christmas time in dlp

[lilacgems23]

Think I mentioned before we are booking for 7th december, Im a bit concerned as I read elsewhere its the busiest time of year and the xmas theme isnt very good.

I was thinking / hoping it would be magical and have always wanted to go at xmas.

Does anyone have any experince of going this time of yr?

Apparently disneyland had to close the gates and not allow anymore ppl in on 6th decemeber this yr! I really dont want that as it will be a total waste of our holiday if that happens. I dont see how this happened as you would expect them to have a record of how many people were booked in as they had booked holidays and for them to know how many extra day tickets to sell.

 

[mommy2ash]

i havent been but am hoping to go for christmas next year although i will probable go in nov as it will be quieter. did you have a look at the trip report section it should give you an idea

 

[Rachie B]

Its true a lot of us were disappointed with xmas 08 trips

BUT this was mostly wkends

so if you plan to go during the week, it shouldn't be so bad

I wouldn't NOT go @ xmas again ( just not wkend!) BUT i prefer summer and looking forward to halloween too

 

[ghockley1981]

never been at xmas or halloween myself but i have got the general feeling from people that Disney spend a lot more effort on Halloween than Xmas.

This is just my feeling though, would be interesting to hear people's views on this

 

[lilacgems23]

i havent been but am hoping to go for christmas next year although i will probable go in nov as it will be quieter. did you have a look at the trip report section it should give you an idea

where is the trip reports? cant find them lol

 

[britchic4]

Having been at both Halloween and Christmas this year, I'd say there are more Halloween decorations scattered around Main St and Frontierland than Christmas ones. But with everything else I'd say it was about the same effort. Halloween has special characters and events, but so does Christmas, and the lights on the castle for example are put up for Halloween (in fact we saw them at night putting them on with cranes from Inventions) and stay up until Christmas. Frontierland has lots of Halloween decorations but Christmas has Santa's grotto, Belle's Christmas Village (although this is just pretty regular souvenir and food stands decorated in a festive way) and also the Christmas Market in the Village. With shows I'd say it was about the same although I don't still have the programmes to compare so I stand ready to be corrected!

 

[lilacgems23]

when in dec did you go? did you find it too busy?

 

[hildasmuriel]

Think I mentioned before we are booking for 7th december, Im a bit concerned as I read elsewhere its the busiest time of year and the xmas theme isnt very good.

Does anyone have any experince of going this time of yr?

Yes - we went for the last 2 Christmases - both times from the 20th until the 23rd. I loved the Christmas theming. All shops are decorated, all hotels and restaurants are decorated - in the suitable theme for the surroundings. Main Street itself is decorated and an enormous tree stands watch over everything. The Castle is decorated. Christmas music plays all day down Main Street. A section of Fantasyland is decorated as Christmas Village, with massive presents inside the Old Mill buckets. Part of Frontierland becomes Father Christmas workshop and Post Office, with snow and snowmen all around. The Chapparal Theatre has Mickey's Winter Wonderland on several times a day.The Village is decorated and in between the 2 Parks there is a Christmas Market. The Studios entrance and Studio One is also decorated and there is a tree inside near Stitch Live.
The only places where there are NO decorations are those where it wouldn't fit in with the surrounding area - most of Frontierland and Discoveryland.

I dont see how this happened as you would expect them to have a record of how many people were booked in as they had booked holidays and for them to know how many extra day tickets to sell.

All people who were staying at Disney Hotels as a package WERE allowed to enter apparently - they closed the Park to day visitors and didn't sell anymore tickets.

They warned that they may have to close the Park the weekend before Christmas but we had no problems getting in.

never been at xmas or halloween myself but i have got the general feeling from people that Disney spend a lot more effort on Halloween than Xmas.

This is just my feeling though, would be interesting to hear people's views on this

I have been to the last 2 Halloweens as well and there are probably more decorations in the Park because Frontierland is heavily decorated with pumpkins, but I would say the shops, hotels and restaurants change far more for Christmas than Halloween. The Studios doesn't seem to acknowledge Halloween at all. There are shows in Central Plaza for Halloween - but no more than there are for Christmas (The Villains show/ Minnie's Jolly Holidays show)

 

[hildasmuriel]

LOL Cathy - think we posted at the same time as well as visiting at the same time.

 

[britchic4]

LOL Cathy - think we posted at the same time as well as visiting at the same time.

Obviously we're going to have to synchronise our visits in future. In fact we were going to go for a long weekend in Feb half term but decided Xmas really cleared us out. Also DH is doing a Masters with OU and doesn't want to go away at that time really (spoilsport!).

 

[hildasmuriel]

Dang - I can't do May as we always go to Cornwall then - have to let Husband have his own way sometimes.

Hey, October could be on though.

 

[Rachie B]

Apparently disneyland had to close the gates and not allow anymore ppl in on 6th decemeber this yr! I really dont want that as it will be a total waste of our holiday if that happens. I dont see how this happened as you would expect them to have a record of how many people were booked in as they had booked holidays and for them to know how many extra day tickets to sell.

also dont forget about those with annual passes that can just "turn up" without disney possibly guessing when / how many!

 

[lilacgems23]

do you not need tickets with an AP?

 

[hildasmuriel]

No - the AP is an Annual Pass - it is an entry pass you buy annually and allows entry for the whole of the year.

 

[lilacgems23]

oh sounds good, i thought it just gave you a discount!

 

[DLPdaft]

If you can do midweek Christmas season, its not busy. I was there mid-November 2007, and it was soooooooo beautiful with Christmas decorations that I cried . Seeing photos from this past Christmas, I don't think there were any less decorations about. I definitely want to go again for Christmas season, but not on a weekend, and not once the schools have broken up for their holidays.

I was there for Halloween season 2008, again midweek, and not half term week. It was fairly quiet, and lots of fun (I think the Halloween theme is more "fun wow" and the Christmas theme is more "awwwww pretty wow" ).

 

[sara969]

If you can do midweek Christmas season, its not busy. I was there mid-November 2007, and it was soooooooo beautiful with Christmas decorations that I cried . Seeing photos from this past Christmas, I don't think there were any less decorations about. I definitely want to go again for Christmas season, but not on a weekend, and not once the schools have broken up for their holidays.

I was there for Halloween season 2008, again midweek, and not half term week. It was fairly quiet, and lots of fun (I think the Halloween theme is more "fun wow" and the Christmas theme is more "awwwww pretty wow" ).

Snap! We went during the week the 1st week of the Xmas season and we had a MAGICAL time! Wed, Thur and Fri we were running on the rides, no waiting at all!