Christmas

[Momof5minnies]

My daughter and I are going to DL at Christmas for the first time for her birthday Dec 2nd, 3rd and 4th. We have never been before. Baring that everything is up and running for the season tell me all the Christmas things we need to do in the parks. Christmas is our favorite holiday being that she's our Christmas baby. So what things do we need to do that you can only do in DL during Christmas.

 

[l4dyj8]

I love the parks during this time! They have yet to release any details beyond their Merriest Nites (separate ticket) event.

The Candlelight Procession is that weekend. It's a private event but the park is open. Just be aware that the main square of Disneyland is blocked off and will be crowded. I've been at this time, you just need to plan accordingly to avoid the area. (Tickets and attendance is NOT for the public.) But a surprise celebrity reads the Nativity story.

Not sure how old your daughter is or what you all would enjoy but there are numerous activities and must-sees to everyone's liking. There's the special candy cane making. Santa is at both parks. We just go for the decor and the atmosphere...and the treats! Downtown Disney has a few activities, as well. Grand Californian has a Gingerbread house and various treats. Jazz Kitchen has gingerbread house making. Catal has Breakfast with Santa. And of course the usual holiday parades and fireworks.

Also, if you haven't done so yet, make your reservations now. For both then parks and hotels. Dining reservations are filling up. But if your heart is set on anything, I would put a dining alert on them.

 

[Momof5minnies]

Good Morning thank you for your response! My daughter is going to be 21 she is 1 of 5 girls so this is a big deal to go with Mom by herself to Disneyland. Although she is turning 21 on the 18th we aren't going go her exact bday. I'll leave that for her! LOL!
We love Christmas and she is looking forward to doing all of the Christmas things. I love your contributions! We already have our tickets and hotel reservations
So a few questions:

Which day is the Candlelight Procession and we can't watch it at all?

"Catal has Breakfast with Santa." What is Catal?

We are obsessed with Gingerbread houses can anyone go into the Grand California to see?

 

[audrey2580]

That's my favorite time to go! Here's a bunch of stuff:
Make sure you watch the tree lighting ceremonies at both DCA and DL. It's a small world holiday is beautiful when it switches on at night as well. If they have fireworks, Small World usually does special lighting on the facade during it. Have a gingerbread cookie from either parks bakery - literally the best one you will ever have.
Radiator Springs will be decorated for Christmas and they usually change the music on Mater's and Luigi's to Christmas music. They announced they will be doing a Festival of Holidays again at DCA so lots of food booths with yummy holiday treats. You can look up 2019's menus as they haven't released the 2021 ones yet.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Which day is the Candlelight Procession and we can't watch it at all?

We are obsessed with Gingerbread houses can anyone go into the Grand California to see?

I can answer these two.

1. The Candlelight Processional is an event where a celebrity narrates the Biblical Christmas story, accompanied by a giant choir (made up of a bunch of local choirs), handbells, trumpets, etc. It takes place twice on Saturday and Sunday of that weekend. (Like at 6 and 9 or something... I don't recall the exact times). I watched it in 2018 and 2019 (narrators were Chris Pratt and Lin Manuel Miranda), and it's pretty cool if you like that sort of Christmas-concert experience. The "Hallelujah" chorus resounding around Town Square is spectacular! Seats are just for ticket-holders, but at least in the past, you definitely could watch it as a guest - but it takes some planning and an investment of time. Of course, who knows if they'll do something different this year, but if it sounds interesting to you, you could search past threads for the 2019 procedures.

2. Yes, anyone can go in and see the gingerbread house, and it's worth checking out!

Catal is a restaurant in DTD, but I've never been so I'm no help on that one.

 

[Chickinvic]

Good Morning thank you for your response! My daughter is going to be 21 she is 1 of 5 girls so this is a big deal to go with Mom by herself to Disneyland. Although she is turning 21 on the 18th we aren't going go her exact bday. I'll leave that for her! LOL!
We love Christmas and she is looking forward to doing all of the Christmas things. I love your contributions! We already have our tickets and hotel reservations
So a few questions:

Which day is the Candlelight Procession and we can't watch it at all?

"Catal has Breakfast with Santa." What is Catal?

We are obsessed with Gingerbread houses can anyone go into the Grand California to see?

You absolutely cannot watch the Candlelight Procession without having paid. They will usher you along. Can't even stop for a minute. We tried when Dick Van Dyke was giving it 12 or 13 years ago. We were down from Victoria, BC.

 

[Chickinvic]

I can answer these two.

1. The Candlelight Processional is an event where a celebrity narrates the Biblical Christmas story, accompanied by a giant choir (made up of a bunch of local choirs), handbells, trumpets, etc. It takes place twice on Saturday and Sunday of that weekend. (Like at 6 and 9 or something... I don't recall the exact times). I watched it in 2018 and 2019 (narrators were Chris Pratt and Lin Manuel Miranda), and it's pretty cool if you like that sort of Christmas-concert experience. The "Hallelujah" chorus resounding around Town Square is spectacular! Seats are just for ticket-holders, but at least in the past, you definitely could watch it as a guest - but it takes some planning and an investment of time. Of course, who knows if they'll do something different this year, but if it sounds interesting to you, you could search past threads for the 2019 procedures.

They didn't allow anyone who wasn't ticketed for this to be even close and standing still near it when we were there and that was over 10 years ago. We were trying to "loiter" a bit near the area when Dick Van Dyke was doing it. We got hustled along pretty quickly.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

You absolutely cannot watch the Candlelight Procession without having paid. They will usher you along. Can't even stop for a minute. We tried when Dick Van Dyke was giving it 12 or 13 years ago. We were down from Victoria, BC.

I mean, as I said, I watched it in 2018 and 2019.

You cannot stop and just pause and watch; that is true. But there is viewing space for regular park guests. In 2018, I watched the second show - they lined us up in front of the Emporium as soon as the first show began, so I actually heard that whole one, moved into a viewing area, and then watched the 2nd. In 2019, I planned to do that again, but lucked into viewing space in front of the Opera House for the first show.

There were several threads here from people who watched it in 2019.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Pics or it didn’t happen, apparently?

2018:

This was when we got to our viewing space - standing room behind the seats.
with the choirs in place
sideways Chris Pratt

2019:

View from in front of the Opera House
Lin!

Anyway, as you can see, it blocks off Town Square for both those evenings. So unless you’re in a spot to watch it, try to avoid passing through that area.

 

[Malcon10t]

They didn't allow anyone who wasn't ticketed for this to be even close and standing still near it when we were there and that was over 10 years ago. We were trying to "loiter" a bit near the area when Dick Van Dyke was doing it. We got hustled along pretty quickly.

You cannot stop in walkways to watch, but there are areas where you can watch from.

 

[gelatoni fan]

I mean, as I said, I watched it in 2018 and 2019.

You cannot stop and just pause and watch; that is true. But there is viewing space for regular park guests. In 2018, I watched the second show - they lined us up in front of the Emporium as soon as the first show began, so I actually heard that whole one, moved into a viewing area, and then watched the 2nd. In 2019, I planned to do that again, but lucked into viewing space in front of the Opera House for the first show.

There were several threads here from people who watched it in 2019.

What time did you arrive for the shows? I haven't done candlelight since that year they did it a bunch of nights and APs had a lottery for seats. It seems to have gotten significantly more competitive since then.

 

[Skyegirl1999]

What time did you arrive for the shows? I haven't done candlelight since that year they did it a bunch of nights and APs had a lottery for seats. It seems to have gotten significantly more competitive since then.

Using my handy-dandy phone timestamps, I deduce the following:

2018: They opened up the "line" area in front of the Emporium just before 5:30. Lots of wandering around getting conflicting info about how and when this would happen, so I was hanging out for a bit before then. 1st show appears to have been at 5:30 because I have video of the choirs marching past down Main Street at 5:32. Stood through that one, and we moved into the viewing area at 7, and then I have a picture of the choir up there at 7:50. There were two of us watching, and it was fun but a lot of standing.

2019: I was prepared to do the same thing, but when I entered DL at 4:35, I immediately found a spot to stand in front of the Opera House. I was alone this time, but I remember thinking I easily could have fit my husband and daughter with me. I have video of the choir filling in the front at 5:25.

No idea what they'll do this year, but I have a reservation for December 4 and I am prepared to find out. Also prepared to be rejected if they've changed things...

 

[Malcon10t]

First processional leaves the area by the corn dog cart about 530, and arrives at the train station a couple minutes later. It takes about 5 mins for the full procession to load the stage. The reading takes about 45 minutes. The second one steps off at 745p, and finishes about 840p.

BTW if you are on City Hall side of the show waiting for the first show on Sat, you can usually see who the narrator is when they come out for the sound check about 445. When it was Chris Pratt, we were close enough he fist bumped with my granddaughter and a friend's 2 sons as he was exiting the area after the check.