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

[tksbaskets]

Hellllllooooooooo, Christmas thread peeps!


I've been busy in the Halloween thread (I was at DLR this past 9/13, and have been posting pictures of treats and merchandise) and in doing other non-DIS things, but I had to pop back in over here to remind everyone that there is a brand new theme week starting tomorrow! (Thank you to everyone who has been holding down the fort over here and continuing to ask/answer questions, as well as share info.)

I see that Jamie got her Toontown photos in -- and pixleyyy has returned to the thread for a last minute Toontown contribution (and what great photos they are)!!! Jamie has another entry into the random draw for the $25 Disney gift card, and pixleyyy has earned her very first entry into the draw.

What will be the new theme for the week? Tune in tomorrow to find out! Muahahahahaha!

Been enjoying the Toon Town week (and loving the Halloween updates in the other thread....) Hmmm...

Mainstreet next week??

TK

 

[aidensmom31]

Been sooo busy so I hope to start posting pics this next week but on more awesome news our countdown is now in double digits....99 DAYS TILL DISNEYLAND

 

[siskaren]

Hey Sherry, I saw Edy's Peppermint ice cream at Walmart and Target yesterday (they're calling it Peppermint Wonderland this year) and I bought the full-fat version on your recommendation. It's been so long since I had it though that I can't honestly say if I tasted a difference. But it's peppermint, that's the important thing.

 

[Sherry E]

Been enjoying the Toon Town week (and loving the Halloween updates in the other thread....) Hmmm...

Mainstreet next week??

TK

TK --

Main Street Theme Week was 2 weeks ago!

Halloween Time is a fun time, though I am way over this hot weather and ready for some real Fall weather to come around.

Did you see the nighttime Ray Bradbury tree/moon picture I posted in the Halloween thread? That was not one I planned to do beforehand. I just thought of it as we were walking past. Luckily, the moon was big enough to stand out in the shot.

Been sooo busy so I hope to start posting pics this next week but on more awesome news our countdown is now in double digits....99 DAYS TILL DISNEYLAND

aidensmom31 --

I remember seeing when you first started your Pre-TR. It seems like not so long ago, and yet your trip will be here in no time!

Hey Sherry, I saw Edy's Peppermint ice cream at Walmart and Target yesterday (they're calling it Peppermint Wonderland this year) and I bought the full-fat version on your recommendation. It's been so long since I had it though that I can't honestly say if I tasted a difference. But it's peppermint, that's the important thing.

siskaren --

Ooooh! Peppermint Wonderland? That's new! It used to be Peppermint Stick (the full fat kind). As long as it's not Slow Churned, it's the good stuff -- no matter what the name! I have not checked my store yet, so I am hoping we have it...as long as the people in my neighborhood don't snap it all up!

There is a bit of a difference in flavor. I know that DIS'er PHXscuba can vouch for me -- she knows what I mean when I say there is a difference between the full fat ice cream and Slow Churned.

The best I can describe it is that the Slow Churned is not as pink in color -- it is a paler shade than the full fat ice cream. The actual "cream" part of the ice cream is a bit bland. Not much flavor on its own. So because of the 'blank canvas' taste of the cream, the peppermint pieces seem too 'sharp,' for lack of a better word. They seem almost too harsh because there's not as good of a balance between the cream and the peppermint.

The full fat peppermint ice cream is not only pinker in color but the actual cream has more depth and flavor to it (not enormously so, but enough to make a difference), so it offsets the sharpness of the flavor of the peppermint pieces. There is a better contrast between ice cream and peppermint.

 

[tksbaskets]

How about Mainstreet vehicles....whoops! My short term memory is not helping me today.

Sherry I loved your shot of the spooky tree. Just about to look at your merchandise pics!

 

[Pesky]

Have to say every time I see peppermint ice cream, I now think of you, SherryE! Although I am relegated to the reduced fat kind which is DEFINITELY not as good as the regular stuff. Sigh.

aidensmom's post about being only 99 days away (YAY! ) had me suddenly realize "what a second -- I'm in double digits too!"

Bad news is it has been confirmed that DH's work holiday party is the weekend BEFORE we arrive this year. Some scheduling difficulty had them moving it around. So we had been planning on getting his airline ticket reimbursed and our first hotel night comped by his company. Not now.

But BETTER news. To me, this is just proof that all things happen for a reason. DH and his brother have had a weirdly strained relationship with some one-way competition (on his bro and SIL's part). We've never understood it and just ignored it, treating them as we do any of our ILs. Anyway, DH was just out in LA for business and had lunch one-on-one with his brother. Apparently it was a really great lunch, his brother began to realize we do see the problems with the ILs, we are in the same place as they are with my parents and we were not quite so evil. So BIL invited us on that Saturday night we land to come up and stay with them and come to their annual holiday party. He also encouraged DH to talk with MIL and get her to ditch the idea of Knott's which I was never keen on anyway. So while we may not have DH's plane ticket reimbursed, we will have saved money on the Knott's excursion hopefully and be well on our way to mending a relationship with his brother. Both DH and I have been heaving a collective sigh of relief and both realized that neither of us was keen on jumping straight into Knott's and both like this idea MUCH better. The other benefit is we might do the initial reveal of going to DLR at his brother's house and ask his brother to film it. His bro and SIL are in the entertainment industry and I know BIL would do a MUCH better job of it than we would.

 

[siskaren]

I was just poking around on Amazon and look what I found:

http://www.amazon.com/its-a-small-world-holiday/dp/B00ETQ2MFW/ref=pd_sim_sbs_dmusic_a_1

http://www.amazon.com/Haunted-Mansion-Holiday/dp/B00ETQ4UHK/ref=sr_shvl_album_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1379296871&sr=301-2

 

[Mickeybell]

I'm fairly new to all this and definitely NOT trying to create a panic, but here's my quandary: how do I know which source to believe for rehabs for rides. I went along for the ride when many on the boards got panicked about SM and don't want to do that in this instance. DIS is showing the Casey Jr. and Storybook Land Canal Boats are going to be closed 12/2-12/12. Another site is showing them closed in October for ten days. Disney's call in line doesn't say anything, so... Any help from the seasoned veterans on the boards would be appreciated.

Ok just have to say you have created panic for my six year old! I just called the Disneyland line and comfired this on there. I told my little guy that Casey will be down while we are at Disneyland. He is ready to reschedule. I told him it will be OK, we have lots of other fun stuff to go on. But he told me if they close cars land then we are definitely changing our dates!!

 

[PHXscuba]

Ooooh! Peppermint Wonderland? That's new! It used to be Peppermint Stick (the full fat kind). As long as it's not Slow Churned, it's the good stuff -- no matter what the name! I have not checked my store yet, so I am hoping we have it...as long as the people in my neighborhood don't snap it all up!

There is a bit of a difference in flavor. I know that DIS'er PHXscuba can vouch for me -- she knows what I mean when I say there is a difference between the full fat ice cream and Slow Churned.

The best I can describe it is that the Slow Churned is not as pink in color -- it is a paler shade than the full fat ice cream. The actual "cream" part of the ice cream is a bit bland. Not much flavor on its own. So because of the 'blank canvas' taste of the cream, the peppermint pieces seem too 'sharp,' for lack of a better word. They seem almost too harsh because there's not as good of a balance between the cream and the peppermint.

The full fat peppermint ice cream is not only pinker in color but the actual cream has more depth and flavor to it (not enormously so, but enough to make a difference), so it offsets the sharpness of the flavor of the peppermint pieces. There is a better contrast between ice cream and peppermint.

Yes, I made the mistake of buying the "healthier" slow-churned peppermint a few season ago. Not even worth that amount of calories. The ice cream is basically as Sherry described -- a pale cream/white/vanilla with a few peppermint pieces thrown in. Better to eat a smaller portion of the REAL stuff -- crazy pink with lots of peppermint goodies in it. If you're a peppermint fan, you'll love it. (Cute side story -- years ago when I was pregnant, I had some of this Dreyer's peppermint at a girls' night and came home raving about it. Without telling me, DH went to three stores to find me a carton. )

Great, now I NEED to go to Target in the name of "research" to see if the Peppermint Wonderland is any different, and maybe get some the special Halloween flavors in M&Ms and Oreos.

Looking forward to a new theme that I might just have pictures of!!

PHXscuba

 

[tksbaskets]

Ok just have to say you have created panic for my six year old! I just called the Disneyland line and comfired this on there. I told my little guy that Casey will be down while we are at Disneyland. He is ready to reschedule. I told him it will be OK, we have lots of other fun stuff to go on. But he told me if they close cars land then we are definitely changing our dates!!

Sounds like a savvy little Disney traveler you have there. My 22 yo boys and I are looking forward to seeing Cars Land too.

 

[Phoenixrising]

HMMM....I wonder if the Target that we are getting within walking distance from us will have the peppermint ice cream. We are finally getting a Target up here in the great wet north (it's pouring rain today with thunderstorms). It's due to open sometime in Nov, so I'll have to check them out for the peppermint ice cream. I was the mood for fruitcake, so I took the family recipe and altered it to the point where I couldn't recognize it anymore. Nov is going to be busy for us, so I made the fruitcake now, so I can feed it over the next 6 weeks. Three I'm feeding with orange juice and one with spiced rum. So we'll see how they turn out. Am really looking forward to see what the theme of the week is today!

Trish

 

[Sherry E]

It’s Monday -- and it’s time for the Theme Week Countdown!!

…8 Weeks Until the
Holiday Season Begins at Disneyland Resort!!!! ​

With each new week will come a different Disneyland Resort holiday theme!

As I have previously mentioned in this Superthread, I’ll be showcasing a particular aspect of DLR's holiday celebration each week until early November. There are many more themes to come over the next couple of months, including 7 main weekly themes (a new one every Monday through October 28, 2013); 6 ‘mini-themes’ which will be featured each day from 10/29/13 – 11/3/13, and a final “Holiday Cornucopia” theme on Monday, November 4th (there will be more details about what the “Cornucopia” can include when we get closer to that date!).

Theme Week Countdowns are a great way to keep the photos rolling in on a regular basis and build anticipation for November at the Disneyland Resort! They are also a way to display the different elements, nuances and details of the Holidays at DLR that may be totally new to some visitors...or previously unnoticed/undiscovered by others. Finally, this is an excellent way for our Theme Week Countdown participants to shine a light on their wonderful photos and attract visitors to their Trip Reports, blogs, etc.

Last week, we visited the playful, animated, off-kilter world of Mickey’s Toontown. We have also reveled in the pageantry of A Christmas Fantasy Parade and gazed in awe at the Believe…In Holiday Magic Fireworks. We have strolled along Main Street to soak in its small town holiday charm, and onward to the sparkling Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle, resplendent in snow and icicle lights. We have enjoyed the Yuletide season around the world as we sailed through It’s a Small World Holiday. We have journeyed down the mystical, musical alleys of New Orleans Square and enjoyed Christmas with a Mardi Gras twist, including balconies draped in beads and lampposts adorned with mysterious masks. We have paid a visit to New Orleans Square’s most famous residence and met its temporary houseguest, Jack Skellington, as he attempted to put a bit of a “nightmarish” Halloween spin on the Yuletide season in Haunted Mansion Holiday. Of course, we kicked off this year’s Theme Week Countdown with the many different types of themed Christmas Trees and Wreaths around Disneyland Resort.

So…what will be our seventh theme of 2013? Today, we venture out of the parks and enjoy some of the decorations around the other areas of Disneyland Resort!

In the Spotlight this Week......

THE HOTELS OF THE DISNEYLAND RESORT
(Disneyland Hotel, Grand Californian Hotel and Paradise Pier Hotel)!!!​

After Thanksgiving, one of the wonderful aspects of the holiday season at the Disneyland Resort – and possibly one of the most overlooked – is the décor that you can find around the three Resort hotels: The Disneyland Hotel, the Paradise Pier Hotel and the Grand Californian Hotel. Each hotel has its own unique theme and ambiance.

Whether it’s the wacky, colorful, slightly askew tree which greets guests at Goofy’s Kitchen in the Disneyland Hotel; the Dickens carolers performing by the enormous, elegantly rustic Christmas tree in the cozy Grand Californian Hotel lobby; or the gorgeous, glowing jewel tones of the majestic Paradise Pier tree, there are many amazing things to see which can get you in the holiday spirit!

One of the best things to do is to curl up on a comfortable sofa or in a chair to soak in the atmosphere at the Grand Californian, as a pianist and guitarist take turns entertaining the audience with Christmas music. Santa Claus holds court by the tree, and there are PhotoPass photographers nearby to capture those special moments. The code word is: yuletide. Or, perhaps, snuggle up by the hearth with a loved one, sipping hot cocoa. Over at White Water Snacks and Storytellers Café you will find gingerbread houses, which are quite aromatic if you catch them shortly after they are first set up in their locations.

Disneyland Hotel’s Santa photo spot is a rather elaborate one, filled with reindeer decorations and even cookies and milk left by the fireplace.

The striking blue-green lobby Christmas tree is the true highlight of the decorations at the Paradise Pier Hotel, but you can also find some festive holiday touches near the PCH Grill and around the hotel property.

Anyone is welcome to visit the three Disneyland Resort hotels – you do not have to be an overnight guest to enjoy these offerings – and it’s a great way to take a break from the chaos of the parks while staying connected to holiday merriment in some way. However, keep in mind that the hotels are usually not decorated until the day after Thanksgiving (I think there have been very few exceptions over the years), so if you are planning a visit to Disneyland Resort in the earlier part of the holiday season you will likely not see the hotels in their Christmas-y splendor.

Grand Californian Hotel


(2001)

The very first Christmas tree at GCH – on the first day it went up, right after Thanksgiving!

(2009)

Dawn breaks at the GCH…

(2010)

This is one of my favorites…

(2011)

Gingerbread house in Storytellers Café…

The tree is as gorgeous as ever, year after year…

(2012)

Storytellers Café gingerbread house…

White Water Snacks gingerbread neighborhood…

Disneyland Hotel


(2010)

Paradise Pier Hotel


(2010)

(2012)

Catching a glimpse of the lovely tree as I am about to enter the lobby warms my heart and makes me want to dance around with glee!

​

I will probably post more hotel photos during the week (I have a lot of them).

Please feel free to post your photos of the 3 Hotels of the Disneyland Resort all this week, through Sunday, September 22nd.

Then, stay tuned for our eighth theme on Monday, September 23rd!! We still have many great themes coming up in future weeks, so get your photos ready!

 

[twinky]

I wish I had some to share, but I'm definitely inspired to take hotel photos this year --- we'll be there on the days leading up to Christmas Eve. The hotel decorations should be out in full force (vs. pre-Thanksgiving, when we've traditionally visited).

Can't wait to see them in person!

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

We have only stayed at the GCH during the holiday season, so what I have is of just of their tree. I am so looking forward to staying at the DLH, since it seems we have missed so much of the other decorations! It has always been a magical time, but I can't wait to go back and look at everything a little bit closer. And in good news, we are 68 days out, so at this time next week, I'll have emailed vacation planning with our dining requests!!! It's getting close.

2012





and from 2006

 

[PHXscuba]

STOP THE PRESSES!! I have Dreyer's Peppermint ice cream photos!

I had to go to my Kroger/Fry's today and saw some pumpkin ice cream on the shelf for the first time. The workers apparently wanted to save the peppermint for themselves because it was behind the pumpkin!! Sneaky sneaky.

And did you notice they totally changed the carton? Instead of the bubble-gum pink, it is now a frosty blue. I almost missed it because I was looking for pink!

In the interest of "research," I had to buy some peppermint to taste-test for y'all. I am happy to report that "Peppermint Wonderland" tastes very much like I remember "Peppermint Stick." Sounds like someone in marketing got a little too creative this year!

I will be back with hotel photos tomorrow ... if I'm not in a mint-flavored ice cream coma by then!

PHXscuba

 

[Sherry E]

Jamie -- You've got another entry into the random draw for posting your hotel photos!! So far you're the only one to post anything (other than my intro post)!

twinky -- Thank you! Yes, indeed, the hotels will be in full holiday mode when you're at DLR this year. As great as the parks are, I always feel like I'm missing something if I don't get to see the trees at the hotels!

Pesky -- Do your stores only carry the inadequate Slow Churned peppermint? That's terrible!!


PHX --

Oooooh! Now I have a visual reference to use when I raid the frozen sweets aisle at the store. I would have been looking for a pink carton as well (and the Slow Churned wasn't even in a bright, colorful carton last year -- it was in a standard beige-ish Dreyer's carton). I'm glad to know this year's version is blue.

Did you also see a half-fat version of the ice cream, or was the one you got the only option?

I am hoping that my Ralphs store came to its senses and got the "real" ice cream in stock instead of just Slow Churned. I almost dread looking there. The interesting thing is that at my store -- unlike what they do at your store -- they put the peppermint ice cream in front of the pumpkin ice cream...which could explain why the pumpkin always seems to be in stock and the Peppermint Stick was gone last year and has been out of stock here and there in previous years.

Also, the pumpkin ice cream used to be called, if I am remembering correctly, Pumpkin Pie (at least the full fat version was called that). Is the 2013 version called Pumpkin Patch? I saw the post in your TR and it looked like the name was Pumpkin Patch.

 

[jacs1234]

This is the christmas tree you get when you order the christmas package through Disney Vacation Planning.

I know it's not "christmassy" but who can resist a hot chocolate on a cold wintery disney night

 

[pudinhd]

This is crazy!! I only have 1 picture of all 3 hotels... Apparently I need to start slowing down to take more pictures!!!!

Goofy's Kitchen Christmas Tree at the Disneyland Hotel

 

[KCmike]

Oh snap! Another week of me sitting on the sidelines. This year will be before Thanksgiving as well again. I will get some Toontown shots though for next years thread!

jacs1234 that last shot of the GCH tree from afar is great!

Sherry E - I loved your GCH shots the most! The GCH fireplace and the tree in the background is one of your absolute best!

 

[PHXscuba]

Jamie -- You've got another entry into the random draw for posting your hotel photos!! So far you're the only one to post anything (other than my intro post)!

twinky -- Thank you! Yes, indeed, the hotels will be in full holiday mode when you're at DLR this year. As great as the parks are, I always feel like I'm missing something if I don't get to see the trees at the hotels!

Pesky -- Do your stores only carry the inadequate Slow Churned peppermint? That's terrible!!


PHX --

Oooooh! Now I have a visual reference to use when I raid the frozen sweets aisle at the store. I would have been looking for a pink carton as well (and the Slow Churned wasn't even in a bright, colorful carton last year -- it was in a standard beige-ish Dreyer's carton). I'm glad to know this year's version is blue.

Did you also see a half-fat version of the ice cream, or was the one you got the only option?

I am hoping that my Ralphs store came to its senses and got the "real" ice cream in stock instead of just Slow Churned. I almost dread looking there. The interesting thing is that at my store -- unlike what they do at your store -- they put the peppermint ice cream in front of the pumpkin ice cream...which could explain why the pumpkin always seems to be in stock and the Peppermint Stick was gone last year and has been out of stock here and there in previous years.

Also, the pumpkin ice cream used to be called, if I am remembering correctly, Pumpkin Pie (at least the full fat version was called that). Is the 2013 version called Pumpkin Patch? I saw the post in your TR and it looked like the name was Pumpkin Patch.

Honestly, I didn't even look for the Slow Churned Peppermint. No point for me, but I will check next time. With 4 kids it seems like I am in one grocery or another way too often. The checkout girl said they had just gotten the Peppermint in and can hardly keep it in stock, so maybe Ralph's has had it but it sells out before you get there.

The pumpkin ice cream is called Pumpkin Patch. I will let you know how it tastes (not sure I had the Dreyer's version in the last couple years), but I am hungry for some peppermint tonight.

PHXscuba