Festival of Holidays is Disney California Adventure’s special event during Christmas 2023 with seasonal snacks and multi-cultural entertainment. This guide has full food menus and recommendations for making the most of Disneyland Resort’s culinary celebration of Navidad, Diwali, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and Three Kings Day.
Disney California Adventure’s 2023 Festival of Holidays runs from November 10, 2023 until January 7, 2024. That’s the entirety of the holiday season at Disneyland Resort, which is the busiest two-month stretch of the entire year. Fortunately, it is not peak crowd levels across the board during that time–there are truly high highs, but also some lulls in between. See our recently-refreshed 2023-2024 Disneyland Crowd Calendar for when to visit and dates to avoid.
Another thing to note is that it’s called Festival of the Holidays and not DCA’s Christmas Celebration for a reason. Southern California is a rich tapestry of cultures, that that’s reflected in this event. Festival of the Holidays manages to bring together a variety of different-but-overlapping traditions into an event that has some meat (literally and figuratively) and authenticity to it. Although Christmas is present, Festival of the Holidays is essentially counter-programming to a traditional Christmas at Disneyland. To that point, see our Ultimate Guide to Christmas 2023 at Disneyland Resort for everything you need to know about the holiday season (including both parks) at Disneyland Resort.
Let’s start our discussion of the 2023 DCA Festival of the Holidays with a look at the food. For most visitors, this is the main draw–but thankfully, it’s not the only draw. Prices range from ~$5 for desserts to ~$10 for the more expensive savory snacks. There are also a number of wines, craft beers, and seasonal mixed drinks, all of which are sold around the normal price points you’d expect at Disney California Adventure.
Despite pricing, Festival of the Holidays is a fun event. That’s in large part due to the Festival of Holidays entertainment. There are stages set up throughout Disney California Adventure for musical acts that are inspired by the diverse holidays Californians celebrate this time of year, including Diwali, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas/Navidad, and Three Kings Day. In this guide, we will cover both the food and the entertainment.
Before we dig into the menus, let’s start with a couple key pieces of advice that can save you time and money at the 2023 Disney California Adventure Festival of the Holidays. The first is to purchase the Sip and Savor Pass. For this, you pay once and can choose among any 8 dishes or non-alcoholic beverages from DCA Festival Foods Marketplace locations.
We’ve done this several times, and strategically order the most expensive savory items on each menu (and pay out of pocket for desserts), which ends up saving us a decent amount of money. This cuts costs a bit and makes some of the more expensive items a bit more in line with reality.
Disneyland Resort hasn’t released prices for the 2023 Sip and Savor Pass or costs for specific menu items, so we don’t yet know which dishes present the best value or the breakeven point. You’re typically in pretty good shape if you aim for the high-cost meats. Dishes like the Braised Pork Belly Adobo (to give just one example) or even the various mac & cheese dishes are usually a good use of Sip & Savor Pass tabs.
So that’s the money-saving tip for the 2023 DCA Festival of the Holidays. The time-saving tip is to peruse menus ahead of time, and order several dishes that you want all at once. Despite a ton of signs up indicating that you can do it, most guests don’t realize they can order all of the food items from one of the booths rather than going to each individual booth to order.
This means that you can order any and everything from a single booth, regardless of what’s on that booth’s menu. You still have to wait in the pick-up line at each individual booth (you can’t pick up all of the dishes at a single booth!), but it can save you a tremendous amount of time by not having to order from each booth.
Just be sure to protect that receipt, as it’s what you need to pick up the dishes you order at each booth. Not knowing how full we’ve end up, we usually don’t order all at once–but we do order a lot at once. (It’s also a hedge against losing the receipt and being out a ton of money.)
Throughout Disney California Adventure there are food marketplaces at Festival of Holidays. Here are the menus for each booth:
Disney Festival of Holidays Marketplaces
A Twist on Tradition (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)
- Savory Kugel Mac & Cheese with herb breadcrumbs, sour cream and chives (New)
- Guava-Melon Lassi: Guava nectar, rock melon syrup, yogurt, and honey garnished with cinnamon whipped cream and honey-flavored cereal (Non-alcoholic beverage)
- Glacier Margarita: Blanco tequila, blue curaçao, coconut and rosemary syrups, and white cranberry and lime juices garnished with champagne bubbles candy (New)
Brews & Bites (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)
- IMPOSSIBLE Chorizo Queso Fundido with house-made tortilla chips
- Churro Ale with Frozen Beer Slush: Churro ale with a frozen slush of beer, butterscotch, gingerbread, and house-made churro toffee syrups (New)
- Garage Brewing Co. Churro Ale (New)
- Boulevard Brewing Company Quirk Hard Seltzer – Cranberry Apple Cinnamon (New)
- Two Coast Brewing Co. Saint Father Authentic Oktoberfest Festbier
- Unsung Brewing Co. Agents of Anaheim Vienna Lager (New)
- Golden Road Brewing Christmas Cart Wheat Ale
- Eureka Brewing Co. Hibiscus Bloom Blonde Ale (New)
- Ballast Point Brewing Co. Grunion Pale Ale (New)
- Dust Bowl Brewing Co. Mouthful of Miracles Cold IPA (New)
- Brewery X Feliz Guavidad IPA (New)
- Rogue Brewing Co. Hazelnut Brown Nectar Brown Ale (New)
- Allagash Brewing Curieux Bourbon Barrel-Aged Golden Ale
- Bottle Logic Brewing Co. Study Break Sweet Stout (New)
- Holiday Flight (New)
- Dust Bowl Brewing Co. Mouthful of Miracles Cold IPA
- Ballast Point Brewing Co. Grunion Pale Ale
- Unsung Brewing Co. Agents of Anaheim Vienna Lager
- Bottle Logic Brewing Co. Study Break Sweet Stout
- Festive Favorites (New)
- Two Coast Brewing Co. Saint Father Authentic Oktoberfest Festbier
- Eureka Brewing Co. Hibiscus Bloom Blonde Ale
- Brewery X Feliz Guavidad IPA
- LA Bodega Brewing Co. Mama Coco Coconut Milk Stout
- Brewed Traditions (New)
- Boulevard Brewing Company Quirk Hard Seltzer – Cranberry Apple Cinnamon
- Golden Road Brewing Christmas Cart Wheat Ale
- Allagash Brewing Curieux Bourbon Barrel-Aged Golden Ale
- Rogue Brewing Co. Hazelnut Brown Nectar Brown Ale
Favorite Things (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)
- Braised Pork Belly Adobo with garlic rice
- Mad Santa Macaron Inspired by the Disney+ series “The Santa Clauses”: Chocolate macaron filled with ganache, peanut butter mousse, and salted pretzels (New)
- Cherry Mango Punch: Mango purée, cherry and peach syrups, and lemon juice garnished with a frozen peach (Non-alcoholic beverage)
- Churro Toffee Cold Brew Latte: Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co. Mexico Origin Coffee, cinnamon sugar, vanilla bean, and almond milk garnished with churro syrup-flavored whipped cream and toffee crumble (Non-alcoholic beverage)
Grandma’s Recipes (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)
- Barbacoa Tamal de Res with Oaxaca cheese, tomatillo salsa and crema (New)
- Berry Pomegranate Paloma: Blanco Tequila, blueberry purée, lime, cranberry, and pomegranate juices, and agave syrup topped with fresca mixed vodka spritz and garnished with an orange wheel and chile lime seasoned rim (New)
- Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc
- Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon
- McBride Sisters Sparkling Brut Rosé (New)
- Winter Wineries Flight (New)
- Wither Hills Sauvignon Blanc
- Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon
- McBride Sisters Sparkling Brut Rosé
Holiday Duets (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)
- Esquites Carnitas Mac & Cheese with salsa macha and spiced puffed rice
- Chocolate Tart Made with TWIX Cookie Bar Pieces: Sugar tart filled with caramel and chocolate mousse, topped with TWIX cookie bar pieces and holiday sprinkles (New)
- Cuban Parranda Cocktail: White rum, falernum and maraschino liqueurs, soursop nectar, grapefruit juice, and mint syrup garnished with a dried grapefruit wheel (New)
- Cantaritos Pineapple (New)
Making Spirits Bright (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)
- IMPOSSIBLE Chicken Curry Bites with lemon raita and coriander chutney (New)
- Pumpkin Layered Cheesecake: Layers of New York-style cheesecake, pumpkin gooey cake, and graham cracker topped with spiced Chantilly and a chocolate decoration
- Tiramisu Yule Log Cocktail: Vodka, hazelnut liqueur, oat milk, tiramisu syrup, and chocolate bitters garnished with chocolate shavings
- Chocolate Mint Stout Shake: Garage Brewing Marshmallow Milk Stout, coffee liqueur, crème de menthe, horchata cream liqueur, vanilla ice cream, and chocolate syrup garnished with cookie crumbles (New)
Merry Mashups (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)
- Southern Mac & Cheese with andouille sausage and spiced panko crunch
- Santa’s Milk & Cookies Hot Cocoa Inspired by the Disney+ series “The Santa Clauses”: Whole milk, cookies and cream powder, and white chocolate with whipped cream
- Maple Hazelnut Hot Buttered Rum: Dark rum, butter, hazelnut paste, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove with a salted caramel whipped cream
Winter Sliderland (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)
- Togarashi Karaage Chicken Slider with furikake mayo slaw on a Hawaiian roll (New)
- Beef Brisket Slider with smoked onions and horseradish ketchup on a pretzel roll
- Spiced Pear Mule: Pear vodka, gin, apricot liqueur, house-made spice syrup, pear nectar, and lemon juice garnished with a white orchid (New)
Additional Locations Throughout Disney California Adventure Park
Cappuccino Cart (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)
- Cafe de Olla Cold Brew: Piloncillo-sweetened coffee spiced with star anise, clove and cinnamon topped with a hot chocolate cream cold foam (Non-alcoholic beverage) (New)
Hollywood Lounge (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 9; mobile order available)
- Three Gifts Flight: Includes Gin Lavender Lemonade, Smoky Hibiscus Orange Cocktail, and Shimmering Apple Pie Cocktail (New)
Lamplight Lounge (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)
- Holiday Special Duck Confit: Duck confit with celeriac purée, cherry gastrique, rutabaga, and arugula citrus salad (New)
- Pan Dulce Donuts: Warm and fluffy donuts dipped in cajeta and topped with pan dulce crumbles paired with a champurrado dipping sauce (New)
- Holiday Cocktail: Chai Tea-Oat Mix, vanilla vodka, and Kahlúa Coffee Liqueur topped with chocolate liqueur and ground cinnamon (New)
Pym Test Kitchen (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 9; mobile order available)
- Cold Brew Infusion: Cinnamon & Spice: Cinnamon caramel cold brew with cardamom cream foam (Non-alcoholic) (New)
Smokejumpers Grill (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)
- Kielbasa with Pierogi: Kielbasa served with potato and cheese pierogies, sautéed peppers and onions, and Dijon-sour cream (New)
Sonoma Terrace (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7; mobile order available)
- Pan con Pollo: Braised chicken, spiced tomato sauce, mayonnaise, and mustard dressing in a French bread roll served with pickled vegetable slaw (New)
- Bottle Logic Brewing Holiday Hopscotch: Golden ale with creamy vanilla and butterscotch (New)
Studio Catering Co. (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 9; mobile order available)
- Holiday Turkey Empanada: Fried empanada filled with turkey, stuffing and gravy with cranberry dipping sauce (New)
Terran Treats (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)
- Hot Chocolate Churro: Chocolate chile churro with chocolate and chile streusel, mini marshmallows, and hazelnut spread
Outdoor Vending Locations (Available Nov. 10 through Jan. 7)
- Chicken Chile Verde Empanada served with a side of slaw and salsa roja (New)
- Honey-glazed Turkey Leg (New)
- Mickey-shaped Gingerbread Cookie
- Cantaritos Pineapple
There is no sugar-coating it: the menus for Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure gave us sticker shock. There are a lot of items that are priced at or above $8, which is quite expensive for snack-sized portions.
There are a couple of ways to mitigate this. The first is by focusing exclusively on desserts, which are significantly cheaper than savory items at Festival of the Holidays. If you opt to go this route, we recommend first dining at Paradise Garden Grill or San Fransokyo Square, both of which have seasonal menus that are more reasonably priced.
In our view, almost all of these desserts served at Festival of the Holidays are worth the money relative to other desserts at Disneyland Resort. The quality of ingredients and general flavor of everything really impressed us.
DCA Festival of Holidays Entertainment
No matter what your thoughts or interest in the marketplace food booths, every Disney California Adventure guest is a winner during Festival of Holidays for one simple reason: entertainment. Throughout DCA during Festival of the Holidays, you can find rare meet & greet characters, many of whom are dressed in their holiday finery…or bearing gifts (frozen fish, anyone?!).
As for the big guy himself, there’s a Santa Claus meet & greet in Disney California Adventure tucked away at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail in Grizzly Peak. Santa Claus is here meeting guests until December 24, 2023. After that, well, you know…he has to get back to the North Pole to prepare for the big day.
Disneyland Resort has added a number of musical acts throughout the park, which provide great supporting acts to fan-favorite, Viva Navidad. While none of the other acts are as elaborate as Viva Navidad, which is its own little festival with multiple entertainment options and cultural components, the other acts do provide compelling diversions and really enhance the park’s energy.
These groups offer a festive, high energy setting this Christmas in Disney California Adventure. Disneyland Resort management deserves praise for this ambitious slate of live entertainment.
Let’s take a brief look at each act…
Mickey’s Happy Holidays – This is a character celebration with Mickey Mouse and friends. Guests will dance and sing along to high-energy music with favorite Disney and Pixar characters, as they march to the merry rhythms of the Holiday Toy Drummers.
Mickey, Minnie, Chip n’ Dale, Goofy and Clarabelle all don new Festival of Holidays attire, specifically for the “Mickey’s Happy Holidays” celebration. The Country Bears and the Pixar characters also sport fun seasonal overlays for this show. “Mickey’s Happy Holidays” runs twice daily, with show moments at Paradise Gardens Park and Carthay Circle.
Tina and The Sounds of Celebration! – Powerhouse vocalist Tina and her dynamic musicians from all over Latin America hype up the crowd with Salsa, Merengue, Caribbean, and Latin Rock.
The Mistletoes! – Celebrating Christmas and the spirit of Kwanzaa, this a cappella vocal ensemble reimagines holiday hits with rhythm and soul!
Disney ¡Viva Navidad! — By now, regular readers probably know that we really, really love Viva Navidad. It’s no surprise that this remains the highlight of Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure. It’s one of our sleeper picks for the best overall Christmas entertainment at Disneyland Resort.
Seriously, if you only do one thing during the 2023 Festival of the Holidays at Disney California Adventure, make it Viva Navidad. The street party, activities, and live entertainment back in Paradise Gardens Park are all fantastic. You could easily spend a few hours back in this quiet corner of DCA.
Holiday Sunset Concerts – These afternoon and evening acts perform at the Palisades Stage at Paradise Gardens Park, which is also in the area of Viva Navidad. The Holiday Sunset Concerts feature The Suffragettes, an exciting festival band that rocks the holidays with chart-topping hits.
Additional acts include Phat Cat Swinger, the West Coast’s “Little-Big Band,” presenting a fresh new twist on their swinging selection of holiday tunes. The Suffragettes perform on Sunday through Tuesday, while Phat Cat Swinger takes the stage Wednesday through Saturday nights.
Blue13 Dance Company — Traditional Indian dances with beautiful choreography, lavish costumes, and entrancing music. The performances build to a Bollywood-style ending, which is fairly high energy.
Mariachi Divas — Long favorites with Disneyland fans, the GRAMMY Award-winning Mariachi Divas are sure to put on a great holiday show.
Mostly Kosher — This Klezmer band perform a variety of musical styles, basically coming across as a Top 40 group with strong Jewish influence. Between songs, the lead singer shares cultural traditions.
While none of the other entertainment act approaches the quality of Viva Navidad, that’s fine. It’s all in that same spirit, and the other musical acts are great to enjoy while strolling through the park, with or without food & spirits. Those diverse cultural acts are exactly what you’d expect of World Showcase at Epcot.
In that sense, DCA is beating Epcot at its own game. If Disney California Adventure keeps this up, it will solidify itself as the “ambiance park” at Disneyland Resort, and a nice change of pace when crowds across the Esplanade at Disneyland get too heavy. Thanks in large part to Festival of the Holidays, we now have a far greater desire to hang out in DCA during the Christmas season!
That’s the good news. The bad news is that if you’re on a tight budget, the food at Disney California Adventure’s Festival of Holidays is not for you. The portions are relatively small, and the prices relatively high. It’s the same idea as any Disney food & wine festival.
There are two exceptions to this. First, the desserts, most of which are served up at price points that aren’t too outlandish. It’s fun to graze from the booths, trying the different ~$5 desserts. Second, if you purchase the Sip & Savor Pass, and maximize your value with that. This can shave a couple of dollars off your average per-item cost, making them easier to justify. We usually purchase one of these to share, and enjoy dining around DCA over the course of a couple days with it!
If you’re visiting Disneyland during Christmas-time, make sure to read our Ultimate Christmas at Disneyland Guide to get the most out of the special Christmas offerings! If you’re preparing for a Disneyland trip, check out our other planning posts, especially our comprehensive Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide!
Your Thoughts
Do you agree or disagree with our thoughts on Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure? Any additional thoughts on specific samples? What about entertainment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
