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

[Sherry E]

Just booked our hotel rooms for our trip! So excited! That's it I guess! I had to tell someone because everyone else is unavailable at the moment.
Kerri

Kerri -

Yay! It's so exciting to have the hotel booked, isn't it? You know you're one step closer to your holiday trip.

 

[disneytodiefor]

I hope this is the right place to ask. Does anyone know if Disneyland usually closes rides the first full week in Nov to put up Christmas or is everything usually open at that time. Specifically thinking haunted mansion and pirates? i haven't been in years and am trying to plan something for that week. TIA!

 

[Sherry E]

I hope this is the right place to ask. Does anyone know if Disneyland usually closes rides the first full week in Nov to put up Christmas or is everything usually open at that time. Specifically thinking haunted mansion and pirates? i haven't been in years and am trying to plan something for that week. TIA!

Haunted Mansion will be open in its "Haunted Mansion Holiday" form - which is a Nightmare Before Christmas overlay on the regular ride. It's very thorough and detailed, and some people love it while others hate it!

Pirates should be open. Last year Pirates was closed for 2-1/2 months because it was undergoing a major refurbishment, but most likely it should be open this year.

It's a Small World will be closed until maybe 11/9 - 11/11-ish, as it receives its holiday overlay.

That period of time right before the holiday season officially starts (which is 11/12 this year), and after Halloween Time has ended, is off-peak season, so it is likely that there could be other closures too.

 

[disneytodiefor]

Thanks for the info. I am deciding between first and second week of November and I just don't know alot so that is very helpful. If you have any other thoughts for me let me know... THANKS!

 

[Crazy4Disney06]

Just booked our hotel rooms for our trip! So excited! That's it I guess! I had to tell someone because everyone else is unavailable at the moment.
Kerri

Where have you decided on staying? We are staying off site 2 nights at Desert Palms Hotel and Suites, and then moving on site to a 1 bedroom villa at the Grand Californian.
If I remember correctly we had similar travel dates.

 

[kaoden39]

I swear the time has suddenly started moving faster.

 

[tksbaskets]

I hope it works out for you, TK! I know that it will be weird to not have any kind of holiday Disney trip - to whichever resort - this year, so I am crossing my fingers that 12/27 frees up!

If 12/27 did not become available, is it out of the realm of possibility to just go for 12/23 - 12/27? I mean, it would be a short trip - and WDW is so massive - but a least it would be a little taste of the holidays for you. And it wouldn't be your first trip there for the season, so at least you would know what you can leave off of the agenda.

It is a remote possibility but if we are going to pay airfare to take all four of us on a trip it's nice to stay for a week. We have talked about cheating on the mouse and having a day or two at ....the other place.... Just talked mind you.

 

[lurpee]

Where have you decided on staying? We are staying off site 2 nights at Desert Palms Hotel and Suites, and then moving on site to a 1 bedroom villa at the Grand Californian.
If I remember correctly we had similar travel dates.

We had to go with Holiday Inn Express Maingate because of the size of our party (family reunion). So we've reserved 8 suites and two rooms. the hotel is under renovations so we're praying they're done by then.

I would love to stay on site! You'll have a blast! Maybe we'll run into each other while there.
Kerri

 

[Sherry E]

Wow! The Candlelight Processional is going from 2 nights to...20 NIGHTS!!! Is that because Disneyland cannot commit to having an actual Christmas party yet? Or are they just copying WDW now that the DCA makeover is complete?

Let's discuss it, everyone!! It's holiday news! Will it affect your trip in any way?

Here is the Disney Parks Blog entry:

An Early Holiday Gift for Disneyland Guests: Twenty Nights of Disneyland Candlelight Ceremony Performances Scheduled for 2012



P.S. As long as they are not charging AP holders an arm and a leg to watch the CP on the other nights past 12/1 & 12/2, I'm excited to see it for the first time!

 

[Grumpy Grandma]

Thanks Sherry for keeping us all up to date. When it was only 2 nights I was going to try to avoid it. But now that it is 20 that should spread the crowd out. Now I just have to avoid the cast party .... do we know for sure when that will be.

 

[kaoden39]

Wow! The Candlelight Processional is going from 2 nights to...20 NIGHTS!!! Is that because Disneyland cannot commit to having an actual Christmas party yet? Or are they just copying WDW now that the DCA makeover is complete?

Let's discuss it, everyone!! It's holiday news! Will it affect your trip in any way?

Here is the Disney Parks Blog entry:

An Early Holiday Gift for Disneyland Guests: Twenty Nights of Disneyland Candlelight Ceremony Performances Scheduled for 2012



P.S. As long as they are not charging AP holders an arm and a leg to watch the CP on the other nights past 12/1 & 12/2, I'm excited to see it for the first time!

I can honestly say I am glad that it is after we are there. It is sure to bring in crowds. I know that it would be wonderful to see, but I want a relatively quiet visit.

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks Sherry for keeping us all up to date. When it was only 2 nights I was going to try to avoid it. But now that it is 20 that should spread the crowd out. Now I just have to avoid the cast party .... do we know for sure when that will be.

You're welcome - I just happened to be on the Parks Blog a short while ago (which was miraculous in and of itself, that I would see a new blog so soon after it went up!), and then I got to the DIS and noticed that Tom (of the Podcast team) had started a thread about it.

But...since this is where we discuss and break Disneyland holiday news anyway, we might as well chat about it here too!

I think this development will serve to spread crowds out a bit, but I also think that now that the CP is being made available to lots and lots of people, Disneyland will be more crowded overall - and more crowded in areas of the parks where we do not want extra crowds (like around IASW Holiday).


I am actually wondering how the Cast Member parties will be handled now, in light of this CP news. Will they even still be held on 12/10 & 12/11 (which is what I would have assumed, though nothing has been announced yet)?

Or...here is a thought...maybe, just maybe, the CM parties will be held in DCA this year, now that all the work is complete, and Cars Land/Buena Vista Street are expected/rumored to be fully decorated?

 

[Sherry E]

I can honestly say I am glad that it is after we are there. It is sure to bring in crowds. I know that it would be wonderful to see, but I want a relatively quiet visit.

Michele -

I know what you mean - I think you need a holiday trip that is as hassle-free and stress-free as possible!

I will embrace the CP it if I am there when it's happening and if I can see it without paying some crazy fee. BUT I agree with you that it's going to bring in crowds. There will be more crowds packed into Main Street and Town Square, and there will be more crowds at the hotels and in the parks in general, I think.

First of all, now this will mean that there will be many different narrators, just like WDW has. No longer will it be only one person speaking. More famous people means more people packing in to see the ceremony.

I suspect that DLR is thinking that DCA will offer enough of its own holiday stuff to lure people over there, and that they will not all be packed into DL. They need something in DCA to balance out the holiday festivities, so I guess that we can probably count on Cars Land and BVS being decorated - which was rumored anyway, but not confirmed.

 

[Grumpy Grandma]

I'm trying to plan my birthday trip (Dec 4) but really want to avoid as much of the crowds as possible. I'm not as interested in the rides as just seeing all the decorations so I think I should be okay. Wonder when they'll announce all the CP dates???

 

[Sherry E]

I'm trying to plan my birthday trip (Dec 4) but really want to avoid as much of the crowds as possible. I'm not as interested in the rides as just seeing all the decorations so I think I should be okay. Wonder when they'll announce all the CP dates???

Oh that's right - I remember you mentioned that this is your birthday trip a long time ago!

Whatever you do, don't miss IASW Holiday (you said you are not as interested in the rides) - that's one of the highlights and it is amazing & stunning inside and outside (especially after dark)! Also, the Storybook Land boat ride has teeny decorations on the cottages!

Yes, I'm very curious what exactly the CP dates will be too. Hmmm... Oh, just realized - the CP would have to take place on every single night from December 1 - 20 to amount to 20 nights! So there will be no CP on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

I am really beginning to wonder if the CM parties will be held in DCA this year so as not to conflict with the CP nights in DL. For the general public, DLR has got to put something of almost-equal interest in DCA for the holidays. If they are not going to have a full-fledged holiday party or a full holiday version of World of Color, they're most likely going to do the rumored themed decorations in Cars Land and on Buena Vista Street. That should draw some crowds across the esplanade and out of Disneyland. If they pack all of the holiday punch into Disneyland and barely anything in DCA, it will be a madhouse!

 

[danimaroo]

Ho boy, this is now making me a little nervous for our first trip to Disneyland. We'll be there from November 29th-December 2nd, with our park days being half of Thursday, then Friday and Saturday. What kind of lines should we expect?

We're not planning on doing the CP, and I thought maybe things would be less insane in other areas of the park while everyone is watching CP... I'm okay with some lines, but hour plus waits aren't really our cup of tea.

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

Okay, we'll be there Dec 5th-10th... I am guessing there will be some CP nights in there... now, do we want to see it??! I saw on the blog they will have "special dining packages" to get in to see it if you are not an AP holder. For those who have seen it, is it long?? Will I feel like I missed out if I don't go see it? I was hoping to miss it if it was only the 2 days, but now that it is 20... hmmmmm

 

[Sherry E]

Ho boy, this is now making me a little nervous for our first trip to Disneyland. We'll be there from November 29th-December 2nd, with our park days being half of Thursday, then Friday and Saturday. What kind of lines should we expect?

We're not planning on doing the CP, and I thought maybe things would be less insane in other areas of the park while everyone is watching CP... I'm okay with some lines, but hour plus waits aren't really our cup of tea.

Hello, danimaroo!

I was quite shocked to read this news today - the CP going from 2 nights to 20 nights seems like a huge leap to take! Maybe 10 nights I could see, but 20?

I mean, yes, the work in California Adventure is all finished now, and DCA can once again be included in the holiday celebration to a large degree - which will bring a lot of people into that park and out of Disneyland, but...at the end of the day we still only have 2 parks and 3 hotels. WDW has lots of Candlelight Processional nights - but they are a huge resort, so it's a more commensurate type of thing!

I wonder about the lines too. This is uncharted territory for Disneyland!

I mentioned to you over in the December check-in/roll call thread that I was there last year on the second day of the CP. Crowds began to build in the mid-to-late afternoon,and it was getting super-crowded along Main Street and all the way towards IASW Holiday and back to Toon Town. I think part of that was due to the parade time being altered for the Candlelight Processional, though.

You'll be there on the very first weekend of the CP - although, from what the Disney Parks Blog implies, those first 2 CP nights are still invitation only. So I am now wondering if those first 2 nights might actually be better than the subsequent CP nights, simply because they are more exclusive??

I think the crowds and popularity of the CP over the 20 nights might all be dependent on how much AP holders and others are being charged to see it with the dinner packages. If it is an outrageous amount, people will not want to pay it.

However, all the people who are not interested in seeing the CP (for whatever reason) will clog into other areas of Disneyland or into California Adventure.

 

[lurpee]

That's great! Thanks for posting this info! Does anyone have any idea what kind of dining will be available with this?

 

[Sherry E]

Okay, we'll be there Dec 5th-10th... I am guessing there will be some CP nights in there... now, do we want to see it??! I saw on the blog they will have "special dining packages" to get in to see it if you are not an AP holder. For those who have seen it, is it long?? Will I feel like I missed out if I don't go see it? I was hoping to miss it if it was only the 2 days, but now that it is 20... hmmmmm

Mommy2PrincessAbby -

You're going right around the time I probably would choose to go. I was thinking of trying to do another early December trip. There will be a CP every night of your trip, according to the info the Parks Blog gave us - every night from 12/1 - 12/20.

Well, I will be the first one to admit that I have not yet seen the CP, though I would like to if it were not crazy expensive. It used to be offered to people with dining packages in the past, and then it suddenly became more exclusive for some reason.

This is where we need Mariezp to come in and comment - she has seen the CP in the past and really enjoyed it. She can tell us how long it lasted.

I think that to see the CP or not to see it kind of depends on how much you do or do not love Christmas and Christmasy things, and the story of Christmas. I want to see the CP one time in my life just because I love love love Christmas and Christmas songs and all of that stuff - I love the whimsical side of it, as well as the more spiritual side of it. The CP is largely a spiritually-rooted event, so I would guess that many people avoid it because they are not religious at all.