Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread #3!- HOLIDAYS BEGIN 11/12/13!!

[tksbaskets]

Cha-ching! Just purchased our airline tickets for our December trip Now to save up for those park hopper tickets.... Good thing I have months to plan and dream.

Name this tree. Just looking at the picture makes me smile. Hint: We are staying here

DCA Christmas 2011 - can't wait to see it now:

I think the Carnation Cafe has changed as well:

We are all hoping Cars Land has taken a little heat off our favorite ride!

 

[Sherry E]

Yay, TK! I'm glad you're getting your trip together, little by little! You've got your lodging taken care of. You've got your airline tickets taken care of. Now just the Hoppers and probably some spending/food money left, right?

Well, you know, there are only just over 5 months until the holiday season at DLR begins (and 5 months until the next Hallmark Christmas marathon begins!), and when you think about how we have already gotten 5 months into this year and how fast that time has gone by, you can see that your December trip will basically be here in no time!

I'm not going to name the tree! Someone else can do that. I know the tree. I am Queen of the Tree Quest! In fact, when the Theme Week Countdown gets underway (and it will start either at the very end of next month or the very beginning of August), you will see more photos of that same tree! 'Tis a lovely, golden, twinkly tree...

(Oh, and I have a little 'twist' that I am going to add to this year's Theme Week Countdown, so stay tuned for that!)

Yep, Carnation Cafe has changed since you were last there, and all of those annoying walls are down in DCA! You've got lots of new things to see.

 

[ToodlesRN]

We stayed at GCH last Christmas week. It was the best Christmas ever and I would do it again in a heartbeat!
I didn't think it was anymore crowded than Spring break, mid July or Halloween time. Disneyland is crowded no matter what time of year it is. You just have to give yourself enough time and be patient with everyone. Put yourself in the frame of mind that you are going to have amazing Christmas!

By the way... we woke up Christmas eve with pouring rain, so we switched it up and opened our gifts that morning and relaxed in the room for awhile. Christmas morning we got up early and did the EE. Did RSR, LFT, MJJ, TOT, SOC and TSMM that first hour... most we have ever accomplished for EE.

Thanks for the reply! Thats good to hear about the crowds levels we have gone at the end of summer and a week before Halloween in 2011 and all the other times off season.

ToodlesRN -

Here is the link to JediMasterNerd's extremely informative, helpful post from page 2 of this thread, as I mentioned in my above post -- http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=47018031&postcount=19.

I'm so glad that we have people in this thread like Jedi, lana772 and a couple of others, who have shared their Christmas week/Christmas Day experiences. A lot of people want to know about that time frame. Many of us go to the parks every holiday season, but our trips are spread out from early November on through the last day of the season in January. It's fantastic to have a wide array of people here who have experienced all the different holiday time frames in the parks!

Thank you to everyone who contributes!

I remembered one thing that I did not mention in my previous post. One of my Facebook friends (not a DIS'er) took her two young sons to DLR last year for Christmas Eve, Christmas day and the day after Christmas. She told me that the crowds were not too bad (in her estimation) at all until much later on 12/25. By nighttime she said the crowds had picked up a lot, and then 12/26 was busy, busy, busy. But she didn't seem to think the crowds were too outrageous pre-Christmas day night!

Sherry! Thanks for the info you are always full on knowledge and helpful I like that about you!! When we go to DL we go for a 5-7 days at a time as we don't spend the whole day in the parks we go after opening (never can make EE!) after lunch head back to room for swimming and hanging out then back around dinner for a couple hours we may get a handful of rides in a day, but we like that we just hang out and go about our day. I can say that we are all excited about being away from home on Christmas and spending it at our fav place!!!

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry! Thanks for the info you are always full on knowledge and helpful I like that about you!! When we go to DL we go for a 5-7 days at a time as we don't spend the whole day in the parks we go after opening (never can make EE!) after lunch head back to room for swimming and hanging out then back around dinner for a couple hours we may get a handful of rides in a day, but we like that we just hang out and go about our day. I can say that we are all excited about being away from home on Christmas and spending it at our fav place!!!

ToodlesRN -

You're welcome! Thank you for the kind words. Providing knowledge and help -- that's why I'm here! I started this thread (and the Halloween Superthread) to help folks learn all that there is to learn about Christmas time and Halloween Time, from the basics to the little hidden gems that can be overlooked. I have a reasonably good memory (most of the time), an eye/ear/mind for details, a love of (amateur) photography, a love of Halloween and Christmas as holidays, and a lot of DLR holiday experience -- so when I combine all of those elements it works for these types of Superthreads!

However, I have to rely on my fellow DIS'ers (such as tksbaskets, Bret/mvf-m11c, larina, Luisa, lana772, JediMasterNerd, TigerlilyAJ, KCmike, etc., etc., etc. -- too many to name right now) to share their insight, opinions, photos and knowledge as well -- we have all had different experiences during our trips, and some of us focus more on certain activities and events during our trips than others; some of us notice things that others don't notice; some of us go at different times of the season; some of us go solo and some go with large groups, etc. All of that collective knowledge from everyone is vital and crucial!

I know exactly what you mean about not making the EE. I like to stay onsite to have the option of getting that extra hour in the morning on multiple days, and I try to take advantage of it at least once during my stays, though it doesn't always work out that way. However, I must say that when I have been able to go into either park early and wander around, I loved that I could roam about freely in open space without anyone else in the vicinity. (It's so much better for picture-taking that way, when no one is around!) Also, it's great to be able to get on rides with little or no wait, which doesn't always happen but when it has happened it has been wonderful.

Like you, I am also a big proponent of going back to the hotel and hanging out for a while, then re-entering the park(s) with a second wind. Getting in a handful of rides during a day is good if I can swing it, although there have been days when I actually did not ride anything and just roamed around the parks and hotels, taking pictures and looking in shops! And I had a great time doing it!

While I have not yet hung out at the pool at any of the Disney hotels -- one of these days I have to do that -- I think it's good to have a mid-day break and to just get out of the hustle and bustle of the parks for a while...recharge the ol' batteries, literally and figuratively!

I think that being at DLR on Christmas is going to be a really special experience for you!

 

[tksbaskets]

Thanks for the reply! Thats good to hear about the crowds levels we have gone at the end of summer and a week before Halloween in 2011 and all the other times off season.

Sherry! Thanks for the info you are always full on knowledge and helpful I like that about you!! When we go to DL we go for a 5-7 days at a time as we don't spend the whole day in the parks we go after opening (never can make EE!) after lunch head back to room for swimming and hanging out then back around dinner for a couple hours we may get a handful of rides in a day, but we like that we just hang out and go about our day. I can say that we are all excited about being away from home on Christmas and spending it at our fav place!!!

Sherry is a gem to be sure and is the glue that keeps this thread together. I agree with her that the fun of this SUPER thread is that there are so many DISers that contribute and share. I find it very enjoyable to see DL and DCA through the eyes of others. Being able to read one thread for most of my holiday DL fix is just grand.

We all approach our holiday trips differently. It think the most important thing is to set your expectations realistically. If you don't do EE you won't be able to hit the high traffic attractions as often or with a shorter wait. On the other hand if you enjoy leisurely mornings that is a fair trade.

My family leans more towards commando touring utilizing EE and perhaps a stop back at the hotel during the day. We are not ones to stay late into the night. The time difference from Michigan to CA really works in our favor for this.

Disneyland anytime of the year is wonderful but at the Christmas holidays is especially magical!

 

[ToodlesRN]

ToodlesRN -

You're welcome! Thank you for the kind words. Providing knowledge and help -- that's why I'm here! I started this thread (and the Halloween Superthread) to help folks learn all that there is to learn about Christmas time and Halloween Time, from the basics to the little hidden gems that can be overlooked. I have a reasonably good memory (most of the time), an eye/ear/mind for details, a love of (amateur) photography, a love of Halloween and Christmas as holidays, and a lot of DLR holiday experience -- so when I combine all of those elements it works for these types of Superthreads!

However, I have to rely on my fellow DIS'ers (such as tksbaskets, Bret/mvf-m11c, larina, Luisa, lana772, JediMasterNerd, TigerlilyAJ, KCmike, etc., etc., etc. -- too many to name right now) to share their insight, opinions, photos and knowledge as well -- we have all had different experiences during our trips, and some of us focus more on certain activities and events during our trips than others; some of us notice things that others don't notice; some of us go at different times of the season; some of us go solo and some go with large groups, etc. All of that collective knowledge from everyone is vital and crucial!

I know exactly what you mean about not making the EE. I like to stay onsite to have the option of getting that extra hour in the morning on multiple days, and I try to take advantage of it at least once during my stays, though it doesn't always work out that way. However, I must say that when I have been able to go into either park early and wander around, I loved that I could roam about freely in open space without anyone else in the vicinity. (It's so much better for picture-taking that way, when no one is around!) Also, it's great to be able to get on rides with little or no wait, which doesn't always happen but when it has happened it has been wonderful.

Like you, I am also a big proponent of going back to the hotel and hanging out for a while, then re-entering the park(s) with a second wind. Getting in a handful of rides during a day is good if I can swing it, although there have been days when I actually did not ride anything and just roamed around the parks and hotels, taking pictures and looking in shops! And I had a great time doing it!

While I have not yet hung out at the pool at any of the Disney hotels -- one of these days I have to do that -- I think it's good to have a mid-day break and to just get out of the hustle and bustle of the parks for a while...recharge the ol' batteries, literally and figuratively!

I think that being at DLR on Christmas is going to be a really special experience for you!

I remember reading your halloween thread page by page and checking out the pics. Our family couldn't wait once seeing those photos that everyone has shared!! As time permits I will start getting caught up on the Christmas thread.

 

[cali_crafter]

We just changed our dates from Oct to mid November. I'm so excited to experience the Christmas season at Disneyland!

Our kids are off for fall break in Oct so it's a perfect time for us to plan a trip but our last trip (2010) was at Halloween time and we aren't really huge Halloween fans. Touring Plans has the days we are going (Nov 19-21) as a level 1 instead of a 5 for our dates for October AND we get to see DL at Christmas for the first time! Win win, the girls will just have to miss some school days.

Anyhow, thanks for the informative thread, I will be keeping up on all of the exciting developments.

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry is a gem to be sure and is the glue that keeps this thread together. I agree with her that the fun of this SUPER thread is that there are so many DISers that contribute and share. I find it very enjoyable to see DL and DCA through the eyes of others. Being able to read one thread for most of my holiday DL fix is just grand.

We all approach our holiday trips differently. It think the most important thing is to set your expectations realistically. If you don't do EE you won't be able to hit the high traffic attractions as often or with a shorter wait. On the other hand if you enjoy leisurely mornings that is a fair trade.

My family leans more towards commando touring utilizing EE and perhaps a stop back at the hotel during the day. We are not ones to stay late into the night. The time difference from Michigan to CA really works in our favor for this.

Disneyland anytime of the year is wonderful but at the Christmas holidays is especially magical!

Thank you, TK, for the very kind words. I appreciate it!

I was just mentioning you in another thread. Someone posted (fellow DIS'er AvidTraveller) a question about whether to go for Halloween Time or the holiday season this year, having already experienced Halloween Time in the past but being new to the holiday season. AvidTraveller would be visiting DLR for a holiday visit from 12/29/13 - 1/5/14, I think the dates were, if a holiday trip took place. Most people advised against a holiday trip during that time because of the increase in crowds post-Christmas.

However, I said that because AvidTraveller has already done Halloween Time and would be in the parks for at least 6 days, even with the big crowds I think that a holiday trip is a better option. One or two or three days in those crowds might be different. But 6 full park days should be fine to deal with crowds, right? I specifically mentioned that you have experience during that exact time frame and have insight into it.

I remember reading your halloween thread page by page and checking out the pics. Our family couldn't wait once seeing those photos that everyone has shared!! As time permits I will start getting caught up on the Christmas thread.

ToodlesRN --

The Halloween Time Superthread is a lot of fun! I'm so glad it helped to build excitement for your trip!

You have some fun reading ahead of you! There is a lot of good information in the first 9 posts on Page 1 of this thread (I just started it at the end of last year and have been building all of the posts over time, with a little bit of tweaking left to do on some posts), which are broken down by category, and then Bret's/mvf-m11c's wonderful fireworks photos stand out on that page as well. A few people gave some great reviews of their holiday trips last year. I posted some photos a couple/few pages later.

Since then we have been discussing everything from the different "Levels" of general Christmas enjoyment/appreciation for each person, to the different "Stages" of the holiday season's unveiling at DLR, to the news that the season begins on Tues., 11/12 this year, to the probability that the Candlelight Ceremony will only take place on 2 nights this year...and, of course, we have discussed the possible appearance of an all-holiday World of Color and the looming inevitability that a ticketed Christmas party is on the horizon.

At some point in this thread I posted links to the previous Theme Week Countdowns from the last 2 years. At the end of next month or the very beginning of August (I am still figuring out the exact "schedule"), I will launch the 3rd Annual Theme Week Countdown to the Holiday Season at DLR. It's usually a 3-month extravaganza (lasting from August to November) of photos and information rolling in from many participants -- all designed to showcase the amazing highlights, themes and details of the holiday season around the Resort for new holiday travelers, and for previous holiday travelers to be able to share their photos each week. This year I am adding in a bit of a 'twist' to the countdown (I am still figuring out the exact details/specifics of that twist), as well as a couple of new categories, a couple of revised existing categories and a slightly different schedule for the last week of the Countdown. It will be a lot of fun, so stay tuned!!

Of course, we will also be discussing any news or credible holiday rumors as they roll in, too!

We just changed our dates from Oct to mid November. I'm so excited to experience the Christmas season at Disneyland!

Our kids are off for fall break in Oct so it's a perfect time for us to plan a trip but our last trip (2010) was at Halloween time and we aren't really huge Halloween fans. Touring Plans has the days we are going (Nov 19-21) as a level 1 instead of a 5 for our dates for October AND we get to see DL at Christmas for the first time! Win win, the girls will just have to miss some school days.

Anyhow, thanks for the informative thread, I will be keeping up on all of the exciting developments.

Welcome, cali_crafter! I'm so glad you joined us!

I'm very happy that you're going to experience your first DLR holiday season this year! I think you're in for a real treat. You will probably be leaving before the wave of Thanksgiving break travelers arrives (assuming that many of them take the whole week off for that holiday), so I don't think the crowds should be too bad.

Unfortunately -- and this may or may not make a difference to you, but I always mention it to people just in case -- you will probably miss the different Disney hotels' decorations (and Santas), as they typically get decorated right after Thanksgiving. Although...Thanksgiving is late in November this year and I expect that the Christmas trees may go up a few days earlier than they normally would. I don't think they'll be up by your trip, though, which is a shame because the GCH and PPH trees, in particular, are lovely!

Since you've already experienced Halloween Time (and are not a big Halloween fan), you may appreciate the fact that the holiday season is much more involved, much more detailed and extensive than Halloween Time! Even if the hotels are not yet decorated by the time you arrive, the 2 parks will be (possibly some of Downtown Disney too, but I'm not sure). Unlike during Halloween Time, the holiday season can be experienced in California Adventure too -- the Cars Land, Buena Vista Street and Bug's Land decorations are fantastic, for example. The various wreaths and subtle holiday touches around the Paradise Pier and Grizzly Peak areas of the park are themed and interesting to see.

Disneyland is absolutely beautiful during the holidays. The Winter Castle at night is just gorgeous, twinkling in icicle lights. It's a Small World Holiday is a wonderful ride overlay any time of day, but at night when it is glowing in colored lights it is stunning! The themed decorations in Toon Town, New Orleans Square, Critter Country and Frontierland are so unique! Even the style of holiday music that plays changes from land to land. Every shop and restaurant is decorated in some way too. The window displays on Main Street are festive and whimsical.

As long as you enjoy Christmas as a holiday in general, you should love the holiday season at DLR! I can honestly say that most people who embark on their first holiday trips after following along with this thread report back that they had a great time. Sure, there are occasional exceptions to the rule and some people don't have a great time -- but most people do!

 

[KCmike]

We just got back from our kids' band trip/family vacation in Florida. Our High School band won several awards including first place in the Orlando Festival which had several HS Bands perform since February of this year. It rained just about everyday and we just made it out before the Tropical Storm Andrea came into the area. I am ready to really start planning my wife and I's trip to California in November. I would like to see the full on Christmas decorations in the lobby of all the hotels but November seems to work best for us. Back to the front page to see when the dates are again for all of this fun Christmas stuff to begin!

 

[Sherry E]

We just got back from our kids' band trip/family vacation in Florida. Our High School band won several awards including first place in the Orlando Festival which had several HS Bands perform since February of this year. It rained just about everyday and we just made it out before the Tropical Storm Andrea came into the area. I am ready to really start planning my wife and I's trip to California in November. I would like to see the full on Christmas decorations in the lobby of all the hotels but November seems to work best for us. Back to the front page to see when the dates are again for all of this fun Christmas stuff to begin!

KCmike -

That's wonderful that the band won several awards (especially the first place award)! What a great trip, aside from the rain every day (and the humidity, I am guessing)! Thankfully you all got out of there before the storm rolled in.

Are you thinking of going to DLR right around when the holiday season starts, like close to 11/12? Yes, you would miss the hotels' decor but it sounds like we could possibly be getting an all-holiday World of Color this year (it is not confirmed yet, but it sounds probable), so you'd get to see that!

We still have yet to learn whether or not there will be any kind of a Christmas party. I wish Disney would hurry and let us know about it IF it is going to happen. Chances are that people who are expecting to see holiday fireworks, snow and a holiday parade would want to know well in advance (and budget accordingly) if they are going to have to pay for those things at a ticketed party!

Not too much else is known right now -- just the season start date, for sure, with a very strong likelihood that the Candlelight Ceremony will be reduced to only 2 nights in early December (that is almost certain). Other than that, everything is a big question mark!

 

[tksbaskets]

We just got back from our kids' band trip/family vacation in Florida. Our High School band won several awards including first place in the Orlando Festival which had several HS Bands perform since February of this year. It rained just about everyday and we just made it out before the Tropical Storm Andrea came into the area. I am ready to really start planning my wife and I's trip to California in November. I would like to see the full on Christmas decorations in the lobby of all the hotels but November seems to work best for us. Back to the front page to see when the dates are again for all of this fun Christmas stuff to begin!

Great news from your Florida trip. I know the band trip to WDW was a highlight of high school for my son. I'm sure you got some spectacular pictures.

Looking forward to your trip to DL with the DW too. I know you'll share your pics with us when you return! Have you been to see the new BVS and Cars Land yet?

TK

 

[KCmike]

KCmike -

That's wonderful that the band won several awards (especially the first place award)! What a great trip, aside from the rain every day (and the humidity, I am guessing)! Thankfully you all got out of there before the storm rolled in.

Are you thinking of going to DLR right around when the holiday season starts, like close to 11/12? Yes, you would miss the hotels' decor but it sounds like we could possibly be getting an all-holiday World of Color this year (it is not confirmed yet, but it sounds probable), so you'd get to see that!

We still have yet to learn whether or not there will be any kind of a Christmas party. I wish Disney would hurry and let us know about it IF it is going to happen. Chances are that people who are expecting to see holiday fireworks, snow and a holiday parade would want to know well in advance (and budget accordingly) if they are going to have to pay for those things at a ticketed party!

Not too much else is known right now -- just the season start date, for sure, with a very strong likelihood that the Candlelight Ceremony will be reduced to only 2 nights in early December (that is almost certain). Other than that, everything is a big question mark!

When did they officially announce all the Christmas events last year Sherry? We would try to do two days...one for DL and one for DCA. Not sure how a hard ticketed event would mess with our plans.
It was funny about Florida as the weather was very unseasonably cool. In all my trips to Florida I have never experienced anything like it.

Great news from your Florida trip. I know the band trip to WDW was a highlight of high school for my son. I'm sure you got some spectacular pictures.

Looking forward to your trip to DL with the DW too. I know you'll share your pics with us when you return! Have you been to see the new BVS and Cars Land yet?

TK

Crazy time trying to keep up with the band and all their adventures. Their taking first place was a major highlight not only for them but for me as well. This Dad was so proud. I was talking with the wife about the trip today making sure she was still on board. How soon is it to talk about your next Disney Adventure?

I did see that Southwest has released their flights for the rest of the year!

Yes I have seen BVS and Carsland. We went the first summer it opened back in 2012. We were so amazed by it all. I can't wait to see it all decorated for Christmas. Fingers crossed. We really want to hit Monterey for like two nights and hop up to see the Walt Disney Museum. It would be a whirlwind long weekend trip (like 4 days or so). Thanks TK!

Mike

 

[Sherry E]

Hi, TK!

When did they officially announce all the Christmas events last year Sherry? We would try to do two days...one for DL and one for DCA. Not sure how a hard ticketed event would mess with our plans.
It was funny about Florida as the weather was very unseasonably cool. In all my trips to Florida I have never experienced anything like it.

Mike

Mike --

Well, if I recall correctly, the way it went last year was that we learned the season dates first, and then in August the Disney Parks Blog posted an item about the Candlelight Ceremony running for 20 nights.

I don't think that the actual Candlelight Ceremony will be relevant to your trip because I think it will only be held in December (until Disney can figure out a way to run it for multiple nights and make money from it, instead of losing revenue on Main Street!), but the reason I bring that up is because August is a key month to keep an eye on for major breaking news from Disney.

Since we already know the start date of the season (it was a miracle that it was publicized in Backstage Pass 6 months before the season is to begin), and we can pretty much guess the end date of the season in January 2014, now we wait for any "big" news.

We know that it is 99% certain that -- barring any sudden changes -- the Candlelight Ceremony will only run 2 nights this year, thanks to a letter from Disney that went out to choir directors and participants in this year's Ceremony. I don't think Disney will make an announcement that they are NOT running the Ceremony for many nights, as they will not want to draw attention to it. They will instead try to shift focus to another event, to make people forget about the Candlelight Ceremony!

According to MiceAge -- which is not an official Disney source, as we all know -- there is an all-holiday World of Color in the works, set to begin on November 8th (4 days before the official start date of the season). Supposedly Disney is testing it out and working out the kinks with that 11/8 date in mind.

MiceAge also seems to think that World of Color is going to be the alternative to a hard ticket Christmas party in Disneyland, this year. It certainly could be happening that way, but I also would not be shocked if -- as Trish/Phoenixrising speculated in this thread a while back -- Disney is going to debut the holiday WoC this year, to gauge guests' reactions to it and see if could be a viable alternative to a party next year.

There is also the Limited Time Magic year-long promo to consider -- so far, we know of nothing connecting LTM to the holiday season, and yet it seems that it is obvious there will be some sort of holiday LTM event coming our way. What will that LTM event be? A party for only a night or two? A special holiday WoC showing for only a weekend?

In any case, my feeling is that IF there is going to be a multi-night hard ticket party and/or an all-holiday World of Color all season long, Disney will be trying to promote the heck out of it/them, to get people excited for it/them in advance. I think they would not wait any longer than August to tell us about a party, for sure, as August was when the 20-night Candlelight Ceremony info came out last year -- and that is a good 3 months before the season begins, which gives a lot of people enough time to work a party into the schedule.

August is in 2 months, so if there are going to be any major holiday announcements we may not have to wait too much longer for the news!

Now if, for some crazy reason, Disney decides against a party and is not able to pull off the holiday World of Color or any other "big" new event this year, then I would suppose we won't hear much in the way of holiday season details until late in the Halloween Time season!

 

[larina]

At the end of next month or the very beginning of August (I am still figuring out the exact "schedule"), I will launch the 3rd Annual Theme Week Countdown to the Holiday Season at DLR. It's usually a 3-month extravaganza (lasting from August to November) of photos and information rolling in from many participants -- all designed to showcase the amazing highlights, themes and details of the holiday season around the Resort for new holiday travelers, and for previous holiday travelers to be able to share their photos each week. This year I am adding in a bit of a 'twist' to the countdown (I am still figuring out the exact details/specifics of that twist), as well as a couple of new categories, a couple of revised existing categories and a slightly different schedule for the last week of the Countdown. It will be a lot of fun, so stay tuned!!

Of course, we will also be discussing any news or credible holiday rumors as they roll in, too!....

Oh I can't wait! I love the Theme Week Countdown, and it is all the more exciting in the years I'm going to be there for Christmas! I can't wait to see your 'twists' as well. Thanks again for all of the work that you put into this thread. I'm looking forward to seeing what this holiday season will end up looking like at DLR.

 

[KCmike]

Thanks Sherry E! Oh the anticipation.

 

[tksbaskets]

Oh I can't wait! I love the Theme Week Countdown, and it is all the more exciting in the years I'm going to be there for Christmas! I can't wait to see your 'twists' as well. Thanks again for all of the work that you put into this thread. I'm looking forward to seeing what this holiday season will end up looking like at DLR.

I agree! I love Sherry's countdown themes and can't wait to have more to contribute after our December trip.

Thanks Sherry E! Oh the anticipation.

I know right??

To answer your question how soon after one Disney trip do you talk about the next...you have to judge your audience but for me if I am not planning my next trip after the one that just ended a tad bit of Disney Depressions sets in. Planning is half the fun.

 

[KCmike]

I know right??

To answer your question how soon after one Disney trip do you talk about the next...you have to judge your audience but for me if I am not planning my next trip after the one that just ended a tad bit of Disney Depressions sets in. Planning is half the fun.

I was hoping you might say that. My audience already knows how crazy/addicted/in love I am with my Disney. I think planning my next Disney park trip is more than half the fun as it takes up so much of my time. I am excited about researching the Walt Disney Museum now as part of what I hope to be my next adventure.

 

[Sherry E]

Oh I can't wait! I love the Theme Week Countdown, and it is all the more exciting in the years I'm going to be there for Christmas! I can't wait to see your 'twists' as well. Thanks again for all of the work that you put into this thread. I'm looking forward to seeing what this holiday season will end up looking like at DLR.

Hi, larina!

You're welcome, and thank you for the kind words, as always!

I would imagine that the Countdowns are much more fun and relevant if there is an actual trip in the works, as they help to build the excitement! I am assuming that there are many people who took many photos of last year's holiday festivities (because there was so much new stuff), so I hope that when Countdown time comes a-knockin' they will emerge from the shadows and share some photos.

I just have to learn to quiet my brain when planning these Theme Week Countdowns! I have too many ideas rattling around in my head. I keep going back and forth with how to set it all up. You know, one minute I am telling myself, "Okay, I'll bundle up X theme with Y theme and put them in Z week," and then the next second I am telling myself, "But wait...if I do that theme in that week, then what will I do for this other week?"

It's a whole involved process! I actually plan out which themes will be showcased in which weeks, and I also plan on bundling up a couple of themes together that have not been bundled together before, to make room for other themes. Some of my intros have to be readjusted if I package two themes together, and then new intros have to be written up for a couple of themes. And then I have to possibly deconstruct one previous theme and stage it in a different way! Also, I want to tweak the exact start date and end date of the Countdown a bit, maybe beginning it a tiny bit earlier and ending it a few days earlier than usual.

All of that, and I am figuring out exactly how I am fitting the "twist" into the mix, and the details of that. But I think that once I get everything set up and figured out, it pays off and is worthwhile when all of the photos start rolling in!

Thankfully, Photobucket's horrible changes to their site this year are slowly getting ironed out. At one point, they had jumbled all of my photos in all of my albums, so nothing was in order and I couldn't find photos when I needed them (it was like looking for a needle in a haystack). Fortunately they added back in the Sort by File Name feature, which is what I use to locate my photos in their proper sequence. I was really worried that Photobucket would not have that feature working by Theme Week Countdown time, and I wouldn't be able to find my photos buried in albums of hundreds of pictures. However, I test-posted a photo in another thread today, and I was able to find it in its album by using the Sort feature, so I think I will be able to find things for the Theme Week Countdown! I can't start a countdown without some photos!

Thanks Sherry E! Oh the anticipation.

You're welcome, Mike!

I wish DLR were a little faster (like WDW is) with releasing dates and schedules and things, especially when they most likely know the details of what is going to happen!

I think you'll really enjoy the Cars Land and Buena Vista Street decorations in person, when you get a chance to photograph them

I agree! I love Sherry's countdown themes and can't wait to have more to contribute after our December trip.

TK --

If I can get this year's Theme Week Countdown in order, with the twist, and it works effectively, it should be a bonanza!

You will most definitely have a lot of new material to get photos of this year! Hopefully not too much will change in the actual decorations themselves from what they were last year, so you can see what the rest of us who were there got to see.

I thought last year was good -- not too many decorations; not too few. It was just about right. Heavy holiday touches where there needed to be. Subtle touches in other places. I would hate to see anything scaled back or tinkered with too much, but one never knows what DLR has planned. One year there is a light canopy in New Orleans Square. All of a sudden the light canopy is gone forever! Things tend to go missing here and there, and they probably think no one will notice!

 

[Sherry E]

I was just speaking to a very nice Reservations CM (who just joined the DIS today! Helloooooooo!) on the phone. I was calling to check on something else, non-Christmas time related! -- and during the course of the conversation we began talking about the holiday season and Halloween Time.

Of course, as we all know, the CMs who tackle the guests' questions on the phone lines are often the last to know a lot of things. He did not know that the holiday season is set to officially begin on Tues. 11/12. He was going to dig up a Backstage Pass newsletter and see for himself. However, he did seem to be familiar with the possibility of an all-holiday World of Color (so that is seeming ever more likely). He also does not think there will be a hard ticket party with the existing holiday fireworks, existing holiday parade and snow at this point. He thinks that maybe Disney could do a party for one or two nights or so, as a special event (like for Limited Time Magic, as I suspected), but he thinks that they'd have to add in something new and big to make the party extra special. He also thinks that the fact that DLR only has one other park for people to go to if they decide against a party would factor in.

There is a certain argument for why the Halloween parties work - Halloween Time kind of needs the parties to fill out the season and, also, the Halloween Screams fireworks were fairly new when they became party exclusives, not to mention that the Cavalcade has been a complete party exclusive from its inception. A Christmas party for multiple nights, holding longtime events hostage, would be trickier to pull off.

So, the jury is still out on whether there will be an actual Christmas party this year or not -- some people seem to feel very strongly that there will be, while others feel that there will not be. Some folks claim to have inside scoop that parties are coming this year, while others seem to indicate they have heard there will be no parties. I have no doubt that Disney could throw together a fun Christmas party and make tons of money from it, but I hope they realize that they have to put something new in it other than just some free cookies and cocoa!

I do think that the all-holiday World of Color sounds like it almost a sure thing. There should be no reason why Disney couldn't whip it up by November and get it running in time for the season.

 

[czmom]

Thanks for passing on that info! I am so ready to know what will actually come to fruition this year!!! I am a type A planner and am ready to plan.