2023 was an action-packed year at the Disneyland Resort. Disney100, the Walt Disney Company’s global 100th anniversary celebration, kicked off in January at Disneyland with the opening of a reimagined Mickey’s Toontown and its new ride, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Disneyland Park, plus two new nighttime spectaculars.
The year brought plenty more openings, including Tiana’s Palace restaurant and Adventureland Treehouse at Disneyland Park, Big Hero 6-inspired San Fransokyo at Disney California Adventure park, and a new hotel tower, the Villas at Disneyland Hotel. If you haven’t checked out these new offerings yet, there’s already plenty to catch up on — but so much more to come in 2024. Great news for planners — for the first time ever, Disneyland released a full 2024 events calendar with dates for all the major festivals and holiday celebrations on the horizon. Here, we look ahead at what’s in store throughout 2024 at the “Happiest Place on Earth.”
Featured Photo: Courtesy of Disneyland
Pixar Place Hotel Officially Opens Jan. 30
On Jan. 30, 2024, Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel will officially open as the Pixar Place Hotel, the first fully Pixar-themed hotel in the U.S. Artwork and decor, from the lobby and guest rooms to the rooftop Finding Nemo-themed pool and splash pad will celebrate Pixar films and characters. Reimagined guests rooms get a colorful update that will include Pixar Ball bedding, lighting inspired by the iconic Pixar Lamp, concept art on the headboards from Pixar films including The Incredibles and Toy Story 3, and artwork created specifically for the hotel by Pixar Animation Studios artists.
Off the hotel lobby, Great Maple restaurant, which opened in November, serves upscale comfort food in a modern space with lots of alfresco seating.
Guests staying at the hotel also have access to a dedicated entrance to Disney California Adventure.
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure to Open at Disneyland Park in 2024
Though an opening date hasn’t been shared yet, Disneyland’s biggest opening of 2024 is guaranteed to be Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. The Princess and the Frog-themed ride, which replaces Splash Mountain, will take guests on a musical adventure through the Louisiana bayou. The attraction, which is also coming to Walt Disney World in 2024, will feature dozens of new audio-animatronic figures. Original cast members from the 2009 film, Jenifer Lewis, Bruno Campos, Michael Leon Wooley, and Anika Noni Rose, will all return to reprise their voice roles. The soundtrack, created in collaboration with award-winning artists PJ Morton and Terence Blanchard, will feature a mix of new music and familiar songs from the film.
Fantasmic! Returns
On May 24, Fantasmic! will make its highly anticipated return to Disneyland Park following a hiatus necessitated by a fire on set. When the show returns to the Rivers of America, it will debut some updates, including new special effects, a new battle sequence between Sorcerer Mickey and Maleficent, and the return of a classic “Peter Pan” segment. The beloved nighttime will continue to feature cutting-edge projections, iconic music, and dozens of live performers and characters.
Downtown Disney Continues Its Transformation
Ongoing throughout the year, the Downtown Disney District will continue to transform, with new Mexican restaurants by Michelin-starred Chef Carlos Gaytán, Paseo and Céntrico, and world-renowned Chinese restaurant, Din Tai Fung, also slated to open in 2024.
The recently opened Downtown Disney LIVE! stage and lawn will continue to invigorate the west end of the district, providing a venue for live music, entertainment, and activities.
runDisney Race Weekends Are Back at Disneyland
runDisney race weekends return to Disneyland this year, beginning with Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend Jan. 11–14, 2024, followed by the kickoff weekend to the 2024–2025 runDisney race season, the Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon Weekend, debuting September 5–8, 2024. The four-day event at Disneyland Resort features Halloween-themed races, including a 5K, 10K, and half marathon, along with yoga and kids races, plus plenty of themed entertainment and Disney character encounters. Registration opens February 13, 2024.
Popular Entertainment Returning
Disneyland shared dates for some core entertainment offerings happening at Disneyland Park in early 2024. Magic Happens, Disneyland Park’s parade that returned for the first time last February after an extended pandemic hiatus, took another pause during the holiday season but will return beginning Feb. 2.
Evening entertainment offerings will also vary throughout early 2024. Mickey’s Mix Magic nighttime projection and music show will run Jan. 8 to March 21 and April 15-25, with fireworks select evenings. Wondrous Journeys will have a limited spring run with nightly fireworks March 22 to April 14.
At Disney California Adventure, popular nighttime fountain spectacular World of Color — One returns beginning Jan. 19, 2024.
Holiday and Limited-Time Celebrations
Disneyland Resort’s 2024 lineup is packed with returning favorite seasonal events, plus some new experiences. Here’s a month-by-month breakdown of what’s coming:
January to February: Lunar New Year, Celebrate Gospel and Anaheim Ducks Days
Lunar New Year (January 23 – February 18)
The multicultural celebration at Disney California Adventure honors Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean traditions — Disney style — with special décor, themed food, character appearances and festive entertainment. During the celebration, World of Color — One will be preceded by a special limited-time nighttime water show, “Hurry Home — A Lunar New Year Celebration.”
Celebrate Gospel (February 17 and 24)
Headliners Marvin Sapp and Tasha Cobbs Leonard are joined at the Fantasyland Theatre by award-winning musicians and local choirs for this annual celebration of Gospel music.
Anaheim Ducks Days (February 22 – 23)
Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club celebrates their 30th anniversary in Hollywoodland at Disney California Adventure with appearances by players, a cavalcade, fan zone, photo ops and activities.
Spring and Summer: Food, Festivals and the Force
Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival (March 1 – April 22)
The flavors of California take center stage for this culinary celebration of the Golden State’s rich variety of cuisines. Soarin’ Over California will also return for a limited time.
Pixar Fest (April 26 – August 4)
A reimagined Pixar Fest debuts April 26 with festivities at both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure, including a brand-new “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!” parade at Disney California Adventure, and the return of “Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular” at Disneyland Park with some new scenes.
Also debuting during the festival will be new character appearances by Ember and Wade from Elemental and Red Panda Mei from Turning Red.
Season of the Force (April 5 – June 2)
The Force gets stronger at Disneyland Park starting April 5, with the launch of a Star Wars-themed celebration that includes limited-time food and beverages, merchandise, and entertainment. Space Mountain gets a Star Wars overlay as Hyperspace Mountain and, new this year, “galactic music” will be played in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge during fireworks at Disneyland Park.
Also debuting April 5, new adventures will be added to Star Tours — The Adventures Continue. While the new destinations haven’t been revealed yet, at Star Wars Celebration in London in April, Walt Disney Imagineer Scott Trowbridge hinted that the new places could be locations introduced in “Star Wars storytelling” presented during the Celebration panels (which included Ahsoka, The Mandalorian and Andor).
Fall and Winter: Halloween and the Holidays
The entire Disneyland Resort gets a frightfully festive makeover with autumn and Halloween-themed decor, attractions and characters.
On select nights during the season, Oogie Boogie Bash — a Disney Halloween Party, takes over Disney California Adventure. The after-hours event requires a separate ticket and includes immersive treat trails, villainous rare characters, a ghoulishly great parade, and more.
Plaza de la Familia (August 23 – November 2)
Honoring Día de los Muertos and its associated Mexican traditions, this celebration at Disney California Adventure features music and storytelling from Coco and highlights the importance of family and cultural heritage.
Holidays at the Disneyland Resort (Starting November 15)
The holly, jolly season kicks off at Disneyland Resort Nov. 15. Seasonal decor, holiday attraction overlays, a beloved parade, cultural celebrations, and Disney Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure are just some of the ways Disneyland stays merry and bright all season long. Read more about our favorite ways to spend the holidays at Disneyland.
Disneyland After Dark
Disneyland’s popular after-hours, separately ticketed Disneyland After Dark events are returning in 2024 and on more nights than ever before. Three popular themed “Nites” — Sweethearts’ Nite, Star Wars Nite and Pride Nite — are returning along with the debut of a new one: Disney Channel Nite.
Nites include after-hours park access, themed entertainment and character appearances, specialty foods and beverages, photo ops, and merchandise.
Ahead of the official 9pm start time, guests can enter Disneyland Park as early as 6pm and take advantage of the three-hour “mix-in” period when event and day guests are both permitted in the park. Event guests receive a souvenir credential, an event guide map, and unlimited digital downloads of Disney PhotoPass photos taken during the party. Here’s a look at the calendar.
Sweethearts’ Nite (Jan. 23, 25, 30, Feb. 1, 6, 8, 12, 14)
Love is in the air during Sweethearts’ Nite, which celebrates iconic Disney couples and friendship pairs, from princesses and princes to Mary Poppins and Bert. From royal cavalcades to a royal ball-esque dance party, it’s a sweet night to spend with your sweetheart or friend.
Disney Channel Nite (Mar. 5, 7)
Relive favorite Disney Channel moments with themed parties, karaoke, trivia challenges, and nostalgic photo backdrops. Cruise with “Descendants,” sing “Camp Rock” karaoke, dance with Phineas and Ferb, and cheer at a “High School Musical” pep rally.
Star Wars Nite (Apr. 16, 18, 23, 25, 30, May 2, 7, 9)
It’s light speed to a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars-themed experiences, characters and entertainment. Stay tuned for more details.
Pride Nite (Jun. 18, 20)
After a hugely successful inaugural year last year, Pride Nite is back with special entertainment, colorful characters, photo ops, and more. Stay tuned for more details.
Disneyland Theme Parks Special Offer for Kids
For visits from January 8 to March 10, 2024, families with kids ages 3–9 can take advantage of a Disneyland special ticket offer for child tickets as low as $50 per child per day.
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