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

[Sherry E]

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!!



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!

Hello again, Heather!

Your favorite holiday is Halloween, so you're someone who might actually prefer visiting DLR during that time of year just because you like the holiday itself better than Christmas. From what I've been told by people who have experienced both WDW's and DLR's Halloween seasons, the actual seasonal decorations at DLR are much better! Most folks agree that the Boo to You parade is better than the character cavalcade at Disneyland's party. I've never been to WDW so I can't compare, but I definitely love the DLR Halloween Time season!

But for other folks who don't seem to have a preference in holidays - or they just ask, "When should I go? Halloween or Christmas?" - I recommend the holiday season/Christmas time for specific reasons.

(Now here is the point where I start to feel like a guilty parent, talking about her two children and having to pick a favorite!)

Obviously I love the Halloween Time season at DLR - or else I would not have created the Superthread for it. I love Halloween as a holiday in general, and I have all those crazy Travel Channel Halloween-related shows saved in the DVR!

I wish DLR would do even more with the Halloween Time season and get more in-depth with it. They actually scaled back some of their Halloween decor when DCA was being worked on. Candy Corn Acres - bye bye! I don't know if DCA will ever feel Halloween-ish again, because I'm not sure if any decorations would fit with the new 1920's/1930's theme! The hotels are pretty much left out of the Halloween festivities altogether, along with DCA. The only place it really feels like Halloween season is in Disneyland park itself.

So the main reason I always suggest going during the Christmas season before making a Halloween Time visit is not because I love Christmas so much as a holiday (and I do!), but because the average visitor will get more bang for his/her buck by going during the holiday season. You can feel the season in both parks, even though DCA is less decorated than DL is. The decorations are more extensive and thorough throughout DL. The hotels are decorated. Music fills the air in Downtown Disney and in both parks. There are hundreds of trees of all sizes. There is more sensory overload, I guess you could say. Halloween Time is not as 'grand,' and they don't quite make as big a deal of it as they do with the holidays. I wish DLR would make a bigger deal of Halloween Time - I would love it! For right now, though, the holiday season is much more all-encompassing and detailed!

I think that as long as you enjoy the holiday season overall (even though you prefer Halloween), you will love DLR at Christmas Time. There's so much to see and do!

I, too, am going to try for an early December trip (like around when I went last year)! I do wonder, however, what it will be like at DLR on December 21st! You know, I kind of have a morbid curiosity that makes me want to be there on that day, just to see what the mood is like! For example, will the guests all be walking around, looking up at the sky (because, presumably, we would expect the end of the world's cause to come from space, I guess)? Will people even realize it's 12/21/12? Will everyone be partying like there is no tomorrow? I want to be there to see it!

 

[tksbaskets]

So glad that so many of our thread 'regulars' are planning their holiday trips! This DISer is a tad bit bummed she's not going to be going this year.

Your great reports will make it better.

 

[JaibuJenn]

Long time lurker newish poster!

Sherry I have enjoyed this thread SO much! I went to DL every few years as a kid, but didn't really start getting into the parks till I became an adult. My boyfriend and I will be there November 14th-20th. 6 days to see everything!



This will be our first time there for any holiday, and our last time at the parks was January, 2011. Needless to say the crowd experience will be a wee bit different. I read the crowd description at the beginning of the thread, but I guess I'm having a hard time putting it into perspective. I am just going to not worry about it. We're 25, no kids, and patient easy going people. Why worry about crowds when you are surrounded by Disney magic? We both LOVE Christmas so we could not be more excited! Thanks to everyone who posted all of your beautiful pictures and information. This is going to be the longest 4 months of our lives!

 

[MyMuse]

Hi all!


Just a quick post to say I'm still here! Life just got in the way!

In any case, I just saw the headline and YAYAYAY!!! for holiday season to start on 11/12! That's when we booked to start the DL version of our holiday. Soooo excited.

I'm going to head back a few pages and got myself all caught up.

 

[Sherry E]

So glad that so many of our thread 'regulars' are planning their holiday trips! This DISer is a tad bit bummed she's not going to be going this year.

Your great reports will make it better.

TK -

I don't even have a definite plan in place. With me, it's always a sort of 'how much or how little can I pull off this year, and how do I make it happen' sort of deal. The wheels are always spinning in my mind and I always have a general idea of what I am aiming for, but as you know from my TR over the years...things don't always work out!

Anyway, thank you for sticking with this Superthread (as well as its Halloween Time sibling!) - your experience and advice is soooo helpful because you seem to end up at DLR during a period in the holiday season (over/after New Year's) that a lot of people want to know about. Plus, you've done the tour, which is another big topic of discussion, as you know!

Long time lurker newish poster!

Sherry I have enjoyed this thread SO much! I went to DL every few years as a kid, but didn't really start getting into the parks till I became an adult. My boyfriend and I will be there November 14th-20th. 6 days to see everything!

This will be our first time there for any holiday, and our last time at the parks was January, 2011. Needless to say the crowd experience will be a wee bit different. I read the crowd description at the beginning of the thread, but I guess I'm having a hard time putting it into perspective. I am just going to not worry about it. We're 25, no kids, and patient easy going people. Why worry about crowds when you are surrounded by Disney magic? We both LOVE Christmas so we could not be more excited! Thanks to everyone who posted all of your beautiful pictures and information. This is going to be the longest 4 months of our lives!

JaibuJenn -

Hello! Thank you for emerging from lurkdom to join in!

Thank you also for the kind words. I'm so glad you've been enjoying the thread. It's definitely a fun one that I think we all really enjoy being a part of.

Stay tuned for the 2012 Theme Weeks Countdown, beginning in August and lasting until November 12! It was a big success last year (photos are in this thread but not listed on the Table of Contents page) and I can only imagine that this year will be just as popular. If you love Christmas, you will enjoy the Countdown!

I know what you mean about not really getting into Disneyland until you were an adult, even though you went as a child. I suspect there are many people out there who followed a similar course of events in that they probably always knew that they loved the rides at Disneyland, and maybe even the characters, but as they got older they began to have a whole new appreciation for it.

I think that, in many ways, as much as Disneyland is a great place for kids - obviously - when we become adults we really can appreciate it on so many more levels. We still love the rides and the characters, of course, but we also love so many other aspects about the park(s) that we would not have cared about as kids!

(So, don't tell the kids this, but I actually think the adults may enjoy the parks more, in many ways!)

Anyway, as for your dates and crowds, etc. You know, it's interesting because I think the crowd patterns may have changed or shifted a bit. This will be our very first holiday season at DLR since the billion dollar DCA makeover was finished, so it will be interesting to see how it plays out. If the patterns stay like what they have been reported to be this Summer (so far), Disneyland itself may not be too crowded, as more of the crowds wander across the Esplanade to DCA to check out the new offerings.

Then again, since Disneyland park has more holiday decorations and highlights than DCA has, that could shift the balance of people to DL and away from DCA.

Or, it could be 50/50, where it balances out - lots of people curious about Cars Land and Buena Vista Street may head to DCA, while lots of devoted holiday fans head to DL. I think this is going to be a really anxious to see what happens!

November 14th - 20th - That's Wednesday to Tuesday, correct? Well, I think 11/14 and 11/15 will probably be good and not too crowded. Once you get to Friday and the weekend part of the trip, things will start to pick up with people who are taking off early for Thanksgiving. I think there are a lot of folks who probably take off the whole week of Thanksgiving, and they start their trips over the weekend prior to it. So I would expect Monday, 11/19 and Tuesday, 11/20 to be a bit more crowded.

All in all, I don't think it will be too bad. You have several days to take it all in and enjoy everything. I don't think crowds will be that big of an issue!

Be sure to check the 3 DLR hotels in the last couple of days of your trip, if you can. I suspect that the Paradise Pier Hotel Christmas tree - which is my favorite of all the hotels' trees, in person - will be up before you leave DLR. It is quite possible that some of the GCH decorations may have gone up before the holiday too (though it seems that their own giant tree doesn't appear until the day after Thanksgiving), and DLH will have probably put some holiday things up by then too.

I think Disney likes to get some things up in the hotels for the early Thanksgiving crowd to enjoy. But Santa and the Dickens Carolers don't seem to show up at the hotels until Thanksgiving passes.

Hi all!


Just a quick post to say I'm still here! Life just got in the way!

In any case, I just saw the headline and YAYAYAY!!! for holiday season to start on 11/12! That's when we booked to start the DL version of our holiday. Soooo excited.

I'm going to head back a few pages and got myself all caught up.

Hello again, MyMuse!!

I thought of you a couple of days ago because I stumbled upon your post in this thread about being Geek of the Month! Or was it Geek of the Week?

In any case, I'm glad to see you're still here, and I am so happy for you that you will be arriving on the first official day of the holiday season! Woo hoo!

 

[MyMuse]

Hello again, MyMuse!!

I thought of you a couple of days ago because I stumbled upon your post in this thread about being Geek of the Month! Or was it Geek of the Week?

In any case, I'm glad to see you're still here, and I am so happy for you that you will be arriving on the first official day of the holiday season! Woo hoo!

Hi Sherry!

and a big hi to you to Heather!!!!

We actually added another day to the DL portion of out trip and decreased the LA portion. We didn't know if Carsland would have calmed down or not.

We booked DLH last month and hoping for some discounts to come out (but maybe not? )

The want list for DL definitely includes the holiday tour plus hoping maybe the Segways will be back? or are they gone forever and ever?

I definitely have to get my planning in high gear since booking is 60 days out? (as in Sept 12, right?). Time to make the spreadsheet and final decisions.

 

[MYD714]

I LOVE this thread. I'm reading through it while watching Disneyland Christmas youtube videos...

We've apparently decided to throw all our money out the window this year, and possibly plan a Christmas trip to Disneyland with friends from 12/26-12/31.

I'm used to summer crowds, but have never experienced Christmas crowds. My friends did WDW Christmas week last year and said they didn't feel it was overcrowded, but none of us have ever been to DL for Christmas.

How crowded is crowded? Is is constant shoulder-to-shoulder people? Would we find ourselves fighting to squeeze into stores, and waiting in lines for so long that we wouldn't be able to do much of anything?

I really want to soak up the atmosphere, but I still want to be able to do the rides. My original plan was to travel in August, but Christmas looks like so much fun and being with friends would be a great time!

 

[Sherry E]

I LOVE this thread. I'm reading through it while watching Disneyland Christmas youtube videos...

We've apparently decided to throw all our money out the window this year, and possibly plan a Christmas trip to Disneyland with friends from 12/26-12/31.

I'm used to summer crowds, but have never experienced Christmas crowds. My friends did WDW Christmas week last year and said they didn't feel it was overcrowded, but none of us have ever been to DL for Christmas.

How crowded is crowded? Is is constant shoulder-to-shoulder people? Would we find ourselves fighting to squeeze into stores, and waiting in lines for so long that we wouldn't be able to do much of anything?

I really want to soak up the atmosphere, but I still want to be able to do the rides. My original plan was to travel in August, but Christmas looks like so much fun and being with friends would be a great time!

Hello, MYD714! Welcome!

I'm so glad you've been enjoying this thread and have decided to join us!

Well, I'll be honest - the time frame in which you plan to go to DLR is commonly known as possibly the busiest week of the year, or at least the second busiest week. Disneyland often reaches capacity for multiple days in that post-Christmas/pre-New Year's week.

What's been happening in recent years is that, when Disneyland reached capacity and stopped letting people in the park, they sent people over to California Adventure to catch the overflow.

Since Cars Land opened in June, however, the reports have been that California Adventure is the busier park, while Disneyland crowds have thinned out!

So now I'm wondering what will happen this coming holiday season, and if Disneyland will still be the park with the most guests - simply because it has more holiday offerings - or if California Adventure will still be getting more visitors because of Cars Land. It may very well balance out nicely between the 2 parks!

I have been at Disneyland on days when it reached capacity (though not during that specific week in about 11 years), and yes, in some areas there were so many people blocking certain shops and walkways that it was very frustrating. In other areas it might not be as bad. In fact, one day when I was there in December 2009, the crowds were so thick around New Orleans Square that I couldn't get through to reach the shops. So it can get that way sometimes - but it doesn't mean it will always be that way.

You'll have several days in the parks, so you will have plenty of time to get things done. Also, perception counts for a lot too - I have heard some people say that they didn't feel the crowds were unbearable at all during those days, while others have said it was unbearable. You may find it to not be as bad as you expect at times!

 

[tksbaskets]

I LOVE this thread. I'm reading through it while watching Disneyland Christmas youtube videos...

We've apparently decided to throw all our money out the window this year, and possibly plan a Christmas trip to Disneyland with friends from 12/26-12/31.

I'm used to summer crowds, but have never experienced Christmas crowds. My friends did WDW Christmas week last year and said they didn't feel it was overcrowded, but none of us have ever been to DL for Christmas.

How crowded is crowded? Is is constant shoulder-to-shoulder people? Would we find ourselves fighting to squeeze into stores, and waiting in lines for so long that we wouldn't be able to do much of anything?

I really want to soak up the atmosphere, but I still want to be able to do the rides. My original plan was to travel in August, but Christmas looks like so much fun and being with friends would be a great time!

Greetings MYD714!
As Sherry mentioned a few posts ago this is when we almost always travel to DL/WDW. We've also visited both in the summer. What can I say, DH is a teacher.

How crowded is crowded? That is a personal question. I invite you to take a gander at my two DL NYE trip reports (2009/2011) to look at crowds and our touring plan. (DH says I map it out like a fine military campaign. I think that is a complement right?)

I believe it is all about planning and setting realistic expectations. It may also be a time - since money is flying out the window anyway - to look into booking the Holiday Tour which cut through two of the longest holiday lines plus gave us primo seats for the parade

Obviously we think it's a great time to visit DL~

 

[TigerlilyAJ]

Hello, all! I'm very excited to say I booked a concierge, theme-park view room at PPH today for Nov 9-12, for the tail end of our epic 15-day SoCal trip. I was asked if I had a pin code, and when I said no, Gerry the CM at WDTC said that I should not hold my breath for pin codes or discounts, as there seem to be none this summer and he doesn't see that changing. This was all unsolicited commentary; I didn't ask him about discounts or changing my reservation, etc.
I will note, though, in case others are ignorant as I was, that apparently you have to call and book to get a 10% AAA/CAA discount on the room, not online? Just putting that out there, as that's what I was told.
Looking forward to seeing the view with any holiday extras in the park that might be visible from PPH!
Should we do a holiday tour? *Can* we do one at the start of the season on Nov 12? We'll probably do the Halloween Ultimate Experience on Oct 31, because my husband *loves* the idea of reserved seating for the fireworks with our three young children. Is there anything similar with the holiday tour?
This is starting to get reeeeaallll!

ETA: Oops, kinda x-posted with tksbaskets, who seems to have already answered part of my questions about the holiday tour. Definitely sounds worth investigating.

 

[Sherry E]

I just wanted to mention that I am finally, finally getting underway with my Trip Report for this past December 2011's Disneyland trip! Yes, yes, I know. It's July and I am doing a TR for a trip that happened 7 months ago!

Believe me, it is unlike me to wait so long. I normally do the TR's shortly after I return from my DLR visits. There have been extenuating circumstances, including technical problems, being ill for 2-1/2 months earlier this year, taking a detour into Cars Land and Buena Vista Street last month and, quite frankly, there are parts of this December trip that I am not anxious to relive! It didn't end that spectacularly for me, and I kind of don't want to remind myself of it...but it's a crucial point in the trip (a 'watershed moment,' both literally and figuratively!) so I have to include it in the TR!

Anyway, my Disneyland holiday December 2011 trip report is called "Aunt Betty's Weepy, Wacky, Wonderful Christmas Trip to Disneyland - December 4 - December 8, 2011." It starts on Page 189/Post #2825 of my existing TR thread.

I just finished explaining how I narrowly avoided ending up in the forest on the way to the Paradise Pier Hotel.

I did not take even close to as many photos on this December 2011 trip as I did on my epic December 2010 trip ("The Evil Chair & The Peppermint Cone of Death" trip report, which is in that same TR thread), but I think it will be a good one anyway.

What made me think to mention my holiday-trip-report-in-progress right now (instead of waiting until it is all done) is that TigerlilyAJ just said that she booked her Paradise Pier Hotel theme park view room! I have been fortunate enough to stay at the PPH many times, and my last two stays there (December 2010 and December 2011) included theme park views - which I loved!

In fact, in my next trip report post I will explain the wonderful feeling of walking into the Paradise Pier Hotel lobby and seeing their gorgeous blue-green glowing Christmas tree (which may not be on display by 11/12 this year, as the hotels are usually slower to get their decorations up), and wanting to do a happy dance!









TigerlilyAJ - I think you'll really enjoy the view. I tell you, I cannot get enough of the view from the PPH room! I find that I always gravitate towards the window to look outside when I'm in the room! (I have pictures of the view from the room in my December 2010 TR, and will have another couple of pictures in the December 2011 TR that I am currently doing.)

I have noticed that I can see the California Adventure Christmas tree from the PPH hotel room, if I look hard. I usually cannot see too many other DCA decorations from that spot, but the nighttime view is awesome because DCA is lit up anyway!

I am so happy for you that your plans for a combo Halloween/Christmas trip are coming together! Yay!

The Holiday tour most definitely includes seats for the parade (not the fireworks) and the priority loading for HMH and IASWH. I hope you're able to work it in somehow.

Just make sure that you don't miss the Reindeer Round-Up, the snow on Main Street (after the fireworks) and the nighttime Winter Castle Enchantment lighting - those things may not actually begin until 11/12, whereas I think that IASW Holiday and the holiday parade will probably have both started before 11/12.




TK - Thank you for your ongoing help and valuable information in this thread! You know I appreciate it!

 

[iamthehiccup]

Do you guys know what time Fantasmic and the fireworks start on Christmas day? I was planning on having dinner at Storytellers but still wanted to watch both shows. Is it possible?

 

[Sherry E]

Do you guys know what time Fantasmic and the fireworks start on Christmas day? I was planning on having dinner at Storytellers but still wanted to watch both shows. Is it possible?

iamthehiccup -

This is a link to last December's park hours and entertainment schedule: http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/park-hours.cfm?month=12&year=2011


Maybe it will help give you an idea of when Fantasmic and the fireworks begin (although this year's hours may vary slightly) on Christmas.

 

[dalstitch45]

We had such a good time last year on our first trip to DLR at Christmas time, can't wait to go again this year. Looks like it is going to be one (1) of our "must be there" times. I am here now, and already planning. I am thinking right now about all the yummy treats I am going to eat.

 

[Sherry E]

We had such a good time last year on our first trip to DLR at Christmas time, can't wait to go again this year. Looks like it is going to be one (1) of our "must be there" times. I am here now, and already planning. I am thinking right now about all the yummy treats I am going to eat.

dalstitch45 -

Hello!

What you just described is what I suspect happens to many people - you go one time during the holiday season and instantly know that it is going to become an annual thing! (And the famous Disney Snowball starts rolling along!) Sure, of course there are exceptions to that scenario but I think that the majority of people who visit DLR at Christmas time fall in love with it.

For me, I know that if I were not able to get to DLR at any other time of year I would still find a way to work in a holiday visit. Even if I can't do a multi-night stay, I would find a way to do one day during Christmas time. It's just that special!

 

[TigerlilyAJ]

TigerlilyAJ - I think you'll really enjoy the view. I tell you, I cannot get enough of the view from the PPH room! I find that I always gravitate towards the window to look outside when I'm in the room! (I have pictures of the view from the room in my December 2010 TR, and will have another couple of pictures in the December 2011 TR that I am currently doing.)

I have noticed that I can see the California Adventure Christmas tree from the PPH hotel room, if I look hard. I usually cannot see too many other DCA decorations from that spot, but the nighttime view is awesome because DCA is lit up anyway!

I am so happy for you that your plans for a combo Halloween/Christmas trip are coming together! Yay!

Thanks, Sherry! I can't wait to see the "updated" view with Carsland. We're only staying there for the final nights of our trip, when I imagine we'll be so exhausted that we'll be grateful for being able to see a bit of WOC (and hear it clearly) from our room instead of staying late in the park.
The tour sounds wonderful. We'll see if we can swing the extra ~$250-300 it would cost us. It's hard to decide. DH would really enjoy the actual tour, the talky parts, while I'm more drawn to some express boarding on a couple rides with my errant children. I think we'd all like seats for the parade (without losing precious park time to squatting in a spot), but do we like it that $$$ much? To put it in perspective, that amount is almost as much as the three character meals (Surf's Up, Goofy's, Plaza Inn) we'd like to do.
Time to put in some extra shifts at work!

(Sorry about the rougher parts in last year's TR!)

 

[areweindisneyyet]

Do you guys know what time Fantasmic and the fireworks start on Christmas day? I was planning on having dinner at Storytellers but still wanted to watch both shows. Is it possible?

Christmas Day 2011 saw the Fireworks at 8.45pm and Fantasmic at 9pm and 10.15pm.

We booked dinner at 5.30pm at Storytellers and were done by a bit after 7. In terms of staking out a place by the Rivers for Fantasmic you would be pushing it for a great spot as people start saving spots early.

We did the Fantasmic Dessert Package three nights before which given the crowds at the time I highly recommend. The six of us were booked for the first show. We had great seats not only for Fantasmic but also for the fireworks. We really loved the view from New Orleans Square. It is a luxury but guarantees both events. It was great. In a not so busy time I would not bother but absolutely great in crowds.

Otherwise you could catch the fireworks and try for the later Fantasmic. Just be patient in moving around. Traffic flow after these events can be difficult if you are trying to move against the flow.

 

[MYD714]

Hello, MYD714! Welcome!

I'm so glad you've been enjoying this thread and have decided to join us!

Well, I'll be honest - the time frame in which you plan to go to DLR is commonly known as possibly the busiest week of the year, or at least the second busiest week. Disneyland often reaches capacity for multiple days in that post-Christmas/pre-New Year's week.

What's been happening in recent years is that, when Disneyland reached capacity and stopped letting people in the park, they sent people over to California Adventure to catch the overflow.

Since Cars Land opened in June, however, the reports have been that California Adventure is the busier park, while Disneyland crowds have thinned out!

So now I'm wondering what will happen this coming holiday season, and if Disneyland will still be the park with the most guests - simply because it has more holiday offerings - or if California Adventure will still be getting more visitors because of Cars Land. It may very well balance out nicely between the 2 parks!

I have been at Disneyland on days when it reached capacity (though not during that specific week in about 11 years), and yes, in some areas there were so many people blocking certain shops and walkways that it was very frustrating. In other areas it might not be as bad. In fact, one day when I was there in December 2009, the crowds were so thick around New Orleans Square that I couldn't get through to reach the shops. So it can get that way sometimes - but it doesn't mean it will always be that way.

You'll have several days in the parks, so you will have plenty of time to get things done. Also, perception counts for a lot too - I have heard some people say that they didn't feel the crowds were unbearable at all during those days, while others have said it was unbearable. You may find it to not be as bad as you expect at times!

Thanks! If we end up booking this trip, I am hoping that Cars Land will help ease the crowds.

The more I read about and see pictures of Christmas at Disneyland, the more I want to go! This thread is endangering my bank account!

Greetings MYD714!
As Sherry mentioned a few posts ago this is when we almost always travel to DL/WDW. We've also visited both in the summer. What can I say, DH is a teacher.

How crowded is crowded? That is a personal question. I invite you to take a gander at my two DL NYE trip reports (2009/2011) to look at crowds and our touring plan. (DH says I map it out like a fine military campaign. I think that is a complement right?)

I believe it is all about planning and setting realistic expectations. It may also be a time - since money is flying out the window anyway - to look into booking the Holiday Tour which cut through two of the longest holiday lines plus gave us primo seats for the parade

Obviously we think it's a great time to visit DL~

I just went through your trip reports! Looks like your family has a great time together--I love that!

Your pictures made me feel better about the crowds. My only concern is that we aren't staying in a Disney resort and, therefore, won't be able to take advantage of extra magic hours. I really want to stay at the DLH, but it's not in the budget and I don't know that I want to wait for it to be in the budget...I don't have that kind of patience.

 

[tksbaskets]

MYD714 You'll have a blast no matter where you stay. I would encourage you to get to the parks early if you want to enjoy a smaller crowd. Perhaps you'll get an extra magic morning with your park tickets?

I'm glad you enjoyed my trip reports. We have a wonderful time together as a family at Disneyland.

 

[dalstitch45]

dalstitch45 -

Hello!

What you just described is what I suspect happens to many people - you go one time during the holiday season and instantly know that it is going to become an annual thing! (And the famous Disney Snowball starts rolling along!) Sure, of course there are exceptions to that scenario but I think that the majority of people who visit DLR at Christmas time fall in love with it.

For me, I know that if I were not able to get to DLR at any other time of year I would still find a way to work in a holiday visit. Even if I can't do a multi-night stay, I would find a way to do one day during Christmas time. It's just that special!

How right you are, Sherry. I just wish I lived closer to DLR. Last year I did both DLR and WDW at Christmas time, and there is nothing like a double dose. I am already super excited for this year.