If you’re looking for a few more reasons to celebrate the New Year, settle in for a Disney Lunar New Year celebration at home or head to the parks! Disneyland Lunar New Year runs from January 23- February 22, 2026. February 17, 2026 marks the Lunar New Year and officially starts the Chinese Year of the Horse! Give yourself a reason to renew all those goals, indulge in a little Chinese Astrology, and add some new foods to our Disney Recipes lineup! Here we’re sharing things to do at home and at Disneyland Park for the Lunar New Year celebration.
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Lunar New Year at Disneyland
If you’re heading to Disneyland for the Disney Chinese Lunar New Year events then you’re in for a treat! With special events, foods and merchandise, it’s a great way to re-commit to your New Year goals of fortune and prosperity. We like to celebrate this holiday with red and gold decor and almond cookies. But also with family, and friends and a bit of fun. Here is what’s happening at Disneyland for Lunar New Year.
Lunar New Year at Disneyland Dates
Disneyland celebrates Lunar New Year from January 23- February 22, 2026 in the parks. While the official Chinese New Year is February 17, 2026. You can honor the holiday both before and after in the parks and at home.
Lunar New Year at Disneyland Events
Chinese New Year at Disneyland offers so much to do, you simply can’t do anywhere else! With festivities located in Disney California Adventure Park, you can experience loads of things that honor Asian cultures. From special appearances by Disney characters to a parade and a show, here are the events happening at Disneyland for Chinese Lunar Year.
Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession
Disney Lunar New Year includes the fun and feisty parade featuring Mushu, Mulan and beautiful dancers, puppets and warriors to ring in the season. This event takes place along the parade route in Disney’s California Adventure. Here are the Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession showtimes.
- Parade Times: 12:45 PM, 2:30 PM, 5:00 PM, 6:45 PM
Meet Mickey and Minnie in their Chinese Outfits
Once a year, you get the chance to meet Mickey and Minnie at Disneyland in their Chinese Lunar New Year outfits! Dressed to the nines in red and gold, good fortune awaits!
Hurry Home A New Year Celebration Pre-Show
This Disney Lunar New Year Nighttime Show takes place in California Adventure, on the World of Color lake. Shown nightly, this water show features a story that follows a Little Lantern on it’s journey home to celebrate. Featuring a beautiful composition by composer Tae Dun, this is a great way to end an evening in the park! Shown nightly this show is 6 minutes long.
- Showtime: 9:00 PM
New Year Wishes Wall
Stroll beneath strings of ornamental lanterns, make a wish and dare to dream big during the new year. Stop by the Lunar New Year Wishes Wall located in Paradise Gardens—it’s where Lunar New Year magic begins! Guests of all ages are welcome to add their own special message of hope, health and happiness for the upcoming year.
Meet Meilin and Ming Lee from Turning Red
Head to the San Fransokyo section of California Adventure to meet this pair from Pixar’s Turning Red. With Meilin showing her Red Panda side this will be a great photo op.
Meet Raya from Raya and the Last Dragon
You can honor the Year of Dragon, and Asian culture, with a little meet up with Raya. Located at the Redwood Creek Challenge Trail, you can immerse yourself in gorgeous scenery and catch up with everyone’s favorite adventure seeker.
Disneyland Lunar New Year Food
The Lunar New Year Festival Marketplaces are open at Disney’s California Adventure. Booths are open 10:30 AM- 9:00 PM. You can grab a Sip and Savor Pass, if you’re looking for an easy way to pay for your festival dishes. There are also several restaurants at at the Disney Resorts, and Downtown Disney. Check out all the Disneyland Lunar Food and Menus
Disney Lunar New Year Merchandise
Whether you’re looking for the classic Mickey and Minnie Plush in their Chinese Lunar New Year Outfits, or just another Disney Lunar New Year Pin, you can grab all the Disney Lunar New Year Merch on the Shop Disney Lunar New Year Collection page.
Things to Do for Lunar New Year
Lunar New Year in China actually covers 7 days. And the holiday is an opportunity to be with loved ones and wish each other well for the coming year. So there are activities, games, gift exchanges, food, and more that promote abundance in all forms. Well, wishes for prosperity, longevity, good health, and progress is all on the docket for New Year.
Lunar New Year at Disneyland Park
Since we can’t make it to Disneyland for Lunar New Year, we’re simply indulging in and whipping up some magic of our own. If you’re headed to the park, be sure to read up on everything that is coming to Disneyland for the Lunar New Year Celebration.
Grab Disney Lunar New Year Decorations
Each year shopDisney.com honors the Lunar New Year with a slew of new Disney products. Be sure to check out the Shop Disney Lunar New Year Collection for fun things to wear and to decorate your home!
Put Up Decorations
Anything Red and Gold will work! Both colors indicate riches and good luck. Paper lanterns, red animals, gold garlands, anything!
Have Dinner with your Family
The Lunar New Year “Family Reunion Dinner” is extra special and considered to be the most important meal of the year. So even if you have dinner with your family every night/ week/ month, make this one special. Choose traditional foods that are considered to be LUCKY. Here are some things to make for your Disney Chinese Lunar New Year at home.
- Fish: Increase prosperity
- Chinese Dumplings: Wealth
- Spring Rolls: Wealth
- Rice Cake: Higher Income or Position
- Sweet Rice Balls: Family Togetherness
- Longevity Noodles: Happiness & Longevity
- Good Fortune Fruit: Fullness & Wealth
Read more about the intricacies of eating Lucky Foods for the Chinese New Year.
Set off Firecrackers, Fireworks, Sparklers, and Lanterns
Such a tradition in Chinese culture, setting off fireworks is a national pastime, and starts the minute Chinese New Year arrives. If you’re looking for a little fireworks magic of your own you may be able to find festivities here in the US that celebrates with a fireworks display as well. We also love handheld sparklers to light up in the backyard for some nighttime magic. If you’re looking for a great way to ring in the New Year with some intentions then use paper lanterns that you can light and let go. This is a wonderful activity and is beautiful to watch
Give Red Envelopes filled with Money
Giving money is a surefire way to share your good fortune and receive it back tenfold! And of course, it’s the thought that counts and not the amount. So grab some red envelopes and share them at your family dinner, so that prosperity and good fortune can spread throughout the year!
Tea Time with Almond Cookies
One of our favorite ways to celebrate pretty much anything ( since you guys know we adore tea time) is to have a little tea. And no tea would be complete without a little snack. To honor the Chinese Lunar New Year we made Chinese Almond Cookies, which are super easy to whip up with a little almond flour and light enough to have any ‘ol time.
Disney Lunar New Year Animal 2026
Each year, which you can see on the chart below, corresponds to an important animal in Chinese culture. And every zodiac animal is affected by the overarching animal year. In this case, 2026 is the Year of the Horse.
The Chinese Zodiac with Disney Characters
| Animal | Chinese Name | Disney Character | Year of Your Birth |
| Rat | Remy | 鼠 (shǔ) | 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032 |
| Ox | Babe the Blue Ox | 牛 (niú) | 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033 |
| Tiger | Tigger | 虎 (hǔ) | 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034 |
| Rabbit | Thumper | 兔 (tù) | 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023, 2035 |
| Dragon | Mushu | 龙 (lóng) | 1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024, 2036 |
| Snake | Kaa | 蛇 (shé) | 1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025, 2037 |
| Horse | Maximus | 马 (mǎ) | 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026, 2038 |
| Sheep | Jolly Holiday Lambs | 羊 (yáng) | 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027, 2039 |
| Monkey | Abu | 猴 (hóu) | 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028, 2040 |
| Rooster | Alan-A-Dale | 鸡 (jī) | 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029, 2041 |
| Dog | Pluto | 狗 (gǒu) | 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030, 2042 |
| Pig | Hamm | 猪 (zhū) | 1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031, 2043 |
Shanghai Disneyland Garden of Twelve Friends
As part of the Garden of Twelve Friends at Shanghai Disneyland you’ll find these characters associated with their Chinese counterparts. Check out your Birth Year to see which Chinese Zodiac you match and which Disney Character shares your personality.
Animal Characteristics in Chinese Astrology
Fans of astrology know the most fun part is learning more about yourself. Check out your Chinese Animal and your corresponding birth year above. And then find what your animal’s dominating personality traits are below.
- Rat: quick-witted, smart, charming, and persuasive
- Ox: patient, kind, stubborn, and conservative
- Tiger: authoritative, emotional, courageous, and intense
- Rabbit: popular, compassionate, and sincere
- Dragon: energetic, fearless, warm-hearted, and charismatic
- Snake: charming, gregarious, introverted, generous, and smart
- Horse: energetic, independent, impatient, and enjoy traveling
- Sheep: mild-mannered, shy, kind, and peace-loving
- Monkey: fun, energetic, and active
- Rooster: independent, practical, hard-working, and observant
- Dog: patient, diligent, generous, faithful, and kind
- Pig: loving, tolerant, honest, and appreciative of luxury
Hopefully, you’ve found lots of fun to help inspire your year in this post! Maybe you’re hoping to attend a Disney Lunar New Year Celebration of your very own! We enjoy this holiday every year, so will be sure to update this post as we find more amazing things to bake, cook and learn!
Rochelle Mariah is a writer, designer and photographer. Determined to make Planning a DIY Disney Vacation easier she makes lots of lists and drinks lots of coffee. When not designing apparel at Polka Dot Pixie Shop, she’s watching old movies and planning the holidays. She has been traveling to Disney destinations since 2010.
Is the Disney Chinese Zodiac available to print anywhere? It would be cute to add as a decoration.
Author
Hey Jennifer, if you right-click on the zodiac image in the post, it will open a pdf, that you can print on an 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper, or send to a local print shop like office max or staples, for them to print at your desired size. Hope that helps.