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

[mvf-m11c]

Sherry,

Checking into this thread as well. It is highly unlikely, but I am trying to plan a quick getaway from the 6th-8th of December. Xander turns 7 on the 6th. If the work I start after we get back from the October/November trip lasts until December, I think that deserves a trip, right?

I am going to read back a little, but in case I miss it, are you planning a December trip?

You should definitely consider a December trip Kim especially for Xander birthday. During that weekend that you are considering going is the Candlelight Processional weekend.

 

[Sherry E]

I'm putting the final touches on the new Theme Week now, so it should be ready to go in another 2 or 3 hours or so.

Be careful with the last minute contributions to Theme Weeks! Make sure they actually fall within the designated time frame (Pacific Standard Time) and that you get those pictures in by Sunday night, because if they cross over into the following Monday they won't earn an entry into the draw!

Sherry,

Checking into this thread as well. It is highly unlikely, but I am trying to plan a quick getaway from the 6th-8th of December. Xander turns 7 on the 6th. If the work I start after we get back from the October/November trip lasts until December, I think that deserves a trip, right?

I am going to read back a little, but in case I miss it, are you planning a December trip?

Hi, Kim! --

I'm glad you joined us here too!

Start with Page 1. The first 9 posts on page 1 are chock full of information (much more so than the Halloween thread), which is updated and tweaked as needed. You don't have to read all of it, but focus on the areas that you are interested in (dates, Seasonal Events, treats, etc.). Then, just skim the last page or two of the thread and jump in at any time.

I think you certainly deserve a holiday trip too! It will be crowded on those dates, but you can work around it. Plus, you can enjoy the hotels in their holiday splendor as well.

I'll PM you about my plans when I get something more exact in place. I always go in December at some point. That's a given for me. It's always just a matter of how long the trip will be, and if I am solo or with people. But I wouldn't miss a December at DLR in some way, shape or form!

Not sure how many times I can change this holiday trip! New possible dates are either 11/30-12/4 or 12/4-12/8.... I thought the latter would be best, but after the nightmare of the Friday the 13th event.... I want to miss CP.
So , how will the Sunday -Tuesday After thanksgiving be ? Do most people go home on Sunday ?
Thanks!!

AZlady --

A lot of people reportedly clear out on the Sunday after Thanksgiving because it's time to get back to work and school. Monday should be fine. I think that whole time frame you're looking at will be fine. Keep in mind, the holiday season is popular and will attract a lot of people no matter how you slice it (especially on weekends), but there are certain days that may be a bit less crowded than others.

The Friday the 13th event was kind of a fluke, and the resulting chaos was fueled -- I think -- but a lack of knowledge of what it was supposed to be about. Disney did not do a really good job of promoting it or explaining it and, when they did explain/promote, it still was not clear to many people. So I think a lot of people showed up expecting something different than what it turned out to be. Also, people who maybe like Disney but don't follow what happens at the parks regularly may have thought that the Villains' appearance was some super-rare occurrence that they couldn't miss when, in reality, many of those Villains are out and about year-round (though maybe not all together in one spot). I just have a feeling that there was an overall sense of mystery as to what the Unleash the Villains event was going to be, and that sense my mystery drew in extra people who didn't want to feel like they were missing out on something "big." If they had known exactly what was happening and that some of the Villains are not really rare, they may have stayed home.

The Candlelight Processional/Ceremony, on the other hand, has been happening for over 5 decades, so people who are interested in it have a pretty good idea of what it's about (or at least that it exists) and if they want to deal with trying to stand around and see it by now. The crowds for it pick up on Saturday, but I really don't think Sunday is as bad.

My only concern with Candlelight crowds this year is that the Ceremony gained more fans last year when it ran for 20 nights, and some of those fans will undoubtedly be excited to come back and see it again (even without seats). So I expect that there may be even more people crowded around Town Square for the CP than there usually would be, especially on Saturday night. And it's possible that everyone who does not want to see the CP will pack into other areas of DL.

 

[deejdigsdis]

I know I'm a little late, but I just wanted to answer the people who wondered where I got this holiday gem-of-a-treat:



I got it somewhere in DCA in 2009. How's that for an answer. I know it was close to the entrance of a bug's land, as that was where we were waiting for the Pixar parade while my husband tried to find a treat close by for us to eat while we waited.

TK, I can't believe the twins are graduating from college!! Time flies. I'm glad to hear they are still interested in going to DLR/WDW with mom and dad. And congrats on DH retiring! That will be nice to not have to stick to the school vacation schedule while traveling. What did you decide...Anaheim or no Anaheim in November?

Bret, that was a great picture of you and your aunt a few pages back. Sounds like you have some fun times ahead with friends and family at DLR during the holidays.

Sherry, you continue to amaze me with how you are able to keep up with this thread and remember everyone who posts (and their plans, and their pictures, and their past DL experiences, and...and...and...).

 

[Sherry E]

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

…4 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 quite a few more themes to come over the next month, including 3 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 showed off our best Character photos, Santa photos and PhotoPass photos. We have also 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 eleventh theme of 2013? Let’s take a trip to Christmases past by way of the City of Angels!

In the Spotlight this Week......

BUENA VISTA STREET and HOLLYWOOD LAND!!!​

Much like Main Street is to Disneyland, Buena Vista Street serves as the nostalgic heartbeat of California Adventure. Since its grand opening in June of 2012 this bustling boulevard has transported visitors back in time to the 1920s, when a young Walt Disney first arrived in Los Angeles to further pursue his dreams and build his empire. Adopting both Art Deco design and a Mission theme, many of the facades along Buena Vista Street were styled to look as they may have looked roughly 85 years ago. This atmosphere lends itself well to the holidays, as they are showcased with a vintage flair.

As soon as you enter the gates of the newly “re-imagined” California Adventure in mid-November through early January, you are greeted by retro, toe-tapping versions of familiar seasonal songs performed by Big Bands as well crooners such as Bing Crosby, etc., which sets the stage for a lively celebration. Storefront windows, a tree lighting ceremony and Bell Ringers also help to create a simple, non-extravagant festive mood. Santa Claus can be found meeting with both naughty and nice guests in the traditional department store setting of Elias and Company, which also houses a rare (for Disneyland Resort), miniature, tinsel-draped Christmas tree.

Near to Buena Vista Street and connected by the Red Car Trolley line, the Golden Age of the Silver Screen is represented in Hollywood Land (formerly the Hollywood Pictures Backlot), which fondly recalls the era of 1930s glamour and cinema while still featuring a few ‘modern’ touches. The code word is: child. The holiday décor is inexplicably minimal in this area, but rumor has it that a light snowfall provides a bit of a winter “Wonderland” at the very merry Mad T Party.

Buena Vista Street – November and December 2012



The Buena Vista Bugle…

Trolley Treats…

Clarabelle’s…

A splash of holiday color against the pale backdrop of the fountain…

Bell Ringers…

Hollywood Land – November 2012

Looking out at the BVS tree…

The trolley…

​

I will post more photos during the week.

Please feel free to post your Buena Vista Street and Hollywood Land pictures all this week, through Sunday, October 20th!

Then, stay tuned for our twelfth theme on Monday, October 21st!! We still have quite a few themes coming up over the next month, so get your photos ready!

 

[crystal1313]

Here's some of the BVS tree:

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I would have sworn I took some of the Buena Vista Tree, but I can not find them in any of my pictures, even though I've gone through them 3x! Maybe later in the week.

Mine aren't very exciting this week as one is a repeat and the other dates back to 2006 and the old school Hollywood area.





(2006)

 

[mvf-m11c]

Bret, that was a great picture of you and your aunt a few pages back. Sounds like you have some fun times ahead with friends and family at DLR during the holidays.

Hi Deej, thank you. This will be a fun time during the Holiday season with my family and friends next month and December. I can't wait any longer till the Holiday season.


Here are my pictures of BVS and HL

Buena Vista Street

Bell Ringers

Hollywood Land

 

[Sherry E]

crystal1313, Jamie and Bret --

You each have another entry into the random draw for submitting the beautiful Buena Vista Street and/or Hollywood Land pictures!


deej --

Thank you for the kind words (I do have a good memory most of the time, and am very detailed -- so all of that helps when putting together these little threads), but I clearly got the source of your funnel cake wrong! Did you ever get a funnel cake in Frontierland? Because if you didn't get one there at any point in the past, then I read someone else's TR and saw a funnel cake photo from Frontierland and mixed it up with your DCA funnel cake! I am strongly associating funnel cake with Frontierland in my mind, so someone got one from there at some point!

 

[Autty40]

So the Disney blog just announced that The View will be taping live the week of our trip. It's kinda stressing me out. Does this mean the low crowds we were planning on are going to swell? We booked this trip in February and I was counting on lower crowds. Will there be closures so they can tape stuff? I'm having a mini freak out!

 

[blue888]

Any idea on when the holiday menus will be released?

 

[Sherry E]

So the Disney blog just announced that The View will be taping live the week of our trip. It's kinda stressing me out. Does this mean the low crowds we were planning on are going to swell? We booked this trip in February and I was counting on lower crowds. Will there be closures so they can tape stuff? I'm having a mini freak out!

Autty40 --

I wouldn't worry about it. Don't freak out, stress out or panic. What can you do other than cancel your trip?

It is not too common for shows like that to tape a full week of episodes at DLR so we don't have too much historical information on crowd patterns to go by. In all likelihood, that week was probably selected for the taping because it is a less crowded time, whereas having The View there at a busier time would be less convenient.

I assume that there will be a designated viewing area with seats where the show is filmed, if they stay in the same location for the whole week, and the crowds will be there. Yes, the parks will likely be a bit busier than usual overall, but who knows how much?

Look at it this way -- this is a good opportunity to celebrity-watch at the Grand Californian, as I'm sure the ladies will end up staying there! I look forward to seeing their shows from the parks. I know that Whoopi is a Disney Parks fan.

Any idea on when the holiday menus will be released?

blue888 --

Which holiday menus? Thanksgiving or Christmas? The Thanksgiving menu should be very much like what was posted by the Disney Parks Blog in 2012 (I have a bolded link to that Blog in the Food/Dining/Treats post on page 1 of this thread).

I don't know if the Parks Blog will post another menu this year -- some years they do and some years they don't. I don't think I have ever seen them post a comprehensive Christmas Eve/Day menu, even though that is something that a lot of people ask about. Hopefully they will this year.

A lot of the special meals that are available for Thanksgiving probably stick around until Christmas too. And a lot of the seasonal goodies/treats/snacks are available all season long, from mid-November to early January.

 

[blue888]

I was thinking specifically of a Christmas menu. We are going the week of Christmas (22-28th). I'd like to book a tradition Christmas meal for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

blue888 --

Which holiday menus? Thanksgiving or Christmas? The Thanksgiving menu should be very much like what was posted by the Disney Parks Blog in 2012 (I have a bolded link to that Blog in the Food/Dining/Treats post on page 1 of this thread).

I don't know if the Parks Blog will post another menu this year -- some years they do and some years they don't. I don't think I have ever seen them post a comprehensive Christmas Eve/Day menu, even though that is something that a lot of people ask about. Hopefully they will this year.

A lot of the special meals that are available for Thanksgiving probably stick around until Christmas too. And a lot of the seasonal goodies/treats/snacks are available all season long, from mid-November to early January.

 

[Autty40]

Autty40 --

I wouldn't worry about it. Don't freak out, stress out or panic. What can you do other than cancel your trip?

It is not too common for shows like that to tape a full week of episodes at DLR so we don't have too much historical information on crowd patterns to go by. In all likelihood, that week was probably selected for the taping because it is a less crowded time, whereas having The View there at a busier time would be less convenient.

I assume that there will be a designated viewing area with seats where the show is filmed, if they stay in the same location for the whole week, and the crowds will be there. Yes, the parks will likely be a bit busier than usual overall, but who knows how much?

Look at it this way -- this is a good opportunity to celebrity-watch at the Grand Californian, as I'm sure the ladies will end up staying there! I look forward to seeing their shows from the parks. I know that Whoopi is a Disney Parks fan.

Thank you for the reassuring words. I hope you're right. I wouldn't mind meeting any of the ladies! I don't handle change very well if you can't tell.
We won't cancel the trip... My husband would have a fit, and the deal we got in February we couldn't get again. I'll just tough it out. I'm sure once I'm there I won't care, I'll just be happy to be at Disneyland!

 

[Sherry E]

I was thinking specifically of a Christmas menu. We are going the week of Christmas (22-28th). I'd like to book a tradition Christmas meal for Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

blue888 -

The booking window for 12/24 and 12/25 will be at the end of next week, and you'll be able to make reservations. Maybe the Disneyland Dining folks will have the complete information at that point.

When I did the holiday season Call-In show/podcast with the DIS Unplugged team last year (in December), one of the things I mentioned that we should discuss was the Christmas Eve/Day dining. Nancy (Unplugged correspondent) read off a detailed list of Christmas meals and offerings -- though I have no clue where she got it from. So if you want to listen to that podcast from 2012, there is a link to it at the top of post #3 on page 1 of this thread.

I wonder if e-mailing Disneyland Dining would yield any results?

In any event, I would assume that some of the restaurants that have special meals or menus would be Plaza Inn, Carnation Cafe and Storytellers Cafe, and probably Carthay Circle and maybe Steakhouse 55 too. Oh, and Napa Rose!

 

[dolphingirl47]

Corinna --

Yes, it sounds like the Grand Californian holiday merriment will fit in exactly with what you like as far as hotel holiday decor.

I have heard good things about the Steakhouse 55 breakfast. So it's not over-the-top expensive (any more so than other table service places in DLR)? I would like to try it for breakfast. I remember looking at the breakfast menu and there was something on there that caught my attention but I can't remember what it was. It sounded delicious, whatever it was!

No, we thought it was pretty good value. We had about the most expensive thing on the menu (steak and eggs) plus juice and coffee and our check came to less than $40.

Corinna

 

[blue888]

Thanks I am going to try emailing and see.

blue888 -

The booking window for 12/24 and 12/25 will be at the end of next week, and you'll be able to make reservations. Maybe the Disneyland Dining folks will have the complete information at that point.

When I did the holiday season Call-In show/podcast with the DIS Unplugged team last year (in December), one of the things I mentioned that we should discuss was the Christmas Eve/Day dining. Nancy (Unplugged correspondent) read off a detailed list of Christmas meals and offerings -- though I have no clue where she got it from. So if you want to listen to that podcast from 2012, there is a link to it at the top of post #3 on page 1 of this thread.

I wonder if e-mailing Disneyland Dining would yield any results?

In any event, I would assume that some of the restaurants that have special meals or menus would be Plaza Inn, Carnation Cafe and Storytellers Cafe, and probably Carthay Circle and maybe Steakhouse 55 too. Oh, and Napa Rose!

 

[kirstie101]

I've been lurking on this thread for awhile now but thought I might as well start posting. It looks like we get to go to the parks for a quick trip! I'm super excited. I can't wait to see the decorations again! We went a couple years ago at Christmas time and I loved it. I'm most looking forward to the parade and the fireworks/snow. And I've got a giant list of all the treats I need to eat in a day and a half! We'll be in the parks the Saturday and Sunday before Thanksgiving so I know crowds will be growing. But thats ok by me! I'm just glad we get to go and I can get the kids's picture with Santa!

 

[julieheyer]

So the Disney blog just announced that The View will be taping live the week of our trip. It's kinda stressing me out. Does this mean the low crowds we were planning on are going to swell? We booked this trip in February and I was counting on lower crowds. Will there be closures so they can tape stuff? I'm having a mini freak out!

What dates will you be there ( will they be taping?). I'd prefer lower crowds too .

 

[PHXscuba]

Saw these this afternoon and thought of you all! I still have yet to try either flavor... are the peppermint candies in the Peppermint Wonderland crunchy??

The peppermint bits are crunchy but not large, so I think anyone who likes a bit of texture in their ice cream would like it.

BTW, I also saw some full-fat-Grand-amazing peppermint ice cream at Target too recently. But I'm pretty sure I only saw the reduced-fat-don't-bother at Safeway (Vons). It was a couple days ago and my weekend was a little odd.

I have no pictures for this week ... but I am hoping to take plenty if I make it to DLR in December, cross fingers. I will love seeing everyone else's!

PHXscuba

 

[Autty40]

What dates will you be there ( will they be taping?). I'd prefer lower crowds too .

We'll be there the 18-21 but only in the parks the 19th and 20th. They haven't released any other details that I know of besides the dates... I wish they would record before the park opens so it doesn't interrupt too much at the parks.