Christmas Castle presentation: What are the 3 acts?

[Pigletlover]

Hi everybody,

I was just reading the Mousesavers email which mentions:

After dark, a sensational holiday lighting and special effects show carries the magic of the holidays from the castle all the way to the Christmas tree in Town Square. The Disneyland Christmas tree is specially designed to present a nightly holiday light show like no other.

The Sleeping Beauty Winter Castle presentation unfolds throughout the evening in three acts, each of them featuring a touch of winter snow on Main Street, U.S.A. The finale of the show includes the legendary “Believe… in Holiday Magic” fireworks show.

And also the Disney website which says:

Wintertime Enchantment Holiday Lighting Sleeping Beauty Castle:
5:00 p.m. to 5:05 p.m. 5:15 p.m. to 5:20 p.m.
6:30 p.m. to 6:35 p.m. 7:30 p.m. to 7:35 p.m.

I'm a little confused! Could someone please tell me, is the first paragraph referring to those four 5-minute shows that the Disney website lists? Do they light the castle and then light the way along to the tree, and then light the tree, in 5 minutes?

Also, what exactly are the first 2 acts they are referring to in the second paragraph, if the 3rd act is the fireworks? Is the 1st act the 5-minute show?

[Disney Dreams]

I don't get the email you are referencing, but....

Four times a night, Sleeping Beauty's castle (and surrounding trees) will get a winter snow / icicle effect that takes place in 3 acts each time. Each "act" is a little more snow and icicle affect.

So, from 5:00pm - 5:05pm you will see all 3 acts.

There are garland that go across Main Street that also light up, as does the Christmas tree. I think this is what they mean by "carries the magic of the holidays from the castle all the way to the Christmas tree."

These are from last year

From Town Square toward the castle


From the castle toward Town Square


- Dreams

[DangerMouse]

I remember the three acts from Christmas 2007. It's kind of hard to describe, but I found a write up about it on another website and have included it below:

To build the visitor's suspense, the castle's Christmas lighting is not turned on all in one single moment! Instead, the Sleeping Beauty Castle is lighted in stages. In the picture of the Christmas Disneyland Castle to your right, only part of the special lighting effects have been turned on. As the evening progresses, the castle receives its full lighting effects---and how splendidly it gleams! (You can see a picture of the Disneyland Castle at Christmas--with ALL of its lights aglow & icicles glimmering--in the photo at the top of this page.

Before each lighting of the castle, a special ceremony takes place. This new entertainment attraction is a bit hard to describe. Imagine it to be similar to a 3-act play...only with each of the three acts spaced out a bit. And, unlike a play, you won't see actors...you'll hear a sound track and see special effects.

--"Act 1" of the performance is called "When You Wish." It involves the onlookers hearing a child's wishing for snow...and then seeing flurries dart about the sky. Sleeping Beauty's Castle gets into the act as well: artful lighting makes the rooftops look as if they've been dusted by freshly fallen flakes.

--"Act 2" is called "When You Dream." The audience hears the child making wishes once again...followed by still MORE snow flurries. Additional lighting makes the Sleeping Beauty Castle sparkle even brighter against the deep black night.

--"Act 3" is entitled "When You Believe." This segment of the show follows Disneyland's Christmas fireworks display, "Believe...in Holiday Magic." The stunning seasonal fireworks show is a nighttime extravaganza works the crowd in a state of awe---which is capped by the playing of "White Christmas" and the "When You Believe" segment. Snow falls once again...and this time no lighting effects are held back. The entire Disneyland Castle seems as if it will burst with the energy of its brilliance! It dazzles and twinkles in the night air. Surely, this is the time when this beloved castle appears more beautiful than it ever has in its entire history.

HTH!

[allimaree]

Now I'm confused. Disney Dreams said all three acts happen each time (in 5 min.) and what DangerMouse quoted is the 3 acts spread out throughout the night with the final act happening after the fireworks. For the days I'm going to be there, the schedule looks like this:

Park Hours:
10 am to 9 pm

Fireworks:
8:40 pm

Wintertime Enchament Holiday Lighting: Sleeping Beauty Castle
5:00 to 5:05 pm
5:15 to 5:20 pm
6:30 to 6:35 pm
7:30 to 7:35 pm

Looks like 4 acts to me if it is like DangerMouse quoted? I've never been during the holidays and I don't want to miss anything special, but I also don't want to watch the same thing each time, KWIM?

Also, how much area does the "snow" cover? If I want to see the castle and get hit by the "snow" where is the best place to stand?

Thanks, everyone! I bow to your superior Disneyland knowledge!

(Sorry to thread hijack, OP!)

[pixiewings71]

When we went last while it snowed it covered most of MS and the hub edges. We actually stood under the "snow" machines to be safe and they blew pretty far out.

[Pigletlover]

Thanks very much for your help, everybody!

I still can't believe they are going to have REAL reindeer with Santa at the greeting area! Fabulous!!!

[MyMonkies]

Now I'm confused.

Me too! That's easy to do, lol.

So, will I see the whole thing in one 5 minute segment or do I need to be around for each one???

[DisneySuiteFreak]

If you'll check out this thread here you will see that they are lit in stages. While this was happening with the Xmas tree, the same was happening at the castle (and see castle photos with snow in this post as well) and at IASW.
I wouldn't go and seek out these things, as they are more like distractions that entertain you while you wait in looooooooong holiday lines. In 2 photos, I was waiting in loooooooong lines --one for Ap processing and the other for IASW, and in the castle photos I was waiting for fireworks to start.
HTH!

ETA: These photos were taken in January 2009 for the 2008-2009 holiday season. The LED garland and LED lights on the tree were new for the 2008-2009 holiday season. I don't recall seeing IASW light show and snow prior to 2008-2009 season, so I don't think it happened prior to '08-09 either.

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Originally Posted by Pigletlover

Hi everybody,

I'm a little confused! Could someone please tell me, is the first paragraph referring to those four 5-minute shows that the Disney website lists? Do they light the castle and then light the way along to the tree, and then light the tree, in 5 minutes?

In a word, yes it's referring to the 5 minute shows. They are lit simultaneously for the entertainment of anyone who happens to be in each particular area. (Hub, Town Square, IASW)

Also, what exactly are the first 2 acts they are referring to in the second paragraph, if the 3rd act is the fireworks? Is the 1st act the 5-minute show?

First the lights start to dim. Then the LEDs start to light up, then they are fully lit and then it snows. The last time this show happens, everything dims again for the fireworks to start. Then after fireworks, it all lights up again and the snow falls.

[Dizneydaz]

Regarding the snow-the maps will show the locations of the snow machines.

Last year we watched the Fantasmic and then moved over a few feet to be where the snow flew. We got covered in it.

I have a map from this year. It looks like the snow will fall in the same locations as last year. Look for the blue snowflakes on the map. Basically down MS all the way to IASW. Also at the Rivers of America.