Our 'Friendtastic' Guide to Disneyland Resort's Pixar Fest 2024

 

Buzz and Woody, Mike and Sulley, Marlin and Dory, Lightning McQueen and Mater, Joy and Sadness … Pixar films bring us some of our favorite, and sometimes most unlikely, friendship duos. And now you can add Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure to the buddies list, as the Pixar Fest brings together these two theme parks for one big happy celebration. The very first Pixar Fest launched in April 2018 to celebrate the opening of Pixar Pier. Disneyland Pixar Fest 2024 has a new parade and a revamped fireworks show. The celebration falls shortly after the opening of the Pixar Place Hotel (formerly Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel). With so much happening during Pixar Fest at Disneyland Resort, you’re going to need to grab a friend or family member to experience it all together. But how does one see everything?! Luckily, you’ve got a friend in me (well, us frogs) to help you out!

Hop To

• Overview
• Decorations and Merchandise
• Entertainment
• Characters
• Food and Beverage
• Tips

Disneyland Resort Pixar Fest Overview, Dates and Planning

Disneyland Pixar Fest 2024 takes place in spring and summer. The event kicks off April 26 and runs through Aug. 4, 2024. You can expect special Pixar character meet and greets, Pixar-themed entertainment, themed food and more!

Keep an eye out for Pixar Fest décor. All throughout Downtown Disney and the Esplanade, you'll see signage for Pixar Fest. In between the two parks sits a Pixar Fest sculpture. It plays tribute to Imagineer Rolly Crump's 'Tower of the Four Winds," which served as a visual marquee for the Small World attraction for the 1964-65 New York World's Fair. A smaller structure sits on Main Street U.S.A. In both theme parks, you'll see Pixar character medallions atop Pixar fabric of primary colors on Main Street and Buena Vista Street. How many different Pixar characters can you find?

But that is not all that is hoppening during Pixar Fest, which is why you'll want to time your visit just right. Here are a few considerations to help you plan your visit during Pixar Fest to make the most of your time at Disneyland.

• Take advantage of the limited-time summer 3-day ticket deal. You can visit three different days through Sept 26, 2024, for as low as $47 per child, per day and $79 per adult, per day.
• If you are as excited as we are for Fantasmic!, the nighttime spectacular in Disneyland Park came back nightly as of May 24, 2024.
• Catch some new opportunities related to "Inside Out 2" as of June 14, 2024!

We've created a Pixar Fest cheat sheet that you can download and use to reference in the parks so you don't miss a thing during this special event!

Disneyland Pixar Fest Decorations and Merchandise

Pixar Fest is a celebration of friendship and beyond. Enjoy colorful décor in Pixar red, blue and yellow. Take home commemorative merchandise as souvenirs. The entire Disneyland Resort — from theme parks to hotels to Downtown Disney District — has a Pixar twist of friendly fun. Pixar Place Hotel is open as of Jan. 30, 2024, so you may even want to hop over to check out the new lobby and restaurant options, such as Great Maple. Don't miss colorful banners and sculptures with images of your favorite Pixar characters. In the Esplanade, you can't miss the 25-foot-tall sculpture celebrating friendship and highlighting the Pixar Ball. In Disney California Adventure, interact with a special Pixar-themed installation with your MagicBand+. Pose for photos in front of the sculpture on Main Street U.S.A.

Pixar Fest Merchandise

Choose Pixar Fest merch from several different collections.

The Pixar Fest collection includes some must-have items, including:

• Pixar Fest spirit jerseys
• Hoodies
• Baseball and bucket hats
• Mugs, water bottles and tumblers
• Collectible medallions

(New!) "Inside Out 2" Collection

• Sports Jersey
• Plushes and toys
• Loungefly Mini Backpack
• Crewneck
• Skincare
• Books and journal

The Wilderness Explorer collection includes:

• Hoodies
• T-shirts
• Bucket hat
• Bandana
• Gear for when exploring the outdoors such as a blanket, water bottles, a pet jacket and a Wilderness Explorer patch set.

The Pixar Painted Collection is available now and features the following:

• Mike Wazowski painted pullover hoodie
• Button-up shirt
• Tumbler
• T-shirt

Toy Story Collection merch is also available now:

• Toy Story Family jersey
• Adult zip-up hoodie
• Backpack
• Themed bag

Pizza Planet collection includes:

• Pizza Planet backpack
• Tumbler
• Jersey
• Hat
• A few special shirts
• A Pizza Planet truck popcorn bucket

There is also an "Up" collection and a "Ratatouille" collection.

Disneyland Pixar Fest Entertainment

Pixar Fest introduces a new daytime parade to Disney California Adventure and brings back a fun fireworks show to Disneyland! Here's what you can find at each park!

Disney California Adventure Park

“Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration" Parade

This all-new parade debuts during the Pixar Fest celebration — it makes its way through Disney California Adventure Park twice a day at 4 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The first parade starts by Guardians of the Galaxy - Mission Breakout and the second parade travels in the opposite direction.

Wave to Panda Mei and friends as well as the boy band 4*Town (all from "Turning Red") on a float. More than two dozen other Pixar characters join them, including Joe Gardner and 22 from "Soul," Luca, Alberto and Giulia from "Luca," and a grand finale that features Mr. and Mrs. Incredible, Miguel from "Coco," Mike and Sulley from "Monsters, Inc." and Woody, Jessie and Buzz Lightyear. Find out more and view photos in our Better Together parade post.

Our YouTube video shows the parade coming through Hollywood Land from Pixar Pier toward Guardians of the Galaxy.

You can find your own spot to watch the parade or reserve a parade dessert party package to have a seat and some treats. Our Disneyland dining packages post discusses the pros and cons of it. For $69 (ages 3 and up) you get:

• A selection of Pixar-inspired foods, desserts and cheeses
• Unlimited soft drinks and bottled water, plus coffee and a specialty tropical mocktail
• Reserved seating for parade viewing at Sonoma Terrace

The package is available for each parade and starts about 45 minutes before each parade starts. Arrive early for the best seat selection. Small parties may be seated with others. The front row (at low tables) is in the sun, but the back row (at high tops) has shade coverings.

Pixar Fun at the Hollywood Backlot 

Snap photos in front of Pixar-themed backdrops and maybe even pose with a character, like the Incredibles in their retro suits! Enjoy themed food and beverages. Once the day cools down, play games, and watch Pixar Shorts from the seat of a classic Cadillac.

World of Color — One 

For a limited time, a new water short, “Emotional Rollercoaster,” is shown ahead of “World of Color – ONE.” The short highlights Pixar’s “Inside Out 2.”

“Inside Out” Drawing Activity at Animation Academy

For a limited time, you can learn how to draw Joy, Sadness, Anxiety and Anger from “Inside Out 2.” You can check the schedule next to the attraction entrance to see what characters are coming up.

Disneyland Park

“Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular”

To friendship … and beyond! This projection show returns to Disneyland at 9:30 p.m. with some all-new scenes. Until summer, the show only includes pyrotechnics Friday through Sunday nights. The other nights it's just music, lasers and projection. The show lifts off with Buzz Lightyear soaring over Sleeping Beauty’s castle during the “Together Forever — A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular“ show. The show is choreographed with music and projection on Sleeping Beauty’s Castle and three other viewing locations in the park. Enjoy scenes from timeless Pixar tales and hits such as "Coco" and "The Incredibles 2." Plus, the new scenes will include moments from "Onward," "Soul," "Luca," "Turning Red" and "Elemental." If you have a MagicBand+, it will come to life with synchronized lights and vibrations.

You’ll see the “Up” house, lifted by balloons, sail over the castle. The show will take you on an emotional journey of friendship with your favorite Pixar pals.

But viewing this show does take some planning. Watching near the castle means getting in place hours early. Watching on Main Street U.S.A., which is a great alternative to the castle and still has a castle view (along with projections all around you), takes less time out of your night. We prefer Main Street due to the ease of viewing and less time commitment. It's a little hard to see the low projections on the castle, but you can see them on the buildings on either side of the street.

Be sure to charge your MagicBand+. It interacts with the show!

Luckily, there are two other “friendtastic” locations to experience it. A less-crowded spot that is actually closer to the fireworks is “it’s a small world.” You can really see the projections well there.

If you are seeing the 9 p.m. Fantasmic! show, simply stay in place to experience the show with music and projection on water screens at Rivers of America.

Knowing all these tips can help you manage your time and crowd-coping skills. We have more Disneyland fireworks viewing tips in another post.

If you watch on Main Street U.S.A., you'll see a surprise emerge from the rooftops during the "Coco" segment.

Good news! The fireworks show is on the calendar nightly in August even after Pixar Fest ends! You can view the calendar up to six weeks in advance. Halloween Time begins Aug. 23, 2024, so "Halloween Screams" will take over by that point.

Here's our YouTube video of "Together Forever  – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular,” with new clips from some of the more recent Pixar movies.

Pixar Pals Playtime Party at Fantasyland Theatre

Get the wiggles out by playing and dancing with your favorite Pixar characters at this family-friendly playtime party in Disneyland Park. Enjoy the high-energy show, interactive games, photo locations, activities and iconic Pixar shorts. You can check the hours online, but generally, it's open from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. And that means this is the best thing to do when ride times are at their midday peak. It's shady and has benches for people who need to chill out, plus there are nearby Pixar Festival snacks at Troubadour Tavern. The vibes are mellow while Pixar Shorts are playing and toadally energetic when the dance parties start, so there's something for every mood.

It's perfect for the tadpoles. The entertainment switches about every 15 minutes, rotating between dance parties with characters, character meet and greets and Pixar Shorts. You can dance with characters from "The Incredibles," "Inside Out" and "Toy Story." You can take photos with characters from "Onward," "Up," "Luca" and "Elemental." We have never seen so many Disney characters all in one spot!

Take the tadpoles to do free crafts in a Luca-inspired space. You may even get to meet Luca and Alberto in that area!

Disneyland Pixar Fest Characters

On any normal day at Disney California Adventure and in Disneyland, you can meet various Pixar pals. Popular ones include characters from "The Incredibles," "Up," "Toy Story," "Inside Out" "Big Hero 6," "Monsters Inc.," "Cars," and "Coco," to name a few. However, some new characters are in the parks to meet guests during Pixar Fest. Anger from "Inside Out" joined the line-up of characters at the Pixar Pier Bandshell as of June 14, 2024.

Look for Ember and Wade from “Elemental," as well as Russell and Dug from "Up" at the Pixar Pals Playtime Party at Fantasyland Theatre. You can also meet characters from "Onward" and "Luca" there. In addition to those meet and greets, you can dance with Joy, Sadness, Woody, Jessie, Bo Peep, Mr. Incredible, Mrs. Incredible, Frozone and Edna. It's so many characters in one place! It really is the place to be in the afternoon.

The Incredibles don their retro suits in the Hollywood Backlot of Disney California Adventure! A real talking "Dug" meets and talks to guests in Grizzly Peak. His location can move, but you can see his times in the Disneyland app and track him down! he taught us how to shake! So fun!

Disneyland Pixar Fest Food and Beverages

Friends don’t let friends go hungry. As with all great celebrations, there will be food, including the returning iconic Pixar Fest cake at Plaza Inn. There are over 80 new items!

While there will be offerings all around the resort, as of May 10, there are six Pixar-themed marketplaces at Disney California Adventure Park that remain through the end of the festival. Each location celebrates a film with food inspired by those worlds:

• Portorosso Pasta ("Luca") — summertime dishes inspired by the Italian coast
• Gusteau's To-Go ("Ratatouille") — reimagined classics
• The Elemental Table ("Elemental") — a playful mélange of elements
• 4*Town Fav*4*ites ("Turning Red") — fun foods perfect for anyone, but especially tweens and boy bands
• The Spark ("Soul") — feel-good foods that feed your soul
• Hanger Management ("Inside Out") — flavors that appeal to all of your emotions

You are going to want the special Pizza Planet truck-themed popcorn (it lights up and rolls!) and bucket and a "Coco" guitar popcorn bucket (with tunable strings!). How adorable! Speaking of the Pizza Planet truck ... Disney has hit 50 different themed Pizza Planet trucks around the resort! They might be themed to the land or attraction that they appear in, so keep your eyes open! We even spotted one near Woody in the Better Together parade!

Hop over to our Pixar Fest food menus post to see all the fun and yummy offerings as well as food novelties, especially some new ones that joined the lineup with the release of Inside Out 2. Hopfully, you can try some of the Pixar-inspired treats at some of our favorite quick-service and table-service restaurants during Pixar Fest.

Here are some of our favorite regular Pixar-themed menu items you can find at any time. The Green Alien Macaron debuted at the last Pixar Fest and has been around ever since. You can find it at Alien Pizza Planet. That quick-service restaurant in Tomorrowland also debuted at the last Pixar Fest. Remember the not-so-Abominable Snowman from Monsters Inc.? He is serving up frozen treats at his Adorable Snowman Frosted Treats! The yellow is lemon Dole whip and is a must-have treat. Try it swirled with blue raspberry in the popular Pixar Pier Parfait. In the Toy Story neighborhood, you and your small fries can hop over to Poultry Palace, where you can order chicken legs and coleslaw from a stand shaped like a giant fun meal box (note they have a spicy kick). They also sell a classic Disneyland Resort favorite — turkey legs.

Did someone flip the switch to Spanish mode? Senor Buzz Churros serves one of our favorite Disneyland snacks, regular churros and Caliente! — they are red and taste like Red Hots. Anger from "Inside Out" is burning with rage, and the hotter his temper the hotter the hot dogs at Angry Dogs. He's dishing out spicy Angry dogs and the not-so-spicy Slightly Annoyed Dogs. You can top your dog with ketchup of every degree of angry spice. After riding Incredicoaster, stop at the Jack-Jack Cookie Num Nums stand for a cookie. There are so many choices! Better share with a friend or family member so you can taste it all.

And then there is the Pixar-themed table-service restaurant on the Pier, Lamplight Lounge. The full restaurant is downstairs. Lamplight Lounge — Boardwalk Dining is upstairs with smaller bites. Both locations offer Pixar-themed drinks. You can reserve the restaurant, but you can only join the walk-up list for Boardwalk Dining.

Tips for Disneyland Pixar Fest 2024

Here are some frogtastically friendly tips for mastering this “friendtastic” guide to Pixar Fest at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure:

• Arrive before park opening to experience the lowest waits.
• Plan on visiting for three to four days (you can save with discount multiday tickets).
• Make park reservations early, especially in May.
• Consider a Park Hopper ticket (park hopping is cheaper per day with multiday tickets).
• Check the Entertainment Schedule for parade and show times.
• Do free Pixar crafts in Downtown Disney and at the Pixar Pals Playtime Party
• Learn to draw Pixar characters at Animation Academy.
• Make dining reservations 60 days in advance.
• Use the Disneyland App to locate characters, check ride wait times, manage reservations, mobile order for food and novelties, and use Lightning Lane Multi Pass (formerly Genie+).
• Included with Lightning Lane Multi Pass are PhotoPass lenses with characters from “Inside Out 2." With this lens on the Disneyland app, guests can get a glimpse inside the Headquarters control center and express their emotions with Joy, Anger, and Sadness.
• Consider springing for Lightning Lane Multi Pass to skip select ride lines.
• Utilize single-rider lines if riders are over 7 years old and comfortable riding independently.
• Strike up a conversation with Dug the talking dog in Grizzly Peak. You can find his times in the Disneyland App.
• Plan ahead for getting a good parade or fireworks viewing location.
• If viewing Fantasmic! watch "Together Forever" from Rivers of America.
• Get a great hotel rate for Pixar Place Hotel through Undercover Tourist.

Our Disneyland Pixar Fest 2024 guide should have given you a little taste of all the fun — plus a few tips! The biggest strategies involve deciding which nighttime entertainment to experience and scoring the perfect viewing location for nighttime spectaculars and the parade. You can save money with discount theme park tickets and hotel stays (at or near Disneyland) when you purchase through Undercover Tourist. 

Related: Tips to Maximize Your Time at Disneyland Resort

Related: Our "Incredible" Guide to Pixar Fest Food Menus — Over 80 New Items!

Hoppy planning!