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

[Belle Ella]

I love the pictures!

But, they have me wondering about the weather??!! The parade picture shows kids with stocking caps and you looked bundled up. What was the weather like? Were evenings cooler?

Thanks!

Well, it is winter so it is pretty cold and even colder once the sun goes down. I don't know exact degrees or anything but you do want some warm clothing.

 

[Minnie Loves Mickey]

If you buy a AP Premium, can you go in early for the Magic Mornings?

 

[Belle Ella]

If you buy a AP Premium, can you go in early for the magic mornings?

No. AP's do not have MM access. However, if you're a resort guest (staying at DLH, GCH, or PPH) you will have access to each MM available even with your AP. Another option would be to purchase 3-day PH's to give you access to 1 MM and then upgrade to the AP after using your MM. Since AP's are a fixed price you'll still be paying the same amount for it and you get to use one final MM without having to stay on-site.

 

[Sherry E]

Bump!

I'm starting to see more threads popping up with Christmas-related questions, so I think there are lots of folks beginning to get their holiday trips together.

The holiday season starts in 4-1/2 months!! The time will fly by!

 

[areweindisneyyet]

I love phoning Disney to pay more money for our Christmas trip which I did this morning.

I booked our accommodation in August last year and it seemed so far away and now it is creeping up on us.

We leave in just over 5 months, time sure flies. Last time we went DD2 waited in line to visit Santa at the Reindeer Round Up and chickened out at the last minute so this year WE WILL visit Santa.

It is winter in Oz, so we are enjoying all those yummy winter foods that star at Disney at Christmas. Hot chocolate weather and we baked lots of gingerbread yesterday so the house was filled with those cinnamon and ginger scents. I promise there is enough gingerbread men in my house to last until we leave

Fudge, Peppermint and Gingerbread here I come... I am looking forward to finding out about the candy cane dates when they are released. I think we might just have to try this adventure.

Again Sherry, thanks for this thread, it is full of Christmas information that you do need the answers to and also the answers to questions that you even didn't know that you need to ask. It is really worth the read. To everyone who shares, thank you for making the Christmas spirit last all year long.

 

[Sherry E]

You're welcome, areweindisneyyet

Thank you for the nice comments. And thank you for all of your wonderful contributions too! While the photos are necessary to show people what they have to look forward to, it is also equally important to have people here, ready to answer questions about the season and share their experiences! That is crucial! So everyone in this thread is a valuable part of a well-oiled machine!

That's right - I keep forgetting! While we are now plunging into the heat of the summer, you are enjoying your winter! I know it would seem so odd to me to visit Oz and smell gingerbread and peppermint in July! It must seem so odd to you to come here to the U.S. in November/December and drink hot cocoa! It must just feel 'off' in some way!

Speaking of the candy canes, I added a couple of extra things to the Info post (Post #3, Page 1) of this thread today, namely amamax2's helfpul tips on how to get the candy canes and a post from the Disney Food Blog about the candy canes. I also added in specialks' trip report from last year under the Trip Reports section! And I added in a link to Disneyland Fun Facts about the holidays under the Blogs category.

Tomorrow I fully intend to spend a chunk of time updating the Table of Contents with the latest photo contributions!

 

[disneymom23]

I hope they'll be doing the candy canes while we're there in December. Since we'll be there for 3 MM's, I'll gladly give one up to stand in line at the candy shop.

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

I love Disneyland at Christmas!! Last year, I went on New Years Day.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Since we are only less then 4 1/2 months until the Holiday season at DL, its time to start to post more pics during the Holiday season.

City Hall

MS USA with Holiday decorations

SB Castle

The Golden Horseshoe with Christmas Garland in Frontierland

Small tree in the L'Ornement Magique Store in NOS

Christmas Ornaments and tree inside the L'Ornement Magique Store in NOS

Ornament stand inside the Court of Angels in NOS

Christmas decorations in the Court of Angels in NOS

Hungry Bear Restaurant with Christmas Garlands in CC

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh with Christmas Garlands in CC

Downtown Disney Christmas Tree right in between DTD and the DLH

 

[Minnie Loves Mickey]

I just love seeing all the beautiful pictures on this thread.

 

[duckwife]

Okay, questions for the Christmas experts. Just looked at DS's school schedule and found that he has November 10-14 off so I figured that was a sign it was time for a DL trip! I was excited because I figured that the Christmastime would start Nov 12 as it did last year but then I found out it didn't start until the day we leave. I think we will stay one extra day so we can see some of the Christmas offerings but my question is, how much unofficial stuff will there be over the weekend (nov 12-13)?

 

[Sherry E]

Okay, questions for the Christmas experts. Just looked at DS's school schedule and found that he has November 10-14 off so I figured that was a sign it was time for a DL trip! I was excited because I figured that the Christmastime would start Nov 12 as it did last year but then I found out it didn't start until the day we leave. I think we will stay one extra day so we can see some of the Christmas offerings but my question is, how much unofficial stuff will there be over the weekend (nov 12-13)?

Hello, duckwife! Welcome!

The holiday season date changes every year, so it won't always be on a specific date. Usually, DLR starts its holiday seasons on Fridays, and usually after Veterans Day has passed - and it could be the Friday before Thanksgiving or 2 Fridays before Thanksgiving.

We were expecting the holidays to begin on either 11/11/11 or 11/18/11 this year. I kind of had a feeling that 11/11 might not be the date because it's Veterans Day and DLR might feel like it can't properly honor the Vets with all the opening day holiday hoopla. We are not exactly sure why the season is not beginning on 11/11 this year, but it seems like 11/18 was too late of a start date.

So, Monday, 11/14 became the official start date for this year!!

As for how much stuff will be there over the weekend leading up to 11/14, here's my opinion:

I think that because the season is beginning on such an odd day this year - a Monday instead of a Friday - there will most likely be soft openings of IASW Holiday over the weekend, intermittently if not steadily. I would almost put money on that happening.

It's also possible that the holiday parade taping will occur over the weekend (we don't know that yet).

You will see pretty much all of the decorations that are going to be up in the 2 parks, BUT you will not see any decorations in the hotels or in DTD - not even on 11/14. The hotels and DTD don't get their holiday makeover until Thanksgiving.

As for things like the Reindeer Round-Up, I don't expect that to open until 11/14. I don't think the snow on Main Street will fall until 11/14.

It's possible that the Winter Castle could light up in icicles at night before 11/14. I have a feeling they might do that. Maybe even the holiday fireworks.

About 95% of the treats and merchandise will be on sale.

Basically, because that will be a holiday weekend, technically, there will be more crowds and DLR will want to capitalize on it by rolling some things out early, before Monday, 11/14. If nothing else, I think you can almost bet on IASW Holiday being open off and on over that weekend!

If the season were to start on a Friday, as usual, I don't think there would be as much of a chance of early openings.

 

[duckwife]

Thanks! That was just the info I was looking for. I think we will extend our stay until the 15th to make sure we see the parade and fireworks and see the snow falling. We have never been at Christmas before so I can't be that close and not see it!! Hard to believe I am getting excited for Christmas when summer has barely started!

 

[Minnie Loves Mickey]

Has anyone received a discount offer for December yet?

 

[Sherry E]

Has anyone received a discount offer for December yet?

You know, I've seen a couple of people post on the DIS recently about getting a PIN that extended into November & mid-December after they did the Saved Offers trick or ordered a vacation planning DVD. But not many people. It seems like most folks have gotten PIN offers that only covered weeks in September or October so far, or they got e-mails from Disney Destinations that looked like there should be PIN's in them but which had no PIN codes at all!

I am thinking that DLR was running out of PIN codes (a lot of people were trying the Saved Offers trick) and we will probably have to wait until some of the current PIN's expire/cycle out before DLR starts sending out another wave of them that extend beyond November and into the first 2 weeks of December.

For example, the PIN that I have right now has to be claimed by July 20. It's good for the second half of October, but if I use it I have to book my hotel by July 20. I would imagine that many people who have received PIN's may forget to claim theirs by the "book by" date (especially if many people have the same "book by" date that I do, or close to it) and those PIN's will go to waste. But the good news will be that it will start a new cycle and DLR will probably begin to send out more PIN offers that extend into late Fall.

 

[KCmike]

 

[areweindisneyyet]

Bump - I leave in 5 months today towards Disney for Christmas

 

[Mexikolla]

I love this thread! It's good to know I'm not the only one that is such a nerd for Disneyland at Christmas time! We go every year... a tradition I INSISTED on starting

Last year I took (among other things) pictures of the decorated lamp posts...

I have more to share but these are all my lamp post photos.

 

[Mexikolla]

 

[A Small World]

I love looking at all these pictures - I cant wait to see it for myself in 5 mths time