My Honest Review of Clementine Hotel and Suites Anaheim (Bi-Level Loft)

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 searching for hotels near Disneyland, one will be presented a plethora of options. From budget-friendly to luxury level, there’s a hotel for everyone, most of which are within walking distance to Disneyland.

Recently I was planning a trip to the park for my Mother’s birthday. I wanted something where we’d be in the same room but with our own spaces, preferably not overly expensive, and close to the park. Enter, Clementine Hotel and Suites Anaheim.

I’ve known about Clementine for several years, as I’ve stayed at the neighboring budget-friendly Motel 6 Maingate and walked past the property en route to the parks several times. It’s difficult to miss with its brightly colored buildings, similarly patterned to that of an apartment complex.

Designed with long-term stays in mind, this property features an activity complex inclusive of a pool, two hot tubs and tennis court that doubles as a basketball court, self-service laundry room, complimentary buffet-style breakfast, and a range of rooms suitable for couples, families, and groups.

I booked their bi-level loft, which met all of my required criteria above. While there were a couple of drawbacks, overall, I had a good experience at this property. In this review, I’m going to detail my experience with check-in, the property itself, amenities, distance to the park and or course, my room. Let’s get into it!

Clementine Hotel and Suites Anaheim Location - 3/5

As the name would suggest, Clementine Hotel and Suites is located in the city of Anaheim, situated on the corner of South Clementine Street and Disney Way. Additionally, it’s conveniently located just a right turn away from the Interstate-5 exit for Disney Way.

The area surrounding the property appears safe, is well-lit at night and landscaped beautifully, though not to the extent of South Harbor and Katella Avenue. Disney and the city of Anaheim have spruced up the area considerably, though, due to the impending commencement of Disney’s Eastern Gateway Project.

Once that’s complete, the property will be a practical stone’s throw from the soon-to-be pedestrian bridge that’ll traverse South Harbor Boulevard and transfer guests into the new and improved esplanade (and hopefully along with it a slightly less archaic security process).

Clementine Hotel and Suites Anaheim to Disneyland

That’s still several years from reality, though. As it stands, Clementine Hotel and Suites is roughly an eighth of a mile walk to the front gate of Disneyland. Depending on your walking speed, along with time spent at stoplights, that equates to roughly 15-20 minutes of walking along a flat, well-maintained sidewalk.

To get there, you’ll walk west along Disney Way. Including the one just outside of the property and depending on your exact route, you’ll cross up to four cross-walks. You can reduce that to three (two and half, really) by crossing the first to the other side of Disney Way and turning right on South Harbor, before crossing South Harbor to eastern entrance.

If that’s too much for you, or you’re simply too exhausted to walk, the Anaheim Resort Transit (or, ART) shuttles have a stop at this location. It technically serves Clementine Hotel and neighboring Motel 6, but the stop itself is on Clementine’s property.

There are multiple shuttle stops between the hotel and the park which could negate the implied “saved time” from walking. I have, in the past, beaten shuttles, on foot, that left the location at the same time as I, to the park. That’s just conjecture, though. If you need it…it’s there.

Ride share pick-ups are easy from here as well. I utilized Uber quite a few times during this stay as for me, shuttles are a last resort (personal reasons). I often use Uber’s “comfort” service tier and rides ranged from around eight dollars on the low end to twelve at the top.

It isn’t the closest hotel to Disneyland, for sure, but it’s hardly the furthest. It’s a walkable distance for most, but has you covered with the shuttle, just in case. It’s even closer to Garden Walk, which expands your dining options with recognizable brands, and it’s just off of the freeway.

Conversely, one downfall to this location is its proximity to Anaheim Fire Station 3. It’s directly across the street on the west side of the property. Throughout the night, the fire engines, semi-regularly, left the station with lights and sirens belting. It didn’t affect my sleep, nor that of my Mom, but it’s worth mentioning in case you’re a light sleeper.

Parking and Resort Fee

Parking is abundant at this property. So much so that no matter which building you’re placed in, chances are good that you’ll be able to park nearby. Unlike most hotels near Disneyland, Clementine Hotel and Suites builds their parking fee into the resort fee. To my knowledge, they’re the only hotel close to Disneyland that does this.

There’s a one vehicle allowance for guests who’ve booked a studio or one-bedroom suite. Guests who’re staying in a bi-level loft or two-bedroom suite have a two vehicle allowance. Each additional vehicle beyond that is $15 per day.

At the time of this review’s publishing, Clementine’s resort fee is $35.17 per night, inclusive of tax. Many hotels in the area charge a resort fee, but only include common amenities such as WiFi, access to their fitness center, etc. They’ll then charge extra for parking and dining.

At Clementine, both parking and the daily breakfast buffet is included with the resort fee, in addition to the aforementioned common amenities. While I’ve never been a fan of resort fees, I find Clementine’s use of it reasonable, as opposed to predatory.

My Check-In Experience - 4.5/5

As is habit for me, I booked my room at Clementine Hotel through Expedia. The simple bookings and cancellations, along with having all of my bookings stored in one place, is convenient and hassle-free for me. I recommend the same for you.

Alternatively, you can book this property, along with your entire Disneyland vacation package, through Get Away Today. They’re the utmost authority on Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and Disney Cruise Line vacations.

Shameless affiliate plugs aside, my experience checking into Clementine Hotel and Suites was a smooth one. I flew into John Wayne airport early, around 11am. They do offer early check in, but I knew that would be pushing it.

Sure enough, there wasn’t a room available when I arrived. I booked the bi-level loft and they were all sold out the night before. We stored our luggage with the front desk and headed off to the Grand Californian Hotel for lunch at GCH Craftsman Grill (highly recommended, by the way).

Around 2:00pm, we went back to Clementine and were able to get checked in. Their normal check-in time is 4:00pm. I’m not sure if they normally charge to check-in early, as it isn’t explicitly stated on their website, but they never charged me for it.

The gentleman at the front desk was incredibly polite and friendly. After providing me with a map of the property and my room key, he gave me clear directions to my room and answered a few of my questions. All in all, checking in was a smooth, painless experience.

My Room (Bi-Level Loft) - 4/5

Downstairs

As previously stated, I booked their bi-level loft and was given one on the second floor. As the name suggests, there are two levels in the room. The bottom level features the living quarters with couch, loveseat, fireplace and TV, a kitchenette with full-size refrigerator, oven, cabinet space, microwave and coffee maker, along with the main bedroom.

In the bedroom are two queen-sized beds, wall-mounted flat screen TV, a space that could be used as a work station or vanity (with mirror), closet space and full bathroom. The west-facing room felt roomy, providing space to sleep up to four.

The bathroom featured a standard tub-style shower, which would be beneficial to those with littles. There’s been a recent trend amongst hotels near Disneyland opting for trendier, walk-in style showers, so this would be a welcoming feature.

Upstairs Loft

At the top of the stairwell is the loft space. To the left is a king-sized bed, flat screen TV and dresser. To the right is the sink (separated from the bathroom) and the bathroom itself, also featuring a bathtub-style shower.

Keep in mind that the upstairs area is a loft. Meaning there are no walls around the “bedroom” area of the space. It’s an open space with high ceilings with little in the way of privacy. If there’s someone downstairs in the common area watching TV, you’ll hear it.

My Mom was in the bedroom downstairs and I took the loft. I asked her if she could hear me walking around, as the loft’s sleeping area is directly above the downstairs bedroom. She said she could, but it wasn’t too bad. That said, I would think twice before putting someone with a heavy foot up there.

Both sets of bedding were the same. The mattress had just enough firmness to not completely sink into it, but enough give as to not cause me to feel like I was sleeping on a board. My body felt supported and comfortable, and not once did I wake up with back or hip sores.

The loft’s bathroom is small, with simply a toilet and bathtub-style shower inside. However, the sink is separated from the bathroom, enabling multiple persons to ready themselves. One drawback I noticed was the lack of space in the shower to place your personal items.

Clementine Hotel supplies full-size bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash displayed on the shower wall but aside from the two small corners around the bathtub rim, there’s virtually no space for your own items.

The Good

There’s much to like about the bi-level loft. Being able to be in the same room, yet having our own space was exactly what we were looking for. While we didn’t utilize the kitchenette, it’s a long-term stay essential and could definitely help families save money over buying food in the parks.

The bedding was also a positive, as was the room’s air conditioning. It wasn’t a hotel-regulating unit that I’ve been seeing at more and more properties. I had full control of it. Which is good, because my Mom and I are cold sleepers and the humidity during the week we were there was brutal.

For the most part, the room was spotless. No mystery stains on the bedding or any of the couches/chairs. No random hairs on the pillows or towels. Additionally, all appliances in the kitchenette were clean (even the coffee maker).

The Bad

There isn’t much to report, honestly. It’s definitely an aging property with plenty of room for improvement as it pertains to cosmetic issues. There were outside areas that could use a fresh coat of paint, such as the handrail and building walls. Large clusters of chipped paint was common.

Inside the room, again, paint and spackle could make all the difference. There were cracks in the siding around the bed in the loft, along with apparent water damage along the floor of the bathroom around the tub. A bit more attention to detail, as it pertains to dusting, is called for as well.

The biggest offense came in the bathroom upstairs. I’ll spare you the details but essentially, things were left un-flushed. It appeared to be cleaning supplies (towels) that the housekeeper used to clean the toilet and forgot to flush it.

I say that because the rest of it was perfectly clean. That, or I’m just trying to spare myself the memory of what I possibly saw, but I digress either way. Aside from that, I don’t have much in the way of complaints about the room.

Clementine Hotel Amenities - 3.8/5

Clementine Hotel and Suites offers a decent line up of amenities for guests. There’s the pool, which is located adjacent to the hotel lobby and features several lounge-style chairs and a hot tub. Adjacent to the pool is their “sport court”, appropriate for basketball or tennis play.

Behind the pool area, but still adjacent to the hotel lobby, is a self-service laundry room. The machines seemed to be well taken care of and clean. Bonus - each machine accepts credit/debit cards. No need to worry about bringing quarters.

Inside the lobby and to the left of the front desk is “The Market”. In it is a selection of commonly purchased snacks and drinks, such as Redbull, Monster, an array of sodas, Doritos, beef jerky, protein shakes and more. Price gouging is minimal as it’s all decently priced.

Kids weren’t forgotten about at Clementine Hotel. There is a play center in the main lobby, along with a playground in the back corner of the property. It’s oddly placed along the street, near an I-5 on/off-ramp though, so I’m not sure I would leave kids unattended there.

Additional amenities include a barbecue patio and fire pit, WiFi, dry cleaning service, stroller rentals, free parking (included in resort fee), and complimentary buffet-style breakfast (also included in your resort fee).

The daily breakfast consists of common breakfast fare, including eggs, potatoes, oatmeal, a variety of fruit, orange juice, milk and waffles. It’s far from a five-star dining experience, but it certainly beats shelling out $50 or more for a Disney breakfast.

One omission from their list of amenities is a fitness center. For a property that seemingly has it all and is near-perfect for long-term stays, the lack of a fitness center is astounding. If space is the issue, perhaps the space currently occupied by the sport court would suffice?

Is Clementine Hotel and Suites Pet Friendly?

Clementine Hotel is considered a pet-friendly property and allows up to two pets, up to seventy-five pounds per room, for a fee. The exact amount is unknown as it appears to change frequently but the latest I’ve seen is $250 per stay, in addition to a deposit hold on your credit card.

They also offer a pet package you could include with your room rate. The package includes discounted pet rates, a souvenir water bowl, and welcome snack for the pet. Looking at weekday dates in January, the rate is $318 per night and includes the aforementioned items with a studio room.

Final Thoughts

To summarize, I had a good experience at Clementine Hotel and Suites and would gladly recommend it. Large families or multi-family groups, I feel, would benefit most from their line-up of room types and featured amenities.

It’s disappointing that they’ve omitted a fitness center from the property, as they’re typically a foundational amenity for extended stay properties. That said, given that most folks who will book here are going to Disneyland, the sheer amount of walking around the parks alone could negate that.

Those who prefer to be closer to the parks may find its distance from Disneyland to be too great, as it’s pushing the one-mile mark. Conversely, the on-site shuttle stop creates a good middle-ground to help compensate for its distance.

If you’re interested in staying at Clementine Hotel and Suites for your upcoming trip to Disneyland, you can check rates and book at the links below (I’ll make a small commission if you do, but it won’t affect the rate you pay)

• Book through Expedia (if you just need a hotel and want preferred rates)

• Book through Get Away Today (for hotel + ticket packages, personalized service and magical extras)

Alternatively, you can research other hotel options that I recommend. One of my favorite hotels near Disneyland features the most cloud-like hotel mattress I’ve ever slept on and the other features 24/7 access to its resort-style pool and hot tub!

Disneyland Resort Price Increases (+ How to Save Money)

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.

In a move that surprised absolutely no one, Disney recently released their usual across-the-board pricing increases for the Disneyland Resort. Everything from single day tickets to Magic Keys and Lightning Lane to parking were affected.

What was surprising is that in large part the increases were modest, with a handful of ticket types receiving no increase at all. Disney’s never been shy about raising their prices, often standing on business in their defense against often overwhelming angst from the Disney fandom.

A recent example of this was them increasing the subscription price of their Hulu and Disney Plus streaming services. They did this despite strong brand protest from fans as a result of them (temporarily) yanking Jimmy Kimmel off the air, which occurred just weeks before this announcement.

Honestly, that move caught me off guard. I’m of the belief that the streaming price increase was on the books long before the Kimmel situation took place but the timing was unfortunate, at best, as many perceived it as Disney “poking the bear”, so-to-speak.

Likewise, for those thinking this recent increase is a strategy to recoup loses from the resulting canceled streaming subscriptions, that couldn’t be further from the truth. This is an annual, often times bi-annual, occurrence. It’s simply Disney raising their prices to match the value offered, along with offsetting rising operational costs.

Getting back to the subject at hand, this post is going to list the various price increases (along with some commentary and tips to save money) so you can better plan for your trip. Remember, a great way to get favorable deals on Disneyland tickets is through Get Away Today. They often feature deals such as “adults at kid prices”, “buy three days, get four” and more. You can see their current deals at this link.

Single-Day Ticket Price Increase

Single day tickets are priced much in the same way hotels determine their room rates - demand. The biggest difference being the various prices which are set in a pre-determined list of tiers, rather than increasing and decreasing by the hour (don’t get any ideas, Disney).

There are seven tiers, starting with Tier 0 and concluding with Tier 6. The top of the tier system, Tier 6, is reserved for what Disney believes will be their busiest days, which often revolve around major holidays and the like. Conversely, Tier 0 are the expected slow days and are competitively priced in an effort to boost attendance on those days.

One bright side to these increases is the surprising increase in Tier 0 days. That’s right, in conjunction with not raising Tier 0 pricing (still at $104), Disney also increased their availability. In last year’s increase Tier 0 days were limited to just 26 days. In this round, that number jumped to 46!

To the contrary, Tier 6 days saw a heavy increase to $224 from $206. This represents an 8.7% increase, the largest of all seven tiers. These varying prices are why I always recommend purchasing a multi-day ticket, as the per day price actually decreases with each additional day, thus increasing your overall value (up to 5).

Unlike Walt Disney World, Disneyland’s single-day tickets are priced identically, regardless of which park you’re visiting. It’s insanity, really. Especially when you consider there is so much more value at Disneyland over that of DCA. Though it’ll get closer to evening out over the next 5-10 years.

Moving on, below you’ll find the new pricing for each tier of single-day adult tickets:

• Tier 0 - $104 (no increase)

• Tier 1 - $129 (formally $126, a $3 bump)

• Tier 2 - $149 (formally $142, a $7 bump)

• Tier 3 - $169 (formally $164, a $5 bump)

• Tier 4 - $184 (formally $180, a $4 bump)

• Tier 5 - $199 (formally $196, a $3 bump)

• Tier 6 - $224 (formally $206, an $18 bump)

As you can see, Disney is precariously close to having two tiers exceeding the dreaded $200 mark. Tier 5 is closer than ever at $199. I would expect Disney to potentially leave this tier alone on the next round of increases. Simultaneously, it also wouldn’t surprise me to see it increased to that price-point.

It’s important to remember that these new prices don’t reflect the various up-charges, such as park hopping, which also saw a rise in price. The old price ranged between $65-$75, depending on tier day or the amount of days on your multi-day ticket. The new range is $70-$90, a jump of 7.4%-18%, respectively.

Multi-Day Ticket Price Increase

Multi-day tickets also received an increase, albeit a modest one. Each tier saw an increase between 1% and 2%, which makes sense as multi-day ticket pricing are tethered closely to single-day pricing, as they offer the advantage of per-day discounts with each additional day purchased.

New multi-day adult ticket pricing is as follows:

• 2-Day, 1-Park - $335 (previously $330)

• 3-Day, 1-Park - $425 (previously $415)

• 4-Day, 1-Park - $480 (previously $474)

• 5-Day, 1-Park - $520 (previously $511)

Additionally, new pricing for upgrading to a park hopper ticket are:

• 2-Day ticket - $100

• 3-Day ticket - $110

• 4-Day ticket - $120

• 5-Day ticket - $135

In large part, it’s a good idea to spend multiple days at Disneyland, three being my middle-of-the-road suggestion to most. Comparing pricing between multi-day and single-day tickets, it’s entirely possible to purchase multiple single-day tickets which combined could come out to lower than one multi-day ticket.

This is where it pays to study the tier calendar and compare it to your desired dates. With multi-day tickets, you pay one flat price. With single-day tickets, you’ll pay the park hopping up-charge for each ticket, which could significantly increase your cost if you’re not paying attention.

For example, February 24, 25 and 26, 2026 (a Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday), are Tier 0 days at $104 per day (adult pricing). You could purchase three of those single-day tickets for a total of $312 per adult. Compare that to a 3-day, 1-park ticket at $425 - which equates to a $113 savings per adult (remember, one park per day).

Conversely, let’s say you want to park hop. For the same dates, that’s another $70 per ticket, equating to an additional cost of $210 and making your new three day total $522 per adult. Compare that to the price of a three-day ticket with park hopping - $425 base + $110 for park hopping = $535. You’d save $13 per adult going this route. Modest savings, sure, but every dollar counts at Disneyland.

That equation changes if you’re visiting on busier days, though. Say you’re visiting around spring break, we’ll use March 31, April 1 and 2, 2026 (also Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday), as examples. Those days are listed at $169 (Tier 3), $169 (Tier 3) and $184 (Tier 4) respectively.

If you purchased these days separately, your total would $522 per adult. Compare that to the base price of a three-day ticket ($425) and you’re saving $97 per adult going the multi-day ticket route already. Now, add the park hopper option:

• 3/31 - $80

• 4/01 - $80

• 4/02 - $80

Adding park hopping to three, single-day tickets in this scenario would increase your cost by $240, making your new total $762 per adult. Purchasing a three-day ticket ($425) and adding park hopping to it ($110) is the obvious route to take here.

I just threw a lot of numbers at you, I know. Bottom line, it pays to study single-day ticket pricing and compare them to your dates. At worst, you save some money. At best, you avoid tremendously overspending. By the way, these numbers don’t even account for adding Lighting Lane to your ticket (or parking, for that matter).

Lightning Lane and Parking

Parking

Along with park tickets, the cost of resort parking and Lightning Lane, Disney’s loathed skip-the-line service, also saw increases. The new parking fees are effective immediately and account for vehicles parked at any of the various resort parking garages/lots, as well as their resort hotels (but not Downtown Disney).

Parking rates for all vehicle types are now:

• Car/Motorcycle - $40 (previously $35)

• Oversized Vehicle - $45 (previously $40)

• Bus/Tractor (has anyone actually parked a tractor at Disneyland?) - $50 (previously $45)

• Preferred Parking - $60 (previously $55)

Parking cost has always been a contentious topic at Disneyland, behind only ticket prices and the ever-increasing cost of a churro (worth it). That said, Disney has cornered the market as nearby options are severely limited, at best.

To save, you could park at the Anaheim Artic Station at 2626 East Katella. Day parking is free, though you’ll need to take an Anaheim Resort Transit (ART) shuttle to the park, as the artic station is roughly 3.5-miles away from Disneyland.

The 553 bus runs straight from the artic station and drops passengers off at Disneyland’s eastern entrance on South Harbor (there are a couple stops in between). ART charges a modest fee of $2 per person, per way. Depending on your party size, this could equate to a significant amount of money saved.

If cost doesn’t bother you and you’d rather park a bit closer to the park, The Anaheim Hotel on South Harbor reserves a limited amount of non-guest parking on its lot. Their price is the same as Disney’s at $40 for the day, but you’ll need to arrive EARLY as they tend to sell out quickly.

Lastly, if you’re planning to visit for multiple days you could save significantly by purchasing a “parking membership” at nearby GardenWalk. You pay $72 (which already costs less than two days parking at Disney) and it’s good for four parks, making each park $18.

Even if you’re only going to the park for two or three days, this is still advantageous over parking at Disney, cost-wise. You can either walk to the park from GardenWalk or take an ART shuttle, which has a pick-up/drop-off location on-site. You can find more information here.

Lightning Lane

I know I’ll likely catch a lot of hell for this, but I’m firmly in the camp that believes Lighting Lane should be expensive, so I don’t see its recent price increase as a bad thing. In fact, I don’t feel Disney raised it high enough. Before you come at me in the comments, hear me out.

If too many guests purchase Lightning Lane on a given day, then stand-by queues will suffer greatly as a result. Often times needlessly. When Disneyland reopened from their covid closure, it was purely stand-by queues only. During my wife and I’s entire visit that trip, we didn’t wait longer than twenty-five minutes for any attraction.

In fairness, that would be different now with demand at an all-time high. I’m not advocating for Lighting Lane to go the way of Splash Mountain, quite the opposite, actually. It serves a purpose and should be offered, just not at rock bottom prices (when compared to nearby Universal Studios).

At its current price-point, most guests could afford to spring for it, given the right budget and amount of time to save up. Additionally, Disney doesn’t seem to limit sales much, opting instead to charge a higher price for high-demand days.

It’s no secret that Lightning Lane significantly impacts wait times so by selling it at a low price-point, stand-by queues become stagnant and Lightning Lane queues develop a wait of their own, completely defeating the service’s entire purpose. Everybody loses in this all-too-real scenario.

If it’s priced higher (like similar offerings elsewhere), less guests would be inclined to purchase it. You may think that would mean less money for Disney, but that’s not the case. Disney will still profit substantially by charging a higher price to fewer people.

Disney still profits, folks who purchase LL get what they’re promised, and all other guests wait in reasonable stand-by queues. It’s a win-win all around. That said, it’s unlikely to happen anytime soon, especially given the release of Lightning Lane Premiere Pass, so I digress.

At the Disneyland Resort, Lightning Lane Multi-Pass’s (LLMP) price varies. If you purchase the service at the time of purchasing your tickets ahead of your visit, you’ll pay the new base price of $34 per day, per person. This is a $2 increase from $32. Again, this is the pre-purchase price.

If you decline to purchase Lightning Lane with your tickets and change your mind later on, your only option is to purchase it on the day of your visit. If visiting on multiple days, you’ll need to purchase for each day of your visit. Additionally, you’ll need to be scanned into the parks before doing so.

Going this route is a gamble, as the price varies according to demand. It begins at $34 and there’s no official ceiling, so-to-speak, but the current highest price (post-price increases) that’s been advertised is $40. It could go higher than that, though.

Lightning Lane Premiere Pass (LLPP) now starts at $399 and peaks at $499, up $100 from each end of the spectrum. I wrote an extensive post detailing what makes LLPP different from LLMP and who would benefit most from it. You can read that post here.

There’s no real way to save money with Lightning Lane. The price is the price. Though if you’re certain you and your group will benefit from it and use it, I recommend purchasing ahead of time (with your park tickets) to ensure you’ll pay the base price and nothing more.

Magic Key Price Increase

Lastly, we’ll discuss Magic Keys. If you don’t know what they are, they’re Disneyland’s equivalent to an annual pass program. There are multiple tiers and each one offers its own set of benefits, perks, blockout dates and finally…price.

In a somewhat surprising move, Disney only raised prices of two of the four tiers. The two higher tiers are what saw the increase while their two lower, more affordable tiers were left alone. This move appears to be in the same vein as Disney not raising the price of Tier 0 (value) single-day tickets.

Those who really want the highest tiered keys will find a way to afford them, while those who can afford the lower two will (assumingely) appreciate theirs being left alone (for now). In Disney’s eyes, it’s good PR. Something they can point to in times of crisis.

Note that benefits and perks didn’t change, just cost. The new prices are:

• Imagine Key: $599 (no change)

• Enchant Key: $974 (no change)

• Believe Key: $1475 (previously $1374, a 7% increase)

• Inspire Key: $1899 (previously $1749, an 8.2% increase)

If you’re a local and you visit the parks often, then purchasing a Magic Key is a no-brainer. If you’re an out-of-area visitor who goes to the parks regularly, they can be a great deal as compared to purchasing a series of multi-day tickets.

For most causal guests, though, Magic Keys aren’t even in the conversation. The cost of a single key, even at the lowest tier, is substantially higher than even the most expensive multi-day ticket. Difficult to justify for a single trip, even with accompanying discounts.

With two annual visits at five days each ($520 for a five day ticket, $1040 total), purchasing an Enchant Key ($974) would be the way to go. Similarly, three annual visits at three to four days each would also justify an Enchant, possibly even a Believe Key. It just depends how often you visit.

Whatever you do, don’t justify the purchase of a key off of the discounts alone. Trust me, they’re largely not that great. Getting 20% off of merchandise with the Inspire Key is, don’t get me wrong, but even that wouldn’t amount to any actual “savings” for the typical guest who visits just once a year.

***Read more about Disneyland’s Magic Key program and when they’re available for purchase here

That said, I hope you enjoyed this article and that at least some of the tips and advice given helped you in some way. If you’re still looking for a hotel near Disneyland for your trip, see my top recommendation here. Additionally, read my review of Great Maple, one of my go-to eateries at the resort.

Best Time to Visit Disneyland in 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.

Sorry to begin this post with bad news but generally speaking, October is a busy month at the Disneyland Resort. Driven largely by the park’s various Halloween-themed offerings, including Cars Land’s Haul-O-Ween, scattered decor, attraction overlays and principally, the hard-ticketed, Oogie Boogie Bash - A Disney Halloween Party.

Locals and tourists alike have a penchant for the spooky season at the Disneyland Resort, meaning crowd levels often flirt with or exceed those of the summer months. It used to be a sleeper-season of sorts, but that began to change even prior to the covid-closures, which they themselves caused predictable crowd patterns to experience an F-5 level of calamity.

October single-day ticket prices are, on average, either highest or in the top three highest months of the year. This won’t affect most guests, as multi-day ticket and Magic Key holders far outnumber those holding single-day passes. In any case, it’s an indication of what to expect in terms of crowds.

In this post, I’m going to discuss the best time to visit Disneyland in October, as well as the worst. I’m basing these semi-predictions on historical data from the prior two years, but I make no guarantees. As previously stated, crowd patterns have become somewhat unpredictable in recent years, though it is beginning to normalize again.

Let’s get into it!

Worst Time to Visit Disneyland in October

October 11 - 13 (worst)

The biggest contributor to crowds this particular weekend is simple…Indigenous Peoples Day. The holiday itself is on the 13th, which is a Monday, giving many families a three-day weekend to work with. Traditionally, crowds at Disneyland during this time are dense.

Another driver is Oogie Boogie Bash, which takes place on the 12th (a Sunday). The bash doesn’t directly drive higher crowds, but since Disney California Adventure closes early to regular park guests on event nights, many of those guests migrate across the esplanade to Disneyland, causing a swell in crowds over there.

Conversely, Sunday crowds haven’t been as high as they’ve traditionally been. My wife and I visited on Mother’s Day and many attractions were virtual walk-ons or had minimal waits. After discussing it with several cast members, they’ve confirmed that’s been the norm lately, albeit with few exceptions.

If you’re keen on visiting Disneyland in October, I’d avoid these days at all costs. If you’re reading this post a bit late and have already booked these dates, I suggest spending Sunday at Disneyland and not DCA. DCA closes early that day for OBB. There’s no sense in paying for a full day and only getting a partial day in return.

Crowd Level: 9/10

October 8 - 10 (second worst)

Many school breaks, particularly in Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and portions of California, have fall breaks around these days. Families typically use these breaks as an excuse to visit Disneyland. When you consider these days precede the aforementioned three-day holiday weekend, a spike in crowds is unavoidable.

Additionally, October 9 will host Oogie Boogie Bash. Despite it being a weekday, the same migration discussed above still occurs. If you’re in Disneyland when this happens you’ll definitely notice, especially around the typical choke-points like Main Street, Adventureland and New Orleans Square.

Crowd Levels: 7-8/10

October 1 - 7 (third worst)

While not quite as crowded as the two former sets of dates, the first full week of October commences the traditional beginning of the Halloween season, despite Disneyland christening mid-August as their official beginning.

There are three Oogie Boogie Bash dates throughout this timeframe. While you’ll likely be predominately safe from fall break crowds, the mild, comfortable weather will surely bring in Magic Key holders (locals), which make up a large chunk of Disneyland’s attendance levels.

Additionally, a non-U.S holiday to consider is Canada’s Thanksgiving. While it doesn’t take place until the second week of October, some Canadians take advantage of the impending holiday and start their vacations earlier. Many of which commonly choose Disneyland as their destination of choice.

Crowd Level: 7-8/10

Best Time to Visit Disneyland in October

October 14 - 16 (third best)

Full blown Halloween vibes accompanied by manageable queues. This three-day stretch of a Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday falls just after the holiday weekend crowds have returned home, offering a short, three-day window of relative calm.

This isn’t to say it’ll be a ghost town, as there will be some carry-over holiday crowd levels warranting the purchase of Lightning Lane. That said, it’ll certainly beat the alternative of fighting dense holiday-level crowds.

The only downfall to these dates are the two Oogie Boogie Bash events. One held on Tuesday and the other on Thursday. If you’re purchasing a three-day ticket, this is enough of a conundrum where adding the park hopper option would be advantageous. This way, DCA closing early wouldn’t impact you as much.

Crowd Level: 7/10

October 26 - 30 (second best)

This is a great time go just before the often bonkers Halloween day/night crowds appear. These are Sunday through Thursday dates, which means Monday will likely be the busiest of the bunch, followed by Sunday. However, they’ll be nothing compared to those earlier in the month.

Another reason why crowds tend to be lower during this time is many folks are preparing for Disneyland’s transition to the Christmas season, which officially commences on November 14 this year.

As such, the Halloween crowds have largely tapered off by this point (with the exception of Halloween day itself) and there’s still another couple weeks before the absurdly-dense holiday crowds begin to make their presence known.

Crowd Level: 6/10

October 21 - 23 (best)

These particular days are great for many of the same reasons as the previous dates, just with the added benefit of mid-week days providing some of the lowest crowds you’ll see all month. Again, you’ll still have Oogie Boogie Bash crowd migrations to deal with, but that can be mitigated by park hopping and a bit of planning.

While both OBB events during this timeframe are sold out, the frenzy shouldn’t be too bad, as park-savvy locals have largely already attended their OBB and mostly out-of-area tourists remain from here on out.

The Halloween season is in full swing, the fall break crowds have largely passed, there are no holidays to contend with and weather is ideal. It’s hardly an empty park and walk-on attractions will still amount to unicorns, but it’ll be manageable and enjoyable, at minimum.

Crowd Level: 5-6/10

What’s Closed in October?

Closed attractions, particularly those of the e-ticket variety, can have a profound effect on crowd levels. Each attraction has an hourly rider capacity number. If you don’t know, hourly rider capacity is the number of guests each attraction can move per hour.

When they’re operating, guests are contained within the attraction itself and its queue (those waiting to get on the ride). When attractions are closed, that same number of guests who would’ve been spread out between more attractions will now compound in the smaller number of attractions still operating, causing a swell.

That said, closed attractions don’t actually increase crowd levels, but they do make those same crowds feel higher than they actually are and they have a profound effect on attraction wait times. You can see planned closures, also known as refurbishments, on the Disneyland website.

In October, there will several attraction closures to deal with. There won’t be much going on at Disney California Adventure, with Goofy Sky School and Mickey’s PhilharMagic, respectively, going down for short refurbishments.

Across the esplanade at Disneyland, though, two Fantasyland attractions, Casey Jr. Circus Train and Storybook Land Canal Boats will remain closed throughout the entire month. Additionally, guest favorite Big Thunder Mountain, which will have the greatest effect, will also remain closed.

Lastly, it’s a small world goes down for the final two days of the month to prepare for its annual transformation into “it’s a small world holiday”. This refurbishment extends into November and usually only lasts a couple weeks.

If you’re planning to visit Disneyland in October, be sure to download the Disneyland app and read my post about its most useful features. If it’s your first time to Disneyland (or it’s been a while), see my twenty-one best planning tips here. Lastly, see my current top recommendation for a hotel close to Disneyland.

My Honest Review of Oogie Boogie Bash Dessert Party

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.

At Disney’s annual Halloween event, Oogie Boogie Bash, one of the event’s exclusive attractions is Frightfully Fun Parade. It’s been featured at every bash since the inaugural event in 2019 and has proven to be popular among guests.

While the parade is included with your event ticket, as is securing your own spot along the parade route, there is a way to elevate your experience by booking a Oogie Boogie Bash dessert party package.

The dessert party includes a variety of desserts (of course), non-alcoholic drinks, cocktail (for those 21+) and most importantly of all - an actual seat to enjoy the parade from. That’s right, no sitting on the same ground thousands of dirty shoes traverse on a daily basis.

In this review, I’m going to describe the details of the dessert party - what it includes, how much it costs, the check-in process, etc. I’ll also showcase photos I took of the parade from my seat and at the end, provide my opinion of whether or not it’s worth the money. Let’s get into it!

Dessert Party Cost and How to Book

In 2025, the Oogie Boogie Bash dessert party costs an eye-watering $94 per person. Notice the keyword - person - not adult. Anyone aged three or higher pays the same rate. If you have infants or toddlers aged two or younger, then they’re free.

That price is inclusive of tax and gratuity, so no surprises at checkout. To book, go to the dessert party page on the Disneyland website and click/tap “check availability”. You’ll then be shown available dates and you’ll follow directions from there.

You should have decided ahead of time which parade to book. Frightfully Fun has two showings per event night, at 7:45pm and 10:00pm. My recommendation is to choose the second showing, as viewing spots (dessert party seating included) are typically less competitive (this is a tip I always give to first timers).

Another choice you’ll make during check in is if you prefer a high top table or lower table. If you want unobstructed views, I recommend the lower table. That’s what my Mother and I opted for and as you can see in this post’s photos, my view was just that…unobstructed.

Note that you shouldn’t book the dessert party unless you already have Oogie Boogie Bash tickets. Booking the dessert party won’t gain you access into the bash on its own. Traditionally, dessert party bookings are made available in early July each year, roughly a few weeks post-bash ticket sales.

Be sure to purchase a dessert party package for each person in your group, as only those with confirmed bookings will be granted access to the tables. Even though they’re free, be sure to still include those aged two and younger in your booking to avoid headaches.

What’s Included

Desserts & More

Once you’ve checked into the event and have been seated, each person will be given a signature box with an Oogie Boogie graphic sleeve (like the one pictured above). Inside, you’ll receive:

• A delectable selection of desserts

• Artisan charcuterie items (cheeses, salami, etc)

• Assoted freeze-dried fruit with gummy worms

• Exclusive enamel collectable pin

Aside from the desserts, which we’ll get to in a moment, you’ll receive one of three collectable Oogie Boogie Bash dessert party pins. You’ll either get the colorful one (common), colorful with glitter version (rare), or the gold-backed pin (ultra rare). I was lucky enough to score the ultra rare pin!

The selection of desserts are Halloween and Oogie Boogie-themed. For example, the Patchwork sugar cookie, which is themed after Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas. In my opinion, it’s the best dessert in the box, as it’s soft with a slight crisp on the edges.

Other desserts in the box include the Blueberry Ooze Cake, Salted Caramel Macaron (not allergy friendly), a duo of mini cupcakes on cookies and cream tart and the Halloween Krispy, a rice crispy treat resembling a sushi roll.

Beverages

Beverages are also included in the dessert party package and are unlimited (in spirit, anyway. More on that later). Included are a variety of non-alcoholic options, such as bottled water, coffee, hot chocolate, tea, Coke, Diet Coke and Sprite. There’s also the Oogie Boogie Bash specialty mocktail (pictured above).

Its exact flavor profile is unknown, but it’s straight out of the evil queen’s cauldron with a flavor profile akin to a citrus-punch and topped with a light whip. There’s enough sweetness to please the kids but just enough tang to keep adults from throwing it out.

For those who want to enjoy an adult beverage before the parade, there’s the Oogie Boogie Bash specialty cocktail. Much like its non-alcoholic counterpart, the exact flavor profile hasn’t been published. What I can say is it’s refreshing, is surprisingly liquor-forward (in a good way) and is tropical in taste.

If you want to skip the sugary drinks, you can opt for a selection of beers and wine. Exactly which brand(s) they serve is unknown, but your server would be able to provide you with that information.

Seating

Perhaps the biggest selling point of an Oogie Boogie Bash dessert party package is the seating. The usual strategy for Disneyland parades is to hunt down a spot on the ground along the parade route and camp there throughout the duration of the parade.

That’s of no concern here, as you’ll be provided with an actual chair to sit on and table to keep your food and drinks secure. This perk, alone, often sells the dessert party packages, with the desserts and beverages simply being an added bonus.

Dessert Party Check-In Process

It’s important to remember to check in for your dessert party booking. If you forget, it’s possible you’ll be seated later than everyone else and get stuck with a less-than-desirable view or worse…no view at all. Keep these terms in mind:

• Parade Showing: The time the parade begins

• Reservation time: 45-minutes prior to the parade showing time

• Check in time: One hour prior to your reservation time

You’ll check in one hour prior to your reservation time via mobile check in on the Disneyland app. Let’s say you chose the second showing, which begins at 10:00pm. That makes your reservation time 9:15pm (45-minutes prior to parade) and thus, you’ll check in at 8:15pm (one hour prior to reservation).

It’s a bit more stringent if you opted for the first showing, which is at 7:45pm. That makes your reservation time 7:00pm and since you’ll be checking in one hour prior to your reservation, that means 6:00pm…sharp. That’s also the time the bash begins, so don’t forget.

After checking in, you’ll receive a text message when your table is ready. This text will arrive either right at or shortly before your reservation time. In the examples above, that would be 7:45pm or 9:15pm. The text will tell you which section of the dessert party to report to.

You’ll either be sent to report to the sections near Wine Country Trattoria or in front of the Little Mermaid attraction. Unfortunately, there’s no way to choose for yourself and you won’t know where you’ll be seated until the text message comes in.

Seating Pattern, Drink Service and Parade Route

My Mother and I were seated at a lower table (just like we wanted) in front of the Little Mermaid attraction. The view was completely unobstructed, with the Mickey Mouse-side of the Pixar Pal Around attraction in Pixar Pier serving as the backdrop.

Each table, regardless if it’s lower or a high top, comes with four chairs each. Meaning, if you’re a party of two or three, you will likely be seated with another party. To keep things fair, cast members place one member of the party in the front seat and the other in the back seat.

If you both prefer the front the seats and you’re the first ones to the table, you could always try (politely) requesting the cast member to seat you accordingly. There’s no guarantee, though, so be prepared for that.

At your table will be a card with a QR code. Scan this code with your phone to see a nondescript menu of what is offered. There is no printed menu and the QR code just takes you to a general list of what’s offered, much like this post (so you may as well just save this post and reference it later).

Your server will come to your table to introduce themselves and answer any questions you may have. They’ll first drop off your signature dessert box and will then take your drink orders.

In my experience, the service was efficient and prompt. I was able to order and receive both the cocktail and mocktail with a minimal wait. This could have something to do my Mom and I arriving a bit late and most others having already submitted their orders, though.

You’ll have up until the start of the parade to order drinks. Once the parade begins, drink service will conclude. This is why it’s important to arrive as close to your reservation time as possible. This way, you can maximize the value as much as possible.

The parade runs for approximately fifteen or twenty minutes. It begins just behind Incredicoaster and coasts through Paradise Gardens Park, up Performance Corridor, briefly into the Buena Vista hub, then down Hollywoodland before concluding near Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission BREAKOUT!

Normally, when there’s two performances in the same day or night, the parades run in the reverse order during the second showing. Meaning it’ll begin in Hollywoodland before ultimately concluding in Paradise Gardens.

Frightfully Fun bucks this trend and runs both performances in the same direction. Not sure if this is a new development as the Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration parade, which ran during Pixar Fest in 2024, ran opposite directions, but I digress.

Is Oogie Boogie Bash Dessert Party Worth It?

Moving to commentary, the debate as to whether or not the Oogie Boogie Bash dessert party is worth it is a polarizing one. There are many who’re solidly in the “no” camp, while others admit it’s overpriced, but justify the expense solely by the guaranteed seat.

I should note that this was my first experience with the dessert party, but far from my first bash. In fact, it was my fourth. I’ve seen Frightfully Fun parade during prior events, once via the now scraped dining package offered by restaurant Wine Country Trattoria.

What made this bash different was I brought my Mother, who’s never attended an Oogie Boogie Bash and thus, has never seen Frightfully Fun. I initially planned for the dining package again, as I felt the meal and viewing area combination to be of decent value.

Due to Disney seemingly shelving the dining package option in favor of further expanding dessert party seating, I was forced to pivot and booked a dessert party package instead. I did this just a week out from my bash night, by the way. It doesn’t appear to sell as exponentially as event tickets do.

That said, having the option of an actual seat was more advantageous for us (Mom specifically) than the standing-room only viewing area the dining packaged would’ve provided. We flew in from the Bay Area that morning and were already exhausted before the parade even began. Having the ability to “rest the dogs” was nice.

For that reason, I give that aspect of the dessert party top marks. Expanding upon that opinion, I feel compelled to point out the check-in process and how I feel it caused unnecessary distraction from the event leading up to that point.

I understand the need to check in, as no-shows occur and checking in ahead of time gives Disney a better idea of seating availability. However, I often felt anxious leading up to check-in, constantly checking the time and the Disneyland app. Then, once I did check in, I kept checking for their text, not wanting to miss it.

For me, and those like me, who get overly anxious with things such as this, it’s distracting. I often felt myself being more concerned about the time and a text message, rather than what was going on around me.

While we were eating, the text unexpectedly popped up, right around the 9:15pm mark. We were at Smokejumpers Grill at the time and needed to trek it to the Little Mermaid building. By the time we arrived, a queue had already formed at the check-in desk.

By the time we made it through the queue and were seated, it was 9:39pm. Just a short twenty-one minutes prior to parade time. I was able to receive my cocktail and mocktail before drink service concluded, though, which contrasts sharply with other Oogie Boogie Bash dessert party reviews I’ve read.

I’ve read many reports of folks only receiving one drink and never seeing their server again, totally negating the benefit of "unlimited drinks” as a perk. That wasn’t my experience at all, as our server was attentive and prompt, but it’s still worth mentioning.

To the contrary, had we arrived early enough to be seated quickly, I similarly view that as a potential drawback, as it takes up quite a bit of time from an event that’s only five hours in length. Dependent upon the individual bash night, those five hours already cost as much or more than a regular full day park ticket.

Between spending forty-five minutes in the seating area and sitting through the parade itself, that’s an hour or more of event time consumed. Admittedly, finding your own spot would likely take up as much time, but that could be reduced by watching the second showing, where space is often more readily available at the last minute.

Still, it’s a big ask to dedicate that much event time to a single attraction. So why did I book it? As mentioned earlier, it was Mom’s first OBB and she has a penchant for Disney parades. So I already knew going in this would be a highlight for her and I wanted to make it extra special.

Would I still have booked it if it were just me? Or if my wife, who has also been to OBB numerous times, was with me instead? Besides wanting the content and first-hand experience to write this review, the dessert party would’ve likely been a hard pass.

Then again, the main highlight for me during Oogie Boogie Bash are the characters and Villains Grove, so I don’t concern myself too much with parades. I do enjoy them, but I’ve already seen Frightfully Fun and while it’s a fine parade, I feel it’s largely a one-and-done. Especially considering it hasn’t changed much since its inception.

Combine the time commitment with the overall quality of the desserts and drinks, which fall somewhere between mediocre and decent, plus the fact you could easily attain a similar view on your own, and that equates to a $94 horse-pill that’s nearly impossible to swallow.

Be that as it may, the true seller is the seat. That’s the perk most folks, myself included, use to justify the egregious price. The desserts and drinks are merely a fringe benefit to most guests. So is the seat, alone, worth $94? That depends, as it would likely be an equally polarizing debate as the first question.

Bottom line - if you and/or your group have a penchant for Disney parades, you’ve never seen Frightfully Fun and the thought of sitting on the ground sounds like an absurd notion (and you have money to burn), you may find the up-charged dessert party worthwhile.

Conversely, if this isn’t your first bash and you’ve already seen Frightfully Fun, then I wouldn’t recommend it as it simply consumes too much time and you wouldn’t have any issues finding a great spot on your own, especially during the second showing.

For clarity, the time commitment aspect of the dessert party bothers me more than its price. For a family of five, that’ll likely be in reverse order. The sticker shock is real, for sure, but considering the only other avenue of obtaining a seat is by booking an Oogie Boogie Bash VIP Tour…that $94 suddenly sounds reasonable.

What about you? If you’ve done the Oogie Boogie Bash dessert party, did you feel it was worth it? What led you to your decision? If you haven’t done it, are you considering it? Tell me in the comments below.

Is The Disneyland App Worth It? (10 Features to Suggest “Yes”)

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.

Since first moving their theme parks into the digital age in the late 2000-teens, the Disneyland app has evolved to become an essential tool in not only planning your Disneyland vacation, but your day-to-day at the parks as well.

This is much to the chagrin of certain guests who prefer to remain “in the moment” and not buried in a screen. The consequences are steep, though. By not using the app, you’d be putting yourself at a severe disadvantage.

From seeing wait times from one central location and using Lightning Lane, all the way to ordering your meals and remembering your parking space. Your entire Disneyland trip, quite literally, is built into the app.

In this post, I’m going to discuss the numerous features of the app and provide brief summaries on why they’re all important to your trip in one way or another. Let’s get into it!

1) Mobile Ordering (Quick Service Dining)

Arguably the biggest reason to use the Disneyland app is so you can submit mobile orders for select quick service restaurants. Aside from digital tickets, mobile ordering was one of the first major features of the app.

It was pushed and improved upon when the resort reopened after its covid-closure and has proven itself to be a valuable, time-saving tool for guests. So much so, that it’s one of the first tips I give to first timers going to Disneyland.

What started with a handful of park restaurants has since expanded to nearly every quick-service eatery in both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure, including select snack cars. These include:

Disneyland Park

• Alien Pizza Planet (Tomorrowland)

• Bengal BBQ (Adventureland)

• Cafe Daisy (ToonTown)

• Candy Palace and Kitchen (Main Street U.S.A)

• Docking Bay 7 (Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge)

• Edelweiss Snacks (Fantasyland)

• Galactic Grill (Tomorrowland)

• Gibson Girl Ice Cream (Main Street U.S.A)

• The Golden Horseshoe (Frontierland)

• Hungry Bear Barbecue Jamboree (Bayou Country)

• Harbour Gallery at Pelican Landing (New Orleans Square)

• Jolly Holiday Bakery (Main Street U.S.A)

• Little Red Wagon (Main Street U.S.A)

• Milk Stand (Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge)

• Mint Julep Bar (New Orleans Square)

• Pooh Corner (Bayou Country)

• Red Rose Tavern* (Fantasyland)

• Refreshment Corner (Main Street U.S.A)

• Ronto Roasters (Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge)

• Royal Street Veranda (New Orleans Square)

• Stage Door Cafe (Frontierland)

• The Tropical Hideaway (Adventureland)

• Tiki Juice Bar (Adventureland)

• Tiana’s Palace (New Orleans Square)

• Troubadour Tavern (Fantasyland)

Disney California Adventure

• Award Weiners (Hollywood Land)

• Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats (Pixar Pier)

• Aunt Cass Cafe (San Fransokyo Square)

• Bayside Brews (Paradise Gardens Park)

• Bing Bong’s Sweet Stuff (Pixar Pier)

• Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta (Paradise Gardens Park)

• Cappuccino Cart (San Fransokyo Square)

• Clarabelle’s (Buena Vista Street)

• Cocina Cucamonga Grill (San Fransokyo Square)

• Corn Dog Castle (Paradise Gardens Park)

• Cozy Cones* (Cars Land)

• Flo’s V8 Cafe (Cars Land)

• Hollywood Lounge (Hollywood Land)

• Lucky Fortune Cookery (San Fransokyo Square)

• Mendocino Terrace (Performance Corridor)

• Paradise Gardens Grill (Paradise Gardens)

• Popcorn at Grizzly Peak Airfield (Grizzly Peak)

• Port of San Fransokyo Cerveceria (San Fransokyo Square)

• Pym Tasting Lab (Avenger’s Campus)

• Pym Test Kitchen (Avenger’s Campus)

• Rita’s Turbine Blenders (San Fransokyo Square)

• Schmoozies! (Hollywood Land)

• Smokejumpers Grill (Grizzly Peak)

• Sonoma Terrace (Pacific Wharf)

• Studio Catering Co. (Hollywood Land)

• Trolley Treats (Buena Vista Street)

Disney Resort Hotels

• The Coffee House (Disneyland Hotel)

• Tangaroa Terrace Tropical Bar & Grill (Disneyland Hotel)

Downtown Disney District

• Wonderful World of Sweets

As you can see, the list is long and they’ve even started expanding the service out to the hotels. It wouldn’t surprise me to see more eateries in Downtown Disney join this list in the future. They’ve even made Tiki Juice Bar, which serves the park-famous Dole Whip Float, a mobile order only location.

It wouldn’t surprise me to see that branch out to additional locations. After the resort’s reopening in 2021, several locations were mobile order only. Those test locations have scaled back since, but you never know.

2) Buying & Scanning Tickets

Between crowd control and park reservations, the days of showing up to the park and purchasing your tickets at a booth are slowly, but surely, going the way of Splash Mountain. Tickets have largely gone digital in the last 4-5 years and Disney has been pushing it hard.

These days, you can purchase and store your tickets right on your phone. No more worrying about losing them or getting them soaked on Grizzly River Run. When you arrive to the gate, simply scan the ticket on your phone and you’re off.

To purchase park tickets in the app:

1. Make sure you’ve created an account

2. Tap the + symbol at the bottom of the screen

3. Tap, “Buy Tickets and Passes”

4. Select, “Theme Park Tickets”

5. Select the number of days you’ll be in the parks

6. Select the quantity of tickets (adults, child, etc)

7. Select either “One Park Per Day” or “Park Hopper”

8. You’ll then be shown available reservations (Note: You will not be able to purchase tickets without available reservations)

9. You’ll then select which park you want to begin each day of your reservations

10. From here, select “Checkout” and fill in your payment info

Magic Key Passes

To purchase a Magic Key pass:

1. Follow steps one & two above

2. Select, “Magic Key Passes”

3. Select which pass you want (Note: If you are not a Southern California resident, you will NOT be able to purchase the “Imagine” Key Pass)

4. Select the number of passes and who to assign them to (Note: You will only be able to take advantage of the monthly payment option if you’re a State of California resident)

5. Enter your payment info and follow the steps to link your new Magic Key to your account

With the new gates installed at the resort comes new procedures. When you arrive and use your ticket for the first time, you’ll scan your ticket. The screen in front of you will prompt you to take a photo by pressing a button. Then the gates will open, allowing you through.

Every time you scan your ticket thereafter, it’ll simply prompt the gates to open (provided you have a valid reservation for that day). Many folks miss the physical tickets, as they were considered by many to be souvenirs. To me, the convenience and security of digital supersedes that.

3) Attraction Virtual Queues

While Disneyland doesn’t utilize virtual queues much anymore, but the service is still dusted off from time to time, mostly for highly anticipated attractions. Virtual queues at Disneyland were birthed with the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, and have been used sporadically since.

Since it isn’t a main-stay feature of the Disneyland app, you won’t need to concern yourself with it much. Unless, of course, you’re visiting during the opening a new e-ticket attraction or recently refurbished one.

In the past, the two main attractions that heavily used the virtual queue system were Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance and Web Slingers. Then, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway was briefly added following its opening, followed most recently by Walt Disney: A Magical Life stage show.

Additionally, Disney uses the virtual queue system for DCA’s nighttime spectacular - World of Color. It isn’t necessary, per se, but it is highly recommended by Disney to do so. Typically, that means you should probably do it.

With two new e-ticket level attractions coming to Disney California Adventure in the next two to three years, virtual queues aren’t going anywhere, as they will certainly be using it (in the interim, anyway). You can read more about virtual queues here.

Quick Rundown on Virtual Queues:

1. Be ready to go at either 7am or 12pm

2. Go to the “Virtual Queue” section of the app

3. Tap, “Join Virtual Queue”

4. Select the park

5. If you see a blue tab that says, “Join Virtual Queue”, quickly tap it

6. Verify your party and make sure each person’s ticket is selected

7. You’ll then be taken to a page where you can view your boarding group number, estimated wait time, and your entry code.

4) Check Attraction Wait Times

Let’s say you just got off of Space Mountain in Tomorrowland and you get the sudden urge to ride Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, all the way in Bayou Country. So you hike it all the way there all to discover a massive ninety minute queue has formed.

The app helps to eliminate that disappointment by showcasing a section dedicated to providing real-time queue times for every attraction in both parks. All you’ll need to do is look up the attraction you want to experience and it’ll display the most recent wait time.

In my experience, wait times have been mostly accurate. For example, the app stated a thirty minute wait for Haunted Mansion on my most recent visit. It looked daunting and I didn’t believe it so I set a timer. From the back of the queue to my Doom Buggy, it was thirty-one minutes.

They’ve also been known to high-ball wait times (under promise and over deliver). This strategy helps to keep guest complaints about wait times at bay, as absolutely nobody is going to complain about waiting fifteen minutes in an advertised twenty-five minute queue.

5) PhotoPass Service

Disney’s PhotoPass service is free to use, but will cost you to receive the photos (unless you’ve purchased Lightning Lane, which includes PhotoPass photos).

Disney places photographers around the resort at popular photo spots to take guests photos for them (in hopes that you’ll pay for them). Locations include Cinderella Castle, Blinky (the Mickey head-shaped pumpkin in Town Square), various character experiences and more.

When you’re done taking your photos, you’ll pull up the barcode in the “photos” section and the photographer will scan your photos into the app. They usually take around one to two minutes to appear. Current pricing for PhotoPass photos is:

• $14.99 - Per photo

• $78.00 - For the entire week (PhotoPass+)

They’ll stay in the Disneyland app for 45 days from the time they’re loaded. So you’ll have plenty of time to purchase and/or save them. It should be noted that PhotoPass photos are included in the purchase of Disney’s Lightning Lane service, which is a killer value between the two.

6) Advanced Dining Reservations (Table-Service)

Most restaurants at the Disneyland Resort are quick-service. Meaning you order your food, pick it up, sit down and eat. However, the parks also feature several table service restaurants. Some of which rivals or exceeds those found off property.

Some of these include Lamplight Lounge (pictured above), Centrico, Hearthstone Lounge, and Great Maple American Eatery. These restaurants, and others, are exceedingly popular. So I recommend making your advanced dining reservations (ADR) asap.

In the app, you can make ADR’s sixty days in advance. Best part is, all of your reservations appear in the “My Plans” tab of the app. You’ll be able to view, modify and even cancel your ADR’s from your couch!

7) Cast Compliments

Cast members are the are the heart and soul of the Disney theme parks. Without them, the magic would never come to life the way it does on a day-to-day basis. That’s why it’s important to recognize them when they go above and beyond (which they often do).

In the Disneyland app, you can give cast compliments by providing their name and general location when they do something you feel warrants it. These compliments go a long way for cast members when promotional opportunities come along.

This is one of the newer features of the app. Before, you would need to go to City Hall in Town Square and fill out a form, often having to wait in a hefty queue. Doing it in the app isn’t only convenient for the guest but in my opinion, increases the likelihood of cast members receiving compliments.

8) Save Your Parking Space

Another nifty feature in the Disneyland app is the ability to save your parking space. We’ve all forgotten where we parked. Whether that’s a theme park, the airport, or Costco - it happens. This feature assumes the responsibility of remembering so you don’t have to.

In the app, simply tap “Car Locator”. You’ll then either scan the code in the parking area you’re in or manually select it. Then, enter your parking spot details. The app then saves that information that you can look up when you return to your vehicle at the end of the evening.

This feature certainly isn’t a game changer, as simply taking a photo of your parking spot with your phone totally negates its purpose. However, since you’ll have the app anyway, it’s a simple, useful feature to have.

9) Mobile Checkout (Merchandise)

Mobile checkout is feature that’s still in its infancy. It eliminates the need for you to wait in a queue to purchase merchandise at select stores by allowing you to scan and purchase your items within the Disneyland app. The service is currently available at the following stores:

• Emporium (Disneyland)

• Elias & Co. (Disney California Adventure)

• World of Disney (Downtown Disney)

When you’re in the store and ready to purchase, simply go to the “Merchandise Checkout” tab in the app. You’ll scan your items and see your total in the next page. From there, you’ll pay for your items and will be shown a QR code.

You’ll then make your way to one of the various stations around the store you’re in that say “Mobile Checkout”. There, a cast member will scan your QR code with their device, bag your items, and send you on your way.

10) Lightning Lane

There’s imply no way around it. If you want to use Disneyland’s Lightning Lane service, which allows you to bypass the stand-by queue at select attractions, often dramatically reducing your wait time, then you’ll need to download and use the Disneyland app.

Unlike the traditional FastPass service, there is no paper version of Lightning Lane. It is 100% digital and you’ll need the app in order to book attractions. Since Lightning Lane can be a significant time saver, this feature alone necessitates use of the app.

If you’re unaware of what Lightning Lane is, I wrote an extensive post detailing the service and its various tiers, including Lightning Lane Premiere - the newest branch of Disney’s line-skipping service.

So is the Disneyland app worth it? When you consider the ten features above, I would say so. If anything, the considerable amount of time mobile ordering, mobile checkout and Lightning Lane, alone, will save you, you’d be hard-pressed finding a reason to not use it.

2026 Disneyland Vacation Packages (Free Lightning Lane Perk and Early Entry Ending)

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.

As of Wednesday, August 20, 2026 Disneyland Resort vacation package dates are available for booking. This includes all three on-site resort hotels and select good neighbor hotels (not all of them accept bookings that far out).

Vacation packages are valid for travel between January 1 and December 31, 2026 and dates cannot be booked more than 499 days in advance. They can made online (easiest way), by phone, or through reputable Disney-certified agencies, such as Get Away Today.

That’s the good news. The bad news? Well, there are a couple notable tidbits of concern. There have been reductions in perks, one of which is quite major and could significantly impact your park visit. What is it? Let’s get into it!

Pixar Place Hotel Private Park Access Closing

First, let’s discuss the lesser of the evils. The private entrance into DCA that’s been exclusive to guests of Pixar Place Hotel (PPH) in recent years is, once again, “permanently closing”. I use parentheses as this entrance has closed several times since its inception.

It’ll close in early 2026 to accommodate construction on the Coco expansion inside Disney California Adventure park. To compensate, guests of PPH will be able to utilize the Grand Californian Hotel’s private entrance, which is somewhat of a diluted substitution.

I say that because in order to get there, you’ll first need to bob and weave your way through the maze that is the GCH lobby, which can be pure chaos in the morning. After using the private entrance, you’ll enter DCA in the beautiful, often peaceful Grizzly Peak area of the park.

Disney closing this private entrance shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone, as this isn’t the first time this has happened and recently, its hours and availability have been drastically reduced as guests are often diverted to the GCH entrance anyway.

It was discontinued once before in the early 2000s, not too long after DCA opened, for essentially the same reason - low guest flow-through. Disney needs to staff this entrance and more staff equates to more money. Put simply, the demand didn’t justify the expense.

It was brought back again when bookings at the formerly named (and loathed) Paradise Pier Hotel slumped and guests lost other perks. During the conversion to its Pixar re-skin, the hotel was a literal construction zone and this entrance was revived as a selling point to entice guests to book.

Now that the conversion is fully complete and PPH is now the most in-demand of the three resort hotels, there’s no longer a need to entice bookings with it. The hotel’s theme, refreshed dining options, and upgraded pool deck are now the hooks.

This is certainly a big loss for PPH guests but who knows, its possible, though unlikely, that Disney could be enticed to reopen it in the future (provided the Coco expansion doesn’t make that impossible).

Disneyland Resort Early Entry Ending in 2026

Since 2022, one of the perks on-site hotel guests enjoyed was Early Entry, which granted those guests access to select attractions in either Disneyland park or Disney California Adventure on alternating days, 30-minutes prior to official park opening.

Now, as of January 5, 2026, that perk will be no more as Disney is officially sunsetting it. Note that guests with booking dates up to January 5 will still enjoy Early Entry, though Disney could end it earlier than stated.

Early Entry has been a popular perk since its inception, though it’s often a mixed-bag in terms of how beneficial it is to guests. You could usually run the gamut on attractions in Fantasyland, as those are closely clumped together and are a few minutes each…max.

Tomorrowland could be sketchy, especially whenever Space Mountain would experience the dreaded delayed opening. That slight delay alone would often take up the bulk of your 30-minute head start, causing you to start mixing in with rope droppers in a blink of an eye.

DCA was usually a stressful experience, as the available attractions are more spread out. It wasn’t unheard of to Early Entry DCA and get close to nothing done, especially considering Disneyland’s insistence of maintaining their dark ages-era security checkpoint procedure.

The given reasons include staffing issues and lack of demand, making it difficult to justify the expense. Staffing issues I could buy, as just about every company is experiencing that on some level. Lack of demand? Not sure I’m buying that one.

Much like many others, I was very much in the it’s-better-than-nothing pool when Early Entry was announced. I always hoped for the eventual return of Magic Mornings, which was the pre-covid era (and superior) version of the program.

Magic Mornings leveled the playing field by giving everyone (regardless of hotel) with a 3-day or more park ticket one-time access to either park one hour prior to official park opening. It was the ultimate rope drop and made knocking out several attractions a breeze.

Another potential solution could’ve been to extend an offer to the high-end Good Neighbor hotels to pay a fee to offer their guests access to Early Entry. If lack of demand truly was the problem, this could’ve resolved it and put cash in their pockets, but I digress.

By all accounts, this seemingly boils down to Disney no longer wanting to do it (in the interim, at least). Now that Anaheim officials have approved Disney’s DisneylandForward re-zoning plans, I’d bet the farm of another resort hotel or two sprouting up.

If and when that happens, and Disney has increased their hotel room capacity, they’ll likely re-visit this idea and once again offer it (or something similar). It’s a big loss to on-site guests, who pay exorbitant nightly rates for what amounts to fairly standard rooms once you strip away the theming elements.

Early Entry helped to ease the pain of those nightly rates a bit. For some, it may have even made them justifiable. As of January 2026, though, there will really be no advantage to staying in an on-site hotel, aside from remaining in the “Disney bubble”, that is. Or is there….?

Free Lightning Lane for On-Site Guests

Lastly, another change taking place in 2026 is a complimentary Lightning Lane redemption for on-site guests. This entitlement will be good for any Lightning Lane Multi-Pass attraction in either park and does not include Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance or Radiator Springs Racers.

This is not to be confused with receiving the LLMP service for free. Rather, this is a one-time redemption and by “one-time”, I don’t mean one per attraction or one per day of your ticket. It’s literally ONE entitlement, per person with valid admission and reservation, for a single attraction during your entire stay.

Disney Vacation Club members also qualify, regardless if they’re using points or cash. Much like with the aforementioned Early Entry program, though, guests of Good Neighbor hotels will not qualify for this perk.

Whether or not this is a proper replacement for Early Entry is a matter of perspective. As discussed above, if you did Early Entry in Fantasyland, you could knock out several attractions in that 30-minute span, though none of them are featured Lightning Lane attractions.

Early Entry success at DCA was far from a sure thing, so the argument could be made that having guaranteed, complimentary access to an LLMP attraction is a positive. Though I would argue including Radiator Springs Racers, the park’s most popular attraction, would get it further along.

The biggest downside to this is the single redemption per stay, rather than receiving one per day. This decision screams “Bob Chapek” to me, as it comes across as cheap on Disney’s end. An uptick in one-night stays is likely on the horizon, a loophole Disney fans will undoubtedly expose in order to receive this perk on a daily basis.

In terms of what kind of effect this will have on queue wait times for off-site guests, I wouldn’t be too concerned about it. Disney’s total room count is a drop in the bucket compared to Good Neighbor hotels, so the effect will be rather insignificant.

The biggest effect I see as a result of these changes will be the reduced value of on-site hotels. Sure, you’ll always that core group of die-hards who badly wish to remain in that coveted Disney bubble and view off-site stays as sacrilege.

For many, though, Disney-owned hotels (specifically at Disneyland) are a no-go, mostly due to cost and a diverse assortment of more affordable options that are just as close or in some cases, closer, to the parks than two of the three Disney hotels.

The removal of Early Entry and offer of a (rather insulting) single Lightning Lane redemption, will likely be perceived as a downgrade to most visitors and will make Disney’s hotels even less appealing to those who have hard time justifying the high nightly rates.

Hopefully Disney will realize this and sweeten the pot. Not that I think they’ll reverse course on cancelling Early Entry, but at least increase the offer of a complimentary Lightning Lane to one per day, rather than stay.

Additionally, they should include Rise of the Resistance and Radiator Springs Racers. For many, those are the two top-tier attractions. The potential of having daily access to them without having to use stand-by queues would likely be seen as a value perk to many.

If you’re considering staying at a Good Neighbor hotel, I suggest reading my reviews on Hotel Indigo Anaheim and Four Points by Sheraton. Both offer good amenities and are within walking distance of the park.

My 21 Best Tips to Plan a Disneyland Trip (For First Timers)

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 park is one of the most visited theme parks in the world for good reason. It's Walt Disney's original park and is, in fact, the only Disney theme park he ever stepped foot in. That, alone, makes it a special place.

With some of the most popular rides in the world, food with creative flare, special events, Disney hotels, Disney California Adventure park and more, a Disneyland vacation is a good time for all, especially for those who have never been.

If it's your first visit (or if you haven't been there in a while), there's a lot to know. In this post, I'm going to present twenty-one of my best tips to help make your Disneyland trip a success. I'll discuss everything from Disneyland Resort hotels, how to avoid long wait times, special events, booking a vacation package, parking tips and much more.

1) Check the Reservation Calendar

Reservations became a thing at Disneyland in the post-Covid era. Initially, it was meant to control attendance but these days, it's simply another way for Disney execs to collect data. Whether we like it or not, the reservation policy is here to stay.

This means that no matter if you're a regular ticket holder or Magic Key holder, you're beholden to the reservation calendar. You cannot, under most circumstances, go to the park without one. Most people make a reservation when purchasing their tickets, but some don't.

Make sure you're not one of those. Research the reservation calendar and compare it to your desired dates. They're much easier to come by now than they used to be, but the possibility of available reservations being sold out still exists. Make yours ASAP.

2) Know Disneyland’s Busy Days

Being able to predict crowd patterns in the post-Covid era isn't as easy as it used to be, but there are still certain dates and timeframes that you can still set your watch to. Busy days can put a damper on the Disney experience as they often result in long lines and shoulder-to-shoulder crowds.

​That said, a busy day at Disneyland is still better than no day at Disneyland at all. However, if you can avoid it, I recommend not visiting during most holidays, common three-day weekends, certain events and the like. You can see exact dates in my post here.

3) Picnic Outside the Gates to Save Money

This is one of the classic Disneyland hacks that, amazingly, many people are still unaware of. To the left of the Disneyland gates, behind privacy walls, is a space where guests can enjoy a family picnic or simply escape from the crowds for a bit.

Disneyland is one of few theme parks that allow you to bring your own food into the park (within reason). You can always eat your food inside the parks if you want, but this a great place to relax and unwind. Best of all, the Monorail glides above you at regular intervals.

4) Download and Use the Disneyland App

The Disneyland app has become an essential tool for a day at the parks. Normally, I would suggest staying off of your phone and being in the moment but you would be at a severe disadvantage if you did.

​The truth is, there are several time-saving features in the Disneyland app that'll make your day so much easier. A few examples include ordering meals through the mobile order feature, paying for merchandise and checking attraction wait times.

​Not to mention the Lightning Lane Multi Pass service. You can't use it at all without the app. So if you want to avoid long lines at the most popular attractions, such as Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain, download and familiarize yourself with the app prior to your trip.

5) Go for Multiple Days (Three is Good)

With 53 attractions between Disneyland and Disney California Adventure park (not including other exhibits and shows) there is so much to do and see. While you won't need as much time as you would at Walt Disney World, I definitely suggest staying for multiple days.

For my wife and I, the magic number is three days. Currently, DCA is barely a one-day park (at least until the current expansion is finished), but Disneyland park deserves a minimum of two days to fully take in what it has to offer.

Additionally, you could opt for the park hopper ticket to spend your time evenly between the two parks. Four days also works, though five would be overkill, in my opinion. One day is definitely isn’t sufficient but if that's all the time you have, see my tips for spending one day at Disneyland here.

6) Research Good Neighbor Hotels

The Disneyland Resort features three Disney-owned hotels - Pixar Place Hotel, Disneyland Hotel, and the Grand Californian Hotel and Spa. They're all great at keeping you within that "Disney bubble" when your park day is over, but the caveat to that is they're expensive. Prohibitively so for some.

The good news is there are a plethora of solid hotels within walking distance of Disneyland (Good Neighbor Hotels), many of which are minutes from the main park entrance. Additionally, nearly all of them are far more affordable than their Disney counterparts and many offer equal, or superior, amenities.

If you're planning to book a vacation package through Disney directly or through the Get Away Today agency (my recommendation), you can book one of several Good Neighbor hotels through either. Alternatively, you can search through reputable third-party sites such as Expedia (my go-to for hotels).

You can read reviews of two of my preferred Good Neighbor hotels, Hotel Indigo Anaheim and Four Points by Sheraton, at their respective links.

7) Consider Special Events

Attending special events at Disneyland is a great way to experience the parks in unique fashion. Some come at an additional cost, such as Oogie Boogie Bash and Stars Wars Night but others, like the Food and Wine Festival, are included with your regular park ticket.

After dark events, which include the aforementioned Star Wars Night, occur at Disneyland park after regular park hours through winter and spring and are separate ticketed events. Other themes include Pride Night, Disney Channel Night, 90's Night and Sweethearts Night.

Oogie Boogie Bash, the resort's annual Halloween party, occurs on select nights in August, September and October at DCA. This is also a separate ticket event but you do get early entry into the park at 3pm, which is three hours prior to the start of the event (see my 15 Oogie Boogie Bash tips here).

The California Food and Wine Festival is held in DCA, typically from March through late April. You can enjoy the event's festivities with your park ticket and purchase special food offerings. In 2024, Disney celebrated Pixar Fest starting in May and continued throughout summer. No word on if it'll happen in 2026, though (it didn't in 2025).

8) Don’t Fear Quick Service Restaurants

The days of Disney only serving up standard theme park fare are long gone. Over the years, they've done a bang-up job bringing high quality, delicious meals to the parks. Yes, there are still a few substandard spots remaining (looking at you, Pizza Planet) but many are solid options.

One of my personal favorites, Bengal BBQ, serves up a variety of tasty (albeit dry, at times) grilled meat kabobs. Down the way at Tiana's Palace is where you'll find some of the best quick service food at any Disney park (gumbo...get the gumbo). These are both at Disneyland park.

In Disney California Adventure park, Lucky Fortune Cookery serves up an amazing birria ramen dish (one of a few delicious birria dishes at Disneyland Resort) and Cocina Cucamonga Grill offers an array of solid Mexican dishes.

9) Purchase Lightning Lane for Faster Ride Access

Some folks visit Disneyland for the vibes and some visit for the rides. If you're in the latter company and you're visiting for the first time, I suggest springing for the Lightning Lane up-charge. If you're unaware, Lightning Lane enables you to bypass the stand-by queue at select attractions, ensuring faster access.

While Lightning Lane isn't perfect (boy do I miss FastPass), it can definitely be a significant time saver and allow you to knock out most, if not all, attractions between the two parks. This is especially true if you're visiting during a particularly busy time or only have one day to spend.

​I've written extensively about Lightning Lane in a previous post that you can read here. The post details the three tiers of the service, what's included, how to use it, cost, and more. If Lightning Lane is something you'd be interested in, I recommend giving it a read.

10) Know Where the Baby Centers Are

If you’ll be traveling with infants and toddlers, you’ll appreciate the baby care centers in the park as they offer a variety of amenities for parents. In addition to the baby care centers, you’ll find diaper changing stations in most restrooms throughout the resort.

In the care centers, you’ll find:

• Nursing room with chairs

• Changing room with tables

• Toddler-sized toilets

• Feeding area with highchairs

• Kitchen with sink, bottle warmers and microwave

• Vending machine offering formula, baby food, juice, diapers, wipes, sunscreen, pacifiers, and over-the-counter medication

There is one baby care center in each park. DCA’s center is located next to Ghirardelli in San Fransokyo Square and Disneyland’s is located at the end of Main Street U.S.A, across from the Little Red Wagon and next to the first aid station.

11) Research Airport Proximity

In Southern California, there are numerous airports you could fly into for your Disneyland trip. Many assume Los Angeles Airport (LAX) is the best to fly into, but that's mostly conjecture. Of all the major airports near Disneyland, LAX is the fourth furthest away at about forty miles.

The second closest, at nineteen miles, is Long Beach Airport (LGB) and the closest airport to Disneyland is John Wayne Airport (SNA), at thirteen miles. Which one you'll fly into entirely depends on your budget and schedule.

LAX is the largest of the three and therefore, you'll typically find more favorable rates there. However, because it's further away, you'll need to account for transportation to Anaheim. There are no free shuttles from LAX to Disneyland (or any airport, for that matter).

Therefore, John Wayne may be the better option. You’ll likely pay a higher fare, but it's usually not by much and you won't pay nearly as much for a shuttle or ride share as you would from LAX, as it's much closer to the park and neighboring hotels.

12) Know the Difference Between Splitting and Sharing Plates

One way to save money at Disneyland is sharing meals. There are several locations in the parks where you can easily do this. A couple of my wife and I's favorites include the Monte Cristo sandwich at Cafe Orleans and the Spotlight barbacoa nachos at Lamplight Lounge (pictured above).

This is advantageous as it could add up to significant savings, but you need to know the difference between sharing and splitting a meal. If you don't use the correct verbiage, you could end up with a surprise surcharge on your final bill.

Sharing a meal means you and the other person will be sharing the complete meal, including the entree (protein) and sides. Splitting a meal means the entree will be evenly split between two plates and the other person will receive their own sides, thus inducing the additional cost.

Simply inform your server that you’ll be SHARING a meal. The other person will be given their own plate and you'll share the complete meal without any additional expense. Note that you cannot do this at character meals, dining packages, buffets, and the like.

13) Research DAS Policy and Requirements

One important, and admittedly controversial, aspect to a Disneyland vacation is their Disability Access Service (or...DAS, for short). I say controversial because there have been many changes to the program in recent years that have made it difficult to impossible for those who need it to obtain and use it.

There are quite a few movings parts to this where you can read further in my post but essentially, you can either speak with a cast member virtually up to 60-days prior to your trip or in person at the DAS kiosk in the esplanade outside the parks.

​The guest requiring DAS will need to be present either way, as the cast member may need to ask them questions or verify certain things. As stated, there's a lot to unpack with this, so it's best to read my extensive post here.

14) Check for Planned Attraction Closures

Planned attraction closures, also known as refurbishments, occur regularly at the Disneyland Resort. This is done to allow imagineers to conduct repairs, updates, improvements and the like. Disneyland park has several attractions that are seventy years old, so they need that TLC in order to run smoothly.

On any given day there could none, one, or multiple rides closed between the two parks. While closures could happen at any time, Disney does keep guests updated on planned closures by scheduling them on the online refurbishment calendar forty-five days ahead.

Rides such as Rise of Resistance haven't seen a refurbishment since opening in 2021 and Radiator Springs Racers seldom goes down. These are exceptions, though, as they're newer and were designed to operate with minimal, if any, downtime.

15) Take Advantage of Rider Switch

Rider switch is little-known benefit available free of charge to Disneyland guests. I've written an extensive guide about rider switch that you can read here but essentially, you're taking turns riding the attraction.

Say you have two children in your party and only one of them is tall enough to ride the attraction. One member of the party waits in the queue with the one child while the other member of the party waits elsewhere with the other, or does something else.

After you've experienced the attraction, you inform a cast member of your intentions to use rider switch. You'll be given a ticket of sorts to hand to the other member of your party. That person can then return to the attraction and enjoy with a minimal wait.

16) Arrive Early for Rope Drop

For those who don't know, rope drop refers to the strategy of arriving a minimum of thirty minutes prior to official park opening (8am) and waiting near the literal ropes along the hub at the entrances to either Tomorrowland, Adventureland, Frontierland or Fantasyland.

This is a great way to knock out many of the park’s popular rides with a minimal wait, whether that's Space Mountain or Soarin' Around the World. This is because most guests don't get to the parks until late morning, the first hour-and-a-half to two hours are typically the least busiest.

I recently introduced this strategy to some friends of mine during a recent trip and it changed their lives forever (kidding..sort of). Seriously, though, rope drop is an essential strategy to take advantage of...especially if it's your first time at Disneyland. I'm currently working on a rope drop strategy post, so be sure to keep an eye out for that.

17) Use Mobile Order and Mobile Checkout

Taking advantage of mobile order (food) and mobile checkout (merchandise) can save you a significant amount of time, especially on days where the crowds are dense. Mobile order is accepted at most quick service restaurants at the resort and is used to order/pay for your food ahead of time through the Disneyland app.

Mobile checkout is available at most stores. How it works is you access the mobile checkout tab in the Disneyland app, scan the tag of the merchandise you wish to purchase, pay for it through the app, and then head to the designated station to show the cast member your barcode. They'll scan it, verify your purchase and off you go.

18) Keep Your Phone Charged

You'll quickly discover that your smartphone will be your lifeline at Disneyland. You'll use it to access your park tickets, check attraction wait times, redeem Lightning Lanes, order food, pay for merchandise, and more, all through the Disneyland app. Your battery will drain much quicker than it normally does.

To counter this, it's a good idea to purchase a power bank to bring with you. They store easily inside your backpack, purse, or pocket, and make keeping your phone charged a breeze. Disney does have FuelRod stations throughout the park, but I no longer recommend those due to having to pay to swap them out at most other locations.

My recommendation is the one I use, which is made by Anker. It costs a bit more than a FuelRod up front, but you'll never pay for swaps. You simply charge it back up when it depletes. It has USB and USB-C ports and at 20,000 MAH, it'll fully charge your phone several times before depleting. You can see it on Amazon here.

19) Know the Parking Situation

Unfortunately, there is no free parking anywhere near the Disneyland Resort. That's why one of my biggest recommendations to first timers is to stay at a hotel within walking distance of the parks, or at least one with shuttle service.

Disneyland features two parking structures - Mickey & Friends and Pixar Pals. They are located on the west side of the resort and most guests utilize the complimentary tram to access the parks from there (walking paths are available as well, though).

On the east side, which is where most guests access the parks from, there's the Toy Story lot. This is an open lot with no parking structure. You can walk to the parks from here or use the provided shuttle. Parking is currently $35 per day.

Another option is to park a few miles away, for free, at the Artic Station in Anaheim. From there, the 533 shuttle will take you to the parks (with a few stops in between). Again, parking here is free, but the shuttle costs $2 per person, each way. Depending on your group size, this could be much cheaper than parking at Disneyland.

20) Park Hopping May Be Worth It

Admittedly, I'm usually against park hopping. Mostly due to the extra cost and my belief that maximizing your day in a single park is best. Conversely, if you're a first timer, it may be worth it. Especially if you're visiting for multiple days.

For those who don't know, park hopping is the act of visiting both parks in the same day. Unlike Walt Disney World, it's much easier to do this at Disneyland due to both parks being less than a football field distance away from each other.

It does come at an additional cost of up to $85 per ticket, but it may be worth it to you, especially considering Disney California Adventure isn't quite a full-day park just yet. That'll likely change in a few years but for now, that isn’t the case.

How it works is you must begin your day at whichever park you have a reservation for. Starting at 11am, you're then able to "hop" across the esplanade to the other park and enjoy the rest of your day there. If you arrive after 11am, you can enter whichever park you want, provided you've purchased the park hopper option.

21) Use Get Away Today for Hands-Off Planning

Due to an expanse of free information online (such as Inked with Wanderlust), I normally don't suggest using travel planners as I feel it's mostly unnecessary. Some, though, find comfort in having an expert handle the planning stage for them. If that's you, I highly recommend Get Away Today.

They're simply the best Disney vacation planners out there. They'll help put together your entire trip, including purchasing multi-day tickets, booking your hotel, keeping an eye out for discounts and last minute offers, provide helpful tips and more.

​They have a solid reputation and have been in business for a long time, which is why I've partnered with and recommend them. Booking with them is like booking directly with Disney, only you'll also receive personalized guidance and service, in addition to peace of mind.

To put together your customized Disneyland vacation package and see how they can help you save money, visit them through this link and tell them I said “hello”. Also, be sure to use code INKED20 for additional savings.

An Honest Review of Palm Breeze Bar at Disneyland Hotel

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Palm Breeze Bar is a new(ish) open-air spot tucked underneath the Disneyland Hotel’s DVC Discovery (villas) tower, offering a relaxed break from the parks. With tropical cocktails, light bites and an abundance of shade, it’s built for unwinding, whether you’re poolside or passing through.

The vibe is clean and modern, with subtle nods evoking California’s mid-century style. No heavy theming here, just simple yet bright colors, palm trees and a soundtrack that invites you to take your time and relax.

In this review, I’ll cover many topics you’re likely to be interested in. From the drinks and food to the service and atmosphere. If you’re curious whether it’s worth a visit, here’s what to know before you go. Let’s get into it!

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Quick Stats

• Location: Disneyland Hotel (Villas Tower)

• Hours: Daily from 11am to 10pm

• Cuisine: American

• Cost: Mid-range

• Seating: Tables, bar, and poolside

• Alcohol: Full bar

• Website/Full Menu: Click or tap here

Palm Breeze Bar Reservations

Dining reservations at certain locations at the Disneyland Resort can be difficult to come by. The likes of Lamplight Lounge and Blue Bayou come to mind. Thankfully, that isn’t the case at Palm Breeze Bar.

Looking at the calendar for next-day and weekend availability, there are an abundance of open time-slots for both lunch and dinner. So if you’re unable to snag a spot elsewhere, Palm Breeze Bar is a worthy plan b.

I don’t feel like this is indicative of guests viewing Palm Breeze Bar in a negative light, though. Instead, it appears to be a victim of the very thing that makes it appealing - it’s tucked away from view from most guests.

The restaurant is situated underneath the Discovery tower at the Disneyland Hotel, sandwiched between the Monorail pool and the DVC pool. You can plainly see the DVC pool from your table, including the insanely cool Steamboat Willy-themed splash pad.

Since it’s outside the parks and out-of-view from most guests, Palm Breeze Bar has remained somewhat of an “insider spot”. As with most things of this of designation at Disneyland, the party will only last for so long, so enjoy it while it lasts.

You can make an advanced dining reservation (ADR) for Palm Breeze Bar through the Disneyland app or website up to 60-days in advance. You can read more about ADRs and mobile ordering on my Disneyland Dining Guide here.

Disney has done a great job revamping their reservation system in recent years. You’re now able to search not just a specific date and time, but a range of days and available time slots, as well as a list of available restaurants. Essentially, you could plan your entire trip in just a few clicks.

Palm Breeze Bar Menu Items

Palm Breeze Bar’s menu offers a vibrant mix of elevated comfort food and imaginative cocktails, well suited for a relaxing poolside experience. Must-tries include the Pan-Roasted Salmon, Cheese Fry Poutine and Artisan Pizzas.

The salad selection provides a fresher, lighter balance. The Heirloom Beet Salad (with baby kale, Persian cucumber, stracciatella mozzarella, candied walnut, and herb vinaigrette) and the Southwest Salad (lettuce, corn, avocado, black beans, tomato, cheddar, and cilantro dressing) are the stand outs.

Avocado and Lime Hummus Dip Plate ($19)

As our appetizer, my wife and I ordered their avocado and lime hummus dip plate with pita bread chips and an array of vegetables. It was light, refreshing, and easily shareable for the two of us.

For drinks, we went with two. The first was the Blue Bee’s Knees, which is gin-based with a fruity, honeyed edge and muddled blueberries. We found it intriguing and refreshing, but not enough to blow us away.

Blue Bee’s Knees ($18)

The second drink was the Orange Bourbon Punch. It’s made with Angel’s Envy Bourbon (my personal favorite) and blends with lemon, simple syrup and a robust orange tea base. It’s bold and bourbon-forward, with the citrus components playing second fiddle.

I didn’t find it overly strong, but the bourbon definitely comes through. Not so much in a kick-in-the-pants sort of way, but more like a gentle knock on the door. If you like your whiskey drink lightly diluted and chased with mellow sweetness, you’ll enjoy this.

Orange Bourbon Punch ($23)

For our entree, we decided to split their four-cheese blend artisan pizza. We’ve never had much luck with pizzas inside the parks but in the hotel eateries, such as at GCH Craftsman Grill and Hearthstone Lounge, they’re delicious.

The Four Cheese California Pizza blends mozzarella, cheddar, Jack, and chèvre, finished with tomato and fresh basil. If you’re a cheese lover, this will become your new go-to. It’s creamy, rich, and satisfying without being overwhelming.

Four Cheese California Pizza ($23)

The pizza is well-balanced, hitting the mark on that cheesy indulgence we all know and love. The crust is crispy but not overly so, with just the right amount of cheese to create a gooey, melty bite without it all sliding off.

If you’re looking for something more toppings-heavy, you can opt for the Charcuterie Pizza ($24). Its toppings include artisan-cured prosciutto, pepperoni, sausage, and sun-dried tomatoes.

A few of the non-pizza entrees that lean more towards the healthier side include their Grilled Prime Flat Iron Steak ($42) and Pan-Roasted Salmon ($39). For chicken fare, order the Southwest Chicken Sandwich ($23).

Mini Beignets ($15)

The beignets at Palm Breeze Bar take a different route than their counterparts at the Mint Julep Bar in New Orleans Square. They have a dense, cake-like texture over the airy, hallow style found inside the park.

They’re served warm with a trio of dipping sauces, including passion fruit, mixed berry, and chocolate. Alongside them are chocolate Mickey Mouse head-shaped chocolate “bowls”, usually filled with Nutella (we left it out due to my wife’s nut allergy).

Disney Cupcake (free)

In addition the beignets, the staff brought me a complimentary Disney cupcake draped up in a presentation of whipped cream, sprinkles and sliced fruit for my birthday. It was sweet of them to do that. Disney cast members are the best!

All in all, we enjoyed the food and drinks we ordered at Palm Breeze Bar. In addition, the service was fantastic (as it usually always is at Disneyland restaurants) and the relaxed, poolside vibe simply cannot be beat.

Can You Order Palm Breeze Bar to The DVC Pool?

The short answer…yes, you can. There’s no way to mobile order food and drinks and have it delivered, but you can go up to the bar to place your order and pay, much like at the Grand Californian Hotel pool. When it’s ready, a waitress will bring your oder to you.

Keep in mind that this is only possible if you’re at the DVC pool and are staying in the Discovery (villas) tower. If you’re staying in Adventure, Fantasy, or Frontier towers, you’ll be using the Monorail pool and unfortunately, Palm Breeze Bar does not deliver there.

If you’re looking for additional reviews of restaurants outside the parks but still on property, check out the following:

• Centrico (Downtown Disney)

• Din Tai Fung (Downtown Disney)

• Great Maple American Eatery (Pixar Place Hotel)

Additionally, if you’re searching for off-property hotels to book for your upcoming trip, see my reviews of Hotel Indigo or Four Points by Sheraton. Both are within walking distance to Disneyland and are great lodging options.

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An Honest Review of Bengal BBQ at Disneyland

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Bengal Barbecue, a long-time staple at Disneyland Park since its opening on June 4, 1990, is a great option for those looking to beef up (pun intended) their protein intake while on their Disneyland vacations.

Initially offering solely beef skewers, Bengal BBQ has expanded its menu over the years to offer a wider variety of skewers, including chicken, pork belly, vegetables, bacon-wrapped asparagus and more.

If you have an upcoming Disneyland vacation and are researching places to eat, give this post a read. In it, we'll cover topics such as the Bengal BBQ menu, its seating area, whether or not it's a good value and more. Let's get into it.

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Bengal Barbecue Location and Seating

Bengal BBQ is located in Adventureland, just across from the Indiana Jones Adventure attraction. It's a quick service restaurant, meaning you'll order with a cast member at the counter and will then take your food to your table.

Additionally, this location accepts mobile orders through the Disneyland app and I highly recommend taking advantage of this. Seating can be a bit difficult to come by here, so find yourself a seat first and then place your mobile order.

Speaking of Bengal Barbecue's seating area, it was expanded just a few years ago and received heavy theming. It's a massive step up from the few random tables that were there prior, but it still fills quickly.

It would be best to come here outside of traditional dining hours, as that’s when seating is most competitive. The main issue isn’t just competing with folks who are trying to eat, but also those who’re just looking to get off their feet for a while.

Bengal Barbecue Menu and ‘Jungle Skewers’

The selections you see in the screenshot above are the typical, year-round offerings at Bengal BBQ. Disney has expanded the eatery's offerings over the years to include beef, chicken, pork belly, and several vegetable skewers as well.

The skewers are sold a la cart, with the exception of the Bengal Rice Plate which offers a more well-rounded meal. You'll have your choice of two regular skewers (meat, vegetable, or a combination of both) and will receive a side of citrus-miso slaw and jasmine rice.

My personal favorite is the Banyan beef skewer. The Banyan is the sole spicy offering at Bengal BBQ. It has a kick to it, but not enough to send you running to the Blue Milk stand. It's zesty and assertive, but not overwhelmingly intense.

For those of you who prefer a sweeter sauce, I recommend the Bengal beef skewer. The beef is smothered in a sweet "Zulu" sauce, which is Disney's take on a teriyaki-style glaze. It's rich, sweet, and slightly tangy, making it the kryptonite to the Banyan's Superman.

The other two meat options are the Chieftain chicken skewer and pork belly skewer. The chicken skewer features four to five pieces of grilled chicken coated in a sweet and tangy Polynesian sauce.

The pork belly offers three thick-cut pieces glazed with a hoisin-style sauce. Unlike the other Jungle Skewers on the menu, the pork belly comes served on a boat of iceberg lettuce and topped with pickled carrots, daikon, and cilantro.

For vegans or those looking to add vegetables to the mix, the Outback vegetable skewer is a great choice. This skewer is loaded with a colorful mix of grilled vegetables, including zucchini rounds, yellow squash, bell peppers, onion wedges, and red potatoes.

If you're ok with meat but are looking for an all-in-one solution, you can opt for the bacon-wrapped asparagus skewer. The asparagus is grilled and buttered before being wrapped in crispy slices of applewood bacon.

New in 2025 is Bengal BBQ's first foray into breakfast with their new Bengal breakfast bowl offering. This "bowl" includes a serving of scrambled eggs, white rice, fried spiced ham (SPAM) and sides of gravy and chili oil.

I've dined here dozens of times over the years and have always found the quality to be hit and miss. There have been times that I've received deliciously tender meat and times where it was dry and tough to chew on.

I wish I could provide some tips on avoiding dry skewers but in all reality, it entirely depends on the cast member's attentiveness, as the skewers are grilled to order and are subject to coming out overcooked (or even worse...under).

Is Bengal BBQ a Good Value?

The answer to that questions entirely depends on how hungry you are. If you're just looking for a snack, quick protein fix, etc., I would say so. If you're looking for a full-blown meal, then probably not.

​Each of the skewers either flirts with or exceeds the $7 mark and considering you only receive 3-4 relatively small pieces of meat each, it would take several skewers for most people to fill up on.

To be fair, Disney does advertise its skewers as a snack on the menu, but most guests (myself included) don't treat it as such. This is where the Bengal rice plate comes in handy, offering the ability to fit in a complete meal, albeit with a hefty price tag.

Despite that, I recommend giving it a try. It’s been around long enough now to be considered a classic quick service restaurant and one of the few remaining that haven’t been taken over by IP (yet).

Aside from Bengal BBQ, there are two other great quick service restaurants I recommend. Tiana’s Palace, just down the way in New Orleans Square, and Docking Bay 7 in Galaxy’s Edge, are arguably the best quick service eateries at the resort.

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Best Birria Dishes at Disneyland (Tacos, Ramen, more)

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One of the better culinary delights to come to the Disneyland Resort in recent years is birria. Traditionally, birria is a rich, flavorful Mexican stew made with either beef or goat that's slow-cooked until it's incredibly tender.

The meat is cooked in a spicy, smoky, and slightly tangy broth made with dried chiles, garlic, and a variety of herbs. It's typically consumed in taco form with melted cheese, served with a juicy broth (consomé) for dipping. It's warm, comforting, and packed with a bold, savory taste.

You may not think you'd find traditional birria at Disneyland and you're partially correct. However, both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure offer a variety of non-traditional birria dishes, as well as in Downtown Disney, where more traditional birria is served.

In the post below, I'll discuss the several birria offerings, starting with my least favorite and ending with what I believe to be the best birria dish on resort property. Let's get into it.

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Beef Birria Toasted Cheese Sandwich at Jolly Holiday

Jolly Holiday is known for offering guests of Disneyland a wide variety of baked goods, including macarons, cookies and cupcakes. In recent years, it has also begun offering a variety of hot and cold sandwiches. Their most recent offering? The Beef Birria Toasted Cheese.

This birria sandwich meets grilled cheese concoction is loaded with tender beef birria, pepperjack cheese, onion, cilantro and salsa verde in between two slices of toasted sourdough, and served with a side of consomé.

The toast is perfectly crispy on the outside and buttery without being greasy. Inside, the cheese is melty and rich, with the shredded beef birria adding a deep, savory flavor with a kick of spice. The warm, bold consomé brings it all together like a comforting hug.

​To expedite your order, be sure to use mobile ordering through the Disneyland app. This dish has a lot of flavor and is good, but it's nowhere near the best birria at Disneyland. For the next two, we'll traverse the esplanade and enter Disney California Adventure park.

QuesaBirria Tacos at Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill

If you're a Disney foodie and you happen to be in Disney California Adventure, head over to San Fransokio (formally Pacific Wharf), go to Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill and order a plate of the QuesaBirria Tacos. You're served two of them (though I've been lucky enough to get three from time to time) with sides of consomé and tomatilla salsa.

These delicious tacos are theme park food amplified. The tortillas are grilled to a crispy perfection along the edges while maintaining a slight softness in the middle and are stuffed with flavorful braised beef birria and melted cheese.

The warm and lightly spiced consomé elevates things, making every bite an explosion of rich, smoky, and savory flavors. It's messy in the best way and is a must-try if you're craving something hearty and delicious. These can also be mobile ordered through the Disneyland app.

That said, the quesabirria tacos still aren't the best birria you'll find in the parks. For that, we'll be staying in San Fransokio and will head just across the way to Lucky Fortune Cookery.

Beef Birria Ramen at Lucky Fortune Cookery

The quesabirria tacos at Cocina Cucamonga are good, but located directly across from there is, in my humble opinion, the best birria dish you can get inside either Disneyland or Disney California Adveture - the Beef Birria Ramen at Lucky Fortune Cookery.

This delicious dish debuted with the grand opening of San Fransokyo (formally Pacific Wharf) and it's been a smash hit ever since. In a bowl of consomé broth and Udon-style noodles, you'll enjoy house-made birria, a soft-boiled egg, monterey jack, cilantro, roasted corn, onions and radish.

The broth is rich with a slight kick of spice and the deep, slow-cooked birria is incredibly flavorful and tender. It blends surprisingly well with the soft ramen noodles, which soak up all that flavor. Overall it's a warm, satisfying dish that's packed with flavor and redefines what theme park food can be.

While this birria dish is my hands-down favorite in the parks, it isn't my favorite at the resort as a whole. For that, we're going to venture outside of the parks and head to Centrico in Downtown Disney. There, you'll find the most authentic, delicious birria at Disneyland.

Quesabirria Tacos at Centrico Downtown Disney

The quesabirria at Centrico in Downtown Disney is a truly stand-out dish. The previous birria dishes in this post are all good in their own right, but the birria at Centrico stands above them by a wide margin. It's bold, rich, flavorful and unforgettable.

Centrico is ran by Michelin-starred Chef Carlos Gaytan, and the food certainly reflects his experience and passion for food. Unlike the previous dishes, which are all beef-based birria, Centrico offers lamb birria which leans closer to tradition.

It's slow cooked until tender in a flavorful broth and wrapped in house-made crisped tortillas with gooey oaxaca cheese, onion, cilantro and a creamy avocado mousse. You receive two, fairly large tacos per plate and they're both packed with ingredients. No skimping here.

What really elevates the dish is the thick, spiced consomé. It's deeply savory with a touch of earthy spice, bringing everything together with every bite. Add in the attentive service and courtyard setting, this quesabirria isn't just a dish, but an experience that’s not-to-be-missed.

You can read my extensive review of Centrico in Downtown Disney here. If you’re looking for the best birria at Disneyland, I recommend heading straight to Centrico. For the best birria in the parks, the beef birria ramen at Lucky Fortune Cookery is the way to go.

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How Disneyland’s Payment Plan for Vacation Packages Works

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If you're thinking of putting together a Disneyland vacation for your family, the first thing you've likely noticed is how expensive an endeavor it is. With theme park tickets and hotel rates the highest they've ever been, visiting the happiest place on earth requires thoughtful planning and budgeting for most.

To help with this, you can take advantage of a little known option when booking your Disneyland Resort vacation package - you can make monthly payments towards your package. That's right, paying the full balance up front is not required in most cases.

There are a few things you'll need to know, and this blog post aims to inform you of those, along with offering a few bits of tips and advice along the way. Note that the monthly payment option is for practically everyone and not just California residents. Let's get into it!

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Disneyland Resort Vacation Package Payment Plan

First, in order to take advantage of the monthly payment plan, you'll need to book a vacation package consisting of a hotel (either one of the Disneyland Resort hotels or a "Good Neighbor" hotel) and Disneyland tickets. It can't be just be one or the other.

It isn't an official payment plan where Disney charges you a specific amount on a specified day of each month. Nor is there an automatic payment plan. Rather, it works similarly to a layaway plan, where you pay a portion of the total up front and make payments towards the balance while Disney "holds" your package.

Once you've paid the remaining balance in full, Disney will send you an email communication stating such. You may receive a welcome package in the mail but for most folks, you'll access your theme park tickets and hotel reservation information in the Disneyland app.

At the time of booking, you'll select the "Deposit" option within the "Payment Info" tab. No matter how large the amount of your vacation package is, the deposit amount is $200. It's been this amount for years, but it could always change in the future. It's the same for a Disney World vacation package as well.

You can pay the deposit with any debit or credit card, as well as Disney gift cards or reward redemptions (if you're a Disney Visa cardholder). Ensure that you're signed into your Disney account, as this is where all of your plan details will be stored.

After paying your deposit, the only requirement given from there is ensuring you make your final payment at least 30-days prior to your arrival date. You can make weekly or monthly payments, or even pay the final balance in 2-3 large payments. It's entirely up to you.

As long as the full amount is paid off prior to your arrival, how often and how much you pay at a time is entirely up to you. If you're getting close to the deadline and need more time, call the resort reservations line and explain your situation to the cast member. They're usually able to accommodate you.

While going this route doesn't make a hotel rates or ticket prices any cheaper, it does help to make your magical vacation a bit more attainable. Just remember to have a budget in mind prior to booking and be sure that you can commit to a self-imposed installment plan. 

​Making it even easier is the lack of interest charges on your vacation package. The amount you booked is the amount you'll pay - nothing more. You'll also have the option to purchase travel insurance. If you elect to do so, that amount will be added to your deposit.

Vacation Package Perks and Magical Extras

Aside from a standard pin and lanyard, there really aren't any special "on vacation" perks you get for booking a Disneyland Resort vacation package, in general. However, that changes if you book a Disneyland Resort Hotel, such as Pixar Place Hotel, as part of your package.

​Staying within the Disney bubble and having the ability to charge in-park purchases to your room are a couple of the perks, but the biggest involves being able to access Disneyland and Disney California Adventure before anybody else.

That's right. Guests of the three Disney-owned hotels get early access to specific attractions in each park 30-minutes prior to anybody else. So while regular guests are lining up for rope drop, you could easily knock out one, two, or even three attractions.

Get Away Today Ticket Layaway Plan

As stated above, you cannot make payments to Disney for Disneyland tickets. If you purchase directly through them, you'll either need to pay them in full at time of purchase or include them in your Disneyland Resort vacation package.

​However, if all you need is tickets but you want to make payments on them, there is a work around - purchase through the reputable Get Away Today travel agency. Purchasing tickets through them is the same as purchasing through Disney, as they're partnered with Disney.

​The one difference is they offer buyers the ability to put their tickets on a layaway plan. You'll pay a $200 deposit (which includes a $99 non-refundable fee) and like with Disney's vacation packages, you're free to pay what you want, whenever you want.

You have until 9-days prior to your arrival date to pay the remaining balance. When they're paid in full, you'll receive a code to load your tickets into the Disneyland app, much like if you purchased directly through Disney. To take advantage of this, visit Get Away Today here and select "layaway" at checkout.

If you’re looking for recommendations for hotels close to Disneyland, see my reviews of Hotel Indigo and Four Points by Sheraton!

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My Honest Review of Din Tai Fung in Downtown Disney

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Initially announced at Disney’s D23 fan expo in 2022, the five-time winner of the coveted Michelin star (at their original location in Hong Kong), Din Tai Fung, made its long awaited debut at the Disneyland Resort in June 2024.

Located in the west end of the resort’s Downtown Disney District, Din Tai Fung opened to much fan fare. In fact, the initial post-opening months often saw tables booked to capacity, with walk-ups waiting an hour or more.

During our last visit to Disneyland, my wife and I had the opportunity to dine here with friends. In the review below, I’ll discuss topics such as the food offerings, drinks, atmosphere, service, reservations, and more.

DIN TAI FUNG DISNEYLAND RESERVATIONS

As stated above, reservations at Din Tai Fung in Downtown Disney can be difficult to get. That was more-so in the months proceeding its opening, when tables were booked out nearly thirty days in advance.

These days, reservations are a bit easier to come by, though you’ll still need to plan ahead. For starters, you cannot make reservations for Din Tai Fung through the Disneyland website (or through Din Tai Fung directly, for that matter).

To make a reservation, you’ll need to do it through their Yelp profile. They accept reservations up to thirty days in advance. If you want one of the coveted dinner time slots, do your best to make it right at the thirty day mark, as they go the fastest.

Looking at their availability, lunch slots appear to be much easier to reserve, especially day of or next day. Joining the walk-up list is also an option. Just know that you could possibly wait up to an hour or more for a table at dinner time.

Takeout Option

If you weren’t able to book a table and don’t want to deal with the walk-up line, you could always order takeout through their online ordering system. There’s a lot more outdoor seating options in Downtown Disney than there used to be.

You won’t get the full dining experience, which is a major part of what makes Din Tai Fung so special, but it beats not be able to eat there at all. After you pay for your order and it’s ready, simply go to the restaurant and give the host/hostess your name.

Din Tai Fung Disneyland Dining Experience

Upon walking into the interior, you’ll be initially greeted by a bronze statue of Bao Bao, the official mascot of the restaurant. Beyond the statue, you’ll be greeted by a striking 360-degree bar adorned with a suspended, beaded installation that pays homage to the restaurant’s Taiwanese heritage, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.

The remaining interior showcases intricately detailed decor, including jade tiling on the walls and tapestry-like chandeliers hanging from above, contributing to a calming and elegant ambiance.

Floor-to-ceiling windows encompass the dining areas on either side of the bar, allowing a bounty of natural light to flood the space. Exposed, curved ceiling beams mirror the shape of the exterior roof, enhancing the architectural cohesion.

Guests can also observe Din Tai Fung’s artistry behind the dumpling-making process through a viewable kitchen, providing an engaging and authentic dining experience. If you have kids, this feature will sure to impress.

Din Tai Fung Menu Items We Tried

Din Tai Fung’s menu offers a wide-variety of traditional Chinese and Taiwanese dishes with a modern twist, most of which are served family-style for easy sharing. Needless to say, the four of us ordered to our hearts content.

Your table will be given an ordering sheet and a pen. Simply decide which menu items you and your group want to try, mark the quantity next to each item on the sheet, and hand it to your server (you could always add to it later, if you wanted).

To kick things off, our table ordered one serving each of the Cucumber Salad and Sweet & Sour Pork Baby Back Ribs. Both were presented beautifully and tasted amazing.

The ribs had the perfect amount of “pull” off the bone. The flavor was amazing, with the meat itself seasoned well and accompanied sauce containing a perfect balance of sweet and tangy.

The cucumbers were thickly sliced and had a great crunch to them. The sauce drizzled over them had a great balance of sweet and tangy (similar to the ribs, but thinner) and also contained mildly spicy notes.

To go with our meal, my wife and I decided to order their two most well-known cocktails; the DTF Old Fashioned and Pear Lychee Martini. The old fashioned’s base is a serving of Kavalan Taiwanese single malt whiskey and stirred with house-made Oolong tea syrup and orange bitters, topped with a Luxardo cherry.

The Pear Lychee Martini is one of their signiture cocktails and is made with Grey Goose La Poire Vodka with St-Germain, fresh lemon juice and topped with a piece of lychee fruit. Both cocktails were supremely delicious and worth a second round.

Keep in mind that the cocktails won’t be listed on the ordering sheet. You’ll need to order those with your server separately. After you’ve made your selections, your food will start coming out of the kitchen fairly quickly.

The staff do their best to stagger the food but in my experience (at this and the Las Vegas locations) your table will run out of space fairly quickly. By the way, that’s pretty much my only complaint about Din Tai Fung. I wish they would stagger your selections better.

The Xiao Long Bao is one of their specialities. They’re stuffed with a variety of meats and seasonings, in addition to hot broth. Each bao is then hand-folded using their “Golden Ratio” 18-fold method.

If you’ve never eaten Xiao Long Baos before, don’t be intimidated. The restaurant provides instructions at every table on how to enjoy them without making a mess of yourself. Your server will also walk you through it, if requested.

We ordered a variety of their baos, buns, and noodles. I’ve also tried additional dishes when I dined at their Las Vegas location a couple of months later. For easy reading, I’ll list the entrees we ordered below and post their photos in the order listed:

• Kurobuta Pork Xiao Long Bao

• Shrimp & Kurobuta Pork Dumplings

• Kurabuto Pork Buns

• Shrimp & Kurobuta Pork Pot Stickers

• Noodles with Spicy Sauce

• Noodles with Minced Kurobuta Pork

• Chocolate Buns with Sea Salt Cream

In short, all of the food we tried at Din Tai Fung was nothing short of fantastic. I will say I preferred the noodles with spicy sauce over the noodles with minced pork. Additionally, I personally enjoyed the two pork buns over the broth filled Xiao Long Bao.

Definitely DO NOT skip on dessert. The chocolate baos (filled with chocolate sauce) are divine! Also, do yourself a favor and spend the additional $1.00 for the accompanying sea salt cream (topped with matcha powder). Those two, combined, are out-of-this-world delectable.

Does Din Tai Fung Live up to the Hype?

In my opinion (and those of my wife and our two friends who came with us) the answer to that question is a resounding “yes”! The food is outstanding, the service is world-class, and the atmosphere is warm and inviting.

In recent years, Disney have stepped up their restaurant game in a big way in Downtown Disney. Centrico, another DTD upscale restaurant, serves up authentic Mexican cusine (see my review here) and their upcoming steakhouse, Arthur and Sons Steak and Bourbon, is sure to please.

Could Din Tai Fung be the best of the new crop? I believe so. It’s certainly an expensive place to eat, with our group of four paying nearly $300 for our meal. That said, it’s worth every dime, in my opinion. If you have the money, definitely don’t skip it.

*If you’re researching hotels for your Disneyland vacation, see my number one recommendation here!

How to Get to Disneyland from Santa Ana (John Wayne) Airport

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.

Serving approximately 32,000 passengers daily, the Santa Ana Airport (also known as, John Wayne Airport), is one of the many commercial airports in the greater Los Angeles/Orange County area.

When booking a flight to Disneyland, many folks' first thought is to fly into LAX, as many believe that it's the closest major airport to Disneyland. If that's you, you'll be glad you stumbled upon this blog because that couldn't be further from the truth.

While LAX is nearby, it is approximately 35 miles from the Disneyland Resort, which translates to a 40-45 minute drive (and that's WITHOUT traffic). Alternatively, John Wayne Airport is much closer to Disneyland at just 15 miles or a 15-20 minute drive (again...not counting for traffic). Making it the closest airport to Disneyland.

Therefore, I recommend booking your flight there. Sure, you may save a few bucks flying into LAX, but you'll get to the parks/your hotel much quicker by flying into Santa Ana. In this post, I'm going to discuss the several ways you can get to Disneyland from John Wayne Airport. Let's get into it.

Getting to Disneyland from John Wayne Airport

Car Rental

Firstly, you can rent your own vehicle. This ultimately provides the greatest freedom of travel as you won't be beholden to another's time constraints. John Wayne Airport hosts many of the national car rental brands you're likely familiar with, including Budget, Avis, Alamo, Enterprise, and Hertz.

Once you have your vehicle, simply be on your way. I won't provide actual directions here, as you can simply plug-in either Disneyland or your hotel's name/address into Google Maps for turn-by-turn directions.

However, if Disneyland is the sole focus of your visit, I do advise against renting a vehicle. There are a plethora of hotel options within walking distance of Disneyland, many being just across the street, so you'll essentially be paying $30-$40 dollars a day or more just to drive yourself to/from the airport.

Furthermore, many of the hotels surrounding Disneyland now charge guests a parking fee. At some hotels, this fee can be as high as $50 per night! In my opinion, it simply isn't worth it unless you're planning to visit other theme parks or area attractions and want that freedom of travel.

Rideshare Options

Ride sharing through apps such as Uber and Lyft are far and away the most popular and convenient way to get to your destination from the airport. These apps offer up front, flat rates and often go the fastest and best route as the drivers are paid per ride instead of per mile (like a taxi).

This is advantageous if you run into traffic on the way there, again, thanks to the flat rate. Additionally, considering John Wayne is the closest airport to the Disneyland Resort, you'll pay a much smaller rate versus coming from LAX or Burbank.

John Wayne Airport has its own dedicated ride sharing space. You'll find it on the top level of the parking structures A2, B2, and Terminal C. Keep in mind that this is the only area where rideshare drivers will pick you up and you MUST be there prior to summoning a ride.

Of course, time of day and current traffic conditions could cause your rate to spike or even worse, if there's significant demand at the moment you need a ride, surge pricing could kick in which can double or triple (or higher) your rate.

You can somewhat protect yourself from surge pricing by scheduling your ride ahead of time. Both Uber and Lyft allow you to schedule rides up to 90 days in advance. However, it isn't unheard of for drivers to cancel your ride at the last minute in favor of higher pay during a surge. So be warned of that possibility.

Another way to protect yourself from surge pricing is by using Wingz instead of Uber or Lyft. Wingz focuses and specializes in airport pick ups, offering its riders the ability to book up to two months in advance, have a locked-in rate, and book specific drivers (personally, I LOVE this perk).

*Use this link to sign up for Wingz and receive a $5 credit towards your first ride.

Shuttle Service and Anaheim Resort Transit (ART)

Unfortunately, there’s no official Disney shuttle service from John Wayne to the parks (or hotels). Don't fret, because you still have a few options. First, check with your hotel. Some of them offer complimentary shuttle service from area airports directly to the hotel for registered guests.

It's bad news if you're staying at one of the three Disney resort hotels, as neither of them offer airport transfers. Disney does recommend a third party service, Karmel Shuttle, if needed. Karmel offers shared and private shuttle service, as well as town cars and large SUVs, if needed.

Karmel Shuttle is one of two most reputable airport transfer service providers in the area, the second being Prime Time Shuttle. Looking at Prime Time Shuttle's website, it appears as though they offer town cars, SUVs, and Limos, but not traditional shuttles. In my opinion, those two would be your best options.

They're pretty far apart on rates, with Karmel offering a private sedan from the airport to the Disney Resort area for about $150 and Prime Time offering the same sedan for just under $70 (after a discount). Also with Karmel, a shared shuttle commands just over $75 while a private shuttle would set you back $122.

The next runner up would be the Anaheim Resort Transit (ART) through their off-shoot brand, EVE (Everyone Ventures Everywhere). While the rates are minimal, I've seen numerous online reviews stating that the service is highly unreliable and they take forever to reach your destination due to all the stops they make.

There are other options, mind you. A quick Google search results in dozens of transportation services. However, Karmel and Prime Time are the two that almost always appear at the top of the search results and appear to be the most reputable. Additionally, Disney recommends Karmel.

​Word of warning! Whatever you do, DO NOT book with a company called "24/7 Ride". They burned me badly one time by taking my money and no-showing the pick up time. I had an early flight out of LAX and had to scramble at the literal last minute.

I was eventually emailed by them (HOURS later) stating that my ride had been canceled as they do not operate that early. This is despite "24/7" being in the literal name of the business. I'm not the only one, either. Their Yelp page is loaded with similar (and worse) experiences. Out of 2,484 reviews…2,018 of them are one star rated.

Moral of the story...stick with reputable companies and don't get burned. If it's too good to be true, it likely is.

Orange County Transit Authority (OCTA)

Finally, the OCTA offers a network of interlinked bus routes from the airport and throughout Orange County and connects to additional public transportation options. Keep in mind that going this route, while financially beneficial, would require several transfers and walking between stops. This isn’t exactly ideal when you’re hauling kids and luggage around.

At the end of the day, I still recommend going the ride sharing route, with Wingz, particularly. You just can’t beat the convenience, flat rate, and direct access to your destination. If your group is large, then definitely consider the private shuttle service through Karmel. If you’re feeling boujee, then book that limo through Prime Time.

To recap, here are the links to companies mentioned in this post in no particular oder:

• Prime Time Shuttle

• Karmel Shuttle

• ART and EVE

• Orange County Transit Authority

• Wingz

• Uber

• Lyft

• John Wayne Airport (SNA)

Also, if you’re still researching a hotel for your Disneyland vacation, check out my personal reviews of Hotel Indigo Anaheim and Four Points by Sheraton. Both of these hotels are within walking distance to Disneyland and are solid options.

Details of New Downtown Disney Steakhouse ‘Arthur & Sons’

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.

*NOTE: Parkside Market did indeed open in 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.

2025 Update on Arthur and Sons Steakhouse

*Big thanks to friend of the blog, Amber, for the great pics of the construction walls

Nearly a year after Tortilla Jo’s closure, construction walls donning graphics of the upcoming Arthur and Sons Steakhouse have gone up around the building in the second week of February. This is a clear indication that movement on this highly anticipated steakhouse is imminent.

Exactly when that’s supposed to happen is unclear, as is an anticipated opening date. I previously assumed that Disney would fully demolish the old Tortilla Jo’s building to make way for Arthur and Sons but after looking more closely at the concept art, I’m not so sure now.

In the concept art above and below, you’ll notice that the entryway for Arthur and Sons is strikingly similar, in shape, to the former entryway for Tortilla Jo’s. It surely differs in color scheme and design but structurally, it’s nearly identical. I never noticed the similarities until seeing the concept art lined up with the building in its current form.

Fully demolishing a structure like the one currently in place could take several months. They’ll then need to move and flatten earth in order to lay a foundation and piping, which could take an additional several weeks or longer. Then, and only then, would construction go vertical, which would take many more months.

By comparison, it took 18 months for a full build-out of nearby Din Tai Fung. If the same timeline ended up applying to Arthur and Sons and they begin demolition in March 2025, we would be looking at a late summer or early fall 2026 opening.

Conversely, if they’re indeed just redesigning the current building, with possibly just minor demolition at play, that’ll significantly improve the timeline. Without needing a full demo, moving earth, and installing plumbing, it’s entirely possible we could see Arthur and Sons Steakhouse opening by the end of 2025, or possibly sooner.

Of course, all of this is conjecture at this point. As always, I’ll be updating this post as more information becomes available.

My Honest Review of Four Points Anaheim (Formally Hotel Menage)

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.

Deciding on which hotel to stay at when planning a trip to Disneyland can be a daunting task. There are countless options within walking distance to Disneyland, each offering their own varying nightly rates and amenities.

If you’re like most guests, staying at one of the three Disney hotels would be preferable. Unfortunately, the sky-high rates price many guests out. However, that shouldn’t stop you from going to Disneyland, as there are plenty of affordable options nearby. Enter, Four Points by Sheraton Anaheim.

I’ve stayed at this property a couple of times and generally have had positive experiences. The rates are often reasonable, especially considering the hotel’s proximity to Disneyland, the amenities are decent and the customer service is phenomenal.

The property was previously owned by Casa Resorts and operated under the name, Hotel Menage. Sometime in 2015 or 2016, Casa Resorts was bought out by Sheraton, who then rebranded the property under their Four Points banner.

I have no previous experience with Hotel Menage, but two good friends of mine have stayed there a number of times and described staying there as a, “great experience”, every time. Does Four Points live up to Hotel Menage’s solid reputation?

Four Points by Sheraton Location

Four Points is located on the intersection of South Harbor Blvd. and Ball Road. It’s on the other side of the overpass from Disneyland, so the back of the property hugs right up against Interstate 5. Its exact address is 1221 South Harbor Blvd., Anaheim, CA, 92805.

Because you’re sandwiched between a freeway and a busy city street, there is going to be traffic noise no matter which direction your room faces. The pool facing rooms, while the most scenic, are also freeway facing. Keep this in mind when booking.

In my honest opinion, the traffic noise didn’t bother me much (not accounting for random police sirens). I’m one of those weird people who fall asleep better with ambient noises going on around me. That said, I’ve stayed in rooms facing both directions and found the freeway side less bothersome.

Many may view being right up against the freeway as a bad thing, but there is an upside that many don’t realize. We’ll get into that upside further into the review…

Four Points by Sheraton Anaheim to Disneyland

Whether or not Four Points is in what’s considered a “walkable” distance to Disneyland entirely depends on what you consider walkable. I’ve timed my walks to and from the hotel and Disneyland, which distance-wise is just under a mile, and came up with an average walk time of 19 minutes. To me, a 10-20 walk to the parks is decent, but not great.

The walk is a straight-shot to the parks and aside from the elevation change on the overpass, it’s flat and along a well-maintained sidewalk. I did notice a couple homeless encampments near the overpass but once you get to the “Disney side”, it’s free and clear.

However, something to consider, especially if you have small children and strollers with you, you will need to cross over a rather large overpass with two sets of on/off ramps to negotiate. My wife and I had no issues, but towing small children over an overpass in a city with aggressive drivers makes it a bit worrisome.

That said, Four Points is part of the ART shuttle network, with a pick up/drop off spot right at the front door. Additionally, summoning a ride share is fairly easy, though it does get a bit convoluted given the hotel’s corner location.

Four Points by Sheraton Anaheim Prices and Parking

For the most part, I feel the nightly rates at Four Points by Sheraton Anaheim to be reasonable, especially considering its proximity to Disneyland. Throughout the year, nightly rates tend to be sub-$200 during the week, if prepaid. If you’re wishing to pay when you arrive, the rates rise to the low $200’s.

Weekend rates, when prepaid, tend to hover just below or just over the $200 mark. If not prepaid, expect to pay from the low to mid $200’s on average. On certain weekends and holidays the rate does flirt with and exceed the $300 mark as well.

There is on-site parking, with the majority being behind a coded gate. Additionally, there are several EV charging stations. Parking doesn’t come cheap, as you can expect to pay $33.99 per night as of January 2025. This is always a point of contention with me, as I feel hotels nickel and dime their guests by charging them to park.

By comparison, Hotel Indigo Anaheim, which is located on Katella but almost the exact distance from the park as Four Points, doesn’t charge parking or resort fees. Sure, their nightly rate is higher, but the amenities and rooms are superior, in my opinion.

Common Area Amenities

In my experiences with Four Points, their property has always been neat, clean and mostly well-maintained. I say, “mostly”, because the property does show obvious and not-so obvious signs of ware. For example, the elevator doors have numerous scratches and discoloration marks that could easily be fixed with a bit of paint.

On the flip side, the employees are great. Every staff member my wife and I encountered during my two stays were always smiling, said hello, asked how my day was going, etc. They’re truly great people who care about your stay and how it’s going.

In the lobby area is their on-site restaurant, Tru Grits. My wife and I tried the breakfast there (which isn’t included in your rate, by the way) and found it to just be ok. It’s all-you-can-eat, but to us it wasn’t worth the $25 per adult charge.

On the lobby side is a small cafe offering quick bites, such as breakfast sandwiches, Starbucks coffee, parfaits, and more. Personally, I recommend the breakfast sandwiches here over paying for the breakfast at Tru Grits as they’re much better.

The outdoor pool at Four Points is where the property shines. There’s a decently-sized wading pool and one adjacent jacuzzi. The pool is oddly shaped, making lap swimming challenging, but not impossible.

Additionally, there’s an abundance of seating around the pool, including covered options and palm trees dotting the landscape around the pool, giving it more of a beach resort vacation-vibe compared to a theme park trip.

What makes it even better is it’s open 24/7. Let me tell you, there is no better feeling than returning from a long day at the park and being able to sit in a jacuzzi. In my opinion, Four Points has one of the best pools of any hotel within walking distance to Disneyland.

Additional amenities include complimentary coffee and fruit-infused water and in the lobby, a fitness center (24 hour access), dry cleaning service, business center, an abundance of seating space in the lobby, ADA accessible rooms and check in desk, automatic lobby doors, physical access key, digital room access via the Bonvoy app, complimentary WiFi and a convenience store.

Four Points by Sheraton Anaheim Two-Queen Room

The rooms are fairly basic, but they do offer a few welcomed amenities. In the times that I’ve stayed here, I’ve stayed in a two-queen and a king room. Both are identical in size and amenities, with the only difference being the extra bed and their respective sizes.

All rooms at Four Points by Sheraton feature faux-wood flooring. I know a lot of folks prefer carpet but for me, my preference has always been hard flooring. It’s easier for staff to keep clean and sanitized. Plus, it’s far and away more visually appealing.

My first negative remark pertains to the lack of USB ports in the room. There are a couple scattered about here and there, but not nearly enough. It’s a good thing I brought my Anker 6-USB/USB-C charging port or I would’ve had to go without charging a couple devices.

Honestly, while the bathroom does the job just fine, it leaves much to be desired. The sink counter is separated from the shower and toilet, making it easier for groups of two or more to prepare themselves for a day at Disneyland. There are rooms where the sink and bathroom are conjoined in the same space, though.

The bathroom itself is small, with a traditional tub-style shower. Families with small children will likely appreciate this, but I tend to favor walk-in showers myself (their suites feature walk-in showers). The water pressure from the shower head was abysmal, in my experience. This wasn’t just a one-off, as it was the case during my second stay as well.

The sink counter featured additional storage space for towels (or whatever else you’d want to put away). Typical amenities were provided, such as hand soap, tissue, mouthwash, hair blower and body lotion. In the shower were full-size bottles of body wash, shampoo, and conditioner.

To me, the best feature of our room was the semi-large, brown-wood armoire located adjacent to the sink/bathroom. The left side of the armoire is basically storage, with space to put away your suitcases and bags, with room to hang jackets and shelf storage above that.

On the right side is where your mini-fridge and digitally keyed safe are located. These were nice amenities by the property to include. The safe appears small, but it was large enough for me to store my Macbook Pro, with plenty of room to spare.

Above the safe and mini-fridge is a small coffee maker with a variety of complimentary coffee and tea samples, as well as sugar and other accompanists. I’m happy to report that the coffee maker was clean, unlike my horrific discovery in my room at J Resort Reno.

As far as the bedding is concerned, I found their mattresses to be a bit too soft. I prefer my mattresses firmer, with just some give. Additionally, the pillows were incredibly thin, which tends to be a common occurrence at Marriott-owned properties.

I can tolerate a lot of things, but a dirty room isn’t one of them. I’m happy to report that being dirty wasn’t an issue during either of my stays. However, the weak water pressure, uncomfortable mattress/pillows, and faulty A/C unit doesn’t have me in a hurry to book another stay here, despite all the positives.

Disneyland Fireworks View from Four Points

Remember at the beginning of this post when I teased an upside to being hugged up against the freeway? Well…

Another positive about Four Points by Sheraton Anaheim is the unique view of the Disneyland fireworks. The hotel is situated behind Disneyland’s ToonTown, which is where Disney launches their fireworks from. During nights when Disney holds a show, you’ll get a uniquely awesome perspective.

You won’t have the accompanying music, of course, but you’ll get a fantastic (and not to mention, crowd-free) view nonetheless. This could also be looked at as a negative, though. No matter which side of the property your room faces, you’re going to hear the fireworks loud and clear. Prepare yourself for that.

Is Four Points by Sheraton Anaheim Pet Friendly?

Yes, this property is pet friendly. There are numerous grassy areas scattered around the outer perimeter of Four Points, but there’s no officially designated, fenced-off area for dogs. Additionally, most of the grassy areas are adjacent to busy streets, South Harbor and Ball.

In addition to your nightly rate, you’ll need to pay a non-refundable $150 fee per pet with a maximum of two per room and a 75-pound weight limit. Note that this is per stay and not per night. Not bad considering most hotels are charging nightly fees for pets now.

All in all, I feel Four Points by Sheraton Anaheim has a lot going for it and is worth considering. The 24 hour access to the pool is a welcomed and rare perk, and the fact that it’s within walking distance to Disneyland adds a few points to the pile.

However, the egregious parking fees, uncomfortable (to me) bedding and thinner walls leave a lot to be desired. If you’re flying in, the parking fees won’t matter to you. Conversely, if you enjoy a comfortable night’s rest and prefer a firmer mattress, then that may be a problem.

If you’re interested in booking Four Points, you can do so at one of the links below (I’ll make a small commission if you do, but it won’t affect the rate you’ll pay):

• Book through Expedia (if you just need a hotel and want preferred rates)

• Book through Get Away Today (for hotel + ticket packages, personalized service, and magical extras)

Alternatively, you can read my other reviews of hotels near Disneyland. One of which has the most cloud-like hotel mattress I’ve ever slept on and the other is perfect for large families or those just looking for extra space.

2026 Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival Guide

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.

What began back in 2006 as a small celebration with just two food booths has blossomed into perhaps the biggest festival held at the Disneyland Resort. These days, the California Food and Wine Festival, not to be confused with its EPCOT counterpart, isn’t to be missed.

With participation from upwards of ten food booths (or, marketplaces), multiple brick and mortar restaurants, food carts, culinary demonstrations, entertainment offerings, cooking classes, and more, it can seem daunting to figure it all out.

In this post, I’m going to list the festival’s offerings and help you to figure out where everything is, based on my experience attending the event. Not all details have been released about the 2026 festival, so I’ll be using information from prior years to lay it all out. Let’s get into it…

2026 California Food and Wine Festival Dates

Dates for the 2026 California Food and Wine Festival haven’t been announced yet. However, the event typically begins in early February or March and ends sometime in late April.

When the exact dates are made public, I will update this post accordingly.

Food and Wine Sip and Savor Pass

If the main focus of your trip is to experience as much of the food and drink offerings as you can, then the Sip and Savor Pass is an essential component to the experience. Depending on which one you purchase and how you use it, it can actually save you money.

I’ve already written an extensive post about the Sip and Savor Pass which you can read here, so instead of a deep dive, I’ll simply cover the basics. The Sip and Savor Pass comes with either four or eight allotments, which you can redeem for select festival food and drink items.

If you’re a Magic Key holder, you’ll receive a slight discount on the 8-count card, but not on the 4-count version. Since you’re essentially pre-paying for multiple items at once, the more higher priced items you redeem your allotments for, the better your savings will be.

To redeem your allotments, present your card to the cast member taking your order and they’ll scan the back of it. You’ll then be handed a receipt which will display the total number of remaining allotments your card has.

As stated above, to get the most of your Sip and Savor Pass, use your allotments for the higher priced items. I say this because depending on the price of an item, you could actually lose money if you don’t pay attention.

For example, in 2024, the price of a four allotment pass was $31. Broken down, that meant each allotment was worth $7.75. Most food items were either at or higher than that price. However, most non-alcoholic drinks and some desserts were priced below that.

Therefore, every time somebody used one of their allotments for those, they actually lost money. If you’re keen on a drink or two, use your allotments on food and just pay for the drinks and certain desserts out of pocket. Note that your allotments cannot be used for beer, cocktails or wine.

Again, for a deeper dive into the Sip and Savor Pass, read my comprehensive post about it here. In it, I break down the math on both versions of the pass, where and what you cannot use it on, and more.

Food and Wine Festival Marketplaces

One of the main offerings during the Food and Wine Festival are a variety of themed marketplaces, each offering its own menu specific to that theme. Don’t expect to receive large portions at these booths. Each food item is typically priced around $8 to $9 and are considered “sample sizes”, for the most part.

We don’t yet know the themes for the 2026 festival, but we do know that much like in 2024, there will be ten featured marketplaces. Keep an eye on this post as I’ll update it with the theme names as they become known.

Marketplace Locations

Locations could always change, but Disney typically keeps the marketplaces in the same general areas. The Performance Corridor, which is the pathway leading from the hub at Buena Vista Street and passes Avengers Campus, Cars Land, San Fransokio, and the entrance to Pixar Pier, usually has 3-4 of them.

Additionally, you’ll also find one or two in the Paradise Gardens area, and another one or two in the Hollywoodland Backlot. Finally, there’s often one tucked away near the Grizzly River Run water wheel, at the end of the Embarcadero buildings.

The marketplaces are open daily during the entirety of the festival, operating from 10:30am to 9pm. We don’t yet have a foodie guide for the 2026 festival but to see examples of the offerings, see my list of 17 items my wife and I tried at the 2024 Food and Wine Festival. A few of those will definitely be repeats this year.

The festival food and drink offerings don’t end with the marketplaces. At several of the traditional restaurants, such as Wine Country Trattoria and Lamplight Lounge, there are usually one or two festival-specific items added. The exact restaurants vary by year, but generally, most of them participate in some manner.

The Paradise Gardens area transforms into the Festival Beer Garden, offering a variety of beers and wines from all over, but with a heavy focus on southern California beers. Additionally, Sonoma Terrace typically offers special wine tasting events as well.

Select Downtown Disney restaurants also get in on the act. The official list changes every year, but you’ll generally see Jazz Kitchen participating to some extent. I wouldn’t be surprised to see relative newcomers, such as Great Maple American Eatery, Centrico, and possibly Din Tai Fung participate.

Event Entertainment and Limited Time Specials

Another fan-favorite aspect of the Food and Wine Festival are the numerous entertainment offerings throughout the event, namely the live musical acts. A variety of bands make appearances throughout each day on two stages throughout Paradise Gardens Park.

Also in Paradise Gardens Park, near the entrance to the Little Mermaid attraction, is where the Jammin’ Chefs perform. It’s a 12-minute performance featuring Disney characters such as Chip, Dale, and Daisy Duck, dancing to music while the chefs perform with pots, pans and other common kitchen ware.

As far as special character meet and greets are concerned, the only one specifically for the festival is Chef Goofy. Normally, the only way you would see Chef Goofy is if you paid for a character meal at Goofy’s Kitchen. You’ll find him in the Hollywood Backlot, near the Hollywood backdrop photo-op.

During Food and Wine, Soarin’ Over California returns to the park. In 2016, this original version of Soarin’ was replaced with the updated, Soarin’ Around the World. Since then, fans clamored for the California film to return, so Disney began bringing it back during the festival, probably to quiet us all down.

Beyond these, there are numerous culinary demonstrations featuring well known chefs from around the world, cooking classes guests can partake in, tasting seminars, and other related activities. You can view and book from the schedule here.

Limited Time Merchandise

Finally, it wouldn’t be a Disney event without corresponding, limited-time merchandise. Corkcicle, who is a huge sponsor of the event, usually has several limited edition tumblers available for purchase. In 2024, Disney sold these Corkcicle champagne flutes (pictured above) that came with a serving of your drink of choice.

Of course, Disney features a wide variety of their own branded merchandise for the event as well. You’ll surely see the usual line up of spirit jerseys, Loungefly bags, pins, Mickey ears, t-shirts, hoodies, glass ware and more. You can find merch at the booths and carts set up along the Performance Corridor, as well as in the gift shops on Buena Vista Street.

In addition to the Disney branded merchandise, you’ll also find several third party companies and individuals offering a wide range of specialty products and foods. We did one where cast members digitally drew caricatures of my wife and I, and placed a print of them onto a wine bootle with fairy lights inside.

Our artist did such a fantastic job. She even went the extra mile and included the Inked with Wanderlust logo that was on my hat. This souvenir, while expensive, was super unique and unlike anything we’ve purchased in a theme park.

Let me know in the comment section below if you’ve been to the Food and Wine Festival before or if you’re planning to visit in 2026 for the first time. For my wife and I, it’s our second favorite event at the park, right after Oogie Boogie Bash, of course.

Oogie Boogie Bash 2025 Dates and Prices (+ Villain Info)

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 a slew of announcements regarding a multitude of Disneyland’s special events in 2025. One such announcement was the official Oogie Boogie Bash 2025 dates. Which was somewhat of a surprise considering we don’t normally receive that information until closer to the middle of the year.

In 2024, the Halloween season at the Disneyland Resort began earlier than ever in August. Oogie Boogie Bash also followed suit, with a few events held in August for the first time. Disney will continue that trend in 2025, only with expanded dates in August starting even earlier in the month than before.

Oogie Boogie Bash held its first event of 2024 on August 25. In 2025, the first event will be on August 17. Additionally, Disney will hold more OBB events in 2025 than they ever have before, with 31 total confirmed dates (as compared to 2024’s 27, which was the previous record until now).

Here’s the full list of Oogie Boogie Bash 2025 dates in August (dates with a strikethrough are sold out):

• August 17, 2025

• August 19, 2025

• August 21, 2025

• August 24, 2025

• August 26, 2025

• August 28, 2025

• August 31, 2025

Here’s a full list of Oogie Boogie Bash dates in September 2025 (dates with a strikethrough are sold out):

• September 2, 2025

• September 9, 2025

• September 11, 2025

• September 14, 2025

• September 16, 2025

• September 18, 2025

• September 21, 2025

• September 23, 2025

• September 25, 2025

• September 28, 2025

• September 30, 2025

Lastly, here are the Oogie Boogie Bash October 2025 dates (dates with a strikethrough are sold out):

• October 2, 2025

• October 5, 2025

• October 7, 2025

• October 9, 2025

• October 12, 2025

• October 14, 2025

• October 16, 2025

• October 19, 2025

• October 21, 2025

• October 23, 2025

• October 26, 2025

• October 28, 2025

• October 31, 2025

When Do Oogie Boogie Bash Tickets Go On Sale?

(New updates below this section)

Unfortunately, the answer to that question (as well as date-specific pricing) wasn’t included in the media release. However, thanks to historical data (and first hand experience), we do have a general idea as to when they’ll go on sale and for how much.

Typically, Disney releases date specific pricing and sales date information in June of each year. In 2024, specifically, pricing and dates were announced in the middle of the month, with the first sale date occurring the following week on June 27.

While Disney could always surprise us again, I suspect they’ll stick with the usual June timeline. Last year, the event carried a price range between $134 - $189. Generally, August and early September dates were at the lower end of the spectrum.

The closer it got to Halloween, though, the prices tipped towards the higher end, with Halloween night itself commanding the highest. These prices were nearly identical to 2023, with Disney opting to increase profits via expanding the number of dates versus raising prices.

Considering they’ve expanded Oogie Boogie Bash 2025 dates even further, It’s possible they’ll repeat this strategy. Conversely, I also anticipate a fair share of individual dates will be priced higher than they were last year, as that seemed to be the formula in 2024.

That said, 2024 was wrought with price hikes. Hotel rates, magic keys, multi-day tickets, you name it. Nothing was safe. There’s a good chance Disney will keep that ball rolling by raising prices by $5 to $10, effectively pushing the high end to the $199 mark.

I’m not encouraging them, but Disney can charge even more than that and still sell out. While it took longer than it had historically, OBB 2024 dates all sold out. As they have every year since the event’s debut in 2019. Time will tell, but I don’t anticipate a huge price increase, if anything at all.

*UPDATE: Disney announced that Oogie Boogie Bash 2025 tickets will go on sale to the general public on June 26, no earlier than 9am (pst). Magic Key holders will enjoy earlier sale dates, with Inspire Key holders getting the jump over everyone on June 24 and on June 25, all other key tiers will have their turn.

*UPDATE: Ticket prices did increase as expected. The new range is $139 to $199. That’s a $5 dollar jump on the low end and a $10 dollar jump on the high end. There are six dates in August and September at the $139 price point, with Halloween night being the sole date at the $199 mark. If you’re looking to save, then aim for an event in either August or early September.

Oogie Boogie Bash Villains 2025

(New updates below this section)

The biggest draw of any special event at Disneyland is arguably the characters, but this is especially true for Oogie Boogie Bash. Each year, the event features around eight or nine rarely seen villains, largely portrayed by face actors. Additionally, there are numerous costumed characters conducting traditional meet and greets.

In 2024, the Oogie Boogie Bash villains line up included:

• Ernesto de la Cruz

• Dr. Doofensmirtz (new for 2024)

• Judge Doom

• Sid

• Yokai

• Oogie Boogie

• Hades (new-ish for 2024)

• Agatha Harkness

• Mad Madam Mim

Disney usually retains the more popular villains, with Sid and Oogie Boogie himself being the sole originals from the first OBB. Ernesto de la Cruz made his debut in 2022 and has remained a mainstay ever since. If you’ve never seen him before, you’re in for quite the experience (psst - read my Oogie Boogie Bash characters guide to learn how to see all of them, and others, in one night).

Mad Madam Mim, Yokai, and Agatha Harkness were also repeats from the 2022 and 2023 events. In 2025, I would definitely expect Yokai to return, as he’s the only real villain you could place in San Fransokyo Square.

I would be surprised to see Agatha return, as her Disney Plus series didn’t exactly pull stellar numbers and there will be tons of construction for the Avengers Campus expansion still going on at that time. If anything, I would expect a different Marvel villain this time around (Doc Ock, preferably).

Dr. Doof and Hades were the freshmen villains last year and were a mega-hit with guests. Their return in 2025 is a near certainty, in my opinion. Same goes for Judge Doom, who debuted in 2023 and has also been a fan favorite. And of course, you can’t have OBB without the host himself, Oogie Boogie.

For me, the wildcards this year are Mad Madam Mim and Sid. As mentioned above, Sid has been appearing since OBB’s inception and Madam Mim has been around since 2022. Both are great, but Disney commonly introduces two new villains each year and it may be their time to bow out.

My money is on Sid and Madam Mim bowing out this year. Personally, I would love nothing more than to see a face actress portray the Old Hag from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The actresses currently portraying Madam Mim would kill it, for sure.

We likely won’t know what the Oogie Boogie Bash villains line up will be until the first event. Similar to prior years, we’ll likely get teasers of who the new additions will be. Now that the Oogie Boogie Bash 2025 dates have been revealed early, though, there’s a chance we’ll learn the villain line up early as well.

Oogie Boogie Bash Characters 2025 Update

Disney recently released an Oogie Boogie Bash-themed map revealing certain aspects of the event, including characters. As suspected, there isn’t much changing in 2025 with familiar favorites returning - such as Villains Grove and Frightfully Fun Parade.

It also revealed specific villains returning. These include Judge Doom, Hades, Dr. Doof, Ernesto de la Cruz, Yokai, Agatha and Oogie Boogie himself. One surprise was the all-but-confirmed return of Hagatha.

Between the underwhelming performance of her Disney Plus series and the ongoing construction in Avengers Campus, I was certain we wouldn’t see her return this year. With all the amazing villains in the Marvel canon, it’s a head scratcher why Disney won’t pull the trigger and replace her.

It’s no surprise to see Ernesto returning, as he’s become a fan-favorite (and rightfully so). Dr. Doof and Hades were the two debuts in 2024, so their return is also no surprise. The two missing from the graphic, though, are the two I predicted would be replaced when this post was originally published - Mad Madam Mim and Sid.

Sid is an original Oogie Boogie Bash villain, having been at every event since the inaugural 2019 OBB. He’s become a fan-favorite over the years, with his roast-style crowd interactions being legendary amongst Disney fans.

Based on the graphic, though, it appears as though 2024 was Sid’s final year. As well as Mad Madam Mim. It has become tradition in recent years for Disney to introduce two new villains each year. It does a fine job at causing FOMO with those who’re on the fence about attending the event.

Whichever villain will replace Mad Madam Mim will be a wildcard, with my hope of it being the Old Hag (Snow White) or Yzma (Emperor’s New Grove). Sid’s replacement is all but guaranteed to be a Pixar villain, given the location.

We will likely see teasers from Disney as the event draws near, but I’m going to drop my predictions now (based on nothing but gut instinct). My three guesses as to who it’ll be are Stinky Peat (Toy Story), Charles Muntz (Up), or Syndrome (Incredibles). I’ll be sure to update this post once the new villains are announced. For now, be sure to read my 12 Oogie Boogie Bash Tips here.

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Lightning Lane Disneyland Tiers Explained

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Lightning Lane, the newest incarnation of Disney’s ever-evolving line skipping service, is offered at the Disneyland Resort in California, as well Walt Disney World. This post is going to focus on Lightning Lane at Disneyland, as there are a few differences from its Florida counterpart.

While the service is fairly simple in application, figuring it out can be downright confusing to casual guests who either haven’t been to the park in a while. For starters, as of October 2024, there are now three levels to Lightning Lane, each with their own price-point, perks and usage limits. They are:

• Lighting Lane Premiere Pass (LLPP)

• Lightning Lane Multi-Pass (LLMP)

• Lightning Lane Single Pass (LLSP)

In the post below, I’m going to discuss these three tiers and their details. Topics such as what they cost, how to use them, what you can and can’t do with them, which attractions are included, and more, will be covered. Let’s get into it.

Lightning Lane Single Pass Cost & Info

Lightning Lane Single Pass (or…LLSP) is currently only offered at two attractions - Rise of the Resistance (ROTR) in Disneyland and Radiator Springs Racers in Disney California Adventure. These attractions often see the highest average wait times and thus, are not included with Lightning Lane Multi-Pass (which we’ll discuss later).

LLSP allows you to purchase one-time access to these attractions, up to twice in a single day. So if you’re in Disneyland for the day and want to ride ROTR twice, you can purchase LLSP at the attraction both times. Conversely, if you have a park hopper, you can purchase it for ROTR and Racers, once each.

No matter how you slice it, you’re limited to two LLSP purchases per person, per day. Also, there is no set price for LLSP, as it’s subject to dynamic pricing, meaning it fluctuates based on crowd levels for a particular day.

On average, the cost of “Rise” is usually set at $26. The absolute lowest I’ve seen it at was $22 and highest was $30. At “Racers”, the average tends to be $22. Though I’ve seen it hit the $25 mark in the past, and I’ve seen it as low as $17 on more than a few occasions.

Keep in mind that this is per person and LLSP is your only recourse for utilizing their Lightning Lanes. Again, they are not included in Lightning Lane Multi-Pass. However, they are included with Lightning Lane Premiere Pass, which we’ll discuss in greater detail below.

In the past, several other attractions, including WEB Slingers and Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway were a part of LLSP, but were moved to LLMP once the initial hype died down. Currently, LLSP is not offered at Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, Disneyland’s newest attraction.

Lightning Lane Multi-Pass Cost & Info

Lightning Lane Multi-Pass is the main arm of the service, the one in which most guests will purchase. It includes all Lightning Lane Disneyland attractions, with the exception of the two discussed above. You can view of full list of attractions here, but a few notables include:

• Matterhorn Bobsleds

• Space Mountain

• Indiana Jones Adventure

• Haunted Mansion

• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

• Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission BREAKOUT!

• WEB Slingers

• Soarin’ Over the World

• Incredicoaster

• Toy Story Mania

At Disneyland, you can buy LLMP at the time of your ticket purchase at the set price of $32 per ticket, per day. For example, if you’re purchasing a three-day ticket and want to add LLMP to it, you’ll be charged $96 (32 x 3 = 96) for the add on.

When purchasing ahead of time, there’s no way to purchase just one or two days of that three-day ticket. You must pay for all three days up front. Likewise if you’re purchasing a two, four, or five-day ticket. If you’ll only want LLMP on certain days, you’ll need to purchase day-of, and there’s a major downside to that.

Purchasing day-of puts you at risk of paying more for the service, as day-of pricing is subject to demand, with the average cost at $36-$39 per ticket. Provided, if your goal is to only use it for one of your three-day (or more) visit, it’ll be much less than buying all three days.

Note that once you’ve completed your ticket purchase, you cannot go back and add LLMP onto it later. Once purchase is complete, you’ll have no choice but to purchase the service day-of. Be sure of what you want to do prior to buying your tickets.

Using LLMP gives you potential access to each Lightning Lane eligible attraction. I say “potential” because you’re not guaranteed access to any attraction, as it may be closed for refurbishment, temporarily out of service, or simply out of return times for the day.

Using LLMP is relatively simple. You access the portal using the Disneyland app (you must have the app in order to use the service), tap “Book Lightning Lane Entry”, then select the attraction and return time that works best for you. Return times are in one-hour windows.

Once you’ve selected a return time, you cannot select another until:

• Two hours have passed

• You’ve scanned into the attraction

• You cancel the current selection

Note that unlike at Walt Disney World, you cannot select a specific return time window. If the presented return time for the attraction you want doesn’t work for you, you’ll need to refresh or check again at a later time.

Generally speaking, cast members are trained to hold you to your return time. If you arrive early, you likely won’t be allowed through. However, there was an instance where I arrived early to an attraction, thinking I was on time, and the CM let me go anyway. Don’t count on this, though, as I’m pretty sure it was her last day (or close to it).

Likewise, if you’re late, there’s a 50/50 chance of the CM letting you in. If you’re late due to a conflicting dining reservation, show the CM a screenshot of it and you’ll likely be allowed in. Otherwise, ask nicely and they may throw some magic your way.

It’s important to note that while a majority of the most popular rides are included with LLMP, not all of them are. These include:

• Every attraction in Fantasyland (with the exception of “it’s a small world”)

• Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage

• Jungle Cruise

• Disneyland Railroad & Disneyland Monorail

• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure (eventually will be)

• Jessie’s Critter Carousel

• Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind

• Every attraction in Paradise Gardens (with the exception of Goofy’s Sky School)

In 2024, after Splash Mountain was shuttered and Haunted Mansion went down for a long term refurbishment, the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction was “temporarily” added to LLMP to offer more value to the service, with the promise of its removal once the aforementioned rides were once again online.

As of November, Haunted Mansion is once again on LLMP and I expect Tiana’s Bayou Adventure to be added in the coming months (probably after the holidays). While it’s possible Disney will keep their word and remove Pirates from Lightning Lane, I’m expecting the opposite.

Since its inception, Disney has been trying to make Lightning Lane as appealing as possible. They’ve added several attractions to the line up that, due to their reputations as “people eaters”, didn’t necessarily need LL. The most infamous being the Little Mermaid attraction in DCA.

These moves were done in order to add a perception of additional value to LLMP. Including Pirates, in my opinion, was always part of the plan and the two neighboring attractions being closed was the perfect excuse. Pirates will likely remain on LL, especially with the addition of Lightning Lane Premiere Pass.

Lightning Lane Premiere Pass

The premiere tier is the newest (and most expensive) arm of Lightning Lane at Disneyland, debuting in the final months of 2024. I’ve already written about LLPP extensively in another post you can view here so to avoid repetition, I’m just going to cover the basics.

LLPP is the top tier, offering guests a similar, yet different service as opposed to LLMP. With premiere, every LL attraction is included, including Radiator Springs Racers and Rise of the Resistance, which aren’t included with LLMP.

Perhaps the most notable difference of premiere is the ability to access each attraction whenever you want. Unlike LLMP, you’re not beholden to return times, though you’re still limited to one-time use at each attraction.

This service is especially advantageous for those with a one-day park hopper ticket. Premiere Pass gets you on every LL attraction in both parks for the same price. But you must have a park hopper ticket to take advantage. Otherwise, you’re restricted to a single park.

This means you could, in theory, go through each LL attraction in quick succession, enabling you to potentially ride every attraction in one day with relative ease. If you only have one or two days at the park and have money to burn, this service is a great option.

Like most Disney upgrades, LLPP doesn’t come cheap. For the remainder of 2024, LLPP will set you back a staggering $400 per ticket, per day. In 2025, the price will vary between $300 - $400, based on daily demand.

Early reports from those who’ve used premiere pass have been mostly positive, with the main gripe being the cost. Again, if you’re short on time and rides are your priority, you may want to give premiere pass serious consideration. Again, read my post on LLPP for more details.

Is Disneyland’s Lightning Lane Worth It?

Whether or not Lighting Lane is worth it is a matter of perspective and personal preference. Personally, I’ve done the parks with and without Lightning Lane Multi-Pass, and had a great time under each scenario. It all depends on you and what you want to achieve.

As discussed above, if you’re limited on time with only a day or two in the parks, and you’ve never been to Disneyland or rarely go, I would definitely recommend purchasing Lightning Lane. The premiere level, specifically, if you have the money to spend.

More and more, the days of there being “slow periods” at Disneyland are slimming. There are still a handful, but nowhere near what it was pre-covid. Lightning Lane is often loathed by Disney fans but considering today’s crowd levels, it’s almost a necessity on some days.

That said, I only recommend Lightning Lane to those who don’t visit very often and prioritize attractions. If you tend to visit often and prioritize other elements and offerings, then I would say there are better things you could spend your money on.

I’ve had a range of experiences with LLMP. Some days were good, as I was able to tackle many attractions. Other days, it was so over-sold that return times were often multiple hours out, severely hampering the number of rides I could access.

For my wife and I, we prefer not to spend the extra money on LLMP and just remain vigilant on checking wait times in the Disneyland app. Conversely, I almost always purchase LLSP at Rise and Racers once each during our visits, as those queues are rarely not long.

You just need to sit down with your group and decide what’s most important to you. Don’t concern yourself too much with time of year and potential crowd levels, as those have largely been craft-shoots in the post-covid era. For the most part, Disneyland is always busy.

If you’ll for sure want to ride Racers and Rise and don’t want to wait long, be sure to budget LLSP (if you’ve mostly skimmed through this post, I listed average price-points for these above). From there, if your group wants to hit up as many rides as possible, then LLMP or LLPP (if budget allows it) are the way to go.

If you’re planning a vacation to Disneyland, be sure to visit Get Away Today. They’re simply the best Disney vacation planners out there, and offer a wide-range of hotel and ticket packages. Additionally, they’re one of the few places where you can make payments on Disneyland tickets. They’re highly reputable, and will take care of you every step of the way.

2024 Disneyland Resort Holidays Foodie Guide

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

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.