By the D23 Team
The Lunar New Year holiday officially begins in mid-February—but all kinds of incredible festivities are already underway at Disneyland Resort, now through February 22! Traditionally celebrated within Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese cultures, Lunar New Year honors the celestial journey of the sun and the moon as they cycle into another year.
This limited-time event at Disney California Adventure Park—ringing in the Year of the Horse—offers specialty food and beverages inspired by Asian cuisine; memorable entertainment; and so much more. One big piece of news: For the first time, Red Panda Mei from Pixar Animation Studios’ Turning Red will greet guests in her full red panda form at the Pixar Pier Band Shell!
To get you into the Lunar New Year spirit, D23 spoke with several resort cast members tasked with helping create this thrilling event. Read on to see what to expect...
One of the most popular aspects of the Lunar New Year festivities at Disneyland Resort each year is the limited-time merchandise! “A new design we’re highlighting for Lunar New Year merchandise are our ears,” explains Emilio Martinez, senior manager, merchandise strategy. “The ears themselves have the bow element to them, which you can actually remove—so it offers a great inclusivity to our guests. Plus, we have some fantastic offerings themed to the Year of the Horse—including our sports jersey that features Horace Horsecollar on the back; a Horace teacup; and a Loungefly crossbody bag that features a Horace coin purse that attaches right to the bag.”
Martinez adds, “This is the first time we’re featuring Horace pretty robustly—we know that he’s a big part of our Mickey Mouse animated shorts of the past, so we dug into our portfolio of Disney characters and Horace became a key element to highlight for Year of the Horse.”
Additional merch items feature lantern details that represent each of the three cultures that celebrate Lunar New Year. The collection is available for purchase at Festival Gifts and Elias & Co. at Disney California Adventure Park and Acorns Gifts & Goods at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, while supplies last.
Meanwhile, guests can discover an amazing array of Asian-inspired food offerings at six Lunar New Year marketplaces and select dining locations at Disney California Adventure Park. “We’ve got a couple of food items that are brand-new,” says Juan Aldava, Disneyland Resort spokesperson. “We're constantly looking for new ideas to bring authentic flavors of Korea, China, and Vietnam to life.”
He continues, “The cool thing about whether or not you're coming back for an old favorite—like I am for the Mickey-Shaped Hot Dog Bun—or you're looking for that new viral thing, like the Spicy Pork Belly Grilled Cheese, you can enjoy a variety of flavors*.”
Purchasing a Sip and Savor Pass is a convenient way to sample multiple menu items. The pass includes six digital coupons that can be redeemed for select food or nonalcoholic beverages from participating marketplaces and select dining locations in Disney California Adventure Park during this year’s festival. And that’s not all: Guests may receive one of three collectible Sip and Savor Pass designs by artist Ann Shen that pay homage to Chinese, Korean, or Vietnamese cultures. “With this pass, you can go around Disney California Adventure finding old favorites and try new ones.”
Aldava adds, “What I find most special about the food, and the tradition of Lunar New Year, is you can have something like the Year of the Horse Bread—which is new this year, and people are already talking about on social media!—or the Hot Dog Bun, that you can share. So maybe you've got a spot waiting for you at World of Color Happiness!, which is one of our new shows for Disneyland’s 70th, and you can enjoy your food; enjoy the entertainment—and that’s truly what Lunar New Year is all about. Reuniting with loved ones and sharing new and classic flavors. There’s truly something for everyone.”
For more on all the incredible food available during Lunar New Year—including where you can find each item—check out Disney Parks Blog’s comprehensive Foodie Guide.
During the Lunar New Year festivities, several beloved Disney characters will debut all-new outfits showcasing cultural representation. “We’re debuting seven new character looks this year, in addition to Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, who debuted their outfits last Lunar New Year,” says Grace Kang, associate costume designer for Disney Live Entertainment. “The star of our show this year is Horace Horsecollar, of course, celebrating Year of the Horse—he is in Chinese attire, along with Donald Duck and Daisy, and Chip ‘n’ Dale. We have Mickey and Minnie who are representing Korean culture in their hanbok, and then Goofy and Clarabelle Cow are representing a Vietnamese culture in their áo dài.”
She continues, “There are a ton of details in all of these outfits—so I urge everyone who comes to visit, when you meet them or you see them walk by, just take a moment to soak it all in; there's a lot of heart and love woven into everything. I think some of my personal favorite details, that I’m really proud of, are some amazing jade jewelry for Clarabelle and Horace—it’s so fun to be able to do something special like that.”
You’ll be able to find many of the above characters at Paradise Gardens Gazebo for photo ops and greetings, as well as in San Francisco Historic District. Other entertainment offerings during the Lunar New Year celebration—besides Red Panda Mei’s debut—include Horace leading Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession, honoring family, friendship and the potential for a fortune-filled year; you’ll be able to see Chip ‘n’ Dale in the processional too, so keep your eyes peeled. And don’t miss the Hurry Home – A Lunar New Year Celebration nighttime water short once again appearing on Paradise Bay shortly before World of Color Happiness!
For more on all things Lunar New Year happening now through Feb. 22 at Disney California Adventure Park, click here.
*An event Sip and Savor Pass will expire on the stated date and will not be valid at any other event or at any other time. Passes are nonrefundable, subject to restrictions, and not valid for Theme Park admission. Other restrictions apply. Both valid theme park admission and park reservation required for park entry.