Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread #3!- HOLIDAYS BEGIN 11/12/13!!

[czmom]

I agree. Sounds like no party this year! Just 123 more days until I get to check out DLR

 

[Sherry E]

If anyone is interested, here is the link to the press release for the World of Color - Winter Dreams show:

Disneyland Resort Debuts World of Color  Winter Dreams, a Merry New Spectacular for 2013 Holiday Season

Thank you kindly, Liza!

The funny thing is -- and this always, always happens to me every year -- I just peeked in at Disneyland News last week, right after the Parks Blog piece about Winter Dreams came out. I did not see anything new on Disneyland News, so I stopped looking.

However, it appears as though this press release was written up on 7/25 -- which was also when the Parks Blog piece came out, if I recall. So this press release must have gone up on the News site shortly after I looked. But, again, that kind of thing always happens to me -- I will literally look at a website and see nothing new at all in the way of Halloween or holiday info. Thirty minutes later, someone will post in one of my threads that a golden nugget of new info has just gone up on the site!

I have the worst possible timing in terms of catching the news just as it breaks!

Thanks for sharing that. So I think it is official now that the holiday season begins Nov 15th? And I'll be honest, from the sounds of this, I don't think the hard ticket party will be this year (although obviously that can always change).

Jamie --

Yes, November 15th is the start date towards which they are clearly pointing (which Erin at the Parks Blog could have easily mentioned in her Blog last week, but didn't). Even more important than the World of Color stuff -- which we pretty much learned from the Parks Blog last week -- is the date of the season!

Don't get me wrong -- November 15th was one of my suspected season start dates all along, and a Friday start date makes more sense to me than a Tuesday start date. After all, prior to 2011 the seasons always began on Fridays. The last two years have been Monday start dates for the holidays but this year Veterans Day is on Monday, 11/11, and I think that out of respect to veterans DLR does not start its season on that same date. (I think that is appropriate.)

The thing that irritates me beyond belief is that this stupid Backstage Pass AP newsletter/magazine got the start date of the MHP wrong and got the start date of the holiday season wrong (assuming that 11/15 is the accurate start date)!

Anyone who received the Backstage Pass magazine can see the incorrect dates right there on the pages, so it's not like I am making up dates or misinterpreting information. They goofed! Either that, or plans changed along the way. But some people do come here for info, and if they find out that dates were incorrect it makes me look bad because they think I got it wrong!

I agree. Sounds like no party this year! Just 123 more days until I get to check out DLR

czmom --

As we know, I've already said that I had a strong feeling that there would be no official hard ticket party this year and that next year will be the party year. Honestly, I think the year-long Limited Time Magic thing and the 13 nights of the Halloween Party (up from 11 nights last year) are likely canceling out the budget for a party this year. It's a lot for one year to handle!

And, now Disney wants to test out Winter Dreams to see if it is a hit or a miss, so they can use it next year as either a party exclusive or as an alternative piece of holiday entertainment for those who do not wish to buy party tickets.

But, that said, we still have some time. Just because this Press Release didn't mention a party doesn't mean that there wouldn't be a party. In fact, I am quite certain that a Christmas party would be such big news at DLR that the Parks Blog and Disneyland News would do entirely separate articles/blogs/press releases about just the party. They wouldn't simply mention it as part of a press release or blog that is primarily promoting Winter Dreams and leave it at that.

A party would merit its own major hoopla! They will want to promote it and hype it up as being a magical addition to the holiday season.

I still think that IF a hard ticket party is coming this year, we would know about it by/before the end of August, at the latest. The powers that be at TDA could be scrambling to try to figure out how to stage a party at this very moment. I don't think there will be one, but they could be doing that. So I won't rest totally easy until August passes!

I do wish that Disney would hurry and figure out what to do with the Candlelight Ceremony (which had its own separate blog in August last year the announcement of the 20-night run was made). They need to work out a way to run that for more than 2 nights without losing revenue. Hopefully someone is working on that for next year.

Limited Time Magic has to play into the holidays in some way, and there was no mention of that in the Press Release either. The holiday treats will already be available, so they can't just use the treats as the LTM selling point (as they did for Christmas in July). There would have to be something extra. Something beyond the normal holiday magic we get for the season...which is why I think we may see some sort of mini-party thing pop up for a night or two, during one week. Maybe Disney will try to do a LTM thing in DCA, because so much of the entertainment is in DL. But there will be something -- some sort of LTM tie-in to the holiday season, and it will happen sometime before Christmas week, probably in one of the weeks that is known to be "less" crowded than others (like immediately post-Thanksgiving or pre-November 15th).

 

[wildflower329]

A little disappointed in the 11/15 start date of the holidays now, since we will have to fit in any holiday shows on our last day in the park. I was hoping we would get to see Believe in Holiday Magic and Holiday WOC, and maybe Fantasmic, but now that would all be only on 11/15 for our 11/12-11/15 dates in the park. On the bright side, maybe my kids will get to see Mickey's Soundsational Parade, which they have been watching on youtube and loving

 

[Axlcat]

Does the season start date of November 15 mean that the Christmas decorations will not be up in both parks until that date? I may need to push our trip back a few days if that is the case.

 

[Sherry E]

A little disappointed in the 11/15 start date of the holidays now, since we will have to fit in any holiday shows on our last day in the park. I was hoping we would get to see Believe in Holiday Magic and Holiday WOC, and maybe Fantasmic, but now that would all be only on 11/15 for our 11/12-11/15 dates in the park. On the bright side, maybe my kids will get to see Mickey's Soundsational Parade, which they have been watching on youtube and loving

wildflower329 --

Don't forget that the Jingle Jangle Jamboree will open on 11/15 too (if that is, indeed, the start date)!

I think that you won't be the only one who is disappointed. I mentioned to Erin in my comment under her Parks Blog last week that the 3-day difference in the start date to the season could be important to some people. I don't think Disney thinks these things through, or they assume that a 2 or 3-day difference won't be a big deal. I'm not sure if they originally intended to start the season on 11/12 and changed their plans after the Backstage Pass newsletter went to print, or if whoever put the BP newsletter together just messed up both the holiday season start date and the MHP start date.

It didn't help matters any that MiceAge (which a lot of people think is an official source of info) posted a while back that the holiday World of Color was due to start on 11/8!! That's apparently not even close to being correct!

I was then also thinking that maybe a Limited Time Magic event might be sandwiched into those few days leading up to 11/15. So maybe there could be some sort of LTM thing happening post-Veterans Day and pre-November 15th. That's the only way I could forgive Disney/Backstage Pass for printing the wrong start date!!!!!!

You know, another thing to consider is that, in most years, the bulk of the holiday entertainment "unofficially" begins before the season start date. IASWH almost always starts at least a couple of days early. I think that the Believe in Holiday Magic fireworks also began early last year and in 2011. The Christmas parade may have begun a bit early last year, too -- but I'm not 100% sure about that.

So I wouldn't be surprised if there are certain holiday things running after Veterans Day and before 11/15...but which things will be open and running is the question!!

These Disney people even threw off my Theme Week Countdown! If I had known that the holidays were due to begin on 11/15, I would have likely extended the Countdown for an extra day or two instead of ending it on 11/4!

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Sherry, the only part of that has me believing there won't be a party this year is the mention of all of the other fun things the holiday season has to offer (snow, parade, fireworks). I agree that a hard ticket party would be it's own announcement, but I would find it in horrible taste to then announce these things they've already mentioned and sold people on, as party items. Not to say they won't do it or can't do it, but if they do, it would have made more sense for them not to mention these things at all in this press release.

 

[Sherry E]

Does the season start date of November 15 mean that the Christmas decorations will not be up in both parks until that date? I may need to push our trip back a few days if that is the case.

Axlcat --

No. Not exactly. The holiday decorations process is a very elaborate one (much more so than the Halloween Time decoration process). The Enhancement team and decorators literally decorate almost every single shop and restaurant in both parks, and most of the lands have their own themed decor. It is very involved and detailed -- so much so that the decorations begin to go up, slowly but surely, even before Halloween Time ends on 10/31. A little bit goes up day after day until the season begins. Some areas get their decorations later than others -- like there are certain things on Main Street that don't appear until the last minute.

The hotels will, of course, not be decorated on 11/15.

There is no telling how much decor will be up pre-11/15, but there will be decor up, if that is what you're interested in seeing. It's the actual seasonal events/entertainment (IASWH, Jingle Jangle Jamboree, holiday fireworks and parade, etc.) that may not begin until 11/15. We won't know for a long time if those things are going to be open pre-11/15.

I would say that if you can include 11/15 in your trip, that would be a good thing to do...just in case. Otherwise, you will see decorations but you may not get any of the holiday entertainment or highlights.

 

[Axlcat]

Thanks for clarifying that, Sherry. What I may consider doing is just extend our trip an extra day in order to get the most of the holiday season we can. Poor us! Our initial goal was to see the Haunted Mansion in its holiday theme, so the rest is icing on the cake. Fortunately, I have not made airline reservations or bought park tickets yet, so no problem there. I just need to be sure I can get an extra day tacked on to our hotel reserveration.

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry, the only part of that has me believing there won't be a party this year is the mention of all of the other fun things the holiday season has to offer (snow, parade, fireworks). I agree that a hard ticket party would be it's own announcement, but I would find it in horrible taste to then announce these things they've already mentioned and sold people on, as party items. Not to say they won't do it or can't do it, but if they do, it would have made more sense for them not to mention these things at all in this press release.

Jamie --

They would do it and could do it if they wanted to! The press release is not going to mention a party as an aside in a piece that is supposed to be hyping up Winter Dreams, especially if it is still something that is being tossed around the planning meetings. Disneyland News usually posts things after the Parks Blog has posted them, so I would expect a Blog about a party before a Press Release.

I don't think that Disney is doing anything out of the ordinary from what I would expect from them (it's just that, usually, they do not release any kind of dates until the dates are official, and they don't change the dates after they have been released -- that shows me that someone is being careless in the Disney offices this year). The Candelight Ceremony Parks Blog from August last year was there to mainly hype the CP, but it didn't emphasize how the 20-night CP would affect the parade schedule. That was found out later. Disney is sneaky like that! (They also announced the limited access to the Villains at the Halloween Carnival last year, after the main Halloween Time Blog/info had already come out and people probably expected the Villains to be out and about, as usual!)

Disney told us that the "returning" favorites will be there this year, but that doesn't mean that they suddenly wouldn't stick them in a party for certain nights, OR that a party wouldn't suddenly pop up in DCA. If they wanted to make 2013 the party year, they'd do it no matter what the Press Release said! And they could work the parade and fireworks into a Limited Time Magic thing of some kind.

I think it is a bad idea to take the "returning favorites" and make them a part of a party in the first place -- at all -- but you can bet money on the fact that Disney has been toying with that idea! I just don't happen to think that there will be a party this year because there is too much other stuff going on. I don't think Disneyland is ready for it yet.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I agree the would/could if they wanted to. I just think it's in poor taste to do it this way (if they do), but as you said, it is normal for them. Guess more waiting & seeing.

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks for clarifying that, Sherry. What I may consider doing is just extend our trip an extra day in order to get the most of the holiday season we can. Poor us! Our initial goal was to see the Haunted Mansion in its holiday theme, so the rest is icing on the cake. Fortunately, I have not made airline reservations or bought park tickets yet, so no problem there. I just need to be sure I can get an extra day tacked on to our hotel reserveration.

Axlcat --

You're welcome. I only wish -- as we all do -- that there were not so much confusion this year! Someone is dropping the ball in the Disney planning departments when it comes to releasing info!

Well, we know for sure that you will be experiencing Haunted Mansion Holiday! No doubt about that.

It really was careless of Disney to print any dates in any of their official publications this year (and that is rather unlike how they usually do things) if those dates were subject to change. It's as if they don't take into consideration that specific dates make a big difference to some folks' trips!

I think you will most likely get to ride IASWH because it will most likely open a couple of days early, as usual. You may, possibly, even get to see either the holiday fireworks or the Christmas parade -- possibly both, if Disney were to somehow work those into a Limited Time Magic thing pre-11/15. But if you can add a day or delay the trip by a couple of days so that 11/15 is at least at the end of it, I think that would be better!

I agree the would/could if they wanted to. I just think it's in poor taste to do it this way (if they do), but as you said, it is normal for them. Guess more waiting & seeing.

Jamie --

It's always a waiting game, isn't it?

I really think that we will be in the clear as far as an official party this year goes (not counting anything that may loosely resemble a party under the guise of a Limited Time Magic event!), but I really think that the sloppy release of incorrect dates this year (for both the MHP and for the holidays) is in bad form -- and Disney is usually so close-to-the-vest about releasing dates in the first place! It is surprising that anyone in any part of Disney allowed dates to be published if they were incorrect or not final! That 3-day difference will matter to a lot of people who thought they were going to get to experience certain holiday things!

(Meanwhile, I peeked at the Disneyland News press release about Halloween Time -- hoping that it said something different from what the most recent Parks Blog said about it -- and it did not. It looks like Halloween Time is business as usual this year, with the exception of the 9/13 Villains event and the 13 party nights instead of 10 or 11. Otherwise, any other additions that may come up will be things that were not mentioned in the original information. There's nothing Halloween-ish happening in DCA at all, from what I can see, unless TDA suddenly whips something up.)

 

[funatdisney]

Thank you kindly, Liza!

The funny thing is -- and this always, always happens to me every year -- I just peeked in at Disneyland News last week, right after the Parks Blog piece about Winter Dreams came out. I did not see anything new on Disneyland News, so I stopped looking.

However, it appears as though this press release was written up on 7/25 -- which was also when the Parks Blog piece came out, if I recall. So this press release must have gone up on the News site shortly after I looked. But, again, that kind of thing always happens to me -- I will literally look at a website and see nothing new at all in the way of Halloween or holiday info. Thirty minutes later, someone will post in one of my threads that a golden nugget of new info has just gone up on the site!

I have the worst possible timing in terms of catching the news just as it breaks!.

And the funny thing is, I found it today. Five full days after it was released. I am really behind the curve ball.

 

[czmom]

I agree the would/could if they wanted to. I just think it's in poor taste to do it this way (if they do), but as you said, it is normal for them. Guess more waiting & seeing.

I totally agree.

 

[OzCath]

Have been following this thread closely as we are heading over from Australia for a week in Disneyland from the 13th November to the 19th November. I am glad we will see some of the park "dressed up" for holiday festivities. Just a question during this time will the holiday fireworks be for the weekend only. Just trying to plan out my week. Many thanks.

 

[Krissy Marissy]

As far as I remember they show every night.

I have been away for a long time and seeing your Christmas post made me smile, Sherry. Just like old times

 

[LilyRos]

Sigh, we are from the East Coast and are making our first family trip to DLR. We have been to WDW many times, including every time of year but holiday. Our dates are Nov. 12-14. Those are set in stone due to commitments both in California & at home. I've been researching our trip for the past month or so, and was pleasantly surprised to see that we arrive on the first day of the holiday season. Now I see that it is probably not the case. Having never seen WOC at all, it doesn't make a difference that we would not see the holiday version. However, we are hoping for SOMETHING holiday, decorations, small world & haunted mansion, etc. My youngest would LOVE to see the holiday parade and fireworks/snowfall. I showed her a picture of the castle with lights and she gasped! Does anyone with past experience think that maybe a few events might have an early opening, before the 15th? Either way we are so excited to experience DLR for the first time. Having any holiday events would just be the icing on the cake!

 

[Sherry E]

The 3rd Annual Theme Week Countdown Begins in 5 Days!!
(Stay tuned for more details at the end of this week.)

Get Those Photos Ready!​

And the funny thing is, I found it today. Five full days after it was released. I am really behind the curve ball.

Liza --

Sometimes I think that Disneyland News releases things a bit later than when they are actually dated. I've noticed this phenomenon in the past (on press releases that were about subjects that I was not paying as close attention to as I do others) -- the press releases do not appear on Disneyland News on a certain date, but when they do come out they are backdated.

I suspect that Disney's whole press/PR/social media department decided to release info on 7/25. The Parks Blog usually puts something out before Disneyland News does, although Disneyland News might include an extra detail or two that the Parks Blog didn't mention (such as the actual start date of the season). And that's what happened, I guess -- the Parks Blog put out their Winter Dreams piece on 7/25. Disneyland News had not yet put anything up when I checked it on 7/25...and yet, now a press release is there with the 7/25 date!! I think they sneaked in the press release with the 7/25 date, but I think it actually may have gone up later than 7/25 (or at least late in the day on 7/25).

What's interesting to note is that, a 2 or 3 years back, Disneyland News released a wonderful piece all about the "Fun Facts" of the holiday season (different stats on the largest decorations vs. the smallest decorations; how much garland was used, etc.). I vividly remember mentioning it in the previous Superthread and posting a link to it. That Fun Facts article stayed in the Disneyland News archives for a while -- until they revamped their site and changed the overall look of it. The holiday Fun Facts article disappeared forever.

...Until, one day, the Parks Blog did a holiday Fun Facts piece (I have a link to it somewhere on Page 1)!! I could tell by looking at it that it had a lot of the same info and text that had been in the Disneyland News article, but with some updates here and there. It appeared to me that the Parks Blog people dipped into the well of general DLR media and recycled that old Disneyland News Holiday Fun Facts piece in the form of a Parks Blog.

So it would seem that all of the different Disney news sources may pull from the same wealth of written material -- and then, depending on which Disney news source releases it first, the article/Blog may have some extra details or it may have fewer details. This can be annoying if -- like in the case of 7/25 -- one source releases info (the Parks Blog) but leaves out one major chunk of that info, such as the start date of the season. That date was posted on Disneyland News, of course, but a lot of other people don't even know about Disneyland News -- they only know about the Parks Blog or they know about the main DLR website.

And those of us who do know about Disneyland News may not be checking it every single day because they don't put up new info every day, or because what they do put up is often just a version of what the Parks Blog posted.

Have been following this thread closely as we are heading over from Australia for a week in Disneyland from the 13th November to the 19th November. I am glad we will see some of the park "dressed up" for holiday festivities. Just a question during this time will the holiday fireworks be for the weekend only. Just trying to plan out my week. Many thanks.

OzCath --

Hello, and welcome!

If the holiday season is officially beginning on Friday, November 15th (as opposed to the date we previously thought was the start date), then there should be holiday fireworks showing every single night, all throughout the holiday season, from that point forward (unless there are wind/weather conditions that prohibit shows on certain nights). It is possible that the fireworks may "soft open" a couple of days early, but if 11/15 is the official start date they will be running every night (with snowfall on Main Street, etc.) after that. But you may not get any fireworks of any kind on 11/13 or 11/14 if the holiday fireworks don't soft open.

Both parks will be decorated for your entire trip. While there may be some last minute odds and ends that go up between 11/13 and 11/15, the majority of the 2 parks' decorations will be up on your arrival date. The 3 hotels, however, will not yet be decorated. Downtown Disney may or may not have an ice rink this year.

As far as I remember they show every night.

I have been away for a long time and seeing your Christmas post made me smile, Sherry. Just like old times

Hello, Krissy!

It has been a while since I've seen you on the board, now that you mention it! Welcome back!

Oh yes, I am firmly involved in the Christmas and Halloween Superthreads! You're not getting rid of me! This Christmas Superthread is bigger and better than its predecessors. The previous Halloween & Christmas Superthreads (before we hit the page limits) had many, many, many views. They were both very popular. It turns out that a lot of people enjoy the Halloween Time and holiday seasons at DLR! Imagine that!

Sigh, we are from the East Coast and are making our first family trip to DLR. We have been to WDW many times, including every time of year but holiday. Our dates are Nov. 12-14. Those are set in stone due to commitments both in California & at home. I've been researching our trip for the past month or so, and was pleasantly surprised to see that we arrive on the first day of the holiday season. Now I see that it is probably not the case. Having never seen WOC at all, it doesn't make a difference that we would not see the holiday version. However, we are hoping for SOMETHING holiday, decorations, small world & haunted mansion, etc. My youngest would LOVE to see the holiday parade and fireworks/snowfall. I showed her a picture of the castle with lights and she gasped! Does anyone with past experience think that maybe a few events might have an early opening, before the 15th? Either way we are so excited to experience DLR for the first time. Having any holiday events would just be the icing on the cake!

LilyRos --

Welcome!

This has been discussed a lot, both in this thread and on the board.

Here's how it will work (and we are assuming now that 11/15 is the official start date of the season, as reported by Disneyland News):

1. Decorations -- The actual decorations in Disneyland and California Adventure will slowly begin to go up, a little bit at a time, even before Halloween Time ends on 10/31. It is a very extensive process, so the Enhancement team and the decorators have to get an early start.

The majority of the decorations will be up in both parks during your trip. There may be a few odds and ends that go up between 11/14 and 11/15, but mostly everything will be up in that whole week leading up to 11/15.

The 3 Disney hotels will not be decorated at all at that point (unless something changes this year).



2. Ride Overlays -- It's a Small World will close for its holiday overlay in the last week or two of October. It will very likely "soft open" (meaning, opening before the official season start date) in its holiday form at least a couple of days prior to 11/15. It usually does.

Haunted Mansion Holiday opens on September 13th and will remain open all the way through early January, so you have no chance of missing that.

The teeny tiny decorations on the cottages in the Storybook Land boat ride will not be up yet and, in fact, that ride may be closed during your trip as it receives its decor.



3. Holiday Entertainment -- This is where you may miss some things. If the season is officially beginning on Friday, 11/15, it is possible that the holiday fireworks and snow will begin a day or two early...but it's hard to tell. What I have observed is that the holiday fireworks seem to start early IF the season is officially beginning on a Monday. In other words, the holiday fireworks begin in time for the weekend leading up to the season start date. However, when the season begins on a Friday, there have been times when the holiday entertainment did not begin at all until that Friday.

So, because it appears that the official start date is a Friday, it is hard to guess at whether the holiday fireworks and snow will be going on a day or two early.

Same thing for the Christmas Fantasy Parade -- it may or may not soft open.

Things like the Jingle Jangle Jamboree (where Santa and a lot of characters in holiday attire can be found) will probably not begin until the actual official start date. Carolers will probably not appear in the parks until 11/15.

The Winter Castle usually does not have its "Enchantment Lighting" until the season start date if that date is a Friday, but when the season has begun on a Monday the Castle's icicles lit up a little early, according to some reports. So, again, this is something that may or may not soft open.

​

Basically, I don't think you will miss too much in terms of general park decorations in both DL and DCA (and most of the merchandise and holiday treats will be available too), but you may miss some of the seasonal entertainment -- or you may get lucky and catch some soft openings on 11/13 or 11/14.


One thing I know for sure is that you will get to experience Haunted Mansion Holiday, and I think there is a very strong chance that you will get to ride It's a Small World Holiday as well! The other things? Time will tell!

 

[danimaroo]

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!

 

[Cyette]

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.

 

[jacs1234]

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?