Thanks Sherry! Makes sense. I'm hoping you're correct and my kids can ride it before we leave! It's bad enough I have to explain to them that they are now no longer able to ride the Matterhorn (the height requirement changed from 35" to 42"). The Matterhorn was my first "big kid" ride when I was 5, and they wanted the same... I highly doubt they can sprout 2 more inches before November! So please, please be right so IASW is my saving grace!
DisneyMommy403 -
You're very welcome!
Unless some crazy fluke happens this holiday season and DLR decides to break the tradition they have set forth the last several years, I don't see any reason why IASW Holiday would not have a soft opening a day or two before the official start date. So you should be able to squeeze it in before leaving. I don't know if it would open on 11/10 or 11/11 (maybe even 11/9), but you should be able to get on it at least once.
The Matterhorn height requirement change is quite a significant jump! Yikes! It's not like one or two inches.
I hope the crowds get lighter after January 1st! We are planning a trip from January 2nd through the 6th. I hope to be able to see some of the Christmas theming that week, especially IASWH and the HM. I agree with a PP about Cars Land not being decorated for Christmas (hopefully).
The Villas at Grand California are charging premier DVC points through January 5th (the highest points of the year), but it appears that the hotel prices are more "value" season priced from what I can gather off the Disneyland website ($300 per night for the DLH and $240 for the PPH). Unfortunately, I can't currently book the rooms right now as my arrival date has to be in 2012.
Do you know when they might open up those dates for booking?
What kind of rain do you see that time of year? Being from Colorado, mild temperatures don't bother us, but I am crossing our fingers for dry weather.
Hello,
KSDisneyDad!
Welcome!
I definitely think the crowds will get a bit lighter after January 1st or 2nd, but I suspect they won't be at their lightest until after the season ends on January 6th (assuming January 6th is the definite ending date). New Year's Day falling on a Tuesday this time around could mean that some people stay at DLR to celebrate that whole day and then leave the following day. Or, it could mean that some people take the approach of, "Well, by the time I get back home after New Year's, the work week will almost be over, so...we might as well stay the entire week and leave on Sunday!"
I think you will see most of the decorations in and around the lands. Haunted Mansion Holiday should shut down after January 6th, but IASW Holiday should stay open until mid-to-late January, if it follows tradition. What you will miss are things like Dickens carolers and probably the 3 hotels' Santas. The Santa at the Reindeer Round-Up in Disneyland should still be there (in his street clothes!) past Christmas, and the one in California Adventure may or may not be there.
I think you will, unfortunately, miss out on the lovely decorations at the 3 DLR hotels. The GCH and PPH trees are stunning, and the DLH usually has a main tree in each tower and other fun decorations (like the whimsical tree at Goofy's Kitchen, for example), but I think those will come down by the time your trip begins.
I think there will be many people who would be surprised and maybe disappointed to see Cars Land with full-fledged, themed decorations so soon. I, personally, won't mind if it is decorated - I am a sucker for themed decorations in the lands and I am a sucker for the holiday season and all decorations associated with it -
but I would be shocked if Disney goes all out with Cars Land holiday decorations in its first year, since there are so many people who have not yet gotten to see Cars Land in its original state.
Buena Vista Street is to DCA what Main Street is to DL, so there would have to be some decorations there. I think it's inevitable. Plus, I am pretty sure that the freshly-made candy canes are going to be made at Trolley Treats on BVS this year (in November and December, not in January), so there has to be some sign of the season in that land!
I'm actually now wondering if the main, large Christmas tree in California Adventure will remain where it has been since 2009 - in the Paradise Pier area of DCA - or if it will find a new home near Buena Vista Street.
The problem with DCA and the holiday season is that not only are the decorations lacking in comparison to Disneyland's decorations, but since the Golden Gate Bridge and the CALIFORNIA letters were removed, there is nothing that really makes a 'holiday statement' at/near the entrance to that specific park. There are some red decorations above the DCA turnstiles, but they are rather underwhelming. They need something near the entrance to the park that says it is the holiday season and catches our attention. This is why I think it's entirely possible the Christmas tree could get a new home this year and end up on Buena Vista Street!
I've heard about the issue with the hotels and booking for the following year. Is this just online, or does it happen on the phone as well? I am thinking it might be an online issue. If you haven't tried to book over the phone, try that approach and see if it works.
As for weather - rain or no rain in January - in SoCal it typically doesn't rain like it rains in other states, of course,
but supposedly this will be an "El Nino year" for us - which can sometimes cause some extreme rain. Anyone who has lived in SoCal for a long time has probably lived through some El Nino winters. I can remember certain El Nino years in which the rain was seemingly never-ending!
The El Nino rain is different from other SoCal/non-El Nino rain. El Nino rain tends to be heavy, pounding, long-lasting and constant - like lasting for days and weeks on end. It's the kind of rain that causes the storm drains to back up (because we are not prepared for that kind of rain most of the time) and roofs to cave in, as well as mudslides and other stuff (for example, late 2004's/early 2005's winter was full of El Nino rain and that wreaked havoc on the ceiling at my former job).
I don't know for sure that this is the rain we will get this coming winter - we may dodge the bullet and just get some mild, non-threatening SoCal rain - but it
could happen, so be aware!
That's encouraging Sherry, thank you! Your knowledge is invaluable
I think we'll try to stay away from the parks till the last days of our trip maybe January 6 through 9, that way we can see the holiday decorations on the 6th and hopefully have nice quiet crowds
thank you!!
Disneydreamsdancer -
You're welcome! And thank you for the kind words.
IASW Holiday will probably stay open beyond January 6th - for some reason, that seems to be up and running until mid/late January (closer to MLK Day). So you will probably have several chances to ride that. But you should be able to get in a ride on Haunted Mansion Holiday on January 6th, before it closes down.
I'm not sure how long the Storybook Land boats (with the teeny tiny decorations) will stay open, but that's worth seeing if you can catch it. I think that the Reindeer Round-Up should still be open on 1/6/13. The themed decorations in Toon Town, A Bug's Land and New Orleans Square should still be up on 1/6/13. In fact, some of the NOS decorations (like the masks) will stay up as long as February/early March, if Disneyland does their Mardi Gras weekend thing again.
) but I just wanted to say hi!
Total teenage/adult drama.
...but honestly, if she doesnt want to go then that may be a good thing because she will probably just be brooding the whole time and that makes it rough on everyone else...puts me in a bad mood for sure!
A girl that will be 18 on Thursday and a son who will be 16 in a little over three weeks. I am so ready for eventually.
Welcome!
