Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread #2 (Closed)

[pixleyyy]

When are you going?

Dec. 4-8. That's one month, 3 weeks and 2 days from now!

 

[Sherry E]

This is not official - and quite a ways back in this thread I posted a partial list of some of the sources of Disney information that are official and unofficial, so that when 'news' comes in we know whether we can trust it 100% or not - but I saw on MouseInfo last night that they are "hearing" that the reindeer are staying "at the North Pole" this year and will not be at the Round-Up (which is now going to be called the Holly Jolly Jamboree).

When Santa's Holly Jolly Jamboree was mentioned in the recent Disney Parks Blog post about the holiday season, someone asked a question in the Comments section about the reindeer returning...and that part of the question was ignored by Erin, the person who wrote the blog. I thought it was suspicious.

Then, my own comment - which was written and submitted very soon after the Blog first went up on the Parks Blog site - focused on the omission of New Orleans Square's themed decor as well as Toon Town's decor from the list of the supposed "Returning Favorites." I thought it may have been an oversight, and that Erin just didn't think to mention it because it is assumed that those lands will be decorated every year. With Disney, however, and their bad habit of removing things when they add new things in...you just never know.

Not only was my comment/question never posted (but meanwhile, some folks got more than one comment in), but my question was never answered.

So...I am guessing that the reindeer are gone forever, even though we have not yet gotten any official confirmation. That's really too bad because the Reindeer Round-Up was a real gem of the holiday season, and a large part of that was because of the reindeer.

I am assuming that the Holly Jolly Jamboree is going to be the same sort of set-up like what the current Halloween set-up is, except minus the 'conjure up a Villain' tent. In fact, I wonder if the Winter sweater-clad characters will be removed from Town Square (as the Halloween costume-clad characters have been removed from Town Square this year) and forced back into the Jamboree.

Who knows what's happening with New Orleans Square's & Toon Town's decorations?

 

[Here4mydisneyfix]

DisneytheKid -

Here4mydisneyfix -

Hello, and welcome! I'm glad you made it over to this thread! I remember your posts in the Halloween thread. I'm so glad to see that you had a great time, despite the huge crowds!

Christmas season is 100 times better in terms of overall decorations and seasonal immersion. If you like Christmas, you should love DLR at Christmas time!

I think I'd go with the November week. The holiday season will either officially begin on 11/8, 11/11 or 11/15 in 2013, and probably go through 1/5/14. The hotels may not be decorated yet (sometimes they don't get decorated until Thanksgiving weekend), but as long as the season is officially underway, everything else should be in place. It may still be a bit crowded, but you are limited in your choices of weeks so I think that may be the better choice.

If you are saying that the second option is to go after New Year's (when your DH is free from work), it will not only still be crowded, most likely, but you may also miss out on a few little seasonal things here and there (like Santa could possibly disappear from his photos spots, for example). Also, Disney is so sneaky that we assume the holiday season will be in effect through January 5, 2014, but they could always pull a fast one and end it mid-week. You never know with them.

So I choose your November option because at least you won't miss out on much of anything, as long as it's after the official start date!

Thanks for the insight Sherry! I really appreciate all of your awesome Disney knowledge! I am thinking the first week will be better too, however, it all depends on if DH can get it off work or not. I did ask if he could for sure last night and he said it is cutting it close (to Thanksgiving/Black Friday) and vacation is doled out on a case by case basis during that time. Crossing fingers! I sure would love to see it at Christmas too!! To hear that decor is 100 times better gets me all giddy! I love, love LOVE the sweet themes they add to the park. Having never seen Halloween time before, what they did this year was incredible to me (I know it seems less than to the rest of ya!), I can only imagine CHRISTMAS time!! Squeal!! Here's hoping they start on the 8th next year! I am thinking we will have a MUCH better chance of getting to take vacation then rather than if it starts later on!

 

[Priory]

I am getting antsy to put my trip together. I have flights, hotel, and shuttle from the airport. However, it's driving me nuts that I can't piece everything else together.

I can't really plan anything until I know how the Candlelight Processional is going to work. I need to know what show I can get into and based on that book my Christmas Tour/parade viewing, plan Fireworks viewing, and make dining reservations accordingly.

It's under two months from now and I just want to have everything planned and confirmed. I'm a little nuts that way.

 

[Nonsuch]

I can't really plan anything until I know how the Candlelight Processional is going to work. I need to know what show I can get into and based on that book my Christmas Tour/parade viewing, plan Fireworks viewing, and make dining reservations accordingly.

It's very hard to plan without more information about Candlelight. It would almost be better if Disney had not even announced there would be dinner packages.

 

[Priory]

It's very hard to plan without more information about Candlelight. It would almost be better if Disney had not even announced there would be dinner packages.

Exactly. Also, it just occurred to me that there very well could be a Christmas WOC this year. My head is going to explode.

 

[DisneylandPlanner]

New for this year!!! A skating rink and christmas village from the disney parks blog. Wow this could be really awesome, or just like at the local mall. But I am excited to find out.

 

[tiggerluvr]

Oooh, I love ice skating! Really looking forward to this during my upcoming trip.

 

[Sherry E]

Priory -

In the Comments under that Parks Blog post that I referenced earlier this morning, Erin responds to one of the posters to say that the Prep & Landing segment (which is a brief intro) to WoC will be back this year. So it will not be a full holiday version of WoC.

​

Thanks, DisneylandPlanner, for the link. It looks like they posted that blog just after I was on their site this morning (which is what happens to me a lot of the time).

I'm really glad to see that they're doing something extra with Downtown Disney - even if it is a shopping mall ice rink! I've often felt that DTD needed a little something extra.

Those of you who have been going to Disneyland for years and years will remember that the Disneyland Hotel had an ice rink in the old days of holiday seasons...and it also had "Candy Cane Lane," which was like a little village. Eventually they set up some tents with the treats and merchandise - so, in a way, it sounds like DTD is going to revisit some of what the Disneyland Hotel used to have back in the '90s!!

 

[DisneytheKid]

Thanks Sherry!

DisneytheKid -

As far as I know (based on previous patterns - but then again, this year seems to be breaking a few typical DLR patterns, so who knows?), Haunted Mansion Holiday will shut down (after DL closes for the night) late on 1/6/13/early 1/7/13 for the removal of the holiday overlay, and stay down for the next 2 or 3 weeks.

Maybe tksbaskets can verify if that info is correct, as she has done a couple of DLR trips that extended through that time frame!

IASW Holiday should still remain open all the way to mid-January (like somewhere close to MLK Day).

I am not sure if the Storybook Land ride closes immediately after that time to remove its tiny decorations. Right now that ride is closed, but it will open for the holiday season.

I am also not sure if the Holly Jolly Jamboree/Reindeer Round-Up closes immediately after 1/6/13.

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks for the insight Sherry! I really appreciate all of your awesome Disney knowledge! I am thinking the first week will be better too, however, it all depends on if DH can get it off work or not. I did ask if he could for sure last night and he said it is cutting it close (to Thanksgiving/Black Friday) and vacation is doled out on a case by case basis during that time. Crossing fingers! I sure would love to see it at Christmas too!! To hear that decor is 100 times better gets me all giddy! I love, love LOVE the sweet themes they add to the park. Having never seen Halloween time before, what they did this year was incredible to me (I know it seems less than to the rest of ya!), I can only imagine CHRISTMAS time!! Squeal!! Here's hoping they start on the 8th next year! I am thinking we will have a MUCH better chance of getting to take vacation then rather than if it starts later on!

Here4mydisneyfix -

You're very welcome - I'm glad I can be of some help. Thank you for the kind words.

Yes, the Halloween stuff is definitely less than what it used to be - I don't think anyone who has been to multiple Halloween seasons can deny that - but to anyone who has never been in the parks for the Halloween season before, you wouldn't know the difference and it wouldn't impact you in any way! As you said, it was incredible to you - and that's all that counts for your trip!

The Christmas season is 100 times better in terms of being more extensive and all-encompassing. Some folks like Halloween better as a holiday, so they won't really enjoy the holiday season as much. But even the people who prefer Halloween as a holiday have to admit that just in terms of the thorough level of decorations alone, the holiday season wins hands down. For example, there are no decorations in the hotels for Halloween Time at all, but during the holiday season they are all decorated. For Halloween Time you can go into many shops and many restaurants and not really see any Halloween decorations (you may see merchandise, but not decor). During the holidays, every shop and restaurant has something.

And California Adventure? As I'm sure you saw, that park has almost no traces of Halloween Time at all. During Christmas time they at least try to decorate it! A Bug's Land has giant lights and ornaments. The Buena Vista Street and Cars Land decorations should be amazing!

And in Disneyland, New Orleans Square and Toon Town have their own special themed holiday decorations.

Even the holiday music changes theme from land to land, with jazz-inspired Christmas songs in New Orleans Square, country versions of holiday classics in Frontierland and Critter Country, songs sung by the characters in Toon Town, calypso-style Christmas songs in Adventureland...and often times the Main Street vehicles will honk out some familiar songs as they drive down the street!

The beauty of the lights on Main Street at night, and the beauty of the stunning IASW Holiday facade and the Winter Castle glowing in icicles is just - for lack of a better word - breathtaking....awe-inspiring... It's not like that during Halloween Time.

I would say that the holidays at DLR are more of an overall 'sensory experience' on every level, while Halloween Time is simply a lot of fun.

You'll have a lot to see!

Thanks Sherry!

DisneytheKid -

You're welcome!

 

[Here4mydisneyfix]

Here4mydisneyfix -

You're very welcome - I'm glad I can be of some help. Thank you for the kind words.

Yes, the Halloween stuff is definitely less than what it used to be - I don't think anyone who has been to multiple Halloween seasons can deny that - but to anyone who has never been in the parks for the Halloween season before, you wouldn't know the difference and it wouldn't impact you in any way! As you said, it was incredible to you - and that's all that counts for your trip!

The Christmas season is 100 times better in terms of being more extensive and all-encompassing. Some folks like Halloween better as a holiday, so they won't really enjoy the holiday season as much. But even the people who prefer Halloween as a holiday have to admit that just in terms of the thorough level of decorations alone, the holiday season wins hands down. For example, there are no decorations in the hotels for Halloween Time at all, but during the holiday season they are all decorated. For Halloween Time you can go into many shops and many restaurants and not really see any Halloween decorations (you may see merchandise, but not decor). During the holidays, every shop and restaurant has something.

And California Adventure? As I'm sure you saw, that park has almost no traces of Halloween Time at all. During Christmas time they at least try to decorate it! A Bug's Land has giant lights and ornaments. The Buena Vista Street and Cars Land decorations should be amazing!

And in Disneyland, New Orleans Square and Toon Town have their own special themed holiday decorations.

Even the holiday music changes theme from land to land, with jazz-inspired Christmas songs in New Orleans Square, country versions of holiday classics in Frontierland and Critter Country, songs sung by the characters in Toon Town, calypso-style Christmas songs in Adventureland...and often times the Main Street vehicles will honk out some familiar songs as they drive down the street!

The beauty of the lights on Main Street at night, and the beauty of the stunning IASW Holiday facade and the Winter Castle glowing in icicles is just - for lack of a better word - breathtaking....awe-inspiring... It's not like that during Halloween Time.

I would say that the holidays at DLR are more of an overall 'sensory experience' on every level, while Halloween Time is simply a lot of fun.

You'll have a lot to see!

Wow Sherry! That sounds SO incredible! You should be an author...or perhaps in marketing for Disney? teehee! I just HAVE to get there for Christmas now! Thanks a LOT! LOL

 

[kswm30b]

I need to catch up on this thread from when I was at wdw & the week I've been trying to catch up all over the place, lol. But just a quick note that there's one less thing I have to do when I get to Disneyland. They had Jack & Sally out for a special event, and I was able to meet them. It only 4 hours over 2 days, lol (I had to leave the first time since I had to get up at 3am the next day for the 5K, and I was still at least an hour away from meeting them.) here's the pic:

http://heatherw.com/character/char/jack.htm

Now that that trip is over, I can be ALL about my Disneyland trip! I've already made all my adrs. still debating about doing one of the tours or not, but I have time to decide that.

SO the lovely cm also gave me the tentative hours for my trip... she did say it was subject to change, which we all know:

Wed Dec 5th--DL 9 am to 9 pm, DCA 9 am to 8 pm (DCA EE at 8 am)
Thurs Dec 6th--DL 9 am to 10 pm, DCA 9 am to 8 pm (DL EE at 8 am)
Fri Dec 7th--DL 8 am to Mid, DCA 8 am to 10 pm (DCA EE at 7 am)
Sat Dec 8th--DL 8 am to Mid, DCA 8 am to 10 pm (DL EE at 7 am)
Sun Dec 9th--DL 8 am to Mid, DCA 8 am to 10 pm (DCA EE at 7 am)
Mon Dec 10th--DL 9 am to 9 pm, DCA 9 am to 8 pm (DCA EE at 8 am)

I am really really not used to DCA being open before 10... so that sure is going to be interesting to get used to.

Thanks for these! All but one of my dates (the 4th) are here, so it's nice to see possible times (as a wdw vet, I'm used to having the times WAY in advance!) I made an ADR for the earliest time for Minnie & Friends for the first available time slot, hoping it would be before rope drop so I could get some pics of the castle empty. They gave me 8:10, but I see the park will open (if these times are right) at 8am. So now I don't know what to do? When times are officially announced, do they open earlier times?

 

[tksbaskets]

Hi,
Our last full day at DL last year was 1/6/12. The hotels had started to take down (or had already removed) Christmas holiday decorations. DL had everything still up and running.

TK

 

[DisneylandPlanner]

Thanks, DisneylandPlanner, for the link. It looks like they posted that blog just after I was on their site this morning (which is what happens to me a lot of the time).

No prob. I have been checking the Disney blog at least 10 times a day to check for updates on the candlelight precession. I figured I would help out considering what a great job you are doing keeping us up on all things Christmas at Disneyland. Thanks!

 

[aidensmom31]

I love all the pictures. Takes me back to last Christmas

 

[MyMuse]

Hey all!

Just finished calling to book the Holiday tour! I picked the early afternoon one, so I hope that's the right one to pick!

I also ordered Photopass Plus this morning. I think I'm all done with the planning part, so comes the waiting and the touring plans. LOL!

I'll have to catch up on this thread, I just popped in right now to share the good news.

30 day countdown, peeps!!!!

 

[Escape2Disney]

I just called DLR, and found out the hours during our stay:

Saturday, December 8th:
Extra Magic Hours - Disneyland
Disneyland 8 AM - MIDNIGHT
DCA 8 AM - 10 PM

Sunday, December 9th:
Extra Magic Hours - DCA
Disneyland 8 AM - MIDNIGHT
DCA 8 AM - 10 PM

Monday, December 10th:
Extra Magic Hours - DCA
Disneyland 9 AM - 9 PM
DCA 9 AM - 8 PM

Tuesday, December 11th:
Extra Magic Hours - Disneyland
Disneyland 9 AM - 9 PM
DCA 9 AM - 8 PM

Wednesday, December 12th:
Extra Magic Hours - DCA
Disneyland 9 AM - 11 PM
DCA 9 AM - 8 PM

Thursday, December 13th:
Extra Magic Hours - Disneyland
Disneyland
9 AM - 11 PM
DCA
9 AM - 8 PM

They still don't have any info on CP, but if I hear anything, I'll post.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Not sure this is news to anyone but me...but thought I'd share~~

Did the email dining reservations and I inquired about information for the dining packages for the Candlelight Processional and this is what was written back to me:

Dining Package Reservations and Annual Passholder registration for Candlelight Processional are scheduled to begin online in early November. Please continue to check the Disney Parks Blog at (disneyparksblog.com) or our Disneyland.com site for updates as they become available. If you are an Annual Passholder, you can register at Disneyland.com/ap to receive updates on this and other Annual Passholder opportunities.

 

[TigerlilyAJ]

Hey all!

Just finished calling to book the Holiday tour! I picked the early afternoon one, so I hope that's the right one to pick!

I got mine yesterday, too! 3:15 for Nov 12. That was the final piece of reservations I had been waiting on.