There aren’t too many times of the year better to visit Disney California Adventure than right now!

We’re so excited for the return of Festival of Holidays this year! The festival runs from November 14th, 2025, through January 7th, 2026, and features plenty of limited-edition souvenirs, live entertainment, and some really tasty eats! We’ve gone around to all the booths and restaurants, trying this year’s offerings, and we’re letting you know about the CAN’T MISS snacks and sips that should be on YOUR radar during your next visit!

Best NEW Eats and Drinks at the Festival

Al Pastor Mac and Cheese from Holiday Duets

The Al Pastor Mac & Cheese with tortilla crumble and cilantro for $9 was instantly one of our favorite dishes at the festival. It had a lot of flavor with a bit of a kick, but it wasn’t SUPER spicy, and the spiciness was more flavor than heat. We were also impressed with the generous chunks of meat in this dish.

There were some great textures with this, too, with the creamy flavorful mac and cheese and the tortilla crumble. We didn’t really notice the cilantro, so if you’re worried about the cilantro, it really isn’t very present in this dish.

Read Our Full Review

Spicy Cajun Loaded Fries at Smokejumpers Grill

The Spicy Cajun Loaded Fries were added to Smokejumpers Grill for the festival. These are Cajun fries topped with hot links, cheddar cheese, corn, and bell peppers for $8.99. So when it says spicy, it means it. Between the hot links, hot sauce, and Cajun seasoning, you’re going to get a delicious bite of flavors with every fry.

It is, however, spicy, just like the name suggests, but if you don’t mind some heat, run over to Smokejumpers Grill to grab these.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cotton Candy at Outdoor Vending Locations

You’ll find the Mint Chocolate Chip Cotton Candy at various outdoor vending carts, and if you see it, you might want to pick it up. We’ll admit that we were a little skeptical at first, but once we tasted it, we were hooked. The first thing you taste is cotton candy with just a hint of mint. The chocolate flavor is also light, so it works with the sugar the cotton candy is made with.

This is a snack we’ll be getting again this holiday season.

Best RETURNING Eats and Drinks at the Festival

Holiday Mash Bowl at Merry Mashups

The Holiday Mash Bowl is made with Chicken, cheddar mashed potatoes, and turkey gravy with cranberry stuffing crunch for $9.25. Now, this was not our favorite thing last year, but this year, the flavors just worked together so well that we’re recommending it. It’s basically Thanksgiving in a bowl, and that’s a very good thing.

This bowl is full of wonderful flavors, including a nice herbiness that you expect with Thanksgiving dinner.

Read Our Full Review

Cookie Dough Yule Log at Grandma’s Recipes

Now, there are a lot of sweet treats you can get at the festival, but if you opt for just one, get the Cookie Dough Yule Log filled with chocolate chip cookie dough and white chocolate mousse covered with chocolate buttercream for $8.50. We really enjoyed this treat last year, and this year, it’s the same.

This treat is made for cookie dough fans with lots of fun flavors, smooth chocolate frosting, and moist cake. The little Mickey on top makes it photogenic, too.

Read our full review

Beef Brisket Slider at A Twist on Tradition

We also loved the returning Beef Brisket Slider with smoked onions and horseradish ketchup on a pretzel roll for $9.50. It might not look like much, but it is LOADED with incredible flavors. You also get a generous portion of brisket and the perfect amount of onions.

Also, it’s not too heavy on the horseradish ketchup. The bun was also great, although it may need to be a bit bigger to hold all that meat.

Read our full review

Cranberry Christmas Mule from A Twist on Tradition

This booth also had our favorite drink of the festival, the Cranberry Christmas Mule. This drink is made with Gin, elderflower and ginger liqueurs, cherry purée, and cranberry and lime juices, topped with a citrus hard seltzer and garnished with a lime wedge gummy candy for $18.50. This made our list last year, and it’s making our list this year, too. It’s so refreshing and sweet with a hint of tartness.

The cherry purée is a standout flavor, and the ginger and elderberry flavors are light. It kinda’ reminded us of a boozy Hawaiian punch.

Read our full review

Best Booth at the Festival

When it comes to the best and most consistently good booth at this year’s festival, look no further than A Twist on Tradition. This booth had it all…one of those giant turkey legs (if that’s your thing), that fantastic beef brisket slider, and our favorite festival drink, the Cranberry Christmas Mule.

We also really liked the Salted Caramel Brownie White Russian, which is basically a dessert in drinkable form.

Runner-Up — Holiday Duets

We still want to give tons of love to Holiday Duets! This booth was a close second, and really how can you go wrong with a booth dedicated to Mac and Cheese? The Savory Kugel Mac & Cheese is a returning favorite, but we can’t get over just how good the Al Pastor Mac & Cheese is.

Want to try both? You can order a combo of half portions of both!

Best of the Festival for Kids

Cookies & Cream Hazelnut Hot Cocoa at Brews & Bites

Kids are going to love the Cookies & Cream Hazelnut Hot Cocoa, which is Joffrey’s hot cocoa with cookies and cream flavors, melted chocolate, hazelnut purée, and Irish cream syrup, garnished with whipped cream for $7.

This is just a fun flavored hot chocolate with a hint of cookie and hazelnut flavors. The whipped cream melts quickly into the drink, too, giving it more creaminess and sweetness.

Read Our Full Review

Sticky Toffee Pudding Macaron at Favorite Things

Kids are also going to love the Sticky Toffee Pudding Macaron, which is a Mickey-shaped chocolate macaron filled with vanilla buttercream, date cake, and salted toffee sauce for $9. First, it’s shaped like Mickey, which is always a kid-pleaser.

Most of the flavor comes from the thick, sweet vanilla buttercream. The chocolate macaron is nice and flaky, while the salted toffee sauce adds a rich taste throughout.

Read our full review

And there you have it! Which items make your mouth water? Have you had the chance to snack on some of these eats at the festival? Share your reviews with us and continue to follow us here at the Disney Food Blog for all the latest Festival of Holidays coverage!

Everything You Can Eat and Drink at the Disney California Adventure Festival of Holidays

Which snacks and drinks are you most excited to try at this year’s festival? Let us know in the comments!