December 2024 Check In Thread

[Tinkaboo]

I can’t believe it… Christmas is almost here! We just have toget through Halloween and OBB and then there will be snow on Main Street. I just thought with Thanksgiving being so late this year, I should get things rolling. We normally go that first week but that’s going to have fall out from the holiday with air travel so fares are still going to be high. Anyhoo, got CCI booked for Dec. 12-17. I’m going to have to buy extra ticket for the weekend as my key is blocked and I couldn’t upgrade on last trip, which was what I had hoped to do.

Will avoid the Processional weekend as it’s usually that first weekend. Also, weekend will give us more chances to see Fantasmic!

So who else is planning for December? Working on my Christmas outfits now! Lots of new ears plus Mickey Santa loungefly backpack. Can’t wait!

HERE IS WHO’S COMING SO FAR:
Ptcru1ser Nov. 30-Dec11
Candy Mouse 1-4
KimberMama 1-6
Marmota 1-8
Porsche4 1-9
Iwanthony 2-5
ter-moo 3-5
Tink1987 3-10
Disneychrista 1st week
KPeterso 4-7
xApril 6-9
HMcH 6-11
Tlovesdis 8-10
YodaRuiz 8-14
Stardusty21 8-14
Upritbass 9-12
CamDisDay 10-13
Mommy2PrincessAbby 12-15
DizMe 12-16
Tinkaboo 12-17
TarynM 13-16
abent 13-17
Hyphen677 14-15
Boscoj 14-17
Kayteekt 14-19
Stacycs 15-27
BandMom1 18-21
Kauai4Life 24-31
MommycMickey 26-31
candy0730 27-28-30
scunnin3 Dec.29 - Jan 2

OUR LIST JUST KEEPS GROWING!

 

[Kauai4life]

Aloha,
I am surprising my DD a trip Disneyland am not going to tell her at all. We are leaving Christmas Eve and coming home New Years Eve.

 

[xApril]

We are in for Dec 6-9 back at our usual Alamo. We ended up booking before our last trip since there was great deals.

My friend and I want to see Disneyland’s Candlelight so that’ll be the main focus. I haven’t been back to the holidays in years and I don’t know that she’s ever been. We’re still coming off the high from our June trip so December feels impossibly far away.

 

[Porsche4]

We are going the 1st to the 9th. Coming all the way from Australia and staying in the villas at the DLH. I am so excited. My adult son will be joining my adult daughter and myself and I just can't wait. He hasn't been for well over 10 years, my daughter and I were there two years ago. He is going to love Galaxies Edge as he is a big Star Wars fan and I know he will fall in love with Carsland. I do hope they bring back the entertainment to Avengers Campus though for our visit as the thing my daughter and I loved about that area was the atmosphere. There just seemed to be something going on all the time and from what I am seeing on YouTube now it is quite dead which is such a shame. Really looking forward to all the holiday decorations, ride overlays and entertainment. Only 146 days to go. Woo hoo.

 

[kayteekt]

Planning our family's first DL trip December 14-19. Scored 4 of the nights in the new Disneyland DVC villas. Will be working out the other nights. Will be DH and I, along with our DD16 and DS12. WDW vets, excited to have a trip to research and plan!

 

[HMcH]

Taking my 4 year old for her first Disney experience Dec 6-11. Staying off site in Wyndham condos. Wife and I are WDW vets but only 2nd time to DLR.

I saw someone mention Candlelight Processional. I'm familiar with Epcot, but can someone give me a who/what/when/where/how of it at DLR. Is this something we should plan to see or avoid that park that day at all costs?

 

[abent]

Count me in for my annual December trip! Staying at the Tropicana, December 13-17th! Stayed at The Castle Inn in June and am so glad to not have to walk that far in December! It was our goal to stay at every place on Harbor, yet more times than not our first choice is Tropicana or Park Place Inn for our trips in December.

 

[Porsche4]

Taking my 4 year old for her first Disney experience Dec 6-11. Staying off site in Wyndham condos. Wife and I are WDW vets but only 2nd time to DLR.

I saw someone mention Candlelight Processional. I'm familiar with Epcot, but can someone give me a who/what/when/where/how of it at DLR. Is this something we should plan to see or avoid that park that day at all costs?

Candlelight Processional is a private event that only invited people can attend. It is held at the Main Street Station and the area directly in front of that is roped off and filled with seats for the guests. From what I have heard many people grab themselves a spot somewhere around that area in the morning and camp out all day as you would be able to see it from behind the reserved seating area. We intend to visit the park on Sunday and I have posted asking how it affects the crowds on that day. Most say it has little affect as long as you stay away from that area which will get very crowded and congested. We are going to take our chances, use G+ and stack some evening ride times. We will ride the monorail into and out of the park back to our hotel (DL Villas) and therefore avoid the main entrance. Others may be able to give you more details but it isn't something you will be able to get tickets for or just roll up and see.

 

[TarynM]

We'll be there December 13th-16th for our annual holiday trip! So excited to see the holiday decorations everywhere!

 

[Tinkaboo]

Taking my 4 year old for her first Disney experience Dec 6-11. Staying off site in Wyndham condos. Wife and I are WDW vets but only 2nd time to DLR.

I saw someone mention Candlelight Processional. I'm familiar with Epcot, but can someone give me a who/what/when/where/how of it at DLR. Is this something we should plan to see or avoid that park that day at all costs?

NOTHING LIKE WDW. I really don’t think it has all the production value of WDW EPCOT, although I’m not speaking from firsthand knowledge. I know someone will jump in with more deets.

Only one weekend, not even sure if it’s both nights but I think Saturday and Sunday that first weekend in December, although date has not been announced yet to my knowledge.

It’s usually on the main hub by train station on Main Street as you enter the park. There is special seating for VIP guests. Usually a famous person delivers the program. You can probably google past years.

People begin camping out for spots as soon as the park opens…I literally could not figure out for the life of me what they were doing until someone explained it to me.
We went on about our day and the Rest of the park wasn’t bad as I recall, just avoid Main Street until it’s over.

 

[LKing]

I think it is two nights. They set up for it a few days in advance so the entrance to Main Street station is impacted. Yes, people grab benches at rope drop and camp out all day. In my opinion, other than there being more than an average amount of celebrities in the park, it is just like any other December date.

 

[Tink1987]

We are also visiting in December. Very excited already. We will be there for 7 nights, arriving December 3rd.

Trying a new hotel for us this time, the JW Marriott, the one near the convention centre? Prices this December for us were much better then the same week last year due to the medical convention that was there.

Look forward to hearing about all your plans over the next few months

 

[KPeterso]

We will be at VGC 12/4-12/7 for our annual holiday time staycation! We have gone in November the last few years but this year I pushed it back to December. I had to waitlist for VGC (one of my home resorts), but it came through in February of this year for the dates and room I most wanted. I had 2 back up reservations as well, but this was what I really wanted.

Candlelight Processional is pretty cool to see. Last year was the first year I saw it in person but honestly it was a long time to stand and hard to see when only 5'2". I do enjoy seeing the procession of the choirs singing all the hymns. You can see them starting back at Small World and then they process to the Main Street train station for the actual show. The lines for the rides were overall not bad. I started that day at DCA and then hopped over to Disneyland probably between 12-1 PM to enjoy that park.

 

[Porsche4]

We will be at VGC 12/4-12/7 for our annual holiday time staycation! We have gone in November the last few years but this year I pushed it back to December. I had to waitlist for VGC (one of my home resorts), but it came through in February of this year for the dates and room I most wanted. I had 2 back up reservations as well, but this was what I really wanted.

Candlelight Processional is pretty cool to see. Last year was the first year I saw it in person but honestly it was a long time to stand and hard to see when only 5'2". I do enjoy seeing the procession of the choirs singing all the hymns. You can see them starting back at Small World and then they process to the Main Street train station for the actual show. The lines for the rides were overall not bad. I started that day at DCA and then hopped over to Disneyland probably between 12-1 PM to enjoy that park.

Thats what we intend to do on that Sunday. Its an EE day at DCA so we will take advantage of that, then have an afternoon break back at the villas (DLH), then head into DL for some evening rides with LL. We are having a park free day on the Saturday and heading to some antiques shops for some retail therapy so we won't have to deal with it that day. I am so looking forward to seeing all the holiday decorations, its my favourite time of year.

 

[xApril]

I think it is two nights. They set up for it a few days in advance so the entrance to Main Street station is impacted. Yes, people grab benches at rope drop and camp out all day. In my opinion, other than there being more than an average amount of celebrities in the park, it is just like any other December date.

Do you know if it’s like the benches they use for flag retreat or is it other benches? I am pretty sure my friend and I will probably end up doing this and just end up trading off doing things throughout the day

 

[LKing]

Do you know if it’s like the benches they use for flag retreat or is it other benches? I am pretty sure my friend and I will probably end up doing this and just end up trading off doing things throughout the day

I have never sat and watched, but have been in the park on the days when people were camped out. I grabbed these photos off of the Net. The white chairs in the front are reserved. The benches on the side are what people run in to grab. There are also people who are camped out on the curb. I'm not sure when they move from the curb to the street.

 

[Porsche4]

I have never sat and watched, but have been in the park on the days when people were camped out. I grabbed these photos off of the Net. The white chairs in the front are reserved. The benches on the side are what people run in to grab. There are also people who are camped out on the curb. I'm not sure when they move from the curb to the street.

View attachment 875657 View attachment 875656

Do you know how many days in advance they start decorating and setting up the stage area of the Train Station and do they actually close off the Train Station in the days leading up to the Processional. I only ask because we are there a few days before and want to ride the train from this station and check out all the memorabilia.

 

[LKing]

Do you know how many days in advance they start decorating and setting up the stage area of the Train Station and do they actually close off the Train Station in the days leading up to the Processional. I only ask because we are there a few days before and want to ride the train from this station and check out all the memorabilia.

I don't know exactly. I'm thinking a couple of days before.

As far as the train, it is going to be closed starting August 5. If I recall correctly, the train was still operating last year, but I am not sure if they allowed people to enter or exit at Main Street station. New Orleans Square station is currently closed. Hopefully it will be open by December. If it isn't, then the only two stations open that weekend may be ToonTown and Tomorrowland.

Edit to add: I took this picture last year on Friday Dec 1. The Candlelight Processional last year was on Dec 2 and 3. Just over the horse's backside you can see people walking up the stairs to the train station. Maybe there is still access to the train as they are setting up.

 

[Porsche4]

I don't know exactly. I'm thinking a couple of days before.

As far as the train, it is going to be closed starting August 5. I'm not sure how long it will be closed. If I recall correctly, the train was still operating last year, but they did not allow people to enter or exit at Main Street station. New Orleans Square station is currently closed. I'm not sure if it will be open by December. If it isn't, then the only two stations open that weekend will be ToonTown and Tomorrowland.

Thanks for that, guess to be on the safe side we'll visit it early in the week and then hopefully we should be good.

 

[stardusty21]

My husband, adult daughter and I are going December 8-14. We are at Residence Inn. Usually it's me and my daughter and we stay in a studio at The Grand but with dad coming along this year we need to spread out. Excited to be there for the Christmas decorations and events!