December trip - various questions

[ubarpants]

Hi all! My DH and I decided to take a quick weekend trip for my birthday at the beginning of December. We'll be flying in after work on Thursday 12/3 and hopefully hitting up Trader Sam's. We leave Sunday at 7:45pm, so we're thinking we could be in the parks until 4ish.

I had thought we would do DCA on Friday, use our MM at DL on Saturday, and then DL again for our Sunday half-day. I saw today that this is actually the candelight processional weekend. Without getting into it, I'll just say that we have no interest in seeing it. Should I plan to go to DL on Friday and DCA on Saturday to avoid the extra crowds? We'd be losing out on the MM benefit if we did that. We weren't planning on parkhoppers, but we haven't bought tickets yet so we can adjust.

Also, we're staying at the Castle Inn and are going to want to eat breakfast before hitting the parks. I read previous threads and apparently some of you are just waiting for the Dole Whip stand to open at 10! I'm usually at work at 6:30 so I'll be a ravenous beast by then. The DTD Starbucks is open early and we could grab a breakfast sandwich there, but then I saw that while the Sbux is open at 5am, the calendar has DTD opening at 7am. How does that work? Is it only open to onsite guests that early or something? I haven't really seen anything else that is open before the parks, and I don't care for Ihop or Denny's.

Thanks so much! I've done a ton of reading but no one seems to have my same exact problem (story of my life...)

 

[Girimama33]

I am a fan of NOT using the MM. Only Fantasyland and Tomorrowland are open. I would also avoid DL during the CP. I would go with DL Fri (if you go at rope drop, all rides should be open with little crowds), DCA Saturday and DL on Sunday.
The DTD Starbucks does open at 5am. There really isn't anything that closes off DTD, so it should be accessible to on and off site guests.

 

[Sherry E]

A lot of people ask all the time about how to handle Candlelight weekend and which days to go where, so that's not a new problem or question. You're not alone! To me, the answer is simple -- if you have no interest in seeing the CP and you want to avoid any crowds in Disneyland associated with the CP, skip DL on Saturday.

This year, between the Christmas Fantasy Parade, Paint the Night, Disneyland Forever and crowds both trying to see and escape from Candlelight, I expect Main Street to be some form of a madhouse from the afternoon on until evening.

 

[Nonsuch]

...I saw today that this is actually the candelight processional weekend. Without getting into it, I'll just say that we have no interest in seeing it. Should I plan to go to DL on Friday and DCA on Saturday to avoid the extra crowds?

Candlelight does create a mess around Town Square during the afternoon and early evening, but has little impact on crowds overall -- the majority of guests seem unaware of the event. A few guests will wait early for MM simply to grab the few available benches for Candlelight, holding them all day.

Candlelight might impact the Paint the Night schedule, perhaps cancelling the parade for the weekend.

 

[Sherry E]

Candlelight does create a mess around Town Square during the afternoon and early evening, but has little impact on crowds overall -- the majority of guests seem unaware of the event. A few guests will wait early for MM simply to grab the few available benches for Candlelight, holding them all day.

Candlelight might impact the Paint the Night schedule, perhaps cancelling the parade for the weekend.

I actually wonder if the Candlelight performance times might be changed this year -- instead of 5:30 and 8:00-ish, maybe they'll be adjusted slightly?

You said what I have been telling people for a while. I think that people assume that huge crowds flock to DL to see Candlelight every year, filling up the hotels and causing huge crowds all around the parks. In reality, Disney does not advertise it or publicize the event (with the exception of that 20-night run in 2012). A lot of people don't even know Candlelight exists. A lot of the people who see it every year are people who get seats and/or who have been seeing it for years (or decades). The hotels don't normally book up just from Candlelight attendees -- though last year was an exception because there were other events going on that weekend that contributed to the hotels booking up and the crowds being crazy in the park.

People will, of course, find out about Candlelight once they get there if they didn't already know about it, but many people just don't know. Ever since 2012's marathon run of Candlelight, Disney has tried to sweep the CP under the carpet and almost pretend it doesn't exist (other than to people "in the know")!

 

[tiffjoy]

We have been CP weekend and plan to go again this year, and we don't watch the CP (mostly because I have a hard enough time getting my DH to agree to wait for parades or F! as it is- I don't need to argue about another one!). We have APs this year, but previously had PHs. We didn't notice any difference at all in DL in the morning until around 4ish, then we left to go over to DCA. I personally really love PH for DLR because DL often crowds up in the evenings, then we bounce over to DCA.

 

[Tyggress]

The DTD Starbucks is open early and we could grab a breakfast sandwich there, but then I saw that while the Sbux is open at 5am, the calendar has DTD opening at 7am. How does that work? Is it only open to onsite guests that early or something?

As a PP noted, there is nothing keeping you from strolling DTD in the early morning...no gates or anything. If SBux opens at 5am, you can easily go to it at that time for breakfast/coffee. The "7am" opening for DTD likely references a general time that other stores, restaurants, shops, etc likely start opening...some don't open until 10am.

 

[chickapin parterre]

candlelight or the Christmas season will make DTD more crowded than other nights of the year, so just a heads up on "extra crowds", but do explore the holidays at the different lodgings and it is fun to stroll thru DTD, just has more of a bustle with no hustle!!!