December CM Parties

[Willow25]

Hello Everyone

For the CM parties in December do both Disneyland park and DCA close early or just the Disneyland park?

How bad crowd wise is the candlelight processional weekend??

Thanks

 

[aussiegirls]

I would like to know the answers to that too (thanks Willow).

Also, another question to add to that. I keep hearing that the Candlelight Processional is always packed, I suppose that means that it is really good, yeah? So do they have any sort of PS for the Candlelight Processional, like they have for Fantasmic or anything?

Thanks heaps


xxx

 

[DangerMouse]

Hello Everyone

For the CM parties in December do both Disneyland park and DCA close early or just the Disneyland park?

How bad crowd wise is the candlelight processional weekend??

Thanks

For the CM parties, only DL closes early (at 6 pm) with the Christmas fireworks being shown at 5:45 pm. DCA normally extends its hours to 8 or 9 pm.

CP weekend is usually quite crowded with mostly locals coming in to catch the show. There are 2 shows nightly and Main Street is completely congested from about 3 pm on.

I would like to know the answers to that too (thanks Willow).

Also, another question to add to that. I keep hearing that the Candlelight Processional is always packed, I suppose that means that it is really good, yeah? So do they have any sort of PS for the Candlelight Processional, like they have for Fantasmic or anything?

Thanks heaps
xxx

In the past DLR has sold "dinner packages" to the public which includes a seat at the CP. However this past year, it was different as they only offered packaged seating to D23 members. I have no idea how they are going to handle it in 2010.

 

[Willow25]

Thank you for the reply. Just one more question for you all. Some people have said that the CM parties are the first week following the candlelight processional and some have said the second week. Does this change year to year or is it always directly after the candlelight processional.

It has been a while since I have planned a trip to Disneyland we usually go to DW. For Disneyland when do they post their calendars. I know DW is usually about three months ahead is DL the same??

 

[DangerMouse]

Thank you for the reply. Just one more question for you all. Some people have said that the CM parties are the first week following the candlelight processional and some have said the second week. Does this change year to year or is it always directly after the candlelight processional.

It has been a while since I have planned a trip to Disneyland we usually go to DW. For Disneyland when do they post their calendars. I know DW is usually about three months ahead is DL the same??

The CP is always the first weekend of Dec. and the CM parties are the Monday and Tuesday immediately following. So in 2010, you can expect the CP to be on Dec 4th and 5th and the CM Parties to be on the 6th and 7th.

DLR is notoriously slow for putting up their calendars. Especially for around the holiday period. Also, they normally don't officially announce the CP dates and narrator choice until just about a month prior.

 

[Willow25]

Thank you so much Dangermouse. You have been soooo helpful! In your opinion what are the crowds like then the following two days following the CM parties since they are sometimes open later and have had to F shows a night??

 

[DisneyJulieZ]

Willow25-are you going to be there in December when we are planning to be there? It sounds like maybe, since you are asking about the crowds on the days following the CM parties?? (am I understanding you correctly?)
We are planning on arriving Wednesday, December 8th and be in the parks on Thursday, December 9th-Saturday, December 11th....maybe we'll be there at the same time?!?

Is it going to be crazy busy then??

 

[Willow25]

Hi DisneyJulieZ

Yes we are planning a trip for this upcoming December. We are planning to arrive on the 4th and leave on the 12th. Early December is usually fairly quiet but I think it will be busier than normal especially the weekends due to AP blockouts later in the month and locals trying to get to the parks for the christmas decorations. I still don't think it will be crazy packed though. Where are you staying?? We are still trying to decide.

 

[DangerMouse]

Willow, I used to go around that time every December. I tried to plan right after the CM parties but during the week to avoid crowds, and we always had very good luck with low crowds until around 2005-2006 when it seemed it was getting more and more crowded. I think the days right around that time mid-week, is about as uncrowded as you will find during the DLR holiday season, but don't expect an empty park by any means.

 

[DisneyMomma81]

For the past 2 Decembers we've been in DLR for the CM party days ~ I don't mind them at all, I love the early fireworks and we spend the evening in DCA. The crowds aren't bad at all. CM party dates for 2008 were 12/8 & 12/9 and for 2009 were 12/7 & 12/8 ~ I would think the dates this year will be 12/6 & 12/7
I have no experience with the CLP.

 

[Eeee-va]

In 2009 we went the Wednesday - Sunday following the Cast Member parties. Our experience was great!

Wednesday and Thursday, we thought crowds were quite low, even though the parks were open from I believe 9 AM to 11 PM and there were two showings of Fantasmic! Granted, we had last gone in mid-to-late June, shortly before some AP blockout dates, so anything would seem nice to us. We saw Fantasmic! on Wednesday, the second showing. I'm pretty sure we could've shown up 20 or 30 minutes before that second showing and got SEATS! It was completely and utterly different from June.

Coming in at 2 PM and seeing these wait times just blew our minds with how wonderful they were. 20 minutes for major attractions!

All predictions were that weekend crowds would be huge. I don't know if they would have been huge or not. Friday, it rained a little bit (more near the end of the day), and Saturday was rainy all day. So that really kept crowds down.

Wait board from Friday shortly before noon:

Saturday night at DCA was DESERTED. We were the only, or close to the only, people walking through much of the park. Toy Story Midway Mania was practically walk-on. (That said, I know that lately if it's rainy and crowds are low, Disney has been closing the parks early instead of leaving them open. ) Sunday, we left around 2 and crowds were pretty heavy (40 minute standby for Space Mountain, but FPs were available with a return time of 4:50-5:50).

But again, if the weather had been clearer, that Friday night and Saturday may have been packed. I heard that the following weekend was just TERRIBLE as far as crowds, and I'm wondering if a bit of that couldn't have been from locals skipping a rainy day and going during a sunny one.

 

[Willow25]

Thanks everyone for your advice. It is really helpful!! We are going for a full week so hopefully we will see most everything regardless of crowds. It seems like DLR is rarely not busy these days.

 

[DisneyJulieZ]

DangerMouse, DisneyMomma81 & Eeee-va!
Thanks you SO much for your great info! I'm really excited about our planned dates for Dec. 2010 after reading about your experiences!

We are planning to arrive at the hotel (not sure which yet, but want a close one--Ramada Inn Maingate?? or something close on Harbor) on Wednesday, December 8th, 2010 just in time to crash into bed (we have to work all day in AZ that day...booo...)

BUT, we'll have 3-day PH and start off Thursday, 12/9/10 with a (hopefully!) glorious MM and then just have fun collecting FP's and seeing parades, fireworks, shows, etc. all day Thursday, 12/9/10, Friday, 12/10/10 and will be leaving (SOB!) Sat. 12/11/10 probably around 3 PM to drive back home....

Hoping for low crowds and lots of Disney Christmas Magic!!

 

[ado121]

we are planning to go dec 6 to dec 11. just waiting for flight prices to lower a little.

amy