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

[cpster]

2) Wait, does DL even do Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party? I thought that was a WDW thing?

Oops...I hope I didn't unknowingly start up some confusion about Mickey's Very Mery Christmas Party. I'm a holiday time newbie so hopefully one of the experts can chime in soon and tell us if at happens at DLR too.

 

[StephNJer]

Historically, when do they usually announce the actual dates of the holiday season at DLR? Is it typically June-July, or is it later in the year, closer to fall?

 

[dopeyfanatic]

Unless they change things this year, they don't do the party there. They do one for Halloween, but not Christmas.

 

[marybaby08]

Going to California 11-22 to 12-1 for the first time! Can wait for cars land and for my feet to touch the pacific ocean. I live in Florida so I visit often Walt Disney World. I'm off to read the boards!!

 

[KCmike]

Going to California 11-22 to 12-1 for the first time! Can wait for cars land and for my feet to touch the pacific ocean. I live in Florida so I visit often Walt Disney World. I'm off to read the boards!!

Congrats.
1. Don't be too shocked when your feet hit the water and its around 55-60 degrees in the beautiful blue Pacific.
2. Your going at the best time. Christmas at DL is so amazing. This WDW vet now calls DL his home park!

 

[Girimama33]

DL is now offering Photopass +. This would be great for the holiday season visitors.
http://www.disneyphotopass.com/dlrphotopassplus.aspx

 

[kaoden39]

DL is now offering Photopass +. This would be great for the holiday season visitors.
http://www.disneyphotopass.com/dlrphotopassplus.aspx

Oh that's great!! I am thrilled to hear it.

 

[PixiDustDears]

Just booked the week of Thanksgiving (crazy time I know but cant take the kids out of school so....). 4 nights at the Staybridge and 2 at the PP. Last year we went for halloween. Now I'm really looking forward to christmas! Plus this is our longest trip yet!!!

 

[kaoden39]

Just booked the week of Thanksgiving (crazy time I know but cant take the kids out of school so....). 4 nights at the Staybridge and 2 at the PP. Last year we went for halloween. Now I'm really looking forward to christmas! Plus this is our longest trip yet!!!

How very cool!!

 

[cpster]

Regarding Photopass...are there lots of photographers out during the Holiday season? What about at visits with Santa? Our last trip was July last year and we didn't see very many photographers around so I'm wondering if it's worth it for us to pre-order the deal posted above. Thanks!

 

[kaoden39]

Regarding Photopass...are there lots of photographers out during the Holiday season? What about at visits with Santa? Our last trip was July last year and we didn't see very many photographers around so I'm wondering if it's worth it for us to pre-order the deal posted above. Thanks!

When we there in February the only day we didn't see them out was on a day it rained all day. I like the fact that you can load your own pictures on the disk and use the graphics. That makes it more worth it to me.

 

[azdisneylover]

Wow, this was on page 5! I am giving it a big bump to the first page.

 

[DisneytheKid]

Congrats.
2. Your going at the best time. Christmas at DL is so amazing.

Ditto!

 

[Sherry E]

You know, I was thinking of bumping this thread earlier (unaware that it was on Page 5!), but was trying to locate a couple of links to other threads first.

Thank you, azdisneylover, for bringing this thread back to Page 1!



StephNJer - If I recall, I think that fellow DIS'er jernysgirl found the holiday season dates on the DLR website last year in July. I think the dates also leaked out in July in 2010, as well.




cpster - I don't know if there are necessarily a lot of extra PhotoPass spots during the holiday season, but there are a few. And, of course, the regular ones (like in front of the Castle) are different because it's the Winter Castle!

Usually, the Santa that sits at the GCH has a PP photographer with him. The Santa at Paradise Pier Hotel does not have a photographer, but the PPH tree is so gorgeous that I suggest going over there to see Santa anyway! The DLH Santa sometimes has a photographer and sometimes doesn't.

Santa's Reindeer Round-Up in DL will have at least one photographer (probably two, set up in different locations), and the Santa photo spot in DCA will have one or two photographers.

Get a picture taken in front of the Castle, one in the daytime and one at night, when the icicle lights are on!

Sometimes there is a PP photographer in front of IASW Holiday. If there is one there at night, that's a great photo to get (when the thousands of colored lights are on).

There should be photographers in front of the main tree in DCA and in DL, and sometimes they will offer the 'Stitch-popping-out-of-a-present' picture, which is fun.

Other than that, you should find photographers in all the usual places and some new places in Cars Land and Buena Vista Street!









Anyway, this is not Disneyland Resort-related, but just in case and Disney/holiday fans want to pass the time skimming over some amazing photos of the WDW hotels at Christmas time, take a look at these threads from the WDW side of the DIS:




Resort Christmas Photos anyone? - This is the best thread! Just glancing at the last page of it is amazing, let alone looking through the rest of it.


Resorts at Christmastime



I still haven't really found anything over on that side that's sort of one all-purpose, all-encompassing WDW Holiday Superthread (as this one is for the DLR side of the board) with information on all aspects of the season in one place. If there is one, I'd love to see it!

 

[azdisneylover]

Okay, it is 113 here in AZ, so, I am going to try my best to keep this on the first page or two so I can pretend it is a tad cooler here!

 

[disneegrl4eva]

Usually, the Santa that sits at the GCH has a PP photographer with him. The Santa at Paradise Pier Hotel does not have a photographer, but the PPH tree is so gorgeous that I suggest going over there to see Santa anyway! The DLH Santa sometimes has a photographer and sometimes doesn't.

ah sherry you forgot about santa at DLH...they have him over in the side by goofys kitchen and I absolutely the whole backdrop...hes on his throne next to a christmas tree...its definitely a backdrop you would want to use for family christmas cards

 

[Sherry E]

ah sherry you forgot about santa at DLH...they have him over in the side by goofys kitchen and I absolutely the whole backdrop...hes on his throne next to a christmas tree...its definitely a backdrop you would want to use for family christmas cards

Lynn -

I didn't forget the DLH Santa at all. My comment that you quoted says "The DLH Santa..." in the last sentence!

I always spend a lot of time at all 3 hotels during the holiday season and I have taken all kinds of detailed pictures of the DLH Santa backdrop even when Santa wasn't there (I zoomed in on the fake milk & the cookies on the plate, the white Christmas trees and the reindeer knick-knacks and all kinds of things!).

I was replying to cpster about PhotoPass spots in particular, not regular photo spots, and mentioning which Santa locations have PhotoPass and which ones do not. Sometimes there has been a PhotoPass photographer at that DLH Santa location and sometimes there has not been one, as opposed to the GCH Santa - who always has a PhotoPass person with him (at least this is what I have observed). The DLH Santa is not a guaranteed PhotoPass location, in other words - at least it has not been one thus far (maybe that will change now and in the future?). It's been sort of off and on. But as far as just taking a nice regular holiday picture with a nice backdrop, yes, the DLH is a great spot!

I like the main Christmas tree at the PPH (not a PhotoPass spot) better than the trees in each tower at the DLH. A lot of folks may not take the time to walk across the street and see the PPH Christmas tree if they don't have anything else to do there. They would be more inclined to go to the DLH and the GCH. So I like to give the PPH tree some honorable mentions in this thread because it's something that people might otherwise skip if they didn't know that there was something special to see over there.

 

[cpster]

Thanks for the Photopass tips! I can't wait until it's November!

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks for the Photopass tips! I can't wait until it's November!

cpster -

You're welcome!

Another tip I will give is to be very aware of timing as you get a nighttime PhotoPass picture at the Castle. The glowing icicle lights turn on and off throughout the night; then they finally turn on and stay on until DL closes. You'll definitely want to get a picture in front of the Castle when the lights are on and glowing. One time I had the unfortunate timing of walking up to the PhotoPass person just as the icicle lights were turning off! I got the picture taken anyway, but it was a dud.

The following year, I made sure to get to the Castle with the icicle lights on...and it was a great picture.

I would also suggest to get as many 'repeat' nighttime photos with PhotoPass as you can - meaning, if you get a nighttime photo in front of the DCA tree or the DL tree on a Monday, then go back again on a Tuesday night and get more photos in the same location. The reason I suggest this is because the DLR PhotoPass people seem to have different skill levels when it comes to night photos. Sometimes the photos are blurry and not great, and sometimes they are perfect if it's a different photographer.

Also, as far as the It's a Small World Holiday set-up...they usually put some holiday props around the area outside of that ride for photo ops in the daytime or night, but PhotoPass is not always there.

The trouble with IASWH at night for photos (PhotoPass or otherwise) is that the colored lights are so gorgeous...and everyone from all corners of the parks flock to them to stare in awe. That makes for a very crowded area. And the way the queue winds around, that only adds to the problem. When you want a nice photo taken in front of IASWH's stunning facade, you probably don't envision thousands of your closest friends standing behind you in the photo, cluttering it up.

Unfortunately, there seems to be little to no way to prevent that situation at IASWH during the evening. There will be lots of people staring at the lights unless it's raining, and there will be a line of people winding their way into your photo! It's difficult for the photographers because they try to get a nice clear shot of the illuminated IASWH facade, but they can't avoid those people!

 

[disneegrl4eva]

Lynn -

I didn't forget the DLH Santa at all. My comment that you quoted says "The DLH Santa..." in the last sentence!

oops...my bad..i didnt even see that part..you did say that..so what the heck did i even comment on it for???? im losing it