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

[Sherry E]

It's a pretty good line-up of narrators. I like Dennis; I like Lou... Molly Ringwald was, of course, in many of the Brat Pack movies I loved in my younger years ("Pretty in Pink" = great movie!).

But...I'm going with Kurt! If I decide to do the CP, Kurt will be the narrator during my time (I'm at the PPH, from 12/2-12/5 for right now, unless I switch dates) and I'm happy with him!

...That is, unless I find out that Bradley Cooper has taken over narrator duties for some of the nights (like that TBA time frame)! If so, I'll be switching!

I was shocked to discover that the 3 hotels suddenly had availability for the first 2 weeks in December today! I checked a few days ago, and the first week was all booked up according to the website! Today, there was availability.

The CM on the phone told me to never rely on what the website says (even in the AP section) as far as what's available or unavailable. She said that the current room information has to be loaded back to the site, which often times doesn't happen until the next day.

So you could go to the DLR or AP site today and see that something is supposedly available, but when you go through the process of trying to book it and pay online, it tells you it's not available. Then you call in and the CM will check and find that there is no availability.

And it works the opposite way too - where you might think that something is not available but it actually is because someone else has cancelled and the updated info has not been loaded back to the website yet. This CM said that the best way to find the most current availability info for the DLR hotels is to call in.

So I got the dates that I thought were totally booked a few days ago!

 

[Luisa]

If there is two performances a night does anyone have an idea what times they would be? I only have one night there and want to make sure I see WOC but would love to see this again.

 

[sirvin12]

Just paid off my vacation!!!!! Yahoo. Just over a month. I made journals and coupons for my girls and they turned out so cute. I made their autograph books a couple of months ago. Love the creative Disigners for sharing their talents and adding some extra magic to our trip!

Shannon

 

[tksbaskets]

It's a pretty good line-up of narrators. I like Dennis; I like Lou... Molly Ringwald was, of course, in many of the Brat Pack movies I loved in my younger years ("Pretty in Pink" = great movie!).

But...I'm going with Kurt! If I decide to do the CP, Kurt will be the narrator during my time (I'm at the PPH, from 12/2-12/5 for right now, unless I switch dates) and I'm happy with him!

...That is, unless I find out that Bradley Cooper has taken over narrator duties for some of the nights (like that TBA time frame)! If so, I'll be switching!

I was shocked to discover that the 3 hotels suddenly had availability for the first 2 weeks in December today! I checked a few days ago, and the first week was all booked up according to the website! Today, there was availability.

The CM on the phone told me to never rely on what the website says (even in the AP section) as far as what's available or unavailable. She said that the current room information has to be loaded back to the site, which often times doesn't happen until the next day.

So you could go to the DLR or AP site today and see that something is supposedly available, but when you go through the process of trying to book it and pay online, it tells you it's not available. Then you call in and the CM will check and find that there is no availability.

And it works the opposite way too - where you might think that something is not available but it actually is because someone else has cancelled and the updated info has not been loaded back to the website yet. This CM said that the best way to find the most current availability info for the DLR hotels is to call in.

So I got the dates that I thought were totally booked a few days ago!

YEAH! You're booked now? I hope you get to see the CP with Kurt. He'd be my pick too at DL.

Did I share that we've booked the CP at EPCOT on Christmas with Gary Sinece?

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

I had mixed feelings about the CP narrators... at first I was kinda grumpy that our dates cover TBA & Lou Diamond Phillips, and that we'd miss Dick Van Dyke by a day... but as I thought about it more, I am glad... hopefully it will be less crowded on our dates because of this!

 

[Sherry E]

YEAH! You're booked now? I hope you get to see the CP with Kurt. He'd be my pick too at DL.

Did I share that we've booked the CP at EPCOT on Christmas with Gary Sinece?

TK -

I didn't know that you had already booked your CP! I remember reading that Gary was going to be one of narrators at WDW (last year he did narrating duties at DLR). He's a good actor. He should be good. Then again, even though I've never been to WDW - let alone at Christmas time - anything with the words "EPCOT" and "Christmas" in the same sentence sounds amazing to me!

Kurt just happened to be the narrator during the 12/2-12/5 dates that I originally wanted to book at the PPH (but didn't think would be available by the time I booked the room). I thought that I'd end up with the 12/9-12/12 block of time, which would mean Lou Diamond Phillips. It turned out that my 12/2-12/5 dates were open (because Disney 'conveniently' & suddenly opened up a bunch of hotel rooms on the very same day the CP narrator list was announced), so I nabbed them. I'm not 100% sure if I will do the CP, but if I do it will be a good narrator!

I had mixed feelings about the CP narrators... at first I was kinda grumpy that our dates cover TBA & Lou Diamond Phillips, and that we'd miss Dick Van Dyke by a day... but as I thought about it more, I am glad... hopefully it will be less crowded on our dates because of this!

Very good point! You may be right. If the TBA narrator turns out to be someone lackluster, that will probably result in lower crowds. If they suddenly say that the TBA person is Julie Andrews or something, expect enormous crowds!

I have a feeling that my dates (assuming I don't switch them to one week later) will be a mess, crowd-wise, simply because they will include the very first CP's available to the general public this year (which will mean a lot of bloggers, moderators, huge Christmas fans and other people heavily involved with Disney discussion boards flocking to the CP to gather details to "report" or write about the next day). I also think that Kurt Russell will also be a big draw because of his Disney history.

 

[dalstitch45]

As a northeast girl....noooo to cold weather. I hate the cold, last winter was awesome here since it wasn't too cold & we got hardly any snow. I know this year will be the opposite. It was awful when I was at WDW a few Decembers ago when it was the coldest Dec in florida in the last 30 years, we had windchill in the teens some days! It should not be colder at Disney than it is at home, just no! I'll take 60s or 70s.

I am with you on this one. I would just as soon skip the cold and snow altogether. Never would be too soon. We must have been at WDW the same week because I remember we had to go to the mall and buy winter clothes.

I can't wait to go to DLR during the Christmas season. I really loved the Haunted Mansion Holiday. I am going to do the Holiday Tour again. It was so much fun last year.

Sherry, not sure if I will be able to check out your new theme for a few days. We are bracing for SANDY. The wind is starting to pick up, but we are not getting much rain in my area as of yet. We are praying it won't be too bad.

 

[Sherry E]

Happy Halloween week, everyone!





It’s time for the Weekly Monday Countdown!!!

...Only 14 Days Until the
Holiday Season Begins at Disneyland Resort!!!!​

And with the new week comes a new DLR holiday theme!!

As I’ve mentioned, I’ll be showcasing a particular area of interest of DLR's holiday celebration each week until the 2012 season officially begins on Monday, November 12th!! There are many more themes to come over the two weeks, including two main weekly themes set for Monday, October 29th and Monday, November 5th; six ‘mini-themes’ which will be featured each day from 11/6 – 11/11, and a final ‘Miscellaneous’ theme on Monday, November 12th (with a catchier name than “Miscellaneous,” though!).

Theme Week Countdowns are a great way to keep the photos rolling in on a regular basis and build anticipation for 11/12! Also, this is a way to display the different aspects and details of the holidays at DLR that may be totally new to some people...or previously unnoticed/undiscovered by others.

Last week, we admired the beauty of the many Christmas Trees around the Disneyland Resort. The week before that, we visited the playful, colorful, off-kilter world of Mickey’s Toontown. The week before that we reveled in the pageantry of A Christmas Fantasy Parade and gazed in awe at the Believe…In Holiday Magic Fireworks. Prior to that we enjoyed the Yuletide season around the globe as we sailed through It’s a Small World Holiday. The week before that strolled through the mysterious, music-filled alleys of New Orleans Square, where Christmas is observed with Mardi Gras flair. The week before that we explored Jack Skellington’s twisted (though well-meaning) vision of bringing two holidays together in the Haunted Mansion Holiday ride. The week before that we visited the rustic holiday celebration at Santa’s Reindeer Round-Up. The week before that, we searched for signs of Christmas in California Adventure – a park that is sure to look very different this November. And we started off this year’s countdown by soaking in the small town American charm of Main Street.



What’s next?

Today, in honor of this frightfully fun Halloween week and all of the trick-or-treating that will take place, our theme is all about ‘treats’…both the edible kind and the collectible kind!

In the Spotlight this Week......

HOLIDAY TREATS and TREASURES
(a.k.a. Holiday Food/Snacks & Souvenirs/Merchandise)!!!​

Let’s face it – two of the most pleasurable things we can indulge in during any month of the year at Disneyland Resort are, simply, eating (treats) and shopping (for treasures). During the Fall and Winter months at Disneyland Resort, you will discover special things to eat and/or buy that you may not find at any other time. This week is a celebration of both the Treats and the Treasures of the season!

The “Treats” portion of this week’s theme should be easy to figure out. Who hasn’t found themselves captivated by the sights and aromas of the holiday treats at Disneyland Resort? From the playful gingerbread cookies with chocolate-dipped Mouse ears to the decadent peppermint/candy cane fudge or ice cream, goodies are in abundance at Disneyland Resort in November-December-early January.

Whether you’re enjoying a shortbread snowman cookie, a special demitasse dessert served up in a Santa Mickey mug or a handful of festive red & green candy corn, your seasonal sweet (or savory) tooth will be satisfied in every baked goods store, candy shop and popcorn cart around the entire Resort, including the Jolly Holiday Bakery, the Market House, the Candy Palace, Pooh Corner, Marceline’s Confectionery and even a few places you might not expect to find treats. Many of the restaurants around Disneyland Resort offer special dishes as well, such as the gingerbread beignets at Café Orleans and the pumpkin pie at Carnation Café.

The “Treasures” portion of our theme for the week means, quite simply, Souvenirs. Keepsakes. Merchandise. We all know the feeling of walking along in Disneyland Resort, minding our own business, and suddenly becoming distracted by the sight of an irresistibly clever Disney collectible sitting on a shelf or hanging from a display rack. Some of these trinkets call out to us, beckoning us to buy them and take them home. It could be a special mug, a magnet, a gingerbread Mickey and Minnie figurine, a snow globe, a pin, a t-shirt, giant fluffy ear muffs or an ornament – whatever it is, you just HAVE to have it…and you have to have it right away! You cannot leave the park without it.

What IS ‘it’ for you? What have been your favorite Disneyland Resort holiday souvenirs or collectibles? Which seasonal merchandise pieces have caught your attention as you browsed the shops, whether you’ve bought them or not?





Stay tuned for a new theme starting on Monday, November 5th. Some great themes are coming up in the final two weeks of this countdown!




This is Part 1 of a two-part Theme Week post. First, the TREATS!!

Gummy Candy (2011):

Christmas candy corn:

(2011):

(2010):

Apples & other treats:

(2011)

(2010)

Blue Ribbon Bakery Sign (2011):

Peppermint ice cream in chocolate/candy cane-encrusted cone (2010):

Cookies:

(2011)

(2010)

Gingerbread Cookie Mix (2010):

Peppermint Bark (2010):

Frosted Pretzels (2011):

And…just because Halloween is this week, here are some Halloween cookies from 2011 (I’m sure there are holiday versions of these cookies sold at Christmas time!):

​

Up next, the Treasures!


Please feel free to post photos of your favorite Holiday Treats & Treasures all this week! (The Treats can either be things you’ve sampled for yourself, or just various snacks you’ve seen around the Resort and have taken pictures of. Same goes for the Treasures – they can either be pieces that you own and love, or just random merchandise that you’ve photographed while strolling around the parks or hotels.)

 

[Sherry E]

Part 2 of 2

I’ve shown you some of the many treats…and now, it’s time for the TREASURES

Mickey snowman popcorn buckets (2010):

Holiday ears:

(2011)

(2010)

Vinylmation (2010):

Plush toys (2010):

Mini-Trees (2010):

Antenna toppers (2010):

Ornaments (2011):

Crystal (2011):

Pins (2010):

Miscellaneous:

(2010)

(2011)

​

 

[lucysmom]

Hi, we are WDW experienced, but we are clueless about DL. We are coming before Christmas from the 18 through the 23rd of December. Does anyone know the park hours for those days? The firework and parade hours? How much was the in-room decorating service last year? The planning office does not have the in-room prices for this year yet. What did they decorate? Was it worth it?

We are planning to take the holiday decorations tour and we are planning for the Fantasmic reserved seating. Are there any other must-do's?

I appreciate the help. I am such a newbie here.

 

[lucysmom]

Also, if you are not going to the CP, is the DL park so overcrowded that it is to be avoided or is it a good time to ride rides? Where in the park is the CP and at what time is it held?

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Also, if you are not going to the CP, is the DL park so overcrowded that it is to be avoided or is it a good time to ride rides? Where in the park is the CP and at what time is it held?

CP is still very much up in the air this year--I am holding out hope that we will hear more details on 11/1... but what we do know--it is 2x a night from December 1st-20th (which is why I think we'll know more on 11/1--1 month before the 1st CP night)... and it takes place in Town Square... which of course means if you enter DL the regular way (not via the monorail) it will be a mess right there. You can get into CP via some sort of lottery if you are an AP holder (details TBA) or through a dining package (again details TBA)... my understanding that without these two options, the only way you can see it is by standing around the periphery in some areas where the traffic control cms don't move you along. All of that said, I don't know if anyone can tell you how crowded or not lines for rides will be... if you can't watch the CP and you are in DL... you can hardly leave either... so rides may be busy.

 

[DizNee Luver]

An assortment from my Dec. 2011 trip:

Tasty Treats:

 

[princess kerri]

I just wanted to take a moment to thank you all, in particular Sherry, for this thread and the contributions.

I lived in Los Angeles a few years ago when attending University there (I'm from the UK) and was lucky enough to have an annual passport the year I graduated. For some reason though, Disneyland at Christmas was only something I experienced once.
This year I'm returning with my mum who has never been (though she did experience WDW in the summer when I was younger). We lost my dad in August after a long battle with cancer and this is our big Mum & Daughter trip that is very special. A couple of weeks with friends and then finishing it off with a weekend at Disneyland for flying home.

As soon as I knew we were going for definite, I have been popping in and out of this thread. All your knowledge and the excitement you all share, as well as the beautiful pictures posted, are infectious. Thank you for making me so excited, you've made this experience even richer and we're not there yet!!

One quick question, although I'm trying to find the answer by doing a search as well as checking historical park hours and AP blackout dates. We will be in the parks Friday 16th and Saturday 17th. So the first weekend of Christmas decorations really. Does anyone have experience with this?
Just trying to go in there prepared for the crowd level!

 

[Crazy4Disney06]

Loving this weeks pictures! Getting so excited for our trip! Thank you to everyone who takes the time to post the wonderful pictures each week!

 

[StyledSugar]

Love the pics this week!!!

Anyone have any idea how much the Mickey and Minnies stockings were last year? We're trying to figure out whether or not we should bring our own or just buy some on Christmas Eve.

 

[cpster]

I can't wait o get a Mickey popcorn bucket! I was just looking at my Halloween one. Thanks for the great pics all!

 

[StyledSugar]

Any idea how much that is?

 

[tksbaskets]

Any idea how much that is?

I think it's between $20-30. I bought one from Disneyparks.com last year. Love it.

 

[Carolwoodpr]

I may have to get us that little Christmas Tree for our hotel room, after all, Santa needs to know where to put the gifts on Christmas Eve.

Another thing those pictures make me want is a freshly made Candy Cane. I can't wait to hear the details on when they are making these. I figure I can wait to get a ticket so I can get a cane for myself and my son. My husband won't want one, so they can ride the thrill rides while I do this.