This time of year, it’s hard to miss the Christmas mania that sweeps through most theme parks. On Disneyland’s Main Street, U.S.A., the 60-foot Christmas tree is assembled well before Thanksgiving, and Santa’s full-belly laugh reverberates off of the equally-jolly facade of It’s a Small World Holiday when A Christmas Fantasy Parade starts their twice-daily performances. Over at Universal Studios Orlando, you might catch The Magic of Christmas at Hogwarts as it envelops the castle in a full-scale projection while The Grinchmas Who-liday brings its green and red splendor to Seuss Landing. The list goes on… and on and on.
Even if guests choose not to partake in any Christmas-centered festivities, they’re given little respite from the over-the-top atmosphere of holiday cheer: wreaths, garlands, twinkle lights, candy canes and Christmas carols included. For those who celebrate Christmas every year, wintertime at a theme park can be downright magical, if a bit overwhelming at times. For those who celebrate Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali, Three Kings Day or simply choose to abstain from secular and religious observations altogether, the full-blown holiday bonanza can feel more than a little alienating.
Image: David Nestor, Flickr (license)
While you might not be able to spot more than a single menorah on Main Street (let alone a kinara), there are still a few theme parks that have started to make strides toward more inclusive holiday traditions. Below is just a sampling; note that we have not detailed the various celebrations at nearby hotels and shopping districts, as those are not always as widely advertised or easily accessible to the public.
1. Disney California Adventure Park
Image: Disney
The sister park to Anaheim’s iconic Disneyland, Disney California Adventure blends traditions and culinary concoctions from a variety of holidays. The specific lands to pay attention to are the backside of Paradise Pier, near Goofy’s Sky School and The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure, as well as the wide pathway that runs from Buena Vista Street to the entrance of Paradise Pier, where you’ll find a dozen food and beverage kiosks that comprise the annual Festive Foods Marketplace.Dates: November 10, 2017 – January 7, 2018
Hanukkah: The first sign of Hanukkah at Disney California Adventure is the menorah in the window of Julius Katz & Sons, the home goods shop on the right-side of Buena Vista Street, where you can also peruse a limited range of Hanukkah-themed housewares and souvenirs for sale. The second? Try the fruit and nut rugelach at Blissfully Braised, one of the food kiosks in the Festive Foods Marketplace, or visit A Twist on Tradition for a Reuben potato smash and rye toast crumble and Grandma’s Recipes for beef brisket and sugared carrots (sadly, there’s not a latke in sight here). Entertainment offerings are scarce, but the Yiddish klezmer band Mostly Kosher can often be heard along Paradise Park.
Kwanzaa: Even fewer items are on the menu for Kwanzaa, ranging from Nashville fried hot turkey and pickles at Spicy Celebrations to cornbread macaroni and cheese at Holiday Duets and sweet potato pie at Grandma’s Recipes. As part of their rotating musical offerings, Paradise Park is also home to The Sound, an a cappella group that combines classic Christmas and Kwanzaa songs.
Image: Disney
Diwali: Diwali may have officially ended in October, but you can enjoy traditional foods at the Festive Foods Marketplace until January 7. Classic Crocks and Casseroles offers chana masala with grilled garlic naan and A Twist on Tradition presents butternut squash and almond pakora fritters, both of which pair well with the much-sweeter pineapple kesari found at Festive Holiday Extras. Not only can guests enjoy Diwali music from the Blue13 Dance Company, but they’re invited to take part in a Bollywood-style dance party in Paradise Park.
El Día de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day): At the Festive Foods Marketplace, Chips, Breads & Holiday Spreads sells chorizo queso fundido with house-made tortilla chips; Spicy Celebrations offers beef corn tamales with spicy rojo sauce; and A Twist on Tradition features horchata fudge. Over at the Paradise Garden Grill, the limited holiday-time menu includes a trio of street tacos, chicken mole, pozole and buñuelos. In addition to a wide range of mouthwatering delicacies, including the traditional cake-like Rosca de Reyes, guests can enjoy live entertainment from Mariachi Divas, watch the Three Caballeros lead a troupe of mariachis and folklórico dancers in a ¡Viva Navidad! street party, learn more about El Día de los Reyes Magos with storytelling at the Paradise Garden Bandstand and help younger guests decorate their own crowns and color illustrations of the Three Kings.
Image: Disney, Source
That’s about it for non-Christmas celebrations at Disney California Adventure. The holiday variation of World of Color — aptly named World of Color – Season of Light — spotlights Christmas more than any other holiday, even with the token renditions of “Feliz Navidad” and “Mele Kalikimaka” thrown in. And, while the variety in scrumptious holiday treats is surely appreciated, there are precious few decorations or events to suggest that the park is decked out for anything but Christmas. Only when you start to make your way to the back of the park does its holiday diversity become more apparent.
2. Six Flags Magic Mountain and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Image: Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Every Six Flags franchise location has their own way of celebrating the holidays, be it with a Holiday Express Train Ride or meet-and-greets with Holiday Queen Lumenessa Evergreen (yes, that is a real thing). When it comes to celebrating non-Christmas holidays, however, there’s little in the way of true diversity.
Dates: November 18, 2017 – December 31, 2017 (Magic Mountain); December 10, 2017 (Discovery Kingdom)
Hanukkah: You may not find a klezmer band lurking between thrill rides at Six Flags Magic Mountain, but you will find traditional piping-hot latkes at Loaded Dogs. The hot dog stand is located fairly close to the entrance of the park on your right-hand side. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom debuted a full-fledged Hanukkah celebration back in 2014 — complete with a menorah lighting, olive oil press demonstration and dreidel cookie decorating station, among other Hanukkah-exclusive activities — but it doesn’t appear to be on the docket for this year’s celebration (and equally as awful, there are no latkes to be found, either).
Las Posadas: For one day only, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom will host a Las Posadas celebration throughout the park. Las Posadas celebrates the Christmas story of Joseph and Mary searching for an inn, and guests will be able to visit each of the nine “inns” until they find a warm welcome at the fiesta. Mariachi music, traditional Latin American dances, gift bags and customary Las Posadas cuisine will be available during the day.
There’s still a lot of work to be done to make Six Flags’ annual Holiday in the Park schedule more inclusive, but the thought and care put into Discovery Kingdom’s Las Posadas celebration is a good benchmark to set for future holiday events. Unfortunately, guests still have a 353-mile drive to make if they want to experience both Hanukkah and Las Posadas at a Six Flags location this year (a trip that may not be advisable with the wildfire outbreak surging through Southern California right now).
3. Epcot
Image: Jeff Christiansen, Flickr (license)
If you’re going to celebrate the holidays anywhere in the Walt Disney World Resort, make it the World Showcase in Epcot. Lively music and good food is the name of the game here, and Epcot’s colorful pavilions have plenty (well, a little) to share.
Dates: November 19, 2017 – December 30, 2017
Hanukkah: Although there are no latkes, brisket or rugelach to savor at any World Showcase destination this year, guests can still catch a live performance from Mostly Kosher at the American Adventure pavilion. Rumor has it that the Voices of Liberty also throw in a Hanukkah classic or two during their annual holiday performance in the American Adventure rotunda.
Las Posadas/El Día de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day): At Showcase Plaza, you’ll find an entire menu devoted to El Día de los Reyes Magos, with offerings that span shredded beef tamales, roasted pork and pickled green bananas, and Rosca de Reyes, as well as adult beverages like the Presidente Pilsner and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions of Coquito (Puerto Rican eggnog). You can also hop over to the Mexico pavilion, where Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen is serving up tostada de tinga, pork tamales, buñelos, margaritas (in pomegranate, horchata or frozen Kahlúa flavors) and Don Equis lager. While you chow down, you’ll also see dancers, piñatas and Mariachi Cobre celebrating Las Posadas, the lead-up to El Día de los Reyes Magos.
Image: Disney, Source
As in Disney California Adventure, Epcot is fairly light on diverse entertainment and heavy on cuisine. Their holiday version of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth doesn’t come anywhere close to representing the wide variety of Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali and Three Kings Day traditions — a bit of a letdown considering the park’s multicultural flavor. In years past, the American Adventure pavilion used to showcase Holiday Storytellers, who explained the origin and customs of holidays like Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, but no updated event info is currently available on the Disney Parks blog or website.
Are there any special non-Christmas traditions you’ve enjoyed at your favorite theme park this holiday season? Anything you’d like to see added to their holiday repertoire? Share them in the comments below!
