No compensation was received for this post. I was invited to a media event which facilitated the writing of this post.
The holiday season was a bit of a whirlwind for us and as quickly as Christmas came, we already feel the push to begin working on resolutions and goals for the new year. Even the day after Christmas, my Facebook feed was filled with photos and status updates of friends who had taken down their Christmas tree and were beginning their New Year’s clean-up. But for us, the holidays stick around just a bit longer. We’re slow to take down decorations and more importantly, we reflect on the true meaning of the season which is why I adore the sentiment and celebration behind Día de Reyes, also known as Three Kings Day.
An integral part of Latin cultures, particularly my own where in Puerto Rico it is the most important day of the Christmas season, Día de Reyes celebrates the day that the Magi (three wise men) arrived to bring gifts for the Christ child. In many Latin cultures, children don’t even receive Christmas gifts until Día de Reyes. Celebrations include parades, festivals, traditional food, and of course, gifts.
Today, we spent the day celebrating Día de Reyes at Disney California Adventure Park. Over the years, I’ve noticed an even greater awareness and sensitivity to cultures by Disney, realized in celebrations at both Walt Disney World and the Disneyland Resort. This past year, for the first time, Disney introduced ¡Viva Navidad! which was a joyful holiday celebration filled with Latin traditions including music, dancing, family activities, and food. If you haven’t had an opportunity to experience Disney ¡Viva Navidad! I highly encourage you to visit Disney California Adventure Park this weekend since this is your very last opportunity to celebrate the holiday season at the resort.
As part of Disney ¡Viva Navidad, the weekend-long Three Kings Day Celebration will include festive holiday activities for the whole family. Here is what you can expect this weekend leading up to Día de Reyes:
Family Activities:
Highlights of this year’s Día de Reyes celebration include photo opportunities with sculptures of the Three Kings bearing gifts, face painting, storytelling, and crafts such as paper crowns and coloring sheets inspired by the holiday.
Festive Food:
An integral part of an celebration are the foods we eat, often steeped in tradition. Disney ¡Viva Navidad! and the Three Kings Day Celebration are located in Paradise Garden and adjacent to Paradise Garden Grill and Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta. These dining venues will offer delightful Mexican dishes including pozole, chicken mole drumettes, pescado Veracruzano, champurrado, sweet tamales, torta al pastor, buñuelos, choco flan, and traditional Rosca de Reyes bread.
Vibrant Entertainment:
The highlight of Disney ¡Viva Navidad! has been the street party, which performs 6 times daily through January 6th. We absolutely love this street party which features the Three Caballeros on a colorful float, Mickey Minnie on brightly decorated street tricycles, flag-bearers carrying papel picado banners, Mexican folkorico dancers, samba dancers and drummers, and giant “Mojiganga” puppets including Santa and Mrs. Claus.
In addition to the street party, plan to spend some time in Paradise Garden since there will be special performances by traditional Mariachi, Norteño, and other regional music groups/folklorico troupes and you’ll likely catch Mickey, Minnie and Goofy in their fiesta costumes along with the Three Caballeros (Donald and Panchito from Mexico and José Carioca from Brazil). The area is warm and a lovely, relaxing place to spend some time with family and friends. Be sure to take in the decor, including traditional “papel picado” hand-cut art decorations and unique, limited-time merchandise inspired by Día de Reyes.
This is also the last weekend to enjoy all of the holiday activities at the resort including A Christmas Fantasy parade, “it’s a small world” Holiday, Haunted Mansion Holiday, Believe…In Holiday Magic with nightly snowfall on Main Street, USA, and World of Color – Winter Dreams. For more information, visit Disneyland.com/Holidays.
Images: Rockin’ Mama unless otherwise noted.
- Discover Luxury at Sonesta Irvine: Your Ideal Staycation - August 8, 2024
- CHOC Walk Returns to the Disneyland Resort – Special Events and Ways to Support - June 28, 2023
- Beastly Ball Returns to the Los Angeles Zoo - May 8, 2023
