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

[specialks]

So funniest thing. After our unexpectedly crowded early Dec trip last year, my DH is so NOT into Disney. However, we are considering a November Mexico cruise (to get my travel fix for the year). I am thinking maybe I could swing a quick visit to DLR before or after our cruise since we will be RIGHT there. It will definitely take my best puppy dog eyes to convince my true love that we need to see DLR...after all, I am taking a solo trip with my niece in January to run the TinkerBell 1/2 Marathon. I feel like we need a Christmas time do-over because we were so overwhelmed with the crowds that we never even saw the snow fall!!! So, any new info / leaks on when the Holiday season will kick off??

 

[rentayenta]

I'm glad you found us too! Funny thing is, I had just posted over in your thread and asked you to join us here...little did I know, you had already joined us here!

If the size of the thread is too daunting at first, start with the first 3 posts on Page 1 - the Welcome, the photo Table of Contents and the Info page w/ all the links, the Q&A and holiday treat information, etc. Those will be a good kick-off to the holiday season details and then, hopefully, if you have time you can read through some of the further pages.

Last year the CM parties took place one week later than they normally do. Typically they occur on the Monday and Tuesday right after the Candlelight Processional (which will be Sat., 12/3 and Sun., 12/4 this year). But last year the CM parties were delayed by one week - and we don't know why that happened or if that will be the case again this year, or if they will resume their original schedule. But you will miss those nights, in any case, because your trip is in November.

There will be quite a few of us - just based on what has been posted in this thread alone - who will be at DLR when you are there! That post-Thanksgiving time frame is supposed to be delightful in terms of lower crowds and full holiday experience!

Hopefully we won't run into CP or the CM parties.


I just told DH I booked the GCV after Thanksgiving just in case and he started laughing. He said: if you booked, we're going, we've had this conversation for 14 years (married 18, oldest DD is 14). Gawd, I love that man! Hope my wait-list comes thru for the last 2 nights but if not, I'll can always book the DLH with points or try for the DVC cash discount at the GCV. But between us, 3 days would suit me fine but I'd never tell him that.

I'll keep my eye open for meets Sherry.

 

[Sherry E]

So funniest thing. After our unexpectedly crowded early Dec trip last year, my DH is so NOT into Disney. However, we are considering a November Mexico cruise (to get my travel fix for the year). I am thinking maybe I could swing a quick visit to DLR before or after our cruise since we will be RIGHT there. It will definitely take my best puppy dog eyes to convince my true love that we need to see DLR...after all, I am taking a solo trip with my niece in January to run the TinkerBell 1/2 Marathon. I feel like we need a Christmas time do-over because we were so overwhelmed with the crowds that we never even saw the snow fall!!! So, any new info / leaks on when the Holiday season will kick off??

specialks - I hope you get a Christmas do-over! I think you bring up an interesting point about crowds which I wanted to comment on, but let me answer your question first.

So far, we are all still assuming - just based on the last 2 holiday seasons' start dates - that the official start date will be 11/11/11. It could be 11/18/11. I don't think it would be any later than 11/18. Some people are okay with going before the season "officially" begins because they only want to see a few decorations and that's it...but if you want IASW Holiday, the parade, the nighttime Winter Castle, and, in your case, especially, the snowfall on Main Street, you want to be there on the day of or after the season officially begins because none of that stuff will be happening until that date. If you want to be there when the entire Resort is decked out and in full swing - meaning all of the merriment at the GCH and the other 2 hotels and DTD - you'd have to go right after Thanksgiving, because that's when all of that kicks in.

Anyway, you mentioned the unexpected crowds in early December last year. I can't recall what your dates were, but I seem to think they were not too far away from mine. I was there from December 12-15. Weren't your dates right around that time? Or am I losing my mind?

I noticed that the first 3 days of my trip were much, much busier than I expected, especially considering that the trip began on a Sunday and the other days were early weekdays. I didn't begin to notice a real drop in crowd levels until my last day - Wednesday, December 15. Monday and Tuesday were Cast Member party days and everything, and yet the crowds were still heavy during the day. I had heard that crowds on CM party days were not bad, but I didn't find that to be the case. I thought they were pretty substantial.

I think what you said about not being able to do certain things due to the crowds and your DH's subsequent feeling about going back is important to note! Even though we always tell people on here to prepare for crowds, expect the worst so that it won't seem so bad when you get there, plan, plan, plan, make lists, etc., the bottom line is that there are certain time frames in which extremely heavy crowds are generally not expected, or there will be times when crowds catch us ALL off guard. There are times when everyone is back at work and school and you simply don't expect to see huge crowds everywhere you go.

Or, like in my case in 2009, when I went to DLR on the same exact weekend (pre-Christmas) that I had gone in 2007 and 2008, I was not expecting enormous crowds because the crowds had not been as enormous for the previous 2 years! I was taken aback by how large the crowds were, and, frankly, I just was so bothered by it all that I felt my overall trip was affected because I couldn't get in the full swing and do the things I wanted to do. I had fun anyway, of course, but I couldn't even get back into the alley ways of NOS because they were jam-packed with people! Running into crowds when you don't expect them can really, really affect your mood and your motivation to want to get things done. So I can totally empathize with you!

I must say that last year's multi-day trip was better for me than my trip in 2009 - it a different time in December and more time to do what I wanted to do - but still, I was not expecting such large crowds on 12/12 - 12/14.

So as much as we all advise everyone to plan and prepare and expect and all of that, sometimes the crowds will just catch you off guard anyway and you are thrown for a loop. And different people will handle it in different ways - some people will not view the crowds as being that bad, and other people will find them to be very bad.

 

[specialks]

specialks - I hope you get a Christmas do-over!

Me too!

So far, we are all still assuming - just based on the last 2 holiday seasons' start dates - that the official start date will be 11/11/11. It could be 11/18/11. I don't think it would be any later than 11/18. Some people are okay with going before the season "officially" begins because they only want to see a few decorations and that's it...but if you want IASW Holiday, the parade, the nighttime Winter Castle, and, in your case, especially, the snowfall on Main Street, you want to be there on the day of or after the season officially begins because none of that stuff will be happening until that date. If you want to be there when the entire Resort is decked out and in full swing - meaning all of the merriment at the GCH and the other 2 hotels and DTD - you'd have to go right after Thanksgiving, because that's when all of that kicks in.

The resort decor doesn't matter so much. We just want to maybe catch the fireworks & snowfall. Also, I would like to ride IASW at night.

Anyway, you mentioned the unexpected crowds in early December last year. I can't recall what your dates were, but I seem to think they were not too far away from mine. I was there from December 12-15. Weren't your dates right around that time? Or am I losing my mind?

Yep, we were there Dec 7-14.

I think what you said about not being able to do certain things due to the crowds and your DH's subsequent feeling about going back is important to note! Even though we always tell people on here to prepare for crowds, expect the worst so that it won't seem so bad when you get there, plan, plan, plan, make lists, etc., the bottom line is that there are certain time frames in which extremely heavy crowds are generally not expected, or there will be times when crowds catch us ALL off guard. There are times when everyone is back at work and school and you simply don't expect to see huge crowds everywhere you go.

Or, like in my case in 2009, when I went to DLR on the same exact weekend (pre-Christmas) that I had gone in 2007 and 2008, I was not expecting enormous crowds because the crowds had not been as enormous for the previous 2 years! I was taken aback by how large the crowds were, and, frankly, I just was so bothered by it all that I felt my overall trip was affected because I couldn't get in the full swing and do the things I wanted to do. I had fun anyway, of course, but I couldn't even get back into the alley ways of NOS because they were jam-packed with people! Running into crowds when you don't expect them can really, really affect your mood and your motivation to want to get things done. So I can totally empathize with you!

Exactly! Really threw us off and I hate it that we let it get to us and lost the magic!!!

So as much as we all advise everyone to plan and prepare and expect and all of that, sometimes the crowds will just catch you off guard anyway and you are thrown for a loop. And different people will handle it in different ways - some people will not view the crowds as being that bad, and other people will find them to be very bad.

Yep, we are not good crowd people and we just couldn't turn our attitudes around fast enough to be able to enjoy the trip as much as previous Sept trips.

 

[CandyMouse]

We're going that weekend. I rang up GCH to talk about booking with them and mentioned I was worried about the crowds. The cm (who was lovely) said that out of all the holidays, Thanksgiving was the least crazy.

I hope that helps.

Thank-you that does help, I think Thanksgiving is going to be my goal for our next trip! I've only been to Disneyland in the summer and spring break, so it doesn't sound any worse on crowds. Also thanks Marie for your Thanksgiving day reply! Sounds pretty good to me!

 

[Sherry E]

A couple of things, which are not really holiday related, but, at the same time, sort of are....

1. I am guessing that many of you are following other breaking news on this board and have heard that the ticket and AP prices are going up in 2 days - on June 12. There is a blog about it on the Disney Parks Blog.

The fact that the prices are going up is not shocking. And, to me, the fact that the Premium AP's will fall just shy of $500 is not shocking (although it's painful!) because there is so much work going on at DLR that a lofty price hike was inevitable.

But, what surprised me is that the ticket prices are going up in 2 days! In 2007, the prices went up in September, over HalloweenTime's opening weekend. In 2008, 2009 and 2010, the prices went up in early August (or was 2010 a July increase?). Now they are going up in June - right in time for the peak summer season!

So...if there is anyone out there who is planning on making a trip to DLR during the holidays and who was holding out on ordering your tickets or AP's online because you were waiting for a deal of some kind, I would order the tickets now, before Sunday!! Or if you have several tickets to get and can't get them all at once due to finances, at least order one or two of them now to save some money! The e-tickets will be good until December 31, so you don't have to worry about them expiring.


And...


2. The other breaking news on the DLR forum this week is that ElecTRONica will be continuing at DCA into Spring of 2012.

Now, ElecTRONica is a polarizing subject - some people absolutely love it and others think it has no place in a Disney park. Whether or not I, personally, am interested in seeing ElecTRONica is beside the point.

The thing that bothers me about the continuation of this event is that it directly impacts both the Halloween season decor/entertainment (no Halloween music playing) and the Christmas season decor/entertainment at DLR (Hollywood Backlot, in particular). Although I don't think ElecTRONica will continue once the 1920's Los Angeles theme is in full swing at DCA, it's there now.

ElecTRONica's mere existence has contributed largely to the removal of any traces of Halloween decor, leaving DCA virtually uninvolved in the Halloween season altogether. A couple of CM's have even told me as much - that due to ElecTRONica, Disney felt that any sort of Halloween celebration in DCA would clash - it wouldn't fit. So Halloween will again be non-existent in DCA.

And because of ElecTRONica, all the holiday decorations that used to adorn the street in the Hollywood area of DCA will not be there - no candy cane garland, no bell garland, etc. No wreaths hanging from the elephants at the entrance to the area.

DCA will not have its familiar candy cane-striped CALIFORNIA letters this year, and the Golden Gate Bridge will either be deconstructed by the holiday season or it will probably be lacking any holiday decor. And the fact that ElecTRONica is continuing means that, once again, there will be no decor in the Hollywood Backlot.

So....will there be ANY Christmas decorations at all in DCA? Well, hopefully A Bug's Land will still have its giant ornaments and hopefully Santa will still take his post by the tree over in the Paradise Pier area, but the decor in DCA is minimal compared to DL to begin with. I'm not sure there will be much else.

 

[NewbieMouse]

So...if there is anyone out there who is planning on making a trip to DLR during the holidays and who was holding out on ordering your tickets or AP's online because you were waiting for a deal of some kind, I would order the tickets now, before Sunday!! Or if you have several tickets to get and can't get them all at once due to finances, at least order one or two of them now to save some money! The e-tickets will be good until December 31, so you don't have to worry about them expiring.

I am running the math on all of this today for this very reason, Sherry!

Does anyone remember what the hotel deal was last fall? I'm debating an AP purchase to get the discount on the GCH and am trying to work out what would be best... If the deal could be 30% off anyway and that's as high as the AP discount gets, I might hold off, or get tickets instead of an AP for me and tickets for everyone else. So much to think about in such a short time!

 

[Sherry E]

I am running the math on all of this today for this very reason, Sherry!

Does anyone remember what the hotel deal was last fall? I'm debating an AP purchase to get the discount on the GCH and am trying to work out what would be best... If the deal could be 30% off anyway and that's as high as the AP discount gets, I might hold off, or get tickets instead of an AP for me and tickets for everyone else. So much to think about in such a short time!

You're right! So much to think about in a short time! I don't think anyone anticipated ticket prices going up in June, given the past few years' August pattern. In fact, in 2007 the prices went up in mid-September! I would guess that people are now trying to quickly crunch numbers to find out if it's possible to at least get some of their tickets before the increase tomorrow.

I'n the process of trying to let my out of state friends know about this price hike (because they are planning DLR trips this year)!:, I feel like I am warning them with the same urgency that I would use if they were about to get run over by a train! I feel like saying, "Run! Save yourself! Quickly! Order your tickets before it's too late! Hurry!"



Let's see...the hotel deals last year....Well, first you should know that the good AP hotel rates for December may not come out until November. Be prepared for that, just in case. They used to come out around 3 months before December, but last year I checked the AP hotel calendar repeatedly all the way up until mid-late November and there were no good rates appearing for December. The only AP prices showing were the standard 10% off prices. I finally gave up on checking,and I stuck with the PIN code rate I had.

My guess is that DLR is now holding off on releasing rooms to AP holders at the really great rates until close to the last minute because they are trying to get more room bookings at the regular rack rates. The more people who visit DLR, they probably assume there are more chances of people being willing to pay top dollar for those hotels, or pay for rooms at lesser discounts. Sometimes they will still put good AP rates out 3 months in advance for other months, but for times like October and December - Halloween Time and Christmas time - DLR holds out on the good rates. Or at least that is what I noticed last year and in 2009. Maybe this year will be different, but who knows?

If I'm not mistaken, I think the AP rates are generally about 30-35% off regular rack rates for all 3 hotels.

I think there were deals on the GCH last year for 40% off advertised on the DLR website, but those did not extend into December at all. I think they reduced the discount to 30-35% after the initial promo ended.





You could try the "Saved Offers" trick that I have been recommending to people and see what happens - it can't hurt. That's where you create a MyDisneyland account on the DLR website, plug in your travel dates for the hotel you want at the current price they are showing for those dates, and Save the offer that comes up, using the Save tab at the bottom of each offer. It will save to your MyDisneyland account.

Leave the Saved Offer there in your account, and don't book anything or pay for anything. After a while, when DLR sees that you are NOT booking at their crazy prices, they will most likely offer you a better rate. It worked for me last year, and it worked for several other DIS'ers last year and this year. I suggested the Saved Offers trick to someone and they got a PIN code for the GCH that was 40% off, and they were able to use it for their holiday trip!!

Another DIS'er just got a PIN code by doing Saved Offers a few days ago, and was offered a rate for the GCH that was $247, I think, and it extended into mid-December. That's probably about 35% off, maybe 40%. The PPH rate involved in that PIN was $163 (which is what I had last year, and that's 35% off the PPH rates). I forget what the DLH rate was.

 

[NewbieMouse]

Thank you, Sherry! Lots to think about. I saw that PIN code offer on another thread - how I covet that rate! I have two saved offers - one for a GCH package and one for hotel room only - crossing my fingers I will get a pin code.

My big debate today is do I (2) buy an AP with the assumption that I could get a 30% discount, and tickets for everyone else before the price goes up tomorrow, (b) Buy tickets for all of us today, and hope that some sort of hotel deal will be released in the fall that makes the GCH cheaper than $415 per night. If not, I guess I'd just keep my PVI or BWPPI reservation.

The risk of buying the AP is that a significant enough discount doesn't come up for us to stay at the GCH. Then I'd be the only one without a MM, as the others would have hoppers and we'd have no hotel key to get in early. What do you think the chances of a decent non-AP deal is to come up at the GCH? Option B is the least risky.

Either way, something needs to be purchased today for sure.

 

[Sherry E]

Thank you, Sherry! Lots to think about. I saw that PIN code offer on another thread - how I covet that rate! I have two saved offers - one for a GCH package and one for hotel room only - crossing my fingers I will get a pin code.

My big debate today is do I (2) buy an AP with the assumption that I could get a 30% discount, and tickets for everyone else before the price goes up tomorrow, (b) Buy tickets for all of us today, and hope that some sort of hotel deal will be released in the fall that makes the GCH cheaper than $415 per night. If not, I guess I'd just keep my PVI or BWPPI reservation.

The risk of buying the AP is that a significant enough discount doesn't come up for us to stay at the GCH. Then I'd be the only one without a MM, as the others would have hoppers and we'd have no hotel key to get in early. What do you think the chances of a decent non-AP deal is to come up at the GCH? Option B is the least risky.

Either way, something needs to be purchased today for sure.

What are your trip dates again? I know you've posted them but I can't recall. They are mid-December-ish, right? Earlier than the dates you went last year, as I recall.

Well, based on your scenario and based on the unpredictable way/timing in which DLR has been handling its 'good' AP rates for the hotels - which could be anywhere from a 30-40% discount - I tend to agree with you that Option B sounds the least risky. If MM is something that's important to you to be able to enjoy and you don't want to risk being the only one left out of MM, then I'd just go ahead and get tickets for all of you today, before those prices hike up. Unless you just had to have the AP for the other discounts it includes, may as well skip it and just get tickets.

It's too iffy as to whether or not DLR will even release any good AP rates for the 3 hotels, and if they do, will it be in enough time for you to be able to actually take advantage of them? As I said in my other post, last year I was checking that pesky hotel calendar all the way up until mid to late November for AP rates that would have been better than the $163 PIN code I got for the PPH - and I was looking at all 3 hotels - and nothing showed up during the time I was looking. So if any good rates ever did come up on the AP site, it would have been at the very end of November or early December.

It's almost kind of like DLR wants to sneak those good rates in there at the 11th hour so that no one will see them!

I think if you stick with your Option B (or 2), you will probably get lucky and get a PIN code based on your 2 Saved offers. It may take a while - I was actually shocked that the other DIS'er (usedmedia) received the PIN offers that extend into December now! I expected DLR to not send out those offers via e-mail until the end of Summer. So you may have to wait a month or two before they send you a better offer, but when they see you are not booking the GCH at the ridiculous current rates, I'm sure they will send you something better. And if you didn't put any money down yet on the BWPPI or PVI, you could just book at one of those places and then switch over to GCH as soon as the good offer came in.

 

[NewbieMouse]

You're a pro, Sherry. I don't know what us Holiday DISers would do without you on here!

Our dates are December 13 - 17th. I'm not set on definitely having to do the GCH, but it would be nice, but risking getting shut out of MM would really hurt my feelings. I think I'm going to do option B and pray for a hotel deal. I will make sure my saved offer stays on there - I think they expire after a month so I have had to go in and re-save it. I want that PIN code SO BAD!

 

[areweindisneyyet]

Just added two more days to the start of our Christmas at Disney trip.

When speaking with reservations I asked about the meals on Christmas Day and apart from the 60 day out reservation, I was told that the hotels do offer a special holiday dining option.

I shall keep asking questions, and get to the bottom of this!

Two more days of a Disney Christmas

 

[Sherry E]

Just added two more days to the start of our Christmas at Disney trip.

When speaking with reservations I asked about the meals on Christmas Day and apart from the 60 day out reservation, I was told that the hotels do offer a special holiday dining option.

I shall keep asking questions, and get to the bottom of this!

Two more days of a Disney Christmas

Woo hoo! You added days! So now how many days in DLR is that going to be all together? I'm so happy for you - 2 extra days of magic!

If I keep the current 7-day reservation at the PPH for late November/early Christmas, it will be my longest stay at DLR and my longest trip to DLR, ever. My original plan was to cut off a couple of days once I narrow down which of my friends are joining me at which times. But even 5 nights on-property would be longer than any of my previous stays!

And I wouldn't have it any other way!

 

[NewbieMouse]

Sherry, when they send out PIN codes is it usually just for one of the hotels, or does it include a choice of the three hotels? I have three saved offers in there now (one for each hotel), but I really want the GCH.

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry, when they send out PIN codes is it usually just for one of the hotels, or does it include a choice of the three hotels? I have three saved offers in there now (one for each hotel), but I really want the GCH.

I've heard of it happening in a few ways.

When I saved the PPH offer last year, DLR sent me a specific PPH PIN code for $163.

Another DIS'er tried the same trick for the PPH last year and also got the same $163 offer.

Yet another DIS'er saved offers for both GCH and PPH, and she received a PIN code for both hotels. BUT, her PPH PIN code was slightly higher than the $163 that the other DIS'er and I received, if I recall correctly. Somehow it seemed like saving offers for more than one hotel increased the price on the PIN!

Another DIS'er saved a rate for the GCH only, and received a 40% discount PIN - not sure what the dollar amount was, but that's the rate they wanted.

This year, fellow DIS'er usedmedia, I think, saved offers for all 3 hotels and received the PIN for $163 at PPH, $247 at GCH and whatever the amount was for DLH.

So you may get a PIN that gives you rates for all 3 hotels!

 

[Kauinohea]

I am REALLY hoping for a pin code too and praying that one comes my way before my Christmas dates get all taken.....oh well, if we aren't able to stay on site we still have reservations at BWPPI!

 

[Sherry E]

I am REALLY hoping for a pin code too and praying that one comes my way before my Christmas dates get all taken.....oh well, if we aren't able to stay on site we still have reservations at BWPPI!

I hope you get one too (you, and NewbieMouse and anyone else who is hoping for one!)! That's the key - keeping a reservation somewhere else (like BWPPI) to make sure you're covered until a PIN offer comes through. Then you can switch over to the Disney hotel.

I actually had no idea that the Saved Offers in our My Disneyland accounts expire after 30 days until NewbieMouse and someone else mentioned it. I guess that when I did my Saved Offers trick last year and got my PPH PIN code, the dates I wanted to visit were only within a couple of months of when I got the PIN, so I didn't get to the 30-day point because I pretty much booked the PIN within a week or so after receiving it.

So It's good to know about that 30-day expiration on the Saved Offers, just in case DLR doesn't send out anything within that time. Then everyone will have to re-save!

 

[tksbaskets]

Woo hoo! You added days! So now how many days in DLR is that going to be all together? I'm so happy for you - 2 extra days of magic!

If I keep the current 7-day reservation at the PPH for late November/early Christmas, it will be my longest stay at DLR and my longest trip to DLR, ever. My original plan was to cut off a couple of days once I narrow down which of my friends are joining me at which times. But even 5 nights on-property would be longer than any of my previous stays!

And I wouldn't have it any other way!

This sounds like a wonderful trip! I have a question about the cost of the DL tickets going up...if I purchase them and they expire on 12/31....if I arrive 12/31 and use them for 6 days am I OK?

Thanks,
TK

 

[GrandBob]

This sounds like a wonderful trip! I have a question about the cost of the DL tickets going up...if I purchase them and they expire on 12/31....if I arrive 12/31 and use them for 6 days am I OK?

Thanks,
TK

Yep! They just need to be activated by 12/31. After that (assuming you have multi-day tickets and not APs), you have 14 days to use the entrances that you have on your ticket. Enjoy!

-Bob

 

[Sherry E]

NewbieMouse and Kauinohea (and everyone else who "Saved" offers on the DLR website and is waiting for a PIN code) - I JUST GOT ANOTHER PIN CODE OFFER!

Actually, to be honest, the dates I plugged in were for early October - like October 7th-ish to 9th or 10th. I was looking at possible Halloween trips (just a short one, as the Christmas trip is the big trip). Once again, I saved the offer - for PPH only. This was just a few days ago - not long at all.

Today, I receved an e-mail with a PIN code for the PPH - $163 again, the GCH - $247, and the DLH - $180-something.

BUT - here is the catch. This time, the dates are very limited. In fact, DLR is not letting me use the PIN for the dates I plugged in. They are letting me use the PIN for something like 10/17 - 10/31, which is actually NOT when I really wanted to go. Hmmm.....

So, I am glad to say that the "Saved Offer" trick is alive and kicking and still working, even though I didn't get the specific dates I wanted in October. I might still use it, though, if I have $$$.