Sherry,
I also heard that the tree is going to be fake this year. It is too bad! I know it is not for environmental reasons, because a real tree is actually better for the environment than an enormous plastic one that will have to be replaced. I heard that it is for fire safety reasons, but who knows?
They are going to extend the snow effect from the castle (not the snowfall bubbles--the twinkling lights) all the way down mainstreet, so that is something new as well. That should be very pretty.
Oooooh! That will be pretty! Last year was the first year I saw the snow effect on the Castle - not sure how long they had been doing it but I hadn't been to DLR for six years until 2007 - and it was really beautiful to look at at night! I think it could look spectacular if they extend it all the way down Main Street. The whole Main Street area always looks extra-magical when it is lit up at night anyway, so the snow effect could only enhance it. The only thing is that the snow on the Castle didn't look as special in the daytime, up really close. It looked better from afar, at night. I actually wish they COULD dump the snow bubbles on the WHOLE park - at least DL, if not DCA - and not just Main Street. I think that would be hilarious but also could be kind of cool!!! In any case, I have to see the decorations!!!
You see, it never fails. As soon as I leave DLR, I want to go back. I was just at DLR last weekend, and I was tired and my leg hurt and I was just feeling like my brain turned to mush because I couldn't think of anything to do that my friend would agree to (read my "Lost at the World of Disney: trip report, link is below in signature), and she wanted to rest and sit down a lot... and the whole thing was just getting kind of 'old.' It wasn't DLR's fault. It was just that stage you reach where you are just tired of thinking, tired of talking, tired of walking, tired of crowds, tired of lines, can't think of anything to do even though you have barely done anything and there are TONS of things to do... and I hit that point. But I tell you, we didn't spend enough time there. I didn't do half of the things I wanted to do because we just didn't have enough time. And as soon as I left DLR last Sunday, I was
dying to get back ASAP!
I HAVE to get there around Christmas - that is just too much magic to pass up on! I know some people think that staying at DLR for a week is too long because there are only two parks and how could you fill your time in a whole week, but let me tell you, after last weekend's experience with a 3-night hotel stay and only two days in the park, I realize the benefits of being there for a longer period of time. You need that rest, you need to pace yourself, you need to spread things out, you need to not let it get to overkill point but still be able to have time to take in all the little details and snow bubbles and that sort of thing.