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

[VictoriaAndMatt]

Hi all we are currently planning our first trip to Disneyland for the Holidays. My question is in previous years were the fireworks shown every night or just on the weekends? We're planning on going the week after Thanksgiving. TIA!

I checked out the calendar links posted on post #3 and it looks like the fireworks are every night.

Nov 2011
http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/park-hours.cfm?month=11&year=2011

Dec 2011
http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/park-hours.cfm?month=12&year=2011

 

[lurpee]

I just wanted to pop in and say hello. We were supposed to go at Christmastime last year, but unfortunately we hit an unexpected bump in the road and weren't able to. This year I'm determined to go for my son's 5th birthday, which is on Dec 20th, but because the hubby works retail it's going to be a last minute get the kids and go quick trip.

Does anyone know if the on site hotels are completely full in December? Probably Dec 14-15 or Dec 20-21st, and we'd need to book last minute. I'd prefer DLH but any on site is fine. We want to take advantage of EMH since it will be such a quick trip.

I'm really excited to see DL at Christmastime again. The last time was my very first trip back in 2004.

We will be there when you are for my DD's 5th birthday! That's a bummer that you have to do it in such a short period of time.

Good luck!
Kerri

 

[Sherry E]

VictoriaAndMatt!


Welcome back (it's been a long time since I've seen you post anywhere, and the last time, of course, was on the Halloween thread)!!!! I most definitely remember that you said in the Halloween thread that you planned to pop over here and start planning for a holiday 2011 trip. I'm sorry you didn't get to do that trip, but at least this year is looking promising! I hope all is well.

About Dec 14-15 or Dec 20-21st at the hotels... Well, I don't know for sure, but I think that the 12/20-12/21 dates might be more likely to be booked solid, as a lot of people will have off that whole week leading up to Christmas and will flock to the parks. I think that the 12/14 & 12/15 dates might be better in terms of finding hotel availability on short notice.

If you end up at the Paradise Pier for some reason, I will tell you that the PPH Christmas tree is gorgeous (I like it much better than the trees at the DLH!), so at least you will have a pretty tree to look at on your way in and out of the lobby!

There are always cancellations and reschedulings. So while it may not seem likely that there would be last minute openings for 12/14 - 12/15, it's not impossible. You pretty much have to keep checking back with Reservations on the phone (I wouldn't do it online). Keep calling them to see if anything has opened up if it's all booked when you first check. You may end up with a more expensive room than what you had planned on - like a view room instead of a standard, or a concierge room instead of a view room - but at least it would be a room!

I know that back in 2008, the onsite hotels had a lot of availability all through December, up to the weekend before Christmas. I was told by a CM on the phone that they usually have some openings at the 3 hotels until right around that time. So you may be in luck. It will be risky, but it's not impossible.



StyledSugar -

Welcome back to the thread!

I have heard of special Christmas buffets at the DLH, but I don't know if they happen every year. I know that there are various restaurants that serve special menu items on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (like Plaza Inn, Carnation Cafe, Storytellers, etc.).

You know, I wonder if Carthay Circle in DCA might have some options this year?? I bet that they'd be likely to have something fairly traditional for Christmas.




disneydreamer74 & Shannon -

I am not sure about the gift baskets, but I know that Vacation Planning can put together some special Disney Christmas stockings for you! (They also have some really adorable, albeit very costly, mini-Christmas trees that you can buy for the room.)







Okay, the next post is the Theme Week Alert/Reminder...

 

[Sherry E]

Holiday Season Theme Week Countdown

Announcement/Alert!!!​

Hey there, everyone! I have been promising that a Theme Week Countdown was coming for quite a while, and in TWO DAYS it will begin!

This coming Monday, August 27th, we will kick off our countdown to the start of the Holiday Season at Disneyland Resort. Then, we will continue counting down by focusing on a different "theme" or highlight of the festivities every Monday through November 12, 2012.



Those of you who followed along with my Holiday Season Theme Week Countdown in this Superthread last year will probably remember how it all goes, but for those of you who are new to this thread or new to Theme Week Countdowns to any seasons, it's easy to follow when we get into it, but here is the scoop:



1. On one day each week - the same day of the week on which the season will begin, so for the Holidays it will be every Monday - a different aspect of the season (or theme) will be announced, and everyone will be encouraged to share their photos of the given theme all week long.

So, for example, if I announce that it's "Haunted Mansion Holiday week," everyone will round up their HMH photos and post them, until the next theme is announced one week later. The themes will be a surprise (they have already been decided), and will not be announced in advance, although it should be easy enough to figure out which ones remain after we have combed through a few!

I am basically using the same themes that I used last year from late August to mid-November, but switching up the order a little bit so it’s not completely predictable. Certain things may be grouped together into one theme, and some things may be standalone themes.

One thing I will tell you is that the final theme - which will occur on November 12th - will be, essentially, Miscellaneous, although I will probably come up with a catchier name for it as the weeks progress! The reason for this is that by the time 11/12 rolls around, the new season's decorations will have already begun going up around DLR in the week leading up to that date, and people will generally be more interested in seeing the new things than in counting down (of course!). It’s best not to save any major themes for the final day of the countdown for that very reason – most of us will already be in ‘new season mode’!

The Miscellaneous theme week will basically just be a catch-all theme for any photos you have that didn't make it into the previous weeks' themes, or anything else you want to post photos of that is Disneyland Resort/Christmas/Holiday Season-related.





2. Just under one week before the holidays begins, we will kick into a daily countdown. Some themes will not give us enough material for a full week, so those themes will be daily. For example, the Winter Castle is not enough to really warrant an entire week’s worth of photos, but it is definitely a prominent aspect of the holiday season that needs to be highlighted.

​

To sum up:

• On August 27, September 3, September 10, September 17, September 24, October 1, October 8, October 15, October 22, October 29 and November 5 (all Mondays), I will announce a new weekly theme;
  
• On November 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 & 11 (Tuesday - Sunday), I will feature a daily theme; and
  
• On November 12, the new Disneyland Resort Holiday Season begins and that day will be our final theme - "Miscellaneous" (or something like that, with a more clever title!).

Again, it will be very easy to follow along with when we get going! It's a great way to pass the time, count down to the new holiday season, build excitement, as well as showcase different aspects of the season that people may have never paid much attention to or were previously unaware of. It's also a great way to encourage everyone to dig up their pictures and post them.

Don’t worry about posting ‘repeats’ of photos you may have already posted in last year’s countdown. It is expected and assumed that we have many new people following this thread now (both lurking and actively participating), and a lot of them will not have gone back through the pages to see what we posted last year. Just treat it as though you’ve never posted your photos before, or that no one has seen them before, and feel free to share them again!




So get your photos ready, because the first theme is coming up in 2 days!!! I will see you back here on Monday, August 27th with our first theme!

 

[greenkai3000]

Not sure if this would be the thread to find out what all treats one can find at the DL Resort during the Holidays? Pics, and locations ideally?

 

[Sherry E]

Not sure if this would be the thread to find out what all treats one can find at the DL Resort during the Holidays? Pics, and locations ideally?

We discuss treats here too.

There's a lot of information on Page 1 of this thread - in Posts #2 and #3, to be exact. Post #2 should have links to some food-related photos. Post #3 should have a list of some treats and locations. A few items may be a bit outdated but 80% of it is the same every year.

Otherwise, we will eventually have a Theme Week that includes treats, down the road.

 

[VictoriaAndMatt]

VictoriaAndMatt!

Welcome back (it's been a long time since I've seen you post anywhere, and the last time, of course, was on the Halloween thread)!!!! I most definitely remember that you said in the Halloween thread that you planned to pop over here and start planning for a holiday 2011 trip. I'm sorry you didn't get to do that trip, but at least this year is looking promising! I hope all is well.

About Dec 14-15 or Dec 20-21st at the hotels... Well, I don't know for sure, but I think that the 12/20-12/21 dates might be more likely to be booked solid, as a lot of people will have off that whole week leading up to Christmas and will flock to the parks. I think that the 12/14 & 12/15 dates might be better in terms if finding hotel availability on short notice.

If you end up at the Paradise Pier for some reason, I will tell you that the PPH Christmas tree is gorgeous (I like it much better than the trees at the DLH!), so at least you will have a pretty tree to look at on your way in and out of the lobby!

There are always cancellations and reschedulings. So while it may not seem likely that there would be last minute openings for 12/14 - 12/15, it's not impossible. You pretty much have to keep checking back with Reservations on the phone (I wouldn't do it online). Keep calling them to see if anything has opened up if it's all booked when you first check. You may end up with a more expensive room than what you had planned on - like a view room instead of a standard, or a concierge room instead of a view room - but at least it would be a room!

I know that back in 2008, the onsite hotels had a lot of availability all through December, up to the weekend before Christmas. I was told by a CM on the phone that they usually have some openings at the 3 hotels until right around that time. So you may be in luck. It will be risky, but it's not impossible.

Hi Sherry! Yes, I had to stay away from the boards for a while. We haven't been able to take a vacation since you last saw me posting on the Halloween thread almost 2 years ago, and being on the Dis just made me sad. But I'm glad we are able to plan this trip even though it's going to be so quick. I was tempted to go Halloween again this year too, but I think I want to make DS' birthday feel a little more special by not having gone just a couple months before.

Thank you for the hotel information. I was figuring that the 20-21 would be difficult to get. I've been bugging the hubby to get his work to confirm that he will get his days off so we can actually plan ahead, but because it's so close to Christmas they just won't do it. I was looking at the PPH today and your holiday pics of it from the beginning of the thread. It's definitely a possibility. It just depends on what's actually available when we can book it. I'm a big planner so I hate having to be so flexible lol.

I'm looking forward to the coming weeks of planning and counting down with everyone!

 

[VictoriaAndMatt]

Update: DH just came home from work and after talking to someone else they agreed that if it's his scheduled days off (which both sets of days are) then he can have them, and just let them know he's out of town if they try to call him in. So excited to be able to actually plan! Now I just have to decide which days to choose lol.

 

[disneyparami]

I checked out the calendar links posted on post #3 and it looks like the fireworks are every night.

Nov 2011
http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/park-hours.cfm?month=11&year=2011

Dec 2011
http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/park-hours.cfm?month=12&year=2011

Cool thanks for the info! It's our first holiday trip and we're so excited!
I saw your post about your DH getting the days off for your trip!!

 

[tksbaskets]

Update: DH just came home from work and after talking to someone else they agreed that if it's his scheduled days off (which both sets of days are) then he can have them, and just let them know he's out of town if they try to call him in. So excited to be able to actually plan! Now I just have to decide which days to choose lol.

YEAH! So glad your plans are gellin'!

Sherry - got my photobucket ready to go for the theme weeks! Can't wait

 

[Sherry E]

...Only 77 Days Until the
Holiday Season Begins at Disneyland Resort!!!!​

And with the new week comes a new DLR holiday theme!!

As I’ve told you, I've decided to showcase a particular area of interest of DLR's holiday celebration each week until the 2012 season begins on Monday, November 12th!! There are many themes to come over the next 2-1/2 months, including 12 main themes and 6 ‘mini-themes.’ This is a great way to keep the photos rolling in on a regular basis and build anticipation for 11/12! Also, it's a way to display the different aspects and details of the holidays at DLR that may be totally new to some people...or previously unnoticed/undiscovered by others.

So, that said....

In the Spotlight this Week......MAIN STREET!!!​

Whether you've been to Disneyland only one time or 100 times, you all know the feeling you get when you enter the gates, walk through the tunnel and step onto Main Street. It's a feeling of comfort. A feeling of sheer joy. It's like being transported into the past, to a wistful, simpler, more innocent time. It's evocative of the small town scenes in "It's a Wonderful Life."

For many of us, Main Street was the first glimpse of Disneyland we ever got (if you were not one of the folks taking the Monorail into Tomorrowland to start the day, that is), and it somehow left an indelible impression on us that can never be erased. For many of us, a trip to Disneyland is not a trip to Disneyland unless we begin it by walking slowly down Main Street and taking it all in. Main Street is somehow able to tap into a certain emotion in us unlike any other land in the park or any other area of the Resort.

If you've experienced the magic of Main Street but have never been to Disneyland for the Christmas season, you are in for a treat. In the evening, Main Street comes alive, aglow in lights and colors; the air filled with aromas and sounds... It's hard to describe. You just kind of have to see it to believe it.

The beauty of Main Street at night, during the holiday season, has turned even my most jaded friends into awestruck children. It brings out the child in all of us. As one of my friends said, upon her first-ever peek at the gorgeous colors which dotted the path, leading all the way to the Castle, "You guys...it's just so...beautiful...."



When I selected Main Street to be the focus of this week, it occurred to me that this area of Disneyland has many dimensions to its seasonal immersion. There is Main Street in the daytime. There's Main Street at nighttime. There's Main Street as it is lightly dusted with tiny specks of snow. There's the giant Christmas tree, and the ornaments on the tree. There are many window displays. There are the Dapper Dans. There are the vehicles and horses. Actually, I wasn't sure where to begin in choosing the photos to post today.

I’ll start with 2010 (and one or two from 2008!) and then work my way to 2011 in future posts…

Please feel free to post your photos of Main Street all this week!!!!!

 

[Sherry E]

Since I can see that the first Theme Week is a big hit so far (lol), as the thread is slowly getting close to the bottom of Page 1 of the forum, here are more pictures from Main Street, December 2010!

The window displays are amazing!

 

[VictoriaAndMatt]

Thanks for sharing your awesome pics Sherry! I'd add some but the only pics I have from my trip in 2004 are off my old POS camera and most of them are blue and or blurry lol.

 

[Goofy_Mom]

So excited!!! We get to see our happy place dected out for Halloween and Christmas in the same year!!! I'm lovin our APs!!

These last three are from 2010, the only three Main Street decor I have (I have a few characters on Main Street). When NOS and IASWH weeks come by I'll have a bunch to share

 

[I'm mikey]

Here are a few pics taken between 12/5/11 - 12/10/11.

 

[Beee]

All the photos are great! Thanks everyone for sharing, this is our first time at DL so it is exciting to see what is in store for us in a little under 15 weeks!

I have not done much in the way of DL planning for awhile, just booked our LA accommodation the other day though so the rest of the holiday is coming along nicely. I do need some advice for DLH though, we booked our room a few months ago and paid the deposit etc. I also bought an AP for myself but of course can't activate it until we arrive in December. Can I still ring and change to an AP rate and when would be the best time to do this? Or can I just ask to have the AP rate when we check in?

Also when are the hours for December get released? I want to start planning what dining to make reservations for etc but can't do that until I know when F! is scheduled etc - e.g going by last years dates F! would only be on the day we arrive on the Sunday, we were planning to start our trip with dinner at goofy's kitchen but I don't want to do both GK and F! on the same night. I didn't really want to have a late night at all that first night given we'll have just had a 12 flight but I don't want to miss F! Is there a chance that now the CP is going all through the time we are there that F! will be on at all during the week as well?

 

[tksbaskets]

Mainstreet I'm going to start with our 2009 trip and then work up to our 2011/2012 trip.

Magic Morning...O dark 30

LOVE this one...the memories it envokes. Currier and Ives and all....not the quality of my pic

Seems we all like the lamps. I especially like the one I"m Mikey posted with the flame inside!

Don't know the name of the firehouse band but they were fun as I recall.

I can't believe it's countdown time already. Wahoo

 

[DTDkettleCORNfan]

Even the Corn Dog Cart is festive!

Last year during the Holiday season they filmed an episode of America's Funniest Home Videos. Here is my (not-so-great) picture of the host. It was fun to watch a bit of the filming, and even more fun to watch the episode on TV!

 

[CajunMomof3]

Help!! I'm torn... Do I get a pictorial preview or do I wait to be awed when we get to DL for the first time just a few days before Christmas!?!!?!

I looked, and it was awesome! LOL!

 

[Torgue]

We had our first trip to DLR at Christmas in 2010 and I don't think I have posted on this thread since. Seeing the pictures brought back so many wonderful memories of our trip. The good news is that we are going back this year! Last year we went to WDW in August and it just wasn't the same. We are hooked on DLR at Christmas ! Thanks Sherry