We are so frogcited to celebrate the Lunar New Year at Disney California Adventure in 2025, from Jan. 17 to Feb. 16! The festival leaps into the new year celebrating the Year of the Snake. With appearances from Mulan and Mushu, and of course, Mickey and Minnie (this year, in new Korean-inspired outfits!), the celebration includes a Lunar New Year procession, complete with more beloved characters, firecrackers, dancers and a dragon. Plus, enjoy Asian-inspired dishes at the Festival Marketplaces and select restaurants through Disneyland Resort.
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Overview of Lunar New Year at Disneyland
Lunar New Year celebrates the traditional turning of the lunisolar calendar which is observed by many different Asian cultures, including China, Vietnam, Korea and more. Over the past few years, Disney has seen this festival explode (it's a fireworks thing) in popularity since it began. Lunar New Year at Disneyland Resort runs from Jan. 17 to Feb. 16, 2025. Pick up a celebration guide to see all the hoppenings and menu items with photos!
The number of days for the festival has expanded in recent years, and we have been toadally excited about the new food and entertainment. You can taste traditional food, beverages and sweet treats from Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and other Asian cultures at Festival Marketplaces and other dining locations. While you nibble your treats, you can enjoy music and shows.
Entertainment at Lunar New Year at Disney California Adventure
You will generally find festive Lunar New Year entertainment throughout the day and well into the evening. While all of the entertainment is frogciting, our favorite spectacle is Mulan's Lunar New Year Procession. It takes place on select days in 2025 at 12:45 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. The procession takes over the entire parade route from Hollywood Land to Paradise Gardens Park. The procession travels in that same direction for all showtimes.
The float is adorned with golden tasseled firecrackers and red and gold lanterns. Catch it again in the evening, if you can, because they glow! The ceremony also features a dragon dance, as well as Chip 'n' Dale and lotus flower and fan dancers. The dragon looks particularly cool at night.
Check the entertainment schedule for the procession, which takes place several times in the afternoon and early evening. The procession starts in Hollywood Land each showing this year.
On the Paradise Garden Bandstand, listen to Melody of China performing Chinese folk, classical and contemporary instrumental songs. Take a seat in the afternoon to enjoy your festival food in this area, while you watch and listen to the trio play various traditional instruments, such as the Chinese dulcimer (yangqin), lute (pipa) and fiddle (erhu).
Vocal Seoul, an L.A.-based Korean-American a cappella group, sings contemporary music on select afternoons and evenings at Sonoma Terrace at 3 p.m., 4 p.m., 5:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Luna Lee, New Tradition and Melody of China each perform in Paradise Gardens Park on select days.
“Hurry Home – Lunar New Year Celebration” returns in 2025 for Lunar New Year at Disneyland. This six-minute World of Color pre-show begins at 9 p.m. PT, before the first World of Color showtime of the night. Featuring Mulan and Mushu, this story of family and friendship is told through the use of water fountains, lights, projections and music. The show follows a little lantern on its quest to return home and reunite with loved ones for the annual celebration of good luck and fortune.
Characters at Lunar New Year at Disneyland
Mickey and Minnie have new outfits with representations of traditional Korean attire in 2025! There are three new collectible Sip and Savor passes that showcase Disney characters in Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese outfits.
Meilin Lee and her mother Ming Lee from "Turning Red" appear during the Lunar New Year celebration! They are very popular.You can see the meeting times in the Disneyland app. Mei was so excited that she began to turn into her Red Panda form (by sprouting red hair and a tail). You can find them between The Little Mermaid and Grizzly River Run.
You can meet Mulan, Mushu, Mickey and Minnie all dressed in their Lunar New Year’s best, at Paradise Gardens Park. Hop into line in the morning when it first opens for the shortest character waits. Characters usually come out between 10 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. You can also see other characters (such as Goofy) wandering around that area at times!
Lunar New Year Crafts and Activities
If you're looking for a quick break between tasting all the savory food and visiting your favorite characters, you can participate in free crafts during Lunar New Year at Disneyland. Complete a free coloring craft between Avengers Campus and Car's Land or experience Chinese calligraphy with local artisans. Be sure to write down your wishes and tie them to the Lucky Wishing Wall (in Paradise Gardens Park) in hopes of a prosperous New Year!
Disneyland Lunar New Year Merchandise
We love seeing the exclusive Lunar New Year Disneyland merchandise available during this time of year. The bags, ears, clothing, red envelopes and more can help you fully celebrate the Year of the Dragon. You can purchase some souvenir Mickey Mouse red envelopes to bring home to your family, filled with wishes for good fortune and happiness in the coming year. There are ears, spirit jerseys, pins, plushes and all kinds of goodies to help you celebrate Lunar New Year Disney-style.
Food novelties are always popular at Disneyland. Here's what's available for Lunar New Year 2025:
- (New) Lunar New Year Stainless Steel Tumbler: Available at Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, Cappuccino Cart, Chiller at Paradise Gardens Park, Clarabelle’s Hand-Scooped Ice Cream, Corn Dog Castle, select outdoor vending carts, Paradise Garden Grill, Smokejumpers Grill and Studio Catering Co. It's also at the Coffee House at Disneyland Hotel and the Great Hall Cart at the Grand Californian Hotel.
- (New) Lunar New Year Mickey-Shaped, Light-Up Straw Clip: Available starting Jan. 23 at Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, Chiller at Paradise Gardens Park, churros at Hollywood Land, Clarabelle's, Corn Dog Castle, Outdoor Vending Carts, Paradise Garden Grill and Smokejumpers Grill.
Magic Key holders can collect a free button under the Silly Symphony Swings from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. You'll find a festive Lunar New Year photo backdrop there as well.
There are several vendor carts with Lunar New Year treats and merchandise as well. Toadally check out the Chinese Sugar Art (across from Cars Land entrance). The artist made us a snake. It's so cool but also very fragile.
Lunar New Year Festival Food
One of our favorite parts of Lunar New Year at Disney California Adventure Park is trying delicious foods. Several restaurants in the park offer Asian-inspired menu items during the event, and six Festival Marketplaces offer Asian dishes with a Disney flair. There is even a sourdough snake at Aunt Cass Cafe!
Items can be purchased individually, or you can purchase a Sip and Savor Pass, which comes with six digital coupons to be exchanged for select food and nonalcoholic beverage items.
The Disneyland 2025 Lunar New Year menus are available. Some favorites return, including the Shrimp Lo Mein (still delicious), Garlic Noodles and Strawberry Milk Tea Macaron. For a full list of 2025 Lunar New Year food and beverages (offerings change each year), hop over to our Food Menus post.
Some of our new favorites include the Mini Char Siu Pork Shanks at Bamboo Blessings and the Bánh Mi at Paradise Garden Grill.
If you like chocolate mousse and popping candy as much as we do, get the Chocolate Firecracker from Lucky 8 Lantern.
Don't froget to hop by the candy stores for hand-made treats! You can get a Lunar New Year caramel apple or marshmallow wand. BTW, Valentine treats are there too!
We created a downloadable version of the festival menus that you can use! We used them on opening day and found they helped to easily locate the different foods offered for the festival and to order many foods at once.
A Sip and Savor Pass is $48/$45 for Magic Key holders in 2025, without tax included. It is good for six tastings at the festival booths and for a few items at other food locations. The 2025 Sip and Savor Pass can be used through Feb. 16, 2025, and can be purchased at Elias & Co., Julius Katz & Sons, and Seaside Souvenirs. The straw clip is not on the Sip and Savor Pass. After doing the math, I discovered that you'll want to use it for items over $8 (over $7.50 for Magic Key holders) to maximize savings. A few desserts are $7.50. You do not pay tax on Sip an d Savor but you do pay tax for the food when you buy individually.
The Sip and Savor Pass no longer has removable tabs. Instead, the cashier scans the code on the back, and you will type in the 4-digit pin under it. When you get your receipt, it will indicate how many tastes/digital coupons you have left at the bottom.
One of my favorite ways to save time is to find the food booth with the shortest line and order several of your food booth foods at once. Then you can take your receipt to each of the other booths to collect your food items. We love skipping lines! Just don't lose your receipt! You'll find plenty of seating where you can enjoy your treats in the Paradise Gardens Park festival area.
In addition to the Sip and Savor Pass, there are new Lunar New Year festival-themed Disney gift cards. Simply load it and wear it on your wrist for quick and easy scanning for festival favorites. You can use it to purchase a Sip and Savor Pass.
Lunar New Year Celebrations at Hotels
Mulan visits the Great Hall at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel on Monday and Saturday afternoons to tell stories at 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. and greet guests afterward. You can buy Lunar New Year and Valentine's treats at the cart. Our Lunar New Year food menus post has more details on food items served at the hotels for Lunar New Year.
Whether you usually celebrate Lunar New Year in your home, or you want to learn more about this holiday, you will love experiencing Lunar New Year at Disneyland. The frog family and I have learned a lot about the celebration over the past few years, and we always enjoy taking part in the festivities. The tadpoles love it too!
Hoppy Lunar New Year! We wish you health, peace and prosperity this year!
Have you celebrated Lunar New Year at Disneyland? Let us know in the comments if you've joined in on this festive celebration, and what your favorite activities were. Start the new year off with the most bang for your buck with hoppin' deals on discount Disneyland Resort tickets.
Related: Complete Guide to Disneyland Events
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