Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread #4

[Sherry E]

Just a heads up for people making dining plans the first 2 weeks of December. Several people are reporting that Blue Bayou, Café Orleans and Big Thunder Ranch BBQ will be closed. I sure hope that turns out to be wrong, but word is that's what vacation planning is telling people. We planned to eat at all 3. I need some chicken gumbo and it seems they just took it right off the table.

Good grief! I can't fathom why the BBQ would be closed, especially since it's right next to the Jingle Jangle Jamboree, which will be open and decorated.

Well, those restaurants being closed for the first two weeks of December -- IF that turns out to be true -- is even more of an indication that Disney does not expect heavy crowds during that time in early December (they wouldn't close down a bunch of eateries if they were expecting huge crowds)... which is yet another reason why I think that more December hotel rooms will open up at the AP Fall Package discount! The hotel discounts will cover any time frames in which they don't expect lofty crowds.

 

[mom2rtk]

Good grief! I can't fathom why the BBQ would be closed, especially since it's right next to the Jingle Jangle Jamboree, which will be open and decorated.

Well, those restaurants being closed for the first two weeks of December -- IF that turns out to be true -- is even more of an indication that Disney does not expect heavy crowds during that time in early December (they wouldn't close down a bunch of eateries if they were expecting huge crowds)... which is yet another reason why I think that more December hotel rooms will open up at the AP Fall Package discount! The hotel discounts will cover any time frames in which they don't expect lofty crowds.

Oooohhhh..... I love how you put a positive spin on that for me!

I agree that's an awful lot of restaurant capacity down at once. Might have to pack some of this........

I hope part of that turns out to be not true. I mean...... closing the only 2 places that serve chicken gumbo just seems unnecessarily cruel!

 

[ZiPaD3doDAH]

ZiPaD3doDAH --

Welcome!

The Christmas parade is taped in early November -- before the holiday season "officially" begins. It will be crowded in Disneyland around the taping areas and Main Street, I think, even though Disney doesn't really advertise the taping beforehand.

I don't know of any actual reports, but I asked Nancy Johnson, one of the DIS Unplugged correspondents, about what goes on during taping days. She has been in the parks on parade taping days at least a few times in the past.

Her comments (including about wait times) are in green at the bottom of this post (and you will see the questions I asked her in red): http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=52142080&postcount=1239

Hi Sherry!

Thanks for the link!

 

[DharmaLou]

We booked Thanksgiving lunch at Goofy's Kitchen. What a wonderful way to celebrate! I'm really getting excited about our trip now that we have dining reservations!

We had our Thanksgiving dinner there 2 years ago, we had a great time. The food was decent and we had great character interactions.

 

[dec2009mama]

I think my post sparked the inquiry into ressies - I wanted BB and couldn't see it available - I am really surprised that 3 major dining places are closed at once

 

[Speechphi]

At Paradise Pier in Nov '11

DD3 was so bummed because Little Mermaid was down, and no matter what we or the photopass photographer said or did, she was not happy!




The whole family at the tree




not super Christmas-y (well, unless you count my girls' tops!), but it's on the Pier & it's one of my all time faves of my kids

 

[sgrap]

November 2005

 

[Escape2Disney]

I only have two this week....

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Just a heads up for people making dining plans the first 2 weeks of December. Several people are reporting that Blue Bayou, Café Orleans and Big Thunder Ranch BBQ will be closed. I sure hope that turns out to be wrong, but word is that's what vacation planning is telling people. We planned to eat at all 3. I need some chicken gumbo and it seems they just took it right off the table.

We're having dinner at two of those next week (and then again in Nov). I can ask while I'm there, if you want. (eating at BB and BTBBQ)

 

[Orbitron]

¡Viva Navidad!

World of Color – Winter Dreams

Paradise Pier

 

[princessmocha]

I am loving all these pictures. I have never been to Disneyland during the holidays (and I haven't been at all in 22 years) I can't wait to go and see all the fabulous decorations. This thread is definitely getting me in the mood!!!! Is it December yet?!?!

 

[Elk Grove Chris]

Only two survived the hard drive crash from this area:

 

[Dawn16]

¡Viva Navidad!

World of Color – Winter Dreams

Paradise Pier

Omg, you can get pics with Jose and Panchito?! Awesome, I can't wait to tell my 8 y/o DS!

 

[Orbitron]

Omg, you can get pics with Jose and Panchito?! Awesome, I can't wait to tell my 8 y/o DS!

Yes, you can!

 

[Karin1984]

Hi all!

I like to play with the planning tools on touringplans.com (no idea if it works, but it's a fun game), today I got a message that for 16 - 18 November the Flag Retreat and the Wintertime Holiday Enchantment Lightning are cancelled.

Anyone here know if this is correct?

 

[Orbitron]

More ¡Viva Navidad!

 

[Sherry E]

In addition to the other Nogs I reported on yesterday, there has been a Pumpkin Eggnog sighting... AND a Pumpkin Spice Milk sighting -- HERE! Could that Pumpkin Spice Milk be good, I wonder?


I should also point out that, once again, Dreyer's Ice Cream is on sale for $2.99 at CVS this week. And... CVS just happened to send me $3.00 in ExtraBucks (free cash to use at CVS) today. Well, now they are practically just begging me to come in and take the Peppermint Wonderland ice cream from them, aren't they? A free carton of peppermint ice cream that would ordinarily run for $6-ish is a pretty good deal. How can that be a bad thing? If loving Peppermint Wonderland is wrong, I don't want to be right. That's all there is to it.

But, in case Peppermint Wonderland is out of stock, I could learn to love free Neapolitan ice cream or Cookies & Cream ice cream too.

​

Hi all!

I like to play with the planning tools on touringplans.com (no idea if it works, but it's a fun game), today I got a message that for 16 - 18 November the Flag Retreat and the Wintertime Holiday Enchantment Lightning are cancelled.

Anyone here know if this is correct?

Hi, Karin1984!

Well, to be honest, in "Disneyland time" it is really too soon to know what will be going on in mid-November. They didn't have a full, updated entertainment calendar the last time I checked for mid-November.

So, if touringplans is simply reporting that there is no Flag Retreat or Enchantment Lighting because it is not appearing on the DLR Entertainment Calendar, that could change. In fact, in 2013 the Enchantment Lighting was missing from the calendar on DLR's website for several dates in November and December -- but it was merely an oversight. The calendar hadn't been properly, thoroughly updated, but the Enchantment Lighting was, indeed, happening every single night during the holiday season.

Now if touringplans.com is reporting that those events were cancelled because of some sort of inside information from an official Disney source or because they got it straight from anyone at Disney that those events are cancelled, they should name the source or at least confirm that they got it from someone behind the scenes (not the CMs on the phone).

I don't know about the Flag Retreat's schedule, but I can't see why the Enchantment Lighting would be "cancelled." It's a huge part of the holiday season.

It IS possible that Disney could be planning some sort of special, private or hard ticket event for those specific November dates, which would affect the line-up of entertainment, of course.

 

[pudinhd]

Not that I would call any of you crazy...

But after reading all of these posts I found myself checking the ice cream aisle at Target for the Peppermint Wonderland... They had it!

 

[californiamomof4grls]

Hello friends! Last month when we were planning to go to Disneyland the weekend of Nov 7 through Monday the 10th we had gotten a little information about different things that may or may not be up since that weekend isn't officially Christmas. I was wondering if there was any more info on dates? Or does anyone have a link I can stalk!
These are the things we talked about
Chrstmas parade taping any news if this is in fact the weekend?
Will Christmas trees be up?
Jingle Cruise?
Small world Christmas overlay?
Will there be Christmas fireworks yet?
I looked at the first page of this thread and I didn't see anything. But the thread is so large I always worry I over looked something! HAHA! Plus I do find myself distracted by the beautiful picture of all of the desserts!! I have been looking at the Entertainment schedule and they do have the hours but not the actual schedule. I thought that that was usually up 30 days out but maybe I'm wrong. Any insight would be greatly appreciated! We are so excited having never gone during Christmas season!!!

 

[Sherry E]

Hello friends! Last month when we were planning to go to Disneyland the weekend of Nov 7 through Monday the 10th we had gotten a little information about different things that may or may not be up since that weekend isn't officially Christmas. I was wondering if there was any more info on dates? Or does anyone have a link I can stalk!
These are the things we talked about
Chrstmas parade taping any news if this is in fact the weekend?
Will Christmas trees be up?
Jingle Cruise?
Small world Christmas overlay?
Will there be Christmas fireworks yet?
I looked at the first page of this thread and I didn't see anything. But the thread is so large I always worry I over looked something! HAHA! Plus I do find myself distracted by the beautiful picture of all of the desserts!! I have been looking at the Entertainment schedule and they do have the hours but not the actual schedule. I thought that that was usually up 30 days out but maybe I'm wrong. Any insight would be greatly appreciated! We are so excited having never gone during Christmas season!!!

californiamomof4grls --

I'll put some answers in red below, and then the What We Know post at the end of the reply.

Chrstmas parade taping any news if this is in fact the weekend? -- Yes, it will be held on 11/7 and probably 11/8, as well as some segments being filmed around those dates, but Disney will likely not announce it in any big way beforehand.
Will Christmas trees be up? -- Most decorations will be up in both parks by 11/7, with some things going up after the parade is done taping. The hotels will probably not be decorated during your trip.
Jingle Cruise? -- I'm not sure if it will begin on 11/7, but it probably will.
Small world Christmas overlay? -- See info below.
Will there be Christmas fireworks yet? -- If history repeats, they will be running as of 11/7, but that could always change.

I looked at the first page of this thread and I didn't see anything. But the thread is so large I always worry I over looked something! HAHA! Plus I do find myself distracted by the beautiful picture of all of the desserts!! I have been looking at the Entertainment schedule and they do have the hours but not the actual schedule. I thought that that was usually up 30 days out but maybe I'm wrong. Any insight would be greatly appreciated! We are so excited having never gone during Christmas season!!! -- The Dates to Remember post on page 1 is always a good place to check for official start dates of things (if we have them). I just looked at the Entertainment Calendar as well, and wondered when it will be updated!

This is what we know for right now:

What We Know About the Upcoming Holiday Season​

• OFFICIAL/CONFIRMED -- "Holidays at the Disneyland Resort" begin on Thursday, November 13, 2014, and end on Tuesday, January 6, 2015 ;

• OFFICIAL/CONFIRMED -- Returning this year are: Haunted Mansion Holiday (which is currently already running as part of Disneyland's Halloween Time celebration, but will stay open through the Holidays); It's a Small World Holiday; Jingle Cruise; Believe in Holiday Magic Fireworks (in DL); A Christmas Fantasy Parade (in DL); Sleeping Beauty's Winter Castle (in DL); Disney Viva Navidad (in DCA); World of Color - Winter Dreams (in DCA); Olaf's Frozen Ice Rink (in DTD); and the Winter Village (in DTD);

• OFFICIAL/CONFIRMED -- Big Thunder Ranch (currently in its Halloween Carnival mode) is scheduled to be closed in some capacity from 11/1-11/6, meaning it will reopen as the Jingle Jangle Jamboree (or whatever Disney is calling it this year) on Friday, November 7, 2014;

• OFFICIAL/CONFIRMED -- The Avengers Super Heroes Half-Marathon weekend takes place at Disneyland Resort from Friday, November 14, 2014 - Sunday, November 16, 2014.

• OFFICIAL/CONFIRMED -- The Candlelight Ceremony/Processional will take place on Saturday, December 6, 2014, and Sunday, December 7, 2014 (there will be 2 performances each night, and the narrators have not been announced);

• OFFICIAL/CONFIRMED -- Carolers and special holiday events will return on select nights in December in Downtown Disney; see this page for more details; and

• OFFICIAL/CONFIRMED -- Three Kings Day will return to California Adventure from January 4 - 6, 2015.

​

• MAY OR MAY NOT BE COMING BACK IN 2014? -- Elf Days (in DCA).

​

• UNOFFICIAL, BUT PROBABLE -- The Buena Vista Street Tree Lighting is likely to begin on Friday, November 7th;

• UNOFFICIAL, BUT PROBABLE -- A Christmas Fantasy Parade will most likely be taped over Friday, 11/7 and Saturday, 11/8, and some segments may possibly be taped in the days surrounding that weekend;

• UNOFFICIAL, BUT PROBABLE -- The Mad T Party's holiday show (in DCA) will likely return;

• UNOFFICIAL, BUT PROBABLE -- The 3 Hotels of the Disneyland Resort will likely not be fully decorated until approximately 6-9 days before Thanksgiving, while Santa Claus and the Dickens Carolers will probably not appear at the hotels until Thanksgiving Day; and

• UNOFFICIAL, BUT PROBABLE -- The Downtown Disney Winter Village and Olaf's Frozen Ice Rink will most likely not go up until after the Avengers Half-Marathon Weekend is over.

​

• RUMORS, RUMORS, RUMORS (not confirmed at all) -- A Frozen sing-along, ice rink and meet & greet could be coming to Hollywood Land in California Adventure. This was published in an article by the unofficial site MiceAge, but there has been no announcement of this by Disney at all.

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Also see this Days/Dates/Events to Remember post on Page 1 of this thread, as I have updated it with the start dates for many of the above-references events, for Jazz Kitchen's Gingerbread House Building Workshop, and other significant dates that may impact your trips! (When the dates for the crafting of the famous handmade candy canes come out, I will add those in as well!)

​