Advice about Dec. holiday tour?

[Kokobebe]

We are going to Disneyland Dec. 6 and 7th (staying at the DLH) and I am trying to decide if we should take the holiday tour. I am so excited to be going to Disneyland for the Christmas season--we have never been for it before, but have been many times in the spring and summer months. I have read all I can about what the tour is like (so I do have a pretty good idea), but I am worried that for our short visit it will be too long--taking too much time away from just visiting the park (riding rides, etc...). 3.5 hours is a LONG tour, although part of that is made up of watching the parade.

I feel like I would love it, but my 3 kids I am not so sure about. They are 7, 10, and 13. I would especially like the hot chocolate and watching the parade from real chairs!

Have you taken it and what is your opinion of it?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

 

[XTinabell]

We are going to Disneyland Dec. 6 and 7th (staying at the DLH) and I am trying to decide if we should take the holiday tour. I am so excited to be going to Disneyland for the Christmas season--we have never been for it before, but have been many times in the spring and summer months. I have read all I can about what the tour is like (so I do have a pretty good idea), but I am worried that for our short visit it will be too long--taking too much time away from just visiting the park (riding rides, etc...). 3.5 hours is a LONG tour, although part of that is made up of watching the parade.

I feel like I would love it, but my 3 kids I am not so sure about. They are 7, 10, and 13. I would especially like the hot chocolate and watching the parade from real chairs!

Have you taken it and what is your opinion of it?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

Dh and I took it last year, we're 23 and 26 years old and we LOVED IT. We said, it was worth it just for the benefits, who cares about the tour lol.
There were some children on the tour, not many, but the guide made sure they were having a good time and paid extra special attention to them.

I think you should do it. It goes by very fast because you go on rides and take a break to have a cookie and hot chocolate in a free collectors mug. The guide takes you past the lineups on Haunted mansion and Small world. And the kids will love the parade with the best spots, the characters come right up to you and interact. You should do it, you'll love it.

 

[tammie33]

My DD was three when we did it last year and she did fine. Look at it this way...

you get to walk right past lines for Small World and Haunted Mansion (so you get those rides out of the way with no wait) AND you don't have to scope out a spot for the parade early.

Personally, if we go back at Christmas time we would do the tour again. The tour itself was just okay, but it was TOTALLY worth not having to wait for the parade.

 

[KirklandTutu]

you get to walk right past lines for Small World and Haunted Mansion (so you get those rides out of the way with no wait) AND you don't have to scope out a spot for the parade early.

Personally, if we go back at Christmas time we would do the tour again. The tour itself was just okay, but it was TOTALLY worth not having to wait for the parade.

Agreed!
This was my view for the parade without having to scope out a spot.

 

[disneegrl4eva]

I did the tour last christmas at around 4:30 so it was really great seeing everything lit up because it was dark.....the cookie they give you is huge, the chocolate comes in the collector cup and they give you a collector pin...the one I got was tink dressed up in a santa outfit and had 2006 on it...really cute and you cant buy these pins....also you cant beat the location where you get to watch the parade...and we got to ride HMH and ISWH without waiting in line...who can beat that??? when we got in the boat for ISWH, they started the little show they do right as we were coming by the building so I got to see the whole thing up close...it was amazing..I had a blast and the time flew by..I would do it again in a heartbeat ...

 

[kelmac284]

I agree with the others. My daughter's birthday is on New Year's eve so we did the happiest birthdays and this tour in a day and we didn't get to do much else but she had the BEST time. She is 7 by the way and LOVED it. My other daughter is 6 and also loved it. The spots for the parade made it worthwhile if nothing else and the best part is Santa Clause told my daughter Happy Birthday, made her day LOL.

I would do it. It is a great tour with a neat souvenier and really gets you in the holiday spirit!

 

[beansf]

We had a great time on our tour, as well. Although, it would have been better if the family that was on our tour with 3 children did a better job of keeping theirs in check. One kid was all over the place the whole time, interrupting the tour guide every time he tried to speak. He also insisted on holding the electric candle that the guides use and despite the fact that the guide told him, "Only if you use 2 hands". Of course, that went in one ear and out the other. The tour guide handled it really well. He had more patience than I would have. I personally, wanted to put tape on the kid's mouth. Also, we had some gripers about the amount of walking you have to do. If you aren't at least *somewhat* fit, take it into consideration. You have a lot of ground to cover in order to make it to the parade on time.

But, I am glad we did it. It was fun having the cocoa and the gingerbread and having such a great spot for the parade. I don't think it is an experience I need to repeat, but it was enjoyable, nonetheless.

 

[slg]

I've never heard of this. What exactly is it and how much is it? We'll be there Dec. 6-11. Any discounts for AP's?

 

[MATTERHORN]

Yes, I think it's 10% or $10 off for AP's, something like that!

Andrea