November 10 through January 7 is the Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure, celebrating all of the holidays that fall around the end of the year. Aside from the music, character appearances, and the Viva Navidad dance party featuring the Three Caballeros, the Festive Foods Marketplace offers a wide range of limited-time treats.
We didn’t have any specific must-sees during our visit, so we grabbed a Tasting Passport, which lists all of the limited food items on offer, and proceeded to spend the day eating our way around the Festival of Holidays. Here’s what we thought of our picks:
A Twist on Tradition: Guava-Melon Lassi
2/5
Overall this was extremely sweet and too candy-like for our tastes. The cereal bits on top didn’t add anything to the drink.
Winter Sliderland: Beef Brisket Slider
3/5
It’s just an average beef brisket slider. Fine, but not worth seeking out during the event when there are other, better options.
Brews & Bites: Impossible Chorizo Queso Fundido
3/5
We’re not particularly big fans of nachos or queso. But if you are, you might want to give this one a shot. The Impossible chorizo was tasty.
Churros at Hollywood Land: Yule Log Churro
3/5
We know it’s sacrilegious but, we’ve never been all that impressed by any of the Disney park churros. The cream filling made it a bit more interesting than some others we’ve had.
Merry Mashups: Maple Hazelnut Hot Buttered Rum
4/5
Hot buttered rum is always a nice, seasonal drink and this is no exception. The flavored whipped cream was tasty but almost too buttery.
Favorite Things: Braised Pork Belly Adobo
4/5
Tasty overall, though it bordered on being too salty. The pork belly was obviously the delicious highlight, and the rice was nice too. Even so, it wasn’t as interesting as some of the other offerings.
A Twist on Tradition: Savory Kugel Mac & Cheese
4.5/5
Neither of us knew what kugel was before encountering this mac and cheese, but it certainly was yummy! There were three mac and cheeses available throughout the park, but of the two we tried, this one didn’t quite measure up to our top pick.
Winter Sliderland: Togarashi Karaage Chicken Slider
5/5
Between this and the beef brisket slider, there were a lot more interesting flavors going on here. The Japanese-inspired coleslaw really made it stand out beyond a typical fried chicken sandwich.
Paradise Garden Grill: Tacos Gobernador
5/5
We still don’t know how to really pronounce “gobernador” but we’d better learn how because we definitely want to order it again! It’s a bit of a messy dish, but well worth getting your hands dirty for.
Cappuccino Cart: Cafe de Olla Cold Brew
5/5
It might just be hard to go wrong with cafe de olla. If you’ve never had this type of coffee before, then you should really seek it out. Also known as Mexican coffee, cafe de olla is flavored with spices such as cinnamon and raw dark sugar (piloncillo). It was so good, we forgot to take a proper photo!
Holiday Duets: Esquites Carnitas Mac & Cheese
5/5
The best mac and cheese at the Festival of Holidays. We had this dish first, and we ended up comparing every savory food against it throughout the day. Nothing could dethrone it! Aside from the tasty carnitas, the puffy rice sprinkled on top added an element that really elevated the dish.
All in all, quite a successful day! Not everything was as good as the Esquites Carnitas Mac & Cheese or the Tacos Gobernador, but there were quite a few items we tried that we’d go for again. If you have a chance before January 7, 2024, the food at the Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure is worth the visit!
🌮 Marcus + Anne