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

[egritz]

I saw that the MNSSHP dates were released today. I am hoping we will hear something soon on whether or not there will be a Special ticket Christmas Party. This will affect the dates that we arrive.

What is MNSSHP and can you provide a link to what it is that was announced?

 

[mom2rtk]

What is MNSSHP and can you provide a link to what it is that was announced?

I'm sure that was just a mistake on the part of the PP. That's the name of the WDW Halloween party. And those dates have been out for some time.

 

[KCmike]

Really really close to booking here in a couple of days!!!
The boss (wife) gave the approval and we are going to surprise the kids. They will have no idea! We are going to drive them to school and then veer off towards the airport. I am so excited to be going at Christmas time once again but to surprise the kids will add special excitement. It will be a quick 4 day trip and unfortunately we will have to miss the Walt Disney Museum in SF. I'm pretty excited over here in KC. C'mon Disneyland give me some more info!!!

 

[egritz]

I'm sure that was just a mistake on the part of the PP. That's the name of the WDW Halloween party. And those dates have been out for some time.

Gotcha, thanks!

 

[tksbaskets]

Really really close to booking here in a couple of days!!!
The boss (wife) gave the approval and we are going to surprise the kids. They will have no idea! We are going to drive them to school and then veer off towards the airport. I am so excited to be going at Christmas time once again but to surprise the kids will add special excitement. It will be a quick 4 day trip and unfortunately we will have to miss the Walt Disney Museum in SF. I'm pretty excited over here in KC. C'mon Disneyland give me some more info!!!

This will be great! Be sure to tell us about the look on their faces when they realize there is a change in plans. I could never pull that off.

 

[mom2rtk]

Really really close to booking here in a couple of days!!!
The boss (wife) gave the approval and we are going to surprise the kids. They will have no idea! We are going to drive them to school and then veer off towards the airport. I am so excited to be going at Christmas time once again but to surprise the kids will add special excitement. It will be a quick 4 day trip and unfortunately we will have to miss the Walt Disney Museum in SF. I'm pretty excited over here in KC. C'mon Disneyland give me some more info!!!

Congrats Mike! Fingers crossed that it all comes together for you!

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Really really close to booking here in a couple of days!!!
The boss (wife) gave the approval and we are going to surprise the kids. They will have no idea! We are going to drive them to school and then veer off towards the airport. I am so excited to be going at Christmas time once again but to surprise the kids will add special excitement. It will be a quick 4 day trip and unfortunately we will have to miss the Walt Disney Museum in SF. I'm pretty excited over here in KC. C'mon Disneyland give me some more info!!!

Exciting! We're surprising our kids with this upcoming trip which makes me that much more excited. I haven't worked out all the plans yet since we're flying now (and that will likely give it away for the older two). In the past we've been able to get to the DLR area before they figured it out. Thinking maybe we'll tell them on the drive to the airport when they ask where we're going. Thoughts?

 

[disneydreamer74]

I'm sure that was just a mistake on the part of the PP. That's the name of the WDW Halloween party. And those dates have been out for some time.

Oops! I meant to write Mickey's Halloween Party. The dates were just announced. The link is at the top of the news feed when you log in here at DIS.

 

[KCmike]

This will be great! Be sure to tell us about the look on their faces when they realize there is a change in plans. I could never pull that off.

I will keep you posted for sure!

Congrats Mike! Fingers crossed that it all comes together for you!

Thanks Janet. Planning on booking the airfare tomorrow and hotel this week.

Exciting! We're surprising our kids with this upcoming trip which makes me that much more excited. I haven't worked out all the plans yet since we're flying now (and that will likely give it away for the older two). In the past we've been able to get to the DLR area before they figured it out. Thinking maybe we'll tell them on the drive to the airport when they ask where we're going. Thoughts?

It's so hard when they get older. Our flight out will be really early so they might know something is up when we're going to school an hour earlier!
Not sure with your situation what you could tell them about where your flying to. That's a tough one!

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

It's so hard when they get older. Our flight out will be really early so they might know something is up when we're going to school an hour earlier!
Not sure with your situation what you could tell them about where your flying to. That's a tough one!

We normally fly in to John Wayne and this time we're flying into LAX, so I'm hoping that might throw them off a bit. We're actually doing Universal in August, so I think I might tell them we're going back there.

I've heard that the Disneyland Express buses don't have the wrapping around them and are plain white - can anybody confirm that?. I would love if we could keep it a secret until we actually pulled up to the DLH!

My other option - my mom is going with us and will be coming to our house (or we'll pick her up) that morning before we leave for the airport. I thought I might let her tell them "so, I thought maybe we should go to Disneyland today". That way we know we could their reaction on video. Not quite as exciting, but then I wouldn't have to worry about somebody spoiling it along the way. We have been able to pull it off until the hotel quite a few times though!

 

[mom2rtk]

Thanks Janet. Planning on booking the airfare tomorrow and hotel this week.



It's so hard when they get older. Our flight out will be really early so they might know something is up when we're going to school an hour earlier!
Not sure with your situation what you could tell them about where your flying to. That's a tough one!

So when do you think you're going? Is your college age daughter going?

I'd sure love to book flights but just have too many unknowns right now. I'm really not anticipating this trip with as much excitement as I have our recent WDW trips. But I think I finally figured out that it just doesn't seem real yet. Planning for DLR is just a whole different thing. With WDW I would have made my ADRs weeks ago.

 

[ashnjam]

We normally fly in to John Wayne and this time we're flying into LAX, so I'm hoping that might throw them off a bit. We're actually doing Universal in August, so I think I might tell them we're going back there.

I've heard that the Disneyland Express buses don't have the wrapping around them and are plain white - can anybody confirm that?. I would love if we could keep it a secret until we actually pulled up to the DLH!

My other option - my mom is going with us and will be coming to our house (or we'll pick her up) that morning before we leave for the airport. I thought I might let her tell them "so, I thought maybe we should go to Disneyland today". That way we know we could their reaction on video. Not quite as exciting, but then I wouldn't have to worry about somebody spoiling it along the way. We have been able to pull it off until the hotel quite a few times though!

Disneyland Resort Express did have Disney wrapping for our visit. However the Disneyland Express did not have any disney themed wrap it just said Disneyland Express on the top of the windshield. When booking we were told to specifically look for the Disneyland RESORT Express.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Disneyland Resort Express did have Disney wrapping for our visit. However the Disneyland Express did not have any disney themed wrap it just said Disneyland Express on the top of the windshield. When booking we were told to specifically look for the Disneyland RESORT Express.

Shoot, what is the difference? We've always flown into SNA where the buses are wrapped - is that Disneyland Resort Express?

If it is wrapped it might be fun for them to figure out when the bus pulls up!

 

[KCmike]

So when do you think you're going? Is your college age daughter going?

I'd sure love to book flights but just have too many unknowns right now. I'm really not anticipating this trip with as much excitement as I have our recent WDW trips. But I think I finally figured out that it just doesn't seem real yet. Planning for DLR is just a whole different thing. With WDW I would have made my ADRs weeks ago.

Shooting for mid November. Yep all the kids are going and a friend of my wife is coming along and she has never been to Disneyland before only Disneyworld.

There is something so special about disneyland (Haunted Mansion overaly, IASM overlay, Carsland Christmas (Radiator Springs Racers is now my second favorite ride of all Disney ones!), Christmas Fireworks and parade, and Billy Hill!

SAD NOTE---------

It's official for WDW that Spectromagic is dead. RIP. My favorite night time parade and the one I grew up on (so to speak). Miceage confirmed that they put most of the floats for this parade in the dumpster. So sad.

 

[ashnjam]

We normally fly in to John Wayne and this time we're flying into LAX, so I'm hoping that might throw them off a bit. We're actually doing Universal in August, so I think I might tell them we're going back there.

I've heard that the Disneyland Express buses don't have the wrapping around them and are plain white - can anybody confirm that?. I would love if we could keep it a secret until we actually pulled up to the DLH!

My other option - my mom is going with us and will be coming to our house (or we'll pick her up) that morning before we leave for the airport. I thought I might let her tell them "so, I thought maybe we should go to Disneyland today". That way we know we could their reaction on video. Not quite as exciting, but then I wouldn't have to worry about somebody spoiling it along the way. We have been able to pull it off until the hotel quite a few times though!

Shoot, what is the difference? We've always flown into SNA where the buses are wrapped - is that Disneyland Resort Express?

If it is wrapped it might be fun for them to figure out when the bus pulls up!

We flew into LAX the Disneyland Resort Express is owned by Disney and the Disneyland Express is not I'm guessing?

I imagine no matter how they find out or how you let them know it's going to be fun!

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

We flew into LAX the Disneyland Resort Express is owned by Disney and the Disneyland Express is not I'm guessing?

I imagine no matter how they find out or how you let them know it's going to be fun!

Looking online, they are one in the same. And it's operated by Greyline. Disneyland doesn't have their own. I believe this is the one we've taken from SNA, but I know I've read on here that not all of the buses at LAX are wrapped. I guess we'll just wait and see. Thanks for the help.

 

[ashnjam]

Here is a recent thread on here
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3110889&highlight=disneyland+resort+express

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Here is a recent thread on here
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3110889&highlight=disneyland+resort+express

Yes, but that is comparing Disneyland Express buses to Magic Express (which I've never heard of) vans. Disneyland Express and Disneyland Resort Express seem to be the same thing...buses and from that thread some are wrapped and some are just white. And Disneyland Express is what we've always taken, so I was confused. I do appreciate your help!

 

[mamaburrito]

How are the crowds the first week of the christmas season? Trying to decide between doing a multiday trip November 13-15 or 4-6 (We would do a one day trip eat December if we went with the earlier dates. Thanks!

 

[Sherry E]

How are the crowds the first week of the christmas season? Trying to decide between doing a multiday trip November 13-15 or 4-6 (We would do a one day trip eat December if we went with the earlier dates. Thanks!

mamaburrito -

Welcome!

Let me make sure I am understanding correctly so I can give the best answer.

Your choice for dates would be either Nov. 4-6 (which is Monday - Wednesday, correct?) or Nov. 13-15 (Wednesday - Friday)? And the day trip in December would happen only if you choose the 11/4 - 11/6 trip dates?

Okay, assuming that I am correct... first of all, I would still do the one-day trip in December anyway, because there are more things that seem to pop up in the parks in the post-Thanksgiving time frame as opposed to pre-Thanksgiving, not to mention the 3 hotels are decorated after Thanksgiving.

But, December day trip aside...

If you were to go on November 4-6/Mon.-Wed, I am fairly sure you would run into reasonably low crowds because the season will not have officially begun yet, and the decorations will be going up a bit at a time.

So, if you don't really care about seeing the full decorations, the holiday parade, the holiday fireworks, the Jingle Jangle Jamboree, It's a Small World Holiday, etc., then go in the early November time frame and then do the day trip in December. You will see some decor as it starts to go up in November, but just not everything.

If you want to actually be there when the season is in full swing (minus a few things here and there), choose the 11/13-11/15 dates.

I think that Friday, 11/15 would be kind of busy. It's possible that even 11/14 could be busier, but I really don't think that the crowds will be crazy or insane on those dates. I think that some people will go home after 11/11 (Veterans Day).