disney at christmas

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Thanks. I re read it.

 

[smiley_face2]

I am one of those wacky people who actually wants bitter cold at DLR for Christmas!!! I don't want rain, mind you, because that just gets to be a nuisance with photo taking, etc. But I love cold. Since I have lived in SoCal my entire life, I have had more heat than I prefer, and I like to know and feel that seasons are changing. I want to know it is December! So maybe we won't get, say, 'Chicago or New York-cold' during December, but I LOVE it when it drops down to 30 degrees at night, and I have to bundle up in my mittens and neck scarves and hats and even trot out my cumbersome Mickey ear muffs!! I want to feel the chill on my cheeks as I sit there and sip hot cocoa and munch an ear off a gingerbread man cookie!

This is the best thread ever, to echo a previous poster - that's why I bumped it last week and will continue to if it drifts. It needs to be kept alive! I know Halloweentime at DLR begins today, and believe me, I love it then too, but there is nothing at all like the magical feeling of the holiday season at DLR. We have read here how it can turn the non-religious, the non-holiday people, the people whose lives are not going well, into big piles of mush at the sight of the beautiful decor. I, myself, am one who loves the Christmas season and all the sensory assault that it brings in general, but, for various, solid reasons, I don't ever really have a Christmas 'celebration' of which to speak anymore (not in a long time). So I have been trying to make the DLR holiday trip a regular, holiday tradition for me. Even if friends come and go on these trips and I have to go solo, I will still make it a point to get there during the holidays, one way or the other! I can live without a Halloweentime DLR trip if I have to, but I am NOT missing the holidays at DLR - no way, no how.

not wacky at all!! here's a pic of us there last christmas...bundled up!

and a piece of cake for you too....

 

[smiley_face2]

Just fyi... this is what we had left at home.... it was a record breaking winter for us both in temperature when it got down to only 5F for a few weeks and in snowfall in that we had at least a couple of feet and it lasted weeks!!! everyone experienced burst water pipes in their homes (including us....we got the call from home at the hotel that one bathroom was flooded I did not want to come home) roofs caving in (fortunately not us) many many plants that died from the cold (I lost a few beloved things) So in comparison, having to wear a fleece and socks with my sandals was a treat!!

and this is what it is like very often for us...this was taken in February about 3 years ago. Quite a difference! I really hope we don't get another bad winter....

 

[aprincess@mail.com]

Thank you to everyone for sharing their beautiful photos with me!
I was inspired by all the posts I just emailed my hubby to tell him that i really NEED a Mickey mouse gingerbread cookie NOW! lol

Thanks again, and I will add my own personal experience of the magic that is in Disneylands Xmas! It is soo beautiful, and it truly brings out the best in you.
We took our ds last year who was only 2 months and our dd who was 4 yrs old and seeing their innocent little faces glistening from the lights/decorations/fireworks and snow was amazing! It was an unforgettable moment! One that should be experienced by all. :\

Heres a pic of our family last year a day before X-mas eve.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

It was so bad you literally could not see the other side of the street, or even the traffic lights! I live in an extremely foggy part of the world but I've never seen fog like that! We were just shocked how fast everyone was still trying to drive in that fog! and of course there was a huge pile up accident then too.
Sorry you were sick!!

Thanks for that, I was sad about being sick too!
The fog was so bad that some people put on their hazard lights so the cars in front and behind could see them...And yet others still drove like maniacs!

My favorite time is after the park closes but main street is still open for that hour to quietly walk around Main Street and just take it all in. Can't be missed.

I feel the same way. I wish I could get in the car and drive there...I'd go every weekend!

me too! that's when we like to get a holiday mocha or latte (decaf) and sit on one of the benches listening to the Christmas music, admiring the castle, breathing in the delicious smell of vanilla sugar cookies I'm sure they must pipe in to main street.... and just watching all the people leave as if we don't have to...till finally the streets nearly empty and it feels like our own park. (even if it means missing the last shuttle to the hotel....Hojo's is not too far to walk!) I can not wait!!!

Oooh we used to do the same thing. It is magical just people watching and soaking in the ambiance. Now, of course, I always have my camera and am looking for photos ops. But we do try to take one night where we just sit there and soak it all in...We're usually one of the last to leave the park, unless it's insanely cold!

I am one of those wacky people who actually wants bitter cold at DLR for Christmas!!! I don't want rain, mind you, because that just gets to be a nuisance with photo taking, etc. But I love cold. Since I have lived in SoCal my entire life, I have had more heat than I prefer, and I like to know and feel that seasons are changing. I want to know it is December! So maybe we won't get, say, 'Chicago or New York-cold' during December, but I LOVE it when it drops down to 30 degrees at night, and I have to bundle up in my mittens and neck scarves and hats and even trot out my cumbersome Mickey ear muffs!! I want to feel the chill on my cheeks as I sit there and sip hot cocoa and munch an ear off a gingerbread man cookie!

Oh Sherry, I used to be the same way! I loved getting dressed up for the winter as we don't have a lot of seasonal extremes either where I'm from. I am more afraid of getting sick since for some reason, since we've started going in January instead of December, I've been getting sick. Of course, since I got sick in June, I realize now it doesn't even matter when I go! Obviously, I am one of those that get sick easily no matter what the temperature is outside. It just sucks to go on vacation and come home sick.

I, myself, am one who loves the Christmas season and all the sensory assault that it brings in general, but, for various, solid reasons, I don't ever really have a Christmas 'celebration' of which to speak anymore (not in a long time). So I have been trying to make the DLR holiday trip a regular, holiday tradition for me. Even if friends come and go on these trips and I have to go solo, I will still make it a point to get there during the holidays, one way or the other! I can live without a Halloweentime DLR trip if I have to, but I am NOT missing the holidays at DLR - no way, no how.

We have used our DL vacation as a substitute for a traditional holiday gathering at home for a long time now too. Once our DS was out of his teens it didn't make a lot of sense to go through the trouble of setting up the whole house for the holidays. I'd much rather put the money we'd spend on gifts toward a family vacation, so that's what we do. We give each other a vacation every year!Or sometimes, like this year, we give each other a vacation 3 times a year!

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Whoa! smiley_face2, that is cold! I have no complaints about the cold, err, warm weather in DL from now on, ever!

BTW, that cake looks awesome! Where did you get that?

 

[smiley_face2]

Whoa! smiley_face2, that is cold! I have no complaints about the cold, err, warm weather in DL from now on, ever!

BTW, that cake looks awesome! Where did you get that?

Lol.... I know... I used to be all nostalgic about snow...wishing we would get some for Christmas while looking out at the sun or the rain instead.... by the end of it last year I was soooooo over the snow! If it does not snow here again for 20 years that's ok with me!!
That yule log cake we got at The Plaza Inn to have after the amazing fried chicken dinner they have there....the piece was huge!! we shared of course. Seems to me I saw them other locations as well, but I don't remember for sure now.
aprincess@mail.com....you have a beautiful family!!

 

[asianbma]

You must go during Christmas season at Disneyland. I usually get very emotional during the fireworks show because of the music. I love how the temperature drop like crazy in Southern Calif. It feels so cold that it is like Christmas.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Yeah!!! DH has agreed to going again in December!!! We'll be there 12/18-21, with DS's 1st bday on the 18th!!!

 

[disneymama83]

Wow there are some really beautiful pictures posted here! Thanks for sharing everyone! I just love Disneyland at Christmas time!!!!!!!!

 

[sunstress]

Hi everyone! Thanks for posting such beautiful pictures! My husband and I will be celebrating our 4th anniversary on November 15, and we were trying to decide between flying down to visit the parks for our anniversary *or* to wait a week and see the holiday decorations (based on previous years timing). However, it looks as if the decorations will be up starting the 13th!

I suppose that, before I actually book our flights and hotel and such, I should check in with you experts -- historically, is everything up on the first day of the season? Would we be better off waiting a week?

I've never been to Disneyland during the holidays, and this would be a great chance to combine our anniversary with lots of gorgeous decorations!

Thanks in advance for any advice y'all can offer!

 

[smiley_face2]

It's pretty amazing how they convert the park to Christmas seemingly overnight...but it does take a bit for everything to be in place. If you wait too long you'll be caught up in the thanksgiving day masses... you could wait till the weekend of the 20th, they will surely be all done by then.... but it would be a shame to not be there on your actual anniversary. If it were me, we would just go then and enjoy what is there.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Hi everyone! Thanks for posting such beautiful pictures! My husband and I will be celebrating our 4th anniversary on November 15, and we were trying to decide between flying down to visit the parks for our anniversary *or* to wait a week and see the holiday decorations (based on previous years timing). However, it looks as if the decorations will be up starting the 13th!

I suppose that, before I actually book our flights and hotel and such, I should check in with you experts -- historically, is everything up on the first day of the season? Would we be better off waiting a week?

I've never been to Disneyland during the holidays, and this would be a great chance to combine our anniversary with lots of gorgeous decorations!

Thanks in advance for any advice y'all can offer!

The start of the season is the 13th, they will start putting the decor up right after they take the Halloween stuff down Nov 2. The xmas fireworks are going, the parades, IASW Holiday, I would say most if not all the decor will be up.

 

[disneynerd420]

I'm trying to squeeze in one last trip this year in December, reading this thread has me very excited.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

I'm trying to squeeze in one last trip this year in December, reading this thread has me very excited.

OMG, if you can go, you definitely should! You will LOVE it during the holidays!

 

[sassypup]

I have really enjoyed all of the pictures and reading all of the posts. We are planning our 1st December trip.....I can't wait....what a way to spend the holidays!

 

[zeitzeuge]

Christmas time was one of the most amazing times for us at DL. Nothing else compares in my opinion. The weather for us was cool in the morning, 70's in the afternoon and it got down to 50's at night. Perfect weather. The park is more magical during this time of year then any other. You can see a link in my signature to all the pics we took last December.

 

[tksbaskets]

Sherry, I'm only on page one and already drooling over the plethera of Christmas treats and the decorations. WAHOO!

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry, I'm only on page one and already drooling over the plethera of Christmas treats and the decorations. WAHOO!

Tee hee hee! My work is done! Yes, this has turned out to be a great thread, hasn't it? It began simply as the OP just asking basic questions atbout DLR during the holidays, but it has evolved into THE key thread that should be essential reading/viewing for anyone who wants to know what it is like at DLR during the Christmas season. While the DLR Holiday photo thread (in the Community section) is great, too, this thread is only about Christmastime, and we have info here about the treats and the specific little things/details to see which might otherwise be overlooked, as well as some fabulous photographic contributions from our DIS-ers. It is sort of the comprehensive DLR/Christmas planning thread now.

It is looking very likely that - short of a miracle - I will miss out on seeing DLR during Halloweentime this year, and I am bummed out about it but I can live. However, my mind is already jumping ahead to trying to assemble a holiday trip because that is the one I cannot miss! I need to eat another gingerbread man with mouse ears, pronto!!

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

The food alone made me want to go to DLR this xmas.

Does GK brunch serve anything special for the holidays??