2. Six Flags Magic Mountain and Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

Image: Six Flags Discovery Kingdom

Every Six Flags franchise location has their own way of celebrating the holidays, be it with a Holiday Express Train Ride or meet-and-greets with Holiday Queen Lumenessa Evergreen (yes, that is a real thing). When it comes to celebrating non-Christmas holidays, however, there’s little in the way of true diversity.

Dates: November 18, 2017 - December 31, 2017 (Magic Mountain); December 10, 2017 (Discovery Kingdom)

Hanukkah: You may not find a klezmer band lurking between thrill rides at Six Flags Magic Mountain, but you will find traditional piping-hot latkes at Loaded Dogs. The hot dog stand is located fairly close to the entrance of the park on your right-hand side. Six Flags Discovery Kingdom debuted a full-fledged Hanukkah celebration back in 2014 — complete with a menorah lighting, olive oil press demonstration and dreidel cookie decorating station, among other Hanukkah-exclusive activities — but it doesn’t appear to be on the docket for this year’s celebration (and equally as awful, there are no latkes to be found, either).

Las Posadas: For one day only, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom will host a Las Posadas celebration throughout the park. Las Posadas celebrates the Christmas story of Joseph and Mary searching for an inn, and guests will be able to visit each of the nine “inns” until they find a warm welcome at the fiesta. Mariachi music, traditional Latin American dances, gift bags and customary Las Posadas cuisine will be available during the day.

There’s still a lot of work to be done to make Six Flags’ annual Holiday in the Park schedule more inclusive, but the thought and care put into Discovery Kingdom’s Las Posadas celebration is a good benchmark to set for future holiday events. Unfortunately, guests still have a 353-mile drive to make if they want to experience both Hanukkah and Las Posadas at a Six Flags location this year (a trip that may not be advisable with the wildfire outbreak surging through Southern California right now).

3. Epcot

Image: Jeff Christiansen, Flickr (license)

If you’re going to celebrate the holidays anywhere in the Walt Disney World Resort, make it the World Showcase in Epcot. Lively music and good food is the name of the game here, and Epcot's colorful pavilions have plenty (well, a little) to share.

Dates: November 19, 2017 - December 30, 2017

Hanukkah: Although there are no latkes, brisket or rugelach to savor at any World Showcase destination this year, guests can still catch a live performance from Mostly Kosher at the American Adventure pavilion. Rumor has it that the Voices of Liberty also throw in a Hanukkah classic or two during their annual holiday performance in the American Adventure rotunda.

Las Posadas/El Día de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day): At Showcase Plaza, you’ll find an entire menu devoted to El Día de los Reyes Magos, with offerings that span shredded beef tamales, roasted pork and pickled green bananas, and Rosca de Reyes, as well as adult beverages like the Presidente Pilsner and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic versions of Coquito (Puerto Rican eggnog). You can also hop over to the Mexico pavilion, where Las Posadas Holiday Kitchen is serving up tostada de tinga, pork tamales, buñelos, margaritas (in pomegranate, horchata or frozen Kahlúa flavors) and Don Equis lager. While you chow down, you’ll also see dancers, piñatas and Mariachi Cobre celebrating Las Posadas, the lead-up to El Día de los Reyes Magos.

Image: Disney, Source

As in Disney California Adventure, Epcot is fairly light on diverse entertainment and heavy on cuisine. Their holiday version of IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth doesn’t come anywhere close to representing the wide variety of Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Diwali and Three Kings Day traditions — a bit of a letdown considering the park’s multicultural flavor. In years past, the American Adventure pavilion used to showcase Holiday Storytellers, who explained the origin and customs of holidays like Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, but no updated event info is currently available on the Disney Parks blog or website.

Are there any special non-Christmas traditions you’ve enjoyed at your favorite theme park this holiday season? Anything you’d like to see added to their holiday repertoire? Share them in the comments below!