Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Mike -- Another great picture (as always)!
So Staple Center is far away from Anaheim, yes?
Our Blues play the LA Kings on Monday night at the Staple Center. We have Ohio State playing Michigan at 9am CA time and my Mizzou Tigers play Texas A&M in the afternoon (both this saturday). Too bad we are renting a car and driving to a beach.....that would have been a decent day to spend at ESPN Zone eating wings and nachos
Kathy --
The Staples Center is in Downtown Los Angeles -- nowhere near Anaheim, but probably 40 or 45 minutes away from Anaheim without any traffic at all.
Sorry I've been MIA but we've been busy!
Just finished up the Holiday Tour and it was great! Quickly, got marshmallows dipped in caramel, then in peppermint infused dark chocolate covered in sprinkles as our early treat. Rode Jingle Cruise, HM and IASMH. Had front row seats to the parade, got our hot chocolate mugs (they are SO cute this year!) And our Mickey gingerbread cookies (with chocolate covered ears). Oh and our pins

I'll have pictures to show when we get home.
We're having a great trip. Crowds seem less today than they did earlier in the week. I'll try to update more soon. Haven't gone into Gibson Girl, but see a report from a few days ago that says it's not the real deal.
If anybody has any questions, ask away!
Jamie --
I'm so glad to hear that your trip is going well so far! Now it doesn't look as though it will rain today!

I tell you... this crazy So Cal weather.
I am guessing that the peppermint-infused dark chocolate is the new peppermint bark that DLR is selling this year? In the past they have made the bark with white chocolate but this year they are making it with dark chocolate.
Did the tour take you upstairs to see the extra decorations in the queue on Jingle Cruise? Or did they just stay on the ground floor, cut through the whole queue and go straight to the front of the line?
The report of peppermint ice cream at Gibson Girl was a mistake. The DIS'er saw the sign advertising the actual cone (with crushed candy cane on it) but not the ice cream.
HOWEVER... reports are still coming in that state that the peppermint ice cream is available at Ghirardelli (not on the menu, you have to ask for it)!! Not peppermint ice cream with chunks of bark in it, but the actual pink peppermint ice cream.
Hi all,
Is there a "good" time of day to visit Jingle Jangle Jamboree on a Saturday/Sunday? We are not worried about rides this trip. Is it quiet in the morning, then builds afternoon?
Thanks. KC Mike-- great pics!
SeaDis --
The interesting thing about the Jingle Jangle Jamboree is that it is tucked so far back in Frontierland, away from everything, and I think a lot of folks don't even know it's there...or they just don't take the time to go back there. Also, because BTMRR is closed all through the holidays, I would bet that the JJJ will see fewer people this year because there could be less traffic in that general area.
I found the Halloween Carnival (in the same location) to be busier and more crowded than the Jingle Jangle Jamboree -- mainly because the Conjure a Villain tent was there (as well as the only place to meet characters in Halloween attire outside of the separate Halloween party) and that attracted a lot of folks.
The JJJ had a healthy number of people both last year and this year when I popped in, but I didn't find it to be crazy crowded, to be honest. I really don't even know if a lot of folks realize that there are characters back there (if they don't follow a thread or a board like this one!) because the characters in winter attire can usually be found around Town Square too.
So, I guess all of that is to say that, yes, maybe in the morning the JJJ might be less crowded, but I really don't think it will be that bad if you go there in the afternoon either. I really think that BTMRR being closed is going to keep some people from going back to that spot this year.
I was worried about Bret's report too, Kathy. The same thing happened to me, and I panicked. That is my FAVORITE report since you closed yours. This one is a very close second as it has provided invaluable Holiday information.
Sherry, you are correct that I can meet anywhere. We have APs, so I can hop if necessary. Our 12/08 breakfast reservation is at
Disneyland at 7:30am. After 9am, I will be available. The Holiday tour runs from 11:45am-2:45pm on 12/06 when the parade starts at 2:30pm. With parades at 1 and 3 on 12/08, I am guessing the tours run from 10:15-1:15 and/or 12:15-3:15. A meeting around 9:30am could work if it was short. If Janet is booked in the later tour, we could meet longer.
I agree with all of you that I want a chance to see the CP. I will not see it if it is too crowded, but I want a shot. If we cannot find time to meet before the CP, I can meet after it and take off for a Hollywood right after the meet. The other option is separate meets. You're the one everyone wants to meet, Sherry, so I think it depends mostly on your schedule.
Kim --
I was the one who ran into the "invalid thread" message when trying to get to Bret's TR (and another TR) -- not Kathy!

I usually don't have a lot of time to follow Bret's TR, and my PC often locks up when I do because there are so many large photos in each report, on each page -- but I know how much time Bret has spent on his TR and so I was about to

on his behalf when I couldn't access the thread. I couldn't imagine why it would have disappeared. But then the same thing happened with another thread I tried to access -- I got the "invalid" message even though the thread was still there -- so I knew it had to be something screwy happening with the DIS.
Honestly, at the moment I can't plan for separate meets at DLR. That may change once I get there, get settled in and see what I want to accomplish.
Since you will be there on 12/8 I am trying to meet whoever I can at one time, so if it turns out to be you and Kathy for a few minutes, that's cool. I need to do it earlier rather than later because I might be tied up with something else in the late morning/early afternoon.
So I vote for a quick morning meet -- long enough to get a nice photo at one of the PhotoPass spots -- in... California Adventure. We can meet by the giant tree on BVS, or by the Season's Speedings sign in Cars Land... somewhere. If it is possible to meet up again later that day, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it but for now, morning is good.
I'm leaving in 4 days, I can't believe that we are getting so close... Like the rest of you, I'm checking weather constantly, and I'm still not sure what to bring. Would a hoodie be alright during the day, or do I need to bring a jacket???
Also, haven't anyone been on the Holiday tour yet, I'm dying to know what it's like this year. We are taken it on tuesday, I hope I get some wifi, so I can upload pics at night
THANK YOU SOOO MUCH for giving a small review. I'm so excited now!!! Are they christmas mugs???? The threats sounds so good!
Stephanie --
If you get cold easily you might want a hoodie in the daytime, although if the temperatures are in the 70's in the daytime you probably won't need it. If it's supposed to be in the 60's in the daytime, you might want to have the hoodie with you.
At night it will be quite chilly, whether it is warm in the daytime or not.
Wow...I really hope we get jingle cruise as well as IASWH and HMH on our Christmas eve holiday tour!!.... Is this always included now?

an extra ride makes this tour much more attractive....along with the delicious treats!
Tinker74 --
And the seats for the parade are a big bonus too!
I don't think we have heard from anyone else who has taken the tour this year besides Jamie, so I don't know if Jingle Cruise will be part of every tour -- but I'd have to assume it will be. I don't see why it wouldn't be. I just hope the guide takes people upstairs in the queue so they can see the extra decorations.
By the way, as you all head to DLR for the holiday season, don't forget to always be on the lookout for hidden Mickeys -- even tucked away in dark corners or out of the main hubs of activity. They are everywhere. For example, take this little hidden gem at the Round-Up/Ranch/Jamboree: