Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread #2 (Closed)

[KRIS10420]

I love all the pics!!

Question for all the Disneyland at Christmas pros - which week is better, the week before Thanksgiving or the week after Thanksgiving (or even the first week in December)?

We've never been at Christmas and I'm determined to go this year. We were supposed to go in 2010, but had to cancel. We'll avoid the week before and the week after Christmas

I've gone twice at the second week of November (I hate large crowds as well). All the decorations are up as well as Christmas parade, fireworks etc. There was very little waits to get on rides, in fact a few times I had a boat all to myself in PoTC. I find the Holiday season at DLR is so beautiful and magical that I can't see myself going any other time of year.

 

[smiley_face2]

some of you may remember we had to cancel our 30th anniversary trip for this past late nov. early dec. due to my diagnosis. I'm very excited to say we've booked for this coming nov. the week in between Remembrance day (nov.11) and thanksgiving....Nov.11-22 to be exact! Is it too early to have the Christmas thread going?? It's going to be a big family trip, we had to book 4 rooms! all the kids and grand kids.. I'll be in treatment for the next 5-7 months so it will give me something to look forward to that will help me through the bad times I had my surgery this past friday and that went well, I'm very sore but recovering! I had a hard time coming back here to the "normal" threads after my diagnosis....I've been spending time at the breastcancer survivor community thread where there are some very lovely people! I can not wait to be bringing our 5 little grand kids aged from (at that time) 2 up to 7 years in to Disneyland for their first Christmas trip ever, seeing their little faces light up at the sight of the castle all lit up, Santa, snow on main street....all of it! I just can not wait

 

[funatdisney]

smiley_face2, I am so glad to hear that your treatment is right on track. It will be a long haul in the coming months (my mom and a very close friend of mine have survived breast cancer and I have witnessed close hand the treatment process). I'll keep praying for you and wishing you the speediest and best recovery.

What a trip to look forward to, and with all the grandkids in tow. It should be lots fun and the best time of year to go, too. Be sure to keep us updated with your plans, and then a trip report when you get back.

 

[Disgram23kids]

I had just joined the boards shortly before you had posted that you had to postpone your trip. I am glad to hear your surgery went well. I'm sure the November trip will give you something to look forward to. Although I love Disneyland and Disney World when I go with friends - it is special going with my 3 grandchildren. They get so excited and it makes the whole thing more magical. I'll keep praying for your speedy recovery.

 

[ironpig70]

We where there on Christmas Day and we loved it but probally will not do it again as it just wasn't Christmas. We will definetly do the Holidays again.


With that said if you knew what you where doing and how to attack the parks you could do a lot despite the huge crowds. The mornings we had the park to ourselves. Mid day it was packed so we took a mid day break. We came back until fireworks. Would have loved to close the parks but the two little ones just couldn't hang in there and by the time I got everybody back to the hotel it didn't make sense to return.


We had a great time.

 

[areweindisneyyet]

We where there on Christmas Day and we loved it but probally will not do it again as it just wasn't Christmas. We will definetly do the Holidays again.


With that said if you knew what you where doing and how to attack the parks you could do a lot despite the huge crowds. The mornings we had the park to ourselves. Mid day it was packed so we took a mid day break. We came back until fireworks. Would have loved to close the parks but the two little ones just couldn't hang in there and by the time I got everybody back to the hotel it didn't make sense to return.


We had a great time.

This will be our plan of attack for christmas day. Love the attitude ironpig70

 

[smiley_face2]

I had just joined the boards shortly before you had posted that you had to postpone your trip. I am glad to hear your surgery went well. I'm sure the November trip will give you something to look forward to. Although I love Disneyland and Disney World when I go with friends - it is special going with my 3 grandchildren. They get so excited and it makes the whole thing more magical. I'll keep praying for your speedy recovery.

thankyou!

 

[Sally_fan]

smiley_face2....I am so happy to hear that you are recovering well & have re-booked your trip!! That is awesome news! It will be amazing to see your grandkids experiencing the magic of Disneyland for the first time! I was gearing up for our last Christmas-y trip when you posted your diagnosis. I'll be keeping you in my thoughts!

I am excitedly planning our next trip as well! We plan to go from Dec 1-8 this year. We enjoyed our trip so much last year we can't wait to get back to experience it all again!!

 

[smiley_face2]

smiley_face2....I am so happy to hear that you are recovering well & have re-booked your trip!! That is awesome news! It will be amazing to see your grandkids experiencing the magic of Disneyland for the first time! I was gearing up for our last Christmas-y trip when you posted your diagnosis. I'll be keeping you in my thoughts!

I am excitedly planning our next trip as well! We plan to go from Dec 1-8 this year. We enjoyed our trip so much last year we can't wait to get back to experience it all again!!

thankyou! we will be too early for the candy canes, but that's ok! You will be able to get one though!

 

[Sally_fan]

thankyou! we will be too early for the candy canes, but that's ok! You will be able to get one though!

We were able to get 4 this past visit! I was beyond thrilled! Oh the things us Disney lovers get excited about. Everyone (other than my immediate family of course) thought that I was crazy! But you'll still get all of the rest of the Christmas magic & that is a wonderful thing!!!!!

 

[Sherry E]

smiley_face2, I'm so happy to hear that you are back on the path to good health! Of course, it's great that you're planning another DLR trip, but the most important thing is that you get well!

 

[Sherry E]

Everyone - I am in the process of filling in my empty posts on Page 1. I've got my Intro/Welcome post taken care of (#1) for the most part (I'll tweak it here and there), and I put together an Info/Links Post in #3. (The Table of Contents will come next in #2.)

Let me know if there are any other important or noteworthy holiday-related threads I should include the links for in Post #3. You will see I have a heading for Check-In threads (so I've got Belle Ella's December thread there and I will add November whenever it gets started). I've also included a heading and links to Candy Cane-related info, Holiday Tour threads, and a little bit on the Candlelight Processional. And then I included all the good info from the 2010 season, which will give newcomers an idea of what to expect until we get all the info for 2011.

If you can think of any other threads that should be linked or referenced in Post #3, let me know so I can add them in.


Ooooh! I know! Jazz/Belle Ella had an excellent idea to include a section in her December Check-In thread for anyone's Trip Report links (when they start writing them, that is). Maybe I should include a heading in Post #3 of this thread with some links to certain holiday Trip Reports, i.e. Jazz's Rockin' New Year, Bret's Trip Report, etc.??

What do y'all think?

 

[tksbaskets]

some of you may remember we had to cancel our 30th anniversary trip for this past late nov. early dec. due to my diagnosis. I'm very excited to say we've booked for this coming nov. the week in between Remembrance day (nov.11) and thanksgiving....Nov.11-22 to be exact! Is it too early to have the Christmas thread going?? It's going to be a big family trip, we had to book 4 rooms! all the kids and grand kids.. I'll be in treatment for the next 5-7 months so it will give me something to look forward to that will help me through the bad times I had my surgery this past friday and that went well, I'm very sore but recovering! I had a hard time coming back here to the "normal" threads after my diagnosis....I've been spending time at the breastcancer survivor community thread where there are some very lovely people! I can not wait to be bringing our 5 little grand kids aged from (at that time) 2 up to 7 years in to Disneyland for their first Christmas trip ever, seeing their little faces light up at the sight of the castle all lit up, Santa, snow on main street....all of it! I just can not wait

So glad you are looking forward to a trip with your grandchildren. Very positive thing to focus on. I've been keeping you in my prayers.

 

[Sherry E]

Okay, I'm going ahead and adding links to holiday-related Trip Reports in Post #3.

If you have a good holiday TR that you'd like me to add to Post #3, let me know where to find it!

 

[funatdisney]

Great job, Sherry. I will be needed that info since I was able to book a two bedroom at the VGC for Dec. 18 to the 21st. I know it will be crowded, but the yuletide feel at the GCH and all around the DLR is very special.

 

[mariezp]

Okay, I'm going ahead and adding links to holiday-related Trip Reports in Post #3.

If you have a good holiday TR that you'd like me to add to Post #3, let me know where to find it!

Good idea Sherry! I see my trip report made the list (thank you) so I guess I better get with it and give the readers some more to read. Time to start on day 4! (now if this headache would cooperate and just go away! )

 

[Sherry E]

Reminder -

The posts on Page 1 (Mainly Post #3) of this thread are a work in progress. I don't want to list 100 holiday trip reports, but I want to have a good selection of holiday trip reports (ones that are already finished or are on the way to being finished) - covering November, December and through New Year's. They don't only have to be from 2010. If you know of a good report from 2009 or 2008, I can include the link to that as well.

The main thing is to either include links to TR's that have a lot of pictures or a lot of good information and details/explanations.

So far, I've got Jazz's 2 TR's in there (Christmas an New Year's), Bret's TR and Mariezp's latest. I know of a few more I am going to add.

And, also - if you know of any other threads or posts (that I have not already included in Post #3) that include good info pertaining to any of the holiday-related subjects (Candlelight Processional, holiday tour, gingerbread workshop at Jazz Kitchen, etc.), let me know!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Great job with the Holiday thread links and information. I also thought it would be nice to put up our videos on the thread from our trip if it is okay with u Sherry. So people can know what to expect during the Holiday season. Some people were confused by Wintertime Enchantment Holiday Lighting on the park hours which was Sleeping Beauty Winter Castle at night. The times for that show were not accurate on the park hour website. Even though it showed that WEHL would show 4 times on the park hour schedule, I only got to see 2 shows on those days. Maybe I only got to see only two that night but someone needs to clarify that they had seen 4 SBWC on the same day.

 

[Sherry E]

Bret - good thinking! I added the link to your videos/channel. I also added soem other holiday-specific TR's - only the ones I can think of off the top of my head as I think of them and as I can locate them. If no one gives me any other links to TR's to add, then what I have there will have to do.

I'm also putting together a Q&A, as you can see. I started off with the 'when does the season start and end' question. If you all can think of any other commonly asked questions about the season - that come up all the time- let me know so I can add them in. I'm sure I will think of them eventually, when I have time to devote to it, but it may be faster if someone reminds me!

I know that probably the most commonly asked question is, "When can I get the full holiday experience while is it the least crowded?"

Trouble is, given the way the last 2 years have gone at DLR during the holidays - breaking records in attendance throughout the season - I haven't figured out quite how to answer that question yet. There are fewer and fewer 'off' or slow times. And also, as I'm learning more and more, some folks view crowds differently. What one person sees as horribly crowded may not be what someone else sees as being unbearable.

 

[mvf-m11c]

It would be easier to put them individually since when they go to my channel, it only shows just the latest ones that I have uploaded, but it will be easier for you to copy the links that I have made for the site with all the Holiday related to the DLR, so it will be easy to put on the Holiday Thread Links and Information page.

"A Christmas Fantasy" Parade 12/11/09 Part 1, "A Christmas Fantasy" Parade 12/11/09 Part 2

"A Christmas Fantasy" Parade 11/19/10 2:30 Part 1, "A Christmas Fantasy" Parade 11/19/10 2:30 Part 2, "A Christmas Fantasy" Parade 11/19/10 2:30 Part 3

"A Christmas Fantasy" Parade 11/19/10 5:30 Part 1, "A Christmas Fantasy" Parade 11/19/10 5:30 Part 2, "A Christmas Fantasy" Parade 11/19/10 5:30 Part 3

Sleeping Beauty's Winter Castle 11/18/10 1st Show, Sleeping Beauty's Winter Castle 11/18/10 2nd Show

"Believe...In Holiday Magic" Fireworks 11/18/10 Part 1, "Believe...In Holiday Magic" Fireworks 11/18/10 Part 2

It's a Small World Holiday 11/19/10 Part 1, It's a Small World Holiday 11/19/10 Part 2