disney at christmas

[deejdigsdis]

Nothing new...we just slipped to the 2nd page.

 

[tksbaskets]

Great pictures! I love the one of City Hall

 

[Sherry E]

Yay, deejdigsdis!!! Great photos!!! And you rescued us from the murky depths of Page 2!

I wouldn't say that there is nothing new!! The snow photo is awesome, and that is one big highlight of the holiday season at DLR that people will be interested in. Plus, while I love all the 'obvious' holiday pictures that we have all shared, I also love the ones where the main subject of the picture is something non-holidayish, but in the background you can see very clear holiday touches on the surroundings!! Those are so cool too!

Also, even though we will see certain landmarks or sights/decorations repeated in all of our photos over and over again through the thread, everyone has a slightly different perspective in their photos. Everything is shot from a slightly different angle, maybe more close up or further away; maybe different lighting or different times of day. So nothing is exactly the same. And, as I have said before, people who are just now tuning into this thread for the first time (who have not yet taken the time to scroll back through the pages and see the other wonderful photos) may not have seen some of the things that we have already been seeing throughout this thread if this is their first glance!! So it's always good to post whatever photos we can scrape together.

So basically, never worry about something being dark, clear, fuzzy, crowded or uncrowded, beautiful or imperfect, obvious or subtle, familiar or out of the way, old or new, etc. If you have 1 photo or 100 photos to share, that's all good! Any DLR holiday photos are appreciated and we want to see them all - especially until we start to get dates and info rolling in for this year's DLR holiday agenda and can discuss that here, and especially until people begin to make those 2010 DLR holiday trips and can come back here to post even more photos!!!!

I have said it before and I will say it again - we should all pat ourselves on the back because I think we have all done a really stellar job of representing DLR during the holidays on many different levels. If you pool all of our collected photos together, we have portrayed a fantastic overall picture of the decorations, trees, entertainment, attractions, food, merchandise, hotel holiday stuff, Vacation Planning offerings, day vs. night, crowded and uncrowded, gloomy weather and sunny skies, etc. We have covered a lot of bases here, which will be very helpful for folks who are planning those DLR holiday trips, and the mission continues. It is an ongoing team effort - so everyone, give yourselves a round of applause for a job well done!!

 

[deejdigsdis]

More pictures from my "bumping" stash...

 

[Sherry E]

Woo hoo! There's a special stash just for bumping!!



(Oops! I was supposed to be saving this creepy dancing emoticon guy for the Halloweentime thread only, but he can dance here sometimes too!)

I love that Partners/Castle photo - it's so clearly defined! Great color contrast between the blueness of the sky and the vibrant red of the poinsettias! Beautiful shots, as always!!

 

[Christina-B-Na]

 

[Canadian Traveler]

Beautiful pictures!! I cant wait....

 

[Sherry E]

Christina-B-Na - I knew you had to have more lovely photos lurking around out there!!

For some reason, I really love that shot of the street scene, and the tree in the distance. It looks quite serene. The street is almost empty (by DLR standards, that is)!

Wow - you all who have been to DLR during the busy holiday season and have managed to get there for a few golden hours or days when it was uncrowded are sooooo lucky! That would be when a lot of folks would go racing to get on the rides, but I might be inclined to actually skip the rides and get a huge portion of my picture-taking done at that time! (I know - I am wacky!) I get so impatient when there are 10,000 people in the way when I try to get even one shot. So I would love love love to have a half-empty park or lots of area to cover without other people getting in my shot.

I must must must figure out when to be at DLR during the holiday season when it is not crowded - even for one day. Maybe like a mid-week day in late November or something... Hmmm.... I have to catch up on my picture-taking. I didn't get nearly as many photos as I wanted to last year because it was just so crowded, but when I was at the GCH by myself in the early morning hours, I was snapping away because there was no one around me!!!

 

[azdisneylover]

Thank you, all for posting all the great pics! I am motivated every time I see them to keep focused and save so we can be there during Christmas. Aussietravellers, thank you so much for posting the stocking picture along with the list of items in the stocking! The tree pictures are fantastic too!
Thanks to the poster ( I apologize for not writing down your name) who responded about the pressed pennies question. That will help me in planning.
Anyone have any answers to Christmas day, and if there are special meals, if prices are higher, etc? When do they put the schedule up for the Candy Cane making?
I am sitting here pouting because we were supposed to be leaving for Disneyland late tonight, but, life has hit us big time. Hubby has been out of work for the most part, no one is hiring, he is waiting for work to start. (Can you believe all the trades are held up because of ONE STYLE OF LIGHT FIXTURE OVER A DESK. Ugh. sorry to rant. One person is hurting many people, because of a light fixture that doesn't affect the lighting in the room.
So, I am making sure we will go at Christmas when we see family. I am planning to arrive on the 23rd and tell the kids we are staying overnight. When we get up Christmas Eve morning, we will go into the park for a bit, then go back to the room, get ready to go spend Christmas Eve with family, and I will remind the front desk about putting the Christmas tree in the room and the stockings. We are telling the kids we are checking out! When we are done visiting with family early Christmas morning, we will pile into the car, and the kids will think we are on our way home to AZ, but we will be driving back to DISNEYLAND! We will spend a few days at the happiest place on earth, then really head back home.
Any suggestions, hints or ideas to make this work would be greatly appreciated!
My babies are 8 years old, 2 girls and 1 boy!

 

[scrappinbear78]

Ok, so this is my first time here. I just discovered this message board. We are going to WDL this Christmas from the 19th through the 26th. I have NEVER been to DL, thus neither have my kids. My dad is going all out. He is paying well over 7 grand for the trip (and we only live in Oregon). He is buying the special vacation package with the tree and stockings as well as the tour. He is also doing a special birthday "day" for each of the kids while we are there as well as an anniversary "day" for my husband and I. I am actually disabled and will require a wheelchair (which he already has reserved and will be waiting in the hotel room). He has purchased a 5 day meal plan with a character meal and goofy breakfast. We are staying in Paradise Pier in a suite...he is going all out. He has the park hopper and everything. We are taking the train down and back...are there any suggestions. What is the weather usually like? We usually are in the 30's in Oregon by then, is it a lot warmer in Cali at that time? Just curious what to expect. I have spent over 5 hrs today looking through this thread and reading posts and I am even more excited to go, but just curious if there are any other suggestions. My dad is wanting to take close to a grand or two for souvaniers too, but I don't know if I really want to spend that much on souvaniers...or are they that spendy that we would need that much for 3 kids...also since we will be there for 8 days and only have a 5 meal ticket is it real spendy for the rest of the meals? We didn't want to be locked in for all meals and wanted to be able to choose for a couple..for instance if we really liked one restraunt and wanted to go back again. Any information would be greatly appreciated as well as any information for disabled people...I will try to find a thread for disabled people as well as this one, but I found this one first so I started with it. Thanks again in advance.

 

[tksbaskets]

Ok, so this is my first time here. I just discovered this message board. We are going to WDL this Christmas from the 19th through the 26th. I have NEVER been to DL, thus neither have my kids. My dad is going all out. He is paying well over 7 grand for the trip (and we only live in Oregon). He is buying the special vacation package with the tree and stockings as well as the tour. He is also doing a special birthday "day" for each of the kids while we are there as well as an anniversary "day" for my husband and I. I am actually disabled and will require a wheelchair (which he already has reserved and will be waiting in the hotel room). He has purchased a 5 day meal plan with a character meal and goofy breakfast. We are staying in Paradise Pier in a suite...he is going all out. He has the park hopper and everything. We are taking the train down and back...are there any suggestions. What is the weather usually like? We usually are in the 30's in Oregon by then, is it a lot warmer in Cali at that time? Just curious what to expect. I have spent over 5 hrs today looking through this thread and reading posts and I am even more excited to go, but just curious if there are any other suggestions. My dad is wanting to take close to a grand or two for souvaniers too, but I don't know if I really want to spend that much on souvaniers...or are they that spendy that we would need that much for 3 kids...also since we will be there for 8 days and only have a 5 meal ticket is it real spendy for the rest of the meals? We didn't want to be locked in for all meals and wanted to be able to choose for a couple..for instance if we really liked one restraunt and wanted to go back again. Any information would be greatly appreciated as well as any information for disabled people...I will try to find a thread for disabled people as well as this one, but I found this one first so I started with it. Thanks again in advance.

What a magical trip you will have! DL is very accessible for handicapped and you get priority line treatment (we went to WDW with my MIL who used a wheel chair to get around). The weather is great - highs in the 70's lows in the 50's. Feel free to click on my trip report link in my signature for our most recent trip to DL this past holiday.

Have fun planning!

 

[Sherry E]

Ok, so this is my first time here. I just discovered this message board. We are going to WDL this Christmas from the 19th through the 26th. I have NEVER been to DL, thus neither have my kids. My dad is going all out. He is paying well over 7 grand for the trip (and we only live in Oregon). He is buying the special vacation package with the tree and stockings as well as the tour. He is also doing a special birthday "day" for each of the kids while we are there as well as an anniversary "day" for my husband and I. I am actually disabled and will require a wheelchair (which he already has reserved and will be waiting in the hotel room). He has purchased a 5 day meal plan with a character meal and goofy breakfast. We are staying in Paradise Pier in a suite...he is going all out. He has the park hopper and everything. We are taking the train down and back...are there any suggestions. What is the weather usually like? We usually are in the 30's in Oregon by then, is it a lot warmer in Cali at that time? Just curious what to expect. I have spent over 5 hrs today looking through this thread and reading posts and I am even more excited to go, but just curious if there are any other suggestions. My dad is wanting to take close to a grand or two for souvaniers too, but I don't know if I really want to spend that much on souvaniers...or are they that spendy that we would need that much for 3 kids...also since we will be there for 8 days and only have a 5 meal ticket is it real spendy for the rest of the meals? We didn't want to be locked in for all meals and wanted to be able to choose for a couple..for instance if we really liked one restraunt and wanted to go back again. Any information would be greatly appreciated as well as any information for disabled people...I will try to find a thread for disabled people as well as this one, but I found this one first so I started with it. Thanks again in advance.

Welcome welcome welcome, scrappinbear78!! So if you have already spent at least 5 hours looking over this thread, looking at photos and reading posts, you practically know us by now!! And how wonderful that you came to us - this thread - first, before stopping anywhere else!! That's wonderful!

Okay, I don't know that I'll be able to answer all of your questions, but I will tackle a few. I do hope that some of the other great folks who have been contributing to this thread will jump in with their tips and suggestions, because I need all the help I can get with helping other people...if that makes any sense! So, Christina-B-Na, Deejdigsdis, Smiley_face2, Tksbaskets, Kayla's Mom, Disneylvrforever, Aussietravellers, Bumbershoot, Azdisneylover, Disney Dreams, DisneySuiteFreak, Specialks and everyone else who I have not mentioned who has been an important part of this thread - I am calling out to all of you great people to jump in and offer tips and suggestions to our new DIS member, scrappinbear78!!

May I also mention that your dad sounds like an awesome, amazing guy? Wow! From what you have described, he really is going all out! Can I adopt him as my dad too? It sounds like he is really trying to make sure that you and your family have the best trip ever - and I truly believe you will!!!

There is a forum on this website called disABILITIES:

http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=20

I don't know how much info you will be able to find about specific Christmas/holiday-related stuff, but you will probably get a lot of other helpful info there.

All right. So...let's see. You're staying at Paradise Pier, in a suite. Awesome. You're getting the mini-Christmas tree and the stocking in the PPH room (which is fantastic!!). Amazing. You're having a Goofy's meal. I love Goofy's Kitchen, so good choice there!

Weather in SoCal is always a crap shoot for December. It could literally be in the 70's in the daytime and maybe only in the 60's or 50's at night. Or it could be in the 50's in the daytime and then in the 30's at night. You never know. This past December, I felt it was warm-ish. The year before, 2008, I was freezing. I have been to DLR in certain Decembers where I was walking around in a t-shirt at night, all night, and other Decembers where I had on ear muffs and mittens and layers of clothing because I was freezing. There have also been years where it was absolutely pouring heavy rain for days.

It will be crowded during that time frame you are going, so mentally prepare yourself for that. However, you will have lots of days to explore everything and spread everything out so even if you encounter crowds, you will still be able to get everything done.

I would suggest a few things:

1. Your group may want to do the Holiday tour of DL. It sounds like a fun thing to do (I have not done it yet but plenty of folks have).

2. Take some time to enjoy the Grand Californian Hotel, even though you are not staying there. The lobby is just gorgeous - sort of an elegantly rustic feeling to it - and it lends itself well to the holiday feeling. Carolers come in every night and sing by the giant Christmas tree. People curl up on the couches (or even on the floor) and sip beverages or sit by the fire. There is a piano player, a guitar player and Santa posing for photos. Santa also appears at the PPH and at the DLH, but the GCH Santa is the only one with PhotoPass photographers with him.

3. Make sure to sample some of the treats, such as the gingerbread men with mouse ears cookies - those are delicious!! There is also peppermint fudge, peppermint ice cream, peppermint bark, peppermint cupcakes, and all kinds of other holiday goodies to be had.

4. Don't miss seeing the Winter Castle and It's a Small World Holiday at night - they are both so beautifully lit, they are not to be missed.


The character meals are spendy. And if you wanted to try somewhere like the Blue Bayou (located inside the Pirates of the Caribbean ride), that is kind of costly. And if your group decides to have a really nice, elegant meal at somewhere like Napa Rose in the GCH (very well-reviewed by critics and guests), that is quite costly too. So if you try any or all of those once and want to go back and do them again, it may be a bit on the spendy side, but you may feel it is worth it.

Other than Goofy's Kitchen character meal, which has a great buffet, great characters and lots of choices, there is also Ariel's Grotto in DCA (considered "premium dining" by Disney and also a bit of $$$), Storytellers Cafe Critter Breakfast at the GCH, Minnie & Friends breakfast in DL and Surf's Up with Mickey and Friends in the PPH. Minnie's has tons of characters. Surf's Up is the only one where you can find Mickey. The Critter Breakfast allows you to have the buffet or order off the menu.

I am not sure about the money for souvenirs. That sounds like a lot of money to spend on souvenirs, and I guess it depends on how much the kids like the souvenirs, but you may want to be prepared. Is this a once-in-a-lifetime trip? Do you foresee being able to get back to DLR any time soon? If you think this is a one-time deal, and your dad is willing to go all out, then maybe go all out. I am one who, when I had the money in the past (which I do not have now), I would spend like crazy. If your dad wants to do these separate birthday days for the kids (which I think is wonderful!), and wants to take advantage of some of the great holiday merchandise available, it might add up.

I will keep thinking of any other suggestions and tips or ideas. In the meantime, I hope our other DIS-friends will jump in and offer words of wisdom.

And we still need to find out if there are any special meals at DLR specifically on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day - we haven't been able to get an answer to that yet, but we will, eventually!!

 

[MattsPrincess]

does anyone have any pictures from New Years Eve? Like, the "dance parties" at DCA, or the hats they hand out or anything like that?

 

[scrappinbear78]

Thanks so much for the tips...I did forget to say that I am personally on a feeding tube, but I do need the food tips for my family. I will try to sneak a little taste in of some things just because it is too good to pass up, but I sure pay the consequences. This is a once in a lifetime trip, there is no way I will ever be able to afford this and after my dad does this, my kids will expect it so I could never top it. That is the bad thing about it, is my dad spoils my kids then I have to try and keep it up. It is tough. The kids have learned though that they don't get everything that they want. I think just the pictures are a memory and my husband is a professional photographer so I know I will have some amazing photographs..I am also an avid scrapbooker as well..so that will be something that they will have forever to cherish. I am not a huge souvanier person because I know they will come home throw it in the bedroom and forget about it. The pictures will last much longer and they will remember the moments they had. I know that he is doing a breakfast meal with the characters as well as the goofy meal. I am just excited to go and live out my dream as well. Even though I don't have the energy I had 5 yrs ago, I know that I will have a blast with my kids and just the memory they will have will be spectacular. Anyway, time to make dinner for the family. Thanks for any and all suggestions.

 

[tksbaskets]

does anyone have any pictures from New Years Eve? Like, the "dance parties" at DCA, or the hats they hand out or anything like that?

NYE 1009/2010 hats (and noise maker)

One of the stages at DCA getting ready. By the Monsters, Inc ride

You can see the big stage going up behind the Partners statue at DL

This is all in Day 6 of my trip report (link in my signature below). I must admit we have been at WDW or DL for many a NYE and never stayed in the park for the countdown We usually view the fireworks from our hotel.

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Here are some more pics (I am trying not to re-post the same pics I did earlier in the thread!):

This one is a repost - but it's my favorite!

 

[tksbaskets]

Boy those are GREAT night time photos~

 

[deejdigsdis]

Here are some more pics (I am trying not to re-post the same pics I did earlier in the thread!):

This one is a repost - but it's my favorite!

Love your pictures, as usual! Is it just me, or does that Santa with your daughter look more like a Mrs. Claus than a Mr. Claus???

 

[deejdigsdis]

Ok, so this is my first time here. I just discovered this message board. We are going to WDL this Christmas from the 19th through the 26th. I have NEVER been to DL, thus neither have my kids. My dad is going all out. He is paying well over 7 grand for the trip (and we only live in Oregon). He is buying the special vacation package with the tree and stockings as well as the tour. He is also doing a special birthday "day" for each of the kids while we are there as well as an anniversary "day" for my husband and I. I am actually disabled and will require a wheelchair (which he already has reserved and will be waiting in the hotel room). He has purchased a 5 day meal plan with a character meal and goofy breakfast. We are staying in Paradise Pier in a suite...he is going all out. He has the park hopper and everything. We are taking the train down and back...are there any suggestions. What is the weather usually like? We usually are in the 30's in Oregon by then, is it a lot warmer in Cali at that time? Just curious what to expect. I have spent over 5 hrs today looking through this thread and reading posts and I am even more excited to go, but just curious if there are any other suggestions. My dad is wanting to take close to a grand or two for souvaniers too, but I don't know if I really want to spend that much on souvaniers...or are they that spendy that we would need that much for 3 kids...also since we will be there for 8 days and only have a 5 meal ticket is it real spendy for the rest of the meals? We didn't want to be locked in for all meals and wanted to be able to choose for a couple..for instance if we really liked one restraunt and wanted to go back again. Any information would be greatly appreciated as well as any information for disabled people...I will try to find a thread for disabled people as well as this one, but I found this one first so I started with it. Thanks again in advance.

I'm very excited for you! I hope you have a wonderful time with your family! We went last Nov. while Disneyland was dressed for Christmas and it was so beautiful. At night it "snows" in several areas of the park. That was one of the highlights for me. You can get a map of the park when you enter through the turnstiles. On the map, pictures of snowflakes mark the areas where the "snow" will fall. Being from Oregon, I'm sure you've seen your share of snow, but something about the Disneyland snow is so magical! I also loved the Christmas music that was playing constantly throughout the park, something you might not have picked up from the pictures on this thread. Ah, if only we could include those holiday sounds here as well. I agree with Sherry that the souvenir budget sounds quite high. Sherry does a really good job with covering all the bases, so I don't think I have anything else to add. And how great is it that your husband is a professional photographer! We look forward to your photo additions on this thread when you return!

 

[Kayla's Mom]

Boy those are GREAT night time photos~

Thank you!

Love your pictures, as usual! Is it just me, or does that Santa with your daughter look more like a Mrs. Claus than a Mr. Claus???

No it's not just you -- Santa was looking a little feminine that day!