No, we've eaten around 7pm before (I think......) but when I originally had set up a "late" dinner.....they had us for 8:30pm........ so I'm thinking it will be ok??
We were going to stay just our last night at PPH and that would have run us over $750........so I'm glad we looked into the CM discount........I can tell you it was a substantial discount.......it really was only a difference of $276 with room, tickets and AP.......that's the ONLY way we could have even thought of staying the whole time at the pier!!! I'm super excited!!
All the changes and whether they happen or not makes for a lot of worry and speculation. I just wish the DL would stop trying to be WDW. DL can and never will be WDW....there isn't room to do that and it's a different "market". DL sits in the middle of a city, no room for growth, brings in lots of local visitors, and has many other options of vacation attractions for out of town guests. Where WDW is a HUGE spread out area, away from towns and also away from other attractions (yes there are some.....but not nearly as concentrated as S. Cali) So why do the powers that be, think they need to turn DL into an all inclusive resort?? They keep plenty busy, so why change things??
The 3 resort hotels are all expensive....it would be nice if they had made one of them affordable. It's getting to the point, the only reason we can afford these trips is because either Mike's mom treated us or we got a hefty refund from the IRS.....what happens when the adoption credits are all done (and they are) and Mike's pay goes up just enough to stop the nice tax credits we have qualified for over the last few years (and that could happen this year)....then what?? At the rate they're going......this possibly could be our last family trip!! I haven't said this out loud or even discussed it, but it's the truth. Disneyland is pushing out families on lower incomes or even moderate incomes.....they offer all these perks to stay at their resorts......so I see this as "if you can afford it, we'll cater and bend over backwards for you". Not really a good message for Disney to be sending out........ This subject actually depresses me a bit.......
I don't think it's fair for people in favor of paying for the holiday offerings (Like in a party) to call people against tradition~~whiners!! Here we go again.....if you can afford it, you'll get the benefits. For some people, just scraping enough money to go is a huge undertaking......now something they've always offered for all guests could become an expensive exclusive. Large families like mine would be screwed. (8 x $60 est. = $480).....that's a lot of money JUST to see snow fall on Main Street. It's magical, but I've seen it for FREE. Change is necessary, I understand that.......but we're not all made of money, or we have large families, or children with special needs that might not handle one of these parties & we would feel forced to stay because of the money we put out, etc. This is not whining.....its reality Big Difference!!
Oh, I'll see what I can find on the Farmer's Market holiday stuff. I might be interested in that. None of our plans are set in stone....we may have dining reservations.....but luckily, dining at DL isn't as major as it is at WDW.....so last minute changes can be made. (weather will also play into our plans)
Yep!
I agree with everything you said, and couldn't agree with you more!
I know what you mean about this possibly being the last trip - every time I go to DLR, I really have no clue when I'll be back. Times are very tough for me, and it's always a possibility that each trip could be the last trip of its kind for years. So there is always that desire to try to make the trip as special as possible and to pack as much into it as possible, just in case...
On top of everything else, WDW has many other options for holiday merriment if guests don't wish to attend MVMCP. There are 9 million resort hotels to visit. There are holiday things in all 3 of the other parks aside from MK. There are the fun decorations at Fort Wilderness. I mean, it's an all-encompassing experience.
At DLR, if they block guests from being able to see holiday things they have been able to see for years and make these things part of a paid party in Disneyland from late November to the week of Christmas, and if people can't attend the party, what is DLR adding to DCA to make up for it? There are not a whole lot of other options for holiday entertainment with only 3 hotels (even though the GCH is wonderful during the season) and one other park! The novelty of the Cars Land decorations will wear off after a bit, as was the case with Toontown. Those decorations will be expected to be part of the usual decorations package every year.
Even if DCA suddenly decides to do the all-holiday WoC that has been hinted at for a while, is that enough to pacify people who don't want to attend the party but who still want holiday merriment? Again, we only have 2 parks. It's not like we have our choice of 4 parks and countless hotels!
I think that whether you're a family of 15, or a family of 4, or a solo party of 1...if you are hurting for cash but desperately want to enjoy the holidays, Disney-style, they are certainly making it very, very hard.
And I know that people out there would say, "Well, if you don't
really have the money to go to Disneyland then maybe you shouldn't go." That drives me up the wall, too. It's not for anyone to decide what someone should do if they are broke and want to go to DLR. Maybe it is more important and meaningful to some people than it is for others in the grand scheme of things.
I think your time frame should be okay at Goofy's. It it were any later than 7:30, I might start to worry. I think the characters start to leave Goofy's a bit before the restaurant closes. All I know is that Sherri/TheColtonsMom was heartbroken a couple of Decembers ago during her late dinner because she wasn't there for very long and the characters began to leave - but I think she was there closer to 8:30-ish.
Here is an article from last year about The Grove's nightly snow:
http://brentwoodlifestyle.losangelesrealestatevoice.com/2011/12/12/magic-holiday-snow-nightly-grove/
The rest of the rundown of holiday things will probably go up on The Grove's website after the Christmas tree goes up next month. Every year they have a big tree lighting ceremony in November (it should be on 11/18 or 11/25 this year), with fireworks (which I can hear quite loudly at home) and celebrities and all of that. That begins the holiday season.
Our tree at The Grove was 105 feet tall last year - taller than the tree at Rockefeller Center in New York!
And there is a trolley too!
Farmers Market and The Grove are literally right next to each other (just as LACMA and the Tar Pits are), but they don't seem separate - even though they are separate entities. You can literally transition seamlessly from the Market to The Grove and not even realize you've stepped over the border!
There are restaurants which seem like they are part of The Grove, when technically they are part of the Farmers Market. That's how close together both places are. The Farmers Market has its own smaller Christmas tree and pretty lights.
There are two parts of Farmers Market. There is the inner, "historical," original part of the Farmers Market - that's the section I grew up with and visited every weekend as a kid. That's the section that has many of the walk-up, mom & pop vendors who have been there for decades and decades (as well as some newer places like Pinkberry and Starbucks) sprinkled in. Du-Par's Restaurant/Bakery has been there forever. Bob's Doughnuts has been there forever. The "original" part of the Market often tends to close earlier than the outer/all new part of the Market.
The outer/newer part of the Market (where you would find Johnny Rockets, Marmalade Cafe, Dylan's Candy Bar and lots of other places) is what tends to stay open later. This is also the section that seems to transition seamlessly into The Grove!
The Grove has The Cheesecake Factory, Maggiano's Little Italy, Wood Ranch BBQ...and coming in November,
Sprinkles Cupcakes!
In any case, you have a lot of great, interesting, educational things planned for this December adventure, even outside of Disneyland! The Zoo and the Observatory are great fun. Universal CityWalk is great fun - and I think they have a skating rink too! Of course, the Disney Soda Fountain/Studio Store will be fun. LACMA has the giant rock and the street lamp installation, and the Tar Pits have the George C. Page Museum and a whole lotta tar!
rotfl2
What a long ordeal!!!
Thank You!!!!!!
Welcome to the world of posting, and may I say I'm honored you picked my PTR to make your first post!!!!!!! 
We're very excited about going back to DL......going to WDW would have been awesome......but I don't think the timing is right for my family. Someday.......
OH BOY, a Sprinkles Cupcakes!!! Must.......try........cupcake......... 
Where is Derek working at? Anyway, I have a TR that's gone on since August called Chaos, Confusion and Delays.
I love that your son was accepted into the College Program - I applied last year and didn't get in and I'm pending a decision now. I know I'm really much older than all of the other kids but I decided after my kids were grown to go back to college to earn my degree and fulfill my dream of working for Disney.
. After the adoption for us of my brother's oldest daughter, me and her took a special trip just us too to DLR in the middle of November, Loved all the Christmas decorations, espicially the HMH! (Plus getting away from the snow wasn't such a bad thing either 
)
Welcome too!!! 
Some people like to take their kids up to ride the Winnie the Pooh Ride.......or maybe it's to get those famous Tigger Tails from the candy shop......but for me......it's all about the characters!!!!
