OFFICIAL 2018 Christmas & Holiday Time at DLR Superthread!!

Ooooooo

I hope that popcorn bucket comes to DL and is still available when we get there. I want it for my office. It would be great conversation starter with the kiddos.
 
Is there any intel on the wreaths coming back again this year? Last year the first we knew were the wires going up on Main St.

I’ll keep hunting as well.
 


My date just changed to Nov 26th (instead of Dec 1st). Kinda bummed that our plans had to shift, but I'm sure there will be good things about it. Re-booked our reservation at Cafe Orleans, and don't have the stress of trying to figure out Fantasmic now. :-/ Also trying to figure out if we should start the day at Disneyland or at California Adventure, since CA is our focus, or if it's better to hit a few things at DL first then hop over to CA. But I just bought the tickets, and they're in my app, which makes me happy!!
 
Hi,
We are going from December 30 to Jan 2. We have been to DLR for Christmas a couple of times but never for New Year's Eve.pixiedust: Do they do anything special? If so which park do they do it in? Looking forward to your responses.
 
So whose done candy canes before. We are going to try and get one on the 26th. The 27th if we fail the 26th. We have a 7 am breakfast reservation at donals seaside. It’s just hubby and I and really I made the reservation to see stitch so we don’t plan to spend a super long time there. Eat, see stitch and I’ll be happy.

The park opens at 9. Do we have a chance?

If not- on the 27th we have breakfast and Minnie’s scheduled during magic morning (not our magic morning just going to have early breakfast). The problem is on the 27th candy canes are at DCA...... so that complicates it.

I really don’t want to give up our character breakfasts before park openings.. they are my favorites.

Is this do able some how? I will also mention my hubby is an amazing sole who will be willing to stand in lines for me. Becuse he loves me.
 


I think as long as you are at the park for rope drop and immediately line up you should be fine. We may line up if my kids want to and if the lines aren’t crazy. Per the Disneyland Daily post the first day is the busiest. That being said I would choose your character breakfasts over the candy canes!
 
I want to do pictures with Santa at DCA and want to get there right when it starts. From what I’ve read it’s an hour after park opening. What should we do for the first hour?
 
I want to do pictures with Santa at DCA and want to get there right when it starts. From what I’ve read it’s an hour after park opening. What should we do for the first hour?
My plan for rope drop in DCA is RSR... I think it depends on what you want to do... :)
 
Getting on a plane this evening after work! We may go into the parks this evening for an hour or so (we're getting APs), but if we don't we will be in the parks first thing tomorrow morning!! I've also created some mickey ears for this weekend. The steamboat willie ones are my favorite. :love:ears1.JPG ears2.JPG
 
Getting on a plane this evening after work! We may go into the parks this evening for an hour or so (we're getting APs), but if we don't we will be in the parks first thing tomorrow morning!! I've also created some mickey ears for this weekend. The steamboat willie ones are my favorite. :love:View attachment 363973 View attachment 363975

Those are amazing! Do you have a tutorial you followed? I've always wanted to make my own Mickey ears!
 
Thanks @Candycane83 and @Lauren in NC! I think this is the tutorial I've been using. https://jennifermaker.com/diy-mouse-ears-tutorial-sew-no-sew/ I've made a few different pairs besides the 2 I posted so I don't remember exactly the tutorial i used to begin with. I do a combination of sewing and hot glue. I sew most of the ear, leaving an opening for the cardboard/foam board and batting, and then I hot glue that opening closed and hot glue the ears to a headband. I also don't make my own bows. I want too, but the first time I tried to make one it frustrated me beyond belief, so I bought some off of Amazon. I just hot glue some ribbon onto the metal clip piece of the bow so its not as noticeable. Let me know if you have any other questions on how to make them and i'll do my best to answer!
 
So whose done candy canes before. We are going to try and get one on the 26th. The 27th if we fail the 26th. We have a 7 am breakfast reservation at donals seaside. It’s just hubby and I and really I made the reservation to see stitch so we don’t plan to spend a super long time there. Eat, see stitch and I’ll be happy.

The park opens at 9. Do we have a chance?

If not- on the 27th we have breakfast and Minnie’s scheduled during magic morning (not our magic morning just going to have early breakfast). The problem is on the 27th candy canes are at DCA...... so that complicates it.

I really don’t want to give up our character breakfasts before park openings.. they are my favorites.

Is this do able some how? I will also mention my hubby is an amazing sole who will be willing to stand in lines for me. Becuse he loves me.
Honestly these are a tough one to get if you aren’t lined up before park opening. We went directly to the line last year, we’re in the front of the lines waiting (got there before park opening by about an hour) and still because we didn’t run and push and get crazy were in the 2nd or 3rd wave of candy canes. If you don’t mine getting one already made overnight they seemed to have plenty of those ready for anyone that wanted them (we opted to wait and get a warm one and so we wouldn’t have it all day with us). The people next to us (so nice!!) were AP holders and said they went to a bunch of candy cane days so they could send them to family as a gift so hearing that I’d say it may be a big pull for AP and out of town visitors alike. I’d just try to enjoy your breakfast but hustle and maybe your DH could leave earlier if need be to hold a place in line? If you’re going to DCA make sure you’re on the right side of the lines- the candy store is on the right as your walking and we got hosed because we were in line on the left and the line was so far back so fast we had to fight the crowds to get there (even people back further in those lines then we were). I didn’t see that as an issue as much in DLR (it’s further down so sides shouldn’t matter as much for lines), but try for the left and remember they aren’t supposed to but sometimes they hand out wristbands on EE so check it out as you are going to breakfast. Could you make your reservations for one of the breakfasts a little later so right at park opening you get your wristband then eat then come back later for your candy cane? Even if you are further back getting a wristband takes 10-20 mins absolute tops- it’s a quick process so maybe look for a slightly later time? HTH- let me know if you need more help, we’ve done candy canes the last 3-4 years when we’ve gone so no expert but def have some insight on it now lol
 
We just found out some of my husband's family from overseas will be visiting Anaheim for work & want us to join them in Disneyland! So we are driving back down Dec 11-15th, staying at the Hilton (they had already booked the Hilton & we got lucky and scored the same hotel off Hotwire). Really looking forward to getting to share all the Disney holiday magic with family that we didn't even think we would get to see this year. Now to start making a "to eat" list for all the food festival booths & other holiday treats. :santa:
 
Just seeing these somehow...

We were going to do this, but I’m reading the suggestions now and wondering if we should get them for more people? We’ve got 2 babies and 5 adults going...we’ll do baby swap, so I’m considering 2 MPs and then work the baby swap?

yay! We’ll be there Saturday for all the Christmas decor!!


I’d love some MP advice...can I pm you so I don’t hijack this thread? I’m trying to decide if all 5 adults will need them for our party with 2 babies...I’m hoping rider switch will be like having double the MPs?

It’s onoy a few more weeks!! I had our shirts made by a friend, so we all have black Disney shirts, but they all say something a little different...I will try to get pics to post! (No one outside this board would care! Lol!! ) my family understands my Disneyland craziness and just play along now ;).

Please feel free to post here or Pm- I’ll try to be online to check more if you still want some help! I’m not an expert on babyswap since we found it was such a hassle that we ended up doing more use of MP, but I’m happy to help!

My kids are 10 and 9. We are only getting one park per day tickets. I can't justify the extra cost for hoppers this time unfortunately. We normally stay at the parks all day and don't take hotel breaks now that they are older. My kids ride all the rides (hopefully my youngest will try Incredicoaster this trip. Only attraction he hasn't been on yet).

@millie0312 I would love MP tips and tricks too! I felt like last time we did ok, until mid day and then really couldn't get much else? Which I get that FP run out....but I see people talking about having stacked FP for the later evening hours...not sure how to do that? Or maybe I am just missing something. TIA!

I think the key is to have a good plan of what you want to ride and what runs out first- we made sure as soon as our next MP window opened (either 90 mins or when the last FP came up for use) we hit the next MP. I also made sure to do this when we took our lunch/nap break so by the time we got back at dinner I had gotten several MP for that night when they were still available earlier in the day. Earlier in the day when the crowds are low we mostly do non-MP rides and save up MP for when it’s crowded later in the day. Hopefully that makes sense? I’m happy to help or answer questions but it’s kind of a make a general plan then see how the FP go when you’re there and grab them for the times you need.

We’re going that Saturday, the opening weekend of the Christmas decorations!! It’ll definitely be crowded...
Can you give me some MP advice? There’ll be 7 of us, 5 adults and 2 babies (2 and 11months). I’m leaning towards buying 1 MP so we can get the photos...but now I’m thinking maybe we could buy 2 and use the baby swap? Do you think that would work? Or would it be worth it to get all 5? I’m thinking all the FP DL rides wouldn’t work for the babies..right? I’m trying to decide...I’d really appreciate advice! :)

Not sure if this got answered but our group has always bought for each person that could ride the MP rides. My littlest is finally big enough for a ticket (and he’s super tall so he actually needs a MP too now lol) but before that we all did MP. They have made the child swap messy and harder to use. They basically give you a FP on your ticket for an assigned time- if that time works out great, if the other riders are still on the ride or even if they were done and you have to wait is when it becomes a problem. Before you could use that swap anytime that day which was nice since sometimes littles need care or can’t wait for 2 groups to go on a ride. Our new process is that we get MP for part of our group and one stays with the littles, then we get MP for the other group for later in the day (it’s a lot easier to come back for us at a time we pick not a cm). It’s worked out a lot better for my group to just get a MP later and do 2 rounds and switch out as needed then deal with times and mix ups with the rider swap- somehow we always had mix ups with them.... I would suggest trying with less and doing the rider swap really early in the day and if it works for your group great- if not you still are able to buy the rest of the group MP and there’s plenty of choices left if you add them first thing. Another advantage is the booking without the walking which with littler ones is huge in my book! HTH and have fun! Let me know if you need more help
 

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