disney at christmas

[funatdisney]

Well there hasn't been a picture posted for awhile, so I thought I would post two.

 

[billwendy]

Those pictures are so beautiful!! I cant wait to see that in real life!!!!

 

[funatdisney]

My pics don't even come close. It is jaw dropping amazing in real life.

 

[MaiynaMouse]

I haven't had a chance to catch up on this thread but can anyone tell me when the candlelight processional is this year? I have been procrastinating booking our trip and I panicked today thinking maybe we won't be able to get into the hotel we want, when we want. I was delighted when I went to book it and it was nearly 1/4 cheaper than when I originally looked......just want to verify the processional before I book. Thanks.

 

[Sherry E]

I haven't had a chance to catch up on this thread but can anyone tell me when the candlelight processional is this year? I have been procrastinating booking our trip and I panicked today thinking maybe we won't be able to get into the hotel we want, when we want. I was delighted when I went to book it and it was nearly 1/4 cheaper than when I originally looked......just want to verify the processional before I book. Thanks.

Welcome back!!

Unless Disney switches things up on us, as far as I know the CP should be held on that very first weekend of December - the 4th and 5th.

If it moves to DCA in 2011, as has been rumored, I wonder if the dates will change...

 

[PHXscuba]

Disneyland at Christmas thread: "I've fallen and I can't get up!"

Courtesy bump for Sherry

PHXscuba

 

[Desert Dwellers]

bump it up!

 

[Sherry E]

Disneyland at Christmas thread: "I've fallen and I can't get up!"

Courtesy bump for Sherry

PHXscuba

Thank you! I was super busy yesterday (and so far today, too, so I haven't been able to tune in as much)!

 

[scrappinbear78]

Ok, so I have called Disney and have everything squared away I think. Changed the hotel to PPH and went with all the suggestions and dropped the meal vouchers. After talking it over with my dad, we decided that we didn't like the idea of having a meal voucher for x amount of money and then risking the chance of not using all the money on the meal and being out that money...so we went ahead and dropped the meal vouchers. We are going to go with the gift cards. We will also eat most, if not all, breakfast in our room before heading out to the park for the day. This way we can save on the total cost of food. Now we just need to make sure we are able to come up with all the money. We still need to come up with the train money, which I should be really really close to having by the first of the month. Then the food money and souveniers. So, it looks like things are going to come together, it is going to be tight, but I really think we are going to pull it off. Thank you Thank you Thank you so much for all the tips. I am sure there will be more as it gets a little closer. The CM did tell me there was a chance the current promotion will be extended so that we would be able to get in on it...so all we can do is hope and call back in a month.

 

[Sherry E]

Ok, so I have called Disney and have everything squared away I think. Changed the hotel to PPH and went with all the suggestions and dropped the meal vouchers. After talking it over with my dad, we decided that we didn't like the idea of having a meal voucher for x amount of money and then risking the chance of not using all the money on the meal and being out that money...so we went ahead and dropped the meal vouchers. We are going to go with the gift cards. We will also eat most, if not all, breakfast in our room before heading out to the park for the day. This way we can save on the total cost of food. Now we just need to make sure we are able to come up with all the money. We still need to come up with the train money, which I should be really really close to having by the first of the month. Then the food money and souveniers. So, it looks like things are going to come together, it is going to be tight, but I really think we are going to pull it off. Thank you Thank you Thank you so much for all the tips. I am sure there will be more as it gets a little closer. The CM did tell me there was a chance the current promotion will be extended so that we would be able to get in on it...so all we can do is hope and call back in a month.

Thanks for updating us, Scrappinbear78!

The main thing I am wondering, though, is was there much of price decrease from switching from the DLH to the PPH? Was it very substantial?

I know you are hoping for a DLR hotel discount or promotion of some kind to extend through your trip, but since you will be at DLR over Christmas, it is next to impossible that you will get any kind of discount for your whole trip. You may be lucky and get a discount on the first few nights of your trip, perhaps, but it won't last for the whole thing. Take it from someone who looks for December hotel discounts every year - all of the good ones stop mid-month or right at/after the weekend before Christmas.

Honestly, your best bet if you really, really want to drop the hotel costs and the costs in general - and I can see that your family is still struggling to make this trip happen - is to go with one of those off-property hotels I mentioned that's across the street. The walk to the gates of the parks will be no farther than the walk from the PPH - and in some cases, even a tad bit closer - and you will shave off so much money just in hotel costs alone, which will free up more money for souvenirs and food (so you can enjoy eating more than one or two meals in the DLR restaurants).

Otherwise, I'm glad you got rid of the dining vouchers. I think those work much better for WDW than for DLR.

Hopefully, you will be able to make some good money teaching scrapbooking to kids!!

 

[PHXscuba]

I am also relieved that you dropped the vouchers! I think you will have so much more control over your food budget. You can split meals, buy snacks, eat brunch one day instead of three meals, eat outside the park etc.

Food and souvenirs are always the most flexible part of the budget. If you don't have as much as you hoped, you can buy more snacks/breakfast foods and not so much in the parks. Same with souvenirs -- I'm always amazed what my kids think is the best souvenir -- a $10 necklace, $8 snowglobe, $12 lightsaber -- those were what my kids wanted our last big trip when I told them they could each pick one "reasonable" thing.

If it comes down to staying offsite vs. onsite for a vast difference, be sure to watch those cancellation dates and fees. While the PPH hotel would be awesome, many of the hotels on Harbor are closer to the front gates.

Did you ever ask about handicapped-accessible rooms if two of you are using wheelchairs?

PHXscuba

 

[Sherry E]

I am also relieved that you dropped the vouchers! I think you will have so much more control over your food budget. You can split meals, buy snacks, eat brunch one day instead of three meals, eat outside the park etc.

Food and souvenirs are always the most flexible part of the budget. If you don't have as much as you hoped, you can buy more snacks/breakfast foods and not so much in the parks. Same with souvenirs -- I'm always amazed what my kids think is the best souvenir -- a $10 necklace, $8 snowglobe, $12 lightsaber -- those were what my kids wanted our last big trip when I told them they could each pick one "reasonable" thing.

If it comes down to staying offsite vs. onsite for a vast difference, be sure to watch those cancellation dates and fees. While the PPH hotel would be awesome, many of the hotels on Harbor are closer to the front gates.

Did you ever ask about handicapped-accessible rooms if two of you are using wheelchairs?

PHXscuba

There shouldn't be any fees IF they have a Room-Only booking (not a package) and if they cancel or switch the hotel more than 5 days before they are due to arrive at PPH. But to get a full refund in time for the trip, of course, they'd need to cancel in enough time to collect the money, which sometimes takes a while.

Still, if I were in Scrappinbear78's shoes, I would hang on to the PPH reservation for a little while longer, BUT right now I would also be booking an off-property hotel across the street (what's across the street? Tropicana? Desert Inn? Best Western?) that requires no money up front, to keep that reservation as a back-up - just in case - while I figured out if I could really swing the PPH or not. Then I would time it just so and cancel PPH (if necessary) in enough time to get my money back, and stick with the offsite hotel.

 

[scrappinbear78]

First off, I know I won't be able to get a discount for the full time we are there...if at all. There is still a HUGE chance we may not even go. At this point, I am getting so frustrated with all of it...I don't even know if it is even worth all the stress and frustration. I did make sure they noted that there is going to be 2 wheelchairs, but from everything I have read...not only on this thread, but other places...that it doesn't matter what you tell them, there is NO gurantee that you are even going to get a room to accomadate you. That in itself is frustrating. When I called and dropped the meal vouchers and swiched hotels...the total price was decreased by $1850. So, it was a HUGE difference. The total bill for the park hopper and PPH is now $3907. So, MUCH better than it was before. I just don't know if it is worth the stress to continue to worry about all of the other things. Now I know why we don't EVER go on vacation.

 

[joeybear]

We are also thinking of taking our kids this year. My son's bday is one week exactly before Christmas, so we were thinking of going that week & actually leaving on Christmas day. Is that week crazy crowded?? I mean what are we talking about for wait.....is it worth it or should we go earlier in the month. I really was hoping that week would work out. We were going to do the parks for 4 days and then universal, seaworl & maybe the zoo? Thoughts & advice?

 

[Sherry E]

First off, I know I won't be able to get a discount for the full time we are there...if at all. There is still a HUGE chance we may not even go. At this point, I am getting so frustrated with all of it...I don't even know if it is even worth all the stress and frustration. I did make sure they noted that there is going to be 2 wheelchairs, but from everything I have read...not only on this thread, but other places...that it doesn't matter what you tell them, there is NO gurantee that you are even going to get a room to accomadate you. That in itself is frustrating. When I called and dropped the meal vouchers and swiched hotels...the total price was decreased by $1850. So, it was a HUGE difference. The total bill for the park hopper and PPH is now $3907. So, MUCH better than it was before. I just don't know if it is worth the stress to continue to worry about all of the other things. Now I know why we don't EVER go on vacation.

An $1850 drop in price is huge!! That's a great start! Don't be discouraged - we all go through planning stress. It pays off in the end, though. You just kind of have to trudge ahead and look at the realistic limitations of the situation (money-wise), be flexible and open to changing things around, which we have all had to do to different degrees, and plan around that. And if it's too much hassle for you, then you'll go another year.

Most likely you will get the accessible room you want. DLR is pretty good about delivering the rooms/requests that the guests want. They just have to say up front that they cannot guarantee anything for legal reasons, I suppose, but usually, if requested enough in advance, the guests get what they want.

 

[Sherry E]

We are also thinking of taking our kids this year. My son's bday is one week exactly before Christmas, so we were thinking of going that week & actually leaving on Christmas day. Is that week crazy crowded?? I mean what are we talking about for wait.....is it worth it or should we go earlier in the month. I really was hoping that week would work out. We were going to do the parks for 4 days and then universal, seaworl & maybe the zoo? Thoughts & advice?

If you can swing going to DLR earlier in December, I would opt for that. It will definitely be less crowded. If you can only go the week before, 4 days in the parks should be a good amount of time to get things done. If you only had a day or two, then crowds might be more of an issue.

I've gone on the weekend immediately before Christmas for 3 years in a row, and last year was, by far, the most crowded. DL reached capacity early on. The line for Haunted Mansion Holiday was 45 minutes before 11:00 a.m. IASW Holiday was a mob scene at night. The POTC line was longer than I had seen it in almost 20 years! Weekdays are better, I'm sure.

But, again, you'll have 4 days, so that should be enough time to kind of space everything out and manage the crowds.

 

[joeybear]

I am now thinking maybe not such a perfect plan?? This is my children't first & potentially only Disneyland trip and if it is so crowded....have to weigh the season perfectness against a time where we can relax & maybe take more of it in....I just don't know:

 

[goldies 5]

joeybear, You will love the Holiday Season at DLR. But I agree with Sherry. Go eariler if possible. I have experienced the week before once and I am never going to again. Lots of people are okay with the crowds and like the atmosphere. I am just not one of them.
We have found the week before TG week and the first full week in December to be great times to go. We have gone the second week also. It seems a little busier in IMHO but still very manageable.
If you find that you can only go when busy, read the boards and get as much knowledge as possible, because you can both make it work and enjoy it.
my biggest reccomendation would be to stay onsite. You can use MM, on days available. This alone makes a huge difference, when busy.

 

[Sherry E]

I am now thinking maybe not such a perfect plan?? This is my children't first & potentially only Disneyland trip and if it is so crowded....have to weigh the season perfectness against a time where we can relax & maybe take more of it in....I just don't know:

Well, I think your children will absolutely love Disneyland at Christmastime. There are so many wonderful things to see and do during that time. As you can tell from the photos in this thread, it's absolutely amazing. For that reason alone - and because it may be the only trip - I think you should do it. If possible, try to swing an early December trip (like the first week or maybe the second week). If not, you'll have several days - some of which have to be weekdays - and you'll be able to plan for it. It'll work out. The crowds after Christmas are much worse! But I was shocked last year by how crowded it was on the weekend before Christmas in comparison to 2008 and 2007.

joeybear, You will love the Holiday Season at DLR. But I agree with Sherry. Go eariler if possible. I have experienced the week before once and I am never going to again. Lots of people are okay with the crowds and like the atmosphere. I am just not one of them.
We have found the week before TG week and the first full week in December to be great times to go. We have gone the second week also. It seems a little busier in IMHO but still very manageable.
If you find that you can only go when busy, read the boards and get as much knowledge as possible, because you can both make it work and enjoy it.
my biggest reccomendation would be to stay onsite. You can use MM, on days available. This alone makes a huge difference, when busy.

Exactly! ^^^ All of this is excellent advice and observation!!

 

[goldies 5]

I love the Chrsitmas Parade.