Christmas season booking

[nicola]

Has anyone heard anything further on when we can book for Christmas? I emailed reservations to enquire but have not yet heard back. Does anyone know when the 3 for 2 offers come out is it usually closer to the time or well in advance? Also, does anyone know do the offers normally include the DLH?

Cheers

 

[Miffy2003]

I'm still on the look out for Feb 06 and I've not heard any more nicola though I do remember someone posting the other day they'd managed to book late November through a travel agent?

 

[Cyrano]

Nothing in our travel agents this weekend, either

Reid

 

[Joanne UK]

I emailed DLP last week and was told they would start taking bookings mid june.

 

[nicola]

Thanks Joanne, Only a few weeks left then. What hotel are you thinking of staying at? We are deliberating between SL, HNY or DLH. Thinking of going first week of Dec. either that or last week of Nov will depend on when shows start. How about you?

 

[alexandra uk]

I thought all of the shows started early November ???

I hope they do because we're hoping to go November 6th to catch the bonfire/fireworks and all of the Christmas celebrations.

If they don't then we'll probably do the same as you Nicola and go last weeek in November or first week in December.

I guess we'll have to wait for the brochures

 

[nicola]

Alexandra, I am pretty sure that one of the shows does not start until beginning of Dec (can't remember which one). Does anyone else know? Also, market in Disney village didn't start until early Dec. I am more concerned with crowd levels than missing the market. If Nov is considerably less busy then I would forego the market and go then. We would be going Mon-fri so don't know if beginning of Dec would be much busier than midweek in Nov. Can anyone advise on this please?

 

[widget]

Mon - Fri is always (except at height of school hols times) less hectic than weekends with Fridays getting busier. November has always been reported to be quieter and yes your right the markets dont start until December but Belles Christmas Village in the park will be open from straight after the bonfire celebrations.
When we booked our trip for November the 3 for 2s etc were being advertised in the brochure that comes out in June, so fingers crossed it will be winging its way into the travel agents real soon.
Our Nov. trip was much quieter than any other weve had. Ok the weather was cool and bit grey but we were lucky and it stayed dry. Some of the rides were walk ons and it only got busy when Friday came (we went Wed to Sat via Eurostar). We saw the parades with father christmas and all the shows, I think they all started (with exception of big fireworks in evening which is nearer to christmas) around 5th/6th November

 

[Dee8197]

Hi

Don't know if this will be any help but..............
I picked up a brochure at a travel agents some weeks ago and it runs from Dec.2004 - Dec 2005 It has the prices for next Christmas. (Last date being 15th - 31st Dec ) The Christmas season 2004- 2005 ran 6th Nov - 9th Jan. "Daily Christmas Parade. Belle's Christmas village, the nightly enchanted fairytale ceremony,a Christmas market in Disney village (4th-5th Dec & 11th Dec - 2nd Jan ) Christmas Carols and Father Christmas himself" The Christmas show " Winter Wonderland started on the 6th Nov

 

[Dee8197]

Last piece of info the specials 3for 2 and 4 for3 ran 14th Nov - 14th Dec at the Disney hotels and Hoel Elysee Val d'Europe. The Explorers were different. This is all history rather than news but may be a helpful guide. Yea, I'm a sad pastie, I keep old brochure's too ! LOL

 

[Joanne UK]

Last year it was the show that is on in the theatre in Fantasyland that didn't start until early December - sorry can't remember the name of it off hand. Otherwise all shows and Christmas season events (except for the market in the village) were on from early November.

We went 2 years ago Dec 8th-12th and last year Nov 29th-Dec 2nd and the differance in crowds was very noticeable. Ie there weren't really any crowds last year! After the christmas parade had finished we went back to Fantasyland and could literally walk on any ride as many times as we liked. It was great for the children too because when the characters were out they could just approach them and there was more interaction. We're going in July this year and I'm a bit apprehensive because I think alot of the time is going to be spent queueing and getting to see character will be tough.

If DD can get the time authorised from school we are hoping to go November 23rd - 25th - it's youngest DD's birthday on the 25th and I'd like to have a character birthday tea for her. If it all goes ahead we'd like to stay in the Sequoia Lodge - so many people have recommended that hotel to stay in during the winter, it sounds lovely and cosy!

 

[nicola]

Thank you all so very much!! Your comments have really helped especially yours, Joanne. May end up going last week of Nov as opposed to first few weeks of Dec due to differences in crowd levels , although I will have to enquire more about show in Fantasyland that we would possibly miss if we went in Nov. All in all it is looking more promising for last week or two of Nov.

 

[nicola]

Joanne, Forgot to ask you in last post how did you like DLP during the Christmas season? Is it really as magical as it looks in the brochures? We have only ever been in May and beginning of June so have never seen the park lit up at night or fantillusion etc...When is your favourite month to visit the park? Sorry for all the questions but I am trying to decide if the Christmas season is magical enough to endure crowds and cold weather with our DD 2 and DS 6. I am really psyched up about going during the Christmas season I just hope that I have not built it up to be more than what it is.Thanks again for your help.

Cheers

 

[diberry]

My daughter and I went in December last year. It is the most beautiful, magical experience but I have to say that it was bitterly cold - I can't ever remember being so cold. At weekends the crowds were horrendous but markedly less so in the week. We are going on 6th November this year and hope to get all the benefits without freezing to death!! The show in Fantasyland, by the way, is nice but I wouldn't say your holiday will be less enjoyable for missing one show. But, yes, it's certainly well worth going in the Christmas season - it's really beautiful and the Enchanted Fairytale Ceremony is absolutely wonderful - get a good spot at the front if you can - it makes a big difference.

 

[nicola]

Thanks for that Diberry. What date did you go in Dec? On the weekdays did you have to wait long for the rides? Was fantillusion on when you were there? We would really like to see it for the first time.Once again sorry for all the questions re Christmas. I am sure you are all bored to tears with me

 

[diberry]

No problem at all - I LOVE talking about DLP!!!! We went about 12th I think - it was a Saturday. We didn't get there until the evening and it was pretty hectic trying to see Fantillusion until we went up to the area near Pooh's stage and Pizzeria Bella Notte where it was quite quiet. Fantillusion was wonderful and despite the cold we watched it every evening!! The Sunday was absolutely unbearable - there were incredible queues for every single ride eg: an hour for Small World and it was just impossible to get anywhere to eat in the parks or the village until about 3.30 for lunch and enormous queues outside every restaurant for the evening meal and you couldn't move in the shops where everyone was trying to escape from the cold! They were sitting on the floor in the Discovery and Liberty arcades to eat. On the Monday it was a totally different story - much quieter and little or no wait for rides and from then on we absolutely loved the experience. Some people don't mind queues and bodies everywhere but I hate it!! My trip report is on the sticky at the top of the threads page plus some others too which would give you a good idea of what it was really like. I wouldn't have missed it for anything but we are definitely giving the weekend a miss this time!!

 

[nicola]

Diberry,

Thanks ever so much!! That really does give me a better idea of what it would be like and I certainly will not be going on a weekend. It sounds horrendous, people eating on the floors in the arcades I find it stressful enough at the best of times with my hyper 6 year old boy and two year old daughter . I was very glad to hear that the rest of your week was not as busy. I think it will either be last week of Nov or first week of Dec Mon-fri for us. What hotel are you thinking of staying at? We are deliberating either SL, HNY or DLH. It will depend on the offers that become available. Also not sure if we will go for 3 for 2 or 4 for 3. We have always done 4 for 3 in the past with an extra night at the start in the HI but perhaps 3 for 2 would be enough if it is going to be cold. What do you think? How long are you planning on going for?

 

[diberry]

We are staying at the Sequoia Lodge because we got a free upgrade from the Cheyenne - they offer that on certain dates and we were lucky that one of the start dates was 6th November so we get to see the fireworks too and have been able to book already because it falls just within the summer/autumn season. We have stayed in the Santa Fe and Cheyenne before and have been very happy with both. Again there's a sticky thread about hotels if you want to get an idea. If you can afford DLH (we can't!!) at least you'd never be far from a warm room . I'd go for as long as possible but my youngest is 23 not 2 so that might make a big difference!!!

 

[nicola]

Diberry,

Was the free upgrade in addition to one of the other offers?

 

[Joanne UK]

Re the weather, when we went middle December it was absolutely freezing and uncomfortable. Last year - end of November wasn't too bad at all. We'd bought some thermals for the children from a ski shop and didn't need to put them on them and I only remember putting gloves on once. I know this may not be typical of the weather every year but it was a very pleasant surprise for us.

For me the atmosphere in the park during the Christmas season is truely magical. The music, snow in Main Street, decorations etc really need to be seen. When we first got there it took an age to walk down Main Street because the children were running from shop window to shop window in awe at the displays. I would definately book a trip if I was you - I can't say enough nice things about it!