Disney Festival of Holidays 2025: Sip & Savor Pass Guide, Best Bites, and Surprising Changes

November 24, 2025
Festival of Holidays Sip and Savor Review at Disney California Adventure

The Disney Festival of Holidays has returned to Disney California Adventure Park, and with it comes one of the resort’s most beloved traditions: the Sip & Savor Pass. For 2025, Disney introduces one of the biggest format changes in years — a new six-coupon digital pass that replaces the old 4-tab and 8-tab punch system from Food & Wine. The shift to digital redemption makes this year’s festival feel smoother, faster, and far more efficient, especially as guests move between busy marketplaces. Even with structural tweaks, the Sip & Savor Pass continues to offer the best value for guests eager to graze their way through seasonal dishes, and the 2025 lineup delivers returning favorites, clever twists, and several surprises worth planning for.

The festival operates daily from 11:30 AM to 8:00 PM, even though the park stays open until 10 PM — a crucial detail for those pacing their tastings because the marketplaces shut down promptly at 8 PM. Sip & Savor coupons can be redeemed across the dedicated Festival Marketplaces and at a wide selection of participating quick-service locations. The upgraded digital system allows cast members to scan each coupon directly from the pass, eliminating tearing, fumbling, and delays. The result is a more seamless tasting experience and shorter lines.

Festival Marketplaces — Full Breakdown of Every Booth

Disney has curated a lineup of Marketplaces that each represent a unique angle on seasonal cooking, offering everything from nostalgic holiday flavors to bold reinventions. Rather than relying on quick highlights, here is a full look at what each booth specializes in, along with signature offerings that define their menus:

A Twist on Tradition brings an inventive spin to beloved holiday classics, leaning into upgraded comfort food with items like the Beef Brisket Slider and the Salted Caramel Brownie White Russian. The booth takes familiar dishes and adds unexpected layers while keeping them rooted in nostalgia.

Brews & Bites caters to the guest who enjoys flavorful bites paired with seasonal beverages. With hearty options such as Chorizo Queso Fundido and drinks like the Irish Hot Cocoa Cocktail, the booth is built for lingering and enjoying rich flavors.

Favorite Things celebrates indulgence and warmth through dishes like the Sticky Toffee Pudding Macaron and the Braised Pork Belly Adobo with Garlic Rice — one of the standout dishes of the entire festival thanks to its perfect balance of tenderness, seasoning, and richness.

Grandma’s Recipes transports guests into traditional home-cooked holiday flavors, honoring generational dishes such as the Barbacoa Tamal de Res and the wildly popular Café de Olla Cold Brew. It’s a marketplace built around comfort in its purest form.

Holiday Duets focuses on curated pairings that elevate classic seasonal flavors. The Savory Kugel Mac & Cheese remains a yearly favorite, and drink flights like the Holiday Hops Flight showcase clever beverage combinations for guests who want variety in a single stop.

Merry Mashups offers playful fusions with dishes that combine familiar holiday elements in surprising ways. The Holiday Mash Bowl continues to be one of the most satisfying bites — a nostalgic mix of mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, chicken, and crispy cranberry stuffing.

Beyond the Marketplaces, Sip & Savor items can also be redeemed at select quick-service dining locations across the park, including Aunt Cass Café, Clarabelle’s Hand Scooped Ice Cream, Churros at Hollywood Land, Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill, Cozy Cone 5, Paradise Garden Grill, Rita’s Turbine Blenders, Smokejumpers Grill, Terran Treats, and more, which helps spread crowds and makes the pass even more versatile.

A Surprising Change in What the Sip & Savor Pass Covers

One of the biggest talking points of the 2025 festival is the exclusion of two major new dishes — both heavily promoted, visually striking, and located inside the Festival footprint:

  • Holiday Turkey Leg with Cranberry Sauce
  • Al Pastor Torta

Both items are large, flavorful additions, and many guests expected them to be included. Their exclusion has created some confusion, so if they are on your must-eat list, plan to purchase them separately. This comes as the first time ever seeing a food item at a Disneyland food festival booth that is not eligible for the sip and savor pass.

Must-Try Dishes — The Absolute Best of the Festival (All Sip & Savor Eligible)

The 2025 lineup includes some of the strongest holiday dishes Disney California Adventure has offered in years. These items stand out not only for flavor, but for balance, creativity, texture, and presentation.

Braised Pork Belly Adobo with Garlic Rice — Favorite Things
This is one of the festival’s top bites, and exactly why regular guests treat the Festival of Holidays like a culinary event. The pork belly is meltingly tender, deeply seasoned, and rich without being heavy. The garlic rice adds aromatics and warmth, rounding out each bite with satisfying comfort.

Savory Kugel Mac & Cheese — Holiday Duets
A returning hit that continues to impress, this dish blends creamy noodles with herb breadcrumbs, sour cream, and chives for a layered, savory flavor profile. It’s indulgent without being overwhelming, and it remains one of the strongest vegetarian options of the year.

Guava Melon Lassi (Non-Alcoholic) — Paradise Garden Grill
This drink is bright, refreshing, and surprisingly complex. The yogurt base keeps it light, while the guava nectar and honey syrups add a sweet, fragrant depth. Topped with cinnamon whipped cream and honey cereal, it’s festive without feeling sugary.

Café de Olla Cold Brew (Non-Alcoholic) — Grandma’s Recipes
One of the most comforting drinks at the festival. This cold brew leans into traditional café de olla spices while incorporating condensed milk, piloncillo syrup, and chocolate dulce de leche sweet cream for a dessert-like finish.

Holiday Mash Bowl — Merry Mashups
Think of this as the perfected version of a holiday leftovers plate. The combination of chicken, cheddar mashed potatoes, turkey gravy, and cranberry stuffing crumble creates a warm, nostalgic bite that feels like the holidays in a cup.

Churro Highlights — Disneyland Never Misses

This year’s churro lineup is outstanding. Each one sampled delivered on flavor, texture, and creativity, continuing Disneyland’s reputation for festival-level churro innovation. The top picks include:

  • Strawberry Basil Churro (New) — a sweet-herbal balance that feels refreshing and bold.
  • Cannoli Churro — cannoli cream, chocolate chips, and puff pastry flakes make this one of the best churro hybrids yet.
  • Fresas con Crema Churro — strawberries and condensed milk draped over a warm churro, resulting in pure comfort.

Less Impressive Dishes

Nothing at the festival qualifies as bad, but these offerings didn’t hit the same highs as the standout items:

  • Salted Caramel Brownie White Russian — overly sweet and lacking balance.
  • Al Pastor Mac & Cheese — the concept sounds exciting, but the flavors never fully develop.
  • Winter Citrus New York Sour — bitter, bitter. bitter.

Final Word

The Disney Festival of Holidays 2025 remains one of the most enjoyable seasonal food and beverage events across the Disneyland Resort. The shift to digital Sip & Savor coupons makes sampling far more convenient, and the food lineup includes some of the strongest returning favorites alongside innovative new dishes. With creative churros, vibrant marketplace décor, festive entertainment, and a park-wide holiday atmosphere, the festival continues to be a highlight of the season.

Just be sure to plan your tastings around the 8 PM closing time and note which dishes require separate purchases. Otherwise, the 2025 festival is a flavorful, lively, and absolutely worthwhile holiday tradition at Disney California Adventure Park.

For more information visit Disney Festival of Holidays, Holidays at the Disneyland Resort & Disney Eats: Disney Festival of Holidays at Disneyland Foodie Guide 2025 for more information

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