Happy 2026 from Mouse Brief! Disneyland Resort is jumping back into its big 70th celebration as Holiday Time now comes to a close. With the anniversary festivities (great entertainment!) coming back for a victory lap, there is so much happening at Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, Downtown Disney District and the whole resort in 2026. New this spring, Bluey and her sister Bingo will be in Disneyland for the first time. “Wackadoo!”
Keep reading for information on seasonal events, after-hours parties and special entertainment in 2026. We will also take you through the basic steps of planning any Disneyland visit. So, let’s look at what to expect at Disneyland Resort in 2026 and how to plan your trip!
Plan Your 2026 Disneyland Visit
We can help you plan your 2026 Disneyland trip with step-by-step advice.
We are thrilled that you are looking to MouseBrief for tips about your Disneyland 2026 visit. Planning can be stressful, or it can be a fun way to get excited for your trip. For you, we hope it will be the latter. That’s why we made MouseBrief. We have a ton of information on this site, so we have created a step-by-step guide to help you access it all and plan a 2026 Disneyland visit. Let’s start with picking dates.
When to Visit Disneyland Resort
The best time to visit Disneyland Resort is going to be different for each person, but we can guide you through the decision process about when to go to Disneyland. Check-out our article: Your Best Time to Visit Disneyland: A Complete Guide.
And, if you are looking plan your visit around special events in 2026, well that is why we have this post. If you are just looking for those dates, go ahead and skip over the next few sections. Otherwise, keep reading for more steps.
Which Disneyland Tickets to Purchase (And How Many Days to Visit)
Like dates, your best Disneyland ticket type will be specific to your group. Again, we help you decide with Essential Advice for Disneyland Tickets and Park Reservations. We will take you through the different ticket types and add-ons, and we will help you find discounts.
Plus, we tell you how to make and change park reservations (you cannot visit without them).
Where to Stay at Disneyland
Whether you want to stay at a Marriott across the street or at an on-property Disneyland Resort Hotel, you have plenty of choices for lodging near Disneyland Resort. We help you make your decision about where to stay with our article Staying Near Disneyland: Book the Best Hotel for You.
How to Get to Disneyland
Once you know when you are going to Disneyland and where you will be staying, let us help you get there! We provide information about transportation options, share our top airport and more with Your Guide to Getting to Disneyland: Transportation Tips.
What to Eat at Disneyland
With your big decisions made about when, where and how, now you can start making some delicious plans for what you will eat at Disneyland Resort. We have tips that will help you save money or score a coveted reservation in our post How to Save Money & Eat Well with Disneyland Dining Tips.
You can totally wing it or make a plan for what to eat at Disneyland in 2026. Either way, that post will give you tips for saving money and time while eating well at Disneyland.
What to Bring to Disneyland
Now, what exactly do you bring to the Happiest Place on Earth? We share our packing list and tips for what to wear with Disneyland Travel Essentials: What You Need to Pack.
How to Save Time at Disneyland
Finally, we want to help you make the most of your Disneyland Resort vacation, so we have a guide that brings together all of the various time-saving services. Maximize Your Disneyland Experience: Beat the Lines & Save Time. That post shares information on offerings like Lightning Lanes, virtual queues, the Select Experiences Pass and mobile ordering.
We even have tips about downtime with Maximize Value: Take a Rest Day at Disneyland, 5 Best Places to Relax in Disneyland Park and 5 Best Places to Relax in Disney California Adventure Park.
What is Special at Disneyland in 2026? Plan to Party
Now let’s get to that 2026 Disneyland Resort calendar. Below we have dates for special events as well as some extra tips about crowds and other considerations.
Disneyland Resort’s 70th Anniversary Celebration
Continuing Through August 9, 2026, Resort Wide
Disneyland’s celebration of seventy happy years, started on May 16, 2025 and it is continuing into this year. The special anniversary decor, character costumes, limited-time food and extra entertainment will keep going through the 71st anniversary and on until August 9, 2026.
The most popular parts of this 70th celebration have been the Paint the Night parade and Wondrous Journeys nighttime spectacular and fireworks show. These both took a break for holiday celebrations at Disneyland Park but are coming back in January as the Christmas lights come down. If you are planning to visit in January 2026, be sure to check Disneyland’s official calendar to find out when exactly you can enjoy this entertainment.
Disneyland Park also hosts the Celebrate Happy Cavalcade, which is a kind of mini-parade featuring lots of classic characters. Mickey, Minnie and their pals have special 70th attire for that parade and for other appearances.
Disney California Adventure Park will continue to show “World of Color Happiness” nighttime spectacular and a nightly Celebrate Happy “special moment” with projections and music on Carthay Circle Theater.
Also at Disney California Adventure Park, the Toy Story Midway Mania attraction features some new 70th targets.
Lunar New Year
January 23 to February 22 at Disney California Adventure Park
Lunar New Year is an annual celebration at Disney California Adventure Park inspired by Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean traditions. In 2026, it is happening from January 23 to February 22. And for this Year of the Horse, Horace Horesecollar will be a featured character
You can experience “Hurry Home – A Lunar New Year Celebration” before World of Color as well as “Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession” on certain days. Disney California Adventure Park will also have special musical performances and Asian-inspired dishes at six marketplaces just for the festival. In 2026, Mickey and Minnie will wear their outfits reflecting traditional Korean attire, and other characters are debuting new outfits inspired by Chinese and Vietnamese culture.
This is a nice time to visit if you are looking for lower crowds but enhanced offerings and a beautiful multicultural celebration. Keep in the mind that holiday weekends and the Disneyland Half Marathon weekend (January 29 to February 1, 2026) do get busy.
Our other tip is to be prepared for the possibility of rain and the Anaheim version of cold weather. We have some tips for help with that here: Disneyland in the Rain: Strategies for Your Rainy Disney Day and here What to Wear to Disneyland in Cold or Wet Weather
Celebrate Gospel
February 20-21 and 27-28 at Downtown Disney District
Community choirs plus acclaimed artists Hezekiah Walker and Yolanda Adam’s will perform at Disneyland Park on two weekends in February. New for 2026, this annual event is moving to Downtown Disney District for two full weekends.
Disneyland Resort is also highlighting Black heritage and culture during the month of February with special food, music, art and character moments.
Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival
March 6 to April 27 at Disney California Adventure Park
Disney California Adventure Park celebrates California cuisine from March 6 through April 27, 2026 with marketplaces featuring limited-time food and beverages plus event entertainment.
Traditionally, this festival also hosts the return of the California version of the Soarin’ attraction: Soarin’ Over California. This is our favorite version of the attraction, and we recommend making time to experience it! We will see what happens when the third and newest version featuring the United States of America debuts later in July of this year.
If you plan to focus on wining and dining your way through the marketplaces, you may want to consider a Sip and Savor Pass. At the time of writing, we do not have menu information for this event, but you can check those menus as the dates get closer to see if that pass makes sense for you.
This festival spans both calm and busy weeks at Disneyland Resort: Spring Break weeks from mid March through Easter Week should be the busiest.
Bluey Arrives at Disneyland!
Starting March 22 at Disneyland Park
Bluey and her sister Bingo are making their Disneyland debut on March 22, 2026 at Disneyland Park. There, Fantasyland Theatre will become Bluey’s school to host the sisters and guests for “Bluey’s Nest Day Ever!”
Bluey and Bingo will appear on stage with actors and musicians to entertain guests and invite them to interact with specials moments from the show Bluey. Disney promises musical moments as well as games inspired by popular Bluey episodes as well as “interactive adventures in a life-sized Gnome Village and Fairy Garden,” and moments with the Grannies, Chattermax and Unicorse. Troubador Tavern will also offer Bluey-themed foods.
Bluey is a widely-loved show on Disney+ and many folks have been asking when we will finally see her in the Disney parks. So while we cannot really say how large the crowds will be around this opportunity, we would expect that Spring Break crowds plus Bluey’s popularity will result in this being crowded when it opens. No end date has been shared at this point.
Star Wars Celebrations
Kinda… this Spring at Disneyland Park
In the past, Disneyland Park has celebrated all things Star Wars in the spring with “Star Wars Seasons of the Froce. For 2026, that celebration is not officially listed on the resort calendar, but Disney has announced some other Star Wars offerings.
On May 22, 2026, the Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run attraction is debuting a new mission story featuring The Mandalorian and Grogu.
In Tomorrowland, Space Mountain will transform into the Star Wars themed Hyperspace Mountain starting on April 28, 2026. Disney has not announced an end-date for this transformation at this time.
On select nights during Star Wars Season of the Force, there will also be Disneyland After Dark special events: Star Wars Nite. These require a separate event ticket, and we will cover them later in this post.
Disney On the Yard – Yardfest
June 19 at Downtown Disney District
Disney on the Yard – Yardfest is back for its second year in 2026. Downtown Disney District is celebrating with “traditions that may be found at historically Black colleges and universities, along with drum majors and Drum Major Mickey Mouse accompanied by a drum line.
You can read about Disney on the Yard and Disney’s work with HBCU students and alumni here.
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Plus D23 Day at Disneyland Resort
August 13 at Disneyland Park and August 14-16 at Anaheim Convention Center and Honda Center
D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event is what it sounds like: a huge convention for people who love Disney. This includes fans of the Disney parks but also other Disney products like movies and games. The event itself takes place at the Anaheim Convention Center (directly south of Disneyland Resort), but there is also a special day for attendees to celebrate at Disneyland Resort on August 13.
We have visited during this time and have not felt a significant enough difference in crowds that would make us avoid this time. If anything, we enjoyed the extra excitement. You may see increased crowds in the evenings and before and after D23, like on August 13. If you are considering attending the event itself, we suggest making arrangements early, and also recommend that anyone visiting during this time lock-in (flexible) hotel reservations early.
Disney Jr. Let’s Play Party
August 13 at Disney California Adventure Park and August 14-16 at Downtown Disney District
Alongside D23: The Ultimate Fan Event a special Disney Jr. event will be happening at Disneyland Resort. Disney Jr. is aimed at young children and their families (think Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Superkitties).
Disney Jr. Let’s Play! Party starts at Disney California Adventure Park with entertainment, characters and activities and then moves to Downtown Disney District for the final three days.
This should appeal to the toddler and preschool set and those of us who love them enough to listen to the Hot Dog! song on repeat.
Halloween Time
August 21 to October 31, Resort Wide
Disneyland Resort celebrates a long Halloween season with special decor, entertainment, dining and character costumes during Halloween Time, running from August 21 through October 31 in 2026. It’s so incredibly popular that the start of it keeps inching early into August, yes August.
Some attractions even “dress up” for the holiday: Haunted Mansion Holiday, Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree, Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween and Guardians of the Galaxy – Monsters After Dark. We have an article about that here: How Halloween Transforms Rides in Disney California Adventure Park
Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort has dramatically increased in popularity. Earlier tends to be better if you are looking for low crowds during Halloween Time. October has become a busy time, and keep in mind that Disney California Adventure Park will close early on days when it is hosting Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party, a separately ticketed events. (Keep reading for more on Oogie Boogie Bash.)
Plaza de la Familia, A Celebration with Coco
August 21 to November 2, Disney California Adventure Park
Disney California Adventure Park celebrates family and Día de los Muertos from August 21 to November 2. The offerings center around Paradise Gardens Park with special entertainment and interactive crafts featuring the Pixar film Coco.
At Disneyland Park, there is also a tribute to Día de los Muertos in Frontierland.
Holidays at Disneyland Resort for 2026-2027
Starting November 18, Resort Wide
Disneyland Resort goes all out for the winter holidays. You can expect unique and glittering decor, special character costumes, limited-time dining options and holiday entertainment big and small from starting November 18, 2026 and continuing into the new year.
Several attractions also transform for the holidays, so you can visit during this time to ride “it’s a small world” Holiday, Haunted Mansion Holiday, Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl and Mater’s Jingle Jamboree. The facade for “it’s a small world” Holiday is really something special.
This is a fun and beautiful season at Disneyland Resort. The time around Christmas and New Year, when many schools are on break, usually sees very high crowds as does Thanksgiving week and the time around Veterans Day. The good news is that the season is long, so guests looking for lower crowds should be able to find some pockets of calm too.
Disney Festival of Holidays
November 18 at Disney California Adventure Park
At Disney California Adventure Park, holidays from around the world are celebrated with festive marketplaces and limited-time entertainment.
Every part of Disneyland Resort really gets into the festive season in the winter. Unlike Halloween time, there is no big after hours event during this season, so you really get a lot for your general admission! Just make sure to dress for the (Southern California) winter: How to Stay Warm in the Winter at Disneyland
Disneyland After Hours Events Schedule in 2026
Disneyland Resort after hours events are special parties that happen after the parks close. They usually have entertainment and food specific to the event, rare character interactions and shorter wait times for select attractions.
These events require a separate ticket from general admission. Even if you are not attending these events, you should make note of the dates. The park hosting the party will close early to general guests, and you will need to leave unless you also hold a ticket for the event that night. The park not holding the event also tends to be busier on party evenings, as general admission guests leaving the party park will head to the other park. Guests without park hopper tickets also tend to pick the park not hosting the party.
Tickets for these events have been popular in the past and would sometimes sell-out the day they went on sale. As prices have gone up—and general feelings of financial anxiety have as well—the tickets have been a little easier to get. Still, if you are planning a trip around a particular afternoon hours event, we suggest grabbing those tickets as quickly as possible. They will be released on designated dates.
Again, even if you do not plan to attend these events, it is helpful to keep the schedule in mind, as they will affect park hours and crowds.
Disneyland After Dark at Disneyland Park in 2026
Disneyland After Dark events are themed parties that take place at Disneyland Park. These parties are typically scheduled from 9pm to 1am. Party guests are able to arrive as early as 6pm and enter the park with just their party ticket. General admission guests visiting Disneyland on party days will have the park closed to them at 9pm.
Here are the themes and dates for Disneyland After Dark events in 2026:
Sweethearts’ Nite: January 22, 25 & 27 and February 3, 5, 8, 10, 12, & 17
A tribute to love with lots of special entertainment, a “Celebrate Love Cavalcade,” a dance party, and themed food and merchandise. This is a popular Disneyland After Dark event coming back for 2026.
70 Years of Favorites: March 3 and 5
This nostalgic party is inspired by the Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration and is new for 2026. A series of dance parties will take you through the decades and Disney has promised appearances by “characters from days gone by.”
Disney Channel Nite: April 12, 14 & 16
Disney Channel Nite is another returning event. Expect more nostalgic entertainment, music and characters based on television favorites from the Disney Channel.
Star Wars Nite: April 28 & 30 and May 4 & 6
Star Wars fans can gather at these four after hours Star Wars Nites. Disney is advertising “a thrilling evening with impressive character gatherings, illustrious photo ops and more.”
Pride Nite: June 16 and 18
Pride Nites are after hours celebrations of the LGBTQIA+ community with rainbow decor and projections plus special entertainment. This is another popular Disneyland After Dark event returning in 2026.
Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party
for 33 nights at Disney California Adventure Park on August 18, 20, 23, 25, 27 & 30; September 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 13, 15, 17, 20, 22, 24, 27 & 29 and October 1, 4, 6, 8, 11, 13, 15, 18, 20, 22, 25, 27, 29 & 31
Oogie Boogie Bash – A Disney Halloween Party is an epically popular after hours events at Disney California Adventure Park. It seems Disney is confident in its continued popularity, because there are two additional party dates this year for a total of 33 parties in 2026. Oogie Boogie Bash has unique entertainment, fan favorite character sightings and trick-or-treat trails for guests. This is also the rare opportunity for adults visiting the Disney parks to dress in full costume (with some exceptions).
On nights of Oogie Boogie Bash parties, Disney California Adventure Park closes to general admissions guests at 6pm. Party guests can begin arriving at the park at 3pm and enter with just their party ticket.
If you are looking for some comfortable and easy costumes ideas for Oogie Boogie Bash, head over here: 5 Super Easy and Comfortable Disney Halloween Costumes and 5 Simple Disney Costumes to Assemble from Everyday Clothing.
Thank you for trusting us to share good advice for your 2026 Disneyland trip plan.
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