USA Travel Guide

It’s easy to take shots at goliaths like Disney, who make so much money year after year exploiting what seems a limitless fan base. Stodgy hotels, $20 t-shirts, you get the idea. But I’ve got to admit, I think there’s something sort of, well, magical about having all that money and almost nothing to do with it.

You get the Vegas effect, where you can build multi-million dollar water shows and Venetian canals and Eiffel Towers, oh, just because. Do more people play and stay at the Bellagio because of that water show? I don’t think so, and that’s why I love it so much. It exists just for its own ostentatious sake.

Disney’s got money. In resorts alone they operate the eight most attended amusement parks in world (2008 figures). The upswing for park visitors is that when Disney does something, they do it big. At long last, that brings me to The Holidays at Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California.

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Celebrate the season with a walk down the most spectacular street in the nation, Disneyland’s Main Street U.S.A. The iconic road has been decked wall to wall, window to window in glittering Christmas lights and festive holiday décor. Everyone from the attendants to the classic Disney characters is in on the cheer.

For the Holidays at Disneyland Resort, all of your favorite Disney attractions come alive in the spirit of the season. The parades are more magical than ever. A nutcracker brass brigade and rollicking reindeers kick off the show, followed by holiday vignettes starring Goofy, Geppetto and Pinocchio, and of course Mickey and Minnie. At Disney’s California Adventure, they up the excitement with a brilliant nighttime “electric” parade.

Several favorites have been given the holiday treatment: 

• Haunted Mansion – a gaggle of ghouls from “The Nightmare Before Christmas” have taken over the mansion for a little Xmas scare.
• “It’s a small world” – the famous dioramas explore holiday traditions from all over the globe.
• Sleeping Beauty’s Castle – one of the most brilliant Christmas light displays you could ever hope to see.

The Holidays at Disneyland Resort is a park-wide attraction that runs from today (Nov 13) through January 3, 2010. There is no additional admission required to enjoy the holiday-themed attractions. Learn more.

Disneyland is located southeast of Los Angeles in Anaheim, California. Despite the personality, we’ve never fallen in love with the resort hotels. We often stay just barely off-site at the Holiday Inn Anaheim Resort Hotel. The hotel is convenient to all of the parks, offers clean and family-friendly spaces, and backs it up with affordable Disneyland vacation packages.

Have fun!