Celebrate Dia de los Muertos During Your Disneyland Visit
This fall, from Sept. 6-Nov. 3, guests at the Disneyland Resort will offer a colorful seasonal celebration inspired by Día de los Muertos at both Disney California Adventure Park and Disneyland Park. These festivities and displays draw their inspiration from the tradition and spirit of Día de los Muertos, which celebrates loved ones who have passed while honoring familial bonds that last forever. This year, guests can enjoy celebratory elements, from a fun photo op with the whimsical, handcrafted Miguel from “A Musical Celebration of Coco” at Plaza de la Familia, to special new Día de los Muertos merchandise and food offerings.
Disney California Adventure
Plaza de la Familia is a limited-time festivity at the Paradise Gardens area of the park. It celebrates Disney and Pixar’s Academy Award®-winning film “Coco” and the everlasting bonds of family. Guests visiting Plaza de la Familia will enjoy an immersive celebration that includes live entertainment with storytelling, folklórico dancers and mariachi musicians, delicious Mexican cuisine and interactive experiences like creating colorful masks like the ones seen in the “Coco” film.
“A Musical Celebration of Coco”
A festive show by the entertaining Storytellers of Plaza de la Familia, this awesome seasonal offering celebrates the popular songs from the film “Coco,” including the Oscar®-winning Best Original Song “Remember Me.” As the lead storyteller, Mateo recounts Miguel’s fantastical journey into the Land of the Dead. Miguel appears as a whimsical, hand-animated dimensional figure, joining a musical gathering that brings together a lively troupe of singers and folklórico dancers dressed in beautiful costumes accompanied by the Grammy® Award-winning Mariachi Divas. “A Musical Celebration of Coco” is performed several times throughout the day!
NEW! Starting this year, guests will also have the opportunity to take photos and make new memories with Miguel, when he and his performer appear between shows at a beautiful artistic mural entitled, “Recuérdame” (“Remember Me”). Named after the iconic song from “Coco,” the evocative mural depicts the themes touched on by the Storytellers of Plaza de la Familia and celebrates Miguel’s beloved family in Santa Cecilia and the Land of the Dead.
Arbol de la Vida
Guests are invited to take commemorative photos in front of the iconic Mexican “Árbol de la Vida,” or Tree of Life. Guests can add a remembrance note on the Memory Wall in honor of loved ones who have been − and will forever be − part of your lives. The Tree of Life overflows with images, colors and symbols. From its branches sprout flowers, animals and multiple characters that may be inspired by different evocative themes.
Alebrije
Additionally, guests visiting Plaza de la Familia can design their own paper (spirit guide) mask of Pepita or Dante as part of a craft activity. “Alebrijes” are small figurines of fantastical creatures, which feature a whimsical mix of the physical elements of many different animals. In the film “Coco,” the spirit guides that are prevalent in the Land of the Dead are living representations of these magical animals, and they serve as loyal companions.
Mouthwatering Mexican Food
The Mexican menu at Paradise Garden Grill features delicious offerings such as the traditional tamale plate, pollo verde wet burrito, a scrumptious pan dulce Conchita and special “Coco” cake.
Dia de los Muertos in Cars Land
Guests who roll into Cars Land will find that Ramone, one of the citizens of Cars Land, also pays tribute to Día de los Muertos at Ramone’s House of Body Art. Ramone celebrates this time when families gather to remember their loved ones with a traditional “ofrenda” display honoring the gone, but not forgotten, Doc Hudson.
Disneyland Theme Park
Disneyland Park continues to offer its traditional Día de los Muertos display at Zócalo Park in Frontierland. To commemorate the occasion, this immersive setting features marigolds and papel picado, along with a traditional “ofrenda,” sugar skulls known as “cavaleras” and an iconic figure of La Catrina. Nearby Rancho del Zócalo Restaurante offers delicious Mexican cuisine for lunch and dinner.
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