PHOTOS & VIDEOS: We're at Festival of Holidays at the Disneyland Resort!

The holiday season is upon us at the Disneyland Resort!

Tonight will kick off the first-ever Disney Merriest Nights after-hours event in Disneyland Park, but first, we’re headed over to Disney California Adventure where the Festival of Holidays has started a day EARLY! The festival runs from now until January 9th, 2022 and we’re bringing you along to check out all the decorations, food, merchandise, and more — let’s get to it!

Atmosphere

When we arrived at Disney California Adventure, we were joined by quite a few early morning park-goers who were excited to see if they would be lucky enough to try some of the new (and returning) eats and drinks.

And, we barely even had to set foot into the park before we noticed some new festive decorations! These new banners are all around Disney California Adventure and are sure to put you into the holiday mood.

Eats and Drinks

Of course, the main attraction at Festival of Holidays is the FOOD! And, there’s plenty of that here!

Winter Sliderland

First up we stopped at Winter Sliderland, which features a holiday twist on some American classics.

And, you’ll want to show up here with some room in your stomach (and maybe a glass of milk) because you can try the Nashville Hot Turkey Slider with dill pickle (which hasn’t been here since 2017!) for $7.50…

…or the Beef Pot Roast on Potato Roll with horseradish cream for $8.50.

And, if you need a drink to top all that off, there’s the NEW Prickly Pear Tea Lemonade that is made with Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Co. Ceylon Black Tea (cold brew), prickly pear beverage syrup, and house-made lemonade. It costs $6.

We just might have to come back here for seconds!

Nashville Hot Turkey Slider and Beef Pot Roast on a Potato Roll with a Prickly Pear Tea Lemonade! 🤩 Are you team hot chicken or hot turkey?! pic.twitter.com/ltJXzWBMVb

— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) November 11, 2021

Plus, you can also find the returning Bourbon Cranberry Cocktail here. It costs $14 and is a mix of bourbon, cranberry, orange, and cinnamon.

Making Spirits Bright

If you’re looking for something a bit sweeter (or something a bit boozier), then the Making Spirits Bright booth has you covered!

Here you can order up the “Hot Cocoa” Marshmallow Macaron for $5.50 or the Cinnamon & Sugar Holiday Tart for $6.

Plus, there’s also a HUGE variety of alcoholic drinks including:

Maple Hazelnut Hot Buttered Rum – Rum and maple syrup with flavors of hazelnut, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove topped with house-made salted caramel whipped cream for $15

Chandon, Sparkling Wine, Brut for $15
White Wine Flight for $16.50 which includes:
- Malibu Rocky Oaks Estate Vineyards, Sauvignon Blanc ($15 individually)
- Annabella Special Selection, Chardonnay ($18 individually)
- The Family Coppola, Sofia Rose ($11 individually)
Red Wine Flight for $17 which includes:
- Murphy Goode, Pinot Noir ($13 individually)
- JOEL GOTT, Zinfandel ($13 individually)
- Quilt, Cabernet Sauvignon ($17 individually)

Favorite Things

Next up was a stop to the Favorite Things booth. Those who visited the Festival of Holidays back in 2018 might recognize this holiday kitchen and after two years it is BACK with a similar menu!

You can try the Chana Masala with Grilled Garlic Naan for $7, or order up one of our returning favorites, the Holiday Stuffing Mac & Cheese for $7.75.

It’s pretty much a mix of all the sides that you hope to have at your Thanksgiving dinner table!

The Holiday Stuffing Mac & Cheese from the Favorite Things booth at Festival of Holidays! 🤤 Love it or skip it? pic.twitter.com/j7LI2fSA6m

— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) November 11, 2021

And, much like the Making Spirits Bright booth, there is a wide selection of boozier drinks including:

Hibiscus Ginger Mezcal Mule — Mezcal, house-made hibiscus syrup, ginger, lime juice, and Topo Chico Mineral Water for $14

Stone Brewing 2014 Imperial Russian Stout for $11.75
Karl Strauss Brewing Company, Wreck Alley, Imperial Stout for $13
Festival Beer Flight for $17 which features:
- Lost Winds Brewing Company, Blackberry Trails, Blonde Ale ($14.25 individually)
- Deschutes Brewery, Mirror Pond, Pale Ale ($13 individually)
- Bootlegger’s Brewery, Rocco Red Ale ($13 individually)
- 21st Amendment Brewery, Blood Orange IPA ($13 individually)

Merry Mashups

Another booth is returning from 2018 too — Merry Mashups! And, it’s got ALL new eats and drinks.

We’re continuing the mac & cheese trend with the Esquites Carnitas Mac & Cheese featuring Oaxaca and Cotija cheeses with spiced puffed rice. This dish costs $8.

Plus, there’s also the Holiday Mix for $6.50 (which they didn’t have ready just yet) and the Holiday Spiced Wings with Citrus Cranberries for $8.

Need something to drink? You can try the NEW Honey Guava Pisco Punch which is made with Pisco, guava, spicy honey syrup, ginger, and lime juice for $14.

We got it with the Silver Mickey Jingle Bell Glow Cube (which you can add to any beverage) for an extra $5.50.

Holiday Duets

Over at the Holiday Duets booth, they’re boasting some “perfect pairings” and tropical holiday drinks!

The Braised Pork Belly Adobo with Garlic Fried Rice is back again and is a pretty hearty serving for $7.50…

…or you can get the Shrimp & Grits with Andouille Sausage for $8.

And, for your tropical holiday vibes, you can come here to grab the NEW Pabana Cachaça Colada, which is made with cachaça, passionfruit, banana, mango, coconut cream, and lime for $14…

…or the NEW non-alcoholic option is the Calamansi Melon Lemonade which has calamansi, cantaloupe, and house-made lemonade.

It costs $6.50.

Grandma’s Recipes

It’s always your grandma who has the best recipes for the holidays, right? Well, that’s what Grandma’s Recipes booth is all about this year!

This booth is home to a NEW plant-based dish called the Impossible Arepa Encantada. It features dairy-free queso-stuffed Maiz with Spiced Plant-based Ground Meat and Pickled Onions and costs $7.50.

And, for something a bit sweeter, there’s also the classic Gingerbread Mickey cookie for $5.25.

We’re pretty convinced that almost anything tastes better when it’s Mickey-shaped and this cookie is no different!

Gingerbread Mickey from the Grandma’s Recipes booth! Do you think food tastes better when it’s Mickey shaped?✨ pic.twitter.com/4KVE1CRx68

— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) November 11, 2021

Plus, there’s even a NEW drink on the menu — the Berries ‘n’ Crema. It is made with huckleberry, strawberry, and raspberry house-made syrup, condensed and whole milk, and fruit-flavored cereal topped with house-made strawberry whipped cream.

You can try it for $6.50.

Merchandise

Between bites and sips, we popped into one of the shops to see what festival merchandise we could find! While we didn’t find much that was specific to the Festival of Holidays just yet, but there were a few holiday goodies in World of Disney like the Sweater Mickey Ears (which we saw online a few weeks ago) for $39.99.

Mickey Mouse Holiday Sweater Ears spotted in Disneyland!🎁 pic.twitter.com/nKKkSjsJl9

— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) November 11, 2021

Plus, there were also NEW Holiday Cookie Ears that feature Santa Mickey cookie cutouts as the ears for $29.99.

Check out these Holiday Cookie Ears we found in Disneyland!✨ pic.twitter.com/bsjU9U1xT9

— AllEars.Net (@AllEarsNet) November 11, 2021

And, if you’re looking for a classic Disney toy with a holiday twist, look no further than the Santa Bubble Wand for $27.84.

We’ll be updating this post throughout the day (and into tomorrow too!), so be sure to check back often to see all the latest happenings at the Festival of Holidays! And, in the meantime, stay tuned to AllEars for more of the latest Disney news!