Just posting here to subscribe yet again to one of Sherry's amazing holiday threads! Without last year's thread, there's a lot we would have surely not known about/missed out on, so THANK YOU for doing this again.
We loved DLR so much last year around the Christmas season that we will be going back again! We're trying for a bit earlier this time, both due to our work schedules being a lot crazier at the end of the month than mid-month, and also because of the insane crowds we experienced with the Candlelight Processional last year. So, this year we'll be visiting from November 13th-17th... and even better... we're staying at the Villas at the Grand Californian! I got lucky at the 7 month mark with extra DVC points and there being room availability, so we booked an extra special trip.
I am really happy to hear that the Christmas decorations should be up by November 12th. I know that the resorts don't have their decorations up at that point, but I'm just happy if we get to see decorations in the parks again this year.
We had such an amazing trip last year, I am hoping that visiting around the holiday season continues to be a tradition for us!
And I will most definitely be writing another Trip Report this year! I'm excited that I'll no longer be a DLR newbie.
EDIT: WELP, just caught up on the latest news of things not being up until 11/15... which is okay! As long as I get to see some of the holiday stuff up during our trip, I'm happy!
Hello,
danimaroo! Welcome back! (You got here in time for the Theme Week Countdown, which begins in 4 days!!!! I know you've got some good photos -- I saw them in your TR!)
Thank you for the kind words.
I'm glad this thread was of help to you last year. I had to start a new one because we hit the page limit in the old one! This thread and the Halloween Superthread are like my children!!
I could never abandon them!
I have mentioned your TR a few times in recent months, in regards to the candy canes and the holiday tour. I remembered that you did the holiday tour and, although you enjoyed it somewhat, if I recall you said you probably wouldn't do it again. Am I remembering that correctly?
How wonderful that you scored a Villa! That will make the trip even better. I only wish that DLR would decorate the hotels at the same time the parks get decorated.
The Candlelight Ceremony appears to only be taking place on 2 nights this year -- 12/7 and 12/8 -- so those crowds you encountered last year will probably not be the same this year in December. But you will definitely be able to avoid any potential crowds due to the Ceremony by going in November.
Yes, the stupid start date of the holiday season changed.
In the most recent AP
Backstage Pass newsletter/magazine, the start date was printed as Tuesday, 11/12. Now Disneyland News says it is Friday, 11/15.
I think that because Veterans Day is on Monday and the holidays start on Friday, there will probably be some things soft opening pre-11/15 to take advantage of any left over holiday crowds that were there over Veterans Day weekend.
All decorations except at the hotels should be in place when you arrive. IASWH will almost surely be open a little bit early (and I remember how much you loved IASWH from your TR, and how impressed you were when you first saw the facade lit up in colors at night!).
And even if all of the holiday entertainment (including the Jingle Jangle Jamboree) didn't begin until 11/15, at least you'd get a full couple of days of it.
Add us to the folks who will be missing the holiday magic by >< (that much!) We booked this trip at the end of January this year, thinking it would all begin on Monday.
So close, and yet so very far.....we're booked for Nov 10 through the 14th. Ouch.
Cyette --
The good news is that you will definitely get to see all or most of the 2 parks' decorations for the bulk of your trip. That much will be definite. Most of the holiday treats will be on sale at that point. You will definitely get to ride Haunted Mansion Holiday. And I am quite certain that IASWH will soft open a couple of days early (it usually does) -- so you have a very good shot at seeing IASWH on, possibly, 11/13 or 11/14.
Beyond that, it's things like the Winter Castle lighting up in icicles at night, the Christmas Fantasy Parade, the Jingle Jangle Jamboree, Believe in Holiday Magic fireworks and the snowfall on Main Street, etc., that may or may not be running early.
I am kind of hoping that Disney will make a concerted effort to get those things going early -- specifically because they printed the wrong start date in the
BP newsletter and people planned trips based on that incorrect date! The least they can do is get everything started immediately after Veterans Day ends. Let's cross our fingers and hope for the best!
Even though World of Color--Winter Dreams is set to start on 11/15, it, too, may soft open a day or two early. Disney may try to sneak peek Winter Dreams for the Veterans Day crowds, if they can get it ready in time. But, of course, we won't know for sure what happens with that until November.
I have a question. We always go during the Christmas season and LOVE it, but we would like to see a non Christmas fireworks and parade. If we are there on Saturday the 9th of November, will there be a fireworks show and parade?
Hello,
jacs1234!
I just wanted to say welcome back!
(And just in time for the 3rd Annual Theme Week Countdown -- can you believe we are already in the 3rd year of it?!)
I think that there should be regular fireworks and a regular parade on Saturday, 11/9 -- unless, for some wild reason, Disney gets everything ready ahead of schedule and begins to soft open the holiday events.
In your guys' opinions, what would be the best days to visit in regards to crowds and entertainment offerings. We have never been at Christmastime, so all of it will be new to us. We will have one day in each park (as well as a day at Knott's.)
We need to stay for four days/three nights.The frame for our dates is Saturday December 14 - Thursday December 19. We have to have three park days in there somewhere. I was originally thinking Saturday December 14 in California Adventure, Sunday December 15 in Disneyland, and then Monday the 16 at Knott's. Is this the best idea or should we aim midweek?
Thanks!
dtnrhi --
Hmm... That's a tough call. I don't know about the best day for Knott's, but Saturday and Sunday would have longer hours in the 2 Disney parks than on the weekdays, I think (more time to take in some of the fabulous nighttime highlights, like a night ride on IASW Holiday and a photo in front of the Winter Castle lit up in icicles, fireworks, World of Color, etc.). Then again, I suspect that the crowds may be slightly lower in the parks on Monday, December 16th.
What a great thread, a lot of good information here! We are going to visit the Disneyland Resort for the first time in the Christmas season. We will be there the entire first week of December. I'm looking forward to all the decorations and I hope the parks will be not too packed!
There is one question I have about the tickets. It's not really Christmas related, but if we buy a 5-Day Park Hopper Ticket, is it possible to expand it for two more days at the ticket booth? Or do we have to buy a 5-Day plus a 2-Day ticket?
Welcome,
Orbitron!
I haven't seen you around in a while (though you have probably posted on the board and I missed it). I think the last time I saw you was when you posted in one of my Halloween threads.
I'm so glad to see that you are heading to Disneyland in December. I think you will love it. It is
so beautiful. (Stay tuned, as the 3rd Annual Theme Week Countdown begins in 4 days, which means that for 3 months there will be a lot of photos of all of the seasonal highlights posted in this thread.)
The first week of December (and the second week of December) is basically my new favorite time to be in the parks. It is generally a little less crowded because many people have just headed back home after Thanksgiving break, and it is too early for Christmas break -- but you still get the full array of Disney holiday highlights, including the decorations at all 3 Disney hotels (be sure to look for the gingerbread houses in Storytellers Cafe and at White Water Snacks in the Grand Californian Hotel), holiday music playing in Downtown Disney, etc. There is even a Candlelight Ceremony taking place on 12/7 and 12/8, in case you decide you would like to see it (I saw it for the first time last year and loved it).
I have a feeling that this year there may be some extra crowds in the first and second week of December because it seems as though a lot of people are planning to be there at that time, but the fact still remains that people have gone home after Thanksgiving and it is too early for Christmas break. That fact doesn't change.
I think you will have a wonderful time!
On another note...
Did I mention how excited I am that it is now August? Even though I detest the harsh heat of August, this is the month when Halloween-ish things begin to hit the stores in my neighborhood...which means that Autumn is just a mere pebble's toss away. Halloween Time at DLR begins next month. Thank the heavens for that.
...And November (the start of the DLR holiday season) will be here in no time! Only a little more than 3 months to go! The Hallmark Channel's Christmas movie marathon begins in 3 months too!
In the meantime, the Theme Week Countdown begins in 4 days!
. I figure I'm going to have to lock myself in my office for a couple of days after the trip to get the kids gag wrapped Christmas gifts done. Have a great day!
He's so hard to understand sometimes! Just last week he was all excited, and now he has cold feet about going. I'm starting to worry it might not happen for us this year---though hopefully I can convince him by the time September rolls around. My nieces are too pumped to not be going... and, also, so am I.
. Being where we live, on Halloween night, there will be firecrackers going off till 3 am in the morning (despite laws that ban them in our city). He goes crazy at the sound of them, so Halloween is always a challenge to get through
. So it's for this reason that while I enjoy Halloween, I love Christmas
