This is an entry for “Lunar New Year” in our Disneyland 101 Glossary: Disneyland Resort definitions in under 101 words, from Mouse Brief.
Disney California Adventure Park celebrates the Lunar New Year annually with festivities centered in the Paradise Gardens Park area of the park. Event offerings include: Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession, crafts and activities, unique character costumes, special decor (including a Lunar New Year Wishing Wall), event exclusive food and merchandise and a Lunar New Year pre-show for World of Color. This event is included with general park admission, but there is an extra cost associated with food and merchandise; the Sip and Savor pass is usually offered for purchase in tandem with this event.
Thank you for reading this entry for “Lunar New Year,” for more Disneyland definitions, please visit our Disneyland 101 Glossary. For help planning your Disneyland Resort visit from start to finish, please explore our free and complete Step-by-Step Disneyland Prep. And, for frequently asked questions about the Lunar New Year festivities at Disney California Adventure Park, keep reading.
Lunar New Year at Disneyland Resort, FAQs
The celebration of Lunar New Year has become an annual tradition at Disneyland Resort. Keep reading for frequently asked questions about the Lunar New Year offerings at Disney California Adventure Park.
When is the Lunar New Year festival at Disneyland Resort?
The Lunar New Year festival at Disneyland Resort varies from year to year, but it typically runs from mid to late January to, roughly, mid-February.
The date of Lunar New Year is based on the Chinese lunisolar calendar, so it changes every year in relation to the Gregorian calendar. The Disneyland Resort Lunar New Year festival is scheduled to encompass Lunar New Year each year, and the dates shift a bit accordingly. In 2026, the Lunar New Year for the Year of the Horse corresponds to February 17 on the Gregorian calendar, and Disneyland Resort is running their festival from January 23 to February 22, 2026.
Where can I find Lunar New Year offerings at Disneyland?
All of the Lunar New Year offerings at Disneyland Resort are currently based in Disney California Adventure Park. More specifically, they are centered around the Paradise Gardens Park area of that park. The offerings are inspired by Korean, Vietnamese and Chinese traditions and include food, decor, music, special activities and character outfits inspired by those traditions.
You can also experience “Hurry Home – A Lunar New Year Celebration” before World of Color from various points in the park (though the view is usually best from Paradise Gardens Park). Dragons, drummers and dancers wind their way through the park along with Mulan and her friends in “Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession.” The procession winds from Hollywood Land to Paradise Gardens Park.
Do I need to buy a special ticket for Lunar New Year at Disneyland Resort?
All of the Lunar New Year offerings are included with general admission to Disney California Adventure Park during the festival dates. You do not need to buy a separate ticket, just keep in mind that not all offerings are necessarily available on all days.
You can typically purchase something called a “Sip and Savor Pass” to use while sampling food from the festival marketplaces, but this is not an admission ticket. Plus, you can purchase festival food without a Sip and Savor Pass.
What is a Sip and Savor Pass, and how can I use it at the Lunar New Year festival at Disneyland Resort?
When you purchase a Sip and Savor Pass for Lunar New Year at Disney California Adventure Park, you receive a themed card representing six digital coupons. You can redeem these coupons for individual “tasting size” food and beverage offerings during the Lunar New Year celebrations.
You can scan the pass and enter a special four digit code to exchange your coupons for menu items at Lunar New Year Marketplaces or other participating dining locations at Disney California Adventure Park. Each eligible item uses one coupon credit. The passes expire at the end of the festival
Can I use my Sip and Savor Pass at other Disneyland Festivals?
The Sip and Savor Pass for Lunar New Year expires at the end of that festival and cannot be used at other festivals, even if those other festivals also offer their own Sip and Savor Passes.
As long as you have coupons left, you can use your Lunar New Year Sip and Savor Pass over the course of multiple days, but any remaining coupons will expire at the end of the festival.
Do I need a Sip and Savor Pass to purchase food during Lunar New Year?
You do not need a Sip and Savor Pass in order to order food and beverages during Lunar New Year at Disney California Adventure Park. Many guests buy them for the collectible design and the festive novelty of using them. Depending on the items you order, they may also save you some money with a Sip and Savor Pass.
What are Lunar New Year Marketplaces at Disney California Adventure Park?
Lunar New Year Festival Marketplaces are special food kiosks or booths set-up for the duration of the festival. They typically offered limited-time food and drinks that match the theme of the festival and the marketplaces themselves. The themes can change from year to year or you may see returning factories.
The Lunar New Year celebration at Disney California Adventure Park features festival marketplaces but so do other festivals at the park. An example of this would be the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival which typically follows the Lunar New Year. Though the physical booths may be reused, you will usually see a change in themes and menus to match the festival.
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