Christmas may be over, but there’s still time to enjoy the holidays at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure! The Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure will go on until January 8, and if you haven’t experienced it yet, it’s definitely an event you won’t want to miss out on. There’s so much to do, especially when it comes to food and entertainment. If you are a Magic Key holder, you can get a Sip and Savor pass for $54 ($59 for non-Magic Key holders), and each pass comes with 8 tasting tabs. You can use the pass at any of the Festival booths and some quick service spots that are offerings Sip and Savor-size portions.
Insider Tip: Take a look at the Festival of the Holidays Foodie Guide ahead of time and gather a list of items you want to try. You can purchase all the items at one booth, and then you can just go straight to the pick-up line at each booth. This way, you can save time by not having to order at each booth. Brilliant, right?!
I was able to try a handful of items at the Festival recently and wanted to share my experience with you to help you decide what you can try or may want to skip if you plan on attending.
Twist on Tradition:
Lox and Everything Bagel Nachos-This features Bagel Chips, Cream Cheese, Diced Smoked Salmon, Everything Spice and mixture of Onions, Tomatoes & Capers. These are definately shareable, and very tasty! They were a pinch too salty but overall this had really great flavor, the ingredients were super fresh, and was not fishy at all. Highly recommend if you like lox!
Paradise Garden Grill:
Loaded Yucca Fries-You won’t want to share these! These crisp but soft on the inside fries are topped with Arbol Cheese Sauce, Carne Asada, Guacamole, Sour Cream and Pickled Red Onion. I’ve heard a rumor that Paradise Garden Grill is killing the food game this holiday season, and if everything else on their seasonal menu is as good as these fries, I believe it! All the flavors are just so good and the ingredients are so fresh. The carne asada was absoutely delicious and I wish there had been more of it. If you are a fan of Mexican food, I definately recommend trying these…and yes, these come in a Sip and Savor size portion!
Favorite Things:
Mrs. Claus’ Hot Cocoa Macaron-This one is inspired by the Disney+ Series “The Santa Clauses”. It’s a Red Macaron filled with Chocolate Hot Cocoa Filling and Ganache, finished with a Chocolate DecorationMy opinion is going to be an unpopular one here, but I just wasn’t a huge fan of this and I really wanted to like it more. Many guests have said this tastes like hot chocolate, but all I was tasting was chocolate ganache and it was a little boring to me. I would still give it a try though to see for yourself! It’s also such a cute cookie!
Winter Sliderland:
Holiday Ham Slider-This little sandwich features Cranberry-Bacon Jam and Gruyère on a Salt & Pepper Brioche Bun. This one caught me by surprise the first couple of bites because it’s definitely a party of flavors. It tastes like a holiday sandwich, and although all the flavors are strong and bold, they all work very well together. My only little tiny complaint is that there could be more cheese, but overall I was super impressed with this one!
Making Spirits Bright:
Milk and Cookies Hot Cocoa-This drink features Whole Milk with flavors of Cookies & Cream and White Chocolate, topped with flavored Whipped Cream. I will start out by saying this is one of the best hot chocolates I’ve ever had at a Disney Park. I think the hot chocolate at Ghirardelli is by far the best. We all know throughout both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure hot chocolate is the nestle packets mixed with water and it’s just not impressive. This is something they should be serving year round as it’s so rich and flavorful, it’s definitely top notch. It is a bit sweet because of the cookies and cream and white chocolate, but trust me, if you’re in the mood for a warm and cozy drink, this is the one you gotta try!
Aside from the food, there is just so much going on at the festival and there’s fun for guests of all ages!
- Over at Paradise Gardens, you can catch Mickey, Goofy, and other friends in festive holiday attire
- Mickey’s Happy Holidays – Dance along with Mickey Mouse and pals to the magically merry rhythms of the Holiday Toy Drummers
- Disney Character sightings, including Mirabel from Disney’s animated film Encanto
- Mariachi Divas put their own festive spin on classic holiday tunes
- Mostly Kosher honors Hanukkah with an eclectic blend of musical styles from klezmer and jazz to Latin and rock
- The spirited Blue13 Dance Company celebrates Diwali with traditional dances during an unforgettable Bollywood party
- Phat Cat Swinger presents brassy, classy, swinging holiday music selections with a fresh new twist
- Hear the magic of The Mistletoes! Celebrating Christmas and the spirit of Kwanzaa, this a cappella vocal ensemble reimagines holiday hits with rhythm and soul!
- Tina and The Sounds of Celebration! – Powerhouse vocalist Tina and her dynamic musicians from all over Latin America hype up the crowd with Salsa, Merengue, Caribbean and Latin Rock music that’s sure to get everyone on their feet!
- Holiday Toy Drummers march to their own beat while drumming up smiles wherever they go
If you don’t get a chance to attend the Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure this year, not to worry because it’s an annual event and will be back next holiday season!
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