disney at christmas

[jnjusoioa]

Just thought I would keep this thread alive and post about Christmas since I am getting so excited for my trip and can't wait. However I always beat myself up when the Halloween stuff starts coming out, wondering if I should go at that time of year instead, and since they are adding the Halloween party as a seperate event this year it makes me think it will be great and wonder if they will be adding anything new this year to the Christmas time, I am sure hoping they do. I just can't break myself away from doing my once in a lifetime Christmas trip this year, can't wait to see that wild and wacky tree in Toontown and so looking forward to the decorations in Bug's Land, I am secretly hoping too that they still have the big California letters up and they look like candy canes. Feel free to post lots of Christmas pictures, love the Toontown ones and Bug's Land ones, can't wait to be able to share my own photos as well.

 

[tksbaskets]

Just thought I would keep this thread alive and post about Christmas since I am getting so excited for my trip and can't wait. However I always beat myself up when the Halloween stuff starts coming out, wondering if I should go at that time of year instead, and since they are adding the Halloween party as a seperate event this year it makes me think it will be great and wonder if they will be adding anything new this year to the Christmas time, I am sure hoping they do. I just can't break myself away from doing my once in a lifetime Christmas trip this year, can't wait to see that wild and wacky tree in Toontown and so looking forward to the decorations in Bug's Land, I am secretly hoping too that they still have the big California letters up and they look like candy canes. Feel free to post lots of Christmas pictures, love the Toontown ones and Bug's Land ones, can't wait to be able to share my own photos as well.

You'll have a blast! Here are a couple of pics to crank up your excitement. Here are the letters. As you can see many people like to take pictures of them!

I did manage to sneak in this photo between the long line of families getting ready to take their pictures with it:

 

[Sherry E]

Just thought I would keep this thread alive and post about Christmas since I am getting so excited for my trip and can't wait. However I always beat myself up when the Halloween stuff starts coming out, wondering if I should go at that time of year instead, and since they are adding the Halloween party as a seperate event this year it makes me think it will be great and wonder if they will be adding anything new this year to the Christmas time, I am sure hoping they do. I just can't break myself away from doing my once in a lifetime Christmas trip this year, can't wait to see that wild and wacky tree in Toontown and so looking forward to the decorations in Bug's Land, I am secretly hoping too that they still have the big California letters up and they look like candy canes. Feel free to post lots of Christmas pictures, love the Toontown ones and Bug's Land ones, can't wait to be able to share my own photos as well.

Jnjusoioa -

We can't wait for you to be able to post your holiday pictures here!!

I think you're making the right choice about which DLR trip to take. If you have never done DLR at Christmastime before, then it's good to experience it at least once. I think you will fall in love with it!! It's so wonderful and beautiful at that time of year - you can see from all the photos that the IASWH at night, all lit up and colorful, and the nighttime Winter Castle, draped in 'icicle lights,' are worth the price of admission alone!

I know what you mean about feeling like you should do a Halloween trip. It is tempting, now that they are adding more things for HalloweenTime. But what I can tell you with absolute certainty is that, as much as I love HalloweenTime at DLR, it is not as immersive and all-encompassing as Christmastime is. There is something that is missing in the full-on immersion department. Christmastime/Yuletime is a whole different experience that really draws you in. All of your senses are stimulated! Everywhere you go, the holidays are in the air, in scents, in sounds, in sights, in tastes, etc. HalloweenTime has just not quite reached that level yet (though I hope it gets there eventually).

So if you have only one trip you can make to DLR this year, I think Christmastime - for the full immersion and overall enveloping experience - is the best choice. You'll make a HalloweenTime trip eventually, and hopefully, by then, there will be even more things added to HalloweenTime.

I would not at all be shocked if there is a Very Merry Christmas Party in DLR's future, if Mickey's Halloween Party is successful in DL this year.

 

[Sherry E]

You'll have a blast! Here are a couple of pics to crank up your excitement. Here are the letters. As you can see many people like to take pictures of them!

I did manage to sneak in this photo between the long line of families getting ready to take their pictures with it:

That's quite a feat!! It is next to impossible to get those darn Mickey and Goofy Christmas letters in photos without families creeping up and into the side of the photo!

 

[tksbaskets]

That's quite a feat!! It is next to impossible to get those darn Mickey and Goofy Christmas letters in photos without families creeping up and into the side of the photo!

You are so right! I was very happy that my Canon Rebel has a fast shutter speed

 

[Sherry E]

My Canon is a point and shoot, and I have no idea how to work half of the features on it, but I don't think it has a fast shutter speed?? Canon SD880?

 

[tksbaskets]

My Canon is a point and shoot, and I have no idea how to work half of the features on it, but I don't think it has a fast shutter speed?? Canon SD880?

Hi Sherry,
I don't think yours does. My camera is a 'SLR' (single lens reflector) with a lens that can be changed. It has an actual shutter like old big film cameras. From "10 reasons to buy a DSLR camera"

#5:
No Shutter Lag: Shutter lag is that awful delay between the time that you click the shutter on a digicam and the time that an image is actually taken. With DSLRs, there is virtually no delay between the time that you click the shutter and the image is taken. How many times have you missed a great photo opportunity because the camera didn't focus fast enough and then didn't take the shot fast enough once it was focused?

Can you say 'parade' anyone?

 

[Sherry E]

Hi Sherry,
I don't think yours does. My camera is a 'SLR' (single lens reflector) with a lens that can be changed. It has an actual shutter like old big film cameras. From "10 reasons to buy a DSLR camera"

#5:
No Shutter Lag: Shutter lag is that awful delay between the time that you click the shutter on a digicam and the time that an image is actually taken. With DSLRs, there is virtually no delay between the time that you click the shutter and the image is taken. How many times have you missed a great photo opportunity because the camera didn't focus fast enough and then didn't take the shot fast enough once it was focused?

Can you say 'parade' anyone?

Yep - those SLR cameras never let you down (I've admired the photo threads!!).

I wanted to get one of the nifty Nikon DSLRs last year when they were on sale for a low price (compared to what they normally are), but I decided to get a transitional camera first. I hadn't had a digital camera in years, and I had been using a 35mm until it died. So the Canon P&S was a good re-starting point into the digital world.

I see that Deejdigsdis can do cool things with her Canon P&S and take ultra-clear photos. I am sure mine can do that same stuff as well. I just have no patience for the tome that comes with it (a.k.a the Manual) and have no idea how to work anything!! Even the P&S cameras are too complicated!! It's not the equipment that's the problem in my case; it's the photographer that's the problem!!

 

[jnjusoioa]

Thank you for the great replies about the Christmas or Halloween thing I am in. The only thing that gets me is that I know they have so many awesome villans out at Halloween, which I have never seen, I am a huge character person, at Christmas they don't have any extra characters out and about, but thats ok. I am looking forward to the Christmas trip and maybe Halloween another year. Thanks for the pictures too, can't wait to see more.

 

[mariezp]

Sherry, I can hardly believe that you finally ran out of pictures! After 37 years of trips you would think there would be no end! And what's up over on that thread of yours? There haven't been any new posts in ages!
Yep, that was the DCA Christmas tree. And, thanks! I am biased and think my DD is pretty cute too. Even more... I love the fact that she is cooperative and lets me take all the pictures of her I want. She has become quite the little ham over the years.

Kiann3, we have been in the time period you mentioned. During the week the crowds were very nice but of course it always gets busier on the weekends. Keep in mind that park hours are shorter. However, with lower crowd levels you can generally get more done in a shorter amount of time. Also, the cast member party and the Candlelight Processional are early in that month and may be something to take into consideration. Here's a recent thread you might want to check out covering December trips.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2474156&highlight=cast+member+party
Crowds, no crowds, shorter hours doesn't really matter! Bottom line the park is beautiful at that time of year. And heck, you will be at Disneyland so how could you not have a magical time? I totally agree with Sherry. I just love Disneyland!

jnjusoioa, another vote for Christmas time in the park! BUT.... after that you will have a good excuse to make a return trip so you will be able to see the villians.

So... how about a few more pics? These are from 2008.

 

[tksbaskets]

So... how about a few more pics? These are from 2008.

These pictures are great! I love the one with Santa turning the crank on the popcorn machine

Thanks for sharing,
Teresa

 

[Sherry E]

Thank you for the great replies about the Christmas or Halloween thing I am in. The only thing that gets me is that I know they have so many awesome villans out at Halloween, which I have never seen, I am a huge character person, at Christmas they don't have any extra characters out and about, but thats ok. I am looking forward to the Christmas trip and maybe Halloween another year. Thanks for the pictures too, can't wait to see more.

True...the villains do come out at HalloweenTime. Although, it always seems that the villain you want is the villain that decides to take a lunch break just as you get up there to have your photo taken!! I also wasn't fond of the Villains set-up by IASW last year. I think they could put them against a better backdrop - something that looks Halloween-ish. The places the villains have been for the last two years made the photos look like they could have been taken in summer! They need to have somewhere spooky to put the villains! I want to know it's HalloweenTime when I look at the photos! Hopefully, by the time you make a HalloweenTime trip (maybe next year?), there will be even more stuff to look forward to. If this years Mickey's Halloween Party goes over well in DL, they will probably start adding even more stuff to it and making HalloweenTime a bigger deal.

Sherry, I can hardly believe that you finally ran out of pictures! After 37 years of trips you would think there would be no end! And what's up over on that thread of yours? There haven't been any new posts in ages!
Yep, that was the DCA Christmas tree. And, thanks! I am biased and think my DD is pretty cute too. Even more... I love the fact that she is cooperative and lets me take all the pictures of her I want. She has become quite the little ham over the years.

Well, I have run out of anything 'recent' in terms of holiday photos. I could certainly add more holiday DLR photos from other years past, but I ran out of anything from the last few years. I only wish I had 37 years of specific Christmas at DLR photos! I just have 37 years of DLR photos in general! I think I went to DLR as a kid maybe twice around Christmas - and, of course, it was nothing like we all know it to be now. It was not nearly the big deal that it is now. But whoever took photos of those childhood DLR Christmas trips did not share them with me. So it wasn't until about 1990 that I started getting the bright idea that I wanted to make Christmas trips to DLR as an adult, with friends, and I could take my own photos (we had previously been going during the heat of summer, and I was missing out on all that holiday magic).

I saw that you bumped my TR - thanks, Marie! I have actually been silently brainstorming about this year's DLR trips - the time will fly by between now and the holidays. Heck, HalloweenTime at DLR starts in 3-1/2 months!!! Once Halloween comes along, Christmas is right around the corner!! I just have not posted anything yet because I don't want to jinx myself. Last year was such a fiasco in pulling any kind of DLR trip together. This year, I thought I would silently try to plan some stuff and see what happens. But I will go back to the TR and post something, just to keep it alive! I think you rescued it from the depths of Page 2!!

I love those photos you posted above, Marie. Even though I have seen them in your TRs, they seem to have a whole new magical life over here in the "Disney at Christmas" thread, so I feel like I am seeing them for the first time!! I was waiting eagerly for that Santa-spinning-the-popcorn photo! And I had forgotten about your window display pictures, but those specific ones are things we haven't seen here, I don't think!!

It's good that your DD is a ham for the camera - that way there will be no shortage of memories captured when she is young!!

 

[jnjusoioa]

We needed a little bump and I need to see lots more Christmas photos, so bring them on. Anyone have some great photos of Bug's Land during the Christmas season?? [/I]

 

[jnjusoioa]

Oh my gosh, we were on the second page again, where are all my Christmas junkies at.

 

[ado121]

i have some christmas pics from disneyland in 2006 or maybe 2007. yikes. i can't remember. i have to download them off facebook as our computer crashed ahwhile back and took my photos with it.

whos going dec 5-12? wanna plan a meet up?

 

[ado121]

not sure what pics i have already shown but heres some from 2007.

 

[ado121]

heres some more...

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks for posting those lovely photos, Ado121!! I guess this section of the DIS must be hoppin' because of all the World of Color threads and excitement, so this thread and others are moving down the page at warp speed!

When we start to get actual info and dates for the Holiday festivities at DLR coming in (probably in August or September), this thread will spring to life and questions will be coming in. Until then, we need to pull out the photos!!

At least you all seem to still have holiday photos that were taken at DLR in the last 5 years. I am going to have pull out mine from the '90s if I want to contribute anything else on this thread!!

If and when I ever figure out my plans or dates to be at DLR for the holidays, I will gladly meet up with whomever happens to be there at that tiime too.

 

[jnjusoioa]

I will be there from Dec. 2-6 and would be more then happy to meet up with some DISer's as I will be solo. After seeing the most recent batch of photos posted, I am guessing that bill silver ornament ball is in a Bug's Land, how many of those do they have?? They are so awesome and I so can't wait to see them all.

 

[tksbaskets]

Ado121 your pics are adorable!! WOC, perhaps I need to go check out those threads. We are sad to be missing that.