Details of New Downtown Disney Steakhouse ‘Arthur & Sons’
Soon after the restaurant’s closure in April, it was then confirmed that a new steakhouse and adjacent BBQ restaurant would be taking its place. This announcement was…
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
Earlier this year, Disney confirmed what fans have long known, that one of the original eateries from Downtown Disney’s early days, Tortilla Jo’s, would be shuttered and something fresh and new would be taking its place.
Soon after the restaurant’s closure in April, it was then confirmed that a new steakhouse and adjacent barbecue restaurant would be taking its place. This announcement was significant, as the Disneyland Resort hasn’t had a proper steakhouse since the 2020 closure of the Disneyland Hotel’s, Steakhouse 55.
Speculation began as to when the structure of the former Tortilla Jo’s would be demolished, and when construction would begin on the new steakhouse. While we still don’t have any concrete dates, we were given new details and concept art of the two new restaurant concepts coming to the resort.
Arthur & Sons Steak and Bourbon
It’s been confirmed that the new steakhouse, being opened by Michilin-starred Chef Joe Isidori, will be called Arthur & Sons Steak and Bourbon. The restaurant is named in honor for Isidori’s father, Arthur Isidori, who worked as a butcher by day and ran a restaurant at night.
In the concept art above, you’ll notice the black accents of the entry atrium, which features a cascading crystal ball chandelier in the interior, and the rest of the exterior being made up of brick, which gives it a classic steakhouse vibe.
While it’s far from confirmed, the concept art does suggest the restaurant’s dining room will be single-story. This is a departure from the old Tortilla Jo’s building, which featured a two-story dining area. In case you’re wondering, yes, the old building will indeed be demolished and a new, custom structure will take its place.
Arthur & Son’s exact menu hasn’t been released just yet, but it will consist of many steakhouse classics and favorites, such as prime cuts of beef, chops, seafood, sandwiches, and salads. Additionally, a center bar will be featured, serving up a variety of inventive, bourbon-focused cocktails.
Pearl’s Roadside BBQ
Pearl’s Roadside, a new quick-service barbecue restaurant that will accompany Arthur & Sons, will be located adjacent to the new steakhouse, facing eastward towards Splitsville Luxury Lanes. Its menu will feature numerous barbecue favorites, such as smoked wings, beef brisket, pulled pork sandwiches, and smoked turkey, as well as a variety of craft beers and moonshine cocktails.
The restaurant’s bright white exterior with red and green accents will be a stark contrast to the neighboring steakhouse, which perhaps was done with intentional purpose. The concept art features an outdoor deck-style seating area with a u-shaped bar and hanging patio lights. It’s unclear if there will be interior seating.
About Chef Joe Isidori
Isidori served as Donald Trump’s executive chef at Mar-a-Lago and earned his Michelin Star at the DJT restaurant, located inside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. Additionally, he runs several Arthur & Sons restaurants in New York City, with a focus on Italian fare rather than steak.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in 2000, the celebrity chef has appeared on numerous Food Network shows, including “Iron Chef America” and “Beat Bobby Flay”. He’s been cooking since the young age of five, helping to prepare salads and side dishes in several family-owned restaurants throughout New York City.
Isidori is no stranger to the Disneyland Resort either, as he’s the co-founder of the ever-popular chain, Black Tap Craft Burgers, which has a location in Downtown Disney (a other top-tier destinations). It opened in 2019 during the district’s initial construction phase. Additionally, he owns “Everglazed Donuts & Cold Brew” at Disney Springs in Florida.
Turning to commentary, my wife and I ate at Black Tap during one of our visits earlier this year. It was one expensive burger, no doubt about it. However, it was easily one of the best I’ve ever had (and I’ve eaten a lot of burgers). If Black Tap is any indication as to how the food will be at “Arthur & Sons” and “Pearl’s BBQ”, I’m here for it.
When Will the New Steakhouse Open?
That’s the million dollar question at the moment. As of right now, we don’t have any firm dates as to when demolition and construction will begin, let alone an opening date. However, with the work on the forthcoming Parkside Market nearing completion, I do have ideas.
Disney has been working on their modernization of the Downtown Disney District since around 2017. In the first phases, we saw the openings of Ballast Point (which rumor has it may be closing up shop), Black Tap Craft Burgers and Shakes, and Splitsville.
Then, more announcements came, and work eventually began to bring us Jazz Kitchen’s refresh into “Jazz Kitchen Coastal Patio and Grill”, a trio of restaurants by Chef Gaytan in “Centrico”, “Paseo”, and “Tiendita”, Michelin-starred Taiwanese classic, “Din Tai Fung”, “Palm Breeze Bar”, a Disney-owned restaurant, and local favorite,“Great Maple Modern American Eatery”.
Additionally, we still have a number of restaurants opening in the near future, including “Porto’s Bakery”, a new location for “Earl of Sandwich”, and the aforementioned “Parkside Market”, which in of itself will contain four individual eateries, such as “Sip & Sonder”, “Vista Parkside Market”, “Seoul Sister”, and “GG’s Chicken Shop”.
As of the time of this post’s publishing, Parkside Market has yet to receive a firm opening date, with Disney only stating, “opening this winter”. Considering the progress workers have made on this recently, I anticipate it’ll either open in December 2024 or January 2025.
Additionally, after multiple months of doubt and speculation, we finally have confirmation that Porto’s Bakery is indeed on its way. Porto’s has been in a state of flux, so-to-speak, ever since Disney announced their impending debut over two years ago at D23 2022.
Until recently, rumors swirled as to if that was still the plan, as there’s been zero progress on the project. However, we’ve recently learned that not only is it still happening, but Downtown Disney’s Porto’s will be the chain’s first location with table-service dining and a bar.
It is unclear as to when they’ll begin construction on Porto’s, but they’ll likely want to get started on it right away, as it’s already been delayed for far too long already. It’s also unclear whether Disney is heading up construction on the restaurant, or if Porto’s itself is taking charge.
Either way, I don’t anticipate work to begin on Arthur & Sons until they’re finished with Parkside Market and the new home of Earl of Sandwich, at minimum. Beyond that, they’ll likely have crews working on the steakhouse and Porto’s, simultaneously, to get them both done, asap.
Given Disney’s pace of construction in recent years, I expect Arthur & Sons to receive an opening date for sometime in mid to late 2026. I hope I’m wrong, as there are no two things I love more than a filet mignon paired with an Old Fashioned. For now, I sit in helpless anticipation.
2024 Disneyland Resort Holidays Foodie Guide
Recently, Disney FINALLY dropped the highly anticipated, resort-wide 2024 holidays foodie guide. Starting November 15, the majority…
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
Recently, Disney FINALLY dropped the highly anticipated, resort-wide 2024 holidays foodie guide. Starting November 15, the majority of the food and drink offerings below will become available to all guests, with many being mobile order ready.
This list is massive and covers Disneyland park, Disney California Adventure park, all three resort hotels, and quite a few Downtown Disney restaurants. One notable newcomer is Great Maple American Eatery, which is participating in its first Disney foodie guide since opening late last year.
Do note, though, that this foodie guide only covers the food and drink offerings at the brick and mortar restaurants throughout the resort. At Christmas time, DCA hosts the Festival of Holidays, which among other things includes several themed marketplaces, which each offer their own food entrees, desserts, and cocktails. You can see the 2024 Festival of Holidays foodie guide here.
In the post below, you’ll find dozens of photos of the upcoming Disney Christmas food and drink, as well as descriptions and locations of each item. Pricing has yet to be released. Let’s get into it.
Christmas Food at Disneyland
Alien Pizza Planet (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Chicken Al Pastor Pizza Slice with spiced red sauce, mozzarella cheese, roasted corn, and al pastor-marinated chicken garnished with crema and tomatillo sauce drizzle and cilantro (New)
Alien Reindeer Macaron filled with salted caramel buttercream, chocolate ganache, and brownie pieces (New)
Holiday Green Drink: Apple-flavored beverage topped with caramel cold foam and sprinkles (New)
Café Daisy (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)
Peppermint S’mores Hot Chocolate: Hot chocolate and peppermint syrup topped with whipped topping, chocolate syrup, mini marshmallows, crushed candy cane, and graham cracker dust (New)
Specialty Cold Brrr-ew: Joffrey’s French Roast Cold Brew Coffee, peppermint, and toasted s’mores syrup topped with whipped topping, chocolate syrup, mini marshmallows, crushed candy cane, and graham cracker dust
Carnation Café (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7; reservations recommended)
Eggnog Old-Fashioned: Buffalo Trace Bourbon, bitters, and orange-infused brown sugar syrup, Luxardo Maraschino Cherry, and candied orange peel topped with eggnog cream (New)
Edelweiss Snacks (Mobile order available)
Fantasyland Garlic Cheesy Brat: Bratwurst in a Cheesy Garlic Pretzel Bread (Available starting Nov. 15)
Black Forest Bundt Cake: Chocolate sponge filled with cherries topped with chocolate ganache and chantilly crème finished with chocolate curls, cherries, and powdered sugar (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Galactic Grill (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)
Cranberry BBQ Chicken Sandwich: Fried chicken sandwich with cranberry-orange marmalade BBQ sauce, provolone, onion rings, and arugula on a toasted brioche bun
Meatloaf Dinner Burger: Angus beef and vegetable patty with sweet ketchup sauce, Havarti cheese slice, arugula, hash brown, and onion aioli served on a toasted Hawaiian bun
Darth by Peppermint: Layers of chocolate sponge, chocolate pudding, and peppermint mousse finished with crunchy pearls, cookies and cream pieces, candy cane sprinkles, and Darth Vader and red lightsaber decorations (New)
Christmas Punch: Pomegranate, cranberry, orange juice, and Sprite garnished with cranberries, orange slice, and a rosemary sprig (Non-alcoholic beverage)
Hot Chocolate Foam Cold Brew: Joffrey’s Cold Brew Coffee with a splash of hazelnut topped with hot chocolate foam and garnished with cinnamon-flavored cereal (Non-alcoholic beverage)
Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Peppermint Cold Brew Float: Peppermint ice cream, Joffrey’s Cold Brew Coffee, and whipped topping (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Peppermint Holiday Sundae: Two scoops of peppermint ice cream, whipped cream, crushed peppermint, and crème-filled cookies served in a sprinkle-topped waffle bowl
Peppermint Ice Cream
Harbour Galley (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Gingerbread Cookies: Fresh-baked gingerbread cookies (New) (Available in packs of six or 13 while supplies last)
Gingerbread Whipped Topping (New)
Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Holiday Funnel Fries: Cinnamon sugar-dusted with caramel drizzle, vanilla ice cream, whipped topping, holiday sprinkles, and crushed TWIX cookie bar pieces (New)
Snickerdoodle Cold Brew: Snickerdoodle cookie-flavored cold brew garnished with whipped topping, snickerdoodle cookie dust, and a snickerdoodle cookie (Non-alcoholic beverage)
Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe (Mobile order available)
Chocolate-Coffee Loaf filled with chocolate cream and topped with crunch chocolate shell and Mickey chocolate logo (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Crispy Chocolate-dipped Croissant topped with flaked corn cereal and filled with Bavarian cream (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Cookies and Cream Cheesecake topped with red and green mousse and yellow pearls (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Banana Bundt Cake: Banana cake filled with dulce de leche and finished with cream cheese frosting, sprinkles, and a chocolate decoration (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Christmas Mickey-Shaped Cookie: Shortbread cookie dipped in white chocolate with holiday sprinkles and chocolate Mickey decoration (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Chocolate Cake Snow Globe: Layers of chocolate sponge, truffle mousse, and chocolate glaze topped with a buttercream tree, red and white pearls, a chocolate star, and snow powder (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Holiday Ornament Macaron: Red macaron shells filled with chocolate ganache and peppermint mousse (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Mickey Gingerbread: Soft gingerbread Mickey-shaped cookie (Limit five per person, per transaction) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Thanks-mas Sandwich: Oven-roasted turkey breast, stuffing, gravy, and cranberry sauce on rustic bread served with house-made chips (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Turkey Pot Pie Soup: Tender turkey breast, potatoes, peas, and carrots topped with pie crust pieces (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Pumpkin Cold Brew: Cold brew coffee with hints of pumpkin and spices, topped with sweet cream (Non-alcoholic beverage)(Available Nov. 15 through Nov. 30)
Peppermint Mocha Cold Brew: Cold brew coffee with hints of peppermint and chocolate, topped with sweet cream (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New) (Available Dec. 1 through Jan. 7)
Little Red Wagon (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)
Cranberry Wagonade: Lemonade with cranberries (Non-alcoholic beverage)
Market House (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Mickey Gingerbread: Soft gingerbread Mickey-shaped cookie (Limit 5 per person, per transaction)
Maurice’s Treats (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Chocolate Chip Cookie with holiday sprinkles
Mint Julep Bar (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Peppermint Mickey-shaped Beignets dusted with peppermint powdered sugar (Available in packs of three or six)
Peppermint Bark Dipping Sauce with chocolate peppermint bark (New)
Cranberry Pomegranate Mint Julep: Holiday twist on the classic mint julep with cranberry and pomegranate juices (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New)
Outdoor Vending Locations (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Candy Apple Cotton Candy (New)
Plaza Inn (Reservations recommended for breakfast)
Apple Pecan Cream Cheese Bundt Cake filled with apple, pecan, and cream cheesecake finished with chantilly and pecans (New) (Available Dec. 1 through Jan. 6)
Gingerbread Cake: Gingerbread cake with cream cheese filling and gingerbread crunch finished with buttercream, glaze and a chocolate gingerbread person (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Peppermint Cake: White cake soaked in peppermint simple syrup, layered with chocolate ganache, peppermint mousse, and peppermint crunch, and finished with buttercream, holiday sprinkles, and mint candy (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante (Available Nov. 15 through Jan.7)
Chicken Enchilada Soup with curtido slaw, diced onions, cilantro, cheese flauta, and lime wedge (New)
Tinga Enchiladas: Cheese enchiladas, chicken tinga, poblano crema, queso fresco, rice, beans, and curtido slaw (New)
Chocolate Cake Flan: Chocolate cake and flan topped with caramel sauce, whipped cream, and cinnamon dust
Iced Mexican Peppermint Chocolate: Cold hot chocolate, whipped cream, crushed peppermint, and chocolate shavings (New)
Red Rose Taverne (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Christmas Stuff: Green-colored gray stuff mousse with a brown sugar cake and lingonberry jam center topped with holiday sprinkles and a white chocolate star (New)
Mickey-shaped Gingerbread Cookie: Soft gingerbread Mickey-shaped cookie with sprinkles
Refreshment Corner (Mobile order available)
Santa’s Vacation Sausage Potato with pickled pineapple and teriyaki sauce topped with mac salad on a baked potato (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Warm Spiced Apple Tea with hints of cinnamon and clove topped with vanilla cream foam (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Royal Street Veranda (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Soup in a Sourdough Bread Bowl: Fresh-baked sourdough bread bowl with choice of clam chowder or chicken gumbo
Coffee Fritters rolled in cinnamon sugar, drizzled with a white mocha sauce, and garnished with a praline sugar streusel (New)
Crackling Hot Chocolate topped with sweet marshmallow crème topping and dark chocolate popping candies and garnished with red, orange, and yellow sprinkles (New)
Fireplace Hot Chocolate with smoky marshmallow crème topping and dark chocolate popping candies, garnished with smoked salt and paprika (New)
Tomorrowland Skyline Terrace (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; reservations recommended for this bookable experience)
Pear Cobbler topped with streusel in a tin (New) (Plant-based)
Peppermint Chocolate Pot de Creme: Plant-based peppermint chocolate custard in a tin (New) (Plant-based)
Naughty Cookies and Cream Cake: Brownie topped with ganache and cookies and cream mousse finished with cookie pieces (New)
Nice Strawberry Mousse Cake: Strawberry mousse with crème brûlée center finished with a hard chocolate shell, chocolate stripes, and chocolate bow (New)
Stage Door Café (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)
Holiday Wreath Funnel Cake with apple cider drizzle, fresh baked apples, whipped topping, and holiday sprinkles
The Golden Horseshoe (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)
Gingerbread Sundae: Gingerbread cake with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, holiday sprinkles, and garnish (New)
Troubadour Tavern (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Holiday Beef Dinner Potato with sliced tri-tip steak, spinach-artichoke dip, demiglace, and crispy onions (New)
Turkey Dinner Potato with pulled turkey, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, and whipped cream cheese topped with crispy onions
Holiday Magic Popcorn: White chocolate-flavored popcorn with pretzel sticks, assorted M&M’S Milk Chocolate Candies, and crushed peppermint (New)
Holiday Cold Brew: Dark chocolate cold brew topped with cookie butter topper and sugar cookie (New)
Churros near Big Thunder Mountain Railroad (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Holiday Peppermint Chocolate Dipping Sauce (New)
Churros near Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Cranberry Churro: Classic Churro rolled in cranberry-flavored sugar with citrus white chocolate dipping sauce (New)
Citrus White Chocolate Dipping Sauce (New)
Churros near Sleeping Beauty Castle and Town Square (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Peppermint Hot Cocoa Churro: Classic churro rolled in peppermint cocoa sugar
Chocolate-Peppermint Marshmallow Dipping Sauce topped with mini marshmallows and crushed peppermint (New)
Candy Palace and Candy Kitchen and Pooh Corner (Mobile order available)
Santa Minnie Cake Pop: Chocolate cake pop with milk chocolate ears, dipped in milk chocolate, and embellished with a white chocolate Santa hat with a bow (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1) (New)
Yule Log Minnie Apple: Green apple dipped in caramel with two marshmallow ears, dipped in milk chocolate, and decorated with white chocolate swirls and drizzle, white sanding sugar, and a white chocolate Holly bow (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1)
Candy Cane Bark: Peppermint-flavored white chocolate sprinkled with candy cane pieces (Available Nov. 29 through Dec. 25) (Only available at Candy Palace)
Gingerbread Mickey Cereal Treat: Mickey-shaped cereal treat dipped in milk chocolate and decorated with red and green colored-chocolate and a dark chocolate Mickey face (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1)
Holiday Marshmallow Wand: Marshmallows dipped in caramel and milk chocolate drizzled with green and red-colored chocolate (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1)
Holiday Minnie Cake Pop: Peppermint-flavored Vanilla cake pop with two marshmallow ears dipped in red, white chocolate, drizzled with green-colored white chocolate, and embellished with a red, polka dot Minnie bow (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1)
Holiday Tree Cereal Treat: Tree-shaped cereal treat dipped in green-colored white chocolate and decorated with white chocolate, white sanding sugar, and a yellow, chocolate Mickey star (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1)
Minnie Santa Apple: Green apple dipped in caramel with two marshmallow ears, dipped in milk chocolate- and decorated with red sanding sugar, white M&M’S Milk Chocolate Candies, and a white chocolate Santa hat with a bow (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1)
Minnie Santa Hat Cereal Treat: Mickey-shaped cereal treat dipped in milk chocolate and decorated with red sanding sugar, green M&M’S Milk Chocolate Candies, and a white chocolate Santa hat (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1)
Peppermint Mickey Mallow: Mickey-shaped marshmallow dipped in dark chocolate covered in crushed peppermint (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1)
Peppermint Patties: Mixture of fondant sugar, powder sugar, and peppermint flavoring dipped in dark chocolate (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1)
Snowman Cake Pop: Vanilla cake pop dipped in white chocolate and decorated with dark chocolate face, M&M’S Milk Chocolate Candies, a sour belt, and orange jellybean (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1)
Christmas Food at Disney California Adventure
Angry Dogs (Available starting Nov. 15)
Bottle Logic Brewing Fuzzy Logic Hazy Peach IPA (New)
Aunt Cass Café (Mobile order available)
Christmas Tree Pull-apart Sourdough Bread (Plant-based) (Available Nov. 27 through Jan. 6)
Candy Cane Sourdough Bread (Plant-based) (Available Nov. 27 through Jan. 6)
Snowman Sourdough Bread (Plant-based) (Available Nov. 27 through Jan. 6)
Mickey-shaped Gingerbread Cookie: Soft gingerbread Mickey-shaped cookie with sprinkles (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Milk and Cookies Cold Brew: Cookie butter cold brew, cereal milk, and chocolate cookie foam (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Gingerbread Cheesecake: Gingerbread cheesecake topped with vanilla mousse
Boudin Bread Cart (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Christmas Tree Pull-apart Sourdough Bread (Plant-based)
Candy Cane Sourdough Bread (Plant-based)
Snowman Sourdough Bread (Plant-based)
Cappuccino Cart (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Mickey-shaped Gingerbread Cookie: Soft gingerbread Mickey-shaped cookie with sprinkles
Cold Brew Martini: Joffrey’s Cold Brew Coffee with vodka and a butterscotch cold foam (New)
Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Warm Chocolate Float: Rich warm chocolate and Häagen-Dazs Peppermint Bark ice cream garnished with whipped cream, and crushed candy cane (New)
Corn Dog Castle (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Peppermint Hot Chocolate (New)
Pumpkin Spice Hot Chocolate (New)
Cozy Cone Motel 1 – Churros (Available Nov.15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Coffee Chip Churro: Churro dusted with cinnamon sugar and coffee, drizzled with coffee chip cream cheese frosting, and topped with chocolate pieces (New)
Fire Truck Slushy: Strawberry slushy with a hint of chile-lime seasoning and lime (Non-alcoholic beverage)
Strawberry Slushy Margarita with tequilla, a hint of chile-lime seasoning and lime
Cozy Cone Motel 2 – Ice Cream Cones (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Christmas Tree Cone: Peppermint soft serve decorated with holiday sprinkles
Cozy Cone Motel 3 – Chili Cone Queso (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Chicken Pesto Cone: Creamy pesto alfredo pasta, marinated chicken, balsamic glaze, bruschetta tomatoes, and Romano cheese
Cozy Cone Motel 4 – Frozen Cone-Coctions (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)
Watermelon Lemonade: Watermelon-chamoy lemonade and a watermelon candy ring (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New)
Gingerbread Mule: Cinnamon whiskey, ginger beer, lemon juice, and gingerbread syrup garnished with a maraschino cherry
Watermelon Chamoy Tequila Cocktail: Tequila with watermelon-chamoy lemonade and a watermelon candy ring
Watermelon Michelada: Golden Road Street Cart Cerveza with watermelon-chamoy lemonade and a watermelon candy ring
Fiddler, Fifer & Practical Cafe (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Mickey Gingerbread: Soft gingerbread Mickey-shaped cookie
Flo’s V8 Cafe (Mobile order available)
Hatch Chili Burger: Choice of angus beef and mushroom patty, or angus beef patty, topped with spicy chorizo cheese sauce, hatch chili relish, and iceberg lettuce served on an Amish bun (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Spicy Chorizo Cheese Sauce (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Gingerbread Shake: Gingerbread-flavored shake topped with whipped cream (Also available with a souvenir glass) (Non-alcoholic beverage)(Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Hamilton Family, Cactus Jack Wheat Ale (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Seaborn Blueberry Margarita served over ice (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Seaborn, Pomegranate Margarita served over ice (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Unsung Brewing Co. St. Nick R. Doodle, Imperial Blonde Ale (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Hollywood Lounge (Mobile order available)
Kinderpunsch with apple cider, hibiscus, and a cherry (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Carajillo: Coffee with Licor 43 served over ice (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Holiday Margarita: Pomegranate slushy margarita (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Mission Brewing, Winter Wonderland White Chocolate Stout (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Sugar Cookie Cocktail: Almond milk with agave, vanilla vodka, and Irish cream liqueur (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Lamplight Lounge – Boardwalk Dining
Crown and Hops Brewing Co., Slays Stout: Dark maple vanilla pecan stout (New)(Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Java Martini: Tequila, coffee liqueur, Licor 43, and hazelnut cream cold foam (New) (Available starting Nov. 15)
Lamplight Lounge (Available for lunch and dinner; reservations recommended)
Barbacoa Tamale with pumpkin mole, pickled onions, crema, queso fresco, and toasted pumpkin seeds (New) (Available starting Nov. 15)
Holiday Half Chicken: Kabocha squash purée, glazed brussels sprouts, roasted hen of the woods mushroom, chicken nage, and pea tendrils (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Prime Rib: Herb salt-crusted with cheesy potato, haricots verts, wasabi cream, and au jus (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Apple Crisp a la Mode Donuts (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Crown and Hops Brewing Co., Slays Stout: Dark maple vanilla pecan stout (New)(Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Java Martini: Tequila, coffee liqueur, Licor 43, and hazelnut cream cold foam (New) (Available starting Nov. 15)
Two Towns – Cosmic Crisp Cider: Imperial spiced apple cider with a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, all spice, and an orange peel (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Lucky Fortune Cookery (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)
Santa Baymax Macaron filled with peppermint buttercream, chocolate ganache, and dark chocolate crunchies (New)
Three Milk Ube Tea: Ube tea with brown sugar tapioca pearls topped with coconut foam (Non-alcoholic beverage)
Outdoor Vending Locations
Honey-baked Turkey Leg with a pineapple ring (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Horchata Cotton Candy (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Holiday Mimosa: Cherry, vanilla and cinnamon syrups topped with sparkling wine, served in a souvenir glass (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Coronado Brewing Co., Weekend Vibes IPA (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Port of San Fransokyo Cervecería (Available starting Nov. 15; mobile order available)
Breakfast Croissant with bacon, eggs, jalapeños, cheese, green onions, and sesame seeds (New)
Schmoozies! (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)
Gingerbread Mickey Waffles: Mickey-shaped waffles flavored with gingerbread spices, topped with powdered sugar, served with a side of syrup (New)
Buñuelo Shake: Cinnamon sugar shake topped with whipped cream and garnished with a house-fried buñuelo
Elf Mickey Shake: Mint and chocolate cookie shake garnished with green whipped cream, and crushed peppermint candy
Smokejumpers Grill (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Cranberry-Orange Punch (Non-alcoholic Beverage) (New)
Breckenridge Brewery, Christmas Ale (New)
Smog City Brewing Co., Little Bo Pils (New)
Holiday Punch Cocktail
Karl Strauss Brewing Company Boat Shoes Hazy IPA
Wine Country Trattoria (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7; reservations recommended)
Chocolate Brûlée Tart: Chocolate brûlée in a tart shell (Plant-based) (New)
Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff and Trolley Treats (Mobile order available)
Santa Minnie Cake Pop: Chocolate cake pop with milk chocolate ears, dipped in milk chocolate, and embellished with a white chocolate Santa hat with a bow (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1) (Only available at Trolley Treats) (New)
Yule Log Minnie Apple: Green apple dipped in caramel with two milk chocolate-covered marshmallow ears decorated with white chocolate swirls and drizzle, white sanding sugar, and a white chocolate Holly bow (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1)
Candy Cane Bark: Peppermint-flavored white chocolate sprinkled with candy cane pieces (Available Nov. 29 through Dec. 25) (Only available at Trolley Treats)
Gingerbread Mickey Cereal Treat: Mickey-shaped cereal treat dipped in white and milk chocolate and decorated with red and green colored-chocolate and a dark chocolate Mickey face (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1) (Only available at Trolley Treats)
Holiday Marshmallow Wand: Marshmallows dipped in caramel and milk chocolate and drizzled with green and red chocolate (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1)
Holiday Minnie Cake Pop: Peppermint-flavored Vanilla cake pop with two marshmallow ears dipped in red-colored white chocolate, drizzled with green-colored white chocolate, and embellished with a red, polka dot Minnie bow (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1)
Holiday Tree Cereal Treat: Tree-shaped cereal treat dipped in green-colored white chocolate and decorated with white chocolate, white sanding sugar, and a yellow, chocolate Mickey star (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1)
Minnie Santa Apple: Green apple dipped in caramel with two marshmallow ears and dipped in milk chocolate and decorated with red sanding sugar, white M&M’S Milk Chocolate Candies, and a white chocolate Santa hat with a bow (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1)
Minnie Santa Hat Cereal Treat: Mickey-shaped cereal treat dipped in milk chocolate and decorated with red sanding sugar, green M&M’S Milk Chocolate Candies, and a Santa hat (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1)
Peppermint Mickey Mallow: Mickey-shaped marshmallow dipped in dark chocolate covered in crushed peppermint (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1)
Peppermint Patties: Mixture of fondant sugar, powder sugar, and peppermint flavoring dipped in dark chocolate (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1) (Only available at Trolley Treats)
Snowman Cake Pop: Vanilla cake pop dipped in white chocolate and decorated with dark chocolate face, M&M’S Milk Chocolate Candies, a sour belt, and orange jellybean (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1)
Christmas Food at the Disney Resort Hotels
Disneyland Hotel
Goofy’s Kitchen Celebrates the Holidays (Available Nov. 19 through Jan. 2; reservations highly recommended)
Book a meal at Goofy’s Kitchen to celebrate the Holidays and dine with Goofy and some of his friends in their holiday best! Book this experience here.
Broken Spell Lounge
Prime Beef French Dip: Prime sirloin, Havarti cheese, caramelized onions, and au jus served with choice of fries, fruit, or chips (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Shrimp and Grits (Available Nov. 15 through Feb. 28)
Cheesecake with Bourbon Salted Caramel Sauce (New) (Available starting Nov. 15)
Chocolate Marshmallow Old Fashioned: Graham Cracker and Chocolate-infused Woodford Bourbon, Tempus Fugit Crème de Cacao, brown sugar molasses syrup, chocolate bitters, wood smoke, and mini marshmallows (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Coal Manhattan: Whistle Pig Piggyback 6Yr Rye, Amaro Averna, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, and bitters (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Adult Eggnog: House-made eggnog with Pierre Ferrand Cognac and Smith & Cross Jamaican Pot Still Rum (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Five Golden Rings: Golden Eagle Vodka, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, ginger, rosemary, and cranberry flavors with edible shimmer glitter (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Mulled Wine: The Fableist 774 The Silkworm and the Spider Santa Barbara Pinot Noir with mulled spices served over ice (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Peppermint Kiss: Peppermint-Infused Golden Eagle Vodka, Crème de Cacao, Crème de Menthe, Coco Lopez Coconut Crème, and house made Frangelico Liqueur whipped cream (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Prickly Pear French 75: Condesa Prickly Pear Gin, Piper Sonoma Brut, St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur, honey, and lemon juice (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Thanksgiving Mule: Tequila, Liquid Alchemist Ginger Syrup, cranberry sauce, celery salt, lime juice, and sage leaves (New) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
The Coffee House (Nov. 15 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)
Holiday Macarons (New)
Mickey-shaped Gingerbread Cookie: Soft gingerbread Mickey cookie with sprinkles (New)
Mickey-shaped Holiday Cookie: Shortbread cookie dipped in white chocolate with holiday sprinkles, and chocolate Mickey decoration (New)
Peppermint Crisped Rice Treat (New)
Eggnog Latte (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Iced Eggnog Latte (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Iced Peppermint Mocha (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Spiced Cranberry Refresher: Simply Lemonade, Gold Peak Unsweetened Black Tea, cranberry syrup, and spiced brown sugar syrup (Non-alcoholic) (New)
S’mores Hot Chocolate (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Toasted Marshmallow Cold Foam (New)
Tiramisu Cold Foam (New)
Hot Peppermint Mocha (Non-alcoholic)
Pumpkin Spice Latte (Non-alcoholic)
Chai Ginger Latte (Non-alcoholic)
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7; reservations recommended)
Ponche: Tequila Del Maguey Vida Mezcal, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, guava, lime, and falernum syrup (New)
Spiced Bourbon Sour: Buffalo Trace Bourbon, falernum syrup, and lemon juice (New)
Sweater Weather: El Dorado Rum, Frangelico Liqueur, coffee, and vanilla syrup (New)
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
Grand Californian Great Hall Cart (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 5)
Christmas Cookie
Cookie Box
Mickey-shaped Gingerbread Cookie
Holiday Cinnamon Bun
Holiday Crisped Rice Treat
Macaron Box
Mickey-shaped Poinsettia Cookie
Sweet Potato Loaf Treat
Eggnog (Also available with Bailey’s Original Irish Cream Liqueur)
Storytellers Cafe Dinner Buffet (Available Nov. 19 through Jan. 1; reservations highly recommended)
Enjoy a dinner buffet with themed décor and some favorite holiday dishes!
Mickey’s Holiday Pajama Party at Storytellers Cafe Breakfast and Brunch (Available Nov. 19 through Jan. 1; reservations highly recommended)
Enjoy a breakfast and brunch buffet with Mickey Mouse and his friends in their favorite Holiday pajamas! On December 24 and 25, you can enjoy Mickey’s Christmas Pajama Party Brunch and the Storytellers Cafe Christmas Character Dinner. (New)
Pixar Place Hotel
Great Maple (Available Dec. 1 through Dec. 31)
Pomegranate Glaze Doughnuts
Enjoy special Thanksgiving (Nov. 28) and Christmas Eve (Dec. 24) dinner services with festive menu offerings
READ ABOUT OUR EXPERIENCE AT GREAT MAPLE HERE!
The Sketch Pad Café (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Dark Chocolate Cranberry Overnight Oats: Overnight oats with dark chocolate pieces, and cranberry chutney topped with crispy oats
Gingerbread Whoopie Pie: Gingerbread whoopie pie with a vanilla buttercream filling wrapped with holiday sprinkles
Holiday Cookie: Vanilla shortbread cookies with holiday icing
Holiday Brownie: Brownie with holiday icing and crushed peppermint
Caramel Apple Cider: Hot apple cider with mulling spices and caramel sauce
Cookie Butter Oat Milk Latte: Cold brew coffee with cookie butter flavoring topped with whipped cream and sugar cookie sprinkles (Non-alcoholic beverage)
White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha: Cold Brew Coffee with peppermint flavoring topped with whipped cream and crushed peppermint (Non-alcoholic beverage)
Christmas Food in Downtown Disney
Ballast Point Brewing Co. (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Holiday Salmon: Skin on pan roasted salmon with butternut squash purée, sautéed quinoa, pomegranate sherry reduction, and baby spinach salad garnish
Beignets Expressed (Available Dec. 2 through Jan. 5)
Peppermint Twist Beignet: Red and white candy cane icing topped with holiday green sprinkles
California Churro (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Egg Nog Churro: A churro rolled in an egg nog sugar mix, drizzled with a house made egg nog buttercream frosting, and topped with mazapán candy pieces
Céntrico (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Chicken Mole Tamales
Cancun Vacación: Tequila blanco, campari, pineapple juice, lime juice, orgeat, and passion fruit
Chili Chada: Horchata, spiced rum, and cinnamon whiskey
Kayla’s Cake (Available Nov. 15 through Dec. 31)
Santa’s Magical Macarons: A three pack of holiday macarons that includes individual flavors of Mexican hot chocolate, double vanilla, and gingerbread
Jazz Kitchen Coastal Grill & Patio (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 5)
The Mistletoe: Strawberry and cream liqueur with cake flavored vodka
Naples Ristorante e Bar (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 5)
Gingerbread Cannoli
Sparkling Apple Cider Mocktail: Apple cider, pomegranate juice, lemon juice and garnish lemon twist (Non-alcoholic beverage)
Christmas Colada: Coconut rum, simple syrup, mint, lime juice, pina colada mix, garnished with cranberry, and a candy cane rim
Santa Margarita Cocktail: Tequilla, peach schnapps, margarita mix, cranberry juice, raspberry liqueur, garnished with cranberries and rosemary
Marceline’s Confectionery Cart (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 1; mobile order available)
Yule Log Minnie Apple: Green apple dipped in caramel with two marshmallow ears, enrobed in milk chocolate and decorated with white chocolate swirls and drizzle, white sanding sugar, and a white chocolate Holly bow (New)
Gingerbread Mickey Cereal Treat: Mickey-shaped cereal treat dipped in white and milk chocolate and decorated with red and green colored-chocolate, and a dark chocolate Mickey face
Holiday Marshmallow Wand: Marshmallows dipped in caramel and milk chocolate drizzled with green and red chocolate
Holiday Minnie Cake Pop: Peppermint-flavored Vanilla cake pop with two marshmallow ears dipped in red-colored white chocolate, drizzled with green-colored white chocolate, and embellished with a red, polka dot Minnie bow
Paseo (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Ponche Navideño: Traditional Christmas punch (Non-alcoholic beverage)
Café Invierno: Tequila blanco, dark espresso liqueur, Irish cream liqueur, and coffee
Nieve Margarita: Tequila reposado, orange liqueur, white cranberry juice, lime juice, simple syrup
Salt & Straw (Available Nov. 29 through Jan. 6)
Enjoy various limited-time holiday flavors!
Splitsville Luxury Lanes (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Holiday in Parade: Creamy coconut, sweetened condensed milk, cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and rum
Peppermint Chocolate Cheesecake: Rich chocolate cheesecake infused with peppermint, layered in an Oreo crust, topped with chocolate drizzle, and candy cane pieces
Tiendita (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Holiday Buñuelo: Traditional buñuelo with holiday treat decorations
Wetzel’s Pretzels (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Frozen Hot Chocolate and Peppermint Frozen Hot Chocolate: Hot cocoa granita topped with a creamy layer of soft whip. Add peppermint for a more festive treat.
Keep in mind, this foodie guide is strictly the standard foodie guide for Christmas food at Disneyland, DCA, Downtown Disney, and the resort hotels. To see the foodie guide for the Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure, read this post here.
2024 Disneyland Festival of Holidays Foodie Guide
The Disneyland Resort is celebrating the holidays starting November 15 and through January 6, 2025 this year. While there are many offerings and traditions…
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
The Disneyland Resort is celebrating the holidays starting November 15 and through January 6, 2025 this year. While there are many offerings and traditions at Disneyland during Christmas time, one of the annual favorites are the holiday-themed food and drink offerings throughout the resort.
Christmas food at Disneyland is plentiful, and that’s a whole separate foodie guide that you can view here. This particular foodie guide pertains to the Festival of Holidays celebration held in Disney California Adventure. During the festival, there are seven marketplaces placed throughout the park, usually in the Performance Corridor, Paradise Gardens, and in the Hollywood Studio Backlot.
In 2024, the marketplace names are:
A Twist on Tradition
Brews & Bites
Favorite Things
Grandma’s Recipes
Holiday Duets
Winter Sliderland
Merry Mashups
These marketplaces are uniquely themed and each one offers its own selection of one or two food entrees, as well as a selection of cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks. Additionally, several brick and mortar DCA restaurants and eateries partake in the festival, featuring one or two festival menu items.
This foodie guide will display photos of some of the upcoming selections, as well as descriptions and listings for where they’ll be sold. Pricing hasn’t yet been released, but I will update this post when it does. These items will be available beginning November 15 and are at Disney California Adventure only.
If you’re a magic key holder, keep in mind that you won’t receive a dining discount at any of the marketplaces. You might, however, get one at the traditional restaurants. Refer to the discounts tab in the magic portal on the Disneyland app for more info.
Festival Food Marketplaces
A Twist on Tradition (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Barbecue Pulled Pork Cornbread Bake with creamy slaw (New)
Turkey Galantine Croissant Muffin Slider with herb mayo and cranberry marmalade (New)
Berry Pomegranate Paloma: Blanco Tequila, blueberry purée, lime, cranberry and pomegranate juices, and agave syrup topped with Fresca and garnished with a chile-lime rim and orange wheel
Brews & Bites (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Chicken Chicharrón with basmati rice, herb chutney and masala drizzle (New)
Passion Fruit Rose Lassi: Passion fruit nectar, yogurt, and rose and honey syrups garnished with a rose petal (New)
Stone Brewing Company Pilsner (New)
Garage Brewing Co. Churro Ale
Naughty Sauce Noble Ale Works Golden Stout (New)
Dust Bowl Brewing Company Winter Wonder IPA (New)
LA Bodega Jamaica Hard Seltzer (New)
Green Cheek Beer Co. Hops for the Holidays IPA (New)
Altamont Beer Works Juice Above the Clouds Double IPA (New)
Great Notion Brewing Single Stack Stout (New)
Boulevard Brewing Co. Quirk Cranberry Apple Cinnamon Hard Seltzer
Holiday Beer Flight (New)
LA Bodega Jamaica Hard Seltzer
Green Cheek Beer Co. Hops for the Holidays IPA
Altamont Beer Works Juice Above the Clouds Double IPA
Great Notion Brewing Single Stack Stout
Festive Beer Flight (New)
Stone Brewing Company Pilsner
Garage Brewing Co. Churro Ale
Dust Bowl Brewing Company Winter Wonder IPA
Naughty Sauce Noble Ale Works Golden Stout
Favorite Things (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Sticky Toffee Pudding Macaron: Mickey-shaped chocolate macaron filled with vanilla buttercream, date cake, and salted toffee sauce (New)
Braised Pork Belly Adobo with garlic rice
Spiced Coconut Cocktail: Dark rum, spice tea, coconut purée, and evaporated and condensed milks garnished with nutmeg and a wafer stick (New)
Grandma’s Recipes (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Barbacoa Tamal de Res with Oaxaca cheese, tomatillo salsa and crema
Cookie Dough Yule Log filled with chocolate chip cookie dough and white chocolate mousse, covered with chocolate buttercream (New)
Café de Olla Cold Brew: Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co. Mexico Origin Coffee, low fat and condensed milks, house-made spiced syrup with star anise, clove, and cinnamon, topped with a chocolate dulce de leche sweet cream, and garnished with a mini-pan dulce (New)
Holiday Duets (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Chorizo Queso Fundido Mac & Cheese with tortilla crunch (New)
Savory Kugel Mac & Cheese with herb breadcrumbs, sour cream, and chives
The Holiday Duet: A half portion of each mac & cheese
Cranberry Christmas Mule: Gin, elderflower & ginger liqueurs, cherry purée, cranberry & lime juices, topped with a citrus hard seltzer and garnished with a lime wedge gummy (New)
Winter Sliderland (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Al Pastor Pork & Pineapple Slider on corn brioche (New)
Beef Brisket Slider with smoked onions and horseradish ketchup on a pretzel roll
Cookies and Cream Hazelnut Hot Cocoa: Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co. hot chocolate with cookies and cream flavors, melted chocolate, hazelnut purée, and Irish cream syrup garnished with strawberry whipped cream (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New)
Jelly Donut Punch: Apricot Nectar, house-made raspberry and strawberry jam syrup, cookie butter, and lemon juice garnished with a skewered powdered sugar donut hole (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New)
Hazelnut Cookie Hot Cocoa Cocktail: Cookies and cream hazelnut hot cocoa with Irish cream liqueur (New)
Hot Butter Pecan Bourbon Cocktail: Bourbon, apple cider, butter, and butter pecan syrups garnished with a bitters apple butter pecan foam (New)
Merry Mashups (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Holiday Mash Bowl: Chicken, cheddar mashed potatoes, and turkey gravy with cranberry stuffing crunch (New)
M&M’S Peanut Butter Fudge Cake: Chocolate fudge cake filled with peanut praline and M&M’S Peanut Butter Minis, glazed with salted peanut butter, and topped with vanilla Chantilly crème (New)
Glacier Margarita: Blanco tequila, blue curaçao, coconut syrup, lime and white cranberry juice, and rosemary syrup garnished with champagne bubble candies on a skewer
Additional Locations Throughout Disney California Adventure
Aunt Cass Café (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)
Pumpkin Spice Bread Pudding with a graham cracker crust topped with pumpkin cheesecake filling, whipped cream, graham cracker crumble, and an espresso brown sugar sauce (New)
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)
Holiday Pizza: Roasted turkey with roasted butternut squash, cranberries, arugula, fig jam, and cranberry sauce (New) (Available by the slice or a whole pie)
Disney ¡Viva Navidad! at Paradise Garden Grill (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)
Chilaquiles Carnitas Torta: Red chilaquiles, refried beans, avocado spread, queso fresco, pickled onions, and a fried egg served with chips (New)
Esquite Loaded Chips: Chile lime chips smothered in corn kernels, cotija cheese, chile-lime seasoning, and crema (New)
Plant-based Huarache with soy-based chorizo beans and seasoned steak tips with lettuce, cheese, avocado crema, and tomatillo salsa served with Spanish rice and refried beans topped with nopales pico de gallo (Plant-based)
Chile Verde Chicken Flautas topped with avocado spread, shredded lettuce, crema, queso fresco, tomatillo salsa, and pickled onions served with Spanish rice and refried beans
Al Pastor Tacos: Pineapple-achiote-marinated pork with avocado spread and tomatillo salsa, served with Spanish rice and refried beans, and topped with queso fresco
Chocolate Cake Flan: Layer of flan on chocolate cake with caramel
Ponche de Frutas: Traditional Mexican cold fruit punch (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New)
Ponche Cocktail: Traditional Mexican Cold Fruit Punch with Tequila (New)
Cappuccino Cart (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Cinnamon Caramel Apple Bundt Cake drizzled with salted caramel and filled with cream cheese frosting (New)
Peanut Butter Mocha Cold Brew: Mocha cold brew, peanut butter whip, and peanut butter drizzle
Peanut Butter Mocha Cocktail: Mocha cold brew with peanut butter whiskey, peanut butter whip, and peanut butter drizzle
Churros near Redwood Creek Challenge Trail and Willie’s Churros at Buena Vista Street (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Peanut Butter-Marshmallow Churro topped with marshmallow crème, peanut butter sauce, and chocolate chips
Churro near Goofy’s Sky School and Señor Buzz Churros on Pixar Pier (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Popcorn Tin Churro: White cheddar popcorn dust and caramel sauce topped with buttered popcorn (New)
Churro at Hollywood Land (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Dutch Apple Churro: Dusted with cinnamon and holiday spices, drizzled with Dutch apple sauce, and garnished with holiday sprinkles
Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Holiday Confetti Cake with Häagen-Dazs Peppermint Bark Ice Cream, chocolate drizzle, whipped cream, and sprinkles (New)
Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Fried Arroz Con Leche: Rolled in cinnamon sugar served with a dulce de leche whip and a dulce de leche drizzle (New)
Spicy Jamaica Agua Fresca (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New)
Spicy Jamaica Cocktail: Tequila with spicy Jamaica and tamarind chamoy (New)
Corn Dog Castle (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Holiday Stuffing Corn Dog dipped in seasoned corn batter, fried to a golden brown, and topped with cranberry-mustard sauce (New)
Sonoma Terrace (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Pan Con Pollo: Braised chicken, spiced tomato sauce, mayonnaise, and mustard dressing on a French bread roll served with pickled vegetable slaw
Unsung Brewing Chocolate Snowball Imperial Blonde Ale (New)
Outdoor Vending Locations (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Mickey-shaped Gingerbread Cookie: Soft gingerbread cookie with sprinkles
Cotton Candy Pink: Vanilla-flavored cotton candy
Smokejumpers Grill (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6; mobile order available)
Hearty Loaded Fries: Crinkle-cut fries smothered with sausage country gravy and topped with fried chicken, shredded cheese, and green onions (New)
Santa Hat Shake in a marshmallow and coconut-rimmed cup topped with whipped cream and marshmallows (New)
Studio Catering Co. (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)
Korean Fried Chicken Slider: Korean fried chicken topped with gochujang sauce, kimchi coleslaw, and pickled onions served on sweet Hawaiian bread (New)(Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 7)
Kinderpunsch with apple cider, hibiscus, and a cherry (Non-alcoholic beverage) (Available Nov. 15 through Jan. 6)
Remember, this foodie guide is just for the offerings at the festival marketplaces and restaurants at Disney California Adventure. So see the foodie guide for Disneyland park, Disney California Adventure, Downtown Disney, and the resort hotels, check out this post here.
Three Disneyland After Dark Events Confirmed for 2025
Recently, Disney updated the ‘After Dark’ page of their website and quietly confirmed the return of three after dark themes…
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
Recently, Disney updated the ‘After Dark’ page of their website and quietly confirmed the return of three after dark themes returning in 2025. They are Sweetheart’s Nite, Star Wars Nite and Pride Nite. All three ran multiple dates in 2024, however, there’s one notable absence from the list - Disney Channel Nite.
While not outright confirmed by Disney, it does appear as though Disney Channel Nite failed to make the cut for 2025. It’s no surprise, really. The event only ran for two dates in 2024 and both took an abnormally long time to sell out. While my wife and I had a great time during our experience at the event, it’s no surprise Disney decided against a repeat, as that’s usually an indication of a lack of interest on the guest’s part.
Looping back to the three that did make the cut, the only confirmation was that they were returning. There wasn’t any information as to dates, price, and activities released. However, there is plenty of historical data to look back on to summarize. But first…
What are After Dark Events?
If you’ve never heard of Disneyland After Dark events, they’re after-hours, hard-ticketed events held during the first half of the year at Disneyland. By ‘hard-ticketed’, I mean they’re not included with your regular park ticket and you’ll need to purchase an event-specific ticket in order to attend.
On event nights, Disneyland park will close early to regular park guests, usually at 9pm. Guests with an event ticket are allowed entry into the park three hours prior to start time and are given a wristband. If a guest doesn’t have one, they’ll be asked to leave once the park closes.
Aside from Oogie Boogie Bash, which isn’t generally considered part of the after dark line up, the events run for four hours, from 9pm to 1am. During the party, guests are treated to special photo opportunities, rare character appearances, dance parties, parades, specialty food and drink options, event merchandise, and more.
Now, let’s take a look at Disneyland’s 2025 after dark line up and what they entail.
Sweethearts Nite
First, we’ll discuss Sweethearts Nite, as this will be the first after dark event held in 2025. Sweethearts Nite takes place on select nights in late January and February, with the final event usually taking place on or shortly after Valentine’s Day.
In 2024, tickets for Sweethearts Nite started at $139 and topped out at $169, with dates closer to and on Valentine’s Day commanding the higher end of the pricing spectrum. During the event, the main attraction were rare character appearances and meet and greets, including Indiana Jones and Marion.
Sweethearts Nite has been a mainstay since Disney started running after dark events in 2019 and has gotten more and more popular every year. Tickets sell out quickly and typically go on sale in November. I expect expanded dates this year, still throughout the months of January and February, though.
Star Wars Nite
Star Wars Nite has been another popular addition to the after dark line up over the years. Year after year, it’s usually the event with the most dates and they often coincide with “Season of the Force”, a separate event that takes place during the day in Tomorrowland and Galaxy’s Edge.
In 2024, Disney ran multiple event nights, more than prior years, throughout the months of April and May. Like Sweethearts Nite, tickets topped out at $169, however, started much higher at $159. And unlike prior years, it look an exceptionally long time to sell out.
You could argue that was because prices were higher and there were more dates, and you wouldn’t be wrong. Those aspects certainly played a part, but I feel it had more to do with the lack of any substantial changes made to the event and guests (locals, namely) grew tired of it.
The event did eventually sell out, making its return in 2025 an all-but-certain reality, which has now proven to be accurate. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if Disney ran fewer nights next year. Look for tickets to Star Wars Nite to go on sale in February 2025.
Pride Nite
Returning for its third year, Pride Nite has been quite successful for Disney, offering the LGBTQ+ community and their allies their own night of celebration. Historically speaking, there aren’t many dates offered for this event, with only two in 2023 and 2024, respectively. However, based on its past success, I expect that to change in 2025.
At past events, Pride Nite featured rare character appearances, photo opportunities, specialty menu items, a pride parade (cavalcade style) down Main Street U.S.A, a Ohana dance party featuring Lilo and Stitch, line dancing at the Golden Horseshoe Saloon, and more.
June is pride month, and Disney will likely continue to hold Pride Nites in that month. Following the usual two month in advance sales pattern, expect tickets for Pride Nite 2025 to go on sale in April.
Will There Be a Fourth After Dark Event?
The presumed exclusion of Disney Channel Nite leaves an open slot for a fourth after dark event, which begs the question as to what it’ll be, assuming Disney even wants to do one. It seems as though Disney is desperately trying to create an event that appeals to nostalgic millennials, with Throwback Nite in 2023 and Disney Channel Nite in 2024, and just haven’t been able to nail it down, so-to-speak.
With March being the spiritual halfway point to Disneyland’s Halloween season, they could take another crack at a Villains Nite, like they did in 2022, to piggyback on the ever growing success of Oogie Boogie Bash. Disney likes to make a big deal out of the “Halfway to Halloween” celebration, so running Villains Nite events during that period could be a great way to drum up additional hype.
While I don’t necessarily believe this to be the case, as millennials have been cash-cows for Disney in recent years, there’s the argument that Disney could be moving away from nostalgia-related events and towards something recent. What that would be, exactly, remains a mystery.
As stated above, though, I don’t think that’s the case. Nostalgia is big business across multiple industries. But none, in my opinion, know how to capitalize and deliver on it better than Disney. They just need to iron out the theme and its marketing, and tickets will undoubtedly sell fast.
Of course, considering 2025 is Disneyland’s 70th anniversary, which will undoubtedly be a year-long celebration at the park, it’s possible Disney is simply applying the nostalgia elements (and budget) to that rather than holding a singular event, and then launch another Disney Channel or Throwback-style event in 2026.
Either way, we won’t know for sure what Disney is doing until they themselves make the announcement. However, I don’t see a reason why they wouldn’t announce the return of Disney Channel Nite with the other three if they had any intention of holding it.
That being said, I do believe the three announced after dark events are all we’re getting, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I would rather Disney increase the amount of nostalgic-related elements of an after dark event to the park’s daily offerings during the 70th anniversary, than to have to pay additional money to see it.
Planning a trip to Disneyland? If so, learn more about Disneyland’s 2025 ticket deal to save hundreds on kids tickets. Additionally, read about my experience at one of Disneyland’s good neighbor hotels. Also, see my ten best tips for purchasing Disneyland tickets. Lastly, for great deals on Disneyland vacation packages and tickets, get a quote from the folks at Get Away Today, the most knowledgeable and experienced Disney vacation planners.
Disneyland Magic Key: Pricing, Details, Benefits and More
Originally launched in late 2021, just months after Disneyland reopened to guests from the 2020 covid-19 closure, Magic Keys program are Disneyland’s exclusive annual pass program. It differs...
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
Originally launched in late 2021, just months after Disneyland reopened to guests from the 2020 covid-19 closure, Magic Keys program are Disneyland’s exclusive annual pass program. It differs from its predecessor, know then as simply Annual Passes, or AP, not only in name, but in price-point, benefits (or lack thereof) and availability.
Prior to 2020, one could purchase an annual pass through Disneyland’s website or at the ticket booths at any point as there were no limitations placed on inventory. With the Magic Key (MK) program, however, you can only purchase one when Disney releases them for sale. Disney says this is done to limit the amount of MK holders, since locals tend to make up the majority of daily park attendance and often cause crowds to swell, causing a major “inconvenience” to out-of-area visitors.
Consequently, this lack of constant availability has caused a huge amount of pent-up demand for magic keys, often resulting in hours-long virtual queues for eager key holder hopefuls. I say “hopefuls” because there have been sales when by the time some have gotten through the virtual queue, the key they wanted, or all keys in general, were sold out.
The last magic key sale occurred in March 2024 and, surprisingly, lasted through June when all sales were finally paused. Recently, Disney announced magic keys would once again go on sale on Wednesday, November 6, 2024 at no sooner than 9am. In this post, I’ll discuss the recent price increase, the four individual tiers, the benefits of each, and more. Let’s get into it.
Disneyland Magic Key Tiers, Price and Benefits (2024/2025)
Much like the original iteration of the program, there are four tiers of magic keys to choose from. Each has its own price, benefits and amount of blockout dates. Thanks to a class-action lawsuit in 2022, all Disneyland magic keys now come with blockout dates.
As far as benefits are concerned, all four have the same general benefits, though with varying levels. For example, you get a better discount on dining and merchandise with one key over another, but all keys do offer a discount.
Additionally, only the top tier key, the Inspire, includes parking without further charge. The remaining three keys offer discounts on parking, and only at certain parking lots, depending on the key you choose. Let’s take a look at the tiers and what they offer:
Inspire Key Price: $1749 (or $121.67 per month)
This is the Rolls-Royce of the Disneyland Magic Key program. If you visit the parks a lot and want the best benefits available with the lowest amount of blockout dates, this is the pass for you. Currently, the only blockout dates with this pass are the two weeks around Christmas and New Years. Every other day is fair game, provided there is reservation availability. Inspire Key benefits include:
Reservation-based entry on the majority of dates throughout the year
Hold up to 6 park reservations at a time
25% off of Lightning Lane Multi-Pass
Unlimited PhotoPass photo digital downloads
Up to 20% off merchandise
Up to 15% off dining
Free standard parking at Mickey & Friends, Pixar Pals, and Toy Story
Park hopping included (after 11am)
Based on tier 0 days, which are days when Disneyland charges the least amount of money for an adult, one-day park hopper ticket, the break even point for this tier is eleven visits. If you’re a local, you visit the parks more than most, typically park your own vehicle, and often indulge in Disneyland’s restaurants and gift shops, this key is a bargain despite the high price-point.
Believe Key Price: $1374 (or $88.34 per month)
If the price of the Inspire Key gives you sticker shock, you can save by going with the Dream Key, though you’ll go down a peg or two with the benefits a bit and will have to deal with additional blockout dates. Despite the blockout dates, you’ll still have access to the majority of the year as it’s mostly during the two weeks around Christmas and New Years, spring break week, and a few random weekends.
Reservation-based entry on most dates throughout the year
Hold up to 6 park reservations at a time
25% off Lightning Lane Multi-Pass
Unlimited PhotoPass photo digital downloads
Up to 10% off merchandise
Up to 10% off dining
50% off standard parking at Mickey & Friends, Pixar Pals, and Toy Story
Park hopping included (after 11am)
The Believe Key’s break even point is nine visits, again, based on the price of a tier 0 adult, one day ticket with park hopper option included. This is another great option for locals who visit often, but perhaps best for those who typically take an Uber to parks, as you’ll be charged half the rate for parking. Though, with Uber’s pricing increasing in recent years, it may be more cost-effective to just pay the half rate to park yourself.
Enchant Key Price: $974 (or $55 per month)
If you’re not a SoCal resident, this is the lowest you can go and is the most affordable option. Its price may be great, but you’ll receive less benefits and have significantly more blockout dates. Blockout dates for this key include nearly all holidays and the days surrounding them, spring break week, most weekends, and the entirety of summer.
Reservation-based entry on select dates throughout the year
Hold up to 4 park reservations at a time
25% off Lightning Lane Multi-Pass
Up to 10% off merchandise
Up to 10% off dining
25% off standard parking at the Toy Story lot ONLY
Park hopping included
This pass comes with a break even point of just six visits, making it an ideal key for those who live close enough to Disneyland to visit often, but not close enough to be considered a local who visits weekly, or even monthly. If there are weeks or months between your visits, the limit of four reservations at a time wouldn’t hinder you much as you’d go through them rather quickly and typically, reservations are much easier to come by these days.
Imagine Key Price: $599 (or $24.84 per month)
This key is only available to SoCal residents living in zip codes 90000 - 93599. Due to it being the lowest priced key for the four, it also comes with the least amount of benefits and the greatest amount of blockout dates.
Reservation-based entry on select days throughout the year
Hold up to 2 park reservations at a time
25% off Lightning Lane Multi-Pass
Up to 10% off merchandise
Up to 10% off dining
25% off standard parking at Toy Story ONLY
Park hopping included
This key pays for itself in just four visits, but comes with a tremendous amount of blockout dates and you’re limited to just two reservations at a time. Really take the time to research the blockout calendar below and find out if it’s worth upgrading to the Enchant Key instead. It may have a great entry price, but it’s limited in just about everything else.
To see the full blockout date calendar for all four Magic Keys, go here.
As you can see, along with the increase in price, there are quite a few benefits attached to these keys than there were in prior years. At one point during its run as the AP program, Disney offered the option to upgrade your pass by paying a separate annual charge for MaxPass (the digital version of FastPass and what is now Lighting Lane).
Instead of offering the same for Lightning Lane, Disney opted to offer the benefit of a per-purchase discount on the service for all Magic Keys. While it’s certainly better than nothing, this is clearly an attempt by Disney to increase daily sales of Lightning Lane and to no overwhelm the attractions any more than they already are.
One added benefit I particularly like is the inclusion of unlimited PhotoPass digital downlaods (be sure to check out our article on this service) for Inspire and Believe Key holders. In my opinion, this one benefit alone increases the value of magic keys.
Magic Key Reservations & No-Show Policy
As you can see above, each Magic Key includes a certain amount of reservations you’re permitted to hold at any given time. The Enchant Key, for example, permits four reservations to be held at a time and the Inspire and Believe Keys include up to six.
These reservations are available on a rolling period. Meaning, if you’re an Enchant Key holder and you’ve used all four of your reservations for an upcoming trip, you won’t be able to make another reservation until you’ve either checked into the park or canceled one.
Speaking of canceling, if you’re sure you’re not going to be able to make it on the day of your reservation, be sure to follow the no-show policy or you’ll be suspended from making additional reservations for 30-days.
Here’s what you need to know about the Magic Key no-show policy:
Any key holder who no-shows on three reservations in a 90-day window will be suspended from making additional reservations for 30-days
This suspension will continue even if the current key is upgraded or renewed during the suspension
A cancellation must take place by 11:59pm the day before the reserved date
As long as you’re scanned into the park prior to closing on the reserved date, it will not count as a no-show
In short, do everything you can to avoid racking up no-shows. If you’re suspended and you’re on the payment plan, you’ll still be charged for that month and Disney will not extend you another month on your term.
Park Hopping Privileges
Another added benefit to Magic Keys is being able to park hop without any added cost. The way you park hop is the same as a regular park ticket holder:
From opening to 10:59am, you must start your day at the park in which you made a reservation for
After 11am, you will then be able to hop over to the other park
If you arrive on property after 11am, you will be able to enter either park no matter which one you made a reservation for
Let’s say you wanted to make a reservation for Disneyland Park but the only available reservations for that day are at Disney California Adventure (DCA). You can use the above rule to “hack” your way in, so-to-speak. You’ll go ahead with making the reservation for DCA, arrive on property at or shortly after 11am, and simply head over to Disneyland Park. Or simply begin your day at DCA and hop over to Disneyland after 11am.
Disneyland Magic Key Important Reminders
At this time, Magic Keys are renewals only. New sales of Magic Keys are suspended more than they’re not, as Disney only releases them for sale once they’ve reached a certain threshold of non-renewals or when they predict a slump in attendance. The next round of Magic Key sales in November 6, 2024.
Park admission isn’t guaranteed. This isn’t the days of old anymore. For the foreseeable future, you’re at the mercy of the reservation system. Thankfully, it has become MUCH easier to snag reservations, even at the last minute.
Payment plans are still a thing and are still for Californian residents only. If you live outside the state, you will not be able to finance a Magic Key through Disney’s payment plan. If you do reside in the state, you’re still able to make payments.
Blockout dates are now in included in EVERY key. Even the highest tiered key now includes blockout dates.
Imagine Keys are for SoCal residents only. Unless you’re account is registered with a Southern Californian zip code, the Imagine Key won’t even be presented to you as an option. They Enchant Key will be the lowest you could go.
Special events are NOT included. You cannot use your Magic Key to get into events such as Oogie Boogie Bash, Disney Merriest Nights and Disneyland After Dark. Nor will you receive discounts on those tickets. You will, however, often get a jump on purchasing those tickets ahead of the general public.
Lightning Lane Premiere Pass: Disneyland’s New $400 Skip-the-Line Service
Recently, Disney confirmed that a long-rumored addition to the Lightning Lane line up of services, Lightning Lane Premiere Pass, would...
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
Recently, Disney confirmed that a long-rumored addition to the Lightning Lane line up of services, Lightning Lane Premiere Pass, would be coming to the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World. While this service is being offered at both coasts, this post will focus on Disneyland’s version.
If you don’t know what Lightning Lane is, it’s the latest iteration of Disney’s beloved FastPass service and until recently was known as “Genie Plus”. The name “Lightning Lane” was a byname for the physical queues at the individual attractions, while the service itself was called Genie Plus. This often confused guests, so the service went through a much-needed refresh in order to simplify it.
Prior to Genie Plus (and the covid-related closures) we had the paper FastPass tickets, which were free, in addition to the digital, app-based version of the program, MaxPass, which used to cost $15-$20 per person, per day. When Disneyland reopened in 2021, then Disney CEO, Bob Chapek, rolled out the loathed Genie Plus (which was nearly identical to MaxPass) and discontinued the free paper version of FastPass.
Then, as already stated, Genie Plus was done away with. Now, we have Lightning Lane Multi-Pass (LLMP), which is the standard service with multiple attractions included, and Lightning Lane Single Pass (LLSP), which grants you one-time access to two premium attractions, Star Wars - Rise of the Resistance and Radiator Springs Racers, at a separate cost per attraction.
One caveat to this service is you can only use it on each attraction one time. Additionally, you can hold only one LLMP selection at a time and cannot select another until you’ve used your current LLMP selection or until two hours have passed, whichever comes first. For example, if it’s 11:00am and you select Space Mountain with a return time of 2:05pm, you cannot make another selection until 1:00pm or until you’ve redeemed it at 2:05pm.
A few months ago, eagle-eyed fans noticed a small update in the Disneyland app which seemed to indicate that another tier was coming to the Lightning Lane line up and recently, that rumor proved to be true with the announcement of Lightning Lane Premiere Pass. Suffice it to say, Disney fans are up in arms over it. Particularly because of its price.
Lightning Lane Premiere Pass Details and Cost
Lightning Lane Premiere Pass (LLPP), debuting at Disneyland on October 23, will cost upwards of $400 per ticket, per day. Though during the initial roll-out, the service will cost a flat $400 for the remainder of 2024 and starting January 2025, will vary between $300 - $400, dependent on demand. That means that at its highest price, LLPP will cost park-goers a staggering 12.5 times more than the standard LLMP service.
While similar in nature, there are a few differences between LLPP and LLMP, such as:
You can use it whenever you want (you’re not restricted to the two-hour rule)
You won’t need to constantly look at your phone
It’ll be sold in limited quantities daily
Access includes the premium attractions not included with LLMP
Despite the high cost, you can still only use it at each attraction one time. The stand out difference is you’re not held to a quantity or time restriction. In theory, you could go from one attraction to the next in quick succession without worrying about return times.
LLPP will be available to guests to purchase up to two days prior to your visit through the Disneyland app or website. There will be limited quantities available, especially during the roll out. If this is something you’ll be interested in, be sure you’ve already purchased your ticket and have a reservation tied to it.
Unlike LLMP, you won’t be able to purchase LLPP at the time you purchase your ticket unless your ticket/reservation is within the two day timeframe and there’s available inventory. Day-of purchasing is also possible, again, provided there’s inventory available.
Another similarity of LLPP to LLMP is it’s good for Lightning Lane eligible attractions at both Disney California Adventure and Disneyland proper. However, it does not give you park hopping privileges. You will need to add the park hopper option to your tickets to access both parks, which will set you back another $65 - $75 per. Let’s take a look at a worst case scenario price for a one-day visit:
Adult One Day Ticket on a Saturday in December: $206
Park Hopper option: $75
Lightning Lane Premiere Pass: $400
Total = $681
That’s a tough pill to swallow, especially considering that’s just one adult. Families would get a small break, especially if you take advantage of the kids’ ticket deal for 2025. However, even for kids, the park hopper option and LLPP pricing doesn’t change. Your only break will be with the tickets.
Considering the average family size of those vacationing at Disneyland is four, that family would be looking at thousands for a one day visit. Tack on another two or three days and that number rises substantially. Though, I don’t feel purchasing LLPP would be necessary (or cost effective, for that matter) for a multi-day visit, but we’ll discuss that in further detail below.
There has been much criticism and flat-out angry comments on social media about this new offering from Disney. Most of those comments declaring how Disney is pricing families out and catering only to the rich. While I can sympathize, I don’t see that as the case here. Honestly, I think Disney is playing the long-game with this decision, and it has nothing to do with pricing families out.
Why Disney Lightning Lane Premiere Pass
Turning to commentary, I feel it’s important to discuss what I believe LLPP’s intended purpose is. Disney is the originator of this system, a system most theme parks today utilize in one form or another. For years, guests of Disney parks enjoyed this perk free of charge, while others charged for it.
Corporations aren’t too keen on leaving money on the table, which is why it came to no surprise to me when Disneyland first introduced MaxPass, the paid, digital version of FastPass. Since the free paper version was still being offered at the time, most didn’t mind the paid upgrade.
Like many, I knew this was just the beginning, as I predicted (mostly to myself) that Disney would eventually move to rid itself of the “free” version of FastPass and monetize it completely. They just needed an excuse, and that excuse would come in the form of a 13-month closure brought on by a global pandemic.
Disney would reopen from this closure in May 2021, but with no physical character interactions, no park hopping, reservation and face mask requirements, and most germane to this post, no FastPass or MaxPass. That’s right, only traditional stand-by queues were offered and that, coupled with low attendance, made attraction hopping a breeze.
Despite not being offered at the time, FastPass distribution kiosks and signage remained, leaving Disney fans hopeful for its (presumed) return. That return would never come, however, as then-new Disney CEO, Bob Capek, announced the impending debut of Genie Plus and the accompanying Lightning Lanes, which became the total replacement for FastPass and MaxPass.
As it pertained to FastPass, the covid-closure was a bit of a blessing for Disney. They didn’t need to spend time phasing it out and they purposely made it unavailable to guests when they reopened, which I believe was mostly a way to manufacture demand for a product guests would pay for, much like what they do with Magic Key sales.
So what does all of this have to do with Lightning Lane Premiere Pass? In my opinion, it’s the beginning of another phase-out, but this time with the intention of phasing out the low price-point of Lightning Lane Multi-Pass.
If you’ve been to the parks at all in the last few years, you’ve undoubtedly noticed the often slow-moving traditional stand-by queues. Sure, pent-up demand has played a role, but so has LLMP, which is priced insanely low compared to other theme parks offering a similar service.
Disneyland is an expensive place to visit, with many taking on debt and/or saving for years in order to treat their families to a magical vacation. For many, Disneyland is a once every few years, or once-in-a-lifetime trip. If they’re already willing to spend hundreds, or even thousands, just to walk through the gate, then they’re certainly willing to spend another $32 per person for a service that’ll help them maximize the limited time they have.
For a lot of folks visiting Disneyland, coming up with that amount, even for a family of five, isn’t much of an issue. At minimum, they’ll find a way, and this has led to Lightning Lane queues becoming over-saturated and causing the traditional stand-by queues to get longer than they need to be. It’s gotten so bad that on some days when you use LLMP, it’s almost like paying extra just to wait in another line.
How to do you fix that? The obvious answer would be to charge more and while I believe many would still pay it, you would eventually hit the mark where casual guests and Magic Key holders, who make up a large chunk of the daily attendance, would balk and not pay it.
So with less people purchasing LLMP, that would certainly solve the over-saturation issue, however, it would create a new problem - a decline in profits. The Disney bean counters would never allow it, so what does Disney do? Simple, you charge less people more money and target the right guest. Enter, Lightning Lane Premiere Pass.
At $300 - $400, LLPP is a premium product. It does virtually the same thing, only it allows for more freedom throughout your day since you wouldn’t need to concern yourself with return times, cool down periods, or being on your phone all day. These perks allow for greater flexibility and may allow you to hit every major attraction in one day.
That’s a massive selling point for those short on time. You see, it isn’t necessarily the “rich” that Disney’s targeting here, it’s those who are short on time. The ones that only have a day, maybe two to spend in the parks and are looking to maximize their time. Sure, that price-point does put LLPP out of reach for many, but there are just as many who would make it work despite their financial situation.
Back to my statement above about Disney charging more for LLMP and guests balking at it - I believe that would be the case if there wasn’t a competing, higher-priced service to make the now higher priced LLMP seem like a value by comparison. That’s what I believe the ultimate goal of LLPP is.
It’s isn’t so Disney can eliminate LLMP altogether, but raise the price, perhaps to around the $100 mark, so they can increase profits, while selling the service to less people and thus reducing the amount of congestion in the Lightning Lanes. Those who paid for LLMP and LLPP would get on the attraction quickly, as promised, and guests in the stand-by queue wouldn’t be faced with longer than necessary wait times.
Is LLPP a service I would purchase? As a Magic Key holder, probably not. I go often enough to where I have no need to ride every attraction in one trip. If I don’t get to ride a specific attraction, I’ll just prioritize it on the next visit. However, not everyone has that luxury as it may be their one and only visit. It’s those who LLPP would be most beneficial for.
As such, I wouldn’t expect Magic Key holders to receive any kind of discount on LLPP. There’s a possibility that Disney Vacation Club (DVC) owners could receive a discount, as there’s been a recent push by Disney to provide them with more in-park perks, but that’s just speculation on my part.
So, no, Disney isn’t pricing anyone out by offering this service. Lightning Lane Premiere Pass’s existence isn’t going to affect your park experience much (or at all). You’ll still pay the same as anyone else to get in and you’ll still have access to the same attractions via stand-by or LLMP/LLSP. This is simply another way for Disney to increase profits from those willing to pay it and (what I believe) to ultimately solve the current dilemma created by the Lightning Lane program.
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Visiting Disneyland in October
October is an immensely popular time of year to visit the Disneyland Resort. With the Halloween season and celebrations at their peak, October...
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
October is an immensely popular time of year to visit the Disneyland Resort. With the Halloween season and celebrations at their peak, October offers guests the chance to try unique foods and experience attractions exclusive to the season, including the annual Oogie Boogie Bash event at DCA, spooky decor, and more.
When researching a potential month or time of year to visit the resort, many wonder if October is a good time to visit or if Disneyland is crowded in October. In this post, I aim to answer those questions, while providing context as to why. Additionally, I’ll explain what’s offered at the parks during October that you couldn’t experience otherwise. Let’s get into it.
Is Disneyland Crowded in October?
Disneyland in October is notoriously busy. In terms of attendance, October (and the Halloween season, overall) often rivals the summer months, largely driven by the included Halloween-themed attractions and decor, as well as the uber popular Ooogie Boogie Bash - A Disney Halloween Party, at Disney California Adventure.
Another draw that’s been growing in popularity in recent years is the Plaza de la Familia celebration, also held in DCA, which adds additional interest and draws more guests. Additionally, DCA has become known as the “Halloween Park”, so-to-speak, with multiple attractions receiving holiday overlays and the wonderfully decorated Cars Land.
The aforementioned Oogie Boogie Bash is the seasonal wildcard as it pertains to crowds, as it’s a hard-ticketed event that causes Disney California Adventure to close early to normal guests, which often results in a massive guest migration across the esplanade into Disneyland park, spiking night-time attendance.
However, since DCA has become increasingly popular during the Halloween season, crowd levels between the two parks have somewhat leveled. My wife and I visit the resort during every Halloween season and have noticed this (especially in the last couple years). In general, no one park appears to be any busier than the other.
That’s in stark contrast to prior years, especially back when Disneyland hosted Mickey’s Not-so-Scary Halloween, the former Disneyland Halloween party, as Disneyland park often received the overwhelming majority of guests, while attendance at DCA lagged.
The downside to this is those who purchase the park hopper option on their tickets, or Magic Key holders, no longer have the “safe haven” park to head to when crowds get dense, as it’ll likely be the same. Even worse on Oogie Boogie nights, as there will be a noticeable spike in crowds Disneyland after 6pm and there is no option but to stay or leave the resort altogether.
If you’re not purchasing the park hopper option and your dates coincide with Oogie Boogie Bash nights (and they likely will), I recommend not making a reservation for DCA on those days, as you’ll be forced to leave the park early (6pm) and you’ll have nowhere to go.
To get the most bang for your buck, spend that day at Disneyland. Remember, the price of your ticket is the same regardless if DCA closes at 10pm or 6pm. Disneyland park remains open until midnight throughout October, so don’t waste a day of your ticket at DCA on an Oogie Boogie night.
However, if you do have the park hopper, I recommend starting your day at DCA and later head to Disneyland. One caveat to this is to make sure you do so before 3pm. I say this because at 3pm, those with Oogie Boogie tickets are let in, and those three hours where Oogie Boogie guests and normal day guests mix are notoriously dense.
Get out of DCA before 3pm and you’ll avoid the rush. If you decide to leave before 3pm, but head back to your hotel for a mid-day break instead (great choice, by the way), I suggest waiting until 6:45pm or later to return to Disneyland. At 6pm, there will be mass exodus from DCA and as a result, the lines to get into Disneyland are often chaotic. Give it 45-minutes or so and you’ll likely walk right in.
Weather at Disneyland in October
October is generally a good month, weather-wise, in Anaheim. Daytime temperatures rarely exceed 80 degrees and humidity remains low, on average. October is a transitional month of sorts, offering a break from the prior month’s high heat, but still not getting too chilly when the sun goes down.
People who aren’t familiar with the weather in Southern California often assume it’s nothing but warm weather all the time and while the area does see great weather, that cool ocean breeze at night catches many off guard. Due to this, I recommend packing a light jacket or hoodie.
As far as precipitation is concerned, you won’t have much to worry about there as October doesn’t see much rain. Anaheim’s infamous marine layer will be ever-present in the early mornings, especially for those partaking in the rope-drop hours. Its density will depend on temperatures on any given day and usually dissipates by noon, at the latest.
Disneyland Offerings in October
Of course, the dig draw at Disneyland in October are the various Halloween-themed offerings, which include attraction overlays. The only holiday overlay in Disneyland proper is the Haunted Mansion’s annual conversion to Haunted Mansion Holiday, which features characters from the stop-motion film, Nightmare Before Christmas, and generally lasts throughout the holidays.
Across the esplanade at Disney California Adventure, there are three attractions with holiday overlays. The biggest draw being Guardians of the Galaxy - Monsters After Dark. It’s the same ride, just with a unique storyline and heavier music. Instead of being tasked with helping the Guardians escape, Rocket recruits unwitting riders into being the distraction for free-roaming monsters while he gets Baby Groot to safety.
The transition from “Mission Breakout” to “Monsters” occurs at 3pm daily. If you’re planning to purchase Lightning Lane Multi-Pass, both versions of the attraction will be available and you’ll be able to use it on each version of the attraction once. Do keep in mind that on Oogie Boogie Bash nights, “Monsters” is only available to the general public until 6pm. After that, guests without event wristbands will be directed to leave the park.
The other two attractions with overlays are “Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree” and “Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween”, both of which are in Cars Land. All other attractions in the parks operate (unless they’re closed for refurbishment) as they normally would throughout the year.
Additionally, you can expect Halloween decor scattered throughout both parks. In Disneyland proper, the majority of decor is relegated to Town Square, Main Street U.S.A, and the hub, including the Mickey-shaped pumpkin. Beyond that, the only “Halloween” you’ll see is the Halloween Tree in Frontierland.
In Disney California Adventure, Buena Vista Street is heavily adorned in bat-themed decor and at night, is lit up in purple and green lighting. However, Cars Land is the real winner, as just about every square inch of the land, including the attractions, are decorated.
The Halloween decor continues outside of the parks and into the Downtown Disney District. Throughout the district, starting at the fountain adjacent to the tram loading area and extending out to the west end, you’ll find several figures of Mickey and Friends dressed in their Halloween bests, in addition to the Lonesome Ghosts.
The first one you’ll encounter (if you’re coming from the parks) is the one of Prince Mickey and Princess Minnie, surrounded by pumpkins, bat topiaries, and an autumnal archway. This has proven to be the most popular, especially at night when it’s all lit up. You can find it across from the World of Disney store, next to the water fountain in the flower bed.
From there, you’ll see a figure of Pluto with several pumpkins, each carved with a letter, spelling out Halloween. This will be in one of the water fountains adjacent to the tram loading area. Beginning past Centrico, you’ll spot the Donald Duck and Lonesome Ghosts figures in the flower beds in the middle of the walkway.
A little known activity offered only during the Halloween season is Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit. Hidden throughout both parks and in Downtown Disney are several pumpkins, each themed after a Disney character, and it’s up to you to locate them from the hints given to you on the provided checklist. It’s a fun activity to do when the queues are too long.
A favorite pastime among Disneyland guests, particularly locals and Magic Key holders, is to eat and drink their way through the dozens of offerings from the Halloween foodie guide. With few exceptions, these items are only available during Halloween. In 2024, there were a few duds, but many winners overall. You can see the 15 Halloween foodie guide offerings we tried here.
Lastly, I’d be remiss if I didn’t discuss Oogie Boogie Bash - A Disney Halloween Party. It’s a hard-ticketed event held in Disney California Adventure on select nights through August, September, and October. If you’re reading this in August or later, chances are the event has already sold out for the season.
Oogie Boogie Bash hosts a variety of exclusive offerings, including trick or treat trails featuring rare Disney villains, additional character meet and greets, the Frightfully Fun Parade, Villains Grove, special food and drink offerings, and more.
In 2024, Oogie Boogie Bash ticket prices ranged from $134 at the low end and maxed out at $189. Additionally, it was the first year that hosted event nights in August, as the Disneyland Resort decided to match Walt Disney World and start their Halloween season in that month. This was a way for Disney to increase profits without having to substantially raise prices (the max out price in 2023 was also $189).
If you’ve never heard of Oogie Boogie Bash, or you’re planning to go for the first time this year, give my Oogie Boogie Bash guide a read. Additionally, you can see my 12 tips for Oogie Boogie Bash first timers here. There’s a lot to do during the five hour event, so knowing these tips and tricks can save you time (and grief) to ensure a smooth visit.
If you’re considering a Disneyland vacation in October (or any other month for that matter) see one of my top recommendations for a hotel by Disneyland. This property offers one of the most comfortable hotel mattresses I’ve ever slept on and best yet, it’s close to the east entrance of the resort. As always, you can visit my partners at Get Away Today, who are the best in the business as it pertains to Disney-related vacations.
Disneyland Kids’ Ticket Deal Returning in 2025
These tickets will go on sale beginning October 22, 2024, and will be valid from January 7 through March 20, 2025. While they’re not restricted...
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
Disneyland Kids’ Ticket Deal 2025
Recently, Disney officially announced the return of their mega-popular kids’ ticket deal at the Disneyland Resort for 2025. These deeply discounted tickets offer tremendous value for families, with prices as low as $50 per day.
These tickets go on sale beginning October 22, 2024, and are valid from January 7 through March 20, 2025. While they’re not restricted to certain dates, such as strictly weekdays, they are subject to theme park reservation availability.
Disney rarely offers discounted Disneyland tickets, especially discounts this good. At these prices, families will save between $150 - $200 per multi-day kids’ ticket and there’s no cap on how many you can buy. Sure, you’re restricted to a three-month window and they only apply to kids, but still, the savings are significant.
Additionally, these tickets offer a fair amount of flexibility, with the option to purchase a variety of add-ons. You’ll have the flexibility to choose a single-day ticket, 2-day, or 3 day, and you can choose to upgrade to the park hopper option and add Lightning Lane Multi-Pass (though there won’t be any discounts on those options).
As stated above, these tickets don’t go on sale until October 22 and little details have been released so far. Thankfully, this same deal was offered in 2024 and considering Disney’s track record of repeating promotions while changing little, we have much to go by.
While you can purchase these tickets directly through Disney, they’ll also be available for purchase from my partners at Get Away Today, a reputable Disney travel agency that I highly recommend. You can purchase just tickets, or have them bundle your entire trip in one package. Their customer service and knowledge of Disney vacation planning are simply unmatched (use code INKED10 to save).
As mentioned above, these tickets are subject to theme park reservation availability. Disney allocates a limited number of reservations for the kid’s ticket deal, and your ability to secure a reservation depends strictly on that group of reservations.
This is why you may see days where the kids’ ticket deal reservations are sold out, but reservations for other ticket holders, such as Magic Key or regular kid ticket holders, are available. While some exceptions may be possible, they’re not guaranteed.
That’s why if you’re planning a trip in that timeframe and want to take advantage of this offer, I highly suggest deciding on your dates prior to purchasing them, and make your reservations as soon as you do so.
Additional terms and conditions of the Disneyland kids’ ticket deal include:
They’re valid only for children between the ages of 3 and 9
Upgrading to a park hopper will cost $65 to $70 extra, depending on the number of days on the ticket
Lightning Lane Multi-Pass is an additional $30 per day
Tickets are valid beginning January 7 and expire 13 days after first use or March 20, whichever comes first
Tickets are nonrefundable and cannot be resold or transferred
They cannot be used for hard ticket events, such as after dark events
With all that covered, let’s take a look at what you’ll be saving. Remember, Disney typically raises their ticket prices in the fall. At the time of this post’s publishing, that hasn’t happened yet, but it almost certainly will in the coming days or weeks. For now, this is based on current pricing.
On average, families spend three days at the Disneyland Resort. Under the kids’ ticket deal, you’ll spend $150 ($50 per day) for each kids’ ticket. Normal pricing, without additions such as park hopping and Lightning Lane, is $365.
That’s a significant savings of $215 per three-day ticket. Now times that by however many kids are in your family, and you can see how quickly it can add up. This is actually a shockingly deep discount, especially considering Disney’s upward trend in attendance in recent years.
So with Disneyland being as popular as it’s ever been and soaring attendance levels, why are they offering this promotion? There’s no way to know for sure, but Disney is likely forecasting attendance slumps for 2025, since pent-up demand from the covid-closures has started to wane and inflation rates hurting many people’s wallets.
With 2025 being a big year for the company, as it’s Disneyland’s 70th anniversary, the last thing Disney wants is for the parks to be slow. There’s going to be a whole host of food, drink, merchandise, and other up-charge offerings, so Disney will want the parks busy.
Dangling this carrot in the faces of parents with multiple children will almost certainly guarantee that. It’s also advantageous for the company, as the period between January and March is already a typical slow period for the parks, so this deal will provide the desired boost they’ll be looking/hoping for.
Will the Kids’ Ticket Deal Make the Parks Crowded?
Almost certainly, but it largely depends upon when you go. If you’ll be going within the first few weeks of the promotion, I would expect little impact. However, once it gets closer to March, and especially within the final two weeks of the promotion, you can definitely expect a noticeable uptick.
To make matters worse, those final weeks coincide with the first few weeks of DCA’s annual California Food and Wine Festival, which draws a crowd all its own. My wife and I were there during the second to last week of the kid’s ticket promotion in 2024 and crowds were definitely thicker than usual for that time of year.
Though the parks didn’t see the same winter slump in 2024 as they normally do, I still recommend visiting between January and mid-February if you’re planning to take advantage of the promotion. Of course, you’ll want to avoid Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend (1/18 - 1/20) but aside from those dates, you should be ok.
Once we hit Valentine’s Day and President’s Day (2/14 and 2/17, respectively), that’s when I expect crowds will begin to pick up. Finally, avoid the final week or two if you can help it. These special tickets are no good after March 20, and many will be rushing to the park to use them before they expire during this time.
Will There Be Hotel Discounts?
Yes! In addition to the incredible savings with the kids’ ticket deal, Disney is also offering up to 25% off nightly rates for stays of four nights or more at any of the three on-property hotels, subject to availability. This is for either weekend or weekday dates and during the same period as the kid’s ticket deal.
For shorter stays, guests can enjoy up to 20% off stays in standard and premium rooms at The Grand Californian Hotel and Spa, and The Disneyland Hotel and Villas. As well as up to 10% on guest rooms at the Pixar Pier Hotel for stays on Sunday through Thursday nights.
There’s also a solid chance that Disney will offer Disney VISA cardholders and Magic Key holders similar hotel discounts, possibly superior to the one being offered to the general public. The winter/spring timeframe is usually when Disney likes to entice locals to stay on property, who generally make up the majority of Magic Key holders.
Like the ticket deal, bookings for hotel discounts open on October 22, 2024, for stays between January 7 and March 20, 2025 and can be made through the Disneyland website or through my partners at Get Away Today.
Is Disneyland Worth Visiting in 2025?
That’s a loaded question, as it’s all a matter of perspective and how your family likes to vacation. Coming from big Disneyland fans, my wife and I would give an emphatic “yes” to that question, but others may tell you the opposite due to cost and other factors.
Truth be told, there is little planned for 2025 in terms of new attractions or lands. In 2025, the newest attraction in the resort, Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, would have opened on November 15, 2024. Will TBA be a big enough draw to last throughout 2025? I believe it will.
The biggest draw, at least to a certain niche fanbase, will certainly be the addition of “Walt Disney - A Wonderful Life”, a new stage show set to take place in the Main Street Opera House, opposite of “Great Moments wih Mr. Lincoln”, that’ll feature the first ever Walt Disney audio-animatronic.
Additionally, Disneyland park will celebrate its 70th anniversary. There haven't been any concrete details released yet, but you can certainly count on limited edition merchandise, special food and drink offerings, decorations, new nighttime entertainment, character appearances, and more.
I’ve attended the 40th, 50th, and 60th Disneyland anniversary celebrations, in addition to the 100th anniversary of the Disney Company, and each one was a good time, so I don’t expect the 70th to be any different.
Furthermore, you can count on the return of several after dark events, such as Sweetheart’s Night and Disney Channel Night (or a variation of the same), both of which took place within the same timeframe of the ticket deal in 2024.
Also taking place in the January 7 to March 20, 2025, timeframe is the Lunar New Year celebration and the California Food and Wine Festival (partially), both of which occur at Disney California Adventure. As you can see, these discount Disneyland tickets offer tremendous value.
All things considered, I feel 2025 will be a great year for the Disneyland Resort. Riding off the sure-to-be successful grand opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, the highly anticipated debut of Walt Disney - A Wonderful Life, and what’s sure to be a grand celebration of the park’s 70th birthday, coupled with significant savings from the kids’ ticket deal and hotel discounts, if you’ve been on the fence about a Disneyland vacation, I suggest pulling the trigger.
As mentioned at the beginning of this post, you can purchase these tickets (and your entire vacation as a whole) through Get Away Today. Purchasing through them is the same as purchasing through Disney, only with Get Away Today, you’ll receive personalized and friendly service from people who know the parks better than most. They’re the only agency I will partner with and for good reason, as they have a great reputation and proven track record. See the great deals they offer here and use code INKED10 to save on your vacation package.
The 15 Halloween-Themed Food and Drinks We Tried at Disneyland
When Disney released the 2024 Disneyland Halloween foodie guide, there were a number of items that immediately caught the attention of my wife and I. As avid Disneyland foodies, we...
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
When Disney released the 2024 Disneyland Halloween foodie guide, there were a number of items that immediately caught the attention of my wife and I. As avid Disneyland foodies, we always make sure to carve out enough time in the parks to try as much as we can whenever a foodie guide is released.
During our visit, we tried a number of Halloween food at Disneyland, 15 of them to be exact, and I’m writing this post to share not only photos of them with you, but information such as price, what my wife and I thought of them, applicable discounts, and more.
Let’s get into it!
1) Poison Apple Churro
Location: Churro cart near Goofy’s Sky School (DCA)
Price: $7.50
Mobile Order: No
Discounts: None
Churros are a Disney staple and often considered to be among the best food at Disneyland. That said, it’s no surprise that with any special event going on at the resort, we see a multitude of variants of this classic treat (literally) rolled out.
We’ve seen this at past events, such as the ever-delicious Mr. Potato Head churro during 2024’s Pixar Fest, so when I heard that Disney was rolling out a poison apple-themed churro for the Halloween season, it immediately peaked my interest.
This was the first Halloween-themed treat we tried and we were not disappointed. The churro is rolled in green-cinnamon sugar and drizzled with a granny smith apple icing. You would think this would be overly sweet, but it isn’t. It’s just right and we thoroughly enjoyed it. However, I didn’t get much of an apple flavor from it.
2) Pumpkin Expresso Martini
Location: Schmoozies! in Hollywoodland (DCA)
Price: $17.50
Mobile Order: Yes
Discounts: None
There was nothing stated on the website or foodie guide as to an ingredient list for this item, other than it’s made with a caramel vodka. Clearly, a pumpkin foam is included, along with a couple shots of expresso. In short, this drink was delicious.
The pumpkin and expresso flavors were balanced well, with no one flavor overpowering the other. The hint of sweetness from the caramel vodka didn’t come through until the end, though. To get the full range of flavor, I suggest using a straw or spoon to mix the pumpkin foam and expresso together before consuming.
3) Spiced Bundt Cake
Location: Jolly Holiday in Main Street U.S.A (DL)
Price: $6.79
Mobile Order: Yes
Discounts: Respective Magic Key discounts apply
The Spiced Bundt Cake served at Jolly Holiday is filled with cream cheese frosting and topped with a purple glaze icing, sprinkles, and spiced mousse with a chocolate Mickey head decoration. The cake wasn’t dry but for what this was, I felt it was simply ok.
The “spiced” flavor came through in a big way, though (in a good way), but it still isn’t something I would go out of my way to get. If you already happen to be eating at Jolly Holiday, it’s a fitting treat to cap your meal with, but if you’re only seeking out a dessert, there are plenty of superior options out there. Such as…
4) Enchanted Pumpkin Stuff
Location: Red Rose Tavern in Fantasyland (DL)
Price: $7.29
Mobile Order: Yes
Discounts: Respective Magic Key discounts apply
Ever since converting the former Village Haus Restaurant into Red Rose Tavern (a fitting Beauty and the Best theme) in 2017, a dessert from the classic animated film, The Grey Stuff, has been a featured item on the menu. If you don’t know what I’m referring to, it originated from a line in the song “Be Our Guest” when Lumiere sang, “try the grey stuff, it’s delicious, don’t believe me?, ask the dishes!”. Disneyland foodies know what’s up.
The classic grey stuff is indeed delicious, but much like the churros, Disney will typically put a seasonal spin on this fan favorite during events. This year for Halloween it’s a pumpkin version and let me tell you, this variant rivals the original. It’s a pumpkin cream with an apricot marmalade center, topped on a pumpkin cookie. It’s simply fantastic and well balanced. I would order it again and again, as I feel it’s one of the best Halloween foods at Disneyland right now.
5) Blueberry Corn Dog
Location: Little Red Wagon on Main Street U.S.A (DL)
Price: $11.59
Mobile Order: Yes
Discounts: Respective Magic Key discounts apply
Yes, you read that title correctly. When I first discovered this item in the Disneyland Halloween foodie guide, I wasn’t quite sure how to feel about it. It didn’t seem like something I would typically enjoy, but simultaneously, I was intrigued enough to want to try it.
If you haven’t seen it, it’s your standard hand-dipped-and-fried corn dog from the Little Red Wagon, but topped with a blueberry compote and bacon powdered sugar. In short, I ended up thoroughly enjoying it. The saltiness from the corn dog and sweetness from the compote made for an oddly satisfying combination.
6) The Monstropolis Float
Location: The Tropical Hideaway in Adventureland (DL)
Price: $9.29
Mobile Order: No
Discounts: None
The Monstropolis Float is yet another seasonal spin on another Disneyland classic treat, the Dole Whip. It’s the classic pineapple flavor Dole Whip swirled with mango, with passion fruit coconut juice, and topped with Lychee fruit and ube dust.
As the follow-up to the Pineapple-Coconut Float during Pixar Fest, the Monstropolis Float delivers in every way and is yet, another home run for Tropical Hideaway. It’s a sweet, refreshing treat perfect for those hot, humid Anaheim days.
7) Ube-Vanilla Twist Soft Serve
Location: Cozy Cone #2 in Cars Land (DCA)
Price: $5.99
Mobile Order: Yes
Discounts: None
This was my first time trying an ube-flavored ice cream, but now that I’ve tried it, I’m a fan for life. You have the option of ordering an ube-only soft serve, or go with the ube-vanilla swirl. Additionally, you can order it in a cone or cup.
We tried both flavors and each one was fantastic for their own reasons. We really didn’t prefer one over the other, but if you force my hand, then I’ll have to give slight favoritism to the ube-only option, for no real reason other than the punch of ube flavor.
8) Muensters, Inc. Sliders
Location: Lamplight Lounge - Boardwalk Dining in Pixar Pier (DCA)
Price: $24.00
Mobile Order: Not available
Discounts: Respective Magic Key discounts apply
If you’re looking for something on the heartier side at Disney California Adventure, look no further than the Muensters, Inc. Sliders at Lamplight Lounge. Do note that these are only available at the boardwalk dining area on the patio and not in the main dining room.
You’re given two sliders, each with two smash-style beef patties and topped with muenster cheese, Anaheim chilies, house chipotle sauce, candied bacon, house pickles and crispy onions on a peppered-brioche bun. Additionally, they’re served with a side of house kettle chips, drizzled with a flavored oil.
Honestly, this is one of the best food at Disneyland right now, and not just of the seasonal items. The boardwalk dining offshoot of Lamplight Lounge has always had the superior menu in my opinion, with their regularly featured Barbacoa Spotlight Nachos a hit amongst Disneyland foodies. Be sure to get here right at opening to join the walk-up list, as reservations are not accepted at the boardwalk.
9) Transylvania Transfusion
Location: Harbor Galley in News Orleans Square (DL)
Price: $6.99
Mobile Order: Available
Discounts: Respective Magic Key discounts apply
Talk about a refreshing option on a hot, humid day at Disneyland. The Transylvania Transfusion is non-alcoholic and packed with flavor. It’s made with a combination of dark berry and cherry juices to create a wonderfully balanced drink.
The sweetness of the berry and the tartness of the cherry compliment one another, without one flavor dominating the other. Additionally, this drink is garnished with fresh berries. This drink’s photo on the Disneyland Halloween foodie guide shoes both dark and red berries for the garnish, however, I only received raspberries. Not complaining, just pointing out the discrepancy.
10) The Darth by Chocolate
Location: Galactic Grill in Tomorrowland (DL)
Price: $7.29
Mobile Order: Available
Discounts: Respective Magic Key discounts apply
Long regarded as a legend amongst Halloween-time desserts ever since its debut at Disneyland years ago, the Darth by Chocolate parfait continues to reign supreme all these years later. The parfait features several layers made up of chocolate pudding, red velvet cake, and chocolate mousse, topped with a Darth Vader chocolate piece and “crushed chocolate cream-filled cookies” (in other words…Oreos).
It’s a mega-popular dessert during Halloween time and tends to sell out on a daily basis. Do what the Disneyland foodies do and get those mobile orders in early. Doing so will ensure you will get one and if needed, you could always change your pick up time.
11) The Bride and Groom Churros
Location: The churro cart near the Haunted Mansion in New Orleans Square (DL)
Price: $6.50 each
Mobile Order: Not available
Discounts: None
Technically, these are two separate churros, but I’m including them both in the same listing because of how well they go together (like any bride and groom should). The groom churro is rolled in a mixture of milk and dark chocolate sugars, and the bride churro is dusted in a vanilla-based sugar.
Individually, the bride churro was the winner to me. My wife, however, preferred the groom churro. However, to get the full experience, order them both and take a bite out of both at the same time. Their combined flavor profile will blow your mind!
12) Pumpkin Cheesecake Cold Brew
Location: Red Rose Tavern in Fantasyland (DL)
Price: $6.79
Mobile Order: Available
Discounts: Respective Magic Key discounts apply
As a fan of Starbucks’ annual pumpkin foam cold brew, when I saw that Disneyland was going to feature a pumpkin cheesecake version of my holiday favorite, it immediately made my “must-try” list. I started seeing early reports from influencers stating this drink was, “way too sweet”, and got concerned.
However, now that I’ve tried it for myself, I can confidently report that, in my opinion anyway, it is a well balanced drink…provided you drink it correctly. What I mean by that is people often forget to mix the foam topping with the coffee before drinking it. If you sip it without mixing, you’ll definitely think the drink is too sweet because all you’re getting is the foam.
Much like the Pumpkin Expresso Martini listed above, if mixed thoroughly, the cold brew is a well balanced drink with a semi-strong pumpkin flavor. It’s a great pick-me-up whether you’re just beginning your day or pulling an open to close marathon. That said, I still prefer my pumpkin cold brew from Starbucks.
13) Poison Apple Cake
Location: Plaza Inn (near the entrance to Tomorrowland) in Disneyland
Price: $7.79
Mobile Order: Not available
Discounts: Respective Magic Key discounts apply
The Plaza Inn has become the spot to get a themed slice of cake during seasonal events at Disneyland, with their previous offering being the Pixar Cake during the prior two Pixar Fest events. The Poison Apple Cake, a not-so-subtle tribute to the animated classic, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, is the Halloween feature here.
The slice of cake is a red-cinnamon cake with cream cheese and caramelized apple filling, red cream cheese frosting, and a green ganache. Much like I stated in my review of the Pixar Fest cake, the cake was moist and tasty, but otherwise just ok. Nothing overly special and in my opinion, not worth the nearly $8 price tag.
14) Mickey-shaped Pumpkin Salted Dulce Cream Puff
Location: Rancho del Zocalo in Frontierland (DL)
Price: $8.29
Mobile Order: Not available
Discounts: Respective Magic Key discounts apply
This tasty cream puff is filled to the brim with delicious pumpkin mousse and salted dulce de leche. This treat isn’t getting nearly the amount of attention it deserves, with most complaining about the perceived lack of pumpkin flavor and overall being too tart.
Not sure which cream puff they were reviewing because the one we tried during our visit was delicious. The pumpkin flavor from the mousse, albeit light, did in fact come through, but with the flavor profile of actual pumpkin, not artificial or spiced. Definitely give this one a try.
15) Fantasyland Garlic Cheesy Brat
Location: Edelweiss Snacks in Fantasyland (DL)
Price: $12.99
Mobile Order: Available
Discounts: None
I saved this one for last as it was our hands-down favorite of all the seasonal items we tried this year. This item is the cheesy garlic pretzel bread we all know and love, with the addition of a juicy bratwurst. I already loved the cheesy pretzel bread, but this took it up so many notches, there’s no way I could ever look back.
This item needs to remain on the menu post-Halloween. If the Firetown Mac and Cheese Bites can remain on Troubadour Tavern’s menu post-Pixar Fest, then this too can survive. By the way, even though you can get the regular cheesy pretzel bread at both Edelweiss Snacks and Maurice’s Treats, you can only order the bratwurst version from Edelweiss.
Planning a Disneyland vacation? Catch up on all aspects of dining at the resort with my 2024 Disneyland Dining Guide. Additionally, read about our experiences at Centrico and Great Maple, two of the resort’s newest dining options. You can also see my 10 Disneyland dining tips here. Lastly, for great deals on Disneyland vacation packages, visit Get Away Today, a highly-rated Disney travel agency.
My Honest Review of Hotel Indigo: A Hotel Near Disneyland
I’ve stayed at many of the hotels surrounding Disneyland, including a couple of the Disney owned ones, and can say that Hotel Indigo was one of the better experiences I’ve had. The point of...
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
My wife and I recently stayed at Hotel Indigo for our Halloween season visit to the Disneyland Resort. I’ve known about this property for a while, but never pulled the trigger on booking it until this trip and I want to share my experience with you.
I’ve stayed in many of the hotels surrounding Disneyland, including a couple of the Disney owned properties, and can say that Hotel Indigo was one of the better experiences I’ve had. The point of this post isn’t to convince you to book here, nor has this property given me any kind of incentive to write this.
The point is to simply provide you with the facts of my stay, images and descriptions of the room, amenities, etc, to help you decide if Hotel Indigo Anaheim is the right hotel for your upcoming Disneyland vacation. If you do decide to book here, you can support this blog by booking through Get Away Today, a reputable agency I’ve partnered with, as they’re simply the best Disney vacation planners out there (psst - use code INKED10 to save $10).
Hotel Indigo Location, Parking, Rates and Proximity to Disneyland
Hotel Indigo Anaheim is located on Katella Avenue in the Anaheim Resort District, in between the Harbor BLVD and South Clementine Street intersections, but closer to the former. One of its biggest selling points is its proximity to both Disneyland and the Anaheim Convention Center, making it ideal for park goers and business travelers alike.
It’s closest to the Anaheim GardenWalk, but also within walking distance to Disneyland. Dependent on your pace and timing at the two intersections you’ll need to cross, Hotel Indigo is a 10-15 minute walk to security check at the esplanade. To the convention center, you’re looking at a meager 5 - 10 minute walk.
Much like the interior, the hotel’s exterior gives a hip and trendy vibe, whilst avoiding being too trendy as to scare away families. The palm tree-lined Katella Avenue gives you the feeling of being in a true resort environment, while city employees work diligently to keep the area clean and safe.
I walked around the area extensively, both during the day and at night, not once did anybody bother me (even with lugging around a beast of a camera) and I never felt uneasy. I’m not suggesting that you let your guard down, I’m just saying it felt like a safe area, with the traffic being the only potential hazard.
Down the street, closer to the Harbor intersection and on the other side of neighboring Wyndham, is a fantastic pizza joint that seemingly never closes. You can buy a decently sized slice at a reasonable $4 bucks, making it a comparatively cheap meal outside of the Disney bubble.
Parking is hassle free at Hotel Indigo Anaheim, with complimentary parking in their on-site garage on the basement level. I love that they offer guests free parking, as that perk is becoming increasingly rare for hotels within walking distance to Disneyland.
As far as nightly rates are concerned, I paid $187 per night, which was the IHG rewards member rate. If I wasn’t a member, the rate would’ve been around $197. While not a great discount, it’s certainly better than nothing. Since the holidays are the busiest time of year at Disneyland, you can expect to pay similar rates. Looking at November and December, I’m seeing rates around $180 to $190 for the same room.
For some baffling reason, their rates tend to be even higher during Disneyland’s off-season (if there’s even such a thing anymore). Rates from January through late April hover between $230 and $250, with rates for select dates in March breaking the $300 mark. Clearly, this isn’t a value hotel but considering the free parking, free Wifi, and no resort fees, those rates are a tad easier to swallow.
Hotel Indigo Anaheim Amenities and Lobby Area
Hotel Indigo is considered a Disney “Good Neighbor” hotel. Meaning they’ve passed certain criteria to be included as a hotel you could book as part of your Disneyland vacation package. Additionally, it’s listed with the highly reputable Get Away Today travel agency as well.
The lobby is fairly small, but they make good use out of the space. To the right of the front desk is a small seating area for guests to use, as well as their on-site restaurant, Chambers Bar & Bistro, located to the left (which we’ll discuss further into this post).
To the left of Chambers is a small area where various drink and snack items can be purchased. Additionally, on the counter next to that is a microwave for guests to use. There are no microwaves in the rooms, so this is a nice and welcomed perk, though I would’ve preferred an in-room.
Above Chambers Bistro on the second floor (only accessible with room key) is a small, chic lounge. When I say small, I mean it. It’s only big enough for about a half a dozen people or so. On the plus side, there doesn’t appear to be much competition for it, as I only saw one other guest using it throughout my four day stay.
The pool left much to be desired, to be honest. It screamed afterthought to me, as it appears there was minimal effort put into it. That isn’t exactly surprising to me, as that’s par-for-the-course with most hotels by Disneyland, with very few of them going the extra mile. It’s distinctively utilitarian, it serves its purpose, but I was hoping for more from this property.
There are a handful of lounging chairs scattered around the edges of the pool, with a lounge-style couch on the south end and another lounge-style couch under a canopy on the north end. Near the canopy is the hot tub where maybe four or five adults could fit in, comfortably.
As far as work spaces go, there was one at the end of hallway behind the front desk, but I didn’t use it as there wasn’t much in the way of privacy. I did utilize the outdoor space in between the pool and bistro, which had a plethora of seating options and provided a bit more privacy.
The fitness center is a small space, with a couple of treadmills, one elliptical, one bike, and a handful of weights making up the available equipment. There’s a nice view of the pool through the floor to ceiling window, but all of the cardio equipment is facing a wall with no TVs. Next to the fitness center is the laundry room that’s available for guest use.
Hotel Indigo Anaheim King Room
Now we’re getting to the ‘meat-and-potatoes’ part of the review - the room. Since it was just the two of us (and our dog), I booked the standard King room. The room was a cushy 310-square feet with one bed, hard-wood flooring (possibly faux), a chair, TV, Keurig coffee maker, mini refrigerator, walk-in shower, vessel-style sink, hair dryer, small work space, area rug, and premium toiletries by Zenology.
Our room was impeccably clean, well appointed, and had an amazingly comfortable mattress and pillows. Storage space was decent, as we had a closet near the bathroom to hang our clothing and stash away our luggage. Also, there was a safe inside the closet, which I appreciated. There was additional storage in the ottoman and drawers in the TV stand.
The mini refrigerator was roomy enough for us. We brought protein drinks, a few PRIMES, a couple energy drinks, and drinkable yogurts and still had more room to play with had we needed it. This was for just two people, though. For a family of four or five, you may have to get creative with the space.
There’s also a fully stocked Keurig set up, complete with a variety of coffees and teas, just above the mini-fridge. I can’t tell you if the provided coffee’s good or bad, as I’m always weary of using in-room coffee machines, even in the nicest hotels. You just never know what the previous occupants may have done with it.
The bathroom, at least in the king room, is the part of the room that makes Hotel Indigo stand out from most, as many hotels in the area tend to phone it in as it pertains to bathrooms. I feel Hotel Indigo did a great job, especially considering the space constraints.
The vessel-style sink is a nice touch, as is the in-mirror lighting. The big winner is the walk-in shower, as walk-ins are my preference. Though I do acknowledge that it may be a deal breaker for families who prefer a bathtub. Fret not, there are dozens of other hotels within walking distance to Disneyland that offer bathtubs.
Jumping back into the sleeping area, the bed comes with pillows of varying firmness. On the opening side of the pillow sheet there is wording indicting which is which. That was a nice touch as at other hotels in Anaheim, I’ve had to deal with what I call “flat” pillows that offer me no support.
Excitingly, the mattress was the real winner. It allowed me to sink into it just enough, while having the right amount of firmness without me feeling like I was sleeping on the floor. It made for a great sleeping experience after schlepping myself through the parks all day.
Honestly, my only gripe with the room was the severe lack of USB ports. For a modern hotel, especially one close to a convention center, the room should be crawling with them. The only ports was the one on the Apple Home device and one on the desk lamp. That was it.
Hotel Indigo Anaheim Chambers Bistro
The hotel’s on-site restaurant, Chambers Bistro, is located in the lobby, to the left of the check-in desk. It’s open for breakfast and dinner, with varying hours depending on the day. They’re closed mid-day, as most guests are in the parks during that time. You can see the current hours listed in the photo above.
The restaurant has a strange, blue-hue in the dining area. This lighting is on whether it’s breakfast or dinner. I could understand the blue lighting during dinner, as it’s night time and it helps to set the mood. During breakfast is another thing entirely, as it should be a brighter color, such as yellow or orange. It just comes across as strange to me, but I digress.
We ate here for breakfast on our final day before hitting the road. I went with the Hearty Breakfast platter ($17). It came with two eggs, hash browns, a choice of meat (I went with bacon) and two pieces of toast. It was decent. Wasn’t great. but wasn’t bad either. My friend tried their chorizo burrito a few days prior and said it was tasty, but there was no way I was going to eat chorizo before heading out on a road trip.
You can opt to eat in the dining room, take your meal to go, or order room service. The food is decent and the service from the staff was great (as was the case with the rest of the hotel). There aren’t many affordable options for breakfast in the parks, so Chambers makes a great option to carb-up before rope-dropping Space Mountain.
Is Hotel Indigo Anaheim Pet Friendly?
This is where our stay somewhat fell apart for my wife and I, because the answer to that question is subjective. Is Hotel Indigo Anaheim pet friendly? Yes, in the sense that they do allow your pets to stay with you (with restrictions, of course), but no in the sense that there’s absolutely no designated area for them to do their business.
After we checked in and got our stuff situated, my wife took our dog to go do her thing and when she asked an employee where that area was, she was told (I’m paraphrasing) that there wasn’t a designated area and that people just take them around the “neighborhood”.
As stated at the beginning of this post, Hotel Indigo is located on the super busy Katella Avenue. That road is always experiencing heavy vehicle and foot traffic, day and night. If your dog has severe anxiety like ours does, it can make for a challenging and frustrating experience trying to get them to do their thing in that environment.
We made it work, and we still had a good stay, but if you’re going to call yourself a pet friendly hotel, having a designated space for dogs to go do their business is one of the bare essentials. Hotel Indigo was legitimately the first “pet friendly” hotel I’ve stayed in to not have this. Even Motel 6 Maingate had one! For this reason, I can’t recommend this hotel for those traveling with their pets.
Aside from that, and a couple other annoyances I discussed above, we had a great, overall experience at Hotel Indigo. I would never bring my dog here again but if we were traveling without her, I wouldn’t hesitate to book it. If you found this post helpful and are interested in this hotel (or any other hotel by Disneyland), visit Get Away Today for great deals on Disneyland vacation packages. Doing so helps this website stay afloat.
The Ultimate Oogie Boogie Bash Character Guide
Oogie Boogie Bash is the premier Halloween event at the Disneyland resort. While many have fond memories of Mickey’s Not-so-Scary...
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
Oogie Boogie Bash is the premier Halloween event at the Disneyland resort. While many have fond memories of Mickey’s Not-so-Scary Halloween party over at Disneyland Park, Disney decided to move the party across the esplanade to Disney California Adventure, and give it a fresh makeover with a new theme.
While there are numerous things to do at Oogie Boogie Bash, one of the main attractions of the event are the numerous, rarely seen characters that pop up. Some are face actors portraying iconic villains in treat trails while others are fully costumed, equally rarely seen characters conducting traditional meet and greets.
It can be difficult to navigate them all and figure out where they are, which ones to hit up first, what to expect in regard to wait times, and the like. In this guide, I intend to help you with those challenges. I have been to the bash numerous times and have developed a sound strategy that allows to see most, if not all, of the characters that I will share with you below.
Let’s get into it.
Oogie Boogie Bash Dates
First, you need to know the event dates. In 2024, Oogie Boogie Bash runs on Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursday evenings throughout late August, September, and October. This is the first year where the Halloween season begins in August at the Disneyland Resort.
If you’re seeing this post for the first time and its past early August and you haven’t purchased tickets yet, I’m sorry to report that tickets to every Oogie Boogie Bash in 2024 have sold out. It took much longer this year for the event to be a complete sell out, as in previous years it happened in a matter of days.
Don’t allow desperation to kick in and purchase tickets from third party sellers, or through sites like StubHub or Craigslist. Disney does not allow for tickets to be resold and if it’s discovered that you obtained tickets this way (and they’ll likely know), they will deny you entry and no, they won’t care if you were duped or how much you spent.
Trust me, Oogie Boogie isn’t going anywhere. It’ll return next year. Just hold off until then and purchase your tickets directly through Disney. If you did obtain your tickets and this is your first bash, be sure to read my 12 tips to maximizing your time at the event.
Oogie Boogie Bash Traditional Meet and Greets
I’m beginning with the traditional meet and greets because far and away the most popular one at the bash are Daisy Duck, Minnie Mouse, and Clarabelle cosplaying as the Sanderson sisters (Hocus Pocus). They meet with guests at the far side of the Hollywood Backlot.
If you’re going to want a photo with them, heed my advice and line up prior to the start of the event. The bash begins at 6pm, but your ticket allows you into the park at 3pm. Grab an early dinner, review the event map, and then head to the backlot.
I recommend lining up at least 45-minutes prior to start time. My wife and I did just that and only waited 20-25 minutes to get the photo above. Just a minute before the event started, as new guests were entering the queue, I heard a cast member advise them that from the end of the line, it’ll be a 1.5-2 hour wait. So if you must have a photo with them, make them your first stop and line up early.
There are several other meet and greets happening around the edges of the Buena Vista Street Fountain. Pain and Panic, the sidekicks to Hercules antagonist, Hades, are making their Oogie Boogie Bash debuts and have proven to be popular. During my visit, I saw them rotating out with Prince Hans (Frozen).
On the other side of the fountain during my event was Captain Hook and his sidekick, Smee, rotating out with each other. It would’ve been cool to be able to photograph them together, but I digress. These meet and greets begin at 6pm and continue until roughly 10:30pm (a half hour before the event ends).
These were only characters at the fountain that I saw during my visit but at past events, I have also seen the following characters:
Blue Fairy (Pinocchio)
Mulan (Dressed as Ping)
Frollo (The Hunchback of Notre Dam)
Sheriff of Nottingham (Robin Hood)
Governor Ratcliffe (Pocahontas)
The Old Hag (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs)
Further into the park, you’ll find additional meet and greets. Bruno of Encanto fame is in his usual spot near the Grizzly River Run Water Wheel. He’s been there since 2022 but now that he’s a character you can see during regular park hours, I suggest skipping him (unless you’re a big Bruno fan).
Down the Embarcadero and past the Little Mermaid attraction in the waterfront area is where you can meet Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy in their Kingdom Hearts outfits. We decided to skip this as we’re not video game people and have little knowledge of it. The outfits did look pretty cool, though.
If you’re into Kingdom Hearts and want a photo with them, do note that their queue does get long, but it starts to taper off a bit later in the night. You’ll likely have to settle for one or the other, as they tend to rotate with each other, leaving only one character at a time posing for photos.
Along Pixar Pier are several meet and greets. One of the biggest draws in the area is Lotso (Toy Story 3). I managed to get lucky and walk by right as Lotso was coming out, so my wife and I ended up being one of the firsts in line. I have heard his queue isn’t as large as it used to be, but regardless, cast members do a great job keeping the lines moving. You can find him in front of the Toy Story Midway Mania attraction.
*Note: In case you’re wondering, yes, he does smell like strawberries when you hug him
Just across from Lotso’s meet and greet is where you can meet some not-so-rare Pixar characters. Joy and Sadness (Inside Out) often stop by, as well as the newly minted Anger character (I missed him, unfortunately). Additionally, Ember and Wade (Elemental) are making their bash debuts in this area. We got to meet them during Pixar Fest this year.
Moving onto Cars Land, multiple characters from the popular franchise make appearances throughout the night donning their Halloween costumes. Mater is dressed as a vampire, Red (fire engine) is dressed as a clown, and Lightning McQueen as a pirate.
I know for sure that Mater and McQueen appear in their costumes during regular park hours, but I believe Red only appears in his costume during the event. Mater and McQueen are usually near the Cozy Cones, while Red is typically parked in the pathway between Cars Land and Avengers Campus.
In Avengers Campus, numerous characters appear throughout the night. After we left the Agatha Harkness treat trail (we’ll get to that momentarily) we randomly ran into Spiderman just walking around. I’ve also seen Shuri as the new Black Panther, the zombie variant of Captain America, and more.
That about sums it up for traditional character meet and greets. The specific characters you can see are always subject to change. So the ones that I’m discussing in this post may or may not be there during your event. Though it’s likely you’ll see at least most of them.
Oogie Boogie Bash Villains Treat Trails
Now we’re going to discuss the villains treat trails at Oogie Boogie Bash. The treat trails differ from traditional meet and greets in the sense that the character is elevated above the crowd and aside from Oogie Boogie, they’re all face actors portraying iconic Disney villains rarely seen in the parks.
The characters will interact with you, and will even briefly stop to pose for photos or video but aside from a quick selfie, you won’t be able to take a photo with them as you could with the characters listed above. Cast members keep these lines moving quickly so despite how long some are, they go quickly.
Below, I’m going to list the villain treat trails in the order in which I recommend you hitting them up in. This is also assuming you’re going to follow the above-mentioned advice and get your picture with the Sandersons first thing.
The treat trails have candy stations positioned at multiple points throughout the queue to keep the lines moving. Additionally, you are allowed to take photos and video of the characters but if you linger for too long, a cast member will likely start to shoe you along. Remember to keep in mind that these characters stay active until the end of the night (11pm).
In the Hollywoodland/Backlot area, there are five popular character meet and greets and/or villain treat trails. When it comes to the later, there are four total, two of which are brand new additions to the event; Hades (Hercules) and Dr. Doofenshmirtz (Phineas and Ferb). The others are the event namesake himself - Oogie Boogie (Nightmare Before Christmas) and returning fan favorite, Ernesto de la Cruz (Coco).
Assuming you’ve already knocked out the Sandersons, there’s a good chance it hasn’t gotten dark enough yet. I recommend skipping Hades and Ernesto for now, as their lighting packages are amazing and unless it’s dark, you won’t get the full experience. Instead, begin with Oogie Boogie and Dr. Doofenshmirtz, since they’re both indoors and unaffected by ambient light.
Oogie Boogie is located in the Art of Animation building and Dr. Doofenshmirtz (or just…Doof) is positioned in the Disney Theatre. The queues for both get rather long, but don’t be scared of even the longest of lines as they go rather quickly. During my visit, the queue for Doof stretched and snaked outside the theatre and all along the street but despite that, our wait was only 15 minutes.
Next, head over to the Grizzly Peak Area to see Judge Doom (Who Framed Roger Rabbit?). Bringing Judge Doom to life was a home run by both Disney and the actor portraying him. His stage is brilliantly decorated and like Ernesto and Hades, his lighting package is great.
This is one that I wish we had waited just a little bit longer to see, as it was still light out and the effects didn’t come across as well as they should’ve. I still recommend making Doom your third stop though, but stop at the Buena Vista Street Fountain and spend some time with those characters while you wait for it to get darker, and then go see Judge Doom. You can find him on the side of the Soarin’ Over the World building.
From here, your next stop is going to be Sid (Toy Story) at the far end of the park in Pixar Pier. Sid is another character who’s queue often gets long but again, it’ll go by quickly. It can be a bit chaotic here, and trying to find the back of the line can be difficult. Simply look for the sign pictured below.
Sid is an Oogie Boogie Bash original. Disney keeps bringing him back year after year because of how well he interacts with the audience. There’s a reason why he sees some of the longest lines during the event. Sid is definitely a can’t miss villain. You can see him in front of the Pixar Pier Band Shell, across from the Pixar Fun Wheel.
From here, you’re going to make your way through Pixar Pier and into San Fransokyo to see the next villain - Yokai (Big Hero 6). He’s positioned in the back corner of the land, where Baymax and Hiro conduct their meet and greets during the day. His queue is usually quite short, so you should be able to breeze through it.
After Yokai, make your way through Cars Land and from there, into Avengers Campus for the next villain. Cars Land does have a treat trail, but there’s only candy stations, no villain. You can find it along the pathway leading to San Fransokyo, across from Flo’s V8 Cafe’s outside seating area.
Once you’re in Avengers Campus, head left after entering the land and into the Ancient Sanctum, where Dr. Strange usually does his meet and greets. There, you will see Agatha Harkness, who’s the star of her own Disney Plus series, “Agatha All Along”. Much like Yokai, her line never backs up that much.
Honestly, it’s amazing to me that Agatha returned again. This is her third straight year and when I think about all of the amazing villains Marvel has in its arsenal, it’s criminal that we haven’t gotten a new featured villain. Not that I have anything against her, I would just rather see Disney pull the trigger on bringing Thanos or Doc Ock to life.
After Hagatha, you’ll work your way out of the main entrance of Avengers Campus to the Performance Corridor to the next villain, Mad Madam Mim (Sword in the Stone). The actress playing Madam Mim has done a fantastic job portraying this beloved villain. You’ll find her in the little enclave behind Carthy Circle.
After Madam Mim, head back to the Hollywood Backlot. By now, it should be plenty dark to see Hades and Ernesto in all their glory. First, you’ll stop to see Hades, who’s located on the backlot stage. Take your time with this one so you have a chance to see his lighting package go from blue to red (as his mood changes).
This was one of my favorites this year and I’m so glad we waited for it to get dark. He interacts with the crowd in a similar manner to how Sid does, often roasting guests who talk about Hercules, or mention Hades’ loathed sidekicks, Pain and Panic.
This is actually Hades’ second time being a featured villain at the bash, but 2024’s iteration has been given a higher production budget from 2019’s version. His queue remained fairly consistent throughout the night but since he’s outside, you’ll have sight of him through your entire wait.
Once you’ve bagged Hades, it’s now time to make your way to Ernesto de la Cruz whom, in my opinion, is the premier villain to see during Oogie Boogie Bash. The actor(s) portraying him do a phenomenal job at bringing him to life. They actually sing a spooky rendition of “Remember Me” and play the guitar. If you’re only going to visit just one villain during the event, make it Ernesto.
I’m going to sound like a broken record here but like a few of the above mentioned villains, Ernesto often attracts large crowds and thus, has long queues. Unlike the others, his tends to go a bit slower because as stated, he’s consistently been the most popular villain since his debut in 2022 and folks tend to linger around his stage.
One thing you can do is wait until the final parade showing. During this time, the lines tend to be much smaller than they usually are. Speaking of the parade, if you happen to come across it while trying to leave Avengers Campus to see Madam Mim, do the opposite of what we discussed above.
After Hagatha, go see Ernesto. You’ll still happen upon the parade going in that direction but over there, cast members will eventually let people cross between parade floats. Then from there, go see Hades and conclude with Madam Mim.
Planning a trip to Disneyland during Oogie Boogie Bash? If so, read my Disneyland Halloween Guide to see all that’s going on throughout the resort. Also, check out my Ultimate Oogie Boogie Bash Guide to see all of what the event offers. If it’s your first time, see my 12 tips to maximize your time at OBB. Lastly, for great deals on Disneyland vacation packages and excellent service, visit my friends at Get Away Today.
Hunt For Pumpkins at Disneyland with ‘Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit’
While on a Disneyland vacation, most guests tend to primarily focus on riding as many attractions as possible. No judgements here, as for a while, that’s the same goal my wife and...
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
While on a Disneyland vacation, most guests tend to focus primarily on riding as many attractions as possible. No judgements here as for a while, that was the same goal my wife and I had. However, there’s something to be said about the non-attraction offerings at the resort that many miss out on.
If you’re someone who visits regularly, or you just want to add a little variety to your Disney trip, consider participating in Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit, a scavenger hunt of sorts taking place at Disneyland park, Disney California Adventure and Downtown Disney during the Halloween season.
It works the exact same way Eggstravaganza (the annual Easter egg hunt at the resort) does. In each park and in Downtown Disney, there are a dozen or so themed pumpkins inconspicuously placed in random spots and it’s up to you to locate them. When you’ve found them all, you get to select a prize.
It’s a great way to kill a couple hours in the parks while allowing the kids to burn energy and stay occupied. Or, if you’ve ridden most of the attractions already, it’s something different to do and allows you to see the park from a different perspective. Let’s get into it.
*NOTE: We did the pumpkin hunt in Disneyland, so this post will be primarily focused there
Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit Price and Purchase Locations
There are a number of locations where you can purchase a card for Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit and they depend on where in the resort you’ll be hunting in. In Disneyland, you can purchase the cards at the following locations:
Disneyana
Disney Showcase
Emporium
EngineEar Souvenirs
Eudora’s Chic Boutique
“it’s a small world” Gift Shop
The Star Trader
Westward Ho Trading Company
In Disney California Adventure:
Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff
Elias & Co.
Gone Hollywood
Ramon’s House of Body Art
Rushin’ River Outfitters
Seaside Souvenirs
Trolley Treats
In Downtown Disney District:
Acorns Gifts and Goods
The Home Store
Disney Pin Traders
The Dress Shop
Disney’s Fantasia Shop
STOR-E
WonderGround Gallery
World of Disney
The price for one card is $9.99. Again, this is per card and per location. So if you wanted to do the scavenger hunt in both parks and in Downtown Disney, you will need to purchase a card at each one. Honestly, unless you have a large group, one card would do just fine. There’s no real reason for each kid or adult to have their own, unless they’ll each want their own prize, as you only get one per card.
When you complete your purchase, you’ll be given a two-sided card in the shape of a pumpkin. One side will feature a Mickey head graphic, with thirteen locations printed in white bubbles. On the other will be the stickers you’ll place on the front side as you locate the pumpkins.
The front side gives a general location as to where you’ll find the pumpkins. Some, such as “Emporium” and “Red Rose Tavern” are pretty straightforward. Others, like “Frontierland Stagecoach”, require some thought and aren’t so easy to spot.
The stickers on the back are images of the actual themed pumpkins, so you’ll have some reference to go by. If you get stuck, simply ask a cast member and they’ll give you a few clues to help narrow it down.
Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit Locations
I’m not going to totally reveal the exact locations, as that would defeat the entire purpose of the game. What I will tell you is, at Disneyland, there are thirteen of them and they’re all themed after a Disney character. For example, there’s a pumpkin themed after BB-8 in Star Traders and a Tiana-themed one at Tiana’s Palace.
One thing I will tell you is the pumpkins are almost always on the exterior of their respective locations and more often than not, you’ll need to look up in order to spot them. There are two or three that are placed in the interior, but that isn’t the case with most of them.
Main Street and Fantasyland have the most with three pumpkins each, Tomorrowland comes in second with two, with the rest spread out between Frontierland, Adventureland, New Orleans Square and ToonTown. There are none in Galaxy’s Edge, though. I guess the citizens of Batuu didn’t feel like participating this year.
Additionally, you will not have to ride any attractions or enter their queues to find the pumpkins. They’re all completely visible from the walkways. There are a few that are located in highly trafficked areas, though. So keep this in mind while hunting.
Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit Prizes
Once you’ve located all the pumpkins and have completely filled your sticker card, simply return the card to any Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit location and select your prize. The included prize is your choice of one of five character-themed pumpkin sippers.
Honestly, the prize is pretty cheap. Though considering you’ve only spent ten bucks, it’s to be expected. In addition, they have several pieces of merchandise themed for Pluto’s Pumpkin Pursuit available for purchase, including a pin. The pin is nice, but it’s a highly bloated price of $39.99.
All in all, we had a lot of fun. It was a nice break from the norm and it gave us a chance to enjoy ourselves without having to spend a bunch of time in a queue. Definitely give this a try when you visit.
Every 2024 D23 Disneyland-Related Announcement
I have to be honest, after the extreme disappointment D23 2022 was, I was fully prepared to be let down once again this year. However, with Universal Studios...
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
I have to be honest, after the extreme disappointment D23 2022 was, I was fully prepared to be let down once again this year. However, with Universal Studios Florida expanding with their third theme park, Epic Universe, and the city of Anaheim recently approving Disney’s DisneylandForward requests, I had a glimmer of hope that Disney would bring their A game. Long story short…they did.
Walt Disney World received the vast majority of the new additions, with Animal Kingdom getting a new land with three new attractions based on Indiana Jones and Encanto, Hollywood Studios getting a Monsters Inc-themed land and attraction, and Magic Kingdom receiving an original Cars-themed land and a Villains-themed land. All of this is in direct response to Universal’s Epic Universe expansion.
As amazing as all of that sounds, this post is going to focus on the announcements made for the Disneyland Resort. While we didn’t get nearly as many as I was hoping for (still no People Mover), we did receive a few golden nuggets. So what were they? When can we expect them? Where are the new rides going? I’ll discuss all this and more below. Let’s get it into it.
Opening Date Revealed for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
For months, Disney fans and bloggers alike have speculated as to when the new Tiana’s Bayou Adventure attraction would open. Most were calling for September or October, while others (myself included) felt November or December was more likely given how far behind Disneyland was to Walt Disney World (theirs opened a few months ago).
Well, if you had November 15 on your bingo card, you hit the nail on the head. That is the date Disney gave for TBA’s debut. Additionally, it was also announced that the former Critter Country would be (more fittingly) renamed to Bayou Country. If you recall, I discussed my desire for Disney to rename this area, The Bayou, in the post I made about Critter Country closing a few months back.
On top of that, we also recently learned that the Hungry Bear restaurant would be getting a new name and theme after the beloved Country Bears. Going forward, it’ll be known as Hungry Bear BBQ Jamboree, a nod to the former Country Bear Jamboree attraction. No word yet as to when it’ll reopen, but I anticipate it’ll do so long before November. In the meantime, go here to see Hungry Bear’s new menu.
A Brief Mention of Disneyland’s 70th Anniversary Celebration
In 2025, Disneyland Park will celebrate its 70th birthday. Nothing much else was mentioned, other than additional details will be announced in the coming months. One thing we know for sure is there will be no new rides (we’ll discuss this further into the post), as nothing beyond Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is actively being built.
Disney has a lot to live up to, as their 60th anniversary in 2015 (their diamond celebration) was a smash hit. While we don’t yet know what they’re planning, we can speculate. A new nighttime fireworks show is likely in the works, as well as a foodie guide with 70th anniversary-themed food, treats and beverages.
My biggest hope is we’ll see the return of a nighttime parade. The millennial child in me would love to see the Main Street Electrical Parade make its grand return. Though if anything, it’ll likely be its spiritual successor, Paint the Night. Either way, it would be great to see a nighttime parade in the park again.
A New Mission Based on Mandalorian and Grogu Coming to the Millennium Falcon Attraction
One piece of unexpected news that came out of D23 Horizons was the announcement that the Millennium Falcon attraction at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World will be getting a new mission based on the upcoming 2026 Star Wars film centered around Madalorian and Grogu.
This is great news. Don’t get me wrong, Millennium Falcon is a great ride but if you go to the parks often and experience the same mission time after time, it quickly becomes stale, despite its amazing theming and detail.
The new mission is set to debut in 2026, along with the film. So if you’ve had your heart set on experiencing the original mission, you still have time. The film’s release date is in late May of 2026, so expect to see Millennium Falcon go down for a refurb in March 2026 (or sooner) to prepare.
New Coco-Themed Boat Ride Coming to Disney California Adventure
That’s right. Disney California Adventure will be the first Disney theme park to host an attraction based on the beloved Pixar film, Coco. Additionally, this will be the first boat ride in California Adventure’s history (no, Grizzly River Run doesn’t count).
With that announcement came the news that Imagineers will break ground on this new attraction in 2026. As to where it’ll be going, well, that’s up for debate. Many assume that it’ll actually be its own land and will be part of the DisneylandForward expansion, but I have another idea.
I believe it’s going to become the fifth Pixar Pier attraction, and built behind Incredicoaster. If you look at the concept back when Pixar Pier was first conceived, what is now known as the Pixar Pier Band Shell was being billed as the Pixar Pier Theatre. The concept art illustrates guests going into and out of it. Clearly, this was going to be something guest-facing.
If you look at the backstage area behind the facade on Google Earth and measure the acreage, there’s roughly 2.5 acres of space back there. Do the same test for the Little Mermaid attraction, which is the largest dark ride in the resort, and it comes out to just 0.8 acres. Clearly, there’s more than enough room for Disney to construct a substantial show building.
Regardless of where it’s going to go, whether it’ll be part of a Coco-themed land (which would be fantastic) or a singular attraction as part of Pixar Pier, it’s great to see Coco (and hispanic culture in general) receive recognition and representation through a proper Disneyland attraction.
A Walt Disney Audio-Animatronic is Coming to the Main Street Opera House
Months ago, the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln attraction closed for what was initially believed to be a brief, routine refurb. When Disney internet sleuths discovered the work permit for this project, it had an estimated valuation of five million dollars. This peaked everyone’s interest because usually, routine maintenance never amounts to this much money.
Then, rumors began to swirl that this was anything but routine, and Disney was actually (secretly) constructing an audio-animatronic of Walt Disney himself to possibly become part of the Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln show. Needless to say, people were losing their collective minds over this, and waited in agonizing anticipation for confirmation.
Finally, at D23 Horizons, Josh D’Amaro revealed the news - the Main Street Opera House will soon host a new show called, “Walt Disney - A Magical Life”, featuring an advanced audio-animatronic of Disneyland’s founder. Even better, the show will be in rotation with Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, instead of replacing it. This new show is expected to debut in time for Disneyland’s 70th anniversary celebration.
Understandably, there are people who feel this is disrespectful of Disney to be doing this. I’m of the belief that this is no different than Walt himself conceptualizing the original Abraham Lincoln animatronic all those years ago. To him, he was honoring a man he greatly admired. While the Disney company itself may or may not admire Walt, there are many of us Disney fans who do. I feel it’s only right (and frankly, long overdue) for Walt to be honored in the park that wouldn’t exist without his creative vision.
Avengers Campus E-Ticket Attraction (FINALLY) Coming - Along with a FOURTH Attraction
Ever since the opening of Avengers Campus in 2021, we’ve been promised an Avengers e-ticket level attraction. Exactly what that looked like was unknown. At the infamous 2022 D23 event, all we were given was some inauspicious concept art and the reveal of King Thanos as the big baddie of the attraction. After that, it was mostly crickets.
At this year’s D23, we were finally given confirmation that the Avengers e-ticket was indeed on the way. Also, the name was revealed as Avengers Infinity Defense (doesn’t quite roll of the tongue, does it?). Additionally, a model of the ride vehicle was on display at the event, revealing that the attraction will definitely be screen-based and in the same vein as the new Peter Pan attraction at Tokyo DisneySea.
On top of that, we were surprised with the news that a fourth Avengers Campus attraction is also on the way. It’ll be called Stark Flight Lab and is likely going in the space formally occupied by the now-canceled Doctor Strange show. As you can see in the concept art above, this attraction will use a robotic arm to lift your ride vehicle, making you flip, spin, and otherwise have a great time. It was said that it’ll feature multiple “test flights”, meaning your experience could differ with each ride.
Josh D’Amaro stated that would work would begin in early 2025. Likely meaning sometime between January and March. It’s safe to assume that Stark Flight Lab will be the first attraction to open, as it seems to be closer to a flat-style ride and Avengers Infinity Defense appears to be more complex in design and function.
New Avatar Experience Land Confirmed to be in Disney California Adventure
Shortly after returning to the company as CEO, Bob Iger let slip during an earnings call with investors that they were planning to bring an Avatar “experience” to the Disneyland Resort and that it would be (I’m paraphrasing) as amazing as Pandora - The World of Avatar at Animal Kingdom in Florida.
Speculation immediately began as to what Iger meant by “experience”, and whether or not that meant we would be getting a “cheap” version of Pandora, which clearly wouldn’t impress anybody. And if it was an actual land, where would it go? Disneyland isn’t exactly flush with space. After that brief mentioning, we would only get teasers and bits of information. Then, a few months ago, we would get the first piece of concept art.
Disney dropped this concept art shortly before the City of Anaheim was set to vote on their DisneylandForward proposition and as you can see, this is exceptionally more than just an “experience”. This is an entire land with an e-ticket-level attraction to boot.
The timing of the drop was a clear message from Disney to Anaheim officials - “don’t approve our proposition, and this is what Anaheim will be missing out on”. Whether or not this actually swayed the city is up for debate but regardless, their plans were approved.
Then, fast forward to D23 Horizons, the big news was dropped that an Avatar-themed LAND is for sure coming to Disney California Adventure. Additional concept art pieces, including those of the now-confirmed e-ticket boat ride, were also released.
While we don’t know for sure, the Avatar boat ride is expected to the same ride system used for the amazing Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in Shanghai. If that’s the case, then there will no be no arguments from me as that ride is a show-stopper. It uses practical effects and sets in conjunction with screens. In addition, it’s not your typical boat ride as this system is multi-directional.
So where in the park is Avatar going to go? That’s currently the hot-button topic. Considering the park’s current space constraints, it’ll either need to take the place of a currently occupied space or be a part of the Disneyland Forward expansion. The only two locations in the park-proper where it could go are Hollywood Land and Grizzly Peak.
If they go with either of those, Disney would have to bulldoze and completely flatten both spaces, as there’s no way to re-skin either of them into anything remotely resembling what we see in the concept art. Additionally, that would defeat the purpose of their current plan, which is to increase capacity. Not spend multi-millions of dollars for it to remain the same.
If you ask me, my money’s on Avatar Land (or whatever it’ll be called) being the first IP Disney will use in their Disneyland Forward expansion of DCA. For something of Avatar’s caliber, one of the most financially successful franchises of all time, you’ll need a blank canvas to work with and it doesn’t get much more “blank” than a parking lot.
In the concept art above, the three structures you see in the middle of the piece is the Pixar Place Hotel. To the left, you’ll see a bridge crossing over what is now Disneyland Drive, through a tunnel of greenery and into a highly-themed area. This space is currently the Simba Lot and that is where I believe Avatar will go.
As far as when it’ll happen, it’s likely still many years away. While it is in actual development, if the current pace of Disney projects is any indication, we’re looking at between 2028 and 2030 at the earliest.
To compare, the announcement for Star Wars - Galaxy’s Edge came during the 2015 D23 in August. Then, construction didn’t begin until April 2016 and finally, the then-new land wouldn’t open until summer 2019. If Disney followed this same timeline for Avatar and broke ground in April 2025, then summer 2028 is what we would be looking at. This is best-case, though, and honestly, I just don’t see it happening that soon.
Planning a trip to Disneyland? If so, see my tips for spending one day at Disneyland. Also, if you’re looking for somewhere to eat in Downtown Disney, read about my experience at Centrico. Attending Oogie Boogie Bash? See my 12 tips for a better experience. Lastly, for deals on Disneyland, Disney World, and Disney Cruise Line vacation packages, visit Get Away Today.
Our Experience at Centrico in Downtown Disney
During the 2022 D23 Parks Panel presentation, one of the few exciting announcements was the next phase of Disney’s overhaul of Downtown…
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
During the 2022 D23 Parks Panel presentation, one of the few exciting announcements was the next phase of Disney’s overhaul of Downtown Disney with a slew of new and exciting restaurants. One of those mentioned was a modern, upscale Mexican restaurant, later announced as Centrico, would be taking over the space formally occupied by Uva Bar.
After nearly two years of construction, Centrico, as part of a trio of new restaurants by the same chef, would open to Disneyland Resort guests in May 2024. Along side neighboring eateries Paseo and Tiendita, Centrico became an instant success for Michelin-Starred Chef Carlos Gaytan. Both locals and tourists alike raved about the fresh entrees and tasty cocktails.
Shortly after their grand opening, my wife and I had the opportunity to dine here. We were so excited to finally be able to try the food and to no surprise to either of us, we loved everything we ordered. The service was impeccable as well. Below, I’ll share our experience in greater detail, including photos and prices of the food and drinks we ordered. Let’s get into it.
Centrico Downtown Disney Reservations
When it initially opened, you couldn’t make a reservation. You just showed up to the stand-by queue and put your name down. Recently, though, Centrico has been added to the Advanced Dining Reservation page on Disneyland’s website. Meaning, you can make reservations for Centrico up to 60-days in advance.
Additionally, you can make a reservation through Centrico’s website if you prefer. It looks like they use the OpenTable software, which means you won’t have to provide a credit card guarantee like you would if you booked through Disney.
Reservations don’t appear to be too hard to come by. I’ve been looking for the last several days for last minute table availability and always found an open slot. Like most things at Disneyland, it all depends on season, time of day, etc. If for whatever reason you could not make a reservation (or simply forgot to), you can still utilize the stand-by option.
Centrico Menu and Photos of What We Ordered
Centrico’s menu consists of high quality ingredients, used to prepare some of the most authentic Mexican cuisine in Anaheim. Many dishes on the menu are inspired by Chef Carlos Gaytan’s childhood in Mexico and it shows. The menu may come off as intimidating but trust me, even the pickiest of eaters won’t have trouble choosing a dish.
We kicked off our meal with a couple of carefully crafted cocktails and an appetizer. The appetizer we chose was the Shrimp Aguachile ($22). It’s made with shrimp, charred tomatillo, aguachile, cucumber, red onion, avocado and corn tortilla strips. I’m not a fan of shrimp, but my wife thoroughly enjoyed it and it could easily be split between two people.
The two cocktails we ordered were the El Mariachi in Manhatten ($20 - pictured above) and the Carajillo Expresso Martini ($18 - pictured below). These were two of the smoothest whiskey-based cocktails I’ve ever tried. If you appreciate good whiskey, the cost is justifiable.
For her entree, my wife ordered the Cochinita Pibil Tacos ($22). It’s a three taco dish with fresh corn tortillas, guerrero-style pork shank, black bean puree, pickled red onion and fresh habanero salsa. The flavor of the pork shank was out of this world. It definitely didn’t need the onions or salsa, but they made excellent compliments.
I’m a sucker for quesabirria so when I saw it on the menu ($22), I had to try it. The dish came with two, rather large corn tortilla tacos with lamb birria, Oaxaca cheese, onion, cilantro, avocado mousse and a side of consomme for dipping.
It was far and away the best quesabirria I’ve ever had. Every other “quesabirria” I’ve had involved beef as the protein. I can now attest that it is much better with lamb. Additionally, the consomme was thick and incredibly flavorful.
To cap off our meal, we ordered the Guava Meringue ($13) dessert. It’s a classic Mexican meringue and guava sorbet encased in a fresh horchata-orange foam casing. The outer exterior of the dish is solid, needing only a few taps of a spoon to crack it open, exposing the delicious meringue and sorbet inside.
We didn’t try any other desserts so I don’t have anything to compare it to, but you can’t go wrong ordering this. All of the flavors worked flawlessly together. The only negative I have is I could’ve done without the edible floral sprinkled over it. For me, they didn’t add anything to it other than making it more photogenic.
All told, our experience was nothing less than top notch. It’s so exciting to have these upscale dining options in Downtown Disney now. With Centrico, Great Maple American Eatery and the newly opened Din Tai Fung, Disney has been on a roll lately implementing elevated dining experiences into the resort line up.
Needless to say, I highly recommend giving Centrico a chance. Yes, it’s on the high-end of the pricing spectrum but considering they use fresh ingredients, the fantastic service, and eating delicious food crafted by a Michelin-Starred Chef, I say it’s well worth the expense.
2024 Disneyland Halloween Foodie Guide
The talented culinary teams at the Disneyland Resort are brewing up some spooky treats that you won't want to miss. Whether you’ve got a sweet tooth or prefer something savory, there’s a ton of…
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
Disney foodies, get ready to indulge and let the spooky fun begin because Halloween time is about to take over Disneyland Resort! Starting August 23, the resort will be filled with ghostly goodies, eerie decorations, and plenty of frightful fun.
The talented culinary teams at the Disneyland Resort are brewing up some spooky treats that you won't want to miss. Whether you’ve got a sweet tooth or prefer something savory, there’s a ton of delicious options to try. Imagine sinking your teeth into the new Caramel Apple Cheesecake at Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe, or sipping on the returning Ursula Shake from Schmoozies!
Over at Disney California Adventure Park, the Día de los Muertos celebration at Plaza de la Familia runs from August 23 through November 2, 2024. This joyful event celebrates family with unique photo opportunities, a memory wall to share your own stories, live performances, character greetings inspired by Pixar’s Coco, and of course, some mouthwatering food.
There wasn’t much of anything announced for Oogie Boogie Bash specifically, so I omitted it from the list. You’re not missing much. It was literally just chicken strips at Flo’s V8 Cafe. I’m hopeful that OBB will receive its own foodie guide soon, otherwise it’ll be a massive disappointment. The rest, however, looks delicious!
It’s time to dive into this year’s foodie guide to Halloween at Disneyland. Let’s get into it…if you dare.
Disneyland Park Halloween Delights
Alien Pizza Planet (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Dark Matter Pizza: Slice with celestial tomato sauce topped with mozzarella cheese, spicy Italian sausage, roasted mushrooms, and black olives (Available by the slice or a whole pie) (New)
Alien Buzz Macaron filled with berries and cream (New)
Blush Pasta: Italian Sausage with chef’s choice of pasta topped with spicy blush sauce and garnished with tomato relish (Currently available through Nov. 14)
Apple & Pecan Salad: Mixed greens with frisée, candied pecans, Granny Smith apple, feta cheese crumbles, and maple dressing
Bengal Barbecue (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 13; mobile order available)
Hoopla Wrap: Wild boar sausage with a cucumber-tomato salad and miso aïoli on a grilled lavash (New)
Blue Bayou Restaurant (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; reservations recommended)
Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake with spiced anglaise, chocolate crumb, and pecan tuile (New)
Café Daisy (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Daisy’s Goody-Goody Donuts: House-made mini apple cider donuts with spiced apple sugar (Available Aug. 23 through Jan. 7, 2025) (New)
Caramel Apple Cold Brew: Cold brew coffee with apple and caramel syrups, whipped topping, caramel drizzle, cinnamon sugar, and an apple chip (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Toontown Fall Harvest Pumpkin Iced Tea: Sweet tea with vanilla and pumpkin spice syrup, whipped topping, caramel drizzle, and cinnamon sugar (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Carnation Café (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; reservations recommended)
Spicy Chicken Sandwich: Hand-breaded fried chicken breast tossed in spicy chile sauce with pepper jack and mustard on a brioche bun
Spiked Pickle Lemonade: Tito’s Homemade Vodka, Minute Maid Lemonade, pickle juice, and sweet and sour topped with Sprite and a pickle spear (New)
Elysian Brewing Night Owl Pumpkin Ale (New)
Spaten Oktoberfest Ur Märzen (New)
Churros near Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)
Green Apple Churro with Caramel Sauce: Classic churro rolled in green apple sugar and served with a caramel dipping sauce
Caramel Dipping Sauce
Churros near Haunted Mansion (Available Aug. 23 through Jan. 5, 2025)
Bride Churro: Elegantly dressed churro in a bouquet of vanilla and sugar
Groom Churro: Classic churro dressed in a duo of dark and milk chocolate
Couples First Kiss: A side of strawberry sauce and wedding cake crumbles to top off your Bride or Groom Churro
Churros near Sleeping Beauty Castle and Churros near Town Square (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)
Maleficent Churro: Classic churro rolled in chocolate cookie crumbles
Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce
Edelweiss Snacks (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Fantasyland Garlic Cheesy Brat: Bratwurst in a cheesy garlic pretzel bread (New)
Alpine Almond Delight: Rolled Danish filled with pastry cream and almond cream finished with sliced almonds (New)
Galactic Grill (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
“Ghost” of Anaheim Burger: Angus beef and vegetable patty, ghost pepper salsa verde sauce, pepper jack, green chile pico de gallo, cilantro-lime cabbage slaw, and crispy onions on a toasted brioche bun (New)
Pumpkin Pie Chai Tea: Iced chai tea topped with a pumpkin pie cream (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Açai Blueberry Smoothie with açai, blueberries, banana and orange topped with whipped cream and matcha powder (Non-alcoholic) (Also available with Glow Cube or Mickey Mouse-shaped Pumpkin Glow Cube) (New)
Darth by Chocolate: Layers of chocolate pudding, red velvet cake, chocolate mousse, and crushed chocolate crème-filled cookies
Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Rest in Chocolate Sundae: Rocky Road Ice Cream buried in a chocolate-covered waffle cup with chocolate cookie crumbles and gummy worms, topped with a chocolate tombstone
Harbour Galley (Available Aug. 23 through Jan. 5, 2025; mobile order available)
Transylvania Transfusion: Dark berry and cherry punch garnished with fresh berries (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Jolly Holiday Bakery Cafe (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Jack-O’-Lantern Mickey Pumpkin Macaron: Pumpkin macaron shell filled with caramel buttercream and pumpkin cheesecake (New) (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
Spiced Bundt Cake: Spiced cake filled with cream cheese frosting and topped with purple glaze, sprinkles, and spiced mousse with a Mickey chocolate decoration (New)
Caramel Apple Cheesecake: Caramel cheesecake with a caramelized apple filling, green-colored white chocolate mousse, chocolate flakes, and chocolate bat decoration (New)
Apple Almond Croissant: Apple-stuffed croissant with almond topping (New)
Hazelnut Brownie Tart with Chocolate Frosting: Hazelnut spread and brownie filling topped with chocolate frosting and sprinkles (New)
Pear Blackberry Cheesecake Crostata: Fresh pears with New York cheesecake and blackberry jam in pie crust topped with caramel (New)
Boo-gogi Toasted Sandwich with Corn Cheese Soup: Marinated beef, grilled onion, mozzarella, and kimchi aïoli on sourdough served with corn cheese soup
Pumpkin Muffin topped with cream cheese icing
Mickey Bat Cookie: Shortbread bat cookie dipped in dark chocolate with a vampire Mickey face (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
Little Red Wagon (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Blueberry Corn Dog: Hand-dipped corn dog topped with blueberry compote and bacon powdered sugar (New)
Market House (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
Mickey Bat Cookie: Shortbread bat cookie dipped in dark chocolate with a vampire Mickey face
Maurice’s Treats, Fantasyland Fruit Cart, and Lemonade at small world Promenade (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)
Trick-or-Treat Mix with gummy worms, M&M’S Chocolate Candies, marshmallows, and pretzel sticks
Mint Julep Bar (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Tangy Apple Mickey-shaped Beignets dusted with tangy apple powdered sugar (Available in packs of three or six) (New)
Caramel Dipping Sauce (New)
Plaza Inn (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
Poison Apple Cake: Red cinnamon cake with cream cheese & caramelized apple filling, red cream cheese frosting, and a green ganache (New)
Chocolate Shortcake: Chocolate pound cake, cookie crumbs, chocolate syrup, whipped topping, gummy candy, and a chocolate tombstone (New)
Chocolate Silk Cheesecake: Chocolate cheesecake topped with white chocolate mousse, chocolate curls, and sprinkles (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14) (New)
Popcorn near Haunted Mansion (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)
Halloween Candy Mix-in: Popcorn with chocolate-covered pretzels, candy corn, and M&M’S Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies (New)
Pretzels near Star Tours – The Adventures Continue (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)
Supernova Pretzel: Jalapeño cheese-filled pretzel topped with spicy crumble and lime
Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)
Churro Loops con Cajeta: Fried churro loops tossed with spiced cinnamon sugar and served with cajeta caramel (Available Aug. 23 through Jan. 4, 2025) (New)
Mickey-shaped Pumpkin Salted Dulce Cream Puff filled with pumpkin mousse and salted dulce de leche (New)
Iced Mexican “Hot” Chocolate with whipped cream and chocolate shavings (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Cantaloupe Agua Fresca: Cantaloupe purée with lime juice (Non-alcoholic) (Available Aug. 23 through Jan. 4, 2025)
Red Rose Taverne (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Autumnal Harvest Flatbread: Roasted butternut squash purée, roasted mushrooms, plant-based feta and roasted diced butternut squash topped with garlic miso sauce and fried sage (New)
Enchanted Pumpkin Stuff: Pumpkin mousse with pumpkin cake and apricot marmalade center topped with green sprinkles, silver stars, chocolate branch, and leaf (New)
Spicy Chicken Cordon BOO: Fried chicken filet seasoned with four-chile spice, pickle aïoli, pickle chips, prosciutto, and Swiss cheese on a toasted brioche-style bun
Maple French Toast Sandwich: French toast with an egg patty, bacon, and muenster cheese served with maple syrup (Available for breakfast only)
Pumpkin Cheesecake Taverne Cold Brew: Caramel, vanilla and cinnamon cold brew with pumpkin cheesecake topper (Non-alcoholic)
Mickey Bat Cookie: Shortbread bat cookie dipped in dark chocolate with a vampire Mickey face (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
Refreshment Corner (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Philly Potato Dog: Baked potato topped with an all-beef hot dog, thinly-sliced beef, peppers, pepperoncini, provolone, and cherry spread (New)
Embers con Queso: Hot crunchy cheese curls with nacho cheese and jalapeños (New)
River Belle Terrace (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31; reservations recommended)
Pumpkin Spice Pancakes: Pumpkin maple syrup and cream cheese icing with choice of bacon or sausage (Available for breakfast)
Candy Bowl Pudding: Chocolate pudding with peanut butter chantilly and chocolate-peanut butter pieces
Royal Street Veranda (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Pumpkin Spice Fritters: Warm pumpkin spice fritters served with a cream cheese dipping sauce
Pumpkin King Cold Brew: Joffrey’s Pumpkin Creme Brûlée Cold Brew, pumpkin spiced creamer, toffee chips, and Jack Skellington décor (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Stage Door Café (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Graveyard Banana Funnel Cake: Classic funnel cake topped with banana cream, chocolate cookie dust, Halloween candy, whipped topping, and sprinkles
Tiana’s Palace (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Strawberry Pie-filled Beignet: Strawberry cream filling topped with strawberry glaze (New)
The Tropical Hideaway (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 13)
Utundu Chicken: Fried chicken thighs, shishito peppers, harissa aïoli, and a lime wedge (New)
Monstropolis Float: Ube-dusted DOLE Whip Pineapple and Mango with passion fruit coconut juice and lychee fruit (New)
Halloween Delights at Disney California Adventure
Aunt Cass Café (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Taro Bread Pudding: Warm taro and white chocolate bread pudding with whipped cream and boba pearls served with a coconut-vanilla sauce (New)
Award Wieners (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Brewery X Baja Breeze (New)
Party Beer Co. LAFC Hazy IPA (New)
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)
Spicy Meats Pizza: Mango-habanero sauce topped with pepperoni, spicy sausage, and chicken drizzled with ranch dressing (Available as a slice or whole pie) (New)
Cappuccino Cart (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Peanut Butter Cold Brew: Chocolate and peanut butter-infused cold brew topped with a peanut butter cold foam, drizzle, and M&M’S Peanut Butter Chocolate Candies (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Peanut Butter Cold Brew Cocktail: Peanut butter whiskey with chocolate and peanut butter-infused cold brew topped with peanut butter cold foam and drizzle (New)
Pumpkin Bundt Cake: Pumpkin cake drizzled with dulce de leche and topped with cream cheese frosting
Churros at Hollywood Land (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)
Matcha Chai Madness Churro: Matcha and pistachio sugar-coated churro drizzled with chocolate sauce and topped with almonds (New)
Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Lava Cake: Warm chocolate lava cake topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, fresh berries, and strawberry sauce (New)
Candy Corn Float: Fanta Orange with mango sorbet and whipped cream (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Witch’s Hat Sundae: Mint chip ice cream with hot fudge and whipped cream topped with a “witch’s hat” waffle cone
Corn Dog Castle (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31; mobile order available)
Spicy Beef and Mozzarella Corn Dog drizzled with blackberry sauce and topped with pickled serranos served with Cuties Mandarin or a small bag of chips
Cozy Cone Motel 1 – Churros (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Peanut Butter-Chocolate Churro: Peanut butter sugar-coated churro with peanut butter candy and chocolate sauce (New)
Fire Truck Slush: Strawberry slush with a hint of chile-lime seasoning and lime
Strawberry Slush Margarita with a hint of chile-lime seasoning and lime (New)
Cozy Cone Motel 2 – Ice Cream Cones (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Mater’s Haul-O-Ween Cone: Ube soft-serve with black sprinkles served in a cup or a cone (New)
Ube-Vanilla Twist Soft Serve: Ube and vanilla swirl with black sprinkles served in a cup or a cone (New)
Cozy Cone Motel 3 – Chili Cone Queso (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Slow-burning Mac and Cheese: Pasta with red pepper cheese sauce topped with chile-cheese puffs
Cozy Cone Motel 4 – Frozen Cone-Coctions (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
4-by-S’more Mule: Toasted marshmallow mule with cinnamon whiskey (New)
Cucumber-Jalapeño Lemonade (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Cucumber-Jalapeño Margarita (New)
Golden Road Brewing Street Cart Cerveza Cucumber-Jalapeño Beer Cocktail: Cucumber-Jalapeño Chamoy Lemonade with Golden Road Street Cart Cerveza (New)
Party Beer Co. Cool Dood Cucumber Sour Cucumber-Jalapeño Beer Cocktail: Cucumber-jalapeño chamoy lemonade served with Party Beer Co. Cool Dood Cucumber Sour (New)
Unsung Brewing Company Poison Green Apple Hard Seltzer (New)
Party Beer Co. Cool Dood Cucumber Sour (New)
Green Cheek Beer Co. West Coast IPA (New)
Golden Road Brewing Street Cart Cerveza
Cozy Cone Motel 5 – Popcorn Scoop (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Cozy Corn: Buttered corn on the cob with spicy lime mayo, rolled in a choice of cotija or spicy crushed chile-cheese puffs
Flo’s V8 Cafe (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Mango-Habanero Chicken Strips tossed in mango-habanero sauce, topped with green onions, and served with steak fries drizzled with ranch dressing
Seaborn Chili Mango Margarita (New)
Hamilton Family Brewery Cross Street Cherry Seltzer (New)
Seaborn Prickly Pear
Hamilton Family Brewery Blinker Fluid West Coast IPA
Hollywood Lounge (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Asian-inspired Spicy Pork Tacos: Kimchi, cucumber, carrots and pickled onions with sriracha aïoli in a flour tortilla (New)
Cucumber-Mint Lemonade (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Mystical Mandarin Margarita: Tequila, mandarin syrup, triple sec and lemon-lime mix (New)
Dreadful Dragon Fruit Margarita: Tequila, dragon fruit syrup, triple sec and lemon-lime mix (New)
Spooky Spicy Pineapple Margarita: Tequila, pineapple-habanero syrup, triple sec, and flavors of lemon-lime (New)
Sisters Elixirs with mandarin, dragon fruit, and spicy pineapple margaritas (New)
Mango Habanero Michelada: Calidad beer, classic Mexican-style lager mango habanero michelada with chile-lime seasoning and lime (New)
Backlot Michelada: Calidad beer, classic Mexican-style lager michelada with chile-lime seasoning and lime
Seaborn Paranormal Peach Margarita (New)
Blueberry Moonshine Cocktail (New)
Calidad Beer Classic Mexican-style Lager (New)
Green Cheek Beer Co. Lavender Lemonade Hard Seltzer (New)
Paperback Brewing Backlot IPA (New)
Route 30 Brewing Co. Oktoberfest (New)
Paperback Brewing Backlot IPA Mango Habanero Michelada (New)
Paperback Brewing Backlot IPA Michelada (New)
Jack-Jack Cookie Num Nums (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)
Monster Baby Cookie: Shortbread cookie dipped in chocolate with a Jack-Jack chocolate piece
Lamplight Lounge – Boardwalk Dining (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)
Muensters, Inc. Sliders: Smashed burger patties, muenster cheese, Anaheim chile, house chipotle sauce, candied bacon, house pickles, and crispy onions on a peppered brioche bun served with house kettle chips
Halloween Cocktail: Frangelico, orange juice, vanilla vodka, butterscotch syrup, almond orgeat syrup, and angostura bitters (New)
Lamplight Lounge (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; reservations recommended)
Pumpkin Spiced Latte Donuts (New)
Halloween Cocktail: Frangelico, orange juice, vanilla vodka, butterscotch syrup, almond orgeat syrup, and angostura bitters (New)
Bivouac Cat’s Paw Cider (New)
Ommegang Imperial Peanut Butter Stout (New)
Mortimers Market (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)
Vampire Mickey Bread
Poultry Palace (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)
Chipotle Chicken Drumstick Box served with slaw (New)
Sonoma Terrace (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31; mobile order available)
Enegren Brewing Company Oktoberfest Märzen Lager (New)
Señor Buzz Churros (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)
Poison Apple Churro: Green cinnamon sugar with granny smith apple icing
Schmoozies! (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Ursula Shake: Coconut and taro shake with whipped topping and cotton candy, dusted with blue sugar
Mickey Mouse Mummy Shake: Chocolate shake with whipped topping and chocolate cream-filled cookie ears made with M&Ms Crunch Cookie Chocolate Candies
Mickey-shaped Waffles with maple syrup (New)
Pumpkin Espresso Martini with caramel vodka (New)
Party Beer Co. Catpuccino Vanilla Bean Coffee Stout (New)
Bivouac Ciderworks San Diego Jam Mixed Berry Cider (New)
Unsung Brewing Company Mimosa Hard Seltzer
Smokejumpers Grill (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Villainous Double Cheeseburger: Double cheeseburger with pepper jack, chile peppers, arugula, and spicy aïoli served with crinkle-cut fries (New)
Oogie Boogie Apple Lemonade: Green apple lemonade with cherry-flavored popping spheres and raspberry sauce (Non-alcoholic)
Green Apple Lemonade Cocktail: Vodka with green apple lemonade, cherry-flavored popping spheres, and raspberry sauce (New)
Studio Catering Co. (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Asian-inspired Spicy Pork Tacos: Kimchi, cucumber, carrots and pickled onions with sriracha aïoli in a flour tortilla (New)
Cucumber-Mint Lemonade (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Willie’s Churros (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)
Pumpkin Spiced Churro drizzled with cream cheese icing and topped with graham cracker cereal
Wine Country Trattoria (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14; reservations recommended; book here)
Pumpkin Tiramisu: Layers of pumpkin mousse and coffee-soaked ladyfingers topped with cinnamon sugar
Select Outdoor Vending Locations (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 14)
Ghost Pepper Turkey Leg (New)
Garlic Cream Cheese Bread (New)
Red Beef Tamale with molcajete salsa (New)
Green Chile and Cheese Tamale with tomatillo salsa (New)
Candy Apple Cotton Candy: Green and purple caramel apple cotton candy (New)
Spicy Dog
Pickle Enchilado
Candy Apple Mimosa: Sparkling wine with green apple and caramel syrups (New)
Sierra Nevada Brewing Oktoberfest
Seaborn Baja Lime Margarita (New)
Halloween Snacks at Disneyland Resort Hotels
Disneyland Hotel
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
Spider Eye Punch: Planteray Pineapple Rum, Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum, Tanqueray London Dry Gin, Heering Cherry Liqueur, Luxardo Maraschino Originale Liqueur, lime juice, pineapple juice, honey syrup, and Angostura Bitters with Green Poison Red Apple Glow Cube (New)
Pina Ghoulada: Planteray 3 Star White Rum, Plantation Original Dark Rum, Giffard Crème de Banane, lemon juice, creme of coconut, tamarind syrup, Amaro Montenegro Liqueur, and Angostura Bitters (New)
Scarecrow Old Fashioned: Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram Liqueur, Falernum, and Angostura Bitters (New)
The Coffee House (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31; mobile order available)
Mickey Bat Cookie: Shortbread bat cookie dipped in dark chocolate with a vampire Mickey face (New)
Pumpkin Bundt Cake drizzled with dulce de leche and topped with cream cheese frosting (New)
Maple Apple Cider: Minute Maid Apple Juice, maple syrup, and fall spices (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Pumpkin Spice Latte (Non-alcoholic) (Available hot or iced) (New)
Joffrey’s Pumpkin Crème Brûlée Cold Brew (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Chai Ginger Latte (Non-alcoholic) (Available hot or iced) (New)
Goofy’s Kitchen Celebrates Halloween (Aug. 23 through Oct. 31; reservations recommended)
Treat you and your ghouls to an all-you-care-to-enjoy meal with a Halloween twist featuring Goofy and friends for a frightfully fun experience. (Reservations available starting Aug. 15)
Menu highlights include:
Blackberry Ginger Soda: Blackberries, Liquid Alchemist Ginger Syrup, simple syrup, lime juice, and soda water (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Blood Orange Spritz: Pomegranate juice, lime juice, blood orange juice agave, and soda water (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Maple Apple Cider: Minute Maid Apple Juice and maple syrup with fall spices (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Maple Apple Hot Toddy: Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Liquid Alchemist Ginger Syrup, fall spices, maple syrup, and Minute Maid Apple Juice (New)
Pumpkin Mule with Mickey-shaped Pumpkin Glow Cube: Tito’s Handmade Vodka, pumpkin purée, lime juice, ginger, simple syrup, and fall spices
Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
Hearthstone Lounge (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
Dark Comes the Night: Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur, lemon juice, honey syrup, ginger ale, and bitters (New)
Halloween Espresso Martini: Flor de Caña Spresso Coffee Liqueur, and Flor de Caña “Eco” 15 Year Rum (New)
GCH Craftsman Bar (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
Dark Comes the Night: Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur, lemon juice, honey syrup, ginger ale, and bitters (New)
Halloween Espresso Martini: Flor de Caña Spresso Coffee Liqueur, and Flor de Caña “Eco” 15 Year Rum (New)
GCH Craftsman Grill (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
Mummy Donut: Donut bar glazed with white and dark chocolate
Pumpkin Donut: Cake donut decorated with Halloween colors
Grand Californian Great Hall Cart (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
Oogie Boogie Cookie (New)
Gingerbread Pumpkin Cookie (New)
Apple Crumble Loaf Cake (New)
Halloween Cookie Box (New)
Poison Apple Cookie: Decorated sugar cookie
Spooky Pretzel Sticks: Decorated pretzel sticks
Macarons
Halloween Crisped Rice Treat
Storytellers Cafe (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
Dark Comes the Night: Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur, lemon juice, honey syrup, ginger ale, and bitters (New)
Halloween Espresso Martini: Flor de Caña Spresso Coffee Liqueur, and Flor de Caña “Eco” 15 Year Rum (New)
Mickey’s Autumn Adventures at Storytellers Cafe (Available Sept. 3 through Nov. 18; reservations recommended)
Join Mickey, Minnie, and their pals sporting their best fall fare for a delightful breakfast or brunch with an autumn touch. (New)
Pixar Place Hotel
The Sketch Pad Café (Available Aug. 25 through Oct. 31)
Pumpkin Cheesecake Overnight Oats topped with granola, dried cranberries, and gummy worms (New)
Salted Caramel Whoopie Pie made with dark cocoa powder and layered with a salted caramel buttercream (New)
Pumpkin Cold Brew (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Ghoulish Goodies in Downtown Disney
Ballast Point Brewing Co. (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
Black Garlic Thai Chili Wings: Wings tossed in spicy black garlic Thai chili sauce, served with ranch, and garnished with sesame seeds and green onions (New)
Beignets Expressed (Available Oct. 1 through Nov. 21)
Caramel Apple Crumble: Caramel apple icing with a caramel drizzle sprinkled with “pumpkin” spiced crumbles
Black Tap Craft Burgers & Shakes (Available Oct. 31 through Nov. 3)
Fright Night Mini CrazyShake Flight (New)
Candy Apple Mini CrazyShake: Apple butter shake with a vanilla-frosted and crushed candy apple rim topped with a candy apple, whipped cream, and crushed candy apple
Mini Pumpkin Pie Mini CrazyShake: Pumpkin pie shake with a vanilla-frosted and sugar cookie crumbs rim topped with a pumpkin pie bar, whipped cream, and a cherry
Witch’s Brew Mini CrazyShake: Ube blueberry shake with a vanilla-frosted rim with purple and black sprinkles topped with a witch’s hat sugar cookie and whipped cream
California Churro (Available Oct. 1 through 31)
Spooky Churro: Cinnamon sugar churro covered in peanut butter and chocolate drizzle with peanut butter candies
Vampire Juice Churro: Chocolate cream cookie with vanilla cream-flavored sugar with edible glitter and buttercream frosting topped with gummy vampire candy (New)
Witches Brew Churro: Green sour apple sugar with edible glitter and caramel drizzle topped with sour gummy candies (Available Oct. 28 through 31 only)(New)
Céntrico (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 3)
Halloween Buñuelo: Spiced chocolate, cinnamon sugar, and seasonal corn (New)
Boo-ñuelo: Cinnamon-sugar coated buñuelo covered with chocolate and Halloween candy (New)
Pumpkin Spice Horchata (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Casa de Sangre Margarita: Tequila blanco, black cherry syrup, liqueur, lime juice, and black cherry garnish (New)
Clyde’s Hot Chicken (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
Spooky Scorch: 5-piece chicken stick seasoned with habanero and ghost pepper blend of spices (New)
Kayla’s Cake (Available Sept. 1 through Oct. 31)
Caramel Apple Macarons: Dulce de leche buttercream with salted caramel ganache (New)
Naples Ristorante e Bar (Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
Blooderscotch Cannoli filled with pumpkin and butterscotch chip cream, whipped cream, red caramel “blood” drizzle, and a sugar knife
Pumpkin Pancakes: Two pumpkin spice pancakes served with mascarpone cream, candied pecans, and maple syrup (New)
Strawberry Brains: Black sugared rim, lemonade, and strawberry purée (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Haunted Casa: Blanco tequila, sour mix, soda, and purple casa mix floater served in a clear skull glass (New)
Monster Mule: Reposado tequila, sour mix, pumpkin syrup, and ginger beer served in a black copper mug (New)
Pumpkins and Pancakes Ticketed Event: Celebrate the flavors and fun of fall with this special event featuring a family-style breakfast with hot cocoa and cider, pumpkin picking and decorating, a photo opportunity, take-home treats, and – for those over 21 – bottomless mimosas. Reserve your spot here. (Available Oct. 19, 20, 26, and 27) (New)
Paseo (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 3)
Pumpkin Dessert: Spiced sponge cake, maple syrup ganache, walnut crumble, pumpkin mousse, gruyere, and rosemary ice cream (New)
Muertos Margarita: Tequila blanco, RIPE Margarita Mix, orange juice, pineapple juice, and salted black sugar foam top (New)
Salt & Straw (Available starting Aug. 23)
Pumpkin Spiced Waffle Cone: Salt & Straw’s signature waffle cone infused with a blend of warm spices
Splitsville Luxury Lanes (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
Mad King Burger: 14 oz. double-decker burger with American cheese, special sauce, and bacon topped with onion rings and served with lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, and a side of fries (New)
Ghost Brownies: Ghirardelli brownie topped with torched marshmallow fluff, chocolate drizzle, and ghostly marshmallows
Vampire’s Kiss: Raspberry vodka, raspberry purée, and black raspberry liqueur topped with Moscato
Tiendita (Available Aug. 23 through Nov. 3)
Halloween Buñuelo: Spiced chocolate, cinnamon sugar, and seasonal corn (New)
Candy Locations Throughout the Disneyland Resort
Scare-Car Apple: Granny Smith apple dipped in caramel and green-colored chocolate and decorated with dark chocolate-covered marshmallow wheels, rainbow sour strips, M&M’S Mini Chocolate Candies, and a white chocolate hat (Available Sept. 29 through Oct. 31)(New)
At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats
Black Bat Minnie Cake Pop: Chocolate cake pop and chocolate Minnie ears covered in black-colored dark chocolate and finished with a dark chocolate bat bow (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31) (New)
At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace
At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff
Lotso Cake Pop: Vanilla cake pop covered in magenta-colored chocolate and decorated with chocolate pieces (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31) (New)
At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff
Skeleton Minnie Apple: Granny Smith apple dipped in caramel and decorated with white chocolate-covered marshmallow ears, a black sugar dress, white M&M’S Milk Chocolate Candies, and a black and white skull bow (Available Sept. 29 through Oct. 31) (New)
At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace
At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats
Llama Poison Cereal Treat: Bottle-shaped cereal treat dipped in pink and tan-colored chocolate and topped with a white chocolate llama piece (Available Sept. 29 through Oct. 31) (New)
At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace
Oogie Boogie Cereal Treat: Cereal treat dipped in green-colored white chocolate with a dark chocolate face (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff
Black Bat Minnie Caramel Apple: Granny Smith apple dipped in caramel and decorated with dark chocolate-covered marshmallow ears, a black sugar dress, black M&M’S Milk Chocolate Candies, and a black dark chocolate bat bow (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace
At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff
At Downtown Disney District: Marceline’s Confectionery
Skull Apple: Granny Smith apple dipped in caramel and decorated with marshmallow ears dipped in red-colored white chocolate and a green-colored white chocolate skull face (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace
At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats
Candy Corn Minnie Apple: Granny Smith apple dipped in caramel, vanilla chocolate, orange-colored chocolate, and yellow-colored chocolate, and decorated with a chocolate bow and marshmallow ears (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace
At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats
Minnie Bat Cereal Treat: Mickey-shaped cereal treat dipped in black-colored dark chocolate, sprinkled with black and grey sugar, and finished with a bat chocolate piece (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace
At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff
At Downtown Disney District: Marceline’s Confectionery
Ghost Cereal Treat: Ghost-shaped cereal treat dipped in white chocolate with a dark chocolate ghost face (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace
At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff
Pumpkin Mickey Cake Pop: Vanilla cake pop dipped in orange and yellow-colored white chocolate with chocolate stem and chocolate Mickey ears (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace
At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff
Halloween Marshmallow Wand: Marshmallows on a stick dipped in caramel and milk chocolate and drizzled with orange and purple-colored white chocolate (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace
At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff
At Downtown Disney District: Marceline’s Confectionery
Minnie Witch Caramel Apple: Granny Smith apple dipped in caramel and decorated with milk chocolate-dipped marshmallow ears, a purple skirt, orange M&M’S Milk Chocolate Candies, and a chocolate witch hat (Available Aug. 23 through Oct. 31)
At Disneyland Park: Candy Palace
At Disney California Adventure Park: Trolley Treats and Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff
2024 Plaza de la Familia Foodie Guide
Plaza de la Familia is making its return to Disney California Adventure Park from August 23 through November 2, 2024! The entire familia…
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Plaza de la Familia is making its return to Disney California Adventure Park from August 23 through November 2, 2024! The entire familia can join in on a celebration inspired by the traditions of Día de los Muertos. With festive décor, lively music and delicious food, it's a celebration you won’t want to miss. Plus, there are special offerings inspired by Pixar’s award-winning film, Coco!
Over at Paradise Garden Grill, you can indulge in both savory and sweet treats that draw inspiration from Coco and the rich cultures that celebrate Día de los Muertos. From Al Pastor Tacos to Street-style Watermelon, you’re in for a treat.
Once you’ve satisfied your cravings, why not get creative? Design your own paper alebrije, or spirit guide, and craft masks of Pepita or Dante, Miguel’s loyal companions. You might even get to meet Miguel himself! And don’t forget to leave a heartfelt message to a loved one on the Memory Wall at the Mexican Árbol de la Vida, or Tree of Life.
2024 Plaza de la Familia Foodie Guide
Paradise Garden Grill (Available through Nov. 14; mobile order available)
Carnitas Wet Burrito: House-made pork carnitas, Spanish rice, refried beans, cilantro, onions, salsa verde, and salsa roja served with house-made tortilla chips
Al Pastor Tacos: Pineapple-achiote-marinated pork with avocado spread and tomatillo salsa, served with Spanish rice and refried beans topped with queso fresco
Huarache with soy chorizo beans and seasoned steak tips topped with lettuce, cheese, avocado crema, and tomatillo salsa and served with Spanish rice and refried beans topped with nopales pico de gallo (Plant-based)
Street-style Watermelon with lime juice, chile-lime seasoning and chamoy (Plant-based)
Chile Verde Chicken Flautas topped with avocado spread, shredded lettuce, crema, queso fresco, tomatillo salsa, and pickled onions served with Spanish rice and refried beans topped with nopales pico de gallo
Street-style Taco: Pineapple-Achiote-marinated pork in a corn tortilla served with Spanish rice and refried beans topped with queso fresco (Kids Meal Offering)
Vanilla Layer Cake: Layers of vanilla cake filled with a cinnamon mousse and sweet cream cheese frosting
Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta (Available through Nov. 14)
Horchata Cheesecake: Horchata-flavored cheesecake finished with orange, white chocolate curls
These offerings should come as no surprise to anyone who visited during Plaza de la Familia last year, as many (if not, all) of the dishes are repeats of 2023’s event. Additionally, quite a few of the entrees, including the carnitas wet burrito, chicken flautas, and the al-pastor tacos are the exact Coco-inspired offerings from Pixar Fest.
For me, the clear stand-out is the horchata cheesecake offered at Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta. I’m a sucker for anything horchata and I don’t remember seeing this one on the menu last year, so I’m looking forward to it. The remaining offerings, however, are a bit of a dud for me.
We tried a number of these on our visit during Pixar Fest and to put it simply, we weren’t impressed. The chicken flautas depended too much on the toppings, with the chicken itself lacking any kind of flavor. Additionally, the wet carnitas burrito was not only equally bland in flavor, but doughy in texture as well.
To say we were disappointed would be an understatement. I’d like to say that Disney improved upon these entrees for this event, but I seriously doubt it. Personally, I would have liked to see a complete overhaul of the menu and possibly even bring in a reputable chef to handcraft the menu. It feels as though this event is an afterthought, just living in the shadow of the concurrent Halloween festivities and considering what this event represents, it deserves more. A lot more.
Beyond the food and celebrations, Disney characters representative of Hispanic culture regularly conduct meet and greets in this area of the park. There’s a hut placed between Goofy’s Sky School and Paradise Garden Grill - that’s where the characters will often be.
Typical characters you’d encounter here are Miguel from Coco, as well as Mirabel and Bruno from Encanto. Additionally, it isn’t unheard of to see some of Disney’s legacy characters, such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy and Daisy in special outfits, stop by to celebrate with guests.
As is, this isn’t an event I would plan an entire trip around. I do hope to see it ascend to that status, as it’s a deeply meaningful celebration and should be treated as such. That aside, if you’re already planning a trip to the parks during the event’s timeframe, I definitely recommend carving out some time to partake in the festivities.
Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree Foodie Guide
Recently, Disney made an announcement that absolutely nobody saw coming. The Hungry Bear restaurant, located in the formally named Critter…
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
Recently, Disney made an announcement that absolutely nobody saw coming. The Hungry Bear restaurant, located in the formally named Critter Country - now Bayou Country - is receiving a new name and re-theme to Hungry Bear BBQ Jamboree. Yes, you read that correctly. The beloved Country Bears are taking over the Hungry Bear!
It’s a nostalgic nod to the Country Bear Jamboree attraction, which formally occupied the space adjacent to Hungry Bear and closed in September of 2001 to make way for the Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh attraction.
The Country Bears have been making a comeback of sorts, with the Magic Kingdom version receiving a modern update and the newly minted Big Al statue placed in DCA’s Grizzly Peak area. It only makes sense for Disneyland proper to partake in their revival as well.
While we have yet to receive an opening date from Disney, it was announced during D23 that Tiana’s Bayou Adventure and Bayou Country will be making their debuts on November 15. It’s safe to assume that Hungry Bear would definitely be open by then, though there’s reason to believe that it may open sooner than that. Time will tell (Update: Disney recently announced that Hungry Bear BBQ Jamboree will open on October 25).
In the meantime, Disney has surprised us with a foodie guide for Hungry Bear. If the new name didn’t give it away, the new menu is a call-back to Hungry Bear’s original BBQ-joint flare with a couple of twists sprinkled in.
Traditional BBQ favorites make up the majority of the menu, including pulled pork, sliced brisket, baked beans and spareribs. Oddly, the only chicken option is the garden-variety fried strips on the kids menu. No grilled or smoked options to speak of (as of now, anyway).
While it may or may not be the final menu, let’s get into the offerings Disney is planning to serve up at opening.
Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree Foodie Guide
Entrees
Smoked Barbecue Combo Platter: A selection of house-smoked meats, served with baked beans, house slaw, white bread, and pickles with a choice of two of the following: Pork Spareribs, Pulled Pork, Sausage Link, or Beef Brisket (New)
Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwich: Tangy BBQ sauce, house slaw, bread and butter, and pickles served with beer-battered fries (New)
Smoked Beef Brisket Sandwich with tangy BBQ sauce, pickled red onions, and pickled jalapeños served with beer-battered fries (New)
Smoked Angus Beef Burger and Pulled Pork with American cheese, golden aïoli, pickled red onions, bread and butter pickles, and crispy onions served with beer-battered fries (New)
Corn Ribs Plate: Chile-lime aioli, parmesan, crispy onions, cilantro, and scallions with house slaw and beer-battered fries (Plant-based) (New)
Loaded Fries topped with smoked pulled pork, queso sauce, pickled red onions, and pickled jalapeños, cilantro, and scallions (New)
Classic Cheeseburger served with beer-battered fries
Chicken Tenders Plate served with house slaw and beer-battered fries
Sides and Kids Menu Offerings
Beer-battered Fries (New)
Baked Beans (New)
House Slaw (New)
All kids’ meals are served with Cuties Mandarin Orange and Applesauce and a choice of small DASANI Water or small Low-fat milk.
Pork Spareribs (New)
Toasted Cheese Sandwich (Disney Check Meal) (New)
Hamburger (Disney Check Meal)
Chicken Tenders
Desserts and Drinks at Hungry Bear BBQ Jamboree
Desserts
Banana Pudding: Bananas, whipped cream, crushed wafer cookies, dulce de leche, and toffee (New)
Funnel Cake Fries dusted with powdered sugar. For an additional charge, add some extra sweetness to your funnel cake fries with Banana Caramel Dipping Sauce! (New)
Beverages
Sparkling Strawberry-Pickle Lemonade: Simply Lemonade, Minute Maid Strawberry Smoothie, flavors of lime, Sprite, pickle juice and a pickle spear (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Strawberry Shortcake Lemonade: Simply Lemonade, Minute Maid Strawberry Smoothie, sweet cream topping, shortbread crumbles, and strawberry dust (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Lemonade-Iced Tea: Simply Lemonade and Gold Peak Unsweetened Iced Tea garnished with a lemon wheel (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Hungry Bear Mason Jar with choice of beverage at time of purchase (Additional charge for specialty lemonades)
As stated at the beginning of the article, it is surprising that Disney decided not to include a grilled or smoked chicken option. Though that could be easily added once enough guests have expressed their desire for a proper chicken dish.
Additionally, I’m also surprised that Disney didn’t take advantage of this opportunity to add adult beverages to the menu, further expanding the efforts they began in the middle of 2023. Fewer things go as perfectly together than grilled meat and cold beer, but I digress.
Personally, I’m all for this change and I think most Disney fans will be as well. The Country Bears is an IP that, despite being around since the early 1970’s, is just now gaining major steam among millennials (who are all about nostalgia) and Gen Z, and Disney is taking full advantage.
While you never really know, I wouldn’t expect this newly-gained popularity to lead to a revival of the Country Bear Jamboree attraction. For starters, their old spot is currently occupied by Winnie the Pooh, and he’s a major merchandise mover for the company. That lovable, yellow bear isn’t going anywhere.
However, I would expect to see the Hungry Bears return to the area for meet and greets. Currently, you can see them in DCA’s Grizzly Peak from time to time. But I feel moving them back to Disneyland proper, in the land they once called home, would be far more fitting.
12 Tips For Your First Oogie Boogie Bash
Oogie Boogie Bash has been the Disneyland Resort’s annual Halloween party since its inception in 2019. It’s a superbly popular, special ticketed…
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
Oogie Boogie Bash has been the Disneyland Resort’s annual Halloween party since its inception in 2019. It’s a superbly popular, special ticketed event inside Disney California Adventure on select nights throughout the months of August, September and October.
If this will be your first Oogie Boogie Bash (or you haven’t been in a while), this post will offer you twelve of my best tips to make the most out of your experience. My wife and I are regular OBB attendees, and each time we go we learn something new to add to our ever-evolving repertoire of strategies.
For more details about Oogie Boogie Bash, you can consult my 2024 Oogie Boogie Bash Guide. Let’s get into it!
1) Take Advantage of Early Entry
The actual event runs from 6pm to 11pm, but your OBB ticket includes early entry into Disney California Adventure starting three hours prior to the event (3pm). This is advantageous for several reasons.
Early entry allows you to research the pamphlet and figure out where your favorite villains’ treat trails will be, get in an early meal, or knock out a few attractions before the event starts. It’s especially helpful if you’re planning to purchase a dining package.
2) Use The Grand Californian Park Entrance for Quicker Access
Disney’s on-property, high end hotel has its own exclusive entrance into Disney California Adventure. While you’ll still need to go through a security check, it’s often far less crowded, particularly in the mid-afternoon.
You can use this entrance even if you’re not a registered guest and there will be cast members stationed nearby to help you with your event wristband and candy bag.
Keep in mind that if you’re being dropped off via a ride sharing service or a friend/family member, you’ll need to be dropped off at Downtown Disney and then enter the hotel there as Disney restricts drop offs to registered guests only.
If you’re a registered guest at Disney’s Pixar Place Hotel, cast members will also be stationed at its exclusive entrance into the park to assist you with checking into the event. If you’re not a registered guest at PPH, you cannot use this entrance.
3) Bring Your Own Trick or Treat Bag
One of the primary perks to Oogie Boogie Bash is the ability to trick or treat throughout the park at various “treat trails”. This is included with your ticket, and both kids and adults alike can partake.
When you check in, you’ll be provided with a complimentary bag, but it is super small. Cast members often give out heaping handfuls of candy out (especially towards the end of the night) and that bag will fill quickly.
To combat this, bring your own, larger bag with you (or purchase one at the various shops around the park). Thus far, Disney has permitted this ‘hack’ without any restrictions. Backpacks and tote bags are fair game (so far).
4) Research Character Locations Prior to the Event
If you’re attending the very first Oogie Boogie Bash of the year, then you’ll have to do your research on character offerings when you’re provided with your pamphlet. Past the first night, though, there will be plenty of online resources to help you.
There are a plethora of Disney influencers on YouTube, TikTok, and other platforms, such as the Fresh Baked and Magic Journeys channels that are usually quick to post guides on which villains are being featured and where they’ll be located, special food offerings, and more.
Conducting this research prior to arriving can help you come up with a game plan and spend your time more efficiently. There’s nothing worse than wasting time at an event you’ve paid a pretty penny to be at.
5) Enjoy an Early Dinner
Since you’re permitted into the park at 3pm, it makes sense to get in an early meal during this time. This is especially true if you plan to book the dining package at Wine Country Trattoria.
If you get hungry later on, there will be plenty of special food and snack offerings at various locations throughout the park that you can only purchase during the event or during the Halloween season to hold you over.
6) Attend the Second Parade Showing
Oogie Boogie Bash’s parade, Frightfully Fun, has two showings each event night. Once at 7:45 and another at 10:00. Whether or not it’s worth spending the time to watch it is a matter of perspective but if you’re keen on watching it, do so at the second showing.
Reason being is because, much like any parade or show at Disneyland that has two showings, the second one almost always has lower crowds. Making finding a preferable viewing spot much easier.
This doesn’t matter much if you’re purchasing the dining package or the dessert party, as you’re guaranteed a great view with both. However, with the purchase of either of those, you do have the option of which showing you’d like to attend.
7) Save Villains Grove for Later or During Parade Times
Villains is perhaps the most anticipated attraction during Oogie Boogie Bash. If you’re unaware, it’s a walk-through attraction featuring several scenes themed after many of Disney’s most beloved villains. They use lighting effects, music, projections and more to make it the amazing experience that it is.
As such, it’s hugely popular and often has a long queue to get in. However, if you wait to go during one of the parade times or towards the end of the night, you’ll likely be able to walk right in or have a minimal wait.
We I went to OBB, my wife and I held off until the end of the night and were able to go through it twice without any wait at all. Additionally, there was barely anybody else in the attraction. Making it an even better experience.
8) Take Advantage of Low Attraction Wait Times
There are usually far less people in the park during these special ticketed events than during normal park hours, which means the queues at the attractions are often minimal. Most are practical walk-ons while high demand attractions, such as Radiator Springs Racers, are about a third of the normal queue length.
While I always recommend prioritizing the event-specific attractions over the everyday ones (since that’s what you’re paying for), walking onto an attraction that normally sees high wait times is hard to pass up. Remember, as long as you have fun, that’s all that matters.
9) Don’t Purchase Oogie Boogie Bash Tickets Through Resellers
How long it takes varies by year but generally, Oogie Boogie Bash tickets always sell out quickly. Unfortunately, many will purchase these tickets with the intent of reselling them on third party sites, often at two to three times their original value. While it’s tempting to go this route, I suggest avoiding it.
If Disney discovers that your OBB ticket was purchased from a third party, they will not take pity on you. You won’t get into trouble, but they will not let you in and won’t care how much you paid for them. For that reason, I highly recommend not doing this. It isn’t worth the risk.
I have heard of military personnel being able to purchase event tickets on the same day of a sold out event at the booths. I also know that each Disney resort hotel keeps a small stash of OBB tickets for registered guests. They start selling them at 5am on the day of the event. I recommend getting there prior to that time to increase your chances.
10) Get Your Mobile Orders in Early!
During special events like Oogie Boogie Bash there are often special food and drink items only available during the specific event or season. Many of these items are available through Disney’s mobile order service, which can save you significant time versus the traditional stand-by.
However, due to the limited hours of the event, mobile order pick up times tend to get snagged up quickly. Additionally, the items themselves sell out rather fast. Much like character locations, it’s best to research the offerings ahead of time and get your mobile orders and pick up times early on. You can always modify it as needed.
11) Know the Halloween Costume Guidelines
Oogie Boogie Bash is the one time a year where kids and adults alike are not only allowed, but encouraged to wear Halloween costumes in the park. So be sure to take advantage of this rare opportunity.
There are just a few guidelines to follow. They are:
No weapon accessories (lightsabers being the exception).
No masks (face paint is ok, provided there are no words painted on the face).
Costumes considered offensive or pose potential safety hazards (i.e, a cape that drags on the ground) are prohibited.
You may dress as a Disney character, but you cannot pose for pictures and/or sign autographs with other guests (as if you were a sanctioned Disney character actor).
12) Don’t Bother Purchasing Lightning Lane Multi-Pass
Lightning Lane Multi-Pass cannot be purchased or used during Oogie Boogie Bash. If you’ve spent the day in either park prior to the event and purchased Lightning Lane, you’ll be unable to make selections after 6pm. Don’t fret because as stated above, most attractions are walk-ons during the event anyway.
If you’re a DAS (Disability Access Service) guest, the only attraction during the event that you’ll be able to use it for is Villains Grove. However, even that could be rendered unnecessary by following the advice for Villains Grove in tip #7.
Planning a trip to Disneyland during Halloween? If so, read my 2024 Disneyland Halloween Guide. Additionally, get information about dining reservations, mobile order, and more by reading my Disneyland Dining Guide. Finally, read about the changes to the DAS program. For great deals on Disneyland, Walt Disney World, and Disney Cruise Line packages, visit my partners at Get Away Today.
Pixar Fest Character Locations Guide
Pixar Fest is in full swing at the Disneyland Resort and one of the main offerings are the many characters you can potentially interact with…
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
Pixar Fest is in full swing at the Disneyland Resort and one of the main offerings are the many characters you can potentially interact with. Some of these are the usual suspects you’d regularly see in the parks, while others are making their first ever appearance!
Aside from the food, rare character meet and greets is our favorite part of special events, festivals, and After Dark events Disney puts on throughout the year. Seeing the characters you know and love brought to life and interact with them is priceless and one of the hallmarks of a Disney vacation.
Disney is advertising more than twenty new and familiar characters during Pixar Fest, but keep in mind that you’re not guaranteed to see all of them. Many factors such as staffing, unforeseen circumstances, and the recent unionization of Disneyland performers can impact the amount of characters out at a particular time.
With so many characters to see during Pixar Fest, you may be wondering what characters you can meet at Pixar Fest and their locations. During our visit, we painstakingly sought out as many of them as we could to bring this information to you. We didn’t get pictures of all of them, but we did find out where they are. Do keep in mind that this list isn’t absolute and you should always refer to the Disneyland app day-of for current character information.
Pixar Fest Characters at Disney California Adventure
While the entire resort is on the festivities, much of the event’s offerings are being held at Disney California Adventure. These include many food and drink offerings, Club Pixar, the Better Together Parade, and more. The characters, however, seemed to have been split fairly evenly.
In the backlot area of Hollywood Land, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl conduct meet and greets in front of a “We Are Incredible” backdrop in their retro suits. While these two are typically seen on a day-to-day basis, namely near the Incredicoaster attraction, you rarely see them in these outfits.
During our visit, we only saw them together one time. Aside from that one time, it was either one or the other. This is going to be an ongoing comment throughout this post as Disney seemed to be suffering from staffing issues while we were there.
One of the bigger character draws during Pixar Fest are Mei and Ming Lee from Turning Red. Prior to Pixar Fest, these two have only made one appearance in the parks and that was during Lunar New Year earlier in the year. Their debut saw hours-long queues.
During Pixar Fest, their meet and greet is set up in front of the waterwheel in Grizzly River Run, just up the way from the Little Mermaid attraction. These two will always do meet and greets together, so just know that when their thirty-minute interval is up, you’ll either need to wait for them to come back or return at a later time.
Disney could potentially have another pair of actors lined up to swap out with them so if that’s the case, you’ll only need to wait a few minutes. If they don’t, it’ll be at about thirty minutes before they’ll come back out. Cast members will keep the queue updated and will usually cut off the queue so folks don’t end up waiting for nothing. It can happen, though. So be prepared for that possibility.
In Pixar Pier, you’ll see many of the usual suspects. These include Woody and Buzz Lightyear, who take photos in front of the Toy Story Mania attraction. Further down the pier and across from the Pixar Pals Fun Wheel in the band shell, there’s a mixed bag of characters that appear. These include:
Mike and Sulley from Monsters Inc.
Joy and Sadness from Inside Out
Anger from Inside Out (Beginning June 14)
Bo Peep and Jessie from Toy Story
They’re completely random and depend entirely on staffing. On one of the mornings during our visit we were hoping to catch Mike and Sulley together but unfortunately, Sulley was the only character to appear. I asked a cast member if there was any chance for Mike to show and was told that, “Unfortunately, Mike is stuck in traffic in Monstropolis”. You have to admire her commitment to the “bubble”.
Another great way to see characters at DCA is during the Better Together Pixar parade that runs twice daily at DCA. You won’t be able to take pictures with any of them, but the parade is a practical smorgasbord of Pixar characters. Some you’ve seen in the parks before and others you’ve never seen.
A few examples include Joe Gardner from Soul, Carl from Up, Miguel from Coco, Mei Lee in Red Panda form from Turning Red, Luca, Alberto and Giulia from Luca and more. As stated above, the parade runs twice daily and because it hasn’t exactly been the most stellar of Disney’s parade, snagging a prime viewing spot is a fairly easy endeavor. For more information on that, including my recommendations to viewing areas, read my Pixar Fest 2024 Ultimate Guide.
To recap, Pixar Fest characters and locations in DCA are:
Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl in the Hollywood Land Backlot
Edna and Frozone near the Incredicoaster attraction
Lightning McQueen, Mater, and more from Cars near the Cozy Cones in Cars Land
Mike, Sulley, Bo Peep, Jessie, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Lotso, Joy, and Sadness throughout Pixar Pier
Mei and Ming Lee near the Grizzly Peak waterwheel
Dug (talking version) in the Grizzly Peak area near Redwood Creek Challenge
*NEW - Beginning June 14, you can now meet Anger (from Inside Out) by the Pixar Pier Band Shell
Additionally, characters you’ll see during the parade include:
Red Panda from Turning Red
Carl, Dug, Russell, and Kevin from Up
Joe Gardner from Soul
Joy and Sadness from Inside Out
Luca, Alberto, and Giulia from Luca
Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl from The Incredibles
Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie from Toy Story
Miguel and Dante from Coco
Mike and Sulley from Monsters Inc
Pixar Fest Characters in Downtown Disney and Resort Hotels
While not exclusively for Pixar Fest, Disney is touting the ability to meet beloved character Bing Bong from the movie, Inside Out, at the Pixar Place Hotel. Bing Bong usually meets guests of the hotel in the pool area but if you’re lucky (like I was) you can sometimes catch him in the lobby of the hotel.
Another character you’ll likely encounter at the hotel is Joe Gardner from Soul. You can often find him playing on the piano in the lobby area across from the registration desk. I’m not sure if he’ll pose for photos with you, but at the very least you can say you watched Joe Gardner play live jazz.
While not live characters, Downtown Disney features two cars cosplaying as Woody and Buzz Lightyear up against a Pixar Fest mural on the former ESPN building. This photo-opp is available to all guests, regardless if you hold a park ticket or not.
As far as characters outside of the parks go, that’s about it. While things could always change in that regard, there are only two months remaining for Pixar Fest at the time of this post’s publishing, so I’m doubtful. Besides, other than the parks and hotel, there are no other locations where a Pixar character meet and greet would make sense.
Pixar Fest Characters at Disneyland Park
DCA may be considered the “Pixar Park”, but Disneyland proper is also getting in on the action. However, the majority of all Pixar Fest characters meet with guests in the same area, and that area is the Fantasyland Theatre across from the it’s a small world attraction.
The meet and greets occur between the hours of 11:30am and 5:30pm daily during the Pixar Pals Playtime Party. It consists of a high-energy stage show featuring many Pixar characters, about a half dozen Pixar-themed photo-opps, and several meet and greets with rare characters.
The first two you’ll likely encounter are Russell and Dug from the movie Up. During our visit, they were greeting guests near the entrance of the theatre, just prior to the official start time of the party. Note that this isn’t the talking version of Dug that you would meet at DCA.
Their official meet and greet area is to the left of the stage, up against the Up-themed backdrop. Again, I’m sure there was a staffing shortage during my visit, as none of the characters were ever out at the same time. It seemed as though the same two or three cast members were pulling double-duty and acting as multiple characters each.
In the upper area of Fantasyland Theatre, just behind the stands, are two additional meet and greets. Both of which are brand new to the parks. They are Ember and Wade from Elemental, and Luca and Alberto from Luca. Unfortunately, Alberto never came out during our time there. We did, however, get some quality time with Luca.
Both Ember and Wade made their appearances together while we were there, but I’ve recently read that both have been making sporadic solo appearances. Again, the recent cast member unionization and/or staffing shortages are the likely culprits. If you have your heart set on a photo with them together, you may have to camp out for the opportunity.
Additional newcomers, Barley (left) and Ian (right) Lightfoot from Onward, are also available for meet and greets in front of Barley’s mighty steed, Guinevere, located to the right of the theatre stage. For us, these two and Ember and Wade were the main highlights.
Much like Russel and Dug, the Lightfoot’s meet and greet area is in the lower level of the theatre, mixed in with all the Pixar-themed backdrops. Don’t get scared away if there’s a performance of the Playtime Party stage show happening, as the brothers will still make their scheduled appearances.
Another character that has been popping up around the theatre lately is Merida from Brave. Based on the photos I’ve seen, she’s been hanging around in the upper area of the theatre, near Troubadore Tavern.
Finally, the Pixar Pals Playtime Party stage show features numerous Pixar characters in a high energy song and dance performance. The show occurs in thirty-minute intervals between 11:30am and 5:30pm. At the conclusion of each performance, a few of the characters actually leave the stage to dance with guests.
The characters appear in phases, starting with Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Jessie, and Bo Peep. Joy and Sadness then join the party, before concluding with appearances by Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Frozone, and Edna (subject to change, as always).
Joy and Sadness spent the most time dancing with guests. I have to admit, the highlight of the day was watching Sadness dance as unhappily as she could to Taylor Swift’s mega-hit, Shake it Off. The second was snagging the above-displayed rare photo of four of the main characters from The Incredibles.
Outside of Fantasyland Theatre, there isn’t much going on in the way of Pixar meet and greets aside from Miguel, from Coco, who often greets guests in his charro (a suit often donned by mariachi performers) in Frontierland near the Day-of-the-Dead display. To see Miguel in his regular clothes, you’ll need to watch the Better Together parade at DCA.
It’s baffling that they didn’t set up a temporary meet and greet for Coco-related characters near Paradise Garden Grill in DCA, considering that this particular restaurant’s entire menu is being billed as “Coco-inspired” during Pixar Fest, but I digress.
To recap, Pixar characters and locations in Disneyland Park are:
Barley and Ian Lightfoot, Ember, Wade, Luca, Alberto, Russell, Dug and Merida at Fantasyland Thestre
Joy, Sadness, Woody, Buzz, Jessie, Bo Peep, Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Frozone, and Edna during the Pixar Pals Playtime stage show
Miguel in Frontierland
Buzz Lightyear makes occasional appearances in Tomorrowland as well
Attractions Featuring Pixar Characters
Costumed and face characters aren’t the only way to get your Pixar character fix as there are many attractions throughout both parks featuring several Pixar IP’s. Currently, none of these attractions are listed on the refurbishment calendar and since Pixar Fest is still going on, the chances of it staying that way are good.
The vast majority of Pixar-themed attractions are in California Adventure. They feature a whopping ten rides versus Disneyland park’s two. So if your goal is to remain in the Pixar bubble as much as possible, DCA is likely where you’ll want to spend most of your time.
So which rides can you see Pixar characters on at Disneyland? They are:
Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters (DL)
Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage (DL)
Incredicoaster (DCA)
Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind (DCA)
Jessie’s Critter Carousel (DCA)
Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters (DCA)
Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree (DCA)
Monsters, Inc. Mike and Sulley to the Resue! (DCA)
Pixar Pal-A-Round (DCA)
Radiator Springs Racers (DCA)
Toy Story Midway Mania (DCA)
Turtle Talk with Crush (DCA)
Planning a trip to Disneyland? If so, and especially if during Pixar Fest, read my Pixar Fest Ultimate Guide to help navigate all of the offerings. Additionally, see many of the Pixar Fest food and drink offerings by reading The 24 Pixar Fest Foodie Offerings We Tried to see pictures, prices, and more. Furthermore, photos from our tour of the new Pixar Place Hotel. Finally, for great deals on Disneyland, Disney World, and Disney Cruise Line vacation packages, visit my partners at Get Away Today.
Pixar Fest 2024 Ultimate Guide
With Pixar Fest 2024 in full swing at the Disneyland Resort until August 4, you may be wondering what’s being offered and what there is…
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products or services that I believe will add value to my readers.
With Pixar Fest 2024 in full swing at the Disneyland Resort until August 4, you may be wondering what’s being offered and what there is to do. We’ve recently visited the resort to experience Pixar Fest for ourselves and man, we honestly don’t remember the last time we’ve had so much fun at the park.
There’s so much to see, experience and eat that it could seem daunting to even attempt to experience everything (pro tip - it is). If you have a few days at the parks, you shouldn’t have any issues seeing most of it. If you only have one day, however, you may need to pick and choose.
If you don’t already know, the Disneyland Resort has hosted only one other Pixar Fest back in 2018. It wasn’t all that popular at the time, largely due to Disney seemingly phoning it in, and didn’t return in 2019. From 2020 until now, the parks have been working to recover from the effects of the pandemic. That now seems to be the case, as Disney decided to bring it back for 2024 and this time around, inject of whole lot of effort into making it successful.
If you’re thinking of visiting the parks during Pixar Fest, or you’ve already booked dates, this information-packed guide will help you navigate all of the offerings so you can prioritize which elements of Pixar Fest you’d like to experience. Let’s get into it.
Pixar Fest Decorations
The entire resort is adorned in Pixar Fest decorations. In the esplanade (the open space between Disneyland and DCA) there are numerous banners on the posts and a giant Pixar Fest display showcasing dozens of Pixar’s most popular characters and the infamous Luxo ball in the center.
It’s an impressive display during the day, particularly when the sun is hitting the panes near the top. In the evenings, though, it’s a bit of a dud as there’s nothing to illuminate it. That’s a huge (and surprising) miss on Disney’s end. It would’ve been an attraction all its own had it lit up at night.
Additionally, there are several smaller versions of this display scattered throughout Downtown Disney, as well as more banners. The main attraction are the two cars in Woody and Buzz Lightyear cosplay displayed against the former ESPN Zone building.
The parks are no different as both Main Street U.S.A in Disneyland and Buena Vista Street and Hollywood Land are also adorned in Pixar Fest banners. Additionally, the parks each feature their own large display, similar to the ones in the planters in Downtown Disney, but much larger in scale.
While these don’t light up either, there are spotlights installed at their bases to give them some illumination. In Disney California Adventure, the display is located in the hub area, in between the Carthay Circle building and the Elias & Co gift shop. It interacts with MagicBands, if you have one.
The display in Disneyland is located in Town Square near the flagpole, where the Christmas Tree and Mickey Head Pumpkin are displayed during their respective holidays. Unlike the display in DCA, this one does not interact with MagicBands. It is a popular PhotoPass spot, though.
Better Together Pixar Parade
The Better Together Pixar parade is one of the main features of Pixar Fest and runs twice daily at Disney California Adventure. It isn’t entirely new, as many of the floats and characters appeared in the former Pixar Play Parade during Pixar Fest 2018.
This year, however, the parade has a new name, theme song, and features a few new floats/characters, including those from Turning Red, Luca and Soul. While it’s possible this could change, the floats and characters you can expect to see in this parade (in order), are:
Luxo Lamp
Turning Red featuring the giant panda
Up featuring Carl and Dug
Soul featuring Joe Gardner
Inside Out featuring Joy and Sadness
Luca featuring Luca, Alberto and Giulia
The Incredibles (not on a float) featuring Mr. and Mrs. Incredible
Toy Truck featuring Woody
Pixar Grand Finale featuring Miguel (Coco), Jessie, Buzz Lightyear, Sully, and Mike (Monsters Inc.)
You can see the difference in quality between the floats from the Pixar Fest of 2018 and new ones made for the 2024 version. The Luca float, in my opinion, was the best of the bunch. However, it felt like a wasted opportunity to hold two day time parades and not reserve one for nighttime, as many of the floats (the Soul float in particular) would’ve looked amazing lit up at night, but I digress.
Better Together Parade Route
The Better Together parade runs the same route as every other parade at DCA. Since there’s two per day (once at 4pm and again at 6:30pm) the first parade begins from behind Hollywood Land (adjacent to Mission Breakout), down the main street of Hollywood Land, through Buena Vista Street, down the Performance Corridor and then through Paradise Gardens Park, before concluding just before Pixar Pier.
The second showing will be the exact opposite, starting in Paradise Gardens Park and concluding at the end of Hollywood Land near Mission Breakout. Generally, many (myself included) feel the second showing of any parade or show at Disney is best as there’s often less competition for the most coveted viewing spots.
Better Together Parade Viewing Spots
There are several viewings areas for Better Together (or any parade that happens to be showing at DCA). One of the most popular of which is in Paradise Gardens Park in the stretch between the Little Mermaid attraction and Corn Dog Castle.
Another popular spot is along the street of Hollywood Land. This is especially true for the second showing, as there’s typically a lot of shade in this area. My personal favorite (and it’s from here where I took the photos you see in this section) is the island where the water fountain is, directly across from Carthay Circle and facing the entrance to the Performance Corridor.
This was where I stood for the 6:30pm showing and I had a great, mostly unobstructed view of the characters and floats. In addition to that, it was well shaded. Though by this time the sun was already working its way down, so I imagine that would be especially advantageous during the 4pm showing.
Keep in mind that if you choose a spot at the opposite end of where the parade begins, you won’t actually see any floats until 15-20 minutes after the official start time. For example, if your spot is in Hollywood Land for the second showing, which begins at 6:30pm, don’t expect to see any floats until closer to 6:45 or 6:50, possibly later if there any delays.
Better Together Parade Dining Packages
Unlike for other parades, such as the Frightfully Fun parade during Oogie Boogie Bash, there’s only one dining package offered for Better Together and it’s more of a dessert party than anything else. However, it does come with a reserved seat along the parade route in the Performance Corridor.
The cost is $69 per person (2 and under are free, but they must sit on your lap). At one hour to forty-five minutes prior to your selected parade time, you’ll check in at Sonoma Terrace, where your reserved seating is. The earlier you arrive, the better as seats are first come, first serve. If you snag a table at the front, you’ll have an unobstructed view of the parade. Though you’ll have the sun beating down on your as there are no umbrellas for these tables.
The tables behind the front row still have a great view and depending how you look at it, may be better than the front row, as they’re slightly elevated and come with umbrellas. If having others in front of you doesn’t bother you, these may be preferable.
You’ll receive a variety of Pixar-themed foods and desserts, along with two mocktails and unlimited water, tea, coffee and soda. Once the parade begins, though, they will no longer bring any beverages to your table. So be sure to get your monies worth before the parade start time. To book this package, go here.
Pixar Pals Playtime Party and Club Pixar
Club Pixar Hours and Offerings
Club Pixar is in the backlot area of Hollywood Land in Disney California Adventure. During the day, there are several Pixar-themed backdrops you can take photos with, in addition to a Mr. and Mrs. Incredible meet and greet in their blue retro super hero suits. This is also where the Hanger Management food marketplace is located.
Once it starts to cool down, Club Pixar comes further to life with neon lights themed to Pixar characters, live performances, dance lessons, photo-ops, games, and more. Additionally, there’s an area themed after a drive-in where you can watch Pixar shorts while relaxing in a classic car. Seating is limited and competitive here.
Another element to Club Pixar are the games guests can play. One such game is a giant chess board (with accompanying pieces) themed after the Pixar short, Geri’s Game. These games, in addition to the live performances, are only accessible to guests between 4:30pm and 8:30pm.
Many were hoping that Club Pixar would be a call-back to the nighttime events, Mad T Party and ElecTRONica, Disney used to put-on in the backlot area. There was live music by local DJ’s, themed cocktails served in a pop-up style bar, lighting effects and more. These events were immensely popular with teenagers and adults.
Alas, that has proven to not be the case, as Club Pixar is more on the family-friendly side of things. It isn’t a bad thing, as the offerings in this area are unique and fun in their own right, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how much of a missed opportunity I feel it is to not feature a Pixar version of the Mad T Party during Pixar Fest.
Pixar Pals Playtime Party Hours and Offerings
The Pixar Pals Playtime Party takes place at Disneyland Park in the Fantasyland Theatre across from the It’s a Small World attraction. A sign out front states the hours are between 11:30am and 5:30pm but when we were there, a few of the characters began coming out for meet and greets right at 11am when the cast members dropped the rope.
There’s a lot going on in this relatively small space. The main feature is a high-energy stage show starring many of Pixar’s most beloved characters, such as Woody, Bo Peep, Jessie the Cowgirl, Sadness, Joy, Edna, Frozone, The Incredibles and more. At the conclusion of the show, many of these characters leave the stage and dance with the crowd. If you’ve never seen Sadness dancing to “Shake it Off” by Taylor Swift, you’re in for an entertaining treat.
Another feature of Pixar Pals Playtime Party are the incredible (no pun intended) amount of character meet and greets going on. The day-to-day ones include Dug and Russel from Up, Ember and Wade from Elemental, Luca and Alberto from Luca, and Barley and Ian Lightfoot from Onward. Lately, Merida from Brave has also been making sporadic appearances.
Down on the dance floor, there are several themed backdrops for guests to take pictures with, including the Piston Cup from Cars and Boo’s door from Monsters Inc. This is where there seemed to be a lack of forethought, as there where several things all happening in one cramped area. For instance, during the stage show, both Joy and Sadness were dancing in the crowd while Barley and Ian Lightfoot came out for a meet and greet, all while guests were taking photos with the backdrops.
Also here is one of the main food locations during Pixar Fest. Troubadore Tavern, which is located at the entrance to the Fantasyland Theatre, has received a Pixar makeover, offering several themed dishes, drinks and snacks with a Pixar flare. These include:
Roundup BBQ Potato
Una Papa Loca Potato
Firetown Mac and Cheese Bites
Mixed Emotions Popcorn
Joyful Tenders and Mac (kids)
Lotso Berry Lemonade
“Adventure is Out There” Cold Brew (pictured above)
We tried nearly every Pixar Fest item at Troubadore Tavern and for the most part, all of them were tasty. We didn’t get around to trying every food item during our Pixar Fest visit (there were over 80, after all), but we did try 24 that you may want to learn more about.
Pixar Character Meet and Greets
Disney rolled out all the stops when it comes to character meet and greets for Pixar Fest, as there are well over twenty beloved Pixar characters out interacting and taking photos with guests. While some are the usual characters you would normally see in the parks, there are several new additions. Including:
Ember and Wade from Elemental
Barley and Ian Lightfoot from Onward
Luca, Alberto, and Guila from Luca
Mei and Ming Lee from Turning Red
Mike and Sully from Monsters Inc.
Woody and Buzz Lightyear from Toy Story
and many, many more
For us, the rare character meet and greets are our favorite aspect of these special events. It’s why we attend Oogie Boogie Bash every year and it’s why we’ll likely continue to attend Pixar Fest. Some have standard queues, while others, including Mei and Ming Lee, had huge queues. Checking the app (or with a Cast Member) about when they’ll be making their appearances and being there early is key if you want a photo with your favorites.
Pixar-Themed Food and Drink Items
As we briefly discussed above, Disney has rolled out over 80 new food and drink items for this year’s Pixar Fest. Many restaurants and snack carts in both parks are participating, as well as several eateries in the Downtown Disney District.
Exclusive to Disney California Adventure are the six Pixar-themed marketplaces. You may recognize these marketplaces as they’re the same ones used during the California Food and Wine Festival, Festival of Holidays and Lunar New Year. Their names and locations are:
The Spark, inspired by Soul
4*Town Favorites, inspired by Turning Red
Gusteau’s To-Go, inspired by Ratatouille
Portorosso Pasta, inspired by Luca
Hanger Management, inspired by Inside Out
Elemental Table, inspired by Elemental
The Hanger Management marketplace is located in the Club Pixar (Backlot) area of Hollywood Land while the remaining five are placed along the Performance Corridor between the main entrance to Avengers Campus and the Little Mermaid show building.
We tried several offerings at these booths and found them to be hit and miss. The Jumbo Panda Bao was the clear winner for us, especially with the accompanying chili-garlic sauce. Another favorite was the Kol Nut Whoopie Cookie Pie from Elemental Table.
The mac and cheese from Hanger Management, however, we loathed. It was an obvious move on Disney’s part to provide a safe option for picky eaters, but it was too safe of an option. The mac itself was cold and overcooked and to make matters worse, the Cheeto puffs were stale.
Outside of the marketplaces, there were several excellent Pixar Fest offerings. For starters, the “Shake 2319” sold at Schmoozies in DCA was one of the best shakes I’ve ever tasted. Also, while basic in nature, the Pixar Fest cake, sold at the Plaza Inn in Disneyland Park, was perfectly moist and had just the right frosting to cake ratio.
If you’re looking for actual food, the Bruno sandwich sold at Jolly Holiday Bakery and the Una Papas Loca Potato sold at Troubadore Tavern are both solid options. I wish I could recommend the Coco-inspired menu at Paradise Garden Grill in DCA, but it mostly fell flat for us (the sole exception being the Tres Leches Parfait).
In total, we tried 24 Pixar Fest food and drink items during our visit. If you’d like, you can read through that post to see what we do and do not recommend. No matter your palette, there’s something for everyone at Pixar Fest.
Search for Hidden Pizza Planet Trucks
I’m sure you’ve heard of hidden mickey heads, but have you ever heard of hidden Pizza Planet trucks? I’m doubtful, because it’s new for this year’s Pixar Fest. Scattered throughout the resort are creatively themed and decorated Pizza Planet trucks that do an excellent job blending in with their surroundings.
There’s no official guide book, checklist, or anything like that, but there are fifty of them for you to find. To my knowledge, they’re only in the two parks. The truck photographed above is in one of the window displays of the Emporium on Main Street. I’ve seen others in the DCA Starbucks, Mission Breakout and in Adventureland.
It’s too bad Disney didn’t offer something similar to what they do for Easter and sell people an official checklist that offers clues to help you locate all fifty trucks. If you’re successful, you’d turn it in and receive a pin or something similar. Honestly, if you want to keep the kids busy and distracted, just have them search for these trucks. They could spend an entire day on this.
Together Forever - A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular
Much like the Better Together parade at DCA, the Together Forever Pixar Nighttime Spectacular at Disneyland is a rehash of the 2018 version, with several familiar moments from Toy Story, Inside Out, Coco and The Incredibles retained, and new scenes added from Turning Red, Luca, Soul, Onward and Elemental.
As far as where to view the show from, the same rules that apply to other fireworks shows at Disneyland, also apply here. The cream-of-the-crop spot is dead-center in front of the castle. For that view, you’ll need to arrive several hours prior to showtime and loiter until cast members put the ropes up.
Our personal favorite is in between and near the end of the Main Street buildings. My reasoning is twofold, in that you still get a great view of the projections and fireworks in and around the castle, but you also get to see the projection on the Main Street buildings as well, which adds to the experience in my humble opinion.
If you watched the 9:00pm showing of Fantasmic, specifically from one of the reserved viewing areas, you can stay put and watch the fireworks from there. The music will be piped in and you’ll (somewhat) see the projections on the water walls on the Rivers of America. In my opinion, it isn’t a great spot but if you’re already there, it beats having to fight your way through the crowds to the Main Street.
The show happens nightly at 9:30pm but due to local noise ordnances, the fireworks aspect of the show occurs only on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. During the week the show will be featured with projections only. Either way, you’re in for a great show.
Planning a trip to Disneyland? If so, be sure to stay privy to ride closures with my 2024 Disneyland Refurbishment Calendar. Furthermore, don’t get caught off guard by non-availability at your favorite restaurant by reading my 2024 Disneyland Dining Guide and 10 Best Disneyland Tips: Dining. Also, learn about the recent changes to Disney’s DAS program here. Finally, for great savings on tickets and vacation packages to Disneyland, Disney World, and Disney Cruise Line, visit my partners at Get Away Today.