Moonlight Magic at Disney California Adventure

Moonlight Magic is returning to Disneyland Resort! During these free after hours parties, DVC members can experience a night full of fun: attractions with short wait times, rare character sightings, exclusive entertainment, and free food!

Disney Vacation Club is bringing the fan-favorite membership extra back during the 100 Years of Wonder Celebration at Disneyland Resort, with exclusive access after the theme parks close to the general public during the Disney100 event! We cannot wait. We absolutely love Moonlight Magic, and have done this many times in the past–most recently, at Typhoon Lagoon last fall. That was a blast, as always.

Most of our Moonlight Magic experiences have been at Walt Disney World, which is in large part because that’s where most Disney Vacation Club resorts are located and thus the Florida parks play host to these events more frequently. By contrast, there hasn’t been a Moonlight Magic party in Disneyland since 2019 and Disney California Adventure since 2018.

Disney Vacation Club is bringing back Moonlight Magic events to the California parks, with the fun beginning at Disney California Adventure on January 29, 2024!

During Moonlight Magic at Disney California Adventure, you can experience complimentary after-hours theme park access—exclusive to eligible Disney Vacation Club Members and their guests. Enjoy some attractions with shorter-than-usual wait times—plus, special character sightings, delicious treats, and more!

Disney California Adventure Park event registration is now open to all eligible Members. All eligible Members can link to the event registration page shortly before the general registration opens.

Note that in order to allow as many DVC Members as possible to enjoy Disney Vacation Club Moonlight Magic at DCA, Members may register to attend only one event date for each participating park. In other words, you’ll be able to attend both Moonlight Magic at DCA and at Disneyland, but not at Disneyland twice or DCA twice. (That’s likely boilerplate language from the Walt Disney World events, as it doesn’t seem like the California parks will get more than one night each. Here’s hoping that ends up being wrong!)

Disney Vacation Club Members can register themselves and up to 4 additional guests per Membership (for a total of 5) or up to the number of guests on their resort reservation, whichever is larger. Children younger than 3 years old do not need to be registered for this event.

This event cannot be booked or modified through DVC Member Services. If a Member wishes to change their party size within the party size limits, they may modify their event registration through the link found in their confirmation email. Please note:

• If you cancel your Resort reservation, your event registration will be cancelled automatically.
• Cancelling and rebooking an event registration increases the risk of losing one’s registration.
• Modifications or cancellations of an event registration cannot be made the same day as booking.

Other Important Information

• Registration is required and limited. Unfortunately, walk-ins will not be permitted.
• Once registered, event tickets (one ticket per registered person) and a parking pass for the night of the event will be mailed to you.
• Member who registered must be in attendance. Registered Member must provide event tickets, valid Digital Disney Vacation Club Membership Card and photo ID that matches the name on the registration.
• Complimentary admission to the after-hours event is valid for the duration of the event. If you wish to enter a park before the event, valid theme park admission and reservation are required.
• This offer is complimentary, nontransferable and cannot be sold. It is subject to availability, change or termination without notice.
• Attendees under 18 years of age must be accompanied by a participating parent or guardian.
• This is a rain-or-shine event; some experiences may be cancelled due to inclement weather.
• We request that Members cancel at least 48 hours in advance.
• Disney Genie service, Disney Genie+ service and individual Lightning Lanes are not available for use during Moonlight Magic events.
• Resort reservations must be made by the person listed as the “owner” on the Membership and can be booked with points through Disney Vacation Club or with cash through the Disney Reservation Center or a travel provider.

Here are photos from the last time we attended one of these events at Disney California Adventure, which was so long ago that it actually predates the Moonlight Magic naming convention:

We’ve attended many Moonlight Magic events over the years, but the last one we did at Disney California Adventure still ranks at the top of my list. The event featured countless rare characters who had an absolute hoot playing games with guests, and the whole thing was incredibly well done.

Disney Vacation Club definitely puts effort into these Moonlight Magic parties, and it’s nice to see DVC showing that it cares about existing Members–especially after a couple of years suggesting otherwise. I’m optimistic that the return of Moonlight Magic at Disneyland Resort will include a few surprises, but I’m not expecting anything on par with the past DCA events. Those really captured lightning in a bottle. (Now, if we could only get another 90s Nite on both coasts!)

Planning a Southern California vacation? For park admission deals, read Tips for Saving Money on Disneyland Tickets. Learn about on-site and off-site hotels in our Anaheim Hotel Reviews & Rankings. For where to eat, check out our Disneyland Restaurant Reviews. For unique ideas of things that’ll improve your trip, check out What to Pack for Disney. For comprehensive advice, consult our Disneyland Vacation Planning Guide. Finally, for guides beyond Disney, check out our Southern California Itineraries for day trips to Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, and many other SoCal cities!

YOUR THOUGHTS

Have you attended Moonlight Magic at Disney California Adventure? What did you think of the event? Are you a fan of the Disney Afternoon? Are you planning on doing another Disney Vacation Club party? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment of the event? Any questions? Hearing your feedback—even when you disagree with us—is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!