disney at christmas

[Sherry E]

Well I just found some of last years schedule. I have Friday Dec. 11-Sun. Dec 13. The hours are obviously longer on the weekend. But I was mainly trying to remember the snow. It appears on my schedule to only happen once. After the Believe Fireworks at 9:25pm. Now I thought in past years I have seen snow twice also- but I think it may only be on the nights of Fantasmic playing twice, which is usually the weekend or very crowded times.
I am not 100% on that, but I do know it did not snow twice on the weekdays when we were there.

Okay, that would make sense with what I vaguely recall too, then. I've only been there on weekends (including Fridays) during the season, so that would explain why I thought I remembered snow falling twice. So I guess that means that on Mon-Thurs, it only falls once?

 

[Desert Dwellers]

Thanks for the beautiful pics, areweindisneyyet. Every year I send Christmas cards with a pic of the kids so that far-away relatives can see how they're growing. Last year, I made a photo holiday card with one of our Photopass pictures from our July 2009 trip.

We will not be in DL until Dec. 28, but everyone's DL holiday pictures are so pretty, I'm inspired to do something else. I think I will have our holiday cards addressed, stamped and otherwise ready to go. Then I take some shots of the kids in front of some of these gorgeous trees. I'm sure I can find a one hour photo lab somewhere in the resort. I'll just bring some glue dots, slap a photo in each card and mail our cards from DL. They may not get to everyone until after New Year's, but I think it will be worth it.

 

[goldies 5]

Just in case anyone is worried. They do the Fireworks and snow even on CM party days. At about 5:45, right before they close.

 

[OctoberDisney]

Is there a cast member party already planned for December? What is the date? TIA

 

[Sherry E]

Is there a cast member party already planned for December? What is the date? TIA

I think the CM parties are held on two nights in the week following the Candlelight Processional. So if the CP is happening on December 4th and 5th this year, then the CM parties would be right after that, but I can't recall if they are held on Tuesday and Wednesday, Tuesday and Thursday, or Wednesday and Thursday!! Something tells me that the CM parties are probably on Tuesday and Wednesday.

 

[goldies 5]

The CM parties have been on Mon. and Tues. and these are great days at the park. Low crowds, and CAP would stay open until 9:00 which was considered late. That was before WOC though, so who knows how that will affect the crowd rate at CAP this year on those two nights, if at all. Most people would leave DL and not even bother with CAP on those days before. I did notice a slight increase last year, but it wasn't bad at all.

 

[Eeee-va]

Last year the Wednesday and Thursday after the Cast Member parties were wonderful, too. Crowds were fairly low but that year, Disneyland was open until 11 PM, with 2 showings of Fantasmic!, perhaps, as someone on the DISboards speculated, to compensate for the early closures on Monday and Tuesday. IMO, as fun as it was, the crowds did not warrant those hours at all. When we entered the park about 2:30 Wednesday afternoon, Space Mountain and Indy both had just 20 minute lines!

This year, DCA finally has a nighttime show, so I'm not sure Disney will extend Disneyland's hours after the Cast Member parties this year. I imagine crowds those days will probably remain light, though...unless 10,000 people read the DISboards and decide those days are great to visit.

 

[Sherry E]

Ive got to aim for going to DLR in that golden period of time - the first week of December, when crowds are lighter. I just can't deal with another pre-Christmas weekend trip like last year, where it was too crowded to think, let alone move around!!

I keep hearing wonderful stories of how delightfully uncrowded it is in the parks right after Thanksgiving and in that first week or two of December. I must experience this for myself!!

 

[funatdisney]

One of my favorite and best memories of Disneyland occurred on the first Wednesday of December about 8 years ago. My DH gave me a day trip to Disneyland as an early xmas present. The kids were very young and we didn't start getting APs yet. So it was just DH and me.

It was so delightful to walk down Main street with no kids, no crowds and just DH and me. I remember making a point of studying each window on Main Street. How often does that happen? I stopped at each window and studied every detail. Then I got to the Candy Palace window. Two CMs were making candy canes by hand. I have never seen this done before. I was fascinated on the process of rolling, no coaxing the cane out of the hugest disk of peppermint candy. I stood at the window all by myself for at least 20 minutes. The candy maker CM would roll and roll the candy disk, pushing the candy forward with each roll. Soon there was a long rope coaxed out of the disk. He would cut it when it reached a certain length. The young CM next to him would weigh the rope and place it on a wooden mold, shaking his head in disbelief that the candy weighed exactly the weight it should be. I will never forget this experience and that was one of the best xmas presents I have ever received from my DH

Yes, Sherry, try to go during the first week of December. It make your favorite time of the year more enjoyable and precious.

 

[specialks]

Last year the Wednesday and Thursday after the Cast Member parties were wonderful, too. Crowds were fairly low but that year, Disneyland was open until 11 PM, with 2 showings of Fantasmic!, perhaps, as someone on the DISboards speculated, to compensate for the early closures on Monday and Tuesday. IMO, as fun as it was, the crowds did not warrant those hours at all. When we entered the park about 2:30 Wednesday afternoon, Space Mountain and Indy both had just 20 minute lines!

This year, DCA finally has a nighttime show, so I'm not sure Disney will extend Disneyland's hours after the Cast Member parties this year. I imagine crowds those days will probably remain light, though...unless 10,000 people read the DISboards and decide those days are great to visit.

Wow, I am excited to hear this. Our last 2 visits have been during Sept after school starts and we have been spoiled with not bad waits (although last year we moved a week later and ended on the Halloween launch and the crowds were much busier than the previous year). I have been really wanting to go for the Christmas decor so we decided to go at the beginning of Dec; then we received the school calendar and there is a major 1st grade concert on Dec 6th so we are moving our dates to Dec 7-14. Sounds like it is going to be a great time to go! There is a major convention in town Dec 6-8 and I have noticed that there is limited to no availability in some of the hotels around the convention center and the ones with rooms have inflated prices.

 

[gritz]

Welcome! If you'd like holiday maps from last year PM me and I'll send you a set.

TK

TKSBASKETS: Would you mind sending me the holiday maps please? I tried to PM you, but since I'm new, it won't let me.

 

[mvf-m11c]

I keep hearing wonderful stories of how delightfully uncrowded it is in the parks right after Thanksgiving and in that first week or two of December. I must experience this for myself!!

You are right that going to DL during the first or 2nd week of December is great. I was there the 2nd weekend of December last year and it was uncrowded during our stay (but it was raining during that weekend). I like it when the park is not crowded during the Christmas season (especially during my birthday week is very special).

 

[Sherry E]

Better bump this - it moved to Page 2!

 

[tksbaskets]

TKSBASKETS: Would you mind sending me the holiday maps please? I tried to PM you, but since I'm new, it won't let me.

Welcome gritz! You won't be new for long I sent YOU a PM with my email address. Let me know if you get it. I always keep up with my favorite Disney Land at Christmas thread

 

[MattsPrincess]

I can't believe how close it's getting! This will be our second time to DLR, but I think i'm honestly more excited for this one! (and the last trip was my first time ever!)

 

[Sherry E]

I can't believe how close it's getting! This will be our second time to DLR, but I think i'm honestly more excited for this one! (and the last trip was my first time ever!)

It really is getting close! Just under 3 months (your trip is in November, right?). Three months will pass in no time at all. I am thinking back to what I was doing 3 months ago to sort of give myself an idea of how quickly the time has passed. Then I remembered - I was watching the "LOST" series finale. That show ended exactly 3 months ago, and I recall it vividly! I can't believe it's been 3 months since the finale, so, therefore, I know November will be here in the blink of an eye too!

You picked a great time to go for your second trip!! I know you were planning on a Halloween trip for a while, but it is almost sounding like HalloweenTime this year may be a little bit scaled back (no decorations in DCA, it appears so far) due to WoC or all the work that's being done for the billion dollar makeover. So I have a hunch you chose wisely in switching to a holiday trip instead. Christmas time is such a big deal at DLR that it will be much more thorough and all-encompassing than it looks like Halloween might be this year.

 

[Sherry E]

Time for a bump again.

 

[PHXscuba]

OK, I'll ask a burning question to keep the discussion moving.

It looks like my friend and I will likely be going the first weekend in December, but MAYBE the second weekend. Friday and Saturday whichever weekend.

I know the Candlelight Processional is the first weekend and clogs Main Street during evening hours. The second weekend has the Christmas parade taping Saturday during the day.

Presuming I have those details straight, which is more difficult to avoid/work around? Our priorities are seeing the special holiday decor/rides/fireworks/snow etc. and riding some favorite rides, all gloriously kid-free! Any thoughts on comparing the general crowds levels also? The same passes are allowed/blocked out both weekends.

PHXscuba

 

[nottellin']

Hi all! I haven't had time to read through this whole thread, so I am sorry if my questions are repeats.
This will be our first year going to DLR for Christmas. We were supposed to go last year but DH was too busy at work to get the time off

Anyway, do you think this year will be busy? I know that nobody knows for sure, but I read that 2008 was really slow, but last year was crazy. I just wanted to see if anyone has *ideas* on how it will be. We will be going from Dec 20-28th, if that helps at all.

My other question is do you think they will lower that rates on the Disney hotels? I know that the rate calendar hasn't been released yet, but are the rates that come up now typically the same for the holiday season? I'm pretty set on staying onsite because it is Christmas, but DH thinks that rates are crazy! We do have Ap's but at this point it is only the 10% off of whatever rate they have right now.

Last question, how soon should I book? When do the hotels start to sell out? I wanted to wait until mid-September just to make sure DH can have the dates off for sure. Would that be waiting too long?

Sorry for the long post, and sorry if I posted tons of repeats.

Thanks all!

 

[goldies 5]

I am checking rates daily too. I did go ahead and book room only with the Fall promo. You just need to put down one nights stay and you can change it if you need to.