Story Time with Deadpool Holiday Special & More Characters Coming for Christmas 2025 at Disneyland

Disney has announced new and returning meet & greets, entertainment, and other character-centric experiences for Christmas 2025 at Disneyland and California Adventure. This guide covers everything you need to know.

In terms of basics, Holiday Time at Disneyland Resort runs from November 14, 2025 through January 7, 2026, and features a wide variety of festive, family-friendly entertainment, decorations, parades, ride overlays, and more. In addition to returning classics, this year’s lineup presents new options.

This offers a rundown of the new offerings and returning entertainment across both theme parks, Downtown Disney District and the Hotels of the Disneyland Resort. If you’re looking for an all-encompassing overview and tips to make the most of the holiday season, see our Ultimate Guide to Christmas 2025 at Disneyland Resort.

As an additional planning resource, it’s highly recommended to download and consult the Disneyland app or the Hours & Events Calendar on Disneyland.com for the full list of entertainment offerings and latest performance schedules. Showtimes do vary by date–for example, there will be more (and different) showings of certain entertainment on weekends or during peak weeks than there will on some random weekday in early December.

Anyway, here’s a rundown of what’s happening at Disneyland Resort for Christmas 2025…

Where to Find Santa Claus at Disneyland

Direct from the North Pole, Santa Claus himself makes stops around Disneyland Resort for photo opportunities and to hear families’ holiday wishes. Say ho-ho-hello to St. Nick from November 14 through December 24, 2025.

Redwood Creek Challenge Trail at California Adventure transforms into a jolly playground with games, festive activities, and a fun search for brightly colored presents along the trail.

From November 27 through December 24, Santa adds the Disneyland Hotel, Pixar Place Hotel and Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa to his route around the resort.

Christmas Characters at California Adventure

At Disney California Adventure, some characters sport Santa hats, dress up in classic holiday outfits, or add festive accessories. These photo ops and sightings are unique to Holidays at the Disneyland Resort. Here are Christmas characters in Grizzly Peak

• Carl
• Russell
• Dug

On Buena Vista Street, you may find classic Disney characters dressed in retro-inspired wintry wear. Their outfits complement the nostalgic décor on the park’s 50-foot-tall Christmas tree. Here’s a list of who appears on BVS:

• Mickey Mouse
• Minnie Mouse
• Goofy
• Donald Duck
• Daisy Duck
• Pluto
• Clarabelle Cow

In Cars Land, Mater gets into the spirit by sporting a giant Santa hat.

‘The Story Time with Deadpool Holiday Special’ at DCA

After making his Disneyland Resort debut last year, Deadpool is back for more holiday hilarity and super special seasonal stories. You can see him during “The Story Time with Deadpool Holiday Special” near Avengers Campus.

This limited-time entertainment offering celebrates the season in the way only Deadpool can. At select performances, Wolverine may also stop by.

Although I didn’t cover it, Story Time with Deadpool at DCA was actually really good. I was skeptical at first and Deadpool isn’t exactly my jam, but I loved it. For those who didn’t experience Story Time with Deadpool, it was definitely a toned down version of the character’s signature humor suitable for general audiences in a Disney theme park.

There was still some innuendo, but Story Time with Deadpool was mostly sarcastic and self-referential, with a type of hyperawareness that resonates with “plugged-in” diehard Disney fans. He poked a lot of fun at the company and its leadership, theme parks, and more.

It actually reminded me a bit of the Simpsons, and the kind of meta humor we’ve seen from that brand post-Disney acquisition. Maybe slightly more pointed than that, but not much. To the extent that any of it was inappropriate, it was over the heads of anyone in the audience for whom it was unsuitable.

All around, a very well-written and well-executed show, with great performers. Exactly the type of thing that makes Avengers Campus punch above its weight.

Honestly, I was surprised when the show ended at the beginning of the year, as it was insanely popular right up until the end. I figured Story Time with Deadpool would be one of those things that stuck around even after the studio marketing budget ran out because guests loved it that much. 

It was much more popular than Doctor Strange: Mysteries of the Mystic Arts, the show that was previously held in the Ancient Sanctum area. Not exactly a high bar, but I nevertheless figured it’d become permanent by popular demand.

With that said, I’ll concede that it was difficult to discern just how popular Story Time with Deadpool actually was with casual visitors and first-timers, because the show clearly had an ardent fan following among Annual Passholders and influencers.

It was definitely one of those things that vloggers, streamers, etc. flocked to, hoping to catch Deadpool say or do something that’d go viral on social media. I didn’t make it a point to watch Story Time with Deadpool repeatedly (I probably saw it 3-4 times total in its ~6 month run), but in passing, it seemed to be less busy as more Magic Keys were blocked out.

Regardless, I’d expect the Story Time with Deadpool Holiday Special to be very busy for the duration of its run (presumably through January 7, 2026). Christmas is a busy season and this is a limited-time engagement.

Even if you go the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve when Magic Keys are blocked out, the performances are still likely to be very busy because those are very busy dates. So arrive early!

“Mickey’s Happy Holidays” and Holiday Toy Drummers 

Families and kids will want to dance along to holiday rhythms as iconic Disney characters march along the Disney California Adventure park parade route to the beat of the Holiday Toy Drummers during “Mickey’s Happy Holidays.” Featured characters include:

• Mickey Mouse
• Minnie Mouse
• Joy
• Mr. & Mrs. Incredible
• Frozone
• Woody
• Jessie
• Bo Peep

In addition, the playfully percussive precision of the Holiday Toy Drummers will delightfully drum up seasonal cheer for all to hear. The Holiday Toy Drummers perform multiple times daily at DCA during Festival of the Holidays, usually in front of the obelisk in Paradise Gardens Park.

“Mirabel’s Gifts of the Season”

On select days, Mirabel from “Encanto” and her friends rejoice in the spirit of the holidays, bringing everyone together during their very own Fiesta de Navidad celebration. Kids of all ages and families will enjoy singing along in this heartfelt musical presentation.

Mirabel is also among the characters rotating at the Paradise Gardens Park gazebo, sharing holiday greetings and posing for photo opportunities. (Disney hasn’t confirmed as much, but we’d expect to see the Three Caballeros, plus Minnie & Mickey Mouse, all in unique costumes for Viva Navidad.)

“A Musical Christmas with Mariachi Alegría de Disneyland & Miguel!” 

Also on select days, this nighttime show gathers friends and families to listen to heartfelt stories and timeless songs in an enchanting celebration of the holidays. Mariachi Alegría de Disneyland, accompanied by graceful dancers, delivers intimate, bilingual performances of beloved Christmas songs.

The celebration closes with a special appearance by Miguel from Pixar Animation Studios’ “Coco” for a beautiful rendition of “Silent Night.” (Last year, both of these shows occurred Monday through Friday evenings. No word yet on the 2025 schedule, but there’s a decent chance it’s the same.)

Disney ¡Viva Navidad! Street Party

Head to Paradise Gardens Park at Disney California Adventure for the return of Disney ¡Viva Navidad!, a heartwarming celebration inspired by Latin American holiday traditions — with a spirited Disney twist! Delight in live music, crafts, festive décor, flavorful dishes and appearances by Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and The Three Caballeros.

On select days, the “Disney ¡Viva Navidad! Street Party” lights up the area with folklórico dancers, mariachis, samba performers and more, led by The Three Caballeros in a vibrant display of rhythm and color. (For reference, the Viva Navidad Street Party was scheduled Saturdays and Sundays last year.)

New Christmas 2025 Character Costumes at Disneyland

As you stroll into Disneyland, you may spot Minnie and Mickey Mouse, and some of their friends in sparkling new outfits. These designs are a “holiday spin” on their clothing from the Disneyland 70th Anniversary Celebration.

Shimmering greens, reds and golds steal the show, with anniversary nods throughout. Beyond the mice, these characters usually include Goofy, Donald, Daisy, Pluto, and Clarabelle. These costumes change every year and are a huge hit with fans, and make for fun merchandising tie-ins. Meeting the characters for Christmas can be a tad tricky.

All of these meet & greets are in Town Square, but the locations aren’t clearly marked, the characters rotate, and most do not have PhotoPass. If you want to meet them, your best bet is being in Town Square between 9:45 am and 2 pm, which is when most of them appear.

Failing that, some of them are back out in the evenings. Those appearances are more sporadic, and characters are not out during the fireworks or parade. We were able to meet all of the characters this way last Christmas, but it took multiple attempts and finally getting lucky one chilly December night. I’d be reluctant to recommend this as an actual “strategy” given the hit or miss nature.

Another option is seeing them at the very beginning of the day, shortly after Disneyland opens and they appear at the Train Station; they also do the same thing at the end of the night. This is not a meet & greet, but you can get selfies and see them much more easily.

“Holiday Fun with Santa and Friends!” at Fantasyland Theatre

This family-friendly area returns for Christmas 2025 after debuting last year. Throughout the day, Santa Claus and select Disney characters (including Chip ‘n’ Dale, Goofy and Pluto) will make appearances and pose for holiday photos at “Holiday Fun with Santa and Friends!” at the Fantasyland Theatre.

Families can also enjoy craft making, sing-alongs of holiday classics and atmospheric music. This is scheduled daily at Disneyland, and has various permutations throughout the year. If there’s a version of this happening during your visit, it’s worth checking out if you have small children. It isn’t well publicized so crowds are often low back here–it’s a good reprieve from the heat and crowds, although only the latter should be applicable at Christmas.

“A Christmas Fantasy Parade”

“A Christmas Fantasy Parade” returns for another merry musical celebration, filled with jolly elves, dancing gingerbread cookies and prancing reindeer. Disney characters in “A Christmas Fantasy Parade” include the following:

• Buzz Lightyear and Woody
• Green Army Men and Jessie
• Anna, Elsa, and Olaf
• Max Goof
• Belle and Beast
• Snow White and The Prince
• Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip
• Cinderella and Prince Charming
• Santa Claus

Viewing areas can be found around “it’s a small world” Holiday, near Matterhorn Bobsleds and Main Street, U.S.A., while reserved viewing for the parade is included with the Holiday Time at the Disneyland Resort Guided Tour. “A Christmas Fantasy Parade” is performed daily at Disneyland during the holiday season.

Christmas Character Meals at Disneyland Resort’s Hotels

There are also several Christmas character dining experiences to choose from this holiday season.

At Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa from November 17, 2025, through January 6, 2026, Daisy’s Holiday Pajama Party breakfast and brunch features Disney friends in festive colors and plaid fabrics. You’re welcome to dine in your coziest fashion, including your pajamas.

For a memorable yuletide dinner, Storytellers Cafe presents Mickey’s Christmas Carol Feast from November 17, 2025, through January 6, 2026. Mickey Mouse, Scrooge McDuck, and more characters come together in looks inspired by the classic Christmas story.

These awesome costumes almost make me willing to drop the $80 per person for Mickey’s Christmas Carol Feast. Almost. 

Over at the Disneyland Hotel, Goofy’s Kitchen joins the seasonal festivities with a holiday breakfast, brunch, and dinner, November 17, 2025 through January 6, 2026. Goofy and his pals put on their merry best, mixing classic red and green colors with pastels, print, and snowy sparkles.

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

What do you think of the meet & greets, character costumes, and entertainment lineup for Christmas 2025 at Disneyland and Disney California Adventure? Looking forward to the Story Time with Deadpool Holiday Special? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? 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!