The countdown is ON for a grand Disneyland Holiday tradition! Hand-Crafted Candy Canes are on their way back to Disneyland, and we’ve got all the info for you here… including dates!!
The Hand-made Candy Canes in Disneyland are the stuff of legend, and you can read all about the process of making the candy canes to what it’s like to participate in “the race” by our Disneyland correspondent, Heather Sievers, here!
Hand-Made Candy Canes in Disneyland!
For 2016, just like in years past, the making of the Candy Canes will alternate between Candy Palace on Main Street U.S.A. in Disneyland and Trolley Treats on Buena Vista Street in Disney California Adventure.
It’s truly a treat to grab one of these limited creations, so you may to want to study up on the process before you try to get your own!
Prepping to Cut
HOW To Get Your Candy Cane
Ok. So, technically speaking, guests are not supposed to line up prior to park open. However! I always advise trying to line up about 30-45 minutes ahead of park opening anyway. (And if you are eligible to enter the park on an Extra Magic Hour morning, all the better).
Once the park opens, wristbands will be distributed. Typically (based on previous years), 40 wristbands are distributed per batch with three batches per day, for a total of 120 wristbands.
Cutting to Perfection
One wristband is good for ONE Candy Cane, and there is a limit of ONE wristband per guest. Your next step is to head to the Candy Kitchen that is producing the Candy Canes for the day according to the batch time listed on your wristband. You may pick up your candy cane any time after your batch time, but prior to 4PM. In previous years, if you didn’t pick up your cane by 4PM, it would be sold to someone waiting on standby.
Forming the Cane
WHERE and WHEN To Get Your Candy Cane
Please note that these dates are subject to change. Additional dates may be added.
CANDY PALACE at Disneyland
Friday, November 25
Wednesday, November 30
Friday, December 2
Monday, December 5
Wednesday, December 7
Friday, December 9
Monday, December 12
Wednesday, December 14
Friday, December 16
Monday, December 19
Saturday, December 24
TROLLEY TREATS at Disney California Adventure
Saturday, November 26
Tuesday, November 29
Saturday, December 3
Tuesday, December 6
Thursday, December 8
Saturday, December 10
Tuesday, December 13
Thursday, December 15
Saturday, December 17
Tuesday, December 20
Sunday, December 25
The First Cane
For more information or if you want to confirm weekly dates before you go, check Disneyland’s Candy Kitchen Hotline at 714-781-0112.
Want to know more about the wonderful world of Disneyland candy canes? Read “The Wonderful World of Candy Canes” below!
Candy Cane Info
All there best Holiday Wishes to you and yours on your Candy Cane Adventure!
Are you planning to try to get a Hand-crafted Candy Cane this year? Please let us know with a comment!
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I’m hoping to get one this year. I’ve never been to Disneyland so it will be my first trip and first time trying for the candy canes.
Can you find these candy canes in Disney World?
Looks like they caught on to the lining up during Extra Magic Hour tip. They have the canes available at the park that does not have the EMH that day (unless I’m reading it wrong). Looks like it’s going to be a foot race this year.
Laura S — Unfortunately, no.
We were at Disneyland last December (the weekend of the Processional) and lined up for them the morning they had them at Disneyland (not DCA). They had to have given out more than 120 wristbands that day. I counted at one point while we were in line and there were significantly more than 120 people in front of us and that was after they had already been giving out wristbands for a bit. We were both able to get a wristband and they had plenty left to give out at that point.
So I don’t know if they’re making more batches a day (maybe using both kitchens while only distributing in one park) or are making more per batch but somehow they got more out that weekend.
Where do they issue the wristbands? At the gate or at the store?
Jen — In the past, they’ve been distributed at the store where they’re being made/sold on that day.
Does anyone know if these have food coloring in them, i.e. Red 40, Ect. Or how to find out before we visit. My kids are allergic.
I AM 7 AND HOPE TO GET A CANDY CANE NEXT WEEK.
This blog is full of BS …. I just received my candy cane …. Waited at the gates from 6:45 to gate opening …. I was among at least 1000 plus guests all formed in lines …. No discouragement of any kind for lining up early…. If you wait till 30 min to 45 you will be out of luck….SO GO GET IN LINE…. The gates opened early….I Speed walked as fast as I could while some ran …. YES … They give out wrist bands …. YES … It is one per person …. NO … You can’t join others in line …. NO it’s not limited to 40….THEY HAND OUT 100s not 40 at a time …. While It IS LIMITED it is NOT limited to 120…..A wrist band gives you to opportunity to BUY one candy cane …. you may buy it as soon as you get your wrist band ….. YOU MUST BUY BEFORE 2pm
Good luck and never believe what you read …. Wait for official information from Disney
Sam — Thanks so much for sharing your experience! We find that they change it up a little bit every year, so we try to give an indication of what to expect based on past years’ experiences. We’ll take your experience into account when we share the dates for next year! Thanks for reading. 🙂
Going to try this year to get a candy cane this year. Where do you get the wristbands once the park opens?
Lorena — At the candy shop where the candy canes are being sold for the day.
Do they give out wrist bands to early morning hours Hotel Guest?Do they have a wheelchair line? Will be traveling with 2 W.C. next week n staying at hotel. When I mentioned the candy canes n How AWESOMESAUCE they are, n worth every penny. The SHrill giggle I got was and will be worth the wait.
Not sure what that other commenter was talking about however I also just got my candy cane. I was in line at 9:30 at the gate and they opened a few minutes early around 9:50. I went straight to the candy store and was barely there in time to get a wrist band – they did not hand out hundreds. I didn’t count but by best estimate I would say 125-150 people got wrist bands. One per person no exceptions. I received my candy right then, did not have to wait for a return time as done in the past. I had my wrist band – candy – paid, and found my husband and daughter before they let the crowds into the different lands at 10:00am. First time I received a candy cane and super excited!
Are there any provisions made for those who are disabled and would be left in everybody’s dust regardless of how early of arrival.
So, Got to the park at 7, waited at the main gates until about 730 when they let everyone in. My suggestion is get in the right lines as the line for the candy store goes up the right side of Buena Vista St. They hand out more than 120 wrist bands, doesn’t hurt to wait. My wife was getting fast passes for world of color around 815 while I was on tower of terror and they were still giving out wrist bands.
Yes! I’m excited to hopefully get one with my kids.
Got the candy canes! Did it at each park and it was different at each.
Disneyland: Get to the gates as early as you can. Go to the left hand side – the candy store is on the left. Candy canes were ready to be picked up immediately and they hand you the wristband . If you want to pick them up later, they put the wristband on you. Pick up by 2 pm. No one was making canes where you could watch.
DCA: There were more candy canes available. Prepare to line up on the right hand side. I walked through at about 9:40 am on a 9 am opening day, saw there was a line and got in line not expecting there to be enough to get to me. There was, so I bought my second one to give to my niece. Not all of the candy canes were ready for immediate purchase. I had to come back after 11 am but before 2 pm. Maybe this was to thin the crowd in the store? Not sure. They were making candy canes in the little window shop, so you could watch the process.
The cast members would not answer the question of “How many are available?” It didn’t matter what day it was or which park, they would only say “Until the candy makers tell us we’re out.” Which you know wasn’t totally true because the wristbands are already allotted and marked. But on one of the days we asked, a cast member in DCA said “I will tell you that there were about 150 at Disneyland yesterday and over 400 the last time we did it here.” That was useful to know.
Tip: If you’re going into DCA for the canes, don’t use the special hotel guest entrance at the Grand Californian. By the time you make it in (and it can take a while sometimes), they have already opened the front gates at DCA and let people in up to the ropes at the end of Buena Vista Street which is past the candy shop. Plus the line forms toward the front gate, so you have to walk past the entire line to actually get in line. I saw people who already had their wristbands, ready and waiting for the ropes to drop.
Misc info:
– The canes were already bubble wrapped and ready to go. One of them was already wrapped in a Disney shopping bag.
– Numerous cast members will yell “Don’t run” if you zip past them to get to the line (at least they did in Disneyland. I wasn’t there early enough to see the gates open at DCA, but I assume they would also say don’t run.)
– $14.03 including tax, still no pass holder discount.
– A lot of people still don’t know what everyone is lining up for, but Disneyland/DCA has printed up information cards about them, so more people are finding out. We found the cards at the candy registers at all times of the day, not just during candy cane selling hours, and DCA had a table set up on the sidewalk with the cards, a pin board, and the newest pins available. The cast member was happy to tell you all about the candy canes.
Hope this helps and good luck!
I would really like to find out what the real numbers are because I wonder if it was increased lately.
We were there last week Saturday – and some things were better than years before – other things were not
Improvements
1) One and only one per person in line – a few years ago they were letting folks get 2 each and while this was nice for those who got – watching the disappointed faces for those who did not was pretty horrible.
2) immediate pickup – was nice to grab, pay, go and not have to worry about getting back before 2 or 4 or whatever.
3) felt like there was more made – but no cast member would confirm if they added more or not – supposedly there are 3 batches of ~45 but I agree with others that there were certainly a lot of bands available.
Things that were not so great
1) Line opening time – So we got there early (park opening time was 8am) at 645am to line up – figured we would be at the park entrance line for a bit – NOPE they had already let people into the front area and the line AND the passing out of bands started – had we not been fortunate enough to get our bands after getting there 1hr15min prior to be in the line I would have been sorely disappointed.
2) Lack of forthrightness – I asked there – has there been a change? are more available? Honestly I would be happy if more were available since so many want them – but all they would say is the only change they would confirm is they made them early so folks could grab and go.
I think it is better that the Candy Cane days are opposite extra magic hour – those EMH days REALLY killed those of us not staying at the hotel. Giving everyone the same chances for something so limited seems more fair.
I would love to know what they taste like. Do they taste different than the other old fashioned type of candy canes you can buy elsewhere? Do they have a different texture? I really want one, my pass will be blocked out soon. I’m wondering if it’s worth the effort to drive up there on a Tuesday morning.
Decided to try my luck on Friday, Dec. 16. I snoozed my alarm and got to the park way later then I wanted to arrive. But since it was a rainy Friday morning the park was not crowded at all. The park opened at 8am and I made it to the candy store by 10am. They were still handing out wristbands for candy canes. I recieved mine but had to wait until 11:30am to pick up my candy cane. If there are any more rainy days in the near future, I would reccomend trying to get a candy cane that day.
The candy cane gods were looking out for me today! The only thing I knew about them was from Guy Fieri’s old holiday special. I went into the Candy Palace just to see if they had any… asked a cashier and they pulled 2 out, had my husband with me. No wristband! My guess is they were the leftovers from those not picked up. Wasn’t prepared for the $14 each but still purchased them.
Really hope to get one of these in the future but seriously had no idea how much of a process (or how popular!) it is. Can anyone tell me how delicious they are? Is it really worth it? I love me some candy canes so just want to make sure as no one has mentioned anything about how they taste. thanks!
Anna and Melissa — They’re pretty much a classic, peppermint, candy cane flavor. 🙂
Sherri and Maureen — I’m so sorry for the delay in responding. I would say check with Guest Services. They may be able to assist.
We got one of these a few years ago. Call me crazy but I do not like candy canes..but I liked this one!
Charlie — I totally get it! Not all candy canes are created equally. 😉