Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Disneyland Holidays: My Top 8 List for the Most Magical Season Ever!

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There are fewer things more magical to me than Disneyland during the holiday season. I love going to Disneyland year round, but there's just something so special about the parks during Christmas! From the beautiful decorations to the delicious treats, the holidays at Disneyland just don't get any better. Here's my list of all the things you absolutely cannot miss during the holidays at the Disney resort!

1. EAT ALL THE TREATS!

Disneyland creates special holiday treats that are only available during this time of year. I might be in the minority here, but I actually really don't care about the Festival of Holidays at California Adventure -- I just never think they have enough options that are filling or delicious enough. The treats throughout the rest of the resort always seem much more inventive than what you can get at those booths! So far this year I've sampled a few from the Jolly Holiday Bakery, all of which were quite delicious! Luckily I'm still going back a few times, because there are a LOT of treats left to sample! (Click here to see all the treats at the Disneyland Resort this year.)

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The Arendelle Aqua Macaron. Yes, Frozen II got its own macaron this year! This one has a buttercream, blueberry and cream filling and it's DELICIOUS. Sweet but not too sweet and so delightfully rich!

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The Mickey Gingerbread Man Cookie. This was actually my least favorite of the three -- I found it to have a bit of a soapy taste, which my friend Tom said was due to Disneyland using gingerbread powder in the cookies. I do like that it's soft and chewy, and of course he's adorable!

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The Santa Hat Macaron. This macaron has a white mint filling and chocolate ganache interior -- and it tastes EXACTLY like a York Peppermint Patty. AKA IT IS SO GOOD MY FRIEND ERIN AND I DEVOURED THE WHOLE THING IN MERE SECONDS.

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Bonus: the Peppermint Fudge at the Candy Palace! This photo is from last year, but they have it again this year (thank goodness, because it is SO UNBELIEVABLY GOOD). I always love Disneyland fudge, but this is the one I look forward to each year!

2. WATCH THE CHRISTMAS FANTASY PARADE!

I don't always need to watch the fireworks or parades at Disneyland (with the exception of the Main Street Electrical Parade, which is a masterpiece and deserves to be watched about 5 million times). However, the Christmas Fantasy Parade is SO. MUCH. FUN. During our holiday visit last year, my mom and I watched it by chance and fell completely in love! All of the floats and the dressed up characters are just so adorable that we couldn't help but exclaim in glee over and over. It's now a must on my list every holiday season!

Disneyland Holidays, Christmas, holiday season, Disneyland, top Disneyland holiday ideas, Disneyland Christmas Fantasy Parade
The opening float of the Christmas Fantasy Parade.

Disneyland Holidays, Christmas, holiday season, Disneyland, top Disneyland holiday ideas, Disneyland Christmas Fantasy Parade
No parade is complete without Mickey and Minnie! Especially in their festive holiday outfits1

Disneyland Holidays, Christmas, holiday season, Disneyland, top Disneyland holiday ideas, Disneyland Christmas Fantasy Parade
Dancing gingerbread men! I swear I don't want to eat these...

Disneyland Holidays, Christmas, holiday season, Disneyland, top Disneyland holiday ideas, Disneyland Christmas Fantasy Parade
DANCING REINDEER! LOOK HOW CUTE!!

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OMG. Dancing snowpeople. Have you ever seen anything cuter in your life?

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The tin soldiers from Babes in Toyland (one of my favorite movies of all time)!

3. BUY A PAIR OF HOLIDAY EARS!

Disney creates special ears year round -- but the ones they put out during the holidays are, as one might guess, so extremely festive! There were a few adorable pairs this year, but the ones that really took the cake (or the gingerbread cookie, as it were) are the Mickey and Minnie Mouse Gingerbread Ears! There's just nothing better than walking around Disneyland wearing a pair of holiday ears on your head -- and you'll feel super cute in this faux suede pair! They retail for $29.99 at shopdisney.com.

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Showing off my new Mickey and Minnie Mouse Gingerbread Ears!

4. VISIT SLEEPING BEAUTY CASTLE!

Have you even been to Disneyland if you haven't checked out the holiday-bedecked Sleeping Beauty Castle? I love waiting for the day that the castle is unveiled in all its holiday decorations glory. I especially love how beautiful the castle looks both during the day and at night -- two extremely different looks that are both wonderfully magical!

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Sleeping Beauty Castle bedecked in all her holiday glory. What a beautiful sight!

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I will never tire of seeing Sleeping Beauty Castle lit up at night -- especially during the holidays! Look at her glisten!

5. TAKE PHOTOS OF THE TREE!

The huge Christmas tree on Main Street definitely rivals Rockefeller Center for the most spectacular tree of the holiday season. (And since I lived in NYC for almost 12 years, I'm allowed to have an opinion on the matter!) The huge tree at the beginning of Main Street always puts a smile on my face!

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Such a beautiful tree! I love all the Disney ornaments carefully hung within its branches.

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When you're tiny, this is as much of a selfie with the tree as you can get!

6. RIDE HAUNTED MANSION HOLIDAY!

The Haunted Mansion is always one of my favorite rides. But during the holiday season, it becomes something completely different ... Haunted Mansion Holiday! Pumpkin King Jack Skellington takes over the ride from October through January with festive touches inspired by Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. While I actually prefer the original Haunted Mansion to the holiday takeover, this is always worth a ride or two!

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The outside of the Haunted Mansion is ready for Christmas! (Even though this was taken at Halloween!)

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It's Mr. Jack Skellington himself! I have NEVER gotten a clear picture of him because the Doom Buggy moves too quickly -- but I try every time!

Disneyland Holidays, Christmas, holiday season, Disneyland, top Disneyland holiday ideas, Haunted Mansion Holiday
The singing pumpkins! Truth be told, I only got a clear picture because our Doom Buggy stopped for a minute right in front of them!

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You know what? This is my very favorite part of the ride, because my name is on that list!

7. CHECK OUT THE IT'S A SMALL WORLD HOLIDAY LIGHTING! (AND RIDE THE RIDE!)

If you're like me, you've ridden It's A Small World about 500 too many times. But during the holidays, it -- like everything else at Disney -- just becomes about 10 million times more magical! Not only does the entire ride get a holiday overlay, complete with the regular song being interspersed with Christmas carols (so you don't have to listen to the same thing over and over), but the whole facade dazzles every night with a spectacular light and music show! I was utterly bedazzled by this overlay the first time I saw it, and I honestly can't watch it enough!

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It's A Small World sparkles and dazzles during the holiday season. Next time I'll be sure to get a clearer photo of the Santa clock!

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The ending of It's A Small World gives you all the holiday feels!

8. WEAR A HOLIDAY-INSPIRED OUTFIT, OF COURSE!

When you go to Disneyland during the holidays, it's about the ears -- but it's also about your entire outfit! Dressing for a day at Disneyland has definitely become something of a sport in recent years. My very favorite time of year is when it's cold enough to wear leggings, Uggs and a festive sweater -- which is exactly the weather we were experiencing last time I was there! It was a holiday miracle!

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I waited all year for the right weather to break out a sweater and Uggs! Sweater: Wildfox Seeing Stars Lennon Sweater. Leggings: Splendid Slim Stretch Full Length Leggings. Boots: Ugg Classic Short II Boots in Grey. Bag: Rebecca Minkoff Mini M.A.C Crossbody.

Above all, have FUN! Disneyland is the happiest place on earth ALL the time -- and at the holidays, it just becomes that even more. I hope your next visit is a truly magical one!

2 comments:

  1. Hi Jamie. I love your Disney adventures. You look fabulous and your photos make we want to take a trip to Disneyland.

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  2. Such a great list!! Those treats look so good!

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