Christmas at Disneyland!

[6ofus2]

I am new to the board and need help planning our trip to DL! There will be DH 30, me 26, DD 8, DD 6, DD 5 & DS 3 going. We will be staying at relatives about 30 minutes from DL. We will be arriving 12/19 and leaving 12/26.
We will all be going to DL 3 days, and the girls and I are going a 4th day without the guys. (To do princess stuff!) We need all the tips/tricks etc we can get! Two DD's are celebrating birthdays that week. Should we go Tues-Fri or spread out our days? TIA!
Robbie

 

[studentmom]

I think that weekdays are good. Since you are staying at relatives, you might want to take a day off in between- just to rest (if you are at the parks all day). There is a princess breakfast that you might like to try that is inside of Disneyland park. (You might want to make a resie and possibly request indoor seating if you decide to do that). If not there are a few other character b-fasts that are fun, too, like Goofy's Kitchen, Lilo & Stitch, and the Storyteller's Cafe).
Also, there is a sticker that your dd's can get on their birthday (if they are celebrating it at the parks) that says, "It's my birthday". It's kind of nice because the cast members often wish you a "happy Birthday".
We're thinking of celebrating our dd's 5th birthday in Nov. at DL, too.
I'll try to think of some other things, too and post those...

 

[kmsandrbs]

We will be there at the same time, and commuting also (although our family is 1 hr+ away).

I agree with breaking up the days if you have the chance.

Check to see when fireworks and Fantasmic are going, and go see those (our 6 year old and 4 year old really liked Fantasmic).

My wife will be celebrating her 35th on the 20th!

Use the FP and child-swap system well, it will save a lot of time waiting in line for rides (there was another thread on child swap with a bunch of info).

Plan meals at off times to get shorter waits (but do not wait too late for dinner, because a lot of things close). Bring snacks and lots of water ... since you are commuting you might want to get a locker.

With lots of young kids, you will probably have a clamor to do the Fantasyland rides. Do those first thing (arrive when the park opens and head straight there ... or, if you have an Early Entry day ... use it for Fantasyland NOT Space and Buzz, which you can get FPs for).

Have fun!

 

[Brina78]

Going at Christmastime will be so awesome! If this is your first time to DL during the holidays, be sure to check out the Haunted Mansion. There will be a big surprise outside as well as within! Not going to say what, but it's worth doing! However, the ride may be a little too scary for the 3 year-old, but the older kids will love it.

Let me also suggest for the girls for princess day, check out Club Libby Lu in Downtown Disney. There, they can get the V.I.P. (Very Important Princess) treatment! When I was at DL in April with a co-worker, we were at the Aladdin show in Adventureland and this mom had her two daughters with her. The two girls had gorgeous outfits, beautiful make-up, and long, curly extensions in their hair! They really looked like princesses!

As for birthdays, I did my birthday at DL on August 27. I picked up a birthday sticker at City Hall (on the left-hand side of Main Street after the underpassage). There's also a Birthday Phone sitting there as you get your sticker. The CM will say someone has left you a message and then you're asked to pick up the receiver to get a nice birthday wish!

Oh, yes, and staying with relatives is a good break from the park. I remember my grandparents house used to be ten minutes away from DL. We'd leave for a little bit to have lunch, maybe take a nap, and then return later on. They're living in TX now, so there's no one close by we can just crash on their floor. And it would come at such a good time when we've got the Premium Passports!