range to view available reservations within a specified period.
You and your family will be arriving at the Disneyland Resort just after the
holiday season kicks off, so I imagine there will be an extra festive atmosphere at the hotels, restaurants, Downtown Disney, and the theme parks. I hope you have a chance to see the
"Believe...In Holiday Magic" Fireworks Spectacular. There are certain locations where there's a magical "snowfall" near the end of the show, and it's incredibly memorable. It brings tears to my eyes every time!
Don't miss the seasonal overlays at
Haunted Mansion and
"it's a small world," and the nightly tree lighting on Main Street, U.S.A. You'll undoubtedly discover lots of festive food and drinks, too.
Gabriel, can you tell I love the holiday season at the Disneyland Resort? I hope you have the most amazing visit, full of great food, pajama parties, fun encounters with Characters, and more. If you have any questions between now and November, please let us know. We're always happy to help at planDisney!
Wishing you magic,
Kriss