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

[pattyduke34]

ok Sherry..keeping me on my toes here! lol

 

[RuthieT]

couple questions... What is the Holiday Tour? and will the Mad Tea party be going on in December?

 

[figment_jii]

couple questions... What is the Holiday Tour? and will the Mad Tea party be going on in December?

The Holiday Tour is a walking tour that showcases some of the holiday decorations and element around the parks. Sherry has the links to most of the info on the first page of this thread, but here is the link to the tour:
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/events-tours/holiday-time-at-disneyland/

By Mad Tea Party do you mean the ride at DL or the street entertainment event at DCA? Mad T Party (at DCA) will continue to run (weekends initially) and they'll even have some holiday elements. The Mad Tea Party (teacup ride) should be up and running as well; it's not listed on the refurb list for Nov/Dec.

 

[blue888]

Gorgeous photos! I can't wait to see all the flower and plant arrangements!

I got information that the Disney Floral and Gifts Christmas info will be on their website on Friday.

We are debating getting an in room celebration of some sort. We hadn't planned on doing any presents this year, so we were thinking this might be a neat way to celebrate. I know my daughters would love it! Has anyone here ever done a celebration? Or gotten a delivery from them? Or done their own? Reviews? I've been reading some threads on it, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of reviews of the Christmas ones.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

None of mine are particularly "Christmas-y" but were all technically taken during the holiday season

 

[Luisa]

Have I made it in time for today's? Trying to work out the time difference in my head!

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Have I made it in time for today's? Trying to work out the time difference in my head!
http://s80.photobucket.com/user/MoonstonesDream/media/image-20.jpg.html

I think so. The time stamp on your post shows 11:47pm, PST!

 

[JediMasterNerd]

Wasn't sure if the mini-Theme deadline was at midnight or any time before the next mini-theme is posted... Regardless, here's the main holiday plant (other than Christmas Trees, Wreaths and everyday plants) that I have - sorry if it is outside the timeframe . I really love this Poinsettia, they are full of color and look great.

J.

 

[jacs1234]

OK, I know this has been asked before but not the way I specifically am so bear with me please

We are WDW veterans, and my DH who is a Disney freak is being kind enough to allow me to take my DS-6 twins to Disneyland by myself for their first trip. We arrive Thanksgiving night and leave the following Monday evening (11/28-12/1).

Now here is my question: One of the twins loves ALL things related to Walt and absolutely is obsessed with IASW (he loves the idea of all of the different countries). In fact, he is the main reason we are going because, let's be honest, the IASW is WDW is a mere shadow of the original at DLR and there is definitely nothing special about it at Christmas. The other one is not in to IASW at all, but loves Disney.

Sooooo, here is my question: Given our limited time and the fact we have never done DLR, combined with my sons' ages, is the Holiday Tour something you vets think they would enjoy, or do you think our time would be better spent seeing the parks?

My children at 6' and even now at 13, 11, 9 and 7 wouldn't get much from the holiday tour, and i wouldnt take them on it. i enjoyed it when i went child free though, but my kids would have gotten bored. lots of talking and walking, although interesting to me, would not have been interesting to them. We are doing the discover the magic tour with them this year though.

 

[mom2rtk]

A couple questions now that park hours are showing up for our trip dates and I'm having to swap things around:

1) The park calendar does not show any EE parks for 12/8, 12/9, and 12/10. I'm not used to monitoring the DLR calendar. Can I assume that's because those are the most recent days added and they will add EE for those days?

2) We were thinking of doing Fantasmic dessert seating Sunday 12/9. But we were initially going to stay in that park all day. Now we're thinking of hopping over to DCA for the afternoon. Any guesses on how hard it would be to fight through the CP crowds to get to Fantasmic in time that night? What time do they even do CP?

 

[egritz]

A couple questions now that park hours are showing up for our trip dates and I'm having to swap things around:

1) The park calendar does not show any EE parks for 12/8, 12/9, and 12/10. I'm not used to monitoring the DLR calendar. Can I assume that's because those are the most recent days added and they will add EE for those days?

If I remember correctly when I watched them release the hours for the first week of December (thinking the 2nd week will be the same) they didn't have the EE hours listed either...but not they are there. I'm not freaking out....yet. We are currently planning for EE on Tuesday 12/10 for DL.

And now that I think of it I'm even more confident - we have an ADR for Plaza Inn on Thursday 12/12 at 8:10 & the schedule shows park opening at 9am (and it is a normal EE day)

 

[ddwlms]

1) The park calendar does not show any EE parks for 12/8, 12/9, and 12/10. I'm not used to monitoring the DLR calendar. Can I assume that's because those are the most recent days added and they will add EE for those days?

I had just asked this same question here:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=49968065&posted=1#post49968065

Sounds like egritz is correct.

 

[mom2rtk]

If I remember correctly when I watched them release the hours for the first week of December (thinking the 2nd week will be the same) they didn't have the EE hours listed either...but not they are there. I'm not freaking out....yet. We are currently planning for EE on Tuesday 12/10 for DL.

And now that I think of it I'm even more confident - we have an ADR for Plaza Inn on Thursday 12/12 at 8:10 & the schedule shows park opening at 9am (and it is a normal EE day)

I had just asked this same question here:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=49968065&posted=1#post49968065

Sounds like egritz is correct.

Thanks guys! EE was one of the big reasons I ponied up the extra to stay onsite. I was assuming it would be added later, but have to admit I did panic for half a moment there.

We're from the central time zone, and I have a terrible time sleeping after about 5 AM as it is. Throw me into the Pacific time zone and I'm usually just a mess (especially just weeks after the time change). So I really want that extra hour of park time. Chances are I will have been up for an hour once it gets here anyway!

 

[Sherry E]

The calendar updates slowly. Disney does not put all of the info on it at one time, and sometimes things change from day to day. For example, first they had the Winter Village in DTD starting on 11/11 -- and I added it to the list of dates in post #2 -- and then, all of a sudden, it changed to 11/14. Also, at one point IASWH was set to begin on 11/8, according to the calendar, and it may still soft open on that date but now the Parks Blog says it will begin on 11/12.

The Extra Magic Hour, however, is available for every day of your onsite hotel stay, Janet, in whichever park is having it that day, whether it appears on the calendar or not. That is one of the perks of staying onsite.

There is nothing to panic or worry about -- unless Disneyland just cancels the holiday season entirely (in which case, you will see a very angry Sherry E!). When are we going to get past the panic/worry/fear/nervousness stage and get excited for our trips, hmmmmm?????

As Mr. Roarke used to say on the old show, Fantasy Island, "Smiles, everyone, smiles!"

 

[mom2rtk]

The calendar updates slowly. Disney does not put all of the info on it at one time, and sometimes things change from day to day. For example, first they had the Winter Village in DTD starting on 11/11 -- and I added it to the list of dates in post #2 -- and then, all of a sudden, it changed to 11/14. Also, at one point IASWH was set to begin on 11/8, according to the calendar, and it may still soft open on that date but now the Parks Blog says it will begin on 11/12.

The Extra Magic Hour, however, is available for every day of your onsite hotel stay, Janet, in whichever park is having it that day, whether it appears on the calendar or not. That is one of the perks of staying onsite.

There is nothing to panic or worry about -- unless Disneyland just cancels the holiday season entirely (in which case, you will see a very angry Sherry E!). When are we going to get past the panic/worry/fear/nervousness stage and get excited for our trips, hmmmmm?????

As Mr. Roarke used to say on the old show, Fantasy Island, "Smiles, everyone, smiles!"

I actually was not in full panic mode yet. I had a hunch that was the answer. And yes, I'm really am getting excited. Although I probably won't really relax and enjoy until I get my tour and fantasmic reservations wrapped up. I was just telling Katie this morning that if we were going to WDW we would have had this all set for some time. Heck, if we were going to WDW, we'd know by now what time we were riding Space, Splash and Thunder Mountains. (Sad, but true..... don't get me started on the absurdity of that!)

So would it be foolhardy to try and get back into DLR just for Fantasmic Sunday night? I already decided since we can't do the evening parade with the tour, we'll do that on Friday and do DCA Sunday afternoon. I'm not sure if I want to fight the CP crowds to get back in and all the way over to Fantasmic. Do they set up an alternate entrance? Or are they really able to keep a lane open to get past the Train Station area?

 

[Sherry E]

It’s Thursday, which means it’s time for another theme in the rapid fire Daily Countdown to the holiday season!!!!

…12 Days Until the
Holiday Season Begins at Disneyland Resort!!!! ​

Each day this week – from Tuesday, October 29th through Sunday, November 3rd – there will be a new Disneyland Resort holiday mini-theme!! Unlike the weekly themes, the photos for the daily mini-themes may only be posted on the days the themes go up in order to earn entries into the random draw to win the $25 Disney gift card. If you don’t have photos to fit the daily themes, check back on the following day as there will be a new theme posted every morning (times may differ).

The weekly theme – which is currently Disneyland Resort - Holidays Gone By – is still active and open for photos from now through Sunday, November 3, 2013.

Several people may have photos to fit the daily mini-themes, but will they be able to post them in time to earn an entry? Let’s see if everyone can rise to the challenge and get their photos for the daily themes in on time. Muahahahahahahaha! Anyone who can get his/her photos in on the days the mini-daily themes go up [by 11:59 p.m., Pacific Standard Time] will receive TWO entries for each entry / contribution!!

Anyone who is not able to get photos posted on the day of each mini-theme but would still like to post the photos may do so when we get to our final weekly theme -- Holiday Cornucopia (on Monday, November 4th).


So…what will be our sixteenth overall theme (and third daily theme) of 2013? This time, it’s a double header theme that takes us into both Disneyland and California Adventure, as we search for bears and foxes and rabbits – oh my!

In the Spotlight Today...

CRITTER COUNTRY & GRIZZLY PEAK!!!​

Just a whisper away from Frontierland in Disneyland is the little woodsy hamlet of Critter Country, home to the endearing Winnie the Pooh and his friends, including Piglet, Tigger, Eeyore…and maybe a ‘Brer’ or two!

As you can imagine, the Critters celebrate the holidays in their own unique way, and things are ever so slightly topsy-turvy here and there, such as, for example, the Christmas tree located in the Pooh Corner gift shop. One version of the tree featured ornaments covered in ‘hunny’….but the pots from which that hunny was spilling were located below the ornaments, rather than above them. (Ponder that for a moment. What’s wrong with that picture?) It’s a detail that implies things are charmingly askew in the Hundred Acre Wood. Perhaps it was a rather blustery day when Pooh decorated his tree?

Folks who have been visiting Disneyland during the holiday season for years may remember that there used to be a sign/banner suspended above a pathway out of Critter Country that said “Merry Critters and Happy Pooh Year.” The code word for today is: choir. That banner mysteriously disappeared quite a while back, sadly (in fact, that would be a good photo entry into the current “Holidays Gone By” theme week).


Meanwhile, over in California Adventure, folks might be surprised to see a few Yuletide touches around Grizzly Peak. While this land is not an elaborately decorated area like some of the other lands we have seen in this Countdown – and many people probably overlook the few bits of merriment that are there – the wreaths and garland are very theme-appropriate, with oars and other ‘rafting’ embellishments.

Grizzly Peak


December 2012…

Uh oh! Someone’s got a wreath on his head! December 2011…

December 2011 (pre-freshening up paint job of Rushin’ River Outfitters)… Again, decorations, yes – and a cute, themed wreath too! But how many people notice the decorations?

Redwood Creek Challenge Trail…

Critter Country


December 2012…

I got a big hoot out of this very ‘holiday’-looking area in Critter Country last year (and yes, I am being sarcastic – it couldn’t look less holiday-ish if it tried! It looks liked a field of flowers in the summer!)…

This tree in Pooh Corner in Critter Country is topped with a hive, from which “hunny” drips to coat the ornaments…

December 2009…

And, this is not part of the Theme Week nor the Mini-Theme Day, but Happy Halloween, Christmas thread peeps!!

​

Please feel free to post your Critter Country and Grizzly Peak photos today only. A new daily mini-theme will go up tomorrow, Friday, November 1st, 2013.

Also, please continue to post your Holidays Gone By pictures all week long (through Sunday, November 3rd, 2013), if you have them.

 

[czmom]

I actually was not in full panic mode yet. I had a hunch that was the answer. And yes, I'm really am getting excited. Although I probably won't really relax and enjoy until I get my tour and fantasmic reservations wrapped up. I was just telling Katie this morning that if we were going to WDW we would have had this all set for some time. Heck, if we were going to WDW, we'd know by now what time we were riding Space, Splash and Thunder Mountains. (Sad, but true..... don't get me started on the absurdity of that!)

Ugh. Oh so true.

 

[crystal1313]

My mini-theme photo:

 

[pudinhd]

This is one of my favorite pictures...

 

[Mickeybell]

Mini Theme Critter Country photo with our favorite, Pooh Bear!!!