We will be at DLR from December 18th through the 23rd. Last year was our very first holiday trip, and I am sooooo in love with the memories, that I just have to get back there this year. This whole party thing has me confused. Do you think they will still be having parties when we are there? I will feel taken advantage of if I have to pay to do what we did last year for the price of a DL ticket. On the other hand, if the party were at DCA, then I might really enjoy a party with totally new things to do. But, maybe all of my musings are a waste of time because the parties would not be happening during the late date of our trip. What do you think, Sherry?
Hello, and welcome back,
lucysmom!
I cannot blame you at all for wanting to experience another DLR holiday visit this year! Yours is the experience I always expect (hope) people will have -- that they get a taste of the season at DLR and become addicted, wanting to go back and experience it again! In fact, I am always a little surprised (and sad) when someone reports that they didn't have that great of a time...which doesn't happen often, but it does happen every now and then. It's such a beautiful, enchanting, joyful time to be at the Resort and it's hard to imagine someone not loving it.
I also cannot blame you for pondering a possible Christmas party scenario. True, it may never happen...but it may happen. And since it's quite possible that if it IS happening Disney might not announce it for at least few months, when rumors float around now it is going to be discussed!
I could be totally, 100% wrong, but my pure guess (based in part on what Janet has said in this thread about how the WDW Christmas parties are handled) would be that IF
Disneyland has a Christmas party, all parties would end by or before Friday, December 20th, at the very latest. (The Candlelight Processional/Ceremony ended its run on December 20th last year, so that is also what I am using as a guideline.) I think they would clear out the parties by that weekend (possibly earlier) and then make room for the Christmas week visitors.
I have a hunch that, just like WDW does, Disneyland would then run the Believe in Holiday Magic fireworks and the Christmas Fantasy Parade for the week of Christmas and the week of New Year's -- when the crowds are piling in.
I really wonder when the party would actually get started, though. If we use the Halloween parties as a model for Christmas parties, Disneyland has 2 parties a week (give or take a night) all through the month of October, and usually starting at the end of September.
So, would this mean that a Christmas party would start shortly after the season begins on 11/12, if they are to get in at least a full month's worth of parties? I'm not sure. Maybe they'd start them after Thanksgiving, but that would be a short run.
I have read some comments on other boards that indicate that many people think the Halloween parties are a good value and that folks are saving money because they are paying less money for 8 hours in the park -- with access to most (but not all) attractions in the park, and with extras like Halloween fireworks, the Cavalcade and candy -- than they would be paying for a one-day/one-park ticket. So I suspect that many people will look at a Christmas party that same way too -- that it's some kind of value.
That might work if you only wanted to be at DLR from 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. on. The thing is, what are the chances that the party guests would not be in one of the two parks earlier that day (before the party began)? Chances are, the multi-day visitors and/or AP holders would want to be in either DL or DCA before the party started. They wouldn't want to just show up at 4 p.m. and that's it.
The way it would work -- in my estimation -- is that people would be paying extra (and not saving) to be in one park or both parks earlier in the day, and then to be at a party at night. Either they'd be using a Hopper to be in the park(s) earlier or just a one-day ticket, and then would pay for the additional price of a party.
Disney would not pull a party out of its hat unless it had a way to make extra money out of the deal. This would not be a method to help people save money and get value!
So I guess it's all in how you look at things, but I tend to think a lot of people will also feel taken advantage of, as you would, lucysmom -- especially if the party involves the same ol' holiday parade and the same ol' holiday fireworks and snow to which they have become accustomed for years! That -- to me -- is not the smartest way to handle a new Christmas party on Disney's end, and I hope they rethink that plan, IF that is what they are planning. It's not too late to save Christmas!
Yes, I would prefer December, but the kids have a week of conferences where they are in school until 11:00. I feel less guilty pulling them out of school for a couple of half days. And I like the weekday crowd levels. So November it is!
Plus I am hoping for a possible Disapalooza trip to WDW in December. I usually meet my sister there. Crossing my fingers!
Halloweenqueen --
November is better than no holiday DLR trip at all! You'll still get to ride IASWH and HMH, as well as see the Jingle Jangle Jamboree and all of that, so it's a good dose of Christmas fun!
, because my sons had no problem hugging Lightning and Mater, even if the vehicles could not hug them back, or jumping up and down like the kids were on a pogo stick with their arms raised. 
