? about Disneyland in November

[KRIS10420]

The last time I was in Disneyland was November 3-9, 2004. We got to see many of the Christmas decorations, the Wishes fireworks ending with it snowing on Main St while playing White Christmas, and the electric parade, as well as the afternoon parades. Oh! and the crowds were low. The only thing that wasn't playing was Fantasmic.
Now, I'm and thinking about going to Disneyland Nov 16 - 21, what are the chances I will see any or all of these things again?
Last year I periodically checked the schedule on the Disneyland website for November and the events were much different in 2004. I want to go when the majority of these events will be showing, so my dates are flexible.

 

[LavenderPeach]

I've gone several different years around my b-day (nov. 11) and the Christmas decorations are usually starting to appear by that time. I think this year the official holiday season started on the 20th or 21st (?) but there were decorations up before then. The IASW holiday and the holiday parade and fireworks won't be going until the official start (except for the day they tape the parade for tv). So, my guess would be that you will see a lot of decorations up and you might be there for the official start of the holiday season at the end of your trip.

 

[Sherry E]

It seems, as Lavender Peach said, that DLR starts to sort of slowly put up the holiday decorations all through November, starting at the very beginning. New Orleans Square, for example, seemed to get the holiday treatment very early in Nov. 2008. I had no idea that the snowfall used to happen so early in the month of November/holiday season several years ago!! That is a big surprise to me (then again, I didn't go to DLR between 2001 and 2007, so all kinds of things happened that I missed out on!). While DLR may be slowly unveiling its ornaments and garland and things like that over the course of November, in 2008 the snow didn't start until the 'official' DLR holiday season, which began on November 21st, and that is when IASW Holiday opened. The Haunted Mansion Holiday usually opens somewhere in the last two weeks of September and lasts all through the rest of the year, BUT because of 2009's Haunted Mansion 40th Anniversary, there is reason to believe that DLR may not be doing the holiday overlay on HM in 2009. I have a feeling they won't, and one of our DISboard members read on another site that the overlay probably won't happen in 2009, but we will have to wait and see for sure.

To tell you the truth, because DLR was so specific about not wanting to unveil the new Disney character additions in IASW in conjunction with the IASW holiday overlay in 2008, I have to wonder - and again, I am only wondering aloud - if they will even do the holiday overlay for that ride in 2009, possibly preferring to focus on the new Disney characters in the ride instead?? It would make sense, though I would be disappointed. I HOPE they don't skip either holiday overlay on the HM or IASW, but especially if they skip one, I hope they don't skip the other one too!! At the same time, it seems to me if they want to showcase their new additions to the IASW ride, the holiday stuff would obliterate that. We will have to see what 2009 holds and what DLR decides to do. I hate to say it because it is becoming the go-to reason for a lot of things, but the dreaded economy could also impact how much DLR actually does for the holiday season in 2009.

My guess is that the official DLR holiday season will begin on November 20th this year, so I assume the snow and the Winter Castle icicle/lighting/snow thing won't begin until that date, and if there IS an IASW holiday overlay it would begin then.

 

[KRIS10420]

Thanks for your help. I guess I will take my chances and see what happens or I may have to convince my travel companions to go in the beginning of December.
Sherry, I didn't even think about how the economy will affect DL. There could be lots of cutbacks. I think maybe these next few years will not be typical years in Disney, but some good deals will probably arise to draw in the people.

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks for your help. I guess I will take my chances and see what happens or I may have to convince my travel companions to go in the beginning of December.
Sherry, I didn't even think about how the economy will affect DL. There could be lots of cutbacks. I think maybe these next few years will not be typical years in Disney, but some good deals will probably arise to draw in the people.

HydroGuy just posted a link in a new thread today with the latest Al Lutz article, in which Al is talking about what the crowds were like for the holidays in 2008 and what the future may hold in terms of how they handle New Year's Eve, etc. It is very informative! He said that the overall numbers (I guess for the whole holiday season 2008) were down "ever so slightly" and spending in the parks was down a tad, but that the number of people in the parks at given times had increased dramatically and exceeded the usual capacity limits, and that the number of Annual Pass holders is steadily increasing....to the point where DLR is becoming very concerned about parking and reaching capacity limits in the park on a regular basis. It sounds like the bulk of the crowds showed up right after Christmas. It was crowded in November and December, but apparently worsened after Christmas. Even the lines to get AP's or renew them are outrageous. And all those AP holders will increase capacity in the parks, as will all the good deals DLR is already beginning to offer, either in terms of tickets or in terms of the hotel rates.

Here is the link to the thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2050039

So far, no mention of what the holiday line-up will be in terms of Haunted Mansion Holiday or It's a Small World Holiday, and whether those will be brought back in 2009, but I am sure they will bring back the snow and the Winter Castle (with icicles). It sounds like the economy is affecting DLR in some ways, but not in all ways. Spending is down and hotel bookings are down, but more people than ever have Annual Passes and crowds are getting worse in fixed periods of time! So this means they will probably start increasing the AP prices to make them a little more difficult to purchase!