Planning a visit to the Happiest Place on Earth? You may want to consider picking your dates based on specific Disneyland events! While the parks are delights unto themselves and reasons enough to visit, the Disneyland Resort offers a ton of fun annual and one-time events that may just be the cherry on top! Our Frog Family gets an extra leap of excitement during these special events. It's also good to know which events are hoppening when you visit because they can influence Disneyland crowd levels. In this guide, we've also included a few of the more popular "unofficial" events, since they can also impact crowd levels.
Disneyland has confirmed the dates for all major events in 2025 — which is perfect for your planning purposes. There are exciting events happening year-round at the resort, but in 2025, we get an extra special celebration as Disneyland Resort turns 70! Use this guide to events at Disneyland and the Disneyland schedule when you're checking out the best times to visit Disneyland or planning your Los Angeles visit.
Disneyland Schedule of Events in 2025
Lunar New Year — Jan. 17 to Feb. 16, 2025
The Lunar New Year Celebration is a multi-cultural event that includes food, authentic performances and your favorite Disney characters. This event takes place at Paradise Gardens inside Disney California Adventure. Colorful lanterns and other red decorations welcome you, while hanging banners written in English, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese wish you a Happy Lunar New Year. You can join the time-honored tradition of writing wishes of good fortune and happiness for your friends and family, receive customized Chinese calligraphy and brush art, complete free crafts and purchase some traditional Lunar New Year treats. There are also delectable Asian meals to taste at Paradise Garden Grill, as well as samplings of Asian cuisine from the Lunar New Year festival marketplace kiosks and other participating restaurants.
Lunar New Year is a well-attended event. You can meet characters (such as Mickey, Minnie, The Three Little Pigs, Mulan or Mushu) dressed in their Lunar New Year’s best. Hosted by Mulan and Mushu, Mulan's Lunar New Year Procession celebrates the Lunar New Year with colorfully costumed dancers, a dragon and drummers. In 2024, we celebrated the Year of the Dragon. 2025 is the year of the snake.
Anaheim Ducks Day — Jan. 24, 2025
Quack! Quack! Quack! Each year, the local NHL hockey team flocks to Disney California Adventure. Score! It is a day filled with activities, including a special cavalcade, meet-and-greets with Ducks players, photo ops, special treats, merchandise and more. This is a popular event, so get your reservations early and wear your Ducks jersey.
Here's what happened in 2024:
- Enjoy a cavalcade with current players on Feb. 22 and a Legacy Celebration cavalcade with Ducks alumni
- Get hyped at the Fan Zone — filled with interactive photo ops, games and pictures with Wild Wing
- Meet and greet some of the players from the Anaheim Ducks
- Listen to music with performances by Anaheim Ducks DJs
- See the Iconic Stanley Cup and take a picture with it
- Learn how to draw some favorite Disney "Ducks" at Animation Academy and keep your art as a souvenir
- Participate in a fun park-wide activity known as Seek & Find, which highlights key moments in the Anaheim Ducks' history
- Taste treats such as a cake pop at Trolley Treats, as well as green and purple cotton candy and Brewery X Ducks Beer, Blonde Ale at outdoor vending locations throughout the park. Enjoy other special drinks and foods at Hollywood Lounge and Studio Catering Co.
- Purchase special Anaheim Ducks Days merchandise, including T-shirts, spirit jerseys, headwear, accessories, commemorative pucks, pins and more!
- Pick up free gifts for Magic Key holders. In 2024, it was a rally towel.
If you are a Ducks fan, snag great deals on Anaheim Ducks tickets (and other live events) through Undercover Tourist!
Villains Day: Stalk Around the Park — Jan. 26, 2025
This unofficial fashion theme day is one in which fans of villains show off their villain-themed attire (all following the Disneyland guidelines for costumes and attire, of course). So polish your apple and sharpen your horns to join their flock for group photos, rides and other dark fun. This is not an official event hosted by Disney but by other parkgoers.
runDisney Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend — Jan. 30 to Feb. 2, 2025
The West Coast saw the return of runDisney races with the Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend in January 2024. Enjoy yoga in front of the castle, kids races, a 5K, a 10K, a half marathon or complete the Dumbo Double Dare Challenge (10K and Half Marathon).
Valentine’s Day Celebrations — First Half of February (including Feb. 14) 2025
Love is definitely in the air at Disneyland! The parks are serving up delicious heart-shaped baked goods and love-themed delicacies this February. In the first half of February, you can expect these special food and beverage offerings all around the resort, including the Downtown Disney district. Hop over to our post on romantic things to do at Disneyland for the whole lineup.
Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts' Nite — Jan. 21, 23, 28 and Feb. 4, 6, 9, 11, 13
Sweethearts' Nite will return in 2025 (we love to see it!). The popular Sweethearts' Nite makes Disneyland the most romantic place on earth for eight romantic nights! Plan a date night with your sweetheart at Disneyland! This separately ticketed event inside Disneyland Park takes place after the park closes, with access to the park starting at 6 p.m. (no park reservation required).
You can typically expect the following:
- A Royal Cavalcade ending in a Royal Ball
- Projection effects on Sleeping Beauty Castle and Main Street, U.S.A.
- A jazz ensemble aboard the Mark Twain Riverboat and more live entertainment
- Selfies with some of your favorite Disney couples
- Opportunities to meet darling Disney couples, including Cinderella and Prince Charming, Aladdin and Jasmine and, of course, Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse
- Romantic photo-ops themed after sweet scenes from iconic Disney films, plus unlimited digital PhotoPass downloads
- Valentine's-inspired décor, food and beverage offerings
Sweethearts' Nite tickets go on sale for Inspire Magic Key Holders Dec. 10; all other Magic Key holders Dec. 11; and the general public Dec. 12, 2024. All tickets are limited and subject to availability. All tickets will be on sale no earlier than 9 a.m. PT on Disneyland.com.
Celebrate Gospel for Black History Month — Feb. 8 and 15, 2025
Disneyland celebrates Black History Month with musical acts, art and more. The 2025 event will include "Celebrate Gospel" concert, featuring musicians and local community choirs also perform. Other activities in past years have included special food and merchandise opportunities in Downtown Disney from black-owned businesses, unique animation experiences and special performances.
Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival — Feb. 28 to April 21, 2025
This is a California foodie's paradise and one of the top Disneyland events! Taking place each year during March and April, the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival offers guests the chance to partake in delicious food and wine offerings every day, plus special seminars, tastings and experiences on the weekends. Look for expanded bookable activities for this event via the Disneyland app or website.
Tad and Lily love meeting Chef Goofy and decorating free cupcakes at the all-new Confection Purrfection with the SuperKitties show, featuring Minnie Mouse. Soarin' Over California returns for the festival, taking over Soarin' Around the World during that time.
Guests can visit Festival Marketplaces themed around different tastes and drinks of California and reserve their seats at a Winemaker's Reception. You’ll also encounter musical entertainment and special character meet-and-greets, including opportunities to meet some rarely-seen characters. You can even do some shopping, as there is a new line of festival-themed headwear, apparel, décor and cooking gadgets every year!
Mini Gay Day — March 1, 2025
Gay Days at Disneyland are traditionally held in the fall (now around mid-September), but there is a casual mini Gay Day meet-up in March. This is not an official Disney event, but it can affect crowds, and you’ll see several rainbow-colored Disneyland treats. Expect to see folks wearing red shirts in celebration!
90s Nite at Disneyland Park — March 4 and 6, 2025
This returning After Dark party will celebrate the 90s in style, with dance parties, sing-alongs and of course, more celebrations for the iconic music, pop culture and films from the decade. "90s on Parade" will feature throwbacks to past parades, including "The Lion King Celebration" and "Mulan Parade."
Tickets for 90s Nite will go on sale for Inspire Magic Key holders beginning Dec. 10; all Magic Key holders Dec. 11; and the general public Dec. 12, 2024. All tickets will be on sale no earlier than 9 a.m. PT on Disneyland.com, and are limited and subject to availability.
Season of the Force — March 28 to May 11, 2025
The May the Fourth celebrations, and Star Wars Month, expanded into a longer celebration in 2024 with Season of the Force at Disneyland. We're over the moon that these celebrations will return in 2025. Highlights include the Hyperspace Mountain overlay and specially themed food, beverages and merchandise.
In 2024, you could look for new characters in Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge, such as Sabine Wren from "Ahsoka" and the cutest walking BD-X droids!
"Fire of the Rising Moons" will run again nightly in 2025 — this time with new projection effects and music. The celebration ushers in the return of Star Wars Nite Disneyland After Dark parties (on select dates) as well.
Star Wars Nite at Disneyland — April 8, 10, 22, 24, 29 and May 1, 4, 6, 2025
Star Wars Nite at Disneyland Park offers up a galactically good time! 2025 ticket date information will be released at a later date. Our Star Wars Nite post has all the details. Fans can usually celebrate with:
- Character encounters
- "Star Wars"-themed attractions such as Star Tours, Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
- Enhanced décor and event collectible merchandise
- Unlimited PhotoPass downloads
- Lightsaber Training
- Lightsaber Resistance Show of Unity
- March of the First Order in Tomorrowland
- Projections on the castle, Main Street and "it's a small world"
Dapper Day — April 13, 2025
Dapper Day is one of the most popular, and certainly the most fashionable, "unofficial” days at Disneyland. Guests get dressed up in their Sunday best to pay homage to the attendees when Disneyland first opened in 1955. There are two Disneyland Dapper Days each year, one in the fall and one in the spring. On Disneyland Dapper Day, many guests wear vintage clothes from the 1950s or other eras. Others choose to step out in style while showing off the latest fashion of today. Even though the Sunday of Dapper Day weekend is usually the main Dapper Day, you may see people dressed in their best on both days of the weekend.
Bats Day in the Fun Park — April 27, 2025
You can expect to see guests dressed in goth, steampunk, Halloween, rockabilly attire and more for Bats Day. Bats Day, like Dapper Day, is independently organized and usually takes place in May (but in 2025, it will be at the end of April). This event always makes me long for my frog goth days. You bet this frog squad will show up all in black!
Disneyland's 70th Anniversary — May 16, 2025 to summer 2026
The Happiest Place on Earth turns 70 — and we're all invited to celebrate! Running through summer 2026, the Disneyland Resort 70th Celebration will "celebrate happy" with special entertainment, food and beverages, new outfits for Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and their friends, and so much more.
- You'll find decorations around the resort, including a medallion on Sleeping Beauty Castle.
- With a new celebration comes an all-new nighttime spectacular, World of Color Happiness!
- Carthay Circle Restaurant will also feature lights, music and projection each evening to "celebrate happy."
- Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration parade will return to California Adventure (previously featured in Pixar Fest).
- The fan-favorite Paint the Night parade will return to Disneyland Park.
- Wondrous Journeys fireworks show will also take place at Disneyland.
- We'll even get a new character cavalcade!
- Walt Disney — A Magical Life will debut at the Main Street Opera house May 16. This new show tells Walt's story from the man himself, in his office, brought to life through Audio-Animatronics.
- And, of course, a new song: "Celebrate Happy."
We are RSVPing YES! We'll toadally be there to join in the hoppy (err, happy). Hop over to our full post to learn more about Disneyland's 70th Anniversary Celebration!
Grad Nites — May and June 2025
Throughout May and June, you may see daytime crowds surge with high school seniors in both parks for local high school Grad Nite celebrations. After 9 p.m., the parties move to a location in Disney California Adventure Park, but Grad Nite celebrators may be in either park during the morning and throughout the day. You can check the Disneyland calendar up to six weeks in advance to confirm which days Grad Nites will occur in 2025.
Grad Nite dates for 2025 are:
- May 9, 12, 18, 21, 22, 27, 28 and 30
- June 1, 4, 6, 8, 11, and 13
Pride Nite During Pride Month — June 16 and 18, 2025
In 2025, Disneyland Park will once again host a Disneyland After Dark event, Pride Nite! At this after-hours event, guests can enjoy unique, themed experiences, exclusive photo opportunities, event merchandise and much more! Pride Nite specifically celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community and its allies.
Guests can arrive three hours early at 6 p.m. Then, the private party begins at 9 p.m., ending at 1 a.m. Hop over to our Pride Nite post for all the details. Tickets details will be released at a later date.
Pride Month — June 2025
Get ready to taste the rainbow with special rainbow-colored foods and beverages across Disney Theme Parks and Downtown Disney. Disney Pride merchandise is available for purchase around the Disneyland Resort (as well as at Walt Disney World in Florida). Hop over to our Pride Month foodie guide for all the yummy details.
Fourth of July — 2025
Disneyland Park celebrates America's independence on July 4 with red, white and blue treats and drinks. The celebration features its signature Independence Day show, "Disney's Celebrate America! A Fourth of July Concert in the Sky." Keep in mind that this can be one of the busiest days of the year! Disney California Adventure also usually presents fireworks in a patriotic salute before World of Color.
Disneyland’s Birthday — July 17, 2025
"To all who come to this happy place; welcome." Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955. Every year on this anniversary, the park celebrates Disneyland’s birthday. Of course, in 2025, we get to celebrate this anniversary in a BIG way!
There are usually special souvenirs available on that day (such as pins) or special foods, and some people choose to dress dapper for the occasion. You may expect a birthday cavalcade or other form of entertainment with many Disney characters at points throughout the day. You may be able to take pictures holding birthday signs on some years. Some people try to attend every year despite the crowds. Even though Disneyland does not actively promote this day (except on large anniversary years), everyone seems to be hopping in droves to the park to join this birthday party. If you plan to attend this day, arrive early and expect typical summer crowds.
Hop over to our post on the Disneyland birthday celebration for tips on celebrating and a peek at the birthday hoppenings.
CHOC Walk — TBD
The CHOC walk is a fundraiser for Children's Hospital of Orange County. The walk takes place inside the theme parks before they open. If you want to fundraise for kids at CHOC, you can learn more here. Walkers with wristbands get free parking and can walk through Disneyland and Disney California Adventure early Sunday morning. The walk is filled with surprise entertainment and fun experiences — and it's all for a good cause. Because many walkers will purchase tickets and stay for the day, this day will be more crowded than usual, especially in the morning. If you plan to visit then, purchase Disneyland tickets and reserve early. Expect to take more time to park your car and enter the park with so many more people than you would expect on a Sunday morning. It's possible the walk can affect Early Entry hours that day, so be sure to check the calendar.
2025 Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon Weekend — Sept. 4-7, 2025
What's this? What's this? A new race took place during Halloween Time in 2024, and is returning for 2025. The Disneyland Resort treats participants with four days of Halloween-themed events, including yoga, kids races, 5K, 10K, half marathon and challenge. Learn more about this and upcoming runDisney events in our runDisney Disneyland events post.
Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort — Aug. 22 to Oct. 31, 2025
Halloween comes earlier than ever before in 2025! Halloween is a big-time affair at Disneyland Park, with plenty of decorations, entertainment and other goodies through Oct. 31. During this time, Main Street, U.S.A. is turned into a pumpkin festival with hundreds of hand-carved pumpkins on display. You can gather with some of Disney's biggest villains, along with other favorite Disney characters, for meet-and-greets — in costumes, of course! Jack Skellington and Sally are popular in New Orleans Square. After they leave for the day, you can meet characters from the Haunted Mansion. Cruella de Vil and the Queen of Hearts stalk about Main Street and near the park entrance. We've spotted Maleficent and the Evil Queen near the castle too.
Guests can enjoy seasonal entertainment, plus special eats and drinks. There are also seasonal overlays to some of the resort's very best rides, including the Haunted Mansion Holiday hosted by Jack Skellington. The Halloween Screams show is now a projection and special effects show that will light up Disneyland Park most nights of the Halloween season. The show is enhanced with fireworks on select nights (typically weekends).
Disney California Adventure Park gets into the spirit, too! Haul-O-Ween in Cars Land has the residents of Radiator Springs dressing in silly costumes and decorating their homes and shops. Luigi’s Honkin’ Haul-O-Ween and Mater’s Graveyard JamBOOree are two ride overlays in Cars Land. For the first time, Guido will sport a "car-stume" as he welcomes guests to Casa Della Tires. Guardians of the Galaxy — Mission Breakout! also gets a Halloween overlay, becoming Guardians of the Galaxy — Monsters After Dark after 5 p.m. (4 p.m. on party days). A Halloween dance party for the tadpoles becomes available every day of the Halloween season in 2024.
Disneyland Halloween Time festivities are included with regular park admission! We've got a full guide to Halloween Time, so be sure to check it out!
Oogie Boogie Bash — Select nights Aug. 17 to Oct. 31, 2025
On select nights during Halloween Time, Disney California Adventure plays host to a major Halloween Party — Oogie Boogie Bash. The whole family is invited to dress up in costumes and trick or treat throughout the park. Some of the treat trails are themed after villains and have a live villain to entertain you as you gather candy. The magical Villains Grove is a delight. The party takes place on select nights, usually in September and October — mainly Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. In 2025, Oogie Boogie Bash will take place on 31 nights (the most nights ever!):
- Aug. 17, 19, 21, 24, 26, 28, 31
- Sept. 2, 9, 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28, 30
- Oct. 2, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26, 28, 31
You'll enjoy character encounters with Disney Villains and photo-ops with rare Disney characters and Pixar pals. Catch the Frightfully Fun Parade as it passes through the park with Jack Skellington, Mickey, Minnie and a gang of villains. Hop over to our post on Oogie Boogie Bash for more screaming details. Ticket details have not yet been released.
Plaza de la Familia — Aug. 22 to Nov. 2, 2025
Plaza de la Familia celebrates the Disney-Pixar film “Coco” and the bonds of family at Disney California Adventure. Taking place at Paradise Gardens, this celebration offers Mariachi music, delicious Mexican foods, a Tree of Life interactive photo exhibit, wing photo walls, free coloring and crafts and the chance to meet Miguel. The highlight of this Dia De Los Muertos celebration is the show “The Storytellers of Plaza de la Familia Celebrate The Musical World of Coco!" The show features dancing, storytellers and original songs from “Coco,” along with an amazing puppet performance from Miguel.
Gay Days — Sept. 12-14, 2025
Gay Days is an independently organized, three-day event that typically takes place in the fall. There are off-site events and parties associated with Gay Days in Anaheim, but there are also days when attendees hit the parks dressed in red shirts. You can read all about Gay Days here.
Dapper Day Fall Outing — TBD Fall 2025
The second Dapper Day event of the year usually takes place early to mid-November. The Saturday event includes an Expo at the Disneyland Hotel, where you can find all your dapper duds. The actual Dapper Day in the park is usually on Sunday.
Mickey's and Minnie's Birthday — Nov. 18, 2025
Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse have the same birthday. While this is not a planned event that you'll find on any schedule, if you hoppen to visit Disneyland on this day, you might get treated to some birthday surprises to celebrate these special characters. Disneyland has been known to hand out free special birthday buttons. There is also a special birthday cavalcade. Mickey and Minnie might even put on their birthday celebration outfits!
Holidays at the Disneyland Resort — Nov. 14, 2025, to Jan. 7, 2026
Like Halloween, Disneyland goes all out during Christmas. The parks transform into a winter wonderland from mid-November until early January. This is one of the biggest Disneyland events of the year! Sleeping Beauty Castle is alight in sparkling icicles and thousands of shimmering lights. Snow falls nightly. Beautiful Main Street, U.S.A. is decked out in fabulous holiday décor. Jack Skellington's takeover continues at Haunted Mansion Holiday. The "it's a small world" overlay is the merriest cruise that ever set sail. Once the sun goes down, the façade turns into one of the most stunning holiday light displays you'll ever see … be sure to catch the ceremonial lighting and projection show each evening!
You'll definitely want to stay for A Christmas Fantasy Parade and the Believe … In Holiday Magic fireworks show too! Enjoy the stunning water spectacular, World of Color — Season of Light, at California Adventure. Santa Claus greets guests in both parks. You can find more details in our guide to Holidays at Disneyland.
Across the way at Disney California Adventure Park, Buena Vista Street and Cars Land are decorated for Disney Festival of Holidays, which offers many festival booths with tasty treats, as well as musical selections representing several cultures.
There is a nightly Christmas tree lighting on Buena Vista Street, as well as a special holiday edition of World of Color. You’ll want to join Mickey, Minnie and the Three Caballeros at the Disney Viva Navidad! Street Party. Two Cars Land rides receive holiday overlays: Mater’s Jingle Jamboree and Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl both have exciting holiday songs. Three Kings' Day, in early January, commemorates the close of the holiday season by paying homage to the Three Wise Men’s visit to the nativity.
Candlelight Ceremony — TBD but usually the first weekend in December
The Disneyland Candlelight Processional usually takes place the first weekend in December. The ceremony has two shows per night on Saturday and Sunday. It is a religious ceremony but offers an inclusive message to all who watch. It is set up in Town Square and can affect entertainment times that day for the parade and fireworks. Chairs are set up for invited guests, and other parkgoers can stand around the outside and watch. If there are empty seats, cast members may invite others to fill them in before the show starts. The later showing is less crowded.
Every year, the ceremony features a famous narrator (shown here is Sterling K. Brown in 2021), choirs and musicians. Viola Davis was the narrator in 2022 and Brie Larson took over in 2023. For the first showing, the choir proceeds down the parade route from "it's a small world" to Town Square. For the second ceremony of the night, they walk from the Hub to Town Square. No matter which religious celebration you may or may not observe, it is a beautiful sight to see.
Thanks for reading our guide to events at Disneyland! It's always a great time to visit the parks, especially with so many terrific Disneyland events. Have you visited during any of these events? Share your memories in the comments below. Have a question about any of the events? Ask away!
Related: Best Time To Visit Disneyland
Related: 10 Best Disneyland Snacks and Where to Find Them
Hoppy planning!
