disney at christmas

[Funball]

Well, Sara, the night time shots you post here are always beautiful - so you are doing something right! In fact, I have been so impressed with that little camera (and such a GREAT price) that I have started recommending it to people who want an inexpensive, but good, P&S.

I do that trick too, about the self-timer - it works really well for night time or low light. Another one is to put the edge or bottom of your camera up against something flat, like a railing or post,and hold it/push it very firmly against that surface. The goal is to steady your camera as much as possible.

I also carry a little gorillapod which can wrap around things like a railing to hold the camera steady.

yes i prop ito n something! every chance i get. i will get one those tripods! i need for night!

Does your camera have a night setting? Also you can raise the ISO in the settings for darker/night shots.

no night setting.. and no i cant chane the iso. that is stuck! that is the bad thing on my camera. its not changeable!

I thought your night shots look good Sara, especially on tree. That is really good for a Nikon L22 camera. I use a Nikon D60 DSLR camera and I really like how the quality of the pictures is at daytime or night. I'm looking forward to seeing more photos of the Holiday season.

thanks brett

got more photos tonight. of ornaments at world disney store and better daytime photos of the ornaments on the tree at DCA, no tree at DLR yet thought..

 

[mvf-m11c]

got more photos tonight. of ornaments at world disney store and better daytime photos of the ornaments on the tree at DCA, no tree at DLR yet thought..

Can't wait to see more photos of the Holiday season at DLR from you Sara.

 

[Funball]

thanks brett

 

[smiley_face2]

ok so the bulbs were big ones. like giant red mickey bulbs and then they had medium sized ones, it's a big tree so everything is much bigger on it! BUT yes it was like the victoria white and red theme, it was pretty! they have disney ornamants already out you know.. with the ivory white and the red..in the victorian theme, i know i am a bad influence! Anyhow, so ornamnets are now out, and i have seen alot of cool ornaments this year that i even wish i had for my tree. my next photo adventure is to get some photos of the ornaments, cuase i don't know about anyone else but i am a ornament nut!!
anyhow, so with christmas around the corner if you all want disney themed christmas cards now is the time to buy them! I did disney christmas cards one year, i loved them , i don't think the rest of my family did because they don't get the disney obession, but oh well they looked nice!

oh p.s., by the way if anyone has seen the Tag Fairy, umm i by accident like messed with my info under my screen name and i lost my new tags, i had pretty blue and pink colors and i liked it and i feel really bad, and so if you seen the tag fairy can someone let her know if i can get mine redone, i promise not to mess with them again!

Oh yes.... ornament nut here! lol.... thanks for all the lovely pics...I wonder why they put the hedge thing around the tree? My best ornament is an authentic Polonaise glass one with Mickey and "Merry Christmas" on one side, and the castle and "Disneyland" on the other side.

 

[where's_my_prince]

i'm going on an actual full day trip this coming sunday cuz i have the day off!!! super excited now!!!! that sounds so funny
"oh you have a day off from your disneyland job? where you gonna go?"

"disneyland"

 

[Janneen]

Hi all, just got back from a quick Disney fix today and ran into something different. They had Main Street shut down around noon, with alot of movie set equipment, cameras on cranes, etc. Evidently, they were filming the Christmas Parade to be aired on ABC (I think...) on Christmas Day. There were signs up saying if you didn't consent to be photographed (as a parade watcher) then don't hang around. They were routing people back behind the Main Street shops, which was kinda nasty, wrecked the "magic". Nonetheless it was pretty cool to see, I guess this was why they were in a hurry to get Christmas stuff up this year. I saw a little of the parade, it looked cute, had Woody on a rocking horse, my DS4 loved that one. Anyhow, thought I'd share, I've not sure if they are doing anymore filming, but it would have been cool to watch it on Christmas Day and see yourself!

 

[mariezp]

I was checking out the Monday morning update on Mouseplanet this morning and they had some news on holiday treats. I'm guessing that some of it we already know about but I thought I would post it just in case there is any new info anybody missed.

Holiday Menu Preview

MousePlanet readers wrote pages and pages on our MousePad discussion forum about the delicious treats offered at the Disneyland Resort during HalloweenTime, and so with the holiday season right around the corner we asked Karlos Siqueiros from Disneyland's Food Concepts department for a preview of what we can expect to find when Holiday Time starts on November 12. Karlos said to expect a mix of traditional favorites mixed with a few new treats, plus a brand-new popcorn bucket. Here's a preview:

Holiday Desserts

Most table-service and tray-service restaurants (like Plaza Inn and French Market) will have a special holiday dessert offering, with specific items varying by location. The Plaza Inn will feature a traditional Yule Log dessert created by Disneyland Resort executive pastry chef, Jean-Marc Viallet. Karlos says two versions of the cake will be offered, and that Viallet brought the recipes from France. Around Thanksgiving the yule log will be crafted of pumpkin spice cake and filled with pumpkin mousse and lingonberry marmalade; in December look for a chocolate cake with a chocolate / chestnut mousse, lingonberry marmalade and chocolate ganache frosting.

The Plaza Inn will also be one of the locations to offer a Santa Mickey demitasse cup. Karlos says this keepsake cup may be the start of a new holiday series, with new designs released annually. The demitasse cups are also available at Blue Ribbon Bakery, Bakersfield Bakery, Rancho del Zocalo, Carnation, Blue Bayou, Big Thunder Ranch BBQ and Storytellers Cafe; dessert offerings will vary by restaurant location.

For those tres leches fans, rest assured that the traditional dessert will once again be offered at Rancho del Zocalo. Karlos says, "families come every year, and they have to have their favorite [desserts] over and over again."

Café Orleans will again offer holiday-themed beignettes, but the specific flavor has not been determined. A server at the location told me that the holiday version would be chocolate with a peppermint crème anglaise, but Karlos says that hasn't been determined. He says the gingerbread version offered during HalloweenTime was so popular that it may stick around another season. Unfortunately Disney has no plans to offer the holiday beignettes at the Julep Bar or Royal Street Verandah yet, so be prepared to make a reservation at Café Orleans if you'd like to try one of these treats.

While not a dessert, Café Orleans and French Market will both continue to offer Nightmare Before Christmas pewter figurines as a gift with a $35 purchase. A new figure is released each Sunday.

Finally, the Resort bakeries will offer a selection of holiday treats, including a chocolate cupcake with a mint twist that Karlos says is incredible.

Holiday entrees and meals

While menu specifics were not yet available, look for special holiday-themed entrees at Plaza Inn, Rancho del Zocalo and Red Rocket's Pizza Port. Plaza Inn, Carnation, Blue Bayou, Cafe Orleans, Wine Country Trattoria, Storytellers Café, Steakhouse 55, and PCH Grill will all offer special holiday menus on Thanksgiving and Christmas days, and reservations are now being accepted. Call 714-781-DINE to book your reservation.

Outdoor vending

Building on the success of the adorable Ghost Mickey popcorn bucket offered during HalloweenTime, Disneyland is releasing a Snowman Mickey popcorn bucket for the holidays. Outdoor vending locations will also offer a holiday-theme travel mug and the regular souvenir popcorn bucket with a holiday motif.

Boudin Bakery

Boudin Bakery will offer a selection of specially-shaped breads for the holidays that Karlos says you can take home and make part of your dinner. A traditional Turkey shape will be offered at Thanksgiving, followed by candy cane, wreath, stocking and snowman-shaped loaves. The turkey design will be available November 12 through Thanksgiving; holiday shapes will be offered sometime in December.

If anyone cares to take a look the rest of their article is good too and has some holiday decoration info/photos around the resort plus some additional stuff from the Christmas parade taping as well as their usual current refurb listing which always comes in handy. http://www.mouseplanet.com/9436/Disneyland_Resort_Update

 

[amamax2]

I was checking out the Monday morning update on Mouseplanet this morning and they had some news on holiday treats. I'm guessing that some of it we already know about but I thought I would post it just in case there is any new info anybody missed.

Thanks so much Marie!!!

 

[funatdisney]

i'm going on an actual full day trip this coming sunday cuz i have the day off!!! super excited now!!!! that sounds so funny
"oh you have a day off from your disneyland job? where you gonna go?"

"disneyland"

I would do the same thing myself. Have fun and I look forward to your comments and pictures when you get back.

 

[Belle Ella]

i'm going on an actual full day trip this coming sunday cuz i have the day off!!! super excited now!!!! that sounds so funny
"oh you have a day off from your disneyland job? where you gonna go?"

"disneyland"

This would be me as well. Most definitely.

 

[Sherry E]

Oooooh! Thanks, Marie, my friend! You came through! I asked you to pop in and say hello on this thread before you left for your big extravaganza of a DLR trip, and you did!!

Thank you so much for that great info about the food items. True, we knew some things about the treats that are expected to be at DLR this season, but this is much more detail than we had before - in fact, we did NOT know that the beignets may possibly be chocolate. We just figured they would be gingerbread. Maybe Cafe Orleans will make both kinds?

I'm even excited at the idea of the candy cane-shaped bread!!

I can't wait to get there! Well, Marie, I may see you for a minute at DLR next weekend or shortly after, possibly, but I really can't wait to get to DLR for my "real" trip!!

Have a great time on your 2+ week DLR Thanksgiving odyssey!!

 

[tdashgirl]

i will get one those tripods! i need for night

They have them at amazon

 

[amamax2]

They have them at amazon

And they are pretty inexpensive - usually around $15.

 

[Sherry E]

I just saw my first DLR holiday commercial for this year. They usually change the DLR Christmas ads each year, but this time they are running the same one that ran last year. I don't blame them - it's very effective!

Have you guys seen it? Throughout the commercial, there is the sound of a choir of children singing, "It's a small world...after all..." But singing it very slowly, not the usual up-tempo style. I think you see some snow fall, too, if I recall. At the end of the commercial, you see these kids run up to IASWH at night, exactly at the moment that the gorgeous colored lights turn on. The children stare in awe, mouths agape....which is pretty much what I look like when I'm staring at IASWH at night too!

(Of course, what the ad does not show you are the thousands of other people who are also standing there, crammed in, with mouths agape too! So it's a little deceptive!)

In any case, it's very....dare I say, moving. The song is very effective, the visual of the kid staring in awe and wonder at IASWH when the lights turn on is very goosebump-inducing. I always get a little choked up when I see it - not to the point of full fledged tears, but choked up. Then again, I'm dorky like that! That's how I roll!

 

[Belle Ella]

I don't think I ever saw the commercial last year, and I haven't seen it yet this year either. I think I need to go do some digging because I really want to see it.

 

[Belle Ella]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCwRMrZ6Wcc <-- Is this is the one you are referring to Sherry?

 

[JH87]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCwRMrZ6Wcc <-- Is this is the one you are referring to Sherry?

That was a beautiful commercial!

 

[Sherry E]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cCwRMrZ6Wcc <-- Is this is the one you are referring to Sherry?

Not quite. I remember this one on YouTube from last year, now that you've shown it to me. But the one I saw this morning was much more abbreviated, and they only focused on the words, "It's a small world...after alll..." They didn't really play any other line of the song, although it was still that same choir singing. And the ad ended not with the kid marveling over the snow, but staring at IASWH. So I think they may have extracted certain parts of last year's ad and edited them together differently for a short version. Maybe they will start playing the long version in rotation as well.

Either way - long version or short version - it's still a very effective ad because it really captures the feeling of magic that kids must have when they look around this holiday wonderland (okay, correction - the feeling of magic that kids AND adults must have!).

 

[tdashgirl]

(Of course, what the ad does not show you are the thousands of other people who are also standing there, crammed in, with mouths agape too! So it's a little deceptive!)

I haven't seen the commercial - but they've been playing the radio version quite a bit on the SF Bay Area radio stations - I've heard that quite a bit. The radio spot focuses on staying at a DLR hotel "right in the middle of the magic".

 

[Belle Ella]

I'll have to keep my eye out for it. This will probably lead me to watching more TV. Oops.

And nice correction Everyone keeps telling me I'm an adult (I tend to disagree) and I still have that awe and feeling of magic according to the goosebumps I keep getting.

It's been so long since I've seen Disneyland during the Holidays. I wish December would get here already.