Disneyland Paris Christmas 2026: dates and programme confirmed

The 2026 Christmas season runs from 7 November to 6 January. Disney confirmed these dates very early, well before the detailed programme. Throughout the season, the park stays open every day, including 24, 25 and 31 December as well as 1 January. No closures are planned.

The calendar stays steady from one year to the next: the season starts on a Saturday in early November and ends on 6 January. For reference, the 2024 edition ran from 9 November to 6 January 2025, and the 2025 edition from 8 November to 6 January 2026. The same pattern applies for 2026.

The evening of 31 December is handled separately, with a later closing time and its own arrangements. I sum up the key points just below.

Good news: Disney has revealed the big new additions for this edition. So I can tell you a lot more than just the dates.

Here’s the confirmed programme for 2026, with this year’s new additions marked [New]. Exact show times will be announced later. I’ll add them to this page as soon as they’re out.

New or classic, when I’m there I find the Christmas atmosphere really comes through at the end of the day, when the tree lights up and the night-time parade goes by: that’s when the park truly switches into the season.

Beyond the recurring core, each edition adds its own new features, and these change from one year to the next. The items below are dated examples from recent seasons: they only come back if they appear in the 2026 programme shown above.

Here’s what was new in the 2025 edition. A Disney Princesses festive show brought together eight princesses from 15 November. A choir sang live during the tree lighting. The facades of Main Street U.S.A. were part of the night-time show Disney Tales of Magic. Belle welcomed visitors in her Christmas outfit in Fantasyland. Finally, Mrs. Claus made her first appearance, with a live appearance and a selfie spot (every 45 minutes). She’s back in 2026 alongside Minnie, at Le Théâtre du Château.

Some previous editions also had elements that haven’t been brought back since. In 2024, for example, you could see the Christmas version of the Disney Electrical Sky Parade (a drone show) and an exclusive show at the Disneyland Hotel, both missing from the 2025 line-up. It’s a good illustration that nothing is guaranteed from one year to the next.

Also worth knowing: since March 2026, the second park has been called Disney Adventure World. For the first time, the Christmas season extends there too, with the World of Frozen (see above). For the hotel exclusives and gift box, see the guide to Christmas hotel offers and exclusives.

Disney confirms the Christmas season dates well in advance: for 2026, they’re already known. The detailed programme, on the other hand (show times, list of new additions, meet and greet locations and times), is published later in the year.

In recent years, this announcement has come around late summer or early autumn. The 2025 programme, for example, was revealed in September. The 2026 one came out on 8 September.

Exact show times usually arrive later: I add them here as soon as they’re published.

Crowds vary a lot within the season. The quietest times are weekdays in late November and early January once French schools are back. As a rule, weekdays are calmer than weekends.

On the other hand, the French Christmas school holidays are very busy, and 31 December is one of the busiest days of the whole year. If you want to avoid the crowds, I’d recommend aiming for a weekday outside the French school holidays.

For the full crowd strategy and a day-by-day breakdown, see my crowds guide. To see how Christmas compares with the other seasons of the year, see my seasons calendar.

This page follows the programme of the current edition. To plan your trip in practical terms (why visit, who it suits, which ticket, weather and practical tips), the place to start is still my main Christmas guide. To choose where to stay during the season, see the hotels hub. And to compare with past seasons, have a look at the past editions.