This year Disney California Adventure is featuring a brand new holiday festival called  Viva Navidad.  It showcases Latino holiday traditions with music, food, and fun!

The colorful celebration has taken over the Paradise Garden area of Disney California Adventure and has some really fabulous food offerings now through January 6, 2014.

I recently visited the new snack cart, which is located just to the left of Goofy’s Sky School.

Here you can find a handful of authentic Mexican treats that make for a perfect snack while watching the Viva Navidad Street Party.  The menu features three traditional snacks as well as Abuelita Hot Chocolate, assorted Coca Cola Beverages and some specialty cotton candy.

My absolute favorite item were the Bunuelos with Cajeta. I was lucky enough to try these delicious little crisps the night before hitting the snack cart at a media event for Viva Navidad. I can’t even tell you happy I was to know that that they’d be available throughout the holidays!

The ones at the event were a little smaller and seemed to have more cinnamon and sugar than the ones I purchased at the cart the next day.

An order of Bunuelos is $4.74 and comes with two crisp flour tortillas sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar. For your dipping needs, a side of Cajeta (caramel) is served up in a little plastic container.

When you order, the two Bunuelos come in a little paper bag, perfect for breaking off little pieces and not making a mess since the crumbs and excess sugar & cinnamon fall right into the bag.

Think of Bunuelos as flat crispy churros. So delicious and when dipped in caramel, very sweet!

The night of the media event I ate mine with caramel, but when I went back the next day, I skipped it. Mostly because I was walking while eating, but also because it kicks up the sweet factor a little too much for me.

Next up we’ve got Chips and Salsa de Molcajete. For $3.75 you get a plate of chips with a side of salsa. I decided not to purchase and try this one because it didn’t seem convenient to walk around with; and in my opinion, it seemed a bit pricey for what you get.

I guess I’m too used to getting my free chips and salsa pre-meal at most Mexican restaurants…. I would like to try the salsa though — maybe next time.  And if you are wondering, Molcajete just means it was made using a stone grinder. I had to Google that!

When I saw the Cajuzinhos, I wasn’t really sure what to expect.  The description simply reads “Trio of Mini Peanut Kisses.” For $5.50, I figured it must be something special, so I went for it.

I was quite surprised when I bit into one. Totally not at all what I had pictured in my head.  I thought it would be dry and crumbly…

But I was way wrong. Moist, dusted with sugar and topped with a peanut, the cookies reminded me of a peanut butter cookie dough ball. Not squishy like an uncooked ball of dough, but sort of half baked and mixed with chopped peanuts.

This treat was a pleasant surprise & I really enjoyed them!

The final item we grabbed was some of the specialty cotton candy. It’s Apple Cinnamon flavored and was quite good! My boys devoured it.

Overall

Overall, I was very impressed with the food offerings & entertainment of the Viva Navidad celebration.  There are some great snack options as well as a Viva Navidad takeover menu at Paradise Garden Grill.  And besides, where else can you see Goofy dancing with maracas on his shoes!?!

Have you been over to the Viva Navidad celebration at Disney California Adventure? Did you try any of the new offerings? I know I can’t wait to get over there and try some more!

Heather Sievers is the Disney Food Blog’s Dining in Disneyland columnist. See more of her columns here!