Guess what everyone!?! TODAY marks the first day to get your hands on The Handmade Candy Cane: Disneyland’s hottest holiday commodity.

For those of you who aren’t aware of Disneyland’s Handmade Candy Cane tradition, you can read all about the Race for Handmade Candy Canes here.

Things are a little different this year!

The biggest news of the season is that Candy Canes will be made in BOTH Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. This means twice the candy cane fun.

Candy Cane making will be alternating between the two parks, as often 4 days a week.

At Disneyland, the Candy Canes will be made at the newly renovated Candy Palace while over at Disney California Adventure, they will be made at Trolley Treats.

How it Works:

Technically you are not supposed to line up before park opening, but guess what people do. When I went for the first time, I was lucky and got there just 30 minutes before park opening. But I talked to someone who was there by 4:00am, which to me is nuts. So basically, it’s your call.

Wristbands may be picked up at park opening. There will be 40 wristbands per batch and three batches per day. This means that 120 wristbands will be given out at park opening.

The earlier you are there, the earlier your batch. Your wristband will get you ONE candy cane. If you have people with you, you HAVE to be together as a group. They will not hand you wrist bands for anyone who is not with you.

Your wrist band will have the date and batch time on it. You may pick up your candy cane any time after your batch time. Your wrist band guarantees you your cane, but you must pick it up by 4:00 or it will be sold to someone in the stand by line.

Last year candy canes were going for $12.95; I am not aware if there has been a price increase or not.

2012 Candy Cane Dates:

ANNNND. Something I found very interesting when I went and checked each day’s park hours… No taking advantage of Early Admission Hours. The Disneyland Resort has purposely left out Early Admission Hours. So basically, the days the Candy Canes are being made at Disneyland, there are zero that have early admission hours. It’s the same over at Disney California Adventure.

Disneyland’s Candy Palace Dates:

November 23 (8:00am park opening)

November 26 (10:00am park opening)

November 30 (8:00am park opening)

December 3 (9:00am park opening)

December 10 (9:00am park opening)

December 14 (8:00am park opening)

December 17 (8:00am park opening)

December 21 (8:00am park opening)

December 23 (8:00am park opening)

December 24 (8:00am park opening)

Disney California Adventure Trolley Treats Dates:

November 24 (8:00am park opening)

November 27 (10:00am park opening)

December 1 (8:00am park opening)

December 4 (9:00am park opening)

December 8 (8:00am park opening)

December 11 (9:00am park opening)

December 15 (8:00am park opening)

December 18 (8:00am park opening)

December 22 (8:00am park opening)

December 25 (8:00am park opening)

*Please note that these dates are subject to change. Additional dates may be added.

ALSO, being that this is the first year Candy Canes will be available at Disney California Adventure, I am assuming that the rules and the way it works is the same as Disneyland. If we learn otherwise, we will post the info as we receive it.

For more information or to confirm weekly dates, check Disneyland’s Candy Kitchen Hotline at 714.781.0112.

UPDATE: I went to get a candy cane on 11/26/12 and it was actually quite easy. NOTE that the parks open the gates 30 minutes before opening time. This means that Buena Vista Street and Main St. are open and you can line up for candy canes 30 minutes before park opening. We were let in at 9:30 for a 10:00 park opening. We were only lined up about 20 minutes before gate opening and had no problem walking straight to Candy Palace for a wrist band. By the time we got to the front of the line they were on batch two, and they had wristbands up until about 10:30. It seemed much more mellow than in the past. Maybe we just got lucky!

And just for fun, here’s a little more information about this fun tradition:

We’re ready to go! How about you?

Do you plan on lacing up those fast “walking” shoes (you know, because you aren’t supposed to run in Disneyland…) to take part in the Great Candy Cane Race?

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