Planning a trip to Disneyland in 2024 just got a lot easier. The Disneyland calendar is always full of different events. Some, like when the Halloween or Christmas season start, can be pretty well understood, while others, like when Disney California Adventure’s Food & Wine Festival begins, are a bit less set in stone. For 2024, however, we now know (almost) everything, as the resort just dropped its entire 2024 schedule at once.
What’s Coming to Disneyland In 2024
Usually the various events are announced one at a time over the course of the year, but this year, Disneyland Resort announced when all the major events at both Disneyland park and the Disney California Adventure park will be running throughout the whole year. This includes the return of Pixar Fest for the first time in a few years. The full schedule reads:
- Lunar New Year (DCA) Jan 23-Feb. 18
- Celebrate Gospel (DLR) Feb. 17 & 24
- Food & Wine Festival (DCA) March 1 - April 22
- Season of the Force (DLR) April 5-June 22
- Pixar Fest (DLR/DCA) April 26- Aug. 4
- Halloween Time (DLR/DCA) Aug. 23- Oct 31
- Plaza de la Familia (DCA) Aug. 23 - Nov. 2
- The Holidays Begin Here (DLR/DCA) Nov. 15- Early Jan 2025
A few cool details were revealed alongside the news. The long-teased new elements that are being added to Star Tours, including one that will bring fan-favorite Ahsoka to the attraction, will debut during Season of the Force, though it's unclear if they will arrive on day one or at some point during the event. The Star Tours additions are also on the list of new attractions at Walt Disney World. It's a safe bet, but by no means guaranteed, that it will get the Star Tours additions around the same time.
In addition, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will, for the first time, be filled with music in the evenings. Guests who view the nightly fireworks show from Galaxy’s Edge will get a special synced musical experience.
The return of Pixar Fest will include a new version of the Together Forever - A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular at Disneyland. In addition, Disney California Adventure will get Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration, a brand new daytime DCA parade, something I called for recently. New Pixar characters, including Turning Red’s Mei, a phenomenal character costume that debuted at Shanghai Disneyland earlier this year, and Elemental’s Ember and Wade, will debut as part of the event.
Finally, four different Disneyland After Dark ticketed events will take place at the resort between January and June, though exact dates and themes have not been revealed. It's regarding such events that I do have to say that among everything that got announced today, which is all phenomenal, I can’t help but notice something is missing.
What’s Missing From Disneyland Resort’s 2024 Schedule
While it was confirmed that the insanely popular Oogie Boogie Bash will be returning at Disney California Adventure in 2024, there was no mention made of a ticketed Christmas Party coming next year. While Disney World’s Magic Kingdom has run Mickey’s Very Christmas Party for years, we haven’t seen a similar event at Disneyland since 2021’s Merriest Nites, and it appears 2024 will be the same.
Disney World even added a second holiday event, Jollywood Nights at Disney's Hollywood Studios, and while it had a rough launch, indications have been the event has found its footing and has become something quite nice. A similar event at Disney California Adventure would fit perfectly.
I’m more than a little disappointed by this, as I didn’t get a chance to attend Merriest Nites, and it looked like a lot of fun. Anything that includes the Muppets singing Christmas songs on Main Street U.S.A. is very much my jam. Having gone to Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party for the first time last year, and having a blast, I’ve been hopeful a Disneyland Christmas Party would return.
In the last year, I have completely turned around on After Hours events. While I used to see them as a more expensive ticket to Disneyland for fewer hours in the park, as somebody who has basically done everything in the park, the unique entertainment and experiences offered by these parties have been refreshing. I went to both Sweethearts Nite and Oogie Boogie Bash this year, and I fully expect to attend more of these events in 2024, but apparently not at Christmas.
