2024 has finally arrived, which means a bright year is ahead at the Happiest Place on Earth!

The New Year brings with it a massive list of new offerings at the Disneyland Resort, from hotels to attractions to entertainment. We have compiled a nearly-exhaustive list of everything fans can expect at Walt’s original Magic Kingdom in 2024!

January

runDisney starts off the New Year of offerings with a bang, as the event makes it’s triumphant return to Disneyland for the first time since the pandemic-related closures in 2020. The Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend features four days of events, taking place throughout the Disneyland Resort & greater Anaheim area from January 11th-14th.

A few weeks later, the Lunar New Year Celebration begins in anticipation at Disney California Adventure Park, highlighted by the return of “Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession” in Paradise Gardens Park. This annual event runs from January 23rd until mid-February.

(c) Disney Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession

On that very same day, the robust slate of 2024 Disneyland After Dark events begin, as Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts’ Nite hosts it’s first party of the year, running a total of 3 events in January (Jan 23rd, 25th, & 30th).

Rounding out the month on January 30th, the Paradise Pier Hotel will complete its full transformation into the brand new Pixar Place Hotel. Upon it’s debut, Pixar Place Hotel will become the first fully Pixar-themed hotel in North America, featuring guest rooms “inspired by the artistry of Pixar,” new dining, a rooftop pool & gaming area, and more.

(c) Disney Pixar Place Hotel Concept Art

Also in January, the nighttime spectacular “Mickey’s Mix Magic” returns to Disneyland Park for a 3-month stint from January-March.

February

Disneyland After Dark: Sweethearts’ Nite takes center stage to begin the Valentine month, as the popular After Hours event will feature 5 February party dates (Feb 1st, 6th, 8th, 12th, & 14th).

Another fan-favorite returns to the Disneyland Resort this month, as “Magic Happens” – the beloved Disneyland parade – makes it’s triumphant return to the resort on February 2nd. An end date has not yet been given for this entertainment offering, though it will likely run until the summer.

(c) Disney Magic Happens Parade

March

Another fan-favorite spectacle makes it’s return in March of 2024, as “Wondrous Journeys” follows in the footsteps of “Magic Happens” and will re-debut on March 22nd. This show made it’s debut for the Disney100 celebration in January of 2023 and has been a must-see hit ever since. The return is short-lived for now, however, as “Wondrous Journeys” will only run until mid-April.

(c) Disney Wondrous Journeys

The first-ever Disneyland After Dark: Disney Channel Nite will debut this month, as well, highlighted by the highly-anticipated “High School Musical Pep Rally” parade. This After Hours event will only feature two events, on March 5th & 7th.

April

The busy season ramps up again in April, as the Season of the Force arrives in triumph on April 5th. This all-things-Star Wars celebration will feature the Hyperspace Mountain overlay to Disney’s Space Mountain, special Star Wars-themed merchandise & food, and more, including a unique galactic soundtrack sweeping through Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge during Disneyland’s nightly fireworks!

(c) Disney

Best of all, this 3-month-long event will also usher in a new addition to Star Tours – The Adventure Continues, as the Tomorrowland attraction is set to add brand new stories, characters, & scenes to its repetiteur beginning in April of 2024.

Disneyland’s Season of the Force also brings with it the ever-popular Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite, which is set to offer 5 event nights in April (April 16th, 18th, 23rd, 25th, & 30th).

On the other side of the esplanade, Disney California Adventure Park will welcome in Pixar Fest at the Disneyland Resort, beginning on April 26th. This 3-month festival will celebrate the friendship and colorful decor of Pixar via impressive photo ops, themed entertainment, and the all-new daytime parade debuting at Disney California Adventure Park titled “Better Together: A Pixar Pals Celebration.” Over at Disneyland, Pixar Fest also means the return of “Together Forever – A Pixar Nighttime Spectacular” lighting up the night sky, this time featuring some all-new Pixar scenes.

(c) Disney Pixar Fest

“Mickey’s Mix Magic” also makes a brief return in April, running from April 15th – April 25th.

May

The Season of the Force continues in May, highlighted by 3 more Disneyland After Dark: Star Wars Nite events on May 2nd, 7th, & 9th.

Easily the biggest draw of this month, though, is the long-awaited return of “Fantasmic!” to Disneyland’s Rivers of America. On May 24th, “Fantasmic!” will return “featuring new special effects, a thrilling new battle scene between Sorcerer Mickey and Maleficent, plus the return of the iconic “Peter Pan” scene.” This nighttime spectacular is easily one of the most popular entertainment offerings in Disneyland Resort history, and will be must-see viewing upon it’s return following a 12-month hiatus.

(c) Disney Fantasmic!

June

As Disneyland’s Season of the Force winds down in early June, a new fan-favorite event make’s it’s sophomore return to the resort: Disneyland After Dark: Pride Nite. This After Hours event will feature two events on June 18th and 20th. While details are still slim on this year’s event, it promises to be one of the best After Hours’ events of the year.

July

Pixar Fest is in full swing throughout both Parks during July, although no new offerings are planned for the month as this time.

August

The Disneyland Resort will be seeing a large influx of Disney superfans in August, as D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event makes it’s way to Anaheim, California from August 9th-11th.

This 3-day event – formally known as the D23 Expo – is a one-of-a-kind event featuring spectacular shows and multiple days of entertainment and experiences at the Anaheim Convention Center, located just steps from the Disneyland Resort. A kickoff celebration for D23 attendees will even be held at the Disneyland Resort itself on August 8th.

Less than 2 weeks later, Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort officially transforms the Happiest Place on Earth into a spooky (yet friendly) oasis, complete with attraction overlays, resort-wide decorations, and more. 2024’s version of Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort is set to begin on August 23rd.

(c) Disney

The return of the spooky season also means the return of the fan-favorite After Hours party Oogie Boogie Bash. Although Disney has already confirmed this incredible event will return in 2024, specific dates or details have not yet been announced.

September

As Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort and the accompanying Oogie Boogie Bash are full-steam-ahead in September, another event is set to make headlines at the Parks.

On September 5th, runDisney haunts will take over for a grim-grinning good time during the 2024 Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon Weekend. The marathon will feature four days of family-friendly run events, ending on September 8th. Of course, each event – including the Kids Races – will be themed to the Halloween season; costumes welcome!

(c) Disney

October

Halloween Time at the Disneyland Resort continues it’s run, officially ending on October 31st.

November

In early November, Disney California Adventure Park’s “Plaza De La Familia” returns to celebrate Dia De Los Muertos at the Parks, highlighted by the Coco musical celebration!

(c) Disney

To round out the month, the Holidays at the Disneyland Resort will return on November 15th, bringing with it a wide array of can’t-miss shows and attraction overlays, including (but not limited to):

• A Christmas Fantasy Parade
• “it’s a Small World” Holiday
• “Believe…In Holiday Magic” Fireworks
• Haunted Mansion Holiday
• Wintertime Enchantment at Sleeping Beauty’s Castle
• World of Color – Season of Light
• Disney !Viva Navidad! Parade
• Much, much more

(c) Disney

December

The Holidays at the Disneyland Resort will be in full-force throughout December.

While an exact opening date is yet-to-be-announced, December will also mean that one of the most anticipated attraction openings in recent history will be complete at the Disneyland Resort – “Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.”

Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG
Concept Art for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure

This attraction “brings guests into Princess Tiana’s world like never before,” as guests will enter on a musical journey based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios film “The Princess and the Frog.” Although there is a chance this attraction opens earlier in the year, we are putting it in the “December” category for now, just to be safe. We will update this article as soon as we know a more concrete opening timeframe for Tiana’s new ride!

And that’s a wrap on the 2024 Calendar Year at the Disneyland Resort! While the year is already chalk-full of incredible events and offerings, there are bound to be many more that are announced at a later date, so make sure you stay tuned to ThemeParkProfessor.com and follow Theme Park Professor on Instagram to get the latest updates on all things Disneyland!