Walking in a Winter Wonderland

By: Peyton Schultze

Haunted Mansion Holiday, a Nightmare Before Christmas overlay at Disneyland Park, returns for another year in 2018.

As the weather starts to get colder and the sun goes down earlier, the holiday season slowly arrives at the local theme parks around Southern California. As usual, crowds will be heavy with thousands of joyous park-goers seeking to get their fair share of holiday magic. This year, each theme park brings with it old favorites and new delights that are sure to capture the spirit of the season for all ages, young and old.

Disneyland Park

“it’s a small world” Holiday returns to the park once again this year, providing dazzling lights and comforting holiday fun.

This year, Disneyland Park once again brings back old favorites for Southern California residents to ring in the holiday season. Two attractions return in the form of “it’s a small world” Holiday and Haunted Mansion Holiday. These attractions have delighted guests for years and continue to bring in guests each season. In addition, two traditional shows return: A Christmas Fantasy Parade and “Believe…In Holiday Magic” Fireworks. The parade, with its famous characters such as marching toy soldiers, wandering reindeer, Santa Claus, and of course, Mickey Mouse in his Christmas gear, returns for select times during the day. However, in the night at 9:30, the fireworks show takes place with spectacular lights in the night sky and a promised snowfall to end the show.

Marching toy soliders, strutting down Main Street U.S.A, return this year in A Christmas Fantasy Parade.

However, the fun does not just end there. This year, a wide array of food awaits guests in places all over the park. Over the course of 2018, a churro phenomenon erupted throughout the Resort, and that continues this holiday season. Churro flavors around the park include things like: Sour Apple (near Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters), Sugarplum (near Haunted Mansion Holiday), and Crushed Pretzel (near Big Thunder Mountain Railroad). In addition to specials at the park at locations like Carnation Café and the Plaza Inn (serving up its famous Yule Log once again), there are also many unique food combinations all around. A favorite for sure will be the Candy Cane beignets at the Mint Julep Bar in New Orleans Square, in addition to a Frozen Abuelita Hot Chocolate in Rancho del Zocalo Restaurante in Frontierland. The holidays at Disneyland are sure to cook up some exceptional treats, in addition to the magic and fun all around guests.

Disney’s California Adventure

Mickey Mouse, ready to greet guests in his holiday attire, on Buena Vista Street

The holiday magic also makes its way towards Disney’s California Adventure, beginning on Buena Vista Street and reaching parts of the still new, Pixar Pier, and even Cars Land. However, a return from the past several years is the Festival of the Holidays, a cheerful setup of booths celebrating holiday cultures near and far. With a wide array of booths serving food, ranging from Nashville Hot Fried Turkey to Holiday Ham Shanks, and cocktails and beers on tap, this Festival brings about an excellent variety of food options that are sure to please most. In addition, Cars Land is decked out in holiday attire, with Christmas overlays of existing attractions such as Mater’s Jingle Jamboree and Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl. Holiday decorations also surround Hollywood Land and the newly reimagined Pixar Pier, with attractions like Toy Story Midway Mania and The Incredicoaster.

Season’s Speedings, as the beautiful and decorative Cars Land lights up during Christmas time at Disney’s California Adventure.

Much like its counterpart, Disney’s California Adventure also offers an awesome variety of snacks and treats to fit the holiday season. Specialty churros at this park include a Peppermint flavor (near Redwood Creek Challenge Trail), a Gingersnap flavor (at the Cozy Cone Motel) and a Pumpkin Spice Churro (also found at the Cozy Cone Hotel). Here, there are all sorts of special goodies, such as Stocking Stuffer Funnel Cake Fries at Award Wieners in Hollywood and Turkey Carnitas Poutine at Lamplight Lounge near Pixar Pier. In addition, there are many cheerful Christmas combinations available around the park including at restaurants like Flo’s V8 Café, Carthay Circle Restaurant, and Paradise Garden Grill. Disney’s California Adventure is the place to be for a jolly good time during the holiday season to enjoy unique foods, fun attractions, and lights that bring joy to the world.

Universal Studios Hollywood

Grinchmas once again returns in 2018, providing holiday joy and fun for families.

Grinchmas is back this year, following the Universal’s animated November release of The Grinch, starring Benedict Cumberbatch. During select nights in December, guests to the park can join The Grinch and the residents of Whoville for a delightful night including festivities such as a Whoville tree lighting, warm hot chocolate a chance to meet the infamous Mr. Grinch. While he may have turned from a grumpy, Christmas-hating cretin into a holiday loving hero, he still has a few tricks up his sleeve for guests to partake in. In addition to the Grinchmas festivities, Universal Citywalk is lit up all around with Christmas décor and fun with a gigantic selection of shops, restaurants, and photo opportunities.

Hogwarts Castle, home of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, rings in the holiday season with a stunning light and projection show.

Returning from last year is also Christmas in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. With a nightly snowfall following a magical lights and projection show upon Hogwarts Castle, Universal decks the corridors of Hogsmeade with Christmas cheer this year. In addition, guests can purchase a warm Butterbeer to sip on during a chill night or even listen to the Holiday Frog Choir near the castle. While the Potter fun is a must-see, no trip to Universal Studios Hollywood is complete without a ride upon the World-Famous Studio Tour. Even during the holiday season, trams take guests straight into the middle of the movies where films such as How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) and Love Actually (2003) were filmed. The fun never ends during the holiday season at Universal Studios Hollywood and is sure to make you ponder if Christmas is truly made in a store, or if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.

Six Flags Magic Mountain

Six Flags Magic Mountain’s Holiday in the Park is a true sight for Christmas light lovers in So Cal.

If you want to see just as many lights as the Griswold’s house in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and then some, then Six Flags Magic Mountain is the place to be. Six Flags’ Holiday in the Park festival is a sight to behold with various spots around the park full of as many Christmas lights as you can imagine. And no, that’s not just all the park has to offer regarding the holiday spirit. In 2018, Magic Mountain is producing various holiday themed shakes sold around the park, in addition to its ever-so-delicious funnel cakes that are sure to catch the eye of any sugar seeking kid. In addition, the park is full of various spots where you can find a nice and warm firepit to roast some marshmallows and make some awesome s’mores. This year, you can even walk through massive decorated and lit up ornaments in Merry Lane, where Bugs, Daffy, and the gang celebrate the season with guests.

The DC Universe area of the park, lit up in a beautiful blue for the season.

However, no trip to Magic Mountain is ever complete without its world-famous coasters waiting for thrill seekers. In fact, a brand new attraction called CraZanity spins guests hundreds of feet into the crisp, cold, and wintery air that is sure to bring a smile to any guests. Attractions around the park include rides such as the winding Twisted Colossus, the frightful Tatsu, and the monstrous and gravity defying X2. These wild roller coasters are sure to bring a jolt of energy to any park guests that stroll into this winter wonderland that create everlasting and joyous memories for a lifetime.

Knott’s Merry Farm

Snoopy and the Peanuts gang, along with Santa Claus, welcome guests to Knott’s Merry Farm for the most wonderful time of the year.

‘Tis the season for Knott’s Berry Farm to transform into Knott’s Merry Farm for the winter season. The Holidays are here for Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy, Snoopy, and the rest of the Peanuts gang as Knott’s becomes a central hub in Southern California for Christmas cheer. This year, Knott’s brings tons of entertainment and attraction options to headline the season for a great time. The headliner is Merry Christmas, Snoopy!, an ice show taking place in the Charles M. Schulz Theater filled with acrobatic ice skaters, Christmas carols, and of course, Snoopy. In addition, Knott’s has another Peanuts show called It’s the Merriest Christmas Show Ever, Charlie Brown, and an outstanding Christmas cabin area where kids can meet jolly ole Santa Claus.

It’s The Merriest Christmas Show Ever, Charlie Brown, features the Peanuts gang and tons of seasonal fun for the whole family.

As usual, guests will find Ghost Town, or the Calico themed area of the park, filled with Christmas carolers and loads of Christmas décor. And with any trip to Knott’s, the rides are still plentiful and worthwhile. New this year was the HangTime roller coaster, where you’ll feel like Little Saint Nick flying though the December sky. Also, favorites rides such as Silver Bullet and GhostRider are also open to be enjoyed by guests craving a sense of adrenaline. And of course with Knott’s, a must-stop is Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant, where all guests can get all of their fried chicken and boysenberry fixings for an evening. Knott’s Merry Farm is filled with Christmas spirit in 2018 and an outstanding stop during the season for all families.