1st Holiday trip mid-dec or begin of Jan?

[arichau]

Hi all,

My family usually goes to DL in June. We've never been there during the holiday season. We are thinking of going for a long weekend either mid Dec or right after New Year's. The last day of the Jan trip would be the last day of the "holiday season" from what I understand.

For those who have been to the parks a lot during the holiday stuff - what's it like right near the end? Do they keep everything up until the day after the "season" ends or do they start taking things down after New Years.

Trying to balance taking my kids out of school for a few days and getting the trip in before the holidays or waiting until Jan. But I'm concerned the crowds will be bigger in Jan and we'll miss out on some of the holiday stuff.

Would love any input. Thanks in advance!

 

[Sherry E]

Hi all,

My family usually goes to DL in June. We've never been there during the holiday season. We are thinking of going for a long weekend either mid Dec or right after New Year's. The last day of the Jan trip would be the last day of the "holiday season" from what I understand.

For those who have been to the parks a lot during the holiday stuff - what's it like right near the end? Do they keep everything up until the day after the "season" ends or do they start taking things down after New Years.

Trying to balance taking my kids out of school for a few days and getting the trip in before the holidays or waiting until Jan. But I'm concerned the crowds will be bigger in Jan and we'll miss out on some of the holiday stuff.

Would love any input. Thanks in advance!

arichau --

My opinion is to go in mid-December, if the goal of your trip if to have a full-scale holiday experience. Also, some folks will still be at work and school and not out on Christmas break yet, so you will encounter some crowds -- but not the peak crowds like the ones that are there post-Christmas.

When I am going to DLR for the holidays, I want to have the full, complete array of holiday offerings at my disposal -- including being able to enjoy the festive decorations at the 3 hotels (which are all easily accessible), the carolers at the hotels, the holiday music in Downtown Disney, Santa Claus at the hotels, etc.

If Santa is important to see, there is also a good chance that he will be gone from the 2 parks after Christmas Eve. Even though people have reported seeing him in his 'street clothes' after 12/24, the Disney Parks Blog always says that Santa is there through 12/24. There is no guarantee that Santa will be at any of his 5 locations around DLR after 12/24.

Sometimes the carolers hang around the hotels for a couple of days after Christmas, but they are also not guaranteed to be around past Christmas.

The decorations at the 3 hotels start to come down right after New Year's Eve or Day, if not slightly before.

Merchandise gets more sparse as the year comes to a close and the new year begins, so if you want to get a perfect holiday souvenir, you might have less of a selection in January.

There are crowds who head to DLR for the last weekend of the holiday season, to get that last dose of Christmas cheer, and there are still some schools out on break until January 12th, so that means that a lot of kids will be in the parks in that first full week of January as well.

I don't know if the Winter Village will remain in Downtown Disney through 1/6/15 -- the last day of the season.

It's a Small World Holiday usually stays open though mid-January, so that would still be open even after the season officially ends on 1/6/15.

 

[Malcon10t]

I agree with most of Sherry's post. The timeframe of the last few days of Jan will be busier than mid Dec.

Santa - He disappears from DCA and the hotels after Christmas, but usually remains in Jingle Jangle Jamboree after Christmas in his "Green Suit."

This was Jan 2nd last year:

The Carolers remained out last year after CHristmas on Buena Vista St. I don't know if they visited DTD or GCH after Christmas.

The Winter Village was still going strong on Jan 3rd when we left.

I didn't pay attention at GCH, but the Gingerbread House at DLH remained in place until after we were gone Jan 3rd (it was gone when we came back Jan 15th.) (I can't believe I didn't get a pic of it!!!!)

 

[Sherry E]

The reason why I think that the Santa situation in the parks (including Disneyland) is iffy and not guaranteed is that Disney itself says:

"At Disneyland, the popular “A Christmas Fantasy” parade will be presented daily, with Disney characters celebrating the holidays and a special appearance by Santa Claus who, through Dec. 24, will also be greeting guests and listening to holiday wishes at Big Thunder Ranch. Over in Disney California Adventure, guests may find Santa in a familiar department store setting, greeting guests at Elias & Co. on Buena Vista Street."

That came from the recent Disneyland News press release about the holidays, and December 24th has also been mentioned in previous Parks Blogs (either last year or in 2012, or both), in reference to how long one might be able to find Santa at the JJJ/Ranch and elsewhere.

So, while I think it's great if Santa-in-his-street-clothes happens to be at the Jingle Jangle Jamboree/Ranch past Christmas, I don't think it is guaranteed -- and it is certainly not advertised by Disney. I think they may do it on a play-it-by-ear sort of basis -- otherwise, I'm not sure why they wouldn't make it clear in all of the press, text and media that Santa will, for sure, be at the JJJ after Christmas.

Other people have gone to the JJJ past Christmas and they didn't see Santa (while a few have seen him), which makes me think it is a hit-or-miss sort of deal, and not guaranteed.

The carolers at the hotels leave after Christmas or a couple of days after Christmas. I have asked hotel CM's about that before -- I think it depends on which day of the week Christmas falls. If it's close to the weekend the carolers may stick around through Sunday. If Christmas is on a Monday, the carolers will probably be gone from the hotels the next day.