Pixar Fest and Seasons of the Force: what to know about these Disneyland festivals

Disneyland regularly hosts special festivals at the park for Halloween and other holidays, but May 2024 marked one of the rare times of the year when visitors could experience two festivals at once.

Two of 2024's biggest festivals, Pixar Fest and Seasons of the Force, featured two beloved franchises — Pixar and Star Wars — through over-the-top food and meet-and-greets with characters never seen before in the parks. Unique entertainment options included a fireworks show that depending on where you view it is either Pixar- or Star Wars-themed with two separate soundtracks.

And that’s not all. One of Disney’s most iconic nighttime shows, “Fantasmic!,” returned in May 2024.

Plus, a ticket offer for Southern California residents made experiencing this somewhat affordable — at least by Disney standards.

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Pixar Fest was a festival during the summer of 2024 devoted to films made by the company’s computer-animation subsidiary, Pixar Animation Studios. NerdWallet got an inside look during a press event for the festival's kickoff.

As part of Pixar Fest, there was an abundance of Pixar-themed entertainment, including a dance party and a new daytime parade. Character meet-and-greets included Pixar characters such as Wade and Ember from “Elemental" for the first time at the Disneyland Resort.

Decorations throughout both theme parks included a 25-foot tall sculpture of the iconic Pixar Ball outside Disneyland’s main gate.

One of the big draws of Disney festivals is the food. Pixar Fest top items included Mr. Potato Head-inspired churros, which top the iconic snack with, yes, potato chips.

Marketplace stands at Disney California Adventure Park included even more limited-time food offerings based on some of Pixar’s newer films, including Hanger Management inspired by “Inside Out.”

Then, there were the fireworks. Tinker Bell is the usual star of Disney fireworks shows, but during Pixar Fest, Buzz takes the torch and flies across the sky between Matterhorn Bobsleds and Sleeping Beauty Castle. Later, Carl and Ellie’s house featured in “Up” floats above the castle.

Season of the Force continues

For fans who prefer Chewbacca over Sulley as their hairy creature of choice, there's the Star Wars-themed festival called Season of the Force. Season of the Force runs annually at Disneyland.

“The two festivals aren’t actually intended to interact with each other,” says Tracy Halas, creative director at Disney Live Entertainment. “It’s really just an opportunity to share everything and have something for everybody at the parks.”

And there are plenty of Star Wars fans, indeed. After all, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” still holds the title of highest-grossing film of all time in the domestic market, according to Box Office Mojo.

Among the festival's star attractions is a temporary retheming of the Space Mountain ride to Hyperspace Mountain, where the soundtrack now includes the films’ iconic theme song. There’s also Star Wars-themed food, including a bantha burger based on the furry, horned mammals that roam the fictional planet of Tatooine.

While those Disneyland special events spotlight two of Disney’s biggest franchises, that’s still not the only reason why May could be the best month for Disneyland fans.

Fantasmic! returns

“Fantasmic!”, a nighttime show at Disneyland involving costumed characters, stunts and pyrotechnics, went dark after a massive, fire-breathing dragon prop fell victim to its own flames during a live performance in April 2023. That performance was cut short, marking the last show for more than a year. That changed in May 2024, when the show returned.