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

[Kauinohea]

We would really like to stay on site....but can't afford the rack rates. Wondering if there has ever been a disney property promotions for the Christmas holidays...or maybe a PIN code????

 

[Sherry E]

I am now trying to go back and hit some of the posts from earlier (didn't want to skip over something like I was explaining to Heather yesterday afternoon!)....

Sherry E, Anyone ever tell you that you should work for the marketing department at Disney? Just saying..

McQueenofHrts - Yes! A few people in the last Christmas thread were saying that and offering to start a campaign. Hey, I'm all for it - if Disney would hire me, I'd be all over it!! The key is that all of the descriptions I'm giving are true - now, of course, some people may not enjoy/appreciate the holiday season at DLR as much as others, but what I'm explaining is pretty accurate. I don't have to do any 'forced hype' - that's why I started this thread and the Halloween thread. It's easy for me to talk about subjects that I love, and if I can gather other DIS'ers who are fans of the same subjects, then we can all share information and planning tips and photos and all kinds of good stuff!

I've done the 'forced hype' thing before - where I was in a position to have to write about things and make them sound much more exciting than they were (I used to work for the band Poison back in the '80s and was in charge of handling some PR/publicity/official fan club-related things like writing newsletters and press release-type things, and had to do a lot of the 'this is the greatest thing ever' bits about record signings, interviews, tours, etc.). It's much easier for me to talk about the highlights of the Christmas season at DLR because I don't have to force anything!

I am so excited to be planning our first trip to Disney during the Christmas season! We have always gone off season - to the land (usually Jan/Feb) and the World Sept/Oct. We don't care too much for the crowds but figured it would be worth it for Christmas! We are thinking of the 11th-19th. I haven't done much research on that time frame yet - but am expecting the crowds and fun to be in full swing! OK - now I am off to read all the amazing info you all have posted so far!!!

lori123 - Yay I'm so glad to have you join us in this thread. Were you able to read through mostly everything and view the wonderful photos?

So your dates are going to be December 11 - 19th? (Or November?) Well, it may be crowded but it won't be the worst of the holiday crowds yet. In fact, the earlier days (closer to December 11) will be better, I think. And you'll have a good number of days to get everything in.

Yes, everything will be in full swing on December 11, so you will be in luck! The hotels will be decorated, as will Downtown Disney and all the restaurants and shops.

For some reason, prior to Thanksgiving the hotels don't put up their trees and decorations, which is unfortunate because the holiday season usually begins earlier in November. Since the GCH lobby is a highlight of the season, it's nice to enjoy that if you can, and a lot of folks have to miss it if they go to DLR pre-Thanksgiving. But everything else holiday-related will be up and running before Thanksgiving. All of the holiday entertainment (like IASW Holiday, the Winter Castle, the Reindeer Round-Up, the area-specific decorations and music, the Christmas Fantasy Parade, the holiday fireworks, etc.) begins on the official opening day, which we think will be 11/11/11 this year.

Thought I'd give the thread a bump. Our tentative plans are to go to Disneyland in early December 2012. Here are a few pics from our 2008 visit.

Main Street at closing Mon. Dec 8, 2008

Snow in New Orleans Square

More Snow in New Orleans Square

Thank you so much, SkRiderMom, for the bumps and the photos! I can tell you that your snow photos came out 100% better than the pitiful snow photos I attempted to take this past December!

For one thing - and I could be wrong - I think the snow that fell on Main Street, NOS, etc. back in 2008 was heavier or thicker than the snow that falls now during the holiday season. I noticed a definite difference in the volume of snow in 2010 - it was much lighter and there was less of it, whereas a few years ago it was thicker and more visible. I tried to catch some of the snow in photos and it was almost undetectable. Of course, I don't have the best camera for nighttime fake snow shots, but even aside from how it came out in photos, just standing there as the snow fell I noticed there was less of it that we were being dusted with.

I think December 2012 should be a really exciting holiday season at DLR because the majority of the work will be done in DCA and it will have a whole new entrance and all-new possibilities for decorations. I am thinking the 1920's Los Angeles theme should be interesting as a backdrop for the holidays. Plus, most likely, since DCA will have come out of that construction vortex it has been in for a while now and re-emerge all shiny and new, chances are DLR will spring some new holiday stuff on us. Maybe a holiday party? Maybe some new highlights?

DSCN2840 by simbalion74, on Flickr

DSCN2830 by simbalion74, on Flickr

DSCN2829 by simbalion74, on Flickr

DSCN2827 by simbalion74, on Flickr

simbalion74 - Thank you again for your wonderful photo contributions! It's about time I made another update to the Table of Contents to get all the new additions listed.

Even though we have great information in this thread and wonderful contributors, the photos are really the main attention-grabbers and the things that have the most impact in getting people to think about making holiday trips to DLR! Those are the things that get people to look and think twice!

So more photos, everyone!!! We need photos!!

What I really love about Disneyland at Christmas is that it appeals to all of your senses.

I hear it in the carols and music being piped through the park,

I see it in the beautiful decorations that adorn the park and in the costumes of characters and cast members.

I feel it all around me, their is an extra sense of magic, and a special happiness in each and every step, I feel it when the snow falling lands on my head,

I smell it with gingerbread baking, and peppermint canes, and the chill in the air and

I taste it with all the magical christmas treats, pumpkin, cinnamon, peppermint, gingerbread.

As it gets colder here on the otherside of the world I am so looking forward to a very long winter and seeing it snow on the castle for Christmas.

I Love Christmas at Disneyland.

areweindisneyyet - So true!! Thank you for your continued bumping efforts in this thread!! It is very much needed!

Sigh...you just made me misty eyed and strengthened my conviction that we WILL DO DL for Chrismtas, lol...don't mind me...I've been going a little crazy the last few weeks /haven't got enough sleep and now I'm a little emotional bc my baby girl graduates kindy next week..we've been working on scrapping a yearbook for her teacher and looking back on everything they did and thinking about how much she has grown this year...sigh..anyway, just dropped in to remind myself of why I've been working so hard ....DL@Xmas...DL@Xmas...DL@Xmas...ahhh...now I can get through work tomorrow w/o
throttling someone , lol...

LoveMyBeautifulGift - How wonderful that your little girl is graduating kindergarten! What a special time for her and you!

I am bringing people to tears in this thread with my descriptions!

But, seriously, when you visit the other 2 DL hotels to see what they have to offer, holiday-wise, it is very obvious that the GCH has the most welcoming environment which lends itself to people gathering around the giant tree and fireplace to listen to music and enjoy the mood, etc. While the DLH has fun decorations and certainly several trees spread out in the different towers, and the PPH has a beautiful tree in the lobby/check-in area, the set-ups are just not the same. The GCH is clearly where all the action is, and the seating is arranged perfectly for it....plus, the bar/lounge is a few footsteps away, so it's incredibly easy to go get a beverage of some kind and come back to soak in the atmosphere.

We would really like to stay on site....but can't afford the rack rates. Wondering if there has ever been a disney property promotions for the Christmas holidays...or maybe a PIN code????

Kauinohea - I have seen some PIN code offers and discounts run as late as mid-December or up to the weekend right before Christmas. After that they usually stop. I have used some PIN code offers for holiday trips myself! In fact, last year I used a PIN code offer for the PPH. I don't know how great the rates will be this year if Disney does release anything because all of the prices are going up in general, but if there are any discounts they would probably extend to around that same time frame. The rack rates are crazy - I think we all agree with that!

What you should do is go onto the DLR website and plug in the dates you would like to go to DLR for the season, and pick one hotel of the 3 hotels. Let their system calculate your price at whatever rate they will be offering for December, and save the offer under Saved Offers in your "My Disneyland" account - that's the key. Make sure to let their system give you the price for the date and hotel of your choice and save that offer in your Disneyland account. Then leave it there and don't do anything with it. Let it sit there - for months, if need be.

When I did that same thing last year, the DLR system noticed that I was not booking anything at their crazy rates. They sent me an e-mail that said, essentially, "We see you are considering another stay at the Paradise Pier..." and they offered me a better PIN code - $163 per night - which was even cheaper than the last time I had used an AP for a discount.

Try it - it can't hurt! Worse comes to worst, you won't get a better offer or you may have to wait months for an offer (at least until after Summer ends), but if DLR sees that you are considering something and NOT booking it, but saving the offer in your My Disneyland account (meaning you plan to get back to it later), they will see that as a potential onsite guest who maybe can't afford their crazy prices and they may do what they did to me and offer you a better PIN code!

 

[Kauinohea]

Thank you Sherry! I just saved my offer for GCH at over $5K .....crossing my fingers and toes for some kind of discount that would make me change my reservation from BWPPI to GCH!

 

[Sherry E]

Thank you Sherry! I just saved my offer for GCH at over $5K .....crossing my fingers and toes for some kind of discount that would make me change my reservation from BWPPI to GCH!

You're very welcome! We'll cross our fingers and see what happens. As I said, you may have to wait months before they send you the 'here's a better offer' offer, but I bet they will send you something eventually.

When I did this trick last year, I didn't know I was doing anything to instigate a PIN code. I was actually legitimately just going onto the DLR site to see what the cheapest PPH rates were at whatever price they were advertising.

But when I saw that the saving of the offer seemed to trigger a better offer (which was 35% off rack rate for the PPH), I informed other DIS'ers of it and they did it too - with the same results.

One DIS'er also tried it for the PPH and got the same price/PIN code I got. Another DIS'er tried the trick for the GCH last December, if I recall correctly, and got a different rate but it was still 40% off of the GCH, and that's what they wanted! A different DIS'er tried saving rates for 2 different hotels and the offer she got was a little bit different and not as good, so I think that saving for one hotel is better and will give a better deal.

 

[areweindisneyyet]

A bump...

I am thinking of adding an extra two days to the start of our Christmas trip, just to be sure I can eat my way around all of the different flavours of fudge

 

[NewbieMouse]

Thank you Sherry! I just saved my offer for GCH at over $5K .....crossing my fingers and toes for some kind of discount that would make me change my reservation from BWPPI to GCH!

I have been doing this, as I am also booked at the BWPPI and would switch to the GCH if I could get a deal. I've noticed that the offers always expire after a month, so I need to go in and resave the offer. Fingers crossed for you!

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

Same here. I'll switch at the right price. We'll see what happens come September or so.

 

[Kauinohea]

Yes, Good luck to all of us holding out for a Holiday Special for DL properties!

 

[areweindisneyyet]

Reindeer Round Up

This year I will make it there to visit Santa...

 

[jacs1234]

We'll be there this year from the 25th of November to the 7th of December. We adults are so excited but we haven't told the 4 kiddies yet. We've only been to Disneyland at Christmas time and we don't think we could go any other time. We love it so much.

 

[areweindisneyyet]

We'll be there this year from the 25th of November to the 7th of December. We adults are so excited but we haven't told the 4 kiddies yet. We've only been to Disneyland at Christmas time and we don't think we could go any other time. We love it so much.

That is just about the same dates that we went last time for Christmas, we decided then that we had to be there for Christmas just once even if there are more crowds. We were so sad when we came home, Christmas was celebrated early that year.

When are you going to tell the kids and more importantly do you have a plan for how you are going to tell them, they will be so excited....

 

[jacs1234]

We surprised them when we went two years ago. We had a big wrapped box full of helium balloons at the front door the day we were leaving. Dh knocked on the door and ran and they went and brought the box inside. When they opened it the balloons flew out and there was a letter from Mickey inside telling them to get dressed because a man(taxi driver) is coming to take us to disneyland. They were so excited and it was so much fun.

Now we can't decide if we should tell them the week before or the day of. If it's the day of, dh was thinking of putting a bunch of helium balloons (in "Up" style) on the chicken house and then putting a letter from Donald in the egg thingy. So we'll tell them to go get the eggs and they'll have a letter instead.

We just can't decide.

It looks like you'll be going a little after us this year. We can't afford the Grand this year though It's Carousel Inn for us. (The view room though.

 

[areweindisneyyet]

Deciding at the moment whether to go a couple of days extra and go back to the DLH, we like it last time and the rooms have been renovated.

I am unsure, I shall think some more. At the moment there are eight of us and this might drop back to six.

The UP idea sounds good, I am so impressed that you can keep a secret like that, I would let something slip by accident for sure.

Happy saving,

 

[tksbaskets]

DH gets his school schedule for next year tomorrow. Please keep your fingers crossed that we are able to book a holiday trip to DL!

LOVE all the recent pictures.
TK

 

[mvf-m11c]

DH gets his school schedule for next year tomorrow. Please keep your fingers crossed that we are able to book a holiday trip to DL!

LOVE all the recent pictures.
TK

I am keeping my fingers crossed for you TK that you and your DH will be able to have your Holiday trip to the DLR.

 

[summer0407]

Hi all! Please forgive me if this has already been asked. I went for my first holiday trip last December and I just can't remember. Does the park have extended hours and nightly fireworks during the holiday season? I am looking to change our plans a bit and hit the parks during the week rather than weekends. Looking at a Tue-Fri around the first week of December. We love the nightly activities so I just worry if all we will get is a Friday. Does anyone remember from past years please let me know.

Thanks!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Hi all! Please forgive me if this has already been asked. I went for my first holiday trip last December and I just can't remember. Does the park have extended hours and nightly fireworks during the holiday season? I am looking to change our plans a bit and hit the parks during the week rather than weekends. Looking at a Tue-Fri around the first week of December. We love the nightly activities so I just worry if all we will get is a Friday. Does anyone remember from past years please let me know.

Thanks!

During your plan visit of the first week of December, the park hours on the weekdays will mostly be likely non-busy day hours (9am-8pm for example). During the Holiday season, the park shows "Believe...In Holiday Magic" fireworks, "A Christmas Fantasy" parade, etc. during the Holiday season. Even it is on a non-busy day they will show the fireworks and parades. You will be fine on the weekdays unless is rains or high winds during the day and night.

 

[summer0407]

During your plan visit of the first week of December, the park hours on the weekdays will mostly be likely non-busy day hours (9am-8pm for example). During the Holiday season, the park shows "Believe...In Holiday Magic" fireworks, "A Christmas Fantasy" parade, etc. during the Holiday season. Even it is on a non-busy day they will show the fireworks and parades. You will be fine on the weekdays unless is rains or high winds during the day and night.

Great thanks for the reply!

 

[NewbieMouse]

We surprised them when we went two years ago. We had a big wrapped box full of helium balloons at the front door the day we were leaving. Dh knocked on the door and ran and they went and brought the box inside. When they opened it the balloons flew out and there was a letter from Mickey inside telling them to get dressed because a man(taxi driver) is coming to take us to disneyland. They were so excited and it was so much fun.

Now we can't decide if we should tell them the week before or the day of. If it's the day of, dh was thinking of putting a bunch of helium balloons (in "Up" style) on the chicken house and then putting a letter from Donald in the egg thingy. So we'll tell them to go get the eggs and they'll have a letter instead.

We just can't decide.

It looks like you'll be going a little after us this year. We can't afford the Grand this year though It's Carousel Inn for us. (The view room though.

Last Christmas we told our kids about a half hour before we checked into the hotel, when we stopped for lunch at the Burger King on Ball Road!

 

[KCmike]

Has anyone heard when the first day of Christmas season is this year? I have a wild thought in my head.