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

[lucysmom]

BINGO!! You found just what we are looking for--the characters in their Christmas jammies!! Last year, we found only two Eyores sitting on a shelf in a store on Main Street. There weren't any others anywhere. Do you remember if they had characters other than Pooh this year? I hope they are still in stock when we get there in December. I remember learning last year that if you see something you like, you had best get it, because chances are that when you return for it, it will be sold out! I just love all the pictures! For us, the holiday season starts when October hits. Of course, it has its stages, but it hits!!

 

[PHXscuba]

Seeing all of these Christmas treasures is very dangerous to my wallet!!

I forgot I have one more piece of merchandise to share -- pressed quarters. When we saw them (several years ago) they were in a big coffin-shaped machine in the NBC gift shop in New Orleans Square. There were 3 quarters to choose but I only have a picture of the one my son got.

PHXscuba

p.s. to Sherry -- if you don't already have a surge protector I'd be getting one ASAP. Twice in one week would make me very nervous that it will happen again soon!

 

[Sherry E]

PHXscuba --

I have a surge protector (not sure how good it is anymore, but I have one). I don't think it was twice within one week. I remember another surge recently (in recent weeks).

BINGO!! You found just what we are looking for--the characters in their Christmas jammies!! Last year, we found only two Eyores sitting on a shelf in a store on Main Street. There weren't any others anywhere. Do you remember if they had characters other than Pooh this year? I hope they are still in stock when we get there in December. I remember learning last year that if you see something you like, you had best get it, because chances are that when you return for it, it will be sold out! I just love all the pictures! For us, the holiday season starts when October hits. Of course, it has its stages, but it hits!!

lucysmom --

I love the Christmas jammies, don't you? They're so cute! That particular Pooh picture is from 2010 but I recall seeing a similar Pooh in 2012 (in holiday jammies with maybe a slightly different design), and I passed it by to get to another merchandise display. I didn't see any Christmas jammies characters last month, though they may have been there. It seems like there are similar items that come out every year, but they may not always look exactly the same. And sometimes the same exact items are available year after year.

Yes, it's always a good idea to get something when you see it at DLR, if at all possible. You could very likely find it again in another shop, but sometimes certain things just fly off the shelves (like the Santa Mickey nutcracker last year) and DLR doesn't order anymore for the rest of the season. Part of the problem is that they do put out holiday merchandise so early -- like even as early as now -- and people have a chance to buy it way before the holidays even begin. A lot of things get snapped up in the first part of November.

You are speaking my language. I know that Halloween is not considered a part of the holiday season, but in my mind it is the beginning of my holiday season! October is the start of the fun, festive months of celebration and decoration (as well as eating!). Lots of people have parties for Halloween, Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year's, and they have family get-togethers for Thanksgiving. It's a 3 month-long period (from early October to early January, let's say) of merriment and seasonal immersion!

 

[Alohagirl73]

Well because of this thread and all the awesome pictures in it, I have to come back to Disneyland at Christmas again to appreciate it more than I have in the past!!! We are going to drive up for the day in December!!! Can't wait.

Thank you to all if you who share your amazing pictures as experiences.

 

[Luisa]

Hi Luisa, Great, mouthwatering pics!(Love the apples!) We eat at Carnation Cafe every time we visit, and I don't think the week before Thanksgiving week will be too bad crowd wise. I think you would be perfectly able to walk up and get a table(they have several small ones--great for one or two) with a minimum wait. Of course, if you don't want to take a chance, go ahead and make the reservation, but then you will be tied to it(or get charged that new fee), if something happens/comes up, and you don't end up keeping it! If it were a busier time, I'd definitely make the res., but in your circumstances/time frame, I really don't think you need to mess with one(just my opinion)!(The fried pickles are delicious!)

Thankyou so much Cheshirecatty, that's good to know that I should be ok for a walk up.

Sherry, I've been in and out of the boards lurking around but I haven't had any photos of the last few theme weeks and RL got a bit hectic too. So while I've been here checking out everyone else's fabulous pics, I've also not been here so to speak (if that makes sense!).

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I have that Minnie "Don't Make Me Unfriend You" shirt! *blush*

I also realized I bought a piece from Carsland for our Christmas Village and never got an individual up close picture. I'm hoping to add to it this year.

 

[Sherry E]

I am just about to kick off this week's theme (in the next post)! This will be our 10th theme of the Countdown (can you believe we have been at this since early August?), and it will be a 3-for-1.

In other words, you may have noticed how I have grouped together two themes into one for some of the past Theme Weeks (such as "Treats & Treasures" and "Christmas Fantasy Parade & Believe in Holiday Magic Fireworks"). Today it will be a triple header, with 3 themes grouped together.

I am starting off today by posting photos of only one of the categories/sub-themes, but please feel free to post photos from any of the 3 categories!

Well because of this thread and all the awesome pictures in it, I have to come back to Disneyland at Christmas again to appreciate it more than I have in the past!!! We are going to drive up for the day in December!!! Can't wait.

Thank you to all if you who share your amazing pictures as experiences.

Alohagirl73 -

I think that a day trip in December sounds wonderful! There are always new things to see. It's an endless discovery. I still can't believe I've somehow missed the teeny tiny decorations near the Pooh ride in Critter Country, which I only learned about because of I'm mikey's great contributions to our "Christmas Trees & Wreaths" week in this thread back in early August! Everyone seems to catch something different on their trips.

You just went to DLR for Halloween Time and the MHP, correct? (I could be losing my mind, but I thought you posted about your trip in the Halloween Superthread.) I think that a holiday trip is a perfect way to bookend a fun Halloween Time trip (says the Halloween and holiday trip enabler!)

Thankyou so much Cheshirecatty, that's good to know that I should be ok for a walk up.

Sherry, I've been in and out of the boards lurking around but I haven't had any photos of the last few theme weeks and RL got a bit hectic too. So while I've been here checking out everyone else's fabulous pics, I've also not been here so to speak (if that makes sense!).

Luisa --

It makes sense! You're here, but not here! I'm glad to know we haven't lost you. Others have disappeared (where did danimaroo go?), so I appreciate everyone who has hung around and stuck it out. After this week's theme, we have 3 more weekly themes to go (one of which will not be expected because I just made up the category this year), then 6 rapid-fire daily mini-themes...and the final Holiday Cornucopia theme. At the rate the weeks and months are passing, we will be done with this year's Countdown in no time!

I have that Minnie "Don't Make Me Unfriend You" shirt! *blush*

I also realized I bought a piece from Carsland for our Christmas Village and never got an individual up close picture. I'm hoping to add to it this year.

Jamie --

I think I saw about 3 or 4 Facebook-themed shirts in World of Disney, all with clever Facebook phrases. The "Unfriend" shirt was my favorite.

I love any and all Christmas or Halloween Villages!

 

[Sherry E]

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

…5 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 still many more themes to come over the next month, including 4 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 sampled the tempting Treats and Treasures offered in the parks for the season. We’ve enjoyed the holidays with a rustic, Western flair in Frontierland and at the Jingle Jangle Jamboree. We have caught glimpses of the special holiday offerings at the three Hotels of the Disneyland Resort. We have also visited the playful, animated, off-kilter world of Mickey’s Toontown. We have 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 tenth theme of 2013? It is a triple header Theme Week, featuring 3 themes in one! Let’s share our favorite Disneyland Resort holiday PhotoPass pictures, holiday character pictures and, of course, pictures with Santa Claus!!!

In the Spotlight this Week......

HOLIDAY CHARACTERS, PHOTOPASS and SANTA CLAUS PHOTOS!!!​

Whether you’ve held Tinker Bell in your hand, gasped in shock at Stitch popping up out of the ground, pointed up at Disney characters ‘soarin’ overhead or sat on a bench next to Mickey, chances are you may have posed for a PhotoPass picture or two in the past.

During the Christmas season you will find extra special holiday photo opportunities, including the dazzling nighttime Winter Castle; the enormous tree on Main Street; the magnificent It’s a Small World Holiday façade after dark; Santa Duffy at his post in California Adventure; the ‘real’ Santa in front of the stunning tree in the lobby of the Grand Californian Hotel, and many more. Accentuate those photos with festive themed borders on the PhotoPass website and you’ve got the perfect family Christmas cards!


Whether or not you choose to invest the time and money in PhotoPass, you may want to meet a few characters. During the holiday season at Disneyland Resort, the characters in the parks will sometimes dress in Winter sweaters and scarves or Santa hats – maybe even reindeer ears. Sometimes they simply wear their ‘street clothes’ and stand in front of a holiday display of some kind. Often times you can find these furry, playful friends around Main Street or in Toontown. Occasionally they will appear in their seasonal outfits at character meals (more recently at Minnie and Friends). And you are sure to find at least a couple of characters (including Santa Goofy) at the Jingle Jangle Jamboree in Frontierland.


Santa Claus is in hot demand during the holiday season. Not only is he busy with his delivery duties on Christmas Eve, he is also a popular fixture in several places around Disneyland Resort. The code word is: sleep. From the official start of the holiday season in November to Christmas Eve, you will find Santa at the Jingle Jangle Jamboree (a.k.a. Big Thunder Ranch a.k.a. Round-Up) in Disneyland and at the Elias & Co. store on Buena Vista Street in California Adventure. From the Friday after Thanksgiving to December 24th you can find Santa at all 3 of the Disneyland Resort hotels (at different times of day). Santa usually has a PhotoPass photographer with him at all locations except the one at the Paradise Pier Hotel (though the PPH Santa is said to be especially fun and lively) and sometimes the one at the Disneyland Hotel.


Today I am posting my PhotoPass pictures, but please feel free to share your holiday character pictures (whether or not they are PhotoPass), your Santa Claus photos and your PhotoPass pictures!!!!

PhotoPass Pictures




December 2008…

December 2009…

December 2010…

December 2011 - Notice the teeny tiny hidden Mickeys in the white border…

​

I am starting with holiday PhotoPass pictures. I will post regular holiday character photos, and photos from Santa’s different photo locations, during the week.

Please feel free to post your Holiday Characters pictures, PhotoPass pictures and /Santa Claus photos all this week, through Sunday, October 13th.

Then, stay tuned for our eleventh theme on Monday, October 14th!! We still have quite a few themes coming up in future weeks, so get your photos ready!

 

[Alohagirl73]

Sherry E

Not sure how to quote from my phone.

Yes we did just go to Disneyland for Halloween!!! It was fabulous. Now I can't wait to go in two months for Christmas which is my favorite holiday. Thank you for all your hard work you put into this thread. Has made me really excited to go again for Christmas!!!!

 

[julieheyer]

Sherry-love the pics!! Especially the castle at night picture!! I need to get one of those this year!! Thanks for sharing them!!

 

[Mouseketeers4]

It makes sense! You're here, but not here! I'm glad to know we haven't lost you. Others have disappeared (where did danimaroo go?), so I appreciate everyone who has hung around and stuck it out. After this week's theme, we have 3 more weekly themes to go (one of which will not be expected because I just made up the category this year), then 6 rapid-fire daily mini-themes...and the final Holiday Cornucopia theme. At the rate the weeks and months are passing, we will be done with this year's Countdown in no time!

I bet Dani will be returning to this thread soon. I've been reading her trip reports and she just got back from WDW.

I'm hoping some of you do reports for your Christmas trips this year. We had so much fun on our first DL trip last month that I had to talk DH into taking us all back for December 2014. You guys are helping make my wait a little easier!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Character pictures

Eeyore

Pluto

Donald Duck

Classic Santa Goofy at the former Carnation Plaza Gardens

Minnie Mouse and a Reindeer

I don't have too many pictures with me in the pictures during the Holiday season since I am taking pictures of all the decorations. But I did manage to find one with my DA and me in front of SB Winter Castle in 2011.

 

[CaliDisneyMama]

Oh! Oh! A theme to which I can contribute! Yay! Thanks for putting all of this together, Sherry!

I've been lurking, drooling over all of your photos, and just waiting until I can add mine. These are from Thanksgiving weekend, 2010. I don't have many. For some reason, being there with a two year old meant that I spent more time chasing and less time snapping photos. Go figure

I love love love the DL CMs. My son was more interested in looking at the ornaments on the tree than talking to Pooh, but Pooh went with it and now I have a photo of them checking out the ornaments together. Love!

He wasn't all that interested in Santa, either, but Santa was awesome! He was actually on his way out of the area, but when he spotted our son, he stopped and asked if we wanted to get a picture. It was really sweet of him.

 

[pudinhd]

Here are a few...

 

[Mickeybell]

I have a few of the Holiday Characters to share for this week.

Pooh Bear. My son's very favorite character!


Tigger!


Donald!


And Goofy!!!


I have no pictures of my little guy with any characters. He is sooo afraid of them. But this year he says that he wants to meet Mickey, so my fingers are crossed that I might get some character pictures with him on this trip!

 

[Luisa]

I don't often get my photo taken with characters but here's a couple I took of a character last Christmas.


And I don't mind that the end of theme weeks is coming up quickly, only because it means so many of us will be so much closer to our Christmas season visits!

 

[jasy]

Good morning lovely disers,

Sherri, your theme this week is perfect because I have a question about photopass during the holidays.

Do you find that there are more photopass photographers out and about during holiday time and are there more unique photo opportunities?

I'm debating whether or not to purchase photopass plus for our trip. We got it for our Feb trip and I was very disappointed that I didn't see many photopass photographers and those that I did find, didn't seem to really want to take out photo. I think in total we had 20-25 pictures so not many. I did however get a ride photo on every ride we could and that was great.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Good morning lovely disers,

Sherri, your theme this week is perfect because I have a question about photopass during the holidays.

Do you find that there are more photopass photographers out and about during holiday time and are there more unique photo opportunities?

I'm debating whether or not to purchase photopass plus for our trip. We got it for our Feb trip and I was very disappointed that I didn't see many photopass photographers and those that I did find, didn't seem to really want to take out photo. I think in total we had 20-25 pictures so not many. I did however get a ride photo on every ride we could and that was great.

I don't know if they're out more or if we just took more, but we had over 100 photo pass pictures, not including the rides.

 

[CaliDisneyMama]

I don't know if they're out more or if we just took more, but we had over 100 photo pass pictures, not including the rides.

That's good to know! I was debating it this time, too. We'll only be there for three days, we're not doing a character meal this time, and two of our party members (my son and my Mom) will not even be riding the photopass rides, so I wasn't sure if I should do Photopass+ this time. But if we have the possibility of getting that many photopass photos around the parks, it might be worth it, anyway.

 

[edna mode]

Reservation for the Thanksgiving dinner in the Disneyland Hotel ballroom is up and running after a massive system break down this morning. 714-781-3463.

Adult: $73.99
child: $21.99 (ages 3-9)
Passholder discounts apply
+ 18% gratuity + 8% tax