Nov 2 2007
Dreaming of a white Christmas? Then get the heck out of Southern California. But if you want some holiday hoopla along with some theme park fun, you've come to the right place. California parks are arrnaged alphabetically.
Disneyland Resort
Holiday Events
Nobody decks its halls quite like Disney. From the enormous Christmas tree at the head of Disneyland's Main Street USA to the miles of garland and twinkling lights, the fantasy world becomes even more beguiling during the holidays.
Special features at Disneyland include:
- A Christmas Fantasy parade
- Believe...In Holiday Magic- The nightly fireworks show concludes with a SoCal "snowfall."
- it's a small world holiday (sic)- The cloying dolls celebrate their multi-culti holiday traditions in a makeover of the classic attraction.
- Haunted Mansion Holiday- The retrofitted Haunted Mansion introduces "A Nightmare Before Christmas' " Jack Skellington to the ghostly mix.
- Santa's Reindeer Round-Up- A meet-and-greet area with a certain jolly V.I.P. and his trusty transpo-team (sorry, no actual flying reindeer).
Disney's California Adventure park also gets in on the holly-jolly fun with Santa's Beach Blast. Kris Kringle dons some shades and goes into party mode, California style, with surf music, limbo contests, and something called a Sand Castle Wreath Toss.
The holiday season may be a bit brighter this year at Disneyland, because the resort is presenting the Year of a Million Dreams (which kicked off October 1, 2006 and has been extended through 2008). Disney cast members are awarding, through random giveaways, unique "dream" experiences to guests, such as a night's stay at the one-of-a-kind Mickey Mouse Penthouse suite in the Disneyland Hotel.
Gilroy Gardens
Holiday Lights
- Gilroy (near San Francisco), CA
- Nov 23 to 25, Dec. 1 to 2, 7 to 9, 14 to 16, 21-23, and 26-30.
- Separate ticketed event.
The park will adorn many of its distinctive trees and gardens with thousands of twinkling lights. Other features include a skating rink, holiday-themed rides, crafts-making, a holiday buffet, and (of course) a tete-a-tete with Santa in his workshop.
Knott's Berry Farm
Knott's Merry Farm
- Buena Park (next to Anaheim), CA
- Nov. 22 to 25, Nov. 30 to Dec. 2, Dec. 7 to 9, 14 to 24 and 26 to 31
- Included with admission. On weekdays, Knott's offers a special reduced rate for admission only to its Christmas Crafts Village.
- Knott's Merry Farm Photo Gallery
Knott's doesn't go nearly as crazy transforming its park into Knott's Merry Farm for the holidays as it does with its Knott's Scary Farm Halloween makeover, but it does offer plenty of fun, including a Spirit of the Season parade, an enormous Christmas tree, a Christmas Crafts Village with artisans plying their trades, "Snoopy's Cool Christmas", an ice show with the Peanuts gang, the shows, "A Christmas Carol," "Winter Wonderland," and "A Gift of the Magi," and Elf Mountain, a transformed Timber Mountain Log Ride.
Legoland
Holiday Block Party and Kids' New Year's Eve
- Carlsbad (near San Diego), CA
- Dec. 22 to Dec. 31
- Included with admission
Beginning Nov. 26, Legoland lights its unique Christmas tree made entirely of Lego bricks. From December 22 to Dec. 31, the park presents its Holiday Block Party with Lego ornament building, audiences with the red-suited St. Nick, lots of holiday decorations. and nightly fireworks shows from Dec. 26 to 31. On Dec. 31, the park celebrates its Kids' New Year's Eve with a kid-focused dance party, live music, and a "midnight" (actually 6 p.m. to accommodate sleepy young 'uns) Brick Drop (modeled after the Times Square ball drop with fireworks to welcome 2007.
San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park
Festival of Lights
- Escondido (near San Diego), CA
- Dec 7 to 23 and 26 to 30
- Included with admission
The zoo's Wild Animal Park goes wild for the holidays with more than 100,000 lights and animated displays. The park's hours are from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and the lights twinkle on at 4 p.m. Other special features include a snow hill for sledding (remember, this is Southern California!), holiday crafts, carolers, storytellers, choirs, and dancers. Guests can also commune with exotic animals in the park's Nairobi Village.
SeaWorld San Diego
SeaWorld Holiday Celebration
- San Diego), CA
- Weekends, Dec 1 to 9, daily Dec. 15 to 31
- Included with admission
Shamu gets his (her?) own holiday-themed nightly show. The sea lions ,join in the holiday fun as well. Plus the park, including its landmark Skytower, gets decked out with holiday lights. There will also be carolers and close-up animal visits.
Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Holiday in the Park
- Vallejo (near San Francisco), CA
- Weekends, Nov. 23 through Dec. 16, daily Dec. 17 to 23 and Dec. 26, 2007 to Jan. 6, 2008
- $39.99 at the gate. $24.99 if purchased in advance. Advance price is $21.99 per person for groups of 15 or more. Admission is included for both 2007 and 2008 season pass holders.
- Save money and time. Buy discounted advance tickets online, direct from Six Flags.
Six Flags joins the holiday hoopla this season in a big way by staging what it is billing as California's largest holiday celebration. According to the park, it will feature the world's largest Christmas tree. (Take
that Rockefeller Center!) The Douglas fir will top out at 125 feet tall (which is huge, but is 25 feet smaller than the park's Medusa coaster, which will be open during the event). In addition to tons of lights and decorations, Discovery Kingdom will offer holiday-themed shows with Shouka the killer whale (take
that Shamu!), as well as the park's sea lions and dolphins. Stage shows will include "A Toy Box Christmas" and "Discover Christmas." There will be a decked-out Winter Wonderland, a Christmas Tree Forest, a Toyland, and a Candy Cane Lane. Of course, Santa will be on hand. Most of the park's coasters and kiddie rides will be open during Holiday in the Park.
