A Summer Of Transition: Why You Won't Be Riding Pirates Of The Caribbean Anytime Soon At Disneyland

If you are a Disney purist who considers a stroll through New Orleans Square an absolute necessity, you may want to brace yourself before booking your next trip out west.

Disneyland has officially shuttered its original, flagship Pirates of the Caribbean attraction for a massive, multi-month refurbishment. Because Disney left the return date completely blank on its official park calendar, the sudden move has left summer travelers facing an indefinite closure of the park's most legendary dark ride.

So, what is happening behind the construction walls in Anaheim, and how will it affect your summer vacation plans? Here is the breakdown on the temporary downfall of the original pirate crew.

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Why is Pirates of the Caribbean Closed Indefinitely?

The gates officially locked on May 4, 2026. While a sudden closure with an unannounced reopening date usually sparks panic among fans, the reality is a bit more practical: the nearly 60-year-old attraction is simply getting some overdue, heavy-duty structural TLC.

According to local building permit filings, Disney isn't planning a massive storyline overhaul or stripping out your favorite characters. Instead, the project is a deep dive into the attraction's aging infrastructure and mechanics:

• Infrastructure Overhauls: Crews are performing extensive maintenance on the ride's underwater channels and rockwork, alongside installing new service ladders and high-voltage electrical panels.


• Audio-Visual Tech Upgrades: The ride is receiving highly targeted tech modernizations, including brand-new, high-definition projectors and upgraded sound systems specifically earmarked for "Scene 11."


• Animatronic Care: With dozens of moving figures operating in a highly humid, watery environment, several of the iconic Audio-Animatronics are getting extensive mechanical refreshes and costuming updates.

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The Blue Bayou "Buyer Beware"

The closure of Pirates has also caused a major ripple effect for New Orleans Square's most famous dining destination: the Blue Bayou Restaurant.

Because the restaurant is physically located inside the same building as the ride's opening bayou scene, it initially went dark alongside the attraction in early May. While the Blue Bayou has since reopened to hungry guests, it currently features a heavily "modified dining experience."

If you score a highly coveted reservation this summer, keep in mind that those peaceful, atmospheric views of the fireflies and passing boats are currently blocked off by construction barriers. Guests have also noted that minor construction echoes can sometimes be heard during peak work hours, meaning your expensive Monte Cristo sandwich might come with a side of ambient maintenance noise.

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A Summer of Transition for New Orleans Square

With Pirates of the Caribbean entirely offline, the crowd dynamics at Disneyland are shifting dramatically. New Orleans Square—historically one of the most bottlenecked, densely packed pathways in the park—is experiencing a rare period of absolute tranquility.

Compounding the quiet atmosphere is the fact that the nearby Port Royal Curios and Curiosities shop has also vanished from the map, indicating that Disney is taking advantage of the lower foot traffic to completely revitalize this historic corner of the park.

Interestingly, this closure coincided briefly with a separate, short-term maintenance closure of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction at Disneyland Paris, which went offline in mid-June for its own standard routine maintenance. However, while Paris visitors have a clear reopening date of July 4, California guests will simply have to keep checking the Disneyland app for a surprise announcement.

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Will the closure of Pirates of the Caribbean impact your Disneyland plans this summer, or will you still be heading to New Orleans Square? Let us know in the comments below!

Disneyland Reopening Marks California’s COVID-19 Turnaround

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Disneyland swung open its gates to cheering visitors donning sequined Minnie Mouse ears and snapping selfies Friday, marking a dramatic turnaround in a state so overwhelmed with coronavirus cases just four months ago that patients were being treated in outdoor tents.

California’s world-famous theme park, which reopened after an unprecedented 13-month closure, is admitting only state residents and operating under a limited capacity for now.

Once inside, guests decked in Disney gear waved excitedly at employees tidying up the park’s hallmark Main Street, which was lined with hand sanitizing stations and signs reminding people to wear face coverings.
After spending the year mostly teaching her third-grade class from a tent in her backyard, Libby Birmingham was thrilled to be there. The 38-year-old, who attended the park regularly before the pandemic
with an annual pass, took the day off work to make the trip down from Pasadena with friends.

“Disneyland is like my happiest place, to be totally honest,” she said. “It’s one of those places that I can always enjoy, and it lets me be the kid — not always be in charge of the kids.”

The reopening highlights a big shift for the nation’s most populous state from just months ago when COVID-19 cases were surging, hospitals were running out of ICU beds, and hundreds of people died from the virus each day.

Now, California boasts the country’s lowest rate of confirmed coronavirus infections and more than half of the population eligible for vaccination has received at least one dose. Children have been returning to in-person classes, shops and restaurants are expanding business, and Gov. Gavin Newsom set June 15 as a target date to further reopen the economy, albeit with some health-related restrictions.

“It has such a symbolic nature to really quantifying that we’re finally rolling out of COVID,” said Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of state tourism promoter Visit California.

Theme parks were among the last California businesses allowed to reopen, in contrast to states with fewer restrictions such as Florida, where Disney World’s Magic Kingdom resort has been up and running, though at lower-than-usual capacity, since July. Another major U.S. amusement park, Ohio’s Cedar Point, opened last summer and will do so again for the upcoming season — only this time, it won’t require masks on rides.

At Disneyland, visitors must wear masks and can remove them to eat only in designated areas. Hugs and handshakes with characters are off limits, and parades and fireworks shows have been shelved to limit crowding.

On Friday, an updated Snow White ride drew throngs of visitors who were methodically spaced out in a winding outdoor line to prevent congestion indoors. Other areas of the park had fewer people. In a section devoted to Star Wars, there was ample space for children to run freely, and visitors waved from a distance to Rey, who flashed a smile and waved from a platform overlooking the park.

Outside a popular boat ride, Allison Sanger and her 4-year-old daughter, Emily, stopped by a cordoned-off patio to chat with a parasol-twirling Mary Poppins and Bert. The 28-year-old said she was glad her daughter could get close enough to see the characters and snap photos even with the new rules.

“We honestly have so many memories here,” she said. “We missed our memories and our magic.”

There was even a marriage proposal.

Zach Bolger, 35, said he met his girlfriend, Mackenzie Brown, 26, some three years ago at Disneyland trading collectible pins. The couple returned to the park Friday, and Bolger pulled out a ring box near Snow White’s wishing well. Brown cried tears of joy.

While California continues to “strongly discourage” anyone from visiting the state as tourists, the travel industry is banking on pent-up demand from its own nearly 40 million residents for a comeback. An advertising campaign encourages Californians to travel within the state, mirroring a pitch made after 9/11.

In a state with so many people shut in for so long, even in-state tourism could be a huge boost. Disney’s California parks have long had a loyal local fan base while its Florida locations rely more heavily on international tourists, said Carissa Baker, assistant professor of theme park and attraction management at University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management.

Disneyland is a major economic engine in California, drawing nearly 19 million in attendance the year before the coronavirus struck, according to the Themed Entertainment Association. It and other such attractions were shuttered in March 2020 as Newsom imposed the nation’s first statewide shutdown order.

For now, the park and neighboring Disney California Adventure are restricted to operating at 25% capacity under state health rules. Disney is only taking reservations from state residents, though California also allows fully vaccinated out-of-state visitors to attend theme parks.

The reopening was also welcomed by park employees eager to get back to work and owners of hotels and shops in the surrounding city of Anaheim. The city’s convention center saw more than 300 cancellations since the pandemic and so far has rebooked a quarter of them, said Jay Burress, president of Visit Anaheim.

At an early morning flag ceremony, Disney chief executive Bob Chapek thanked the park’s employees, many who greeted each other with fist-bumps and bright-eyes, though their smiles were concealed by constellation face masks. He asked them to “bring the magic back” for visitors who were kept away during the 412-day closure.

“We’re not just another theme park,” Chapek said. “We’re something special, and we’re something special because of all of you, because you bring magic to the world.”

14 Things You Probably Don't Know About Disneyland In California

BY NAHRAIN JOHN

 @karryontravel

“Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world”, and so it has from 160 acres featuring five ‘lands’ to two complete parks with over 120 attractions.

It’s a man-made wonder unlike any other in the world with just the right about of magic to turn dreams into reality, spark curiosity and joy among both adults and children and turn the harshest of critics into believers.

Disneyland in California is fun, it’s colourful, it’s romantic, it’s spectacular and it’s magical, but just like any sight as grand as Walt’s, it comes with a treasure chest of secrets.

On a recent visit to celebrate the 13 April launch of the park’s inaugural Pixar Fest – a five-month celebration of all things Pixar -, we spoke to not one, not two, but THREE experts about the many mysteries of the enchanting destination and found that the deeper you dig, the more irresistible Disneyland becomes.

Here are over a dozen rarely known facts about Disneyland in California:

1. It’s kind of like the world’s first reality show

Ever wondered why Disneyland staff are referred to as ‘cast members’? It’s because Walt Disney never considered the park to be an attraction, but rather a 3D show.

He (and everyone involved in Disneyland) referred to the park as a ‘studio’ and considered it to be a set of an ongoing movie or show featuring real reactions and real interactions – much like a reality TV series.

2. And the brick road is actually a red carpet

If you’re lucky enough to have visited the park, you may have noticed a red brick road running through the entrance and Main Street. This red brick road is actually designed to mimic a red carpet, which the stars of the 3D reality show walk day-to-day.

3. Indiana Jones was once a sound stage

The Indiana Jones Adventure ride is more than just a mysterious, soft water adventure, it was a game-changer for the park when it launched as it was the first to be built in a sound stage. This gave designers the chance to maximise effects using unique audio.

4. While ‘Pirates’ was Walt’s last ride

Pirates of the Caribbean isn’t just a well-detailed journey with scoundrels, it’s actually the last attraction to be supervised by Walt Disney before he passed away. For this reason, park staff describe the ride as being dear to them as you can see the animator’s special touches shining through.

5. And funeral flowers surround Haunted Mansion

From the outside, Haunted Mansion doesn’t appear to be all that… haunted, and there’s a reason for it. During early stages of planning, designer had pitched house concepts with eerie exteriors, which were all rejected because they didn’t fit with the Disney theme. Instead, they opted for a more subtle approach to the afterlife by selecting faded and weeping fauna that is also associated with funerals and death. This allowed them to save the scare for the inside.

6. Looking out for the Haunted Mansion pearls is a MUST

The attention to detail at Disneyland is absolutely astounding, such as the number of peals on the Black Widow Bride’s necklace. According to insiders, an extra strand of pearls is adding to her neck whenever one of her husband passes. By the end she has five strands laced around her neck.

7. As is looking out for the third yellow blink

First off, Cars Land is absolutely amazing! The recreation of ‘Radiator Springs’ is so incredibly accurate, but what’s more impressive is the detail taken from the movie. For example, remember when Filmore is convinced that “every third blink is slower” off Route 66? Well, they’ve added that to the set! Be sure to check out the set of lights alongside Fla’s Cafe and see if it blinks a little longer.

8. And the Mickey ears

As an added Disney touch, designers have carefully incorporated Mickey Mouse’s ears in unsuspecting locations around the park, including this one we found in Star Tours The Adventure Continues.

9. Authenticity is everywhere

Further on that attention to detail, a large tree was placed within Disneyland’s New Orleans area to mask Cars Land Mountain in order to replicate the city’s flat landscape.

10. And everything has a touch of history

On almost every attraction you’ll find some randomly placed numbers, these represent the year the attraction opened and/or the year it was last re-modelled. An example of this is HyperSpace Mountain, which features the numbers ’05’ – this is the year it was re-modelled from Space Mountain to the Star Wars-themed HyperSpace Mountain.

11. If you’re feeling motion sick, Monsters is the place to go

GOOD TO KNOW! If you’ve been on one too many rides and feeling overwhelmed by nausea, head to Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue where ginger fragrance is pumped into the air.

12. Cast members can be more than just human

You know those gorgeous horses riding around the park? Well, they’re cast members also! Their names can be found on tags attached to their carriage.

13. While Adventure Park has a very humane origin

Disneyland in California’s Adventure Park was given the name because it represents Walt’s adventure when he arrived in Los Angeles.

14. And finally, the Taj Mahal isn’t real

Well, the one in India IS real but the one featured in Disneyland’s Soarin’ Over the World ride has been digitally included as Disney couldn’t get the rights from the Indian government to fly past the heritage site at low altitude.

READ: Disneyland will receive its first new hotel in two decades

READ: What makes Disneyland in California the happiest place on Earth? We get to the bottom of it

Know any other juicy Disneyland secrets? Share them with us below.

At Disney World, 4 Hotels In Pilot Program To Accept Dogs

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) — Four hotels at will now allow guests to bring dogs.

The hotels near Orlando, Florida, are Disney’s Yacht Club Resort, Disney Port Orleans Resort-Riverside, Disney’s Art of Animation Resort and cabins at Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. The Yacht Club adds $75 to daily room rates for canine guests, the other three, $50.

The pilot program is accepting reservations through October 2018. Two dogs are permitted per guest room.

A Pluto’s Welcome Kit includes a mat, bowls, pet ID tag, plastic bags, puppy pads, and dog walking maps. Doggy day care and other pet services are offered nearby at Best Friends, an on-property pet care facility.

Disney says dogs staying in its hotels “must be well behaved, leashed in resort public areas and properly vaccinated.”

Disney Riviera Resort: Skyway Of Gondolas Will Connect Resort To Theme Parks

The next planned development for Disney Vacation Club will be an entirely new resort called Disney Riviera Resort. Estimated to open in fall 2019, this new resort experience is slated to be the 15th Disney Vacation Club property with approximately 300 units spread across a variety of accommodation types. A new skyway transportation system will connect the new resort to other areas on Walt Disney World property. (Proposed – Artist Concept Only, © Disney) (PRNewsfoto/Disney Vacation Club)

By

 Juergen T Steinmetz

Bob Chapek, Chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts has announced the next planned development for Disney Vacation Club will be an entirely new resort near Epcot called Disney Riviera Resort and that a new skyway transportation system will connect the new resort to other areas on Walt Disney World property.

“We’re thrilled to announce plans for a new Disney Vacation Club property called Disney Riviera Resort coming to Walt Disney World Resort,” Chapek said. “Our Vacation Club Members are among our most loyal fans, and we think that they will love what we have planned, especially the rooftop restaurant that will offer unbelievable views of nighttime spectaculars at both Epcot and Hollywood Studios.”

In addition, Chapek announced that a whole new transportation system of gondolas is planned, called the Disney Skyliner, to give guests a never-before-seen birds-eye view of Walt Disney World and connect the new Disney Vacation Club property, Disney’s Art of Animation, Pop Century and Caribbean Beach resorts with Disney’s Hollywood Studios and the International Gateway at Epcot.

Estimated to open in fall 2019, this new resort experience is slated to be the 15th Disney Vacation Club property with approximately 300 units spread across a variety of accommodation types.

On July 17, Disney Vacation Club will welcome its 14th resort with the opening of Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, featuring 184 rustically elegant vacation accommodations including Deluxe Studios, one- and two-bedroom Villas, three-bedroom Grand Villas and unique waterfront cabins.

Ken Potrock, Senior Vice President & General Manager of Disney Vacation Club, said, “The opening of Copper Creek Villas & Cabins at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge in just a few days and the announcement of our next planned development, Disney Riviera Resort, demonstrate the incredible momentum underway at Disney Vacation Club. Our members tell us over and over again how much they love the outstanding accommodations and the value and flexibility of a Disney Vacation Club Membership, as well as the unique location to our growing and evolving theme parks and the exclusive member experiences and benefits they get from our Membership Extras program.”

Now Open: Volcano Bay, Universal Orlando Resort's Third Theme Park

The park's first guests gathered today inside the new water theme park to enjoy an authentic, South Pacific dedication ceremony commemorating the opening of Volcano Bay. The ceremony featured special performances by an array of authentic Maori entertainment, ranging from water dancers to "Haka" war dancers. The moment culminated with an eruption from the mighty 200 ft. Krakatau volcano – the park's stunning icon.

Volcano Bay is Universal Orlando's third theme park and the next chapter in the award-winning vacation destination's evolution.  Universal Orlando is part of the NBCUniversal Comcast family, which has invested significantly in the destination's unprecedented growth.  In just seven years, 25 new experiences – entire themed areas, attractions, restaurants, and hotels – have been added across the destination.  Universal Orlando now has 5,600 rooms across its five (soon to be six) on-site hotels.

Volcano Bay was brought to life by Universal Creative – the same team responsible for bringing so many other groundbreaking experiences to life within Universal Studios Florida and Universal's Islands of Adventure. Volcano Bay is a next-level water theme park - combining spectacular storytelling and incredibly immersive guest experiences with innovative technology exclusively designed for Universal to give visitors a fun-filled, hassle-free experience with their friends and family. 

"Universal's Volcano Bay sets a new standard on every level – from the attractions to how our guests experience them," said Tom Williams, Chairman & CEO – Universal Parks & Resorts. "Our new water theme park is the perfect complement to the rest of our incredible destination.  It provides our guests with spectacular entertainment experiences and innovative technology that helps them enjoy more of what matters most – connecting with each other and having an amazing time together."

Spanning 25 fully immersive acres and featuring something for everyone – from perfected relaxation to incredible thrills – Volcano Bay is unlike any other water park in world.  It offers an immersive environment filled with unbelievable detail and innovative technology to enhance fun and remove hassles. Volcano Bay features:

• More than 30 experiences including 18 unique attractions such as a multi-directional wave pool with sandy beaches, a peaceful winding river, twisting multi-rider raft rides, speeding body slides that drop from the top of the volcano into the waters below and more.
• The TapuTapu wearable – included with guest admission and specifically designed for use within Universal's Volcano Bay. Features of TapuTapu include:
• Virtual Line Access: TapuTapu allows guests to virtually wait in line for rides while enjoying other areas of the park. Their wearable will simply alert them when it's time for their ride.
• TapTu Play: Guests can enjoy many TapTu Play experiences throughout the park - like controlling streams of water spurting from whales in Tot Tiki Reef, shooting water cannons at guests snaking down Kopiko Wai Winding River, illuminating images in the volcano's hidden caves and more.
• TapTu Pay: Guests can make purchases throughout the entire park with their TapuTapu wearable, eliminating the need to carry cash, credit cards or a wallet throughout the park. 
• TapTu Snap/My Universal Photo Access:  Guests can take advantage of special interactive photo opportunities and selfie-spots throughout the park as well as photo opportunities on Volcano Bay's attractions.  Their wearable will automatically link those photos to their account so that guests can view, share and purchase them at their convenience.
• Locker Access: After renting their lockers, guests will be able to access them with a touch of their TapuTapu wearable.
• Beautifully-themed dining locations featuring more than 60 delicious, South Pacific-inspired dishes – ranging from jerk mahi sandwiches to fresh island chicken salad to decadent chocolate pineapple upside down cake. 

For more information about Universal's Volcano Bay, visit www.universalorlando.com.

Disneyland Resort Celebrates The Holidays With New Fun And Entertainment

Festival of Holidays invites guests to enjoy heartwarming festivities from many cultures with music, dance, food and more

It’s the season for celebrations as Holidays at the Disneyland Resort launches November 10, inviting family and friends to make magical memories together.

This year, guests will have even more to celebrate as they discover the new Festival of Holidays, with music, dance, food and heartwarming holiday festivities inspired by cultural traditions from around the world.

Also new for the season is the holiday-themed “World of Color—Season of Light,” a nighttime water spectacular that will inspire guests with cherished holiday music and treasured Disney animation. This fourth all-new production of “World of Color” creates a sparkling winter fantasy with magical storytelling, brilliant lights, lasers and high-definition projectors, along with fountains that shoot as high as 200 feet to create the giant screens of water.  Princess Elena of Avalor also makes her debut at the Disneyland Resort during Festival of Holidays, performing in a colorful cavalcade.

Holidays at the Disneyland Resort is a time many guests celebrate as an annual tradition, visiting the parks for Disney-themed treats, snowfall on Main Street U.S.A., the glistening décor and holiday entertainment. This year, guests will find Santa Claus in a fun, new location at Disney California Adventure Park, at Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, and guests at Disneyland Park will enjoy the one-of-a-kind transformations that create “it’s a small world” Holiday, Jingle Cruise and Haunted Mansion Holiday. Now celebrating its 20th holiday season, “it’s a small world” Holiday has added some “Hidden 20s” for guests to discover on their voyage.

At Disney California Adventure Park

• The new Festival of Holidays celebrates holiday festivities of diverse cultures with music, dance and craft-making, plus food at the Festive Foods Marketplace. The daily lineup of entertainment includes nearly 50 performances of nine unique shows, with special Disney characters, street parties, cavalcades, musical ensembles and dance performances. The celebrations include Diwali, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas/Navidad and Three Kings Day. Guests can look for performances of traditional Indian dance that builds to a Bollywood party, a Klezmer band with a new global sound, the Mariachi Divas and an a cappella vocal group that puts an R&B spin on holiday songs.

• Princess Elena, the first Disney Princess inspired by diverse Latin American cultures, will make her Disneyland Resort debut as part of the Festival of Holidays. She will perform a song in “Princess Elena’s Musical Grand Arrival,” and she will appear at a character greeting location. Guests will recognize this brave and adventurous teenager from the Disney Channel series “Elena of Avalor.”

• The popular Disney ¡Viva Navidad! also returns as part of the fun at Festival of Holidays, with a wonderful finale to celebrate Three Kings Day (Dia de los Reyes). The special festivities for Three Kings Day will run Jan. 5-8, 2017, including music and storytelling in Paradise Garden. Treats for this holiday will include traditional Rosca de Reyes bread.

• “World of Color – Season of Light” brings the warmth and heartfelt spirit of the holidays to this stunning, nighttime water spectacular, with its 1,200 powerful fountains shooting water as high as 200 feet to help tell the story. The show’s musical soundtrack features some well-known musical artists performing popular holiday tunes, including “Let it Snow” by Dean Martin and “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” by Michael Buble and Idina Menzel. With classic holiday music, humor and memorable moments from Disney animated films, this becomes an ideal way for guests to conclude their holiday visit.

• Jolly old St. Nick arrives at Redwood Creek Challenge Trail for Santa’s Holiday Visit. His joyful elves have transformed the trail into a magical playground of holiday fun and games, including opportunities for guests to join the ranks of Santa’s elves.

• The residents of Cars Land decorate for the holidays, beginning with a whimsical “snowcar” that greets guests on the road to Radiator Springs. Each address along Route 66–from Flo’s V-8 Café to Luigi’s Casa della Tires–features holiday décor that reflects the personality of the “Cars” character who lives there.

• “a bug’s land” transforms for the holidays, too, as Flik and his bug friends deck their land with oversized lights and ornaments.

• A dazzling, 50-foot Christmas tree adorns Carthay Circle, drawing guests into the holiday magic along Buena Vista Street. The tree and surrounding buildings, inspired by Los Angeles as it appeared when Walt Disney arrived in the 1920s, create scenes of another era with vintage-style décor.

At Disneyland Park

• Disney characters celebrate the season in “A Christmas Fantasy” parade, a daily procession with floats, music, marching “tin soldiers” and holiday cheer. Santa, who makes a jolly appearance in the parade, also will be found welcoming guests at his special location in Critter Country while he visits Disneyland.

• The classic Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle brightens the park nightly with magical snowfall moments along Main Street, U.S.A., concluding with “Believe … in Holiday Magic” fireworks and its stirring snowfall finale.

• Twinkling lights, festive holiday garland and nearly 1,800 ornaments decorate the soaring Christmas tree in Town Square, Main Street, U.S.A., an ideal place for guests to begin their holiday traditions. The Christmas tree becomes an enchanting place for guests to take their holiday photos, up close or with all 60 feet of the shimmering tree.

• On Friday, Nov. 18, guests and cast members in Disneyland will celebrate the birthday of Mickey Mouse, applauding him as he appears in a special birthday cavalcade preceding “A Christmas Fantasy” parade.

• Disneyland guests definitely will want to experience the popular seasonal transformations of these park attractions:

o “it’s a small world” becomes “it’s a small world” Holiday for the 20th time, celebrating children around the world and the distinctive holiday traditions of their nations. (The Holiday theme debuted in 1997.)

o Haunted Mansion becomes Haunted Mansion Holiday, with Jack Skellington and his friends from Tim Burton’s “The Nightmare Before Christmas” causing a collision between Christmas and Halloween.

o Jungle Cruise is transformed into Jingle Cruise, as the jungle skippers gather jettisoned holiday gifts and decorations to brighten the rugged landscapes surrounding their riverboats.

The Downtown Disney shopping, dining and entertainment district and the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort join in the holiday festivities with twinkling lights and ornaments, holiday displays, special entertainment and holiday dining with themed menus. One highlight is the gingerbread house in the lobby of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. Designed to resemble the exterior of the hotel itself, the gingerbread house stands 7 feet six inches tall and 12 feet wide. Holiday snacks, cider and hot chocolate are sold from a window in the gingerbread house.

Haunted Mansion Holiday inspired by “Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas.”