Yep, got them at Target so a near 10% savings which is great. Then went to the
Disney Store on Saturday for a Monsters University special thing before the store opened and while the kids were practicing scary feet, I got the tickets without them seeing it.
Now just looking at where to eat, special stuff like BBB and F! or WOC and general plans like that. I know the first day we are starting off with heresy and doing DCA/Carsland in the morning. It'll be the perfect way to intro DS to dark rides and get him more comfortable with the rest. Plus watching for all the news around Christmastime there, like party planning. Oh and I have to pick up the photopass plus card but figured I'll do that in fall.
Yeah, Anaheim will get tricky. We're going to Knott's on Sunday and I figured I can keep DD and DS distracted enough with a portable DVD player on the way to Knott's so they won't notice and then on the way down to GCH, I can either start up the DVD player again so they are oblivious or simply pretend to drop some stuff in the back floor and have them help me find them all (keeping their attention focused elsewhere). I'm sneaky like that. We'll see how it works! Fortunately my oldest is pretty oblivious (like me) and my youngest is easily absorbed by the electronic babysitter so they might have zero idea where they are besides a hotel.
I figure we will have to tell them right when we get out and see how it goes. I'm predicting general freaking out because I've primed them pretty good. So far they are sad because they think they have to wait another year or two to go.
Pesky --
I had to laugh at the "heresy" comment! Do people still think that it's heresy to go to DCA before DL? Hey, it's not heresy to me -- even before last year's completion of the billion dollar makeover, there were times that I went straight to DCA and not to DL. In fact, when my out-of-state friends were here (that was my fiasco of a 2011 holiday trip), the only reason I suggested they might want to hit
Disneyland first was so that their son could be introduced to the whole Disney experience by walking down Main Street. If I had not been considering him/them, I would have just steered them right towards DCA.
I like the idea of dropping something on the back floor and sneakily asking the kids to help you find it. Maybe you could do something like "accidentally" spill a whole jar/container of coins on the floor and ask the kids to gather them up, one by one, for you -- that should take some time as you try to covertly pull up to the GCH.
Such great information on this thread!
Mike --
Thanks! We have some great contributors and participants in this thread!
So very glad that I found this thread - what an amazing source of information - thank you for your hard work! And for the record, I read every post before writing mine to make sure I was not duplicating
We are WDW veterans, and as a special Christmas treat I am taking both of my DS-6 to DLR for the holidays (DS-4 and DH are staying home - unfortunately DS-4 is a tad under 48 inches so he becomes somewhat of an anchor at times. Mom wants to ride the cool rides too!
) . One of them is almost obsessed with IASW and to be completely honest, from what I remember as a child and the photos I have seen, WDW does not even come close, especially with regard to the exterior and then the added factor of the exterior at Christmas time.
So anyway, on to my questions - the first is about time. Right now we are planning getting in on Thanksgiving night and then leaving the following Monday. Because of how far we live from the west coast, airline travel is somewhat of an all day thing for us so we will not have any park time on Monday. That will give us Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the parks. Is this enough time to see and do absolutely everything at DLR/DCA without killing ourselves? Because I am afraid of the crowds, I am considering adding an extra day but thought I would ask the Board and see what everyone thought.
Second, I know GCH gets its decorations first but how quickly do DLH and PPH follow? Is it a next night thing for DLH followed the next night by PPH or does it take longer? I think I have decided on DLH vs. GCH because of room size (and truthfully at WDW, the GFH is my least favorite of the on property hotels - rooms are much smaller/cramped, and so full of Victorian touches that I feel like I am at my grandmother's house.), but I would hate to miss having a decorated hotel.
On a completely different note, while I have never done the Holiday party at WDW, we have done the Halloween one and I have to say it is amazing - MK is not crowded at all on those nights and the extra activities they have are incredible. It reminded me of what I remember WDW being like as a child crowd wise, pre-Fast Passes. While I would hate to see all of the wonderful holiday traditions at DLR go, I would hope that they would come up with something amazing for a party and not just charge for what is already given for free. What can I say, I am a Pollyanna, and just trust (and hope) that the Imagineers would go with making people happy should DLR go with a holiday party. Yes I am an eternal optomist
Thank you in advance and if anyone has any must do DLR holiday tips I would be forever grateful.
becd --
I'm glad you found us too! Welcome! And thank you for taking the time to read all of the posts! I hope they were helpful and fun.
You posted the thread in which you asked the question about which one of the hotels did Christmas the best a while back, correct? I remember that you asked the question and I gave you the links to both the specific hotel post in this thread and the main link to this thread, and I was hoping you would eventually join us! I'm very happy you did!
Let me tackle the hotel decorations question first. Normally, in a regular year, the GCH's decorations and giant tree would be up the day after Thanksgiving -- like first thing in the morning on Friday. Then, I suppose the decorators move over to the DLH that same day. Maybe they even time it so that the DLH is decorated before dawn or later that same day. I don't think they wait too long to get the DLH finished.
The DLH has towers and things to decorate (there is at least one tree in each tower), as well as the restaurants and shops. The GCH has gingerbread houses in the restaurants (small ones -- not like the gigantic one at the GFH in WDW!), as well as wreaths and trees around the property. The PPH has a gorgeous tree and some wreaths and poinsettias here and there, but it's not a real elaborate decoration process. The GCH and the DLH are more involved. (Yes, the rooms in the DLH are more spacious -- the rooms in the GCH are cramped, with not much floor space, in my opinion.)
My hunch -- and it is only a hunch, not based on any knowledge of this year's details -- is that, because Thanksgiving is happening so late in November this year
and it is coinciding with the start of Hanukkah, the decorations at the 3 hotels will go up earlier than usual. I have a feeling that the hotels may be decorated even before Thanksgiving. I could be very wrong, but we normally don't have such late Thanksgivings so I think that the lateness could affect the hotel decoration schedule a bit, for the better!
At the very least, even if the hotels are not decorated before Thanksgiving, I really think they will all be decorated by the day after. I don't think you'll miss anything.
Downtown Disney, too, seems to get more in the spirit as soon as Thanksgiving ends, so I expect there will be holiday music playing in DTD as of November 29th (if not before) as well.
Even if you stay at the DLH, I fully suggest taking some time to wander over to the GCH and enjoy the festive lobby atmosphere, with Santa and the carolers performing by the tree for the guests sprawled out in chairs and sofas. Or, peek in the restaurants to get a glimpse of the gingerbread houses. The GCH is right off of Downtown Disney, so if you walk through DTD from the parks to get back to the DLH, you can turn into the GCH and head to the lobby.
I think that you will love IASW Holiday! I have read some WDW vets' opinions of our IASW at DLR, and the reviews are mixed. The most recent one I read from someone on this board gave the edge to our IASW.
But the holiday version of IASW is...magnificent. The ride is amazing during the day -- the holiday overlay is so thorough, filled with holiday scents and music, and so many of the details are changed to holiday details. At night, when the facade is lit up in the colored lights, it is spectacular! The colors are so crisp and bright.
About the number of days -- well, if it is possible to add a 4th full day without causing too much hardship, I would do it. You may decide you want to do the holiday tour (which you probably read about on Page 1 of this thread). If there is any kind of party, you will want to do that. If there is not a party, you will want to make time for the (probable) holiday World of Color, the Christmas parade and the Believe in Holiday Magic fireworks, the snow on Main Street, the Winter Castle icicle (Enchantment) lighting at night, as well as any other shows or entertainment.
If 4 days are not possible, you can get a lot done in 3 days -- but make sure to coordinate and plan your time wisely. It is doable. Of course, DLR is not the huge Resort that WDW is so there is less area to cover. But there is still quite a bit to do. Just visiting Toon Town, A Bug's Land, New Orleans Square, the Jingle Jangle Jamboree and Cars Land (all of which have very uniquely themed decorations) will take a bit of time, let alone the other lands too!
You know, the Halloween party at DLR works because Halloween Time as a season needs the party. Otherwise, the season would be a little lacking -- or 'thin,' as I call it. The party offers exclusive fireworks that were not a traditional part of the Halloween season, and a cavalcade that was never part of the season at all outside of the party.
The rumors swirling around this supposed Christmas party do not suggest that there would be anything different included in it. The rumors all seem to state that the long-existing, traditional holiday fireworks, parade and snow would suddenly become party exclusives. Of course, there would be cookies and things like that, but the traditional entertainment is supposedly what will be included in a party. I would certainly hope that Disney is not foolish enough to do that, as they would tick off many people who have been visiting the parks for the holidays every year.
BUT, I would have also thought that Disney would not cut the Candlelight Ceremony down from 20 nights to only 2 nights in one year's time -- that is a drastic cut -- and yet it is supposedly happening this year because the new management is ordering it that way, without a compromise. So, if the new management of DLR is pulling off such a major cutback of the Candlelight Ceremony without figuring out a back-up plan for it (to offer dinner packages and more nights), that tells me that they are not thinking completely clearly!
....Which is why I don't fully trust them with a Christmas party, to do the right thing and put brand NEW entertainment in it or move it to DCA where there would be some novelty to it. They may just think that people will hear the words "Christmas party" and get excited, and that it will be enough.
But, we shall see what happens! A party may or may not be coming this year. I still don't think Disneyland is totally ready for it because it would be riskier than the Halloween party, but we all know they are gearing up for a party, one way or the other, at some point in the future -- so we will get one sooner or later!
As for tips of what to do/see -- I suggested some things above, such as taking some time to check out the unique decorations in the different lands, as well visiting the GCH lobby environment to enjoy Santa, carolers, a guitarist and a pianist, and visiting the Jingle Jangle Jamboree to decorate cookies, eat candy cane-flavored cotton candy and meet Santa and assorted characters in holiday garb (like Santa Goofy).
You could also get some gingerbread cookies with mouse ears at any of the candy shops and some of the bake shops.
Make sure to ride the Storybook Land boats -- there are teeny, tiny Christmas decorations on the cottages.
The holiday tour is something that most people seem to enjoy.
If they are being made during your trip, you could grab one of the giant handmade candy canes (they are very popular) at the Candy Palace.
Be sure to get PhotoPass photos in front of the Winter Castle at night, when the icicle lights are on, and in front of IASW Holiday at night.
Look for the "snowdrift" hidden Mickey on the floor of the ballroom in Haunted Mansion Holiday.
I'm sure that other folks will have great ideas!
We should be enjoying the Disneyland holiday season once again this year! If all goes to plan, we should be there November 23-26!
We've been to Disneyland during the holiday probably 4 or 5 times, and it's always so much fun! Mixing Disneyland and Christmas, it's like happiness overload!
So excited to get back to the parks after 2 years! And for it to be the holidays, I'm going to explode! :lol:
butterflymouse --
Welcome! I totally agree -- Disneyland Resort is magical in and of itself, but when the holiday season hits it is extra special. There is a different feeling in the air. It's like the entire Resort has been blanketed with Christmas merriment. It's a sensory overload in the best possible way!
You haven't seen the Cars Land and Buena Vista Street decorations in person yet, so you have a lot to look forward to! Even the New Orleans Square decorations (the Mardi Gras masks) have seemingly multiplied, and there are more of them around NOS.
for me!!!!
. This is where I draw my line in the sand so to speak. While I do think Christmas year round, simply as it helps me plan ahead for the season and take advantage of good deals if I see them. I think the problem is that people are so busy these days, that they find the Christmas season to very stressful. I have to plot ahead with the kids gag Christmas gifts so that I can get the boxes needed to engineer them so that they don't fall apart when trying to get them up the stairs. And if I have time assemble some parts of them before the big assembly to make things easier for me. I personally find that if I see Christmas stuff in the stores before Nov 1st, it kind of annoys me. But I don't mind watching Christmas specials after Nov 1st. I'm hoping to get a relatively clean bill of health when I see my doc on July 3rd, but will realistically have minor neck/shoulder pain for the rest of my life from the accident. Then comes the fun of attempting to settle with the insurance co. Lot's of fun all around.
