Our 3rd Annual Holiday Trip to DL in November - November 22nd - 25th, 2013 Post #3416

[PrincessInOz]

Love the night shots, Bret. Keep it coming!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Love the night shots, Bret. Keep it coming!

Thank you PiO. I really need to look at your TR since I have been away from my CPU during basketball season. I will try to read yours tonight as well as Alison.


Now pictures from World of Color: Prep and Landing the Holiday segment of WoC. This segment debut last year during the Holiday season and once again are running it this year during the Holiday season at the DLR.

Stay tune for the next update of the Holiday season at the DLR.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Pictures from Haunted Mansion Holiday

2012 Gingerbread House

Jack

Zero

 

[PrincessInOz]

Thanks for sharing. I didn't end up heading to the HMH on this trip.
I like the WoC Christmas theme ones.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Thanks for sharing. I didn't end up heading to the HMH on this trip.
I like the WoC Christmas theme ones.

Thank you PiO. I'm sorry that you weren't able to ride HMH on your trip. You would have loved going on that ride since it is decorated during the Holiday season.

Glad that you like the WoC Prep & Landing pictures.


Now pictures from Big Thunder Ranch and Jingle Jungle Jamboree

Jingle Jungle Jamboree Hour of Operations sign

The Country Bears were at the Jingle Jungle Jamboree

The cottage that used to have Santa meet and greet

The Billy Hill and Holiday Hillbillies were playing at the other entrance of BTR.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Love all the Christmas decorations in here!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Love all the Christmas decorations in here!

Thank you PiO.

The first post of the DLR trip report will be up shortly.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Day 1 – November 16, 2012 – Part 1​

After three months from my last DL trip and just got back a couple of weeks from Orlando during the Halloween season and the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival which was amazing, it is now time to head on back to the DLR to go during the Holiday season which is our favorite time of the year to go to the DLR. This trip is one of my favorite times of the year to go to the DLR. I love going during the summertime and Halloween season, but the Holiday season is the best in my opinion since the resort is all decorated with Christmas decorations. This trip is also special since Buena Vista Street and Cars Land will be decorated for the first Holiday season.

My DA is also looking forward to the trip as just as me since it will be decorated. This will be the 2nd time we will be heading on over to the DLR during the Holiday season in November. Mostly we always go in December for my birthday but the last three years I have been going in November due to the WDW trips in December in 2010 and 2011 and my basketball season is in full effect in December so I don’t want to miss any games. So we decided to go again in November which is very nice to go during the Holiday season.

We didn’t leave on Thursday the 15th since my DA was working and I also had a basketball game that night. We drove in my DA white Honda Civic since she is so comfortable driving her car and not my TSX. So we left Sacramento Friday morning around 7am and head on over to my grandmother’s house in Livingston which is about 10 minutes away from Merced. It takes an hour and a half to drive to my grandmother’s house. I always go to my grandmother’s house in Livingston on the way over to SoCal. The town is right on highway 99. Sometimes I have gone on highway 5 to SoCal, but I like to drive on 99 since I am used to driving down on that highway than highway 5. I know that highway 5 is way faster than 99, but there are more towns on the way from 99 than 5.

We stopped in for a short visit and left around 9am and on our way to SoCal. But before we head straight to Anaheim, we had to make one stop to LA to my dad’s friend office. I am talking about my dad’s friend who he and his family went with my family to WDW last year. My dad asked me to drop off some stuff for him so we had to make on stop before we got to Anaheim.

My DA and I switched off a couple of times during the trip down to SoCal so we won’t have any accidents. I could have driven straight to LA if I wanted too, but it was easier if we just switch off while we are fresh.

We stopped a couple of times during the trip to SoCal since we weren’t able to get to the Costco gas station in Burbank. We had to stop a couple of times to Burbank since we didn’t have enough gas so it took a little longer to get to SoCal than usual. Also it was partially raining that day so it did affect part of the driving down to SoCal.

After fueling at Costo, we head on down I-5 to Anaheim. As usual the traffic on I-5 to Anaheim was busy as usual and it took about 1 hour to get to Anaheim.

We got to in Anaheim around 3pm and the day was kind of cloudy which means rain. But we are hoping that it won’t rain that day since I will be taking pictures of “Believe…In Holiday Magic fireworks”. We were staying at BWAI which I have stayed a lot of times in the past with my DA. I just recently stayed at BWAI during my August trip with my DB and his GF. I would prefer to stay at BWPPI as my choice of hotel instead of the DLR hotels, but the price was just not there and we stayed at BWAI for under $100 with tax. Not a bad price to be staying at BWAI during the Holiday season in November.

Our room was ready when we got check-in around 3pm. Lucky for us we were on the bottom floor and we were a few rooms away from the lobby. I was happy that our room was close to Harbor Blvd than those other times that we had to walk a long ways to Harbor Blvd.

When we dropped all of our stuff in the room, my DA wasn’t ready to go to the parks until later tonight when we see “Believe…In Holiday Magic” fireworks. We were also planning on eating at the ESPN Zone to watch basketball games that night so I had to get to the ESPN Zone to have dinner with her.

I brought all my equipment with me including my tripod and video camera since I wasn’t planning on going back to the room until later that night. So I carried everything and I didn’t want my DA to carry my tripod with her to the ESPN Zone in DTD.

I left the room around 4pm and head on over to the DLR. When I left the hotel and over to the DLR, it was a little cloudy that night and it might rain since it was forecast on the weather channel. But I always carry a poncho and umbrella just in case if it rains that day.

Walking down the bus loading area

When I passed the security gate and in the Esplanade, I head on over to DCA first before DL since I want to see the Holiday decorations at BVS and CL. Luckily it wasn’t that at DCA turnstiles. Just like last year, there were Holiday garlands over the DCA turnstiles which was nice to see and I was excited to see the Holiday decorations at DCA.

Now I was in DCA and in BVS, it did felt like Christmas in DCA. This was way better than I have though in DCA. It is time for the Christmas Quests that I have been doing these last couple of years. As always Sherry, the quests make it more exciting to do at the DLR during the Holiday season.

The first picture of the wreath quest is the Oswald Gas station

Over on the right hand side of DCA, there were a media area with a lot of CM’s and I was wondering what they were filming that day. I did mention on my other posts that the CM’s were filming something that day and I still haven’t found out what they have filmed that day.

After that, I just went around BVS to look for any Holiday decorations. Most of the buildings around BVS were all decorated with garlands and wreaths. It was very interesting to get a lot of different pictures of the building with the Holiday decorations.

Chambers of Commerce

Los Feliz Five & Dime store

When I looked up, there were some CM’s filming something right on the left hand side.

Here are flower pictures for you Deej right by the locker area

A look at the filming area

Here is one of my first tree pictures in the window display on BVS

A look at the Carthay Circle Theater and part of the BVS Christmas tree

There was quite a lot of garlands and wreaths on BVS which is something that you want to see. Just like DL MS where they have a lot of trees, wreaths and garlands when you enter the park. Disney really got it right with the decorations at BVS.

That’s it for now on this post and I will have more from BVS during the Holiday season. I still am working on my WDW trip which is not done yet and I still have a lot to do. I will get as much done as I can during my time off from basketball.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Excellent....you've started. Settling in for more.

Nice to have a stop-off at your grandmothers. It must be nice to be part of a large, close-knit family.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Excellent....you've started. Settling in for more.

Nice to have a stop-off at your grandmothers. It must be nice to be part of a large, close-knit family.

Thank you PiO. I should be trying to finish the WDW Tr, but I always like to get started on the DL TR during the Holiday season which is my favorite time of year to go.

It is nice to visit my grandmother or my DA mother. We always stop there on the way to Anaheim to drop off some stuff and we also stay there so we can have a head start to Anaheim which saves us an hour and a half.


The next post will be up shortly.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Day 1 – November 16, 2012 – Part 2​

We left off where I just have entered Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure. We just got in to Anaheim around 3pm and I decided to head on over to DCA to see all the new Holiday decorations at BVS and Cars Land. My DA was resting up at the room after the long drive, but I wanted to see all the new decorations and get pictures of it so I head on over there that day. I would meet up with my DA at the ESPN Zone later that night to have dinner which we always eat there during our trips to the DLR. It was a nice night where it was cloudy and I can tell that it can possibly rain that day so I brought my poncho and umbrella just in case if it rains and I will be prepared when I watch “Believe…In Holiday Magic” fireworks that night.

When I first saw the decorations at BVS, I was amazed of how much Christmas decorations that they have put up during the Holiday season. It is just like MS at DL where they put up a lot of decorations since it is the first land that you enter the park.

I was in BVS getting pictures of the Holiday decorations and they were all amazing. Most of the stores had garlands with light up bells while the lamp posts were decorated with garlands and ribbons.

The window displays at the Elias & Company store

One of the Christmas trees in the Elias & Co. Store. I did get a picture of the tree inside the store later on during the trip.

Another look at the Carthay Circle Theater as it was kind of busy around that area. I saw that one of the Red Car Trolleys was stopped at the front of the CCT. So I knew that it was the Red Car Street Boys show that was playing at that time.

Elias & Co. Store

More pictures of the wreaths for the Wreath quest on the Elias & Co Store

Right at the other hand side of the Elias & Co Store was the Santa meet and the greet area which had a lot of different Holiday decorations.

I walked down towards Hollywood Land instead of going to the front entrance of CL since I want to check out the decorations on Hollywood Land. It was really busy that day around BVS at the CCT during the Red Car Street Boys show.

While I looked down on Hollywood Land, there were tents set up along the sidewalk right by the Disney Junior Live on Stage area. Just like DL the last couple of years during the Holiday season in November when I was there were the radio stations of different cities on the west coast. Most of the different radio companies were close to SoCal like NorCal, Nevada and Arizona. They must be here for the new lands at DCA which are promoting.

A look at the CCT with some Christmas decorations on the side of the theater

I just passed by the BVS Christmas tree right by the Elias & Co. Store. It was really tall and had a lot of different decorations. It is way different than the Christmas tree at DL during the Holiday season. I couldn’t get close to it since the CM’s were not allowing any people in the area of the tree. I would guess that they are getting it ready to turn on the lights.

A look back on BVS

When I was walking down Hollywood Land, the radio stands go all the way down towards the Animation building. Half of the radio stands on Hollywood Land were all finished or cleaning up. There were a lot

The only Holiday decorations on Hollywood Land were the candy cane colors on the lamp posts.

A look back down the street of Hollywood Land

Just passing by one of the Red Car Trolley. They also have Christmas decorations on it which makes it perfect for the Holiday season.

I didn’t get to see the Mad T Party with the decorations at Hollywood Land, but I did eventually see it later during the trip.

I now went towards the Tower of Terror and like every time I see it, there is barely anyone in the lines for the ToT. This is so weird that the ToT at DHS is over 1 hour wait time while the DCA version is less than 30 minutes which is great.

That’s it for this post and I will have more of the Holiday decorations at DCA.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Those decorations are rather tastefully done. Well done Disney....and great captures, Bret.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Those decorations are rather tastefully done. Well done Disney....and great captures, Bret.

Thank you PiO. The decorations at BVS are very nice and Disney did a great job with the Holiday decorations at BVS for the first time.

The next post will be up shortly.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Day 1 – November 16, 2012 – Part 3​

We left off where I was DCA and walking through to see all the Holiday decorations. I was in Hollywood Land after passing through BVS with all the Holiday decorations. I was amazed through all the Holiday decorations at Buena Vista Street and had high hopes that Cars Land would be just as good or not even better than BVS. I was waiting for a long time to see the Holiday decorations at CL ever since it was announced by Disney.

Also while I was walking down on Hollywood Land, there were the radio companies from around the West coast that was talking about the new lands at DCA during the Holiday season. Mostly they are at DL the last two years I have been here during the Holiday season and this time they are here at DCA which surprised me a little but shouldn’t be too surprised with what is happening.

Now I am passing by the Tower of Terror and now entering A Bug’s Land. Every year at ABL, they always have Holiday decorations which is ornaments and Christmas lights. But I will get to that another update since I was looking forward to CL a lot.

Christmas lights are up right by Tuck and Roll’s ride

Now I am entering CL

Red at his usual meet & greet area

Every time I am coming to CL from ABL, I have to get the Radiator Springs signs which I like to look at every time.

This will always be my favorite sign entering CL with Lightning McQueen and Sir Tow Mater

The first thing I saw at CL with the new Holiday decorations is the Leaning Tower of Tires at Luigi’s Casa Della Tires

When I just got in at Radiator Springs, the lights at the town turned on. It was a little different to not here the music that turns the lights on at CL. But looking at the Holiday decorations at CL for the first time is so amazing and with the neon lights together just makes it even more special. I started to go around CL to get as much pictures of the Holiday decorations before I head on out of the park and over to the ESPN Zone to meet up with my DA for dinner.

A look at RS Town Hall

Leaning Tower of Tires with garlands going around the tires and the lights have Christmas lights along with a star on top of the tower.

A look above the streets which has crescent wrench ornaments with air filter garlands.

Some Christmas decorations at Ramones House of Body Art

A look at Town Hall with air filter garlands which looked very neat

A look at the Christmas tree with Hub Caps which is very neat with all different styles of caps

A look at the Stanley statue with a Santa hat as well as a bag full of toys which I didn’t get the back side

A look back at CL and I will get to that shortly during the report.

A look at Ramones

Now looking at Flo’s V8 Café with an oil sign on the pole

Mater is now approaching and has a Santa hat which is very cool during the Holiday season

The Motor oil at Flo’s V8 Café looks like a tree all decorated during the Holiday season.

I head on in Flo’s V8 Café to look for any Christmas decorations. While I was here in DCA, I still have to do the tree quest and here is one of the trees inside Flo’s V8 Café

Another tree right at Doc Hudson Ornament Valley Mechanical Clinic which is part of Flo’s V8 Café restaurant dining area

It started to get a little dark that night while I was looking at all the different decorations at CL.

That’s it for this post and I will have more pictures from Cars Land.

 

[PrincessInOz]

Those decorations at CL are so cute and so in keeping with the theme. Great job on the pictures as always.

Thanks for sharing.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Those decorations at CL are so cute and so in keeping with the theme. Great job on the pictures as always.

Thanks for sharing.

The decorations at CL are neat and match each theme of each character of the movie.

Thank you PiO.


The next post will be up shortly.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Day 1 – November 16, 2012 – Part 4​

We left off at DCA during the Holiday season at the DLR which is all decorated with Christmas decorations. I was at Cars Land looking at all of the decorations in CL which was amazing and exciting to see. It was a great experience to see the decorations and see it at night which is also amazing. I was walking around looking for all the decorations before I head on to Downtown Disney to have dinner with my DA at the ESPN Zone. While I was in CL and the rest of DCA, I was here to get as much pictures of the Holiday decorations at CL and the Tree, Wreath Quest that Sherry have started a few years ago. It is so fun to do this quest to look for any Holiday decorations.

I left off leaving Flo’s V8 Café looking at the Christmas trees and now going down the streets of Radiator Springs to look for any Holiday decorations. It was semi busy that day at CL which is wasn’t that busy to look at the decorations at CL.

Flo’s V8 Café with air filter garland decorations

A look at Lizzie’s Radiator Springs Curios shop, oh I mean Radiator Winter shop with snow on top of the signs

A Route 66 sign tree

Now was Sally’s Cozy Cone Motel which had cone decorations and they were very interesting to see that most of the decorations had little cones on the big cones for the Holiday decorations.

A look down the street of RS

Star shape cones with lights on them

A look at the Lobby of the Cozy Cone with decorations and Mater is at the meet and greet area

A look at the Cone Stands which had cone garlands

A look at the lobby with so many different decorations including a gingerbread model of the Cozy Cone

More of the Cozy Cone food stands with the cone garlands

After looking at the decorations at the Cozy Cone Motel, I moved on to my next destination at CL which was Sarge’s Surplus Hut

I entered the store and look for any Holiday decorations and there were a few trees which was neat where one of them was a sandbag tree with a siren horn on the top of the tree

Another tree which was an all steel shape tree

A sandbag tree with a star on top of it.

That’s it for this post and I will have more from Cars Land during the Holiday season.

 

[PrincessInOz]

I like the decorations at the Cozy Cone section but I think my favourites so far are those at Sarge's Surplus.

Those starbursts on the top of the shop are beautiful!

 

[mvf-m11c]

I like the decorations at the Cozy Cone section but I think my favourites so far are those at Sarge's Surplus.

Those starbursts on the top of the shop are beautiful!

The Cozy Cone area with the Holiday decorations are amazing. The starbursts at the top of Sarge's Surplus shop was neat.


The next post will be up shortly.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Day 1 – November 16, 2012 – Part 5​

We left off at DCA during the Holiday season at the DLR which is all decorated with Christmas decorations. I was at Cars Land looking at all of the decorations in CL which was amazing and exciting to see. It was a great experience to see the decorations and see it at night which is also amazing. After looking at most of the buildings at CL with the decorations while I still have some to get before I leave this land and off to DTD for dinner with my DA. I am still looking for more decorations at DCA while I am still in this park. It was a nice night where it hasn’t rained yet and anything is possible.

I just left Sarge’s Surplus Hut and getting any pictures that I have missed around that area. It was getting a little busy that night at CL.

Another tree for the Tree Quest

Across the street was Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree which also has Christmas decorations

The Christmas tree at Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree made out of tires

Tow Mater sign which had a Santa hat and garlands when you enter Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree

Right across was Fillmores Taste-In Fuel which had some Christmas decorations as well

A metal Christmas tree at Fillmore’s with peace sign ornaments as well as an angel car on top of the tree

After looking at all the decorations at all of the buildings at CL, it was time to head on over to see the entrance sign to CL which I wanted to save last. But when I got to that area, it was busy where I wanted to get a picture of “Snowy” the snow car which is right at the entrance of the sign. But it was quite busy around that area so I had no time to get in the queue for a picture so I got a picture while I was passing by him.

When I looked at the CL sign, I was amazed at the letters which showed each different character and buildings with the Holiday decorations which was kind of neat to have in the letters.

I was about to exit CL from and head on over to Paradise Pier, but it was roped off since the Pixar parade was about to happen at 5:30pm, so I went back down Radiator Springs to get some more pictures and head on over to the exit towards Pacific Wharf.

A few more pictures on the way down towards Radiator Springs Racers

Luigi’s Leaning Tower of Tires with the Holiday decorations

Radiator Winter Curios shop

I head on over to the back side of Flo’s V8 Café as well as the other side of Radiator Springs Racers

While passing by Flo’s, there was another tree inside the restaurant which is another tree for the tree quest

A look at RSR and Ornament Valley

Now I head on through the backside of RS and towards Pacific Wharf

That’s it for this post and I will have more from DCA and the Holiday decorations.