Christmas Events?

[Andrea0710]

We will be in Disneyland November 17-22. I am assuming the Christmas decorations will be up by then, but someone give me a rundown of Christmas activities so we know what to schedule in to the visit. Also, does anyone know when there will be the taping of the Christmas parade? Thanks so much!

 

[gottalovepluto]

No one knows the activities until Disney puts the schedule out about 5-6 weeks from your arrival. The only stuff you have to book are dining reservations & none are "Christmas" themed. Taping info won't be out for a while, idk where it will originate to watch for it.

 

[mom2rtk]

They won't announce very far in advance when they tape the Christmas parade. We were there 11/15-11/20 last year and they taped it the Wednesday we were there. Other musical act taping was going on different days around then.

Christmas parade should be running.

Christmas trees will show up at various times. No tree the night we checked into PPH, but it appeared the following night.

 

[mom2rtk]

No one knows the activities until Disney puts the schedule out about 5-6 weeks from your arrival. The only stuff you have to book are dining reservations & none are "Christmas" themed. Taping info won't be out for a while, idk where it will originate to watch for it.

The only real "tell" on the parade taping last year was an odd time for the parade on the calendar. And even then it originally showed up as the regular time then changed to the odd time (10:30 AM I think?). Nobody at Disney could answer the question on why the odd time when I called.

No advance info on the Mariah Carey taping at IASW either except a sign board at park entrance saying the attraction would close early that night. And no advance notice of the special anniversary event at IASW the next night except someone posting here they heard there was possibly a special event.

 

[Andrea0710]

So they will never tell you ahead of time that they are filming the Christmas parade? Has anyone ever been there for the taping? Is it just annoying or fun to watch?

 

[MacMama0930]

So they will never tell you ahead of time that they are filming the Christmas parade? Has anyone ever been there for the taping? Is it just annoying or fun to watch?

I've heard it is annoying because they stop it constantly and reshoot and that it's not very magical to watch!

 

[Andrea0710]

Do they have a party similar to Mickey's Christmas Party from WDW?

 

[mom2rtk]

Do they have a party similar to Mickey's Christmas Party from WDW?

No party. Christmas entertainment is available during regular park hours.

 

[mom2rtk]

I've heard it is annoying because they stop it constantly and reshoot and that it's not very magical to watch!

So they will never tell you ahead of time that they are filming the Christmas parade? Has anyone ever been there for the taping? Is it just annoying or fun to watch?

We didn't stop to watch the filming last year. It was first thing on our very first park day. Main Street was pretty congested but the rest of the park was manageable. It wasn't as bad as I expected. But it was still busier than it would have been on a random Wednesday (we had been counting on that day as our greatest chance at a low crowd day while we were there).

I'm not sure if they do the start and stop thing with taping at DLR like they do at WDW. It didn't take all day, and the parade was actually listed as starting at 10:30. I don't know that they even list a start time when they tape at WDW.

 

[SMD]

It depends if they're filming the actual parade, the dance teams or performances. If they're filming performances on a stage by the castle or elsewhere they don't run the parade.

 

[longtimedisneylurker]

I have gone to DL for some or all of Thanksgiving week (the Saturday before Thanksgiving through the Saturday after) for each of the last nine years. They do not do any Christmas parade taping during that time. I would also consider it unlikely that parade taping would be the first day of your trip since that is the Friday leading into the holiday week. As previous posters have mentioned, Disney hasn't announced what Christmas activities there will be this year. Last year there was a food and wine event at DCA which the DL website says will return this year, so I would expect that to have started by your dates. DCA brought in additional entertainment last year to go with the event, and our family enjoyed those various musical performances throughout the park. I would assume that the Viva Navidad parade and holiday World of Color will return as will the holiday fireworks and parade at DL. Historically, those entertainment offerings have begun by your dates. Holiday decor should be up, and characters should be wearing holiday outfits. We still have to wait upon official confirmation of any of this of course and announcements of anything new that is being added this year, and right now there's no knowing if Disney is going to change things up in any significant way from previous years.

 

[Sherry E]

Here is the main Holiday Season/Christmas thread for the year -- https://disboards.com/threads/offic...ars-2017-thread.3606386/page-12#post-57919803

Make sure you are following along with it. There's been some good info exchanged so far, and if/when any news comes in, that is where I will be posting it.

The holiday season is supposed to begin on Friday, 11/10 (it will end on January 7, 2018), although I would not be shocked if Disney announced something crazy like a Thursday, 11/9 date -- because sometimes they do odd things like that.

Some decorations start appearing immediately after Halloween Time ends, and certain attractions/entertainment might soft open before the official start of the season -- sometimes up to as long as a full week before the season starts (though the specifics of this pattern can change at any point), and sometimes only a few days before. Some decorations begin to go up even before Halloween.

It's a Small World Holiday usually soft opens before the official start of the season.

This year, both Viva Navidad and the Christmas Fantasy Parade are definitely returning (that info has already been confirmed, as auditions are being held for performers in each event). Haunted Mansion Holiday will be back.

The Festival of Holidays should be returning (next year there could be an issue, though, as Paint the Night is supposed to be coming to DCA, and that might conflict with the Festival).

World of Color -- Season of Light should be returning.

Jingle Cruise, Believe in Holiday Magic fireworks and the Winter Castle should all be back.

After Dia de los Muertos wraps up on 11/2, some of the elements associated with it are going to move to A Bug's Land for the entire holiday season, along with a sneak peek of Coco -- https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...perience-at-disney-california-adventure-park/

The trees and various seasonal displays at the 3 Disney hotels are less predictable, but you should be able to see all of them before your trip ends. For 2 or 3 years in a row, the main Christmas trees at each hotel would get set up about 9 days before Thanksgiving, but were not up and in place when the holiday season officially began. Over the years, though, sometimes they have appeared earlier than usual and sometimes later than expected. Perhaps depending on how early or late Thanksgiving falls on the calendar, Disney might try to get the hotels ready a bit earlier or later too.

 

[Andrea0710]

Thanks so much to all for the wonderful information!