In years past, Disneyland has kept the details of its plans for annual programming under wraps. No more guessing games or pulling a Donald Duck tantrum when you miss out on your favorite events. This year, we’re bringing the magic into your hands with a detailed breakdown of what to expect and insider tips to make your Disneyland experience truly legendary.
Disneyland has released its entire calendar of events, including all of its seasonal programming and separately ticketed events.
1. Lunar New Year: Jan. 23 – Feb. 18
The first major festival of the year is Lunar New Year celebrating the Year of the Dragon, which happens Jan. 23 – Feb. 18 in Disney California Adventure Park. Pop-up kitchens around the park offer Disney takes on Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean foods, and Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession happens several times a day.
2. Disneyland After Dark: Nights of Enchantment
Disneyland has announced four “after dark” events for the first half of 2024, including one brand-new event that’s debuting in March. During these events, Disneyland Park closes to the public early, and guests who have separate tickets for the nighttime event have access to shorter ride queues, and food and events not normally available in the park.
The first Disneyland After Dark event this year is Sweethearts’ Nite, happening on eight nights from Jan. 23 to Feb. 14. The romance-inspired event includes a royal cavalcade, heart-shaped treats and rare character appearances.
Next is Disney Channel Nite on March 5 and March 7, making its debut in the park. The nostalgic celebration includes a “Phineas and Ferb” dance party and a “High School Musical” pep rally. Sweethearts Nite is sold out, but as of press time, some tickets are still available for Disney Channel Nite.
Star Wars Nite returns on select dates from April 16 to May 9 during Season of the Force (more on that in a minute), and Pride Nite is happening on June 18 and 20. Disney hasn’t opened ticket sales on these two events as of press time, but more details are forthcoming.
3. Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival: Mar. 1 – Apr. 22
Disneyland’s biggest food event of the year returns to DCA from March 1 to April 22. The Food & Wine Festival celebrates California’s food landscape with pop-up kitchens dedicated to distinct cuisines throughout the state, but also to our quirkiest foods, like a kitchen devoted to the artichoke, the California state vegetable.
The festival also includes cooking demonstrations and food-inspired entertainment — but real ones know the biggest draw of Food & Wine, which is the return of Soarin’ Over California, the original Soarin’ attraction, for the duration of the festival.
Insider Tip
Grab a Sip and Savor Pass for the best value – it gets you tastings at multiple kitchens.
4. Season of the Force: Apr. 5 – June 2
Prepare to geek out, Star Wars fans! Hyperspace Mountain, new Star Tours adventures, and galactic music await during the Season of the Force. During the festivities, Space Mountain will become Hyperspace Mountain, with the return of its “Star Wars” overlay.
The company also promises “new adventures aboard Star Tours — The Adventures Continue,” according to the Disney Parks Blog, and special “galactic music” in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge during evening fireworks.
Insider Tip
FastPasses are your lightsabers in this galaxy – use them wisely.
5. Pixar Fest: Apr. 26 – Aug. 4
It’s Pixar palooza! Pixar Fest brings a new parade and a revamped nighttime spectacular.
A resortwide festival that includes both parks, Downtown Disney and the hotels, Pixar Fest is “a celebration of friendship and beyond,” according to the Disney Parks Blog.
The event includes a new parade in DCA — “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration!” — and an enhanced version of the returning “Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular” in Disneyland Park, which is said to have new scenes. During Pixar Fest, you’ll also encounter rare characters like Ember and Wade from “Elemental” and Red Panda Mei from “Turning Red.”
Insider Tip
Check the schedule for character appearances – spotting Elemental’s Ember and Wade from “Turning Red” is like finding a golden ticket.
6. The Return of Fantasmic!: May 24
“Fantasmic!,” the nighttime show on Rivers of America in Frontierland and New Orleans Square, has been on hiatus since April 2023, when a massive fire destroyed the Maleficent dragon that was the show’s spectacular pyrotechnic finale, and prompted evacuations from that section of the park.
The new “Fantasmic!” will debut on May 24, though without that specific dragon (which was nicknamed “Murphy” by park fans for how frequently Murphy’s Law applied to the prone-to-malfunction character). Instead, the final scene is said to include a new battle between Sorcerer Mickey and Maleficent. The show also plans to bring back the original “Peter Pan” scene on the Sailing Ship Columbia rather than the previous “Pirates of the Caribbean” scene.
Dining packages at River Belle Terrace and Blue Bayou Restaurant, which include standard or premium viewing of “Fantasmic!,” are also slated to return when the show resumes.
Insider Tip
Opt for a dining package at River Belle Terrace or Blue Bayou Restaurant for premium viewing. It’s like having a front-row seat to the magical battle.
7. Halloween Time: Aug. 23 – Oct. 31
Halloween starts early, and it’s not just for kids! Haunted Mansion gets a spooky makeover, and Oogie Boogie Bash is the ultimate villainous soirée.
In Disney California Adventure Park, there are also costumes, food and decorations celebrating the season, including the incredible “Haul-O-Ween” makeover of Cars Land where all of the Halloween decorations are made from car parts. That park also hosts Oogie Boogie Bash, the special ticketed Halloween party with a villain-filled parade, treat trails filled with candy and rare characters like Judge Doom and Mad Madam Mim. It’s easily the most anticipated event of the year at Disneyland; when tickets to the party go on sale in the summer, they sell out almost immediately.
Insider Tip
Oogie Boogie Bash tickets sell out faster than Mickey can say “Oh boy!” – mark your calendar for the ticket release date.
8. A Celebration of Coco: Aug. 23 – Nov. 2
From Aug. 23 to Nov. 2, A Celebration of Coco is returning to the Paradise Gardens area of DCA, which commemorates Dia de Los Muertos. There are musical performances, folklorico dancing, specialty Mexican-inspired foods and craft areas where kids can make their own alebrije masks. You can also write a message to a departed loved one and hang it on the Tree of Life to remember them and keep them close. By the end of the event, there are thousands of beautiful, moving messages hanging there.
9. The Holidays at Disneyland: Nov. 15 – Early Jan. 2025
The holiday season is pure magic at Disneyland. Pro Tip: Don’t miss the hand-pulled candy cane craze – check online for the release dates, and plan your line-waiting strategy accordingly.
While there are many festive foods to try, the most in-demand is the hand-pulled candy cane only sold on a handful of days, which people wait hours in line to get.
In DCA, the Disney Festival of Holidays starts at the same time. The event celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Navidad, Diwali and Three Kings Day through food at pop-up kitchens across the park, musical performances and character appearances. Santa appears daily in the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, and the evening show changes to “World of Color — Season of Light.”
One of the best attractions during the holiday season isn’t in the parks at all — it’s the massive gingerbread model of the Grand Californian inside the hotel’s lobby, which takes hundreds of pounds of flour, sugar and candy to assemble. Nearby, there’s a pop-up treat kitchen selling Mickey gingerbread cookies and shot glasses made from cookies that you can fill with any liqueur you like, even the high-end Louis XIII cognac that costs nearly $200 a pour.
Disneyland hasn’t announced an end date to the holiday season yet, but it generally runs into the first week of January. Rides with holiday overlays sometimes stay open even later than that. In January 2024, It’s a Small World closed on Jan. 7, and Haunted Mansion Holiday is closing on Jan. 21.
10. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure: Late 2024
There’s no set date for the opening of the new ride taking over Splash Mountain, but the Disney Parks Blog says Tiana’s Bayou Adventure will open in “late 2024,” which likely means a November or December opening. Incremental changes to New Orleans Square have already been happening, though. Eudora’s Chic Boutique opened in September 2022, and Tiana’s Palace replaced French Market Cafe in September 2023, serving gumbo, beignets and muffuletta sandwiches served on bread flown in straight from New Orleans.
So, there you have it, savvy Disney planners! Armed with this detailed guide and insider tips, you’re ready to conquer the Disneyland calendar like a true theme park Jedi. May your 2024 be filled with pixie dust, churros, and unforgettable memories! 🏰✨
Co-Founder of the OFT Blog. Mother of 2 who disguises as a 9 to 5 finance professional on most days. She loves to travel, is an amateur website builder and cook. And given her day job, she loves travel planning and saving money. Follow along!
