The year 2025 may have just begun, but the fun is already in full swing at the Disneyland Resort. Disney California Adventure is again going all out in celebration of the Lunar New Year. The celebration of the Year of the Snake takes place now through February 16th and includes plenty of amazing food and entertainment options reflecting Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese culture.
Highlights of the Lunar New Year Entertainment
Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Mulan, and Mushu are dressed in Lunar New Year attire and ready to take their picture with your family. This year Mickey and Minnie have new costumes reflecting Korean culture. These characters rotate throughout the day and can be found in the Paradise Gardens area. Kids can also say hi to Meilin and Ming Lee from Turning Red on San Francisco Street near The Little Mermaid attraction.
You won’t want to miss Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession which features the Disney princess and her pal Mushu who wave to the crowd from a vibrantly decorated float. There are also umbrella dancers, ribbon twirlers, and musicians playing thundering drums as they make their way from Hollywood Land to Paradise Gardens.
In Paradise Gardens you will also find Chinese calligraphy demonstrations, a Lunar New Year Wishing Wall, and live performance by various Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese groups. The a cappella group, Vocal Seoul will be singing K-pop tunes at Sonoma Terrace. There are also complementary crafts for the kids to color at various locations in the park.
A special feature prior to the World of Color show called Hurry Home. It tells the story of Little Lantern as he makes his journey home for a New Year celebration using the lights, fountain, and projection animation that makes World of Color so captivating.
Trekaroo tip: Make time to visit the lobby of Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa where there is an impressive display of a huge Mickey-shaped Snake and hanging lanterns all made out of 40lbs of white chocolate, 30lbs of fondant, 10 lbs of crisped rice cereal, and 3 lbs of marshmallows.
But what about the rides? Here are our top picks for the best rides at DIsneyland Resort in 2025.
Lunar New Year Food at Disney California Adventure
One of the biggest highlights of the Lunar New Year celebration at Disney California Adventure is the food. Diverse options are available in booths lining the walkway from Hollywood Land to Paradise Gardens as well as select locations such as the Paradise Pier Grill, Pym Test Kitchen, and Studio Catering Co.
Many of the tasty dishes being served were inspired by recipes that Disney Cast Members shared from their own homes.
The best way to enjoy the special food offerings during this special time of year is to purchase a Sip and Savor Pass which will give you six coupons for purchase of food or non-alcoholic beverages. These can be purchased at various locations inside the park including Elias & Co., Seaside Souvenirs, and the Sip and Savor Cart near the entrance to the Festival Food Marketplace area.
Most, but not all items are included, so be sure to grab a Lunar New Year 2025 Celebration Guide which lists all the participating food and beverage options when you pick up your Sip and Savor Pass.
If you want to save time, place the order for all your food items at various marketplaces at one kiosk and then keep the receipt with you so all you have to do is head to the pick-up queue for each marketplace. Do note that you can only combine orders for the Marketplaces, not the permanent restaurants throughout the park that have Sip and Savor offerings.
Disney regulars will be happy to know that there are several returning favorites like Garlic Noodles, Quesabirria Egg Rolls, Red Panda Bao Buns, and my favorite, Strawberry Milk Tea Macarons.
There are also several new dishes to get excited about such as Fire Chicken Wings with Sesame-Seaweed Crunch, plant-based Beef and Broccoli, the Scallion Pancake Tostada, the decadent Chinese Firecracker filled with chocolate, and the Moo Shu Pork Burrito.
Fancy cocktails for purchase include a rum-based Guava Lemongrass Cocktail, a bourbon-based Strawberry-Lychee Cocktail, and a Mandarin Citrus Mule.
If you are looking for Lunar New Year merch, Disney has that covered as well. There are vibrantly colored Spirit Jerseys, Lunar New Year Mouse Ear headbands, adorable stuffed Mickeys in Lunar New Year garb, and a lug bag with the Mickey-shaped snake design and the perfect amount of pockets to store essentials while out and about.
Want more Disney fun? Check Trekaroo’s extensive Disneyland guides.
Disclosure: The author was invited to attend the kick off of Disney’s Lunar New Year Celebration so that she could share her experience with readers. All opinions are her own.
