What’s happening in Disneyland January 2023?

The holidays are wrapping up and the kids are heading back to school. Going to Disneyland may not be on the top of your new year’s to-do list, but there are a lot of reasons to go to Disneyland in January 2023!

January in Southern California is great weather for a trip to the park, and with lower crowds you could have the best time yet! So what can you expect in January 2023 at Disneyland:

Events

The biggest event of 2023 at Disneyland is going to be their 100 year celebration!

Disney100 celebration is the anniversary of the Disney company. Coming off the high of Disney Worlds 50th anniversary, Disneyland is ready for their own year long celebration. Starting Jan. 27th, Mickey and Minnie will be decorated in platinum fare and ready to celebrate.

Disney100 couldn’t be complete with its own nighttime spectacular- Wondrous Journeys! Be prepared  to see some new and old Disney Animations favorites in this 13 minute long performance over Sleeping Beauty’s castle.

 

Along with Disney100, there will be a new water shower called World of Color – One. This will replace the current world of color projection in Disney California Adventure. Please note you still need to get mobile queue reservations for viewing spots of World of Color. 

Be on the lookout for new merch and snack offerings all year long for this celebration! We cant wait! 

Sweetheart Nites returns for its second year after a smashing success last year. Couples and other special ticket holders can begin entering the park at 6pm and mingle with regular park guests until 9pm. At 9pm the show really begins and goes until 1am.
You can expect to see rare Disney couples, specialty merchandise, event themed food offerings, unique photo opportunities, and finish the romantic evening off with a sweetheart themed firework display! The first nite takes place Jan 31. Get your tickets here.

I have a post outlining all the pros and cons of Disneyland special event tickets. Is the price tag worth it for your family? Read more here and decide for yourself!

Lunar New year- Jan 20- Feb 15
This is Disneyland’s tribute to Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean cultures as they celebrate their diversity and ring in the new year. You can expect limited release merchandise, a sip and savor pass for unique food offerings, and special entertainment through the 3 week long celebration.

Refurbishments:

January is a great time to visit the parks with the cooler weather and lower crowds, but that also means a lot of refurbishments take place during this time. 

Here is the list of refurbishments taking place in January-

• Tarzan’s Tree house- this has been shut down since 2021 and it is not set to open until spring 2023. Rumors have swirled around what this will be, the main concepts are: Encanto, Swiss Family Robinson, and a S.E.A themed. Disney has confirmed the name this attraction will be Adventureland Treehouse Inspired by Walt Disney’s Swiss Family Robinson. We are super excited to see our little guy run around this attraction!

• Small world: Jan 9-20 –This is an annual refurbishment to take down the Christmas decorations and routine maintenance.
• Indiana Jones: Jan 9 – spring – This is a long overdue overhaul. Indiana Jones has been around since 1995 and experiences mechanical failures routinely. Disney has not announced if any changes will be made to the ride.
• Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln: Jan 9-26
• Grizzly River Run: Jan 9th – TBA
  
• Radiator Spring Racers- Jan 17-24th – This popular attraction closes on a long holiday weekend so expect other rides in DCA to have longer wait times with this one out of the mix.
• Mickeys PhilharMagic: Jan 24-Feb 4
  
• Haunted Mansion Holiday: Jan 30 -Feb 10. – Another annual refurb to take down Christmas decorations.
• Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind: Jan30 -Feb 10.
  
• Toon Town- close- Mar 8
• Splash Mountain- closing Jan 23- late 2024 – This refurbishment has some controversial emotions tied to it. The briar patch is nostalgic to long time Disney fans, but has some undertones not everyone appreciates. Either way we can’t wait to see what the Disney Imagineers dream up for Tiana’s Bayou Adventure.

  

New attractions 

For the Disney World lovers, this is a long awaited ride for Disneyland…

Mickey and Minnie’s runaway railway!

ToonTown in Disneyland has been closed for refurbishments since 2022 and the new attraction is set to open Jan. 27th. The all ages ride is similar technology to Rise of the Resistance as you follow Mickey and Minnie’s adventure on a runaway train! We rode this in Disney World Hollywood Studios and I have been giddy ever since I learned it was coming to Disneyland. 

 

That’s all the news happening at Disneyland January 2023! Be sure to follow along so you can stay up to date on the latest news from Disneyland!