Visiting Disneyland in December 2024: Holidays at the Disneyland Resort, and more!
If you love the holidays, you will love Disneyland in December! No one does the holidays like Disney, and the entire Disneyland Resort is filled with holiday decor and festivities. It should be no surprise that this month does see an increase in crowds, especially as winter breaks begin and Christmas approaches. But with a little bit of pre-planning, December can be a magical time to visit the Disneyland Resort!
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Planning a Disneyland vacation in 2024? Be sure to check out our guide to all that the Disneyland Resort has to offer this year including the return of the Disneyland Half Marathon, the grand opening of Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, and more!
December At-a-Glance
- The weather in December is definitely a bit cooler. Evenings will almost definitely require some layering as they can be quite chilly. Rain will also be a factor as this is considered a rainy month for California.
- December is one of the busiest months of the year. So if you’re planning on visiting the Disneyland Resort to enjoy the holidays, be prepared for crowds. That being said, weekdays during the first two weeks of the month will be less busy when compared to later in the month.
- The holidays are such a fun time to visit the Disneyland Resort! With that being said, you will want to visit with a plan due to the crowds, and be sure to make dining reservations early!
December Events
The holiday season typically begins during the second week of November, and no one does the holidays like Disney!
The Holidays at the Disneyland Resort begin on November 15, 2024! During the holiday season at Disneyland, the entire resort comes alive with various festive offerings. Guests can immerse themselves in the Christmas Fantasy Parade, explore the holiday-themed version of “it’s a small world,” witness the dazzling “Believe…In Holiday Magic” fireworks, admire the enchanting Wintertime Enchantment at Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle, and experience the transformed Haunted Mansion Holiday, among other exciting attractions.
At California Adventure, visitors can immerse themselves in the Disney Festival of the Holidays, Watercolor – Season of Light, Mater’s Jingle Jamboree, Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl, and other exciting experiences. There is a multitude of options for everyone to enjoy and celebrate the holiday spirit.
December Refurbishments & Closures
*We’ve included all current refurbishments here on this list… even ones that may be open in time for December 2024. (Please note that this list could change at a moment’s notice.)
Disneyland Park
- Splash Mountain closed on March 31, 2023, for retheming. Tiana’s Bayou Adventure is scheduled to debut on November 15, 2024.
- Dumbo the Flying Elephant will be closed on October 1, 2024, and it will reopen on October 2.
- “it’s a small world” will close on September 16 for refurbishment. Rumor has it that during this time, it will be receiving its popular holiday overlay and reopen on November 15. It is also rumored to be closing again on January 21 for further maintenance, and it will likely reopen in the spring of 2025.
- Jungle Cruise will be closed from September 16 through October 4, 2024.
- Sailing Ship Columbia will be closing September 23 and reopening on September 27.
- Indiana Jones Adventure will be closing on September 9 and reopening on September 14.
- The Disneyland Monorail closed on August 12, and it will be reopening on September 13, 2024.
- Pirate’s Lair on Tom Sawyer Island will be closing on September 16, and it will be reopening on September 19.
- The Disney Gallery is now closed and will reopen on October 1, 2024.
- The Disneyland Railroad closed on August 5, 2024, and no reopening date has been announced yet.
- The Disneyland Story presenting Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln closed on April 16, 2024. Disney recently announced that there will be a new show coming to the Main Street Opera House featuring the first-ever Walt Disney animatronic. This is expected to open in 2025.
California Adventure Park
- World of Color – ONE will be closing on September 9. This refurbishment will likely last for several weeks.
December Weather
The weather in December is definitely a bit cooler. The average high is 67 degrees and the low is typically around 48 degrees. Evenings will almost definitely require some layering as they can be quite chilly. Rain will also be a factor as this is considered a rainy month for California. Bringing ponchos to the parks would be an excellent idea, especially if you don’t want to pay a premium price for ponchos or umbrellas inside the parks.
December Disneyland Crowds
Crowd calendars are very popular, but they can also be a bit unpredictable. That being said, the pandemic has made predicting crowds even more difficult than normal.
While crowd calendars can be a big help in planning your trip, keep in mind, that they are predictions at best. When designing our calendars, we take a look at events, school calendars, ticket prices, park hours, holidays, and typical monthly patterns. Unfortunately, our crowd calendars cannot predict other things such as weather, travel advisories, pandemics, or last-minute openings or closings of shows and attractions.
Disneyland will be busy in December. If you want to avoid the worst of the crowds, try to visit during the first two weeks of the month and on weekdays if possible. Weekends throughout the month will be busy as many locals try to take advantage of the holiday festivities. Winter break will also be very busy, so be prepared for Christmas crowds!
Ready to Start Planning Your Visit to Disneyland in December?
Here are some resources to help you get started!
Disneyland Dining Guides:
Disneyland Attraction Guides:
Planning your first Disneyland vacation? Be sure to visit my step-by-step guide to get started!
