Christmas at California Theme Parks 2011

Dreaming of a white Christmas? Then get the heck out of Southern California! But if you want some holiday hoopla along with some theme park fun, you've come to the right place. (Actually, quite a few parks offer actual snow to simulate a white Christmas.) Holiday events at California parks are arranged alphabetically:

Disneyland Resort
Christmas at Disneyland

• Anaheim, CA
• 2011 dates: November 14, 2011 to January 8, 2012
• More info: Disneyland Christmas and holidays overview

Gilroy Gardens
Holiday Lights: Symphony of Lasers

• Gilroy (near San Francisco), CA
• 2011 dates: Dec. 2-4, 9-11, 16-23, 26-30.
• Separate ticketed event.

The park will adorn many of its distinctive trees and gardens with twinkling lights. Other features include a nightly laser and fireworks display, holiday-themed rides, crafts-making, a holiday buffet (for an extra fee), the show, "A Charlie Brown Christmas," and (of course) a tete-a-tete with Santa in his workshop.

Official Gilroy Gardens Holiday Lights info

Knott's Berry Farm
Knott's Merry Farm

• Buena Park (next to Anaheim), CA
• 2011 dates: Daily, Thanksgiving Day (Nov. 24) to Christmas Eve (closed on Christmas day)
• Included with admission. On weekdays, Knott's offers a special reduced rate for admission only to its Christmas Crafts Village.
• Knott's Merry Farm Photo Gallery

Knott's doesn't go nearly as crazy transforming its park into Knott's Merry Farm for the holidays as it does with its Knott's Scary Farm Halloween Haunt makeover, but it does offer plenty of fun, including A Peanuts’ Holiday Parade, an enormous Christmas tree, a Christmas Crafts Village with artisans plying their trades, "It’s Christmas, Snoopy!" ice show, Snoopy’s Christmas Light Spectacular, Elf Mountain (a transformed Timber Mountain Log Ride) and the stage shows, "Winter Wonderland," "A Christmas Carol," and "A Gift of the Magi."

Knott's Berry Farm official site

Legoland
Holiday Snow Days

• Carlsbad (near San Diego), CA
• 2011 dates: Nov. 19 to January 2 (2012) (closed Nov. 29, 30, Dec. 6, 7, 13, 14)
• Included with admission

The park will be offering "real" snow this season and will invite visitors to build snowmen and aim at snowball targets. Starting December 1, Legoland will light its unique Christmas tree made entirely of Lego bricks. It also offers audiences with the "real" St. Nick, lots of holiday decorations, entertainment, the musical, "Let it Snow," and nightly fireworks shows (December 26 to 31).

Legoland California event info official site

SeaWorld San Diego
SeaWorld Christmas Celebration

• San Diego), CA
• 2011 dates: Weekends Nov. 19 to Dec. 11. Daily Dec. 17 to Jan. 1 (2012)
• Included with admission

New this year, SeaWorld will present SnowWorld, yet another California theme park romp-in-the-snow experience. Shamu will be featured in his (her?) own holiday-themed nightly show. The sea lions will join in the holiday fun as well with Clyde and Seamore's Night Before Christmas, and land animals (shelter-adopted pets) get their own holiday show this year with Christmas Tails (cute name!). The Polar Express 4-D Experience will be shown, Plus Santa is on the guest list, and the park, including its landmark Skytower, will get decked out with holiday lights.

SeaWorld Christmas Celebration official site

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Holiday in the Park

• Vallejo (near San Francisco), CA
• 2011 dates: Nov. 25-27, Dec. 3, 4, 10, 11, 17-23, 26-31, Jan. 1 (2012)
• $49.99 at the gate. $31.99 for child under 48". $36.99 for adults if purchased online in advance. Admission is included for both 2011 and 2012 season pass holders. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom is offering 2012 season passes for $59.99 ($49.99 for 4 or more), which includes admission to this year's Holiday in the Park and unlimited visits to all Six Flags parks for 2012.
• Save money and time. Buy discounted advance tickets online, direct from Six Flags.

Read more about Holiday in the Park

Universal Studios Hollywood
Grinchmas

• Universal City, CA
• 2011 dates: To be determined
• Included with admission to park
• Get Universal Studios Hollywood tickets in advance of your visit, and check for online discounts.

Details hadn't been confirmed at the time this was published, but it's likely that the event will be similar to last year's Grinchmas, which included this description: The Grinch along with Cindy-Lou Who, Max the Dog, and other denizens of Whoville will be on the backlot original set of the Grinch movie. The cast will present a Whoville Whobilation, complete with actual snow.

Also, the park presents a nightly tree-lighting ceremony and celebrity readings of the Dr. Seuss classic, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."