Image courtesy of Disney Parks Blog
The 2018 Lunar New Year festivities are in full swing at Disney California Adventure, and there are still two full weeks to take part in the celebration! This family-friendly event is a great opportunity to take part in a vibrant traditions and explore new cultures. We’ve compiled some of the must-do family activities that you can take part in at the 2018 Year of the Dog Celebration at the Disneyland Resort!
Complimentary Face Painting
Little ones (or adults) can get their faces painted with some fun, commemorative icons for the Lunar New Year, from an Asian lantern to the 2018 animal of the year, the dog!
The Lunar New Year Festive Arts & Crafts at Paradise Gardens
There are plenty of activities in the Paradise Garden area for families to celebrate the Lunar New Year celebration and keep the kiddos occupied. Head to the Festive Crafts and Activities area, where families can decorate a coloring page featuring their favorite Disney pup Pluto or Mickey heads, and turn your masterpiece into a colorful Lunar New Year lantern!
Make a Wish at the New Years Wishes Wall
New year blessings are a valued tradition for the Lunar New Year. Bring the family over to Paradise Garden to write your own family blessing on a Mickey-shaped paper and hang it on the New Year wishes wall!
Watch Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession!
For a lively and vibrant celebration, don’t miss Mulan’s Lunar New Year Procession. Hosted by Mulan and Mushu, the procession celebrates friendship and family – two very important aspects of the Lunar New Year celebration, and this year the pair is joined by the God of Good Fortune, the other Disney pup, Goofy!
Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog
Character Photo Ops!
There are so many fun character photo ops for the Lunar New Year celebration. Not only can you take photos with Mulan, but Mickey and Minnie, Pluto, and Goofy all get dressed up for the Lunar New Year celebration!
Try the Cultural Foods
With specialty foods offered at Paradise Garden Grill as well as three kiosks representing China, Vietnam, and Korea, families are bound to find cultural, celebratory foods that represent the New Year. This year, I personally tried the Mango Pudding from Paradise Garden Grill – but note that this dish is more a Jell-O consistency rather than a mousse or anything of that nature.
Then I grabbed some pork soup dumplings and Three Cup Chicken from the China booth. The dumplings were nice and juicy and the Three Cup Chicken was spicy and served over rice. My food companion grabbed the Iced Passion Tea with popping pearls and opted for the festive lotus glow cube that you can add to your drinks for an additional cost. Last, we grabbed the sweet potato purple macaron from the Vietnam booth. There are also some really great options over at the Korea booth but we personally didn’t try them this year.
Catch a Traditional Live Performance
Families should also make sure to catch one of the cultural, traditional live performances that are happening throughout the celebration. In the Paradise Garden Bandstand, I checked out Luna Lee, a Korean musician who played the traditional gayageum, an ancient Korean string instrument. She even played her version of “Chim Chim Cheree” by the Sherman Brothers (from “Mary Poppins”). 
One of the exciting performance groups performing during the Lunar New Year hails from Shanghai, the Gugu Drum Group, is a high-energy troupe of drummers, storytellers and athletes who perform authentic movements and ancient percussive rhythms to bring timeless Chinese proverbs, fables and fairy tales to life.
Photo courtesy of Disney Parks Blog
There is plenty to do and see at the Lunar New Year celebration happening at Disney California Adventure, between now and February 18th. It is a wonderful time to teach children about different cultures and explore the Lunar New Year with a touch of Disney magic. The Babes in Disneyland team wishes you an exciting year of prosperity, lots of Disneyland memories, and good fortune! We hope you get the chance to enjoy the Year of the Dog at the Disneyland Resort this year!
