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

[rentayenta]

rnewton2 -

This is the first time the holiday season will extend quite so far into January, officially. Normally it ends several days earlier. So this will be uncharted territory for us, as we have no idea what the crowds will be like in this particular scenario.

Like you said, I have to think that many people will have returned back to work and school by January 4th, and the parks will empty out quite a bit.

At the same time, because it will be still "officially" be the holiday season and we assume that means that all the seasonal offerings will still be going on through January 8th, I do think that this will attract more people to the parks during that week who may not have been there otherwise.

I don't think it will be as crowded as it would be before Christmas and New Year's, by a long shot, BUT it will be an opportunity for anyone who is not able to get to DLR pre-New Year's to see the holiday stuff. In fact, many people may choose to go during that time because they feel it will be a great time to experience some holiday magic with lower crowds.





You mean 99 days until your trip begins? Is that 11/27?

Then that means 100 days for me!!! I'm right on your heels!

99 days until we arrive at Disneyland. Our trip begins 11/23. I am so excited I can hardly think straight. The sights, the smells, the tastes.........

 

[Sherry E]

99 days until we arrive at Disneyland. Our trip begins 11/23. I am so excited I can hardly think straight. The sights, the smells, the tastes.........

I agree. I said it before and will say it again - I am in need of some holiday cheer or Christmas magic or whatever we want to call it. Whatever it is, I need it!

I will miss the candy cane CALIFORNIA letters and the decorated Golden Gate Bridge. I have no idea what DCA will look like, holiday-wise, this year - but as long as A Bug's Land is still decorated and there is a tree in the park somewhere, I'll deal with it. However, DL, DTD and the hotels should be in full swing. I can't wait to sit on Main Street again, and listen to the vehicle drivers beep out some seasonal tunes on their horns! For some reason, that brings me great joy! I also really enjoy wandering from land to land and listening to the different styles of holiday music, based on the theme of the land.

I'm over this Summer already - time for the holidays!!

 

[Jillchristina]

You mean 99 days until your trip begins? Is that 11/27?

Then that means 100 days for me!!! I'm right on your heels!

Me too! I CAN'T wait! This is going to be a fabulous trip.

 

[Jillchristina]

xx

 

[jernysgirl]

99 days !!!​

Not to brag or anything.... but I only have 82 left! I am SOOOOO ready to be there!

 

[A Small World]

We've a bit longer - just over 100 days but Im getting so excited.

You are all making it so exciting - I cant wait to see it all for myself. I love Christmas and love Disney so the 2 together are perfect.
Its also my first Disney trip with no children which will make it different as well

 

[areweindisneyyet]

13 weeks til I can book my seats for the Holiday Tour.

Less than 16 weeks until I leave... Checking out Aulani on my way over.

Time is flying by. Soon we will be roasting chestnuts on an open fire.

 

[Sherry E]

13 weeks til I can book my seats for the Holiday Tour.

Less than 16 weeks until I leave... Checking out Aulani on my way over.

Time is flying by. Soon we will be roasting chestnuts on an open fire.

As tired as I was of that parade theme song during my trip last year (I seemed to keep running into it, wherever I went), I am almost looking forward to hearing it!! A little time heals all wounds, and now I am ready to face the theme song once again!

 

[ukstitch]

As tired as I was of that parade theme song during my trip last year (I seemed to keep running into it, wherever I went), I am almost looking forward to hearing it!! A little time heals all wounds, and now I am ready to face the theme song once again!

I seem to have totally forgotten what it sounds like - good job I'm going back this year :good vibes

Edit: much better - 2 minutes on youtube and it all comes flooding back

 

[Sherry E]

I seem to have totally forgotten what it sounds like - good job I'm going back this year :good vibes

Edit: much better - 2 minutes on youtube and it all comes flooding back

Hi, ukstitch! Welcome to this thread! I think the last time I saw you around was on the Halloween thread. Eventually, most of our Halloween thread followers end up over on this one too! Glad to see you are a fan of both seasons at DLR!

I am almost half-tempted to pull up that darn parade song on YouTube and remind myself of it, even though I can hear it so vividly in my head! It just seemed like no matter where I was in Disneyland, I could hear that song! The parade seemed to be going on all the time! I know it wasn't, but it sure seemed like it.

 

[pattyduke34]

I love the pictures areweindisneyyet!! The veiw of the parade with the castle in that background is great! Last night my daughter and I made our countdown calendar. We are in the double digits!! Now the real serious planning begins!

 

[ukstitch]

Hi, ukstitch! Welcome to this thread! I think the last time I saw you around was on the Halloween thread. Eventually, most of our Halloween thread followers end up over on this one too! Glad to see you are a fan of both seasons at DLR!

I am almost half-tempted to pull up that darn parade song on YouTube and remind myself of it, even though I can hear it so vividly in my head! It just seemed like no matter where I was in Disneyland, I could hear that song! The parade seemed to be going on all the time! I know it wasn't, but it sure seemed like it.

I seem to be alternating season - I've now done two Halloweens and this is my second christmas. Halloween happens to be our school holiday time so it works better with children, but I prefer Christmas for an adults only trip

I can't believe this is now my fourth year running in Disneyland - the first year was an "extra" attached to the end of a work trip to Seattle, so I was expecting it to be my one and only chance to visit

 

[Sherry E]

I seem to be alternating season - I've now done two Halloweens and this is my second christmas. Halloween happens to be our school holiday time so it works better with children, but I prefer Christmas for an adults only trip

I can't believe this is now my fourth year running in Disneyland - the first year was an "extra" attached to the end of a work trip to Seattle, so I was expecting it to be my one and only chance to visit

Once that pixie dust gets in your blood, it's hard to turn away!! You'll be coming back for years! It's all part of the Disney Snowball Effect! And there's something extra special about Disneyland during the Halloween and Christmas seasons that is rather addictive, especially the Christmas season. For some reason, it's never enough to experience Halloween Time or the holiday season just once. Once is not enough. It feels like it's necessary to go back and see the decorations and entertainment year after year.

 

[ukstitch]

Once that pixie dust gets in your blood, it's hard to turn away!! You'll be coming back for years! It's all part of the Disney Snowball Effect! And there's something extra special about Disneyland during the Halloween and Christmas seasons that is rather addictive, especially the Christmas season. For some reason, it's never enough to experience Halloween Time or the holiday season just once. Once is not enough. It feels like it's necessary to go back and see the decorations and entertainment year after year.

too right - I used to visit Disneyland Paris a couple of times a year (much closer to home), but there's something extra special to me about the original park so it's kind of taken over from Paris now.

ok - so as I've spent most of the weekend uploading photos, it only seems right to share them!

These are the ones I took over Christmas 2009 - I don't think I can post individual ones on here from Facebook, so I'll just link to the whole album instead: Christmas 2009 Pictures

 

[Jillchristina]

Once that pixie dust gets in your blood, it's hard to turn away!! You'll be coming back for years! It's all part of the Disney Snowball Effect! And there's something extra special about Disneyland during the Halloween and Christmas seasons that is rather addictive, especially the Christmas season. For some reason, it's never enough to experience Halloween Time or the holiday season just once. Once is not enough. It feels like it's necessary to go back and see the decorations and entertainment year after year.

You guys are making me so excited for our November/December trip!

My husband and I went to DL in '94 and '95 (our honeymoon!) but before our trip last February we hadn't been there since. I've fallen in love all over again with Disneyland and it is so much fun to share that excitement with my daughters. I'm sure I'm more excited to be going back for Christmastime than they are. I can't wait to experience the added magic of the holidays at DL.

Jill

 

[deesquared]

Thanks for the wonderful parade photos!

Now I want to make a countdown calendar too!

 

[love2go2disney2]

We are planning to go early January!!!!!!!!!!! Its a surprise trip for the kids!!!! Cant wait!!!!!!!!

 

[Sherry E]

And now it's time for our weekly Monday countdown...



Only 84 Days Until...
the Holiday Season at Disneyland Resort Begins!!!!​

So I posted this over on the weekly Monday Halloween Time thread countdown as well...

What's on your DLR holiday season to-do list this year? What haven't you been able to do yet that you have wanted to do? Any treats you want to try? Any collectible you want to make a point of getting this time around? Are you planning on taking the holiday tour for the first time? Have you skipped the Storybook Land ride because the line was long, but now you want to ride it to see the tiny decorated cottages? Are you going to have a photo taken with Santa?

Well, I have to say, last year I accomplished a lot in terms of my photo-taking goals. But, there is still more territory left to conquer. I think my holiday to-do list for this year may be:

1. Spend time in A Bug's Land! Last year I never made it there, and, for some reason, when I was in ABL in previous years I didn't get any photos!

2. Get photos of any possible 'new' decorations that may be up at the entrance to DCA - if there are any. The CALIFORNIA letters will be gone, and the Golden Gate Bridge will be gone, but I trust that there will have to be some holiday touches at the DCA entrance.

3. Santa Quest - get pictures with all 5 Santas around DLR, and actually go into Santa's cabin at the Reindeer Round-Up this time around! I spent tons of time at the Round-Up last year, but did not go into the cabin!

4. Try to get some decent nighttime shots of the Winter Castle.

5. Try to get some decent nighttime shots of IASW Holiday.

6. Take more PhotoPass pictures. Last year I was not as gung ho on PhotoPass as I have been in previous years. I still took some photos, but not as many as I normally would have. This year I hope to get back in the swing and stop at every photographer I see.

7. Munch on my favorite gingerbread cookies with mouse ears, and yummy peppermint ice cream (well, that's not something I usually skip, but it's part of every year's to-do list!). Maybe sample a few treats I have not tried.

8. Spend time relaxing in the GCH lobby, enjoying the carolers and atmosphere. This is something I did not take the time to do last year, but have done it in previous years and must do again!

9. Try to get better photos of the 'snow' that falls on Main Street this year!

10. Tree Quest, Wreath Quest, Ornament Quest and Frosty Quest!!


So what about you? What's on the holiday to-do list this year??

 

[stampinmama1]

I can hardly wait for my first Christmas time trip. We'll be there for a week beginning Dec. 4th. All the posts about what to expect and what to look for just make me more excited. I'm not sure I can wait!

Jodi

 

[Jillchristina]

Countdown idea: I saw it mentioned by another DL fan today that she and her children constructed a paper chain to count down the days until their Christmas Disney trip. I might just do this with my girls. Sounds like it would be a fun visual reminder that we're approaching a fantastic trip!

Jill