Is it too early to send Santa my Christmas wish list for this year? How about a wish list for Christmas 2023, then?
No worries. This wish might take a little time to make happen, so I want to get it in early: How about some new holiday entertainment at Disneyland next year?
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The Disneyland Resort has announced its holiday plans for 2022. It’s a familiar lineup, with the return of the resort’s traditional holiday parade and fireworks at Disneyland, along with the Festival of Holidays over at Disney California Adventure. The holiday overlays for It’s a Small World, Haunted Mansion and Cars Land will be back, joined by the return of World of Color — Season of Light.
World of Color had not resumed performances at this time last year, so this season will be fans’ first chance to see Season of Light since before the pandemic lockdown. Disneyland did well not to make big changes when it started bringing back its holiday festivities last year, after being closed for the 2020 season. Fans wanted the reassurance of beloved traditions after a year without them.
But I feel that next year might be the right one for something fresh at Disneyland. The “A Christmas Fantasy” parade started in 1995 and hasn’t had major changes since 2008. The “Believe … In Holiday Magic” fireworks have been running since 2000. Small World’s holiday overlay debuted in 1997, with Haunted Mansion Holiday following in 2001.
People love them all, and so long as fans continue to crowd the parks during the holiday season, Disneyland has little incentive to change. Next year will bring a new Toontown plus the West Coast debut of the Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway dark ride, so fans will have new things to entertain them in Walt’s original park in 2023.
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But Universal Studios Hollywood next year is bringing out its biggest addition since The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, with its opening of Super Nintendo World. With its DisneylandForward proposal, Disney is trying to build the community goodwill it needs to expand to stay ahead of growing competition among Southern California attractions. Some fresh new entertainment during its most popular season could help Disney quell some of the growing dissatisfaction among Disneyland fans following its end of the old annual pass program and free Fastpasses.
Disneyland does not need new Christmas shows to bring fans to its parks. But a smart deployment of fresh holiday entertainment could help Disneyland to better manage the crowds that always fill the parks at this time of year, sending them home happier than ever. Maybe it’s time for Life Day shows in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, to help draw fans from the new Toontown next year? Or a new soundtrack for the Christmas parade, making it a must-see again for more visitors? A holiday drone show on nights without fireworks?
The best gift Disney can give its fans is to turn loose its creative talent to create something new and magical for them to enjoy. Here’s hoping for more of that in 2023.