MAGICAL DISNEY HOLIDAYS CELEBRATION
At Disneyland & DISNEY CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE
Visiting Disney parks on the holidays is a special treat for the whole family. For the 2016/17 holiday season, Disney’s announcement of a very special FESTIVAL of HOLIDAYS at Disney California Adventure Park, combined with the prospect of spending New Year’s Eve at Disneyland, was too tempting to pass up.
FESTIVAL of HOLIDAYS offered a wide variety of holiday entertainment and special things to eat at Disney California Adventure Park.
Not to be missed, Viva Navidad! combined music, dancing and Disney characters in a Latin-American themed party on the streets of Paradise Gardens. The Three Caballeros (Donald Duck, Panchito from Mexico and Jose Carioca from Brazil) danced and cavorted on the mobile center stage, while mariachi and samba musicians accompanied colorful folklorico dancers. Minnie, Mickey and 12-foot-tall mojiganga puppets of Santa and Mrs. Claus joined in the fun. It all built to a crescendo with a big burst of confetti filling the sky.
The Blue 13 Dance Company dancers in their bright, colorful costumes performed highly energetic, Indian folk dancing with a distinctly Bollywood style. Over and over again they leapt high in the air and then assumed traditional Indian poses.
Other entertainers included the Holiday Toy Drummers, Mostly Kosher ensemble performing Yiddish klezmer music, Mariachi Divas, RAISE a capella singing group and Stilt Circus.
There was something for every conceivable taste in the wide variety of enticing holiday fare offered at the Festive Foods Marketplace kiosks, as only Disney can do it: Abuelita’s Kitchen (warm tamales and sopes), brews and bites, Fiesta en Familia (pozole and ceviche), Southern Home Holidays (spicy chicken sausage and sweet potato pie), Good Fortune’s Feast (pork bao and winter mint milk tea), Heritage Cottage (short ribs and rice pudding), Making Spirits Bright (wines and seasonal beverages), Mistletoe Morsels (Swedish meatballs and eggnog), Mosaic Delights (roasted lamb and baklava), Nosh & Nibbles (brisket potato croquettes and sweet spiced noodle kugel), Spicy Salutations (curry and mango lassi), Treats for Santa (fruit punch and holiday cookies), Winter Sliderland (sliders and hard cider) and Yuletide Yummies (pumpkin spice hot chocolate and gingerbread Bundt cake). Whew!
Moving right along, there was a special holiday-themed World of Color light and water show called “Season of Light.” Treasured moments from Disney and Pixar films were projected on screens of water as colorful fountains shot high in the air, interspersed with tall bursts of flame that surprised and warmed the winter-time audience – all choreographed to stirring Disney tunes. If you must have a completely unobstructed view, there is usually room at the very front in the Wet Zone, but be prepared with rain gear as you will get wet!Tim Burton’s Jack Skellington in front of the Haunted Mansion.
Of course Disneyland was also decked out in holiday regalia, complete with a gigantic decorated Christmas tree at the beginning of Main Street USA. An annual tradition at Disneyland is Haunted Mansion Holiday, where a merry makeover eerily transforms the Haunted Mansion for the “Horror Days,” courtesy of Jack Skellington and the kooky characters from Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” A special gingerbread house rests on the ghoulish dining table. Seasons Screamings!
The Christmas Fantasy Parade thrills young and old alike as Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Disney Princesses and others share the joy of the holidays.
Another attraction that undergoes a magical transformation for the holidays is the Jungle Cruise, appropriately renamed as the “Jingle Cruise” and narrated with non-stop jokes by your skipper.
“It’s A Small World” Holiday adds a yuletide version, complete with traditional holiday tunes.Paint the Night parade at Disneyland.
Making a return engagement for the 2016/17 holiday season was the very popular “Paint the Night” parade.
A spectacular fireworks show with Sleeping Beauty castle in the background is iconic to Disneyland. For this holiday season the show was “Believe…In Holiday Magic.” As it does every year, it ended as “snow” fell gently from the sky.
Celebrating New Year’s Eve at Disneyland is an incredible experience. The crowds are massive but that is part of the fun. Dancing in place to rousing music kept us warm as we waited for the stroke of midnight. Then Mickey and Minnie welcomed 2017 with the most magnificent fireworks extravaganza, lighting up the sky with huge bursts of color and light. Whether viewed from in front of Sleeping Beauty Castle, “It’s A Small World” or, new for this year, along the Rivers of America – complete with live music, this is an experience not to be missed.
Massive New Year’s Eve crowds leaving after midnight.
Soon after the stroke of midnight, many of the park guests called it a night and went home. That left two hours until park closing with hardly any lines for the rides.
Do make plans to celebrate New Year’s Eve at Disney parks next year. You’ll be glad you did.
Copyright © 2017 by Jan Wagner – AutoMatters & More #470r1
