As for your comment for Belledozer of which days to go to DL, I would also go during the first week of December just as Sherry suggested. Most of the Holiday decors are already up and the GCH would all be decorated for the Holiday season. When I did a trip in November during last year, most of the decorations, food and merchandise are not out there during the 2nd weekend of the Holiday season. I thought going the 2nd weekend of the holiday season was one of lowest crowds I have ever been to. To enjoy a nice time at DL with low crowds, the 2nd week during the Holiday season is a good time to go.
I mostly go the 2nd weekend of December during the Holiday season since it is during my birthday week. And it can be really crowded or barely any people. In the past we talked about that the 2nd week of December to be average crowds. But it has picked up the last couple of years with more people going the 2nd weekend of December. I didn't go last year since I was in WDW and will be back there later this year.
Just as Sherry mentioned that the first weekend is mostly the CM parties and the CP. The CP is so popular that Time Square is so busy in the afternoon that you can barely walk down MS.
Thank you for giving your feedback, Bret! I was hoping you and some of the other folks would jump in with opinions, so I'm glad you did!
Am I considered a seasoned DLR holiday vet? I never even considered it, lol.
Let's see ... from my experiences this year I had a trip in early December and late December (after Christmas and through New Years). I'm probably not the best to ask crowd wise as I'm not really that adverse to them. So long as you are expecting crowds and can prepare yourself (be it mentally or strategically) I've never found them to bother me. I still get everything I want to do done, and then some. Although I can see how that could cause a problem for others. It's just not my first thought.
I went in early'ish December in 2010. I think around the end of the first week and so on. The crowds were so-so in my opinion and the weather seemed Decent enough. It just really feels Holiday'ish then, compared to when I got my second trip in, which was after Christmas and over New Years. Yes, decorations are still up but it's not the same. Santa has flown the coop and yada yada yada.
I totally wish I could get another trip in this year. But I doubt I'd be able to afford it (especially with another girls-only trip at the end of February 2012) and with a possible new job I've no idea what getting time off will be like.
Jessica - Sure! Of course you are a seasoned vet! You had a good number of days spent at DLR during this past holiday season - both pre-and post-Christmas - and I knew you were there early in the month so you had direct experience with that week and could comment on it!
Your AP expires in early December, doesn't it? So that deadline will be there to tempt you. It will be looming ominously, beckoning you to make one last holiday jaunt before it expires!
But, as you say, if you get the new job it may be tricky getting time off for a while, at least so soon.
Hope you all dont mind if i join you.
We are planning our December trip now, so looking forward to being back in Disneyland, could do without the 12 hour flight to get there but hey you gotta make sacrifices i guess.
We are looking at getting into LA on 26th November and heading back home about 19th December so will be a nice long trip. We are going to get premium APs since we are planning our next trip to be in October 2012 so figure we can get 2 trips out of the annual pass.
So excited about coming back, this will be our 3rd trip and swear everyone we know thinks we are crazy for going back again but we love it.
Planning on staying at the Anaheim Plaza again, we stayed there last time and were happy with it, just waiting on the plane fares to come down a bit, we will hopefully book everything in about May.
Hope to chat with you all soon
Ihaveamickeymousekid - Welcome!
Of course we don't mind if you join us! In fact, the more, the merrier. We want people to join us, and either share their knowledge and photos from their own previous DLR holiday trips OR subscribe/follow the thread to help plan for their future DLR holiday trips.
You're right - you are definitely going to have a nice, long trip! Wow! Will all of that time be spent at DLR, or are you going to venture into other parts of L.A./SoCal?
I think that getting the AP's sounds like a great idea. First of all, it will be ideal for the long trip in December. Then, as you said, you can get in an October trip in 2012 (be sure to join us over in the Halloween Superthread too!). It's great timing because you will get to see all the new attractions the makeover of DCA as it happens. This year will be the Little Mermaid ride and Star Tours 2.0. Next year, CarsLand should be open for business by the time you go in October. Really, I think all the major work should be done by that time next year, including the new DCA entrance and the trolley/street car. It's an exciting time.
Also, of course, the AP's offer nice discounts around DLR, which come in handy!
You said this will be your third trip to DLR - but this will be your actual first holiday trip, or have you been there for Christmas time before? If this is your first holiday trip, you are in for a treat! You have a lot to look forward to! If you've been there for the holiday season before, then you already know how special it is!
Sherry, after our last trip to the mouse in Feb, us as a family swore off DL as our next family trip in 3 or 4 years. The kids keep bugging me about when we are going back to the mouse, and I've got a secret craving to either surprise the kids in 2013 or 2014, depending on how long it's going to take me to save up the cash with either a trip to DL either at Halloween time, or Christmas time. I had a blast during my Halloween trip last year, and either want to experience it with the kids or take a chance and visit DL during Christmas time. DH is game for either DL again if the kids and I want to go, providing it's during one of the special seasons of the parks. So we'll have to see how it goes, and see if I can talk DH into another trip to the mouse. Just find it to be a cheaper vacation for us than flying to any other destination. And for the record we kept the Feb trip from the kids until we were 10mins from the border. They accused us of lying, and didn't fully realize that we were actually going to the mouse until we got into the border lineup. Even then they kept asking us for a couple of days afterwards if we were really going to DL
. I fooled them really good!
Trish - That's right! I'd forgotten that your long Halloween trip (9 days, wasn't it?) was all solo! I hope you all don't have to wait until 2013 or 2014 to visit for Christmas (or Halloween). But when you do get there - whether it's sooner or later - it will be worth it - even if your kids don't believe you and think you're lying again!
Since you made such a long Halloween trip, you pretty much know the Halloween season inside and out. As long as you enjoy the Christmas season in general (and some people don't, so that's a big factor), I think you would love DLR during the holidays. As fun and festive as Halloween Time is, there is so much more to the holiday season. It really is much more extensive - in all of the hotels and in DTD, everywhere. There are Christmas trees galore (see the "Trees/Tree Quest" section of the Table of Contents on Page 1, Post#2). It's really very magical and wonderful.
At the risk of asking an already asked question...
We're currently planning to be in the park on Christmas Day. We spent Thanksgiving at Disneyland several years ago and remember the wonderful Thanksgiving dinner buffet at the Disneyland Hotel. I'm assuming something like this goes on for Christmas Dinner, but does anyone know the costs?
spiderdust - Don't worry about asking an already asked question! But you know, this is when we need some of our Christmas Day DLR visitors from last year to chime in (lapdwife, where are you??). Don't hold me to this, because I could be very wrong, but why do I seem to remember someone saying that there was no holiday buffet last year at the DLH? Again, I could be totally imagining that, but I could swear that someone told us there was no Christmas buffet in the DLH and that they would have to have a meal at one of the other restaurants. Hopefully, someone who was there over the actual Christmas holiday can jump in soon and either confirm or deny what I think I remember!
There definitely used to be a Christmas buffet at the DLH at some point. Perhaps they opted not to have it last year because Goofy's Kitchen was temporarily moved to the banquet room while it was being worked on.
I took this excerpt from some of the 2010 food-related information I posted on Page 1, Post 3 - it was part of a MousePlanet article, I think:
Holiday entrees and meals
While menu specifics were not yet available, look for special holiday-themed entrees at Plaza Inn, Rancho del Zocalo and Red Rocket's Pizza Port. Plaza Inn, Carnation, Blue Bayou, Cafe Orleans, Wine Country Trattoria, Storytellers Café, Steakhouse 55, and PCH Grill will all offer special holiday menus on Thanksgiving and Christmas days, and reservations are now being accepted. Call 714-781-DINE to book your reservation.
I would assume that if there had been a Christmas buffet last year, there would have been some mention of it in this paragraph. I can't say for sure, though.
The first week in December is my favorite week to go!
goldies 5 - I thought I remembered that you liked the early part of December! Glad to know I wasn't imagining it! Thanks so much for jumping in!
We just booked the girls and my flight on points, so I am pumped! We'll be in the park Dec 13-16.
I've gotten wind of this "Mickey's Christmas Party" talk, and I'm not sure I really understand how that might work. Can anyone enlighten me?
NewbieMouse - Woo hoo! Your second holiday trip is on its way!
So far, there is no official word on a Christmas Party yet. There has been lots of speculation and discussion. It seems inevitable that there will be a party because the Halloween party is so popular, and because the Christmas party at WDW is so popular. I think it's just a matter of when and where it will happen.
If DLR were to have a party this year, for example, and they held it in Disneyland, that would most likely be controversial because they would have to have something as the selling point of the party to get people to buy tickets. If they made the Christmas Fantasy Parade or Believe...In Holiday Magic fireworks party exclusives, that means they would be removing things that have been part of the regular holiday entertainment schedule for years and years and years, and making them exclusive. People would probably be ticked. Also, as you know, the parade (with seats) was a selling point of the holiday tour, so if that became exclusive to a party it would most likely have to be removed from the tour...another controversial decision.
Now they
could always decide to start off by having the party in DCA instead of DL - and make a holiday version of World of Color the highlight. That would be something that was brand new to everyone, so it would not be like they were holding any existing entertainment hostage to a party. But if they were to hold it in DCA, it wouldn't be this year, I'm sure. Too much construction.
There has also been talk of the Candlelight Processional moving to DCA. If that happens, then I think the party will be held in DL. That way each park could have a signature holiday event.
One thing I can tell you is that if DLR has any 'new' stuff up its sleeve for this year - such as a Christmas party - we will probably hear about it on the Parks Blog or on Disneyland News within the next couple of months. It seems like when they add in new things or make significant changes to a season, they let the info out early on (such as Halloween Screams debuting in 2009 and the Halloween party moving to DL last year).
Thank you, tksbaskets.
So we don't know if this year they will resume their usual schedule or happen later.
) But we do plan on a day trip to Universal Studios and maybe Legoland if its worth doing?
