Welcome to 2024! We have an action packed year ahead of us, Disney friends! There are so many exciting moments and celebrations planned at the Disneyland Resort this year, so let’s break it all down!
If you have not visited Disneyland in a few years, you will want to familiarize yourself with all of the new procedures and offerings. Read this guide to visiting the Disneyland Resort for everything you need to know, including the theme park reservation system, the status of Magic Key passes, and all about Genie+ and Lightning Lanes.
Everything Coming to Disneyland in 2024
Lunar New Year
This year’s Lunar New Year festival runs from January 23 through February 18. The festival takes place at Disney California Adventure and includes food booths, entertainment, and special character meet & greets. 2024 is the Year of the Dragon so expect lots of love for Mushu from Mulan. And for the first time in 2024, Red Panda Mei and other friends from Turning Red will appear in a special parade!
Click here to learn more about Lunar New Year celebration at Disney California Adventure.
Pixar Place Hotel
The reimagining of Disney’s Paradise Pier Hotel into Pixar Place Hotel is officially complete on January 30, 2024! Many aspects of the hotel are already completely renovated, such as the new Finding Nemo themed pool area and Great Maple restaurant.
Click here to learn more about Pixar Place Hotel.
Disneyland After Dark
This year’s Disneyland After Dark events include Star Wars Nite, and Pride Nite.
Click here to learn more about Disneyland After Dark events.
Celebrate Gospel
Celebrate Gospel pays tribute to Black culture and history with performances by celebrities and local choirs at Disneyland Park. This year the concerts are held on February 17 and 24. Disneyland Resort also celebrates Black History Month throughout February.
Anaheim Ducks Days
Hockey fans will certainly want to mark February 22 and 23 on your calendars! Anaheim Ducks Days takes place at Disney California Adventure and features a cavalcade, a fan zone with activities, and photo ops.
Downtown Disney District
The renovation of Downtown Disney West is expected to be complete (for now) in 2024. There are a host of dining locations scheduled to open up at various times. First will likely be Parkside Market, located next to the Lego Store. The building will house four different dining spots, including a top-story bar.
The west end of Downtown Disney is where Din Tai Fung will be located. A brand new building is being constructed to house the popular chain restaurant, which is known for their soup dumplings.
Paseo and Centrico took over the spots vacated by UVA Bar and Catal. They opened in May 2024.
Also sometime in 2024, Portos will take over the old La Brea Bakery spot on the eastern most end of Downtown Disney, displacing Earl of Sandwich once again. Portos will be constructing a brand new building, so I expect it to open in the second half of 2024, if not early 2025.
Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival
This popular celebration returns from March 1 through April 22 at Disney California Adventure. The Festival includes several Marketplaces with food and drinks inspired by California cuisine and is certainly one of my favorite events of the year, if not my top favorite.
Click here to learn more about Disney California Food & Wine Festival.
Star Wars: Season of the Force
It’s the return of a fan favorite! This celebration of all things Star Wars takes place at Disneyland Park from April 5 through June 2. Highlights include Hyperspace Mountain attraction overlay for Space Mountain, new destinations for Star Tours – The Adventure Continues, and a special soundtrack in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge during the fireworks.
Pixar Fest
Last seen in 2018, Pixar Fest is a resort-wide party celebrating Pixar films and characters. Pixar Fest will run from April 26 through August 4 and include a special Pixar-themed parade and fireworks show at Disneyland Park.
Click here to learn more about Pixar Fest.
Fantasmic! Returns
The classic nighttime spectacular will return on May 24, 2024 with new special effects, a new end battle between Mickey and Maleficent, and the return of the Peter Pan scene!
Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
The transformation of Splash Mountain into Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is scheduled to be complete in late 2024. I have a feeling they will want to get it up and going before the holiday season but who knows!
Halloween Time
The Halloween celebration starts a bit earlier in 2024, on August 23 and obviously ends on October 31. Halloween is a really fun season at Disneyland, with the Haunted Mansion Holiday overlay and spooky treats and characters all around. And yes, Oogie Boogie Bash will return in 2024.
Click here to learn more about Halloween Time at Disneyland.
Plaza de la Familia
Also during the Halloween season is Plaza de la Familia which honors the Mexican traditions of Dia de los Muertos. Paradise Gardens at Disney California Adventure is the spot to experience the food, music, and storytelling of Pixar’s popular film Coco.
Holidays at the Disneyland Resort
It’s interesting to note the winter holiday season seems to start a week later than usual this year, on November 15. Perhaps the parks just need a little more time between the end of Halloween and the start of Christmas to prepare.
The Holiday Season is one of my favorite times at Disneyland. I love the Believe … in Holiday Magic fireworks and “snowfall,” and the A Christmas Fantasy parade. Over at Disney California Adventure you’ll find Festival of Holidays, a mini food festival that celebrates the many winter holidays.
No end date has been announced yet but it will likely last through the first weekend in January 2025.
Click here to learn more about Holidays at the Disneyland Resort.
Refurbishments and Closures
- Splash Mountain closed permanently in 2023, and will reopen in late 2024 as Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.
- Haunted Mansion and surrounding areas will be closed for most of 2024 due to refurbishment.
- Fantasmic! was damaged by a fire in 2023 and will not return until May 24, 2024.
- Tortilla Jo’s in Downtown Disney will close on March 31, 2024
- Critter Country will close on May 1 for renovations to the area surrounding Tiana’s Bayou Adventure. There is no reopening date yet.
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