Disneyland at Christmas

Disneyland takes on a special look at Christmas, the seasonal decorations adding to its already considerable charm. With the kids out of school for their holiday break, it's a fine time to consider making a trip. Years ago, people said Disneyland was not very busy at Christmas, making it an even more ideal time to visit, but that has changed. It's still a great time to go, and our tips for planning ahead will help you make the most of it.

See It Now: Photo Tour

Disneyland at Christmas

• Christmas Decorations: Christmas decorations appear everywhere in Disneyland. Town Square at the end of Main Street boasts a 60-foot-tall Christmas tree covered with thousands of lights and ornaments and Sleeping Beauty's Castle sports snow-topped turrets and more than 50,000 lights.

• Haunted Mansion: The special Christmas decorations here, based on Tim Burton's "The Nightmare Before Christmas" are extensive, with changes from the attractions' normal sights that range from the ghostly dinner party scene to the hitchhiking ghost replacements that make this Disneyland's best Christmas spot. Ride it twice to take it all in, and be sure to stop by after dark when candles flicker on the outside.

• Small World: Also specially and exuberantly decorated for Christmas. If you love the ride but hate the song, the special Christmas music track makes this a great time to go.

• Christmas Fantasy Parade: This special Disneyland Christmas parade runs from Small World along Main Street to Town Square. Check the entertainment schedule when you arrive to find the parade times and which direction it will be traveling. The most crowded place to watch is along Main Street, but it's also the most beautiful. You'll usually find plenty of places to watch around the Small World plaza.

• Fireworks: A special show, just for the season.

• Santa: Frontierland's Big Thunder Ranch becomes a "West Pole" getaway where Santa can unwind with Mrs. Claus and his team of reindeer. In Toontown, Goofy does the honors for Mr. Claus.

• Candy Canes: At Christmas, the Candy Palace on Main Street, U.S.A.whips up hand-made candy canes. They start right after Thanksgiving and make only a few small batches a day, a few days a week. They're so popular that guests are limited to buying only two each, and you'll need to pick up a ticket to do that by going to the shop right after park opening time.

Plan Ahead for Disneyland at Christmas

Disneyland gets its biggest winter biggest crowds over Thanksgiving¹ weekend and from Christmas Eve through New Year's Day. In the past, Disneyland was less crowded from December first through Christmas Eve, but that's changing. I visited on Sunday a week before Christmas and found Disneyland as crowded as it is on a mid-August weekend.

The crowds are manageable if you plan ahead. These are some things to do:

• If you're going for more than one day, buy your Disneyland tickets online in advance to avoid standing in line for them.

• Use Ridemax to avoid standing in line. When I visited to research this article, it saved me two hours in line, just at Space Mountain and Indiana Jones' Adventure.

• If you want to take the special "Holiday Time At Disneyland" tour, reserve a month in advance at 714-781-4400.

• Make reservations for Disneyland restaurants such as the Blue Bayou or California Adventure's Golden Vine up to a month and at least two weeks in advance by phone at 714-781-3463.

How Does It Rate?

Poll: How do you rate Disneyland at Christmas?

• I love it
• Great decorations!
• Too busy

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More: Christmas in Los Angeles | Christmas in Orange County | Christmas in San Diego | Christmas in San Francisco

¹ Thanksgiving is celebrated on the third Thursday of November.

As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary admission for the purpose of researching this story. While it has not influenced this article, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our ethics policy.