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

[disneegrl4eva]

i remember when the best time of the year to go was Super Bowl weekend...man that was the best time ever...went many times because we never waited in lines for anything...everybody was at the bars or lounges watching the game and I was happily riding rides...nowadays the crowds are up there...people finally started figuring it out

 

[Sherry E]

Okay, all....

According to Disneyland Scoop (where Michele/kaoden39 got the season dates last week and kindly shared them with us) - which is one of the unofficial sources I listed a couple of pages back - the official dates were, indeed, released to travel agents for planning/booking and they are 11/12/12 - 1/6/13, as we suspected.

So, mac_tlc -

This falls in line with what you found out as well (and your info looks like an official press blurb/snippet directly from Disney)! As you can see, I already had the dates in the title of this thread because I was confident they would be confirmed very soon, right after Michele mentioned what she saw...but I guess I can now remove the question mark I put there!




This is all good to know! I figured that the dates were accurate and correct because it makes total sense in relation to how things played out last year, but I wanted Disneyland Scoop to tell us where they got the dates. If they had said they got them directly from Disney in the first place, there would have been no question!

In any case, now we know for sure!





mytymom79 -

I think that banks, post offices, some libraries, any kind of government office and I suppose some schools (but not all schools, from what I'm told) will be observing Veterans Day on Monday, 11/12. Because of that and the fact that 11/12 is the official start date of the holiday season, I expect there will be some crowds in the parks. November 11th should be crowded too.

I've mentioned in the last few days that the way it will probably work is that It's a Small World Holiday will have "soft open" a couple of days before 11/12. Possibly even as early as 11/9, but definitely by 11/10, I think.

Haunted Mansion Holiday is opening on September 14th, so you will see that too.

It's quite possible that the Christmas Fantasy Parade will begin a day or two before 11/12.

And the general decorations begin to go up even before Halloween, so those will be gradually appearing here and there, and you will see all of them in both parks during your trip (but maybe not in the hotels, which is too bad because the hotels are highlights).

What will probably not begin until 11/12 is the Winter Enchantment Castle lighting and the snow on Main Street (which I know you don't care about, but believe me - this is "magical" Disney snow, with music and gingerbread scents floating in the air; it's not like the regular snow you see each year - it is worth seeing!).

Also, the Reindeer Round-Up should probably begin on 11/12.

I'm not sure if Believe...in Holiday Magic fireworks will start on 11/12 or over the weekend leading up to it.

The Holiday Tour should begin on 11/12.




Crazy4Disney06 -

As I mentioned to Pesky above, it's really just the first couple of weeks of December that have slightly lighter crowds. Once you get to week 3, people are beginning to take off of work and/or school to go on vacation and the parks start getting busier.

I've been to DLR at all kinds of points during the holiday season, including New Year's Eve/Day, the weekend immediately before Christmas (3 years in a row), over the Cast member party nights, on the last night of the Candlelight Processional (early December), over Thanksgiving weekend and on the day/weekend after the official opening in November.

I finally started going much earlier in December because it was getting too crowded for my liking on the weekend before Christmas.

Once you get to the week before Christmas, it's not going to be as crowded as it will be during the week after Christmas, most definitely, but it will be more crowded than we would hope for or expect it to be, according to other folks' reports. It will be manageable, though, I am fairly sure. IF you handled WDW during that time, you should be able to handle DLR too!



TigerlilyAJ -

I hope you saw the PhotoPass holiday pictures I posted on the last page (or was it the page before that?). I was showing you (and cpster) some examples of what kinds of holiday photos to get - like the Castle when it's in the icicle lights, IASW Holiday with 10 million people in the background and Stitch popping out of the present, etc. You won't have a lot of time left on your trip to get these photos, so it will help if you know what to seek out and ask for before you even walk up to the photographers!!

 

[monkey30]

Not sure if this is "official 100% confirmation", but this is what is posted on the Disney travel agent web site for Disneyland:

Holidays at the Disneyland® Resort

The Merriest Place on Earth Just Got Merrier!

The holidays are a time to gather with family and friends to share memorable moments you'll treasure forever. And when it comes to celebrating the season, there's nothing like Holidays at the Disneyland® Resort, from November 12 through January 6.



mac_tlc

I saw this as well....

I get to take a Disney Virgin during Christmas, so us girls are gonna have a blast! I know she is ready to be a kid again, but still be grown up enough to try out some mature drinks!

 

[Sherry E]

According to this link with descriptions, http://www.disneywebcontent.com/dcc/9437/64ea2a472fc18210VgnVCM100000d864a8c0RCRD/ , it looks like it will be business as usual this holiday season.

I suppose this is the generic holiday press release that Disney sent out to all the travel agents - with pretty standard text - and, as we get closer to the season, we will start learning more.

As a rule, what happens is that there will be a more elaborate description of holiday highlights, in which they usually explain that A Bug's Land and Toon Town have their own special decorations, etc., that pops up on the Disneyland Resort website closer to the end of Halloween Time, or after Halloween Time. Last year I think it was the Disney Parks Blog that revealed that Toon Town would get some (hideous) new Christmas trees!

So, in other words, if DLR is going to put some specific Cars Land and/or Buena Vista Street decorations up, I don't think we will know it until they do their more elaborate description in a few months, or until the Parks Blog or Disneyland News breaks a story first.

I am pretty sure that Buena Vista Street would at least have some decorations, and I'm sure Disney would want to let us know about them as part of their efforts to make it sound as though they are adding in even more holiday stuff! But they will take their time in letting us know!

 

[kaoden39]

According to this link with descriptions, http://www.disneywebcontent.com/dcc/9437/64ea2a472fc18210VgnVCM100000d864a8c0RCRD/ , it looks like it will be business as usual this holiday season.

I suppose this is the generic holiday press release that Disney sent out to all the travel agents - with pretty standard text - and, as we get closer to the season, we will start learning more.

As a rule, what happens is that there will be a more elaborate description of holiday highlights, in which they usually explain that A Bug's Land and Toon Town have their own special decorations, etc., that pops up on the Disneyland Resort website closer to the end of Halloween Time, or after Halloween Time. Last year I think it was the Disney Parks Blog that revealed that Toon Town would get some (hideous) new Christmas trees!

So, in other words, if DLR is going to put some specific Cars Land and/or Buena Vista Street decorations up, I don't think we will know it until they do their more elaborate description in a few months, or until the Parks Blog or Disneyland News breaks a story first.

I am pretty sure that Buena Vista Street would at least have some decorations, and I'm sure Disney would want to let us know about them as part of their efforts to make it sound as though they are adding in even more holiday stuff! But they will take their time in letting us know!

I think that perhaps they don't know what they have planned yet.

Just playing on my phone!!

 

[Sherry E]

I think that perhaps they don't know what they have planned yet.

Just playing on my phone!!

Yep. I think those Disney creative folks in the Planning departments are probably always tossing around ideas until the last minute. They knew they at least had to get the dates up soon, but the details can wait as far as they are concerned. Plus, they tend to wait until the end of one season - or close to it - before getting into detail about the next season.

Over on the Halloween thread, we have anxiously awaited what we've called "the mini-site" in the past - which is a much more involved, graphics-filled outline of Halloween Time events, with music and sub-categories and spooky backdrops and all kinds of stuff.

DLR does not put that darn mini-site up on the DLR site until the end of the Summer season or after the Summer season has just ended in late August/early September! Meanwhile, Halloween Time begins on September 14th.

So I think we can expect that for the further explanation of holiday season details, they will wait until after Halloween Time ends, or until it is just about to end, and then give us the scoop.

BUT...if there is anything major they plan to do - like a total, extensive Cars Land themed holiday makeover (which I still don't think is going to happen in Cars Land's very first year) - they would probably do a whole separate Blog or Press Release on that, through the Parks Blog or Disneyland News. And that could come earlier than October.

 

[kaoden39]

Yep. I think those Disney creative folks in the Planning departments are probably always tossing around ideas until the last minute. They knew they at least had to get the dates up soon, but the details can wait as far as they are concerned. Plus, they tend to wait until the end of one season - or close to it - before getting into detail about the next season.

Over on the Halloween thread, we have anxiously awaited what we've called "the mini-site" in the past - which is a much more involved, graphics-filled outline of Halloween Time events, with music and sub-categories and spooky backdrops and kinds of stuff.

DLR does not put that darn mini-site up on the DLR site until the end of the Summer season or after the Summer season has just ended in late August/early September! Meanwhile, Halloween Time begins on September 14th.

So I think we can expect that for the further explanation of holiday season details, they will wait until after Halloween Time ends, or until it is just about to end, and then give us the scoop.

BUT...if there is anything major they plan to do - like a total, extensive Cars Land themed holiday makeover (which I still don't think is going to happen in Cars Land's very first year) - they would probably do a whole separate Blog or Press Release on that, through the Parks Blog or Disneyland News. And that could come earlier than October.

I can just see 'Mator with a Santa hat!

Just playing on my phone!!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Just like you Sherry and Michele that I am also waiting to get to the Holiday season at the DLR. I am really interested in what kind of decorations they will have at DCA now that it is complete and what kind of decorations will be up in DL.

 

[kaoden39]

Just like you Sherry and Michele that I am also waiting to get to the Holiday season at the DLR. I am really interested in what kind of decorations they will have at DCA now that it is complete and what kind of decorations will be up in DL.

Bret, honestly I think I am mostly excited for the excited holiday feeling. Because I am going to be there at the beginning of the season it will help to get me more excited for our holiday season at home.

Just playing on my phone!!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Bret, honestly I think I am mostly excited for the excited holiday feeling. Because I am going to be there at the beginning of the season it will help to get me more excited for our holiday season at home.

Just playing on my phone!!

Of course, I always like the Holiday feeling at the DLR. It is so exciting to go on the first day of the Halloween or Holiday season at the DLR.

 

[Sherry E]

Just like you Sherry and Michele that I am also waiting to get to the Holiday season at the DLR. I am really interested in what kind of decorations they will have at DCA now that it is complete and what kind of decorations will be up in DL.

Hi, Bret!

Yes, I am very curious to see if DCA gets a little more involved in the holiday festivities this year, and if we see a substantial improvement in decorations. They really need to do something cool with Buena Vista Street, even if they leave Cars Land alone. BVS is to DCA what Main Street is to DL, and you can't have Main Street bare and lacking in Christmas decorations!

Where do you think the DCA Christmas tree will go this year? Do you think it will stay in the Paradise Pier area, or do you think that it will move closer to the entrance to DCA or to Buena Vista Street? Prior to 2009, the tree was in a different spot in DCA.

I am kind of thinking that the DCA tree may be relocated to BVS this year. They need something at or near the entrance to DCA to make a bigger holiday statement, and those red decorations above the turnstiles just don't do the job!

 

[TigerlilyAJ]

TigerlilyAJ -

I hope you saw the PhotoPass holiday pictures I posted on the last page (or was it the page before that?). I was showing you (and cpster) some examples of what kinds of holiday photos to get - like the Castle when it's in the icicle lights, IASW Holiday with 10 million people in the background and Stitch popping out of the present, etc. You won't have a lot of time left on your trip to get these photos, so it will help if you know what to seek out and ask for before you even walk up to the photographers!!

Yes, I saw, Sherry, and thank you! I think I understand what to look for and what to request of the PhotoPass people. ;-) Since they're at DLR, all the pics look pretty good to me. :-D

So glad to see the dates firming up. I'm thisclose to booking flights--but it's so scary to commit after a year of planning different possible itineraries. But I can't imagine beating $310 per person for RT air to LAX or SNA on Southwest. (With five people, "bags fly free" adds up to a lot of savings over other airlines!)
It looks like we'll spend our first day in the parks Oct 30, go to the MHP on Oct 31, enjoy the low-traffic weekend that follows (with some ride closures) and see non-Halloween evening entertainment, and then go back for the crush of Vets' Day weekend and the premiere of the holiday season on Nov 12!

 

[kaoden39]

Of course, I always like the Holiday feeling at the DLR. It is so exciting to go on the first day of the Halloween or Holiday season at the DLR.

It looks like we are going to be there for the first day too!!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Hi, Bret!

Yes, I am very curious to see if DCA gets a little more involved in the holiday festivities this year, and if we see a substantial improvement in decorations. They really need to do something cool with Buena Vista Street, even if they leave Cars Land alone. BVS is to DCA what Main Street is to DL, and you can't have Main Street bare and lacking in Christmas decorations!

Where do you think the DCA Christmas tree will go this year? Do you think it will stay in the Paradise Pier area, or do you think that it will move closer to the entrance to DCA or to Buena Vista Street? Prior to 2009, the tree was in a different spot in DCA.

I am kind of thinking that the DCA tree may be relocated to BVS this year. They need something at or near the entrance to DCA to make a bigger holiday statement, and those red decorations above the turnstiles just don't do the job!

I would assume that BVS will have Holiday decorations. The turnstiles had Christmas garlands which was nice during the construction of BVS last year. You are right that BVS is DCA Main Street to DL. So I can't imagine the DLR not decorating BVS this year after the completion of CL & BVS. After seeing pictures of America flags on BVS, it is highly likely that BVS will have Holiday decorations during the Holiday season.

I would say that the Christmas tree in DCA will be in BVS this year. With the entrance of BVS completed, there is a lot of spots to have the tree in BVS. They could have it right by the flag retreat of close to the Storyteller's statue. It will be very interesting to see where they put the Christmas tree in BVS. I remember that the Christmas tree was in PP at the spot where the light tower was until they started tearing down PP for WoC.

Just when you enter DL and under the MS station you see the big Christmas tree which is amazing to see when you enter the park. I would say the same thing when you enter DCA and see the Christmas tee in BVS.

It looks like we are going to be there for the first day too!!

I am so excited for you Michele since you are there on the first day of the Holiday season of this year.

 

[disneymum58]

I think I'm crazy, but I have now booked Dec. 28 - Jan. 5 for another trip to DLR. We have never gone at this time of year before. I'm a little bit worried about the crowds, but know to have a plan and use FP.
I was just wondering if the Christmas parade will still be running as well as the Holiday Tour?
Can't wait to see "snow" on Main Street!

 

[Sherry E]

I can just see 'Mator with a Santa hat!

Just playing on my phone!!

I can see that too - and I think that when he drives through town, he will be saying something holiday-esque.

Bret, honestly I think I am mostly excited for the excited holiday feeling. Because I am going to be there at the beginning of the season it will help to get me more excited for our holiday season at home.

Just playing on my phone!!

I know what you mean...that holiday feeling. I am going to create Halloween and Christmas TV show marathons for myself to watch some weekend this summer when I have time. What's the point in having holiday specials from the Travel Channel stored on the DVR if I am not going to watch them in July? It doesn't make sense to drink hot coffee in the Summer or eat ice cream in Winter either, but I do both!

Yes, I saw, Sherry, and thank you! I think I understand what to look for and what to request of the PhotoPass people. ;-) Since they're at DLR, all the pics look pretty good to me. :-D

So glad to see the dates firming up. I'm thisclose to booking flights--but it's so scary to commit after a year of planning different possible itineraries. But I can't imagine beating $310 per person for RT air to LAX or SNA on Southwest. (With five people, "bags fly free" adds up to a lot of savings over other airlines!)
It looks like we'll spend our first day in the parks Oct 30, go to the MHP on Oct 31, enjoy the low-traffic weekend that follows (with some ride closures) and see non-Halloween evening entertainment, and then go back for the crush of Vets' Day weekend and the premiere of the holiday season on Nov 12!

I think your trip will be amazing! It will be so interesting to see things change - even the flowers - from Halloween to Christmas during your visit! You will get the best of both holiday worlds, and you will even have some less crowded days in there too!

It looks like we are going to be there for the first day too!!

You never know - you, Bret and TigerlilyAJ might not be the only ones from this thread who are there on opening day... Just look for me wherever they sell peppermint ice cream, or find me as I crawl under and around adults to get to window displays or Christmas trees with my camera!

I would assume that BVS will have Holiday decorations. The turnstiles had Christmas garlands which was nice during the construction of BVS last year. You are right that BVS is DCA Main Street to DL. So I can't imagine the DLR not decorating BVS this year after the completion of CL & BVS. After seeing pictures of America flags on BVS, it is highly likely that BVS will have Holiday decorations during the Holiday season.

I would say that the Christmas tree in DCA will be in BVS this year. With the entrance of BVS completed, there is a lot of spots to have the tree in BVS. They could have it right by the flag retreat of close to the Storyteller's statue. It will be very interesting to see where they put the Christmas tree in BVS. I remember that the Christmas tree was in PP at the spot where the light tower was until they started tearing down PP for WoC.

Just when you enter DL and under the MS station you see the big Christmas tree which is amazing to see when you enter the park. I would say the same thing when you enter DCA and see the Christmas tee in BVS.




I am so excited for you Michele since you are there on the first day of the Holiday season of this year.

Yep - I think BVS will have to be decorated, and unless DCA is going to have something really big (in terms of lights and decor) at or near the entrance to that park, the tree would work well in that spot.

I think I'm crazy, but I have now booked Dec. 28 - Jan. 5 for another trip to DLR. We have never gone at this time of year before. I'm a little bit worried about the crowds, but know to have a plan and use FP.
I was just wondering if the Christmas parade will still be running as well as the Holiday Tour?
Can't wait to see "snow" on Main Street!

I think that the parade lasts all the way until the season ends, and the tour goes on at least until New Year's Day, if not after. So your best bet would probably be to do the tour within your first few days at DLR - to get those great parade seats and priority boarding on HMH and IASW in the middle of those big crowds!

 

[kailuagirl]

We have gone the last 2 years and it is my/our most favorite time to visit Disneyland. You are all going to have such a wonderful/magical time!! I just found out Friday, DH can't get off work after Thanksgiving, so bummed, so we can't go. He could get off early Dec. but doesn't want to leave home incase there are any nut jobs out there with the 12/12 date. I'm so sad, so now frantically trying to figure out when we can go now as I've already bought us 6 day hoppers that expire at the end of the year.

 

[Sherry E]

We have gone the last 2 years and it is my/our most favorite time to visit Disneyland. You are all going to have such a wonderful/magical time!! I just found out Friday, DH can't get off work after Thanksgiving, so bummed, so we can't go. He could get off early Dec. but doesn't want to leave home incase there are any nut jobs out there with the 12/12 date. I'm so sad, so now frantically trying to figure out when we can go now as I've already bought us 6 day hoppers that expire at the end of the year.

kailuagirl -

Hello! Good to see you again in this thread. Stick around because, even if you don't make another holiday visit this year, you may want to share some photos and participate in the Theme Weeks Countdown, when we start that up again (in late August)! I am hoping that some folks who went last year will be able to share some of their pictures this year!

Now when you say that your DH "doesn't want to leave home in case there are any nut jobs out there with the 12/12 date," are you talking about the Mayan Calendar/Doomsday nut jobs? Or other nut jobs out there I am overlooking?

The supposed 'end of the world' date is 12/21/12 - so if the world ends, you'd at least be able to use up your Hoppers before that happens if your husband got off work in early December! (Sorry, I know I shouldn't joke about the end of the world, but if I actually thought the world was ending I would not be joking about it, believe me!) There's plenty of time to use the Hoppers before they go to waste!

I know what your DH means, though - it's not so much the end of the world that I'm worried about on December 21st (or any other day when doomsday is predicted). It's the crazy people who will use that day to run wild and act like animals. I am hoping that people do not resort to that.

Personally, I think the Mayans just got bored or tired of their calendar and stopped doing it at the December 21st mark. But if that's not the case and we are all about to get clobbered by an asteroid or wiped out by gamma ray bursts or something, I think I'd rather be at Disneyland instead of staying at home!

 

[kaoden39]

You know I will be looking for you Sherry!!

 

[kswm30b]

I considered going during the Halloween season instead (Halloween is my fav holiday & my FAV thing at wdw is Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party ), but I wanted to make sure I could ride Small World, plus I knew we'd be taking a trip to wdw in sept/oct already. But I have to stop myself from looking through your Hallloween thread so I don't kick myself for not going then, lol!!

The supposed 'end of the world' date is 12/21/12

Why do you think I planned my trip in early Dec?? j/k oh well, if the world ends, at least I will have visited Disneyland!