Christmas Decorations - Especially the Castle

[VallCopen]

Does anyone know exactly when they decorate for Christmas? We especially want to see the castle all lit up. We are thinking of going the first week or two in November. Do you know what the crowds will be like November 5th thru the 11th, with the 11th being Wednesday (Veterans Day)?

 

[The Orchid]

I'm curious to know all this as well. We'll be there from the 14th through the 21st! I want to see It's a Small World decked out for Christmas and I'm hoping that we won't miss that.

 

[Albort]

If my memory serves me right, i do believe it goes on the first week on Nov right after the October's Haloween stuff comes down. But i do remember the tree doesnt come in till afterword...

I THINK, though i think im wrong. but it somehow just jumps to me. :|

 

[VallCopen]

Does anyone else know the answer for sure or can you elaborate as to which decorations are up??? I am hoping to book at the VGC for our first DVC stay but just wanted to make sure on if those dates will work.

Thanks Again.

 

[ScooterL]

Disneyland released a "What's Next" press release last week with this statement on the holidays:

HOLIDAY FAVORITES: Of course, Disneyland Resort will also celebrate the fall and winter holidays this year. Halloween Time at Disneyland Resort returns beginning Friday, Sept. 25, with Haunted Mansion Holiday, Candy Corn Acres, Mickey’s Trick-or-Treat Party and some new, scary surprises. Beginning in late November, Holidays at Disneyland Resort will bring back “A Christmas Fantasy” parade,” it’s a small world Holiday” and all the special holiday décor that transforms Disneyland and Disney’s California Adventure parks into a holiday wonderland.

So, I'd guess that the holiday festivities will start on November 20 this year (it was November 21 last year).

 

[DisneyIsMagical]

Does anyone else know the answer for sure or can you elaborate as to which decorations are up??? I am hoping to book at the VGC for our first DVC stay but just wanted to make sure on if those dates will work.

Thanks Again.

From my experience they will never give out "exact" dates as to when the decorations will go up. From what we saw last year (November 13-17th) the decorations went up in phases. As far as I remember, both trees were up, lit and decorated, the castle was done, of course HM was already done from Halloweentime on our first day. The little decorations, like the various light poles throughout DL & CA, the wreaths on the Hollywood Pictures sign etc. went up in phases. We were pleasantly surprised that ANY decorations were up as we were told by many CM's beforehand that they would not start decorating until the end of November. Hope this helps!

 

[DisneyIsMagical]

From my experience they will never give out "exact" dates as to when the decorations will go up. From what we saw last year (November 13-17th) the decorations went up in phases. As far as I remember, both trees were up, lit and decorated, the castle was done, of course HM was already done from Halloweentime on our first day. The little decorations, like the various light poles throughout DL & CA, the wreaths on the Hollywood Pictures sign etc. went up in phases. We were pleasantly surprised that ANY decorations were up as we were told by many CM's beforehand that they would not start decorating until the end of November. Hope this helps!

I forgot to mention that all Christmas decorations throughout both parks were completed by the end of our trip (Nov. 17th).

 

[Sherry E]

I think it may seem as though all decorations are up by mid-November, and, in fact, most of them are and they do begin to go up pretty much right after Halloween decor is removed, but it is done in phases. There are, for example, 700 Christmas trees that are put up around the entire DLR - in all the hotels, all the shops, some window displays, all the restaurants, DTD, both parks, everywhere. Some of the trees are small and some are gigantic. It would be hard to tell if ALL 700 trees and all the miles and miles of garland DLR uses were up by [fill in the blank date] last year. Keep in mind that if the 'official' holiday season starts on November 20, then that is when the Winter Castle-to-Main Street light show and the snow begin to happen. They won't do those things before November 20th. That is why November 21st was so packed last year (according to DIS-ers) - people piled in to see the light show and the Winter Castle lit up in its full glory on the day those events began - the offical start of the season.

But you will certainly see seasonal things go up throughout November, all building up to the magical time that is the DLR holiday season on 11/20.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Everyone has given really good info.

In my experience, decorations start going up after the first weekend in November. So, this year, I would expect that November 6/7 there will already be decorations up and the fireworks will be holiday themed, as well as snow falling. At least, that is what I have seen in the past when visiting the parks at that time.

The parks should be fully decorated by Nov 20/21 as said earlier, with the paade also starting that weekend.

It's my favorite time of year at Disneyland.

 

[VallCopen]

Thank you everyone for your help. Now for the big decision to go later in November or give the Halloween time a go, I am sure both times will be great.

 

[Sherry E]

Thank you everyone for your help. Now for the big decision to go later in November or give the Halloween time a go, I am sure both times will be great.

Well, do you prefer one holiday in general over the other one? The thing is, DLR has made great strides in doing more for the Halloween season in the last couple of years than they had before, so I can imagine it will only get better over the upcoming years. And it is very festive and lots of fun. The giant Mickey pumpkin, the giant Candy Corn, the various jack-o-lanterns decorated as characters around the parks, the TOTP - it's all great, but it is not as immersive as Christmastime. There is something totally enveloping about the holiday season at DLR. They really go all out for Christmas time - every corner of the parks, the hotels, the restaurants, the shops, DTD, etc. is done up in holiday decor. There is special food and entertainment and holiday music filling the air in every land. The Winter Castle glows incandescently throughout the park. ToonTown and A Bug's Land have their own special decorations. It is everywhere you look, so you are totally immersed in the feeling. Halloweentime at DLR hasn't quite accomplished that kind of saturation yet, but they are getting more into it as time goes by.

So I guess it depends on how much you like the Christmas season vs. the Halloween season. If you want the full holiday experience from top to bottom, I would go with the November trip. But there are many folks who favor Halloweentime, so it is kind of a personal preference. Either way, you will love it and will have a great time!

 

[VallCopen]

Thanks for the input Sherry. We have been at Christmas before (love it), but this last year it seemed busier than in the past (Dec. 8th - 14th). It just seems like it is hard to find a slow day anymore? I was thinking of going the first or second week of November so I don't think I would get to see any Christmas decor anyway then so now I am thinking about going with Oct. 30-Nov. 6th, atleast some of that time should be slow. We have a 2 year old and for us it makes it much easier if we have a slow time at the park. I would love to see the Christmas decor but an empty park wins the prize overall. Although I have never been in late Oct - early Nov. so I don't know the crowd level? We have never seen the Halloween decorations either (although I am not that big on the whole halloween thing) it does kinda seem like it would be cool to see atleast once?

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks for the input Sherry. We have been at Christmas before (love it), but this last year it seemed busier than in the past (Dec. 8th - 14th). It just seems like it is hard to find a slow day anymore? I was thinking of going the first or second week of November so I don't think I would get to see any Christmas decor anyway then so now I am thinking about going with Oct. 30-Nov. 6th, atleast some of that time should be slow. We have a 2 year old and for us it makes it much easier if we have a slow time at the park. I would love to see the Christmas decor but an empty park wins the prize overall. Although I have never been in late Oct - early Nov. so I don't know the crowd level? We have never seen the Halloween decorations either (although I am not that big on the whole halloween thing) it does kinda seem like it would be cool to see atleast once?

Okay, I see. Now that you elaborated a bit more, and since you have already been there to see the holiday festivities while it was in full swing but have never seen the Halloween stuff, then yes, it would be great to see that at least once! And you are right, it should be relatively slow (or just less busy) in that early part of November. I think after Halloween and before Thanksgiving, it quiets down a little at DLR, so if you do the 10/30 - 11/6 dates, you will see the Halloween decorations and maybe the very beginning of the Christmas things too (I know the garland and things go up pretty early in New Orleans Square)! I think - and I could be wrong - that one of our DIS-ers (Jennifer03) had a trip last year where she caught the tail end of the Halloween decor and the very beginning of Christmas going up. The crowds are unpredictable given this crazy economy and the fact that many more people are buying APs now, so you will probably still run into lots of people on those last days of October, but I bet that after that, those days in November will be really pleasant and manageable!

 

[LavenderPeach]

I think it may seem as though all decorations are up by mid-November, and, in fact, most of them are and they do begin to go up pretty much right after Halloween decor is removed, but it is done in phases. There are, for example, 700 Christmas trees that are put up around the entire DLR - in all the hotels, all the shops, some window displays, all the restaurants, DTD, both parks, everywhere. Some of the trees are small and some are gigantic. It would be hard to tell if ALL 700 trees and all the miles and miles of garland DLR uses were up by [fill in the blank date] last year. Keep in mind that if the 'official' holiday season starts on November 20, then that is when the Winter Castle-to-Main Street light show and the snow begin to happen. They won't do those things before November 20th. That is why November 21st was so packed last year (according to DIS-ers) - people piled in to see the light show and the Winter Castle lit up in its full glory on the day those events began - the offical start of the season.

But you will certainly see seasonal things go up throughout November, all building up to the magical time that is the DLR holiday season on 11/20.

The 700 Christmas trees! I forgot all about them! But I don't know, I don't think I counted more than about 30. The others were hiding I guess.

And to the OP, we have often gone around Nov 11 (for my b-day) and some of the Christmas decorations are up by then but not all. I don't think the tree was up last year until closer to the 21st. I can't remember about the castle.

 

[jazzatola]

The taping of the Christmas Parade for showing on Christmas morning is scheduled for November 7th. I would assume the parade route will be all decked out for Christmas!

 

[Sherry E]

The 700 Christmas trees! I forgot all about them! But I don't know, I don't think I counted more than about 30. The others were hiding I guess.

And to the OP, we have often gone around Nov 11 (for my b-day) and some of the Christmas decorations are up by then but not all. I don't think the tree was up last year until closer to the 21st. I can't remember about the castle.

When I first heard the number '700' on the news segment I saw which was done at Disneyland last year, I didn't have the right perspective of what that meant because I assume I was only thinking of bigger trees. When I realized they meant all the little trees too - which include a few tiny window display trees, all the mini trees in Santa's Reindeer Roundup and in the planters outside City Hall and around the Main Street hub, I saw how easily they could accumulate 700 trees when you also take into account they are in every restaurant and shop too, and Mickey and Minnie have their own special trees in ToonTown, ToonTown has its own City tree, Goofy's Kitchen has a tree - they are everywhere. We even saw a hidden tree in the GCH. It was off the beaten path, down one of the corridors past the banquet/conference rooms, I think, and then down another hallway. A lot of them are hiding but they are there. I can't recall the exact stats on how many miles of garland are used and exactly how tall the DTD tree is, and I won't be checking those figures, but the 700 tree thing fascinates me!!! I am easily amused, I suppose.