Disney California Adventure Seasonal Events: What to Know Before You Go
Disney California Adventure Runs More Than One Calendar
Disney California Adventure is not the same park year-round. The seasonal event calendar fills almost every month with something, and several of the biggest events are after-hours parties that require a separate ticket on top of park admission. Knowing what is happening when you visit -- and whether it costs extra -- changes how you plan.
Oogie Boogie Bash (Late Summer Through Halloween)
What it is: A separately ticketed after-hours Halloween party held exclusively at Disney California Adventure on select nights.
2025 dates: August 17 through October 31, on 31 select nights (roughly Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays plus some additional dates in late October).
Hours: 6 PM to 11 PM. Party ticket holders can enter DCA as early as 3 PM at no additional charge -- this is one of the event's best-kept advantages. You get 2-3 hours in a less-crowded park before the party officially begins.
Ticket prices: $139-$199 per guest (ages 3+), varying by date. October dates near Halloween are at the high end. Tickets include unlimited PhotoPass downloads from the party.
What's included:
- Street entertainment and character experiences (Note: the Frightfully Fun Parade is not running in 2026 due to Coco attraction construction on the parade route; replaced by Madame Leota's Swinging Wake, A Haunted Mansion Street Party)
- Halloween street party with live DJs
- Treat trails throughout the park with candy collection (bring a bag or buy one there)
- Special character appearances in Halloween costumes -- rare villain characters like the Sanderson Sisters from Hocus Pocus, Lotso from Toy Story, and others appear specifically at this event
- Access to most park attractions with shorter wait times because attendance is capped
Crowd impact: Day guests are cleared from the park by 6 PM on Oogie Boogie nights. The party is capacity-limited, so waits for rides during the event are shorter than a normal evening -- often 15-25 minutes for rides that normally hit 60+.
Tickets sell out. Oogie Boogie Bash has sold out every year it has run. Dates in late October go first. If this event is a priority, buy tickets as soon as they go on sale (typically summer).
Costume rules: Guests 14 and up can wear costumes to Oogie Boogie Bash. Costumes must not obscure your face (masks are not allowed for adults). Kids under 14 have more flexibility. Elaborate bounding is encouraged.
Lunar New Year (January-February)
What it is: A free cultural festival included with regular park admission. No extra ticket required.
2026 dates: January 23 through February 22, celebrating the Year of the Horse.
What's included:
- Cultural artist demonstrations and exhibits in the San Fransokyo Square area
- Special Lunar New Year food marketplace with Asian-inspired dishes
- Character meets with Mulan, Raya, and other characters in Lunar New Year attire
- The Hurry Home short film projected near the waterfront
- Lunar New Year Wishing Wall where guests write messages on Mickey-shaped paper
Crowd impact: Lunar New Year adds visitors, particularly on the opening and closing weekends and on the actual Lunar New Year day. The event draws local communities specifically and can make weekend attendance noticeably heavier.
Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival (Spring)
What it is: Free with park admission. Marketplace booths throughout San Fransokyo Square and other areas serve small plates of food and drinks from California's culinary regions.
2026 dates: March 6 through April 27.
What's included:
- Dozens of marketplace booths with $5-12 per-plate food items
- Wine, beer, and specialty cocktails at each booth
- Cooking demonstrations and celebrity chef appearances (schedule varies)
- Live concert series on select nights at the Palisades Stage and Paradise Garden Bandstand
- Special festival merchandise
Why it is worth planning around: The Food & Wine Festival is the best way to eat well at DCA. The small-plate format lets you try a variety without committing to a full sit-down meal. The marketplace lines move faster than dining guide queues.
Festival of Holidays (November-January)
What it is: Free with park admission. A multi-cultural winter holiday celebration across Disney California Adventure.
2025 dates: November 14, 2025 through January 7, 2026.
What's included:
- Seasonal food marketplace with dishes from global holiday traditions -- Diwali-inspired sweets, Hanukkah foods, Kwanzaa-themed items, Christmas classics
- Mickey's Happy Holidays processional during the holiday run
- Viva Navidad street party celebrating Las Posadas in Paradise Gardens Park -- Three Caballeros characters perform
- World of Color nighttime water show (the holiday version varies by year, in 2025 Disney ran World of Color Happiness! instead of Season of Light; check the official schedule closer to your visit)
- Holiday overlays on select attractions
Disney Merriest Nites: This separately ticketed event runs on select nights at Disneyland Park (not DCA) during November and December. It is different from the Festival of Holidays, which is the DCA-side free event. Do not confuse the two when budgeting.
Summer (June-August)
DCA does not run a major named summer event the way some parks do a separate ticket event, but summer brings:
- Extended park hours (sometimes until 11 PM or midnight)
- Higher attendance -- summer is the park's busiest season
- Warm weather that makes Grizzly River Run worth the soak
- Oogie Boogie Bash starting in mid-August, which is technically summer
Planning Around Seasonal Events
- If there is a separately ticketed after-hours event (Oogie Boogie Bash), the daytime park fills faster because guests with party tickets arrive at 3 PM. Expect the afternoon to be crowded starting at 2:30 PM.
- Free festivals (Lunar New Year, Food & Wine, Festival of Holidays) increase attendance on weekends during their run but are manageable on weekdays.
- The quietest windows at DCA are typically mid-January (after the holidays), early September (after summer, before Oogie Boogie peaks), and the week after Thanksgiving before Christmas crowds build.
Thoosie