disney at christmas

[areweindisneyyet]

Thought I would share some photos taken at the Reindeer Roundup. My mum waited in line with my DD for around 25 minutes to meet Santa and when they got to the front she changed her mind. DD is looking forward to going back to see Santa next year. Deer are not native in Australia so we could not get over the size of them.

The rest of us kept saying that we must visit the Roundup yet at the end of the trip none of us made it. So definitely on the 2011 to do list.

 

[tksbaskets]

Nice pics!

 

[disneylovingfamily:4]

Love the pics!!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Time to give is a bump again and here are some pics of DCA Golden gate bridge and also the Christmas tree right by Paradise Park where the light tower is right now. So much has changed to Paradise Park back in the old days.

 

[Sherry E]

I love the cloudy skies in those photos, Bret!! It really sets a mood in the shots. We've all seen the beautiful DLR decorations against the backdrop of blue skies and sunny days, but there are not as many photos (that we have seen) of holiday decor on a day when it looks like there might be actual 'weather' happening!!

Who knows where that tree in DCA will end up this year? It has moved around to different areas. Until they get all the work finished on DCA, it seems like they can't find a permanent spot for the tree. It would be nice to have it closer to the entrance of DCA, but that won't happen for a long time.


I have a sneaking suspicion that they will not do the giant ornaments and decorations in A Bug's Land this year, too. I think it's going to be a scaled down holiday in DCA for a year or two.

 

[Sherry E]

Oh, I forgot to say to areweindisneyyet - great photos of the Reindeer Round-Up!!

 

[billwendy]

Love the pictures!!!!

How many days pass should I get????? We will be there from Saturday to Saturday, and I have to go to a conference on Wednesday in the middle. Im not sure what else we need to see besides DL - can you go to the actual Disney Studios around there??

Thanks!!

 

[Sherry E]

Love the pictures!!!!

How many days pass should I get????? We will be there from Saturday to Saturday, and I have to go to a conference on Wednesday in the middle. Im not sure what else we need to see besides DL - can you go to the actual Disney Studios around there??

Thanks!!

The Disney Studios are in Burbank and Glendale. That's not close to Anaheim, but if you'll have a rental car you could take one day to visit the Studios, maybe visit the Disney Soda Fountain and Studio Store in Hollywood, see the lovely decorations at the Farmers Market and The Grove, see more lovely decorations in Beverly Hills, maybe cruise down to the Santa Monica Pier, etc.

I think, to be safe (because we don't know if it will be very crowded or not), you should get at least a 3-day Hopper, preferably 4 days. If you can swing getting a Hopper with more days, I would do it, just to be sure you really have a chance to see and do everything -- and then see and do everything over again!!

You're doing WoC, right? Are you also doing the holiday tour? Are you interested in doing any other amusement parks like Knott's or Universal Studios?


Maybe someone else has some thoughts on this, and how many days you should get? Anyone?

 

[mvf-m11c]

I love the cloudy skies in those photos, Bret!! It really sets a mood in the shots. We've all seen the beautiful DLR decorations against the backdrop of blue skies and sunny days, but there are not as many photos (that we have seen) of holiday decor on a day when it looks like there might be actual 'weather' happening!!

Who knows where that tree in DCA will end up this year? It has moved around to different areas. Until they get all the work finished on DCA, it seems like they can't find a permanent spot for the tree. It would be nice to have it closer to the entrance of DCA, but that won't happen for a long time.


I have a sneaking suspicion that they will not do the giant ornaments and decorations in A Bug's Land this year, too. I think it's going to be a scaled down holiday in DCA for a year or two.

Thx Sherry. Those pics are from my 2008 trip in December and it was cloudy all week and very crowded that year. I was surprise that it didn't rain during that trip than last year when it was raining during my visit on Dec 10-13. I understood why not too many people showed up last year during my stay because it was raining that whole weekend and they canceled the fireworks and F! on Saturday.

It would be interesting to see on how what DCA will do with all of there decorations especially during all the construction.

 

[mvf-m11c]

I think, to be safe (because we don't know if it will be very crowded or not), you should get at least a 3-day Hopper, preferably 4 days. If you can swing getting a Hopper with more days, I would do it, just to be sure you really have a chance to see and do everything -- and then see and do everything over again!!

You're doing WoC, right? Are you also doing the holiday tour? Are you interested in doing any other amusement parks like Knott's or Universal Studios?


Maybe someone else has some thoughts on this, and how many days you should get? Anyone?

I agree with you Sherry that they should get a 3-day PH for the minimum and 4-day PH for the max. They can do all the nighttime shows on three of those nights (Believe...In Holiday Magic firworks, F!, and WoC) and do the rides after the shows. The good thing about the 3-day PH is that they could use the MM one day, unless they are staying on-property and could go to MM on the days that DL has them.

 

[billwendy]

Hi!! Thanks for the advice!!

Yes, we will have a rental car and are staying at the HoJo's. How far away is Burbank from DL? Im wondering if the day after my course (it gets done at 3:30) would work for that? or would everything be closed then. Is there and actual tour or ??????

Its not that much more $$ to add on days after you get past 3 any way, right????? I do want to see all the night time shows!!!!!

Not interested in other parks - just DL and CA.

Keep the ideas coming!!!

I dont think we have the $$ for the Holiday tour right now,,,but how far does it book out? How long does it take?

 

[mvf-m11c]

Hi!! Thanks for the advice!!

Yes, we will have a rental car and are staying at the HoJo's. How far away is Burbank from DL? Im wondering if the day after my course (it gets done at 3:30) would work for that? or would everything be closed then. Is there and actual tour or ??????

Its not that much more $$ to add on days after you get past 3 any way, right????? I do want to see all the night time shows!!!!!

Not interested in other parks - just DL and CA.

Keep the ideas coming!!!

I dont think we have the $$ for the Holiday tour right now,,,but how far does it book out? How long does it take?

It is about 40 miles drive from Burbank Airport to DL. It can take way over an hour to get to DL with LA traffic. If you go during the busy hours you will be there for awhile in the traffic.

It is $15 more for an adult and $13 more for the child for an extra day at DL from the 3-day PH to the 4-day PH. If you are not interested in seeing the other parks during your visit, I would just get the 4-day PH or more if you want to spend more your time at DLR.

For the Holiday tour, you can book up to 30 days in advance of the day that you want to do the tour. It takes around 3 hours to complete the Holiday Tour.

 

[Sherry E]

Hi!! Thanks for the advice!!

Yes, we will have a rental car and are staying at the HoJo's. How far away is Burbank from DL? Im wondering if the day after my course (it gets done at 3:30) would work for that? or would everything be closed then. Is there and actual tour or ??????

Its not that much more $$ to add on days after you get past 3 any way, right????? I do want to see all the night time shows!!!!!

Not interested in other parks - just DL and CA.

Keep the ideas coming!!!

I dont think we have the $$ for the Holiday tour right now,,,but how far does it book out? How long does it take?

Not having done the tour yet myself, from what I can recall people have said that it starts booking one month out. So if you wanted to do a tour on, for example, November 15, you could have booked it starting 2 days ago.

And I think that I read from one of our DIS'ers that the tour - from start to finish (including the parade) - takes about 3 hours.

But hopefully Bret and some of the other folks who have done the tour can clarify that.

Let's see...your idea about hitting Burbank after your Pasadena course might be a good one. It would probably make more sense to drive from Pasadena to Burbank and then down to Anaheim than to drive from Anaheim to Burbank and back - if you can help it. I mean, if you have other things to do up in L.A. on that same day (like some of the things I suggested above), then it makes sense to make a full day of it, and then the drive from Anaheim and back would not seem as bad. But if you are only driving from Anaheim to Burbabk for the sake of the Studios and without much else to do, it may not be worth it.

Time-wise, I would say that to get to Burbank from Anaheim - with no traffic - would probably take you, roughly, about 1-1/4 hours - 1-1/2 hours.

One of our DIS'ers (DizNee Luver) did a bonanza of a trip back in June - she did many days at DLR, and then also did the Disney Soda Fountain in Hollywood and went to the Studios in Burbank, among many other things. She could probably answer a lot of question about the Studios if you post a question in her Trip Report.

Let me go find the link to DizNee Luver's TR. She has an index on the first page that will direct you to the different sections, so you can see her photos from the Disney Soda Fountain as well as the Studios in Burbank.

I'll be right back, after I find DizNee Luver's TR!!

Okay, here it is: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2376961

 

[where's_my_prince]

well i guess since Halloween trip is over, its time to start planning the christmas trip!

 

[Sherry E]

well i guess since Halloween trip is over, its time to start planning the christmas trip!

That's right, where's_my_prince - it's a whole new set of holiday treats to scope out and activities to plan!! Ho, ho, ho!!!

By the way, I was following your TR and I don't know if I missed it or just hadn't gotten to that part yet, but is Toy Story Midway Mania now open again, or is it still closed?



Everyone whose Halloween trips are over but are now going back for Christmas - jump on in here and join us!!

 

[where's_my_prince]

That's right, where's_my_prince - it's a whole new set of holiday treats to scope out and activities to plan!! Ho, ho, ho!!!

By the way, I was following your TR and I don't know if I missed it or just hadn't gotten to that part yet, but is Toy Story Midway Mania now open again, or is it still closed?



Everyone whose Halloween trips are over but are now going back for Christmas - jump on in here and join us!!

yes MM is definitely open and the line was ridiculous it was about a 90 minute wait! it's my favorite ride but i could not stand that long of a line

 

[Sherry E]

yes MM is definitely open and the line was ridiculous it was about a 90 minute wait! it's my favorite ride but i could not stand that long of a line

Oh yikes! It must be that long of a line because it's been closed for so long. I hope it gets shorter - soon!! It's my favorite ride too (well, one of my top two favorite rides) and I would have a hard time waiting 90 minutes for it - and there's no more single rider line, from what I understand, so that's no good!!

By the way, I cannot believe how much candy you and the other MHP guests came home with. There is no way the bags they give you at the entrance would hold even half of all the candy there is to get!! Then again, maybe they don't expect most of the party guests to hit all of the treat stops. They probably assume people will just hit some of them. But if you're paying $54 or $59 bucks - you want as much candy as you can get!!

 

[where's_my_prince]

Oh yikes! It must be that long of a line because it's been closed for so long. I hope it gets shorter - soon!! It's my favorite ride too (well, one of my top two favorite rides) and I would have a hard time waiting 90 minutes for it - and there's no more single rider line, from what I understand, so that's no good!!

By the way, I cannot believe how much candy you and the other MHP guests came home with. There is no way the bags they give you at the entrance would hold even half of all the candy there is to get!! Then again, maybe they don't expect most of the party guests to hit all of the treat stops. They probably assume people will just hit some of them. But if you're paying $54 or $59 bucks - you want as much candy as you can get!!

ya that's what i was thinking that since it was closed people were excited it was back open, they really need a FP like in WDW

i was surprised how small the bag was! i saw parents carrying 5-6 of those bags full of candy! ya i mean the lines were soooooo long for candy when the party started so we just focused on the characters and so the last 45 minutes the lines for candy were gone and CM were giving tons away one girl even asked what my favorite candy was and gave me 5 of them!

 

[tdashgirl]

Thought I would share some photos taken at the Reindeer Roundup. My mum waited in line with my DD for around 25 minutes to meet Santa and when they got to the front she changed her mind.

FYI to parents out there - this is the most beautiful and special place to take your Santa photo. It is just gorgeous and Santa is awesome. Blows every other mall santa photo out of the water. Seriously.

 

[Rachael Q]

The hours are now up for our December trip, except for one day (Dec 10th to 13th). DL is 8am to midnight, and DCA is 10am to 10pm. But no times for the parades, fireworks, Fantasmic, WOC etc. So still waiting patiently, actually not so patiently.