Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread #4

[Luisa]

Here's a few for this week. I love Paradise Pier, just wish they'd Christmas it up a bit more! I thought Viva Navidad was a lot of fun too.

 

[Awholenewdisney]

Please tell a newbie @xmas what to skip lol.

Were going during the same time, so any helpful info is appreciated.

Thanks

Being there before park opening is key. If the park opens at 8 we are in line at security at no later than 730. From there we pick a ride that we hit first, it is usually the ones that have the longest waits. Most families don't enter the park untill the early afternoon so we get a lot of rides done in the first couple hours. We also go to the character M&Gs first thing in the morning.

If we are opening at CA we always get fast passes for RSR and then run to Toystory Mania.

We always skip Nemos Sub and Toontown and since my girls are grown and do not want to "waste" time at the "kiddie rides".

Our biggest advantage is simply that we know the entire lay out of the park.

 

[Sherry E]

Some of you may recall that I was saying that it was odd that Disneyland News -- the primary source for Disneyland Resort press releases -- had not yet done a release about the holiday season dates and returning entertainment/highlights. Usually, when the Disney Parks Blog does a blog about it (and they announced the holiday season start date back in early September), Disneyland News puts out its release on the same day or the next day.

Well, it was a bit delayed, but FINALLY... Disneyland News has put out its official holiday season press release for 2014.... and there is nothing new in it! There is no announcement of anything Frozen-ish in Hollywood Land or anything other than what we already know to expect.

Here is the press release:

"Disneyland Resort Holiday Season Begins Nov. 13 with Christmas Parade, ‘Holiday Magic’ Fireworks, ‘World of Color – Winter Dreams’ and ‘Disney ¡Viva Navidad!’" -- Disneyland News, October 9, 2014


And, again, I am totally fine with it. If this year's holiday celebration is a carbon copy of last year's and they don't remove anything (decorations-wise and entertainment-wise), that's okay with me. I didn't want a Christmas party in DL. I didn't want even more Frozen than what we will already get (which is plenty). I have a feeling that in 2015 we will see some big adjustments to the seasonal fun.

​

 

[kylie71]

I am happy with the no changes! Scared about next year, but will be hopeful for no hard ticket party!
Thank You , Sherry for the info!
As always, you Rock!

--Lori

 

[egritz]

Well, it was a bit delayed, but FINALLY... Disneyland News has put out its official holiday season press release for 2014.... and there is nothing new in it! There is no announcement of anything Frozen-ish in Hollywood Land or anything other than what we already know to expect.

That is great news! And it is official, we will be there next month! Well, almost official, still waiting on the confirmation email from the timeshare company with our reservation and then to book the flights. We switched our flights from SNA to LAX to save about $200 and my in-laws gave us their timeshare week that we are using to stay at Peacock Suites, so that brought the trip down in cost enough to make us go! I'm SO excited. (A little bummed that we aren't walking distance, but oh well). We'll be in the parks 11/16-11/20. Now to start planning. I usually take months to obsess and plan, so only 5 weeks to plan is going to be a little weird. Can't wait for the park hours to be published for our trip (which is happening this week).

 

[Sherry E]

I am happy with the no changes! Scared about next year, but will be hopeful for no hard ticket party!
Thank You , Sherry for the info!
As always, you Rock!

--Lori

Lori --

Thank you, and you're welcome!

Next year is the real mystery, I think! Even if there were not going to be a DL 60th Anniversary series of events and new entertainment, I would think that it was about time for DLR to start figuring out a way to have a Christmas party.

Plus, the rumors that have been circulating about the possible destruction of Toontown (and maybe even Big Thunder Ranch) to add in a Star Wars land provide more food for thought about what could potentially become of the holiday season of 2015.

Even if the Star Wars Land stuff turns out to be untrue, the events of the 60h Anniversary will surely have to affect the holidays of 2015 in some way. I highly doubt that they would add in a whole new nighttime parade and new fireworks show for the 60th and then stop them when the holidays begin.

So that means that the existing holiday fireworks and parade could be temporarily shelved in 2015 and brought back in 2016, or they could happen only on "exclusive" hard ticket party/event nights in 2015, with the new non-holiday parade and new non-holiday fireworks happening on all of the non-party nights.

Next year could also be a year in which Disney finally decides to trot out the holiday version of Toy Story Midway Mania.

I was saying in the Halloween Time Superthread that someone on MiceChat claimed to have overheard a CM at Mickey's Halloween Party say that in 2015 the MHP is moving back to California Adventure. From what I could see, mostly everyone who commented in that thread seemed to doubt it. I think that anyone could overhear anything and then interpret it how they choose to. I don't think the CMs in Disneyland really know what is happening with next year's MHP unless they work in the TDA offices or have direct connections to the TDA planners and strategists.

Another person in that same thread on MiceChat mentioned that, during the training sessions for Mickey's Halloween Party, the CMs were told that there would be "big changes" coming to the MHP next year.

Again, this is all hearsay, rumors and speculation, but I could see the MHP moving back to DCA -- at least for one year -- so that the 60th anniversary events in Disneyland could proceed without interruption. And that would be an excuse to trot out the Halloween version of TSMM that is supposedly also lurking in the shadows somewhere!

So, IF it is even partially true that there are "big changes" coming to the MHP next year -- and hopefully to the Halloween Time season in general -- in terms of location and entertainment, I cannot imagine that the Holidays would escape unscathed. The Holidays would have to be impacted in a significant way as well!

That is great news! And it is official, we will be there next month! Well, almost official, still waiting on the confirmation email from the timeshare company with our reservation and then to book the flights. We switched our flights from SNA to LAX to save about $200 and my in-laws gave us their timeshare week that we are using to stay at Peacock Suites, so that brought the trip down in cost enough to make us go! I'm SO excited. (A little bummed that we aren't walking distance, but oh well). We'll be in the parks 11/16-11/20. Now to start planning. I usually take months to obsess and plan, so only 5 weeks to plan is going to be a little weird. Can't wait for the park hours to be published for our trip (which is happening this week).

egritz --

Oh good! I'm glad that your trip is coming together (and hopefully this one will be a better holiday experience for you since now you have had a holiday trip and know what to expect).

It just occurred to me -- interestingly, the Disneyland News Press release did not mention the return of the Jingle Cruise, just as the Parks Blog did not mention Jingle Cruise in its holiday announcement blog last month. However, Erin from the Parks Blog has since confirmed that JC is coming back, so I am surprised that it doesn't warrant a mention in the official press release! It's not that it was a massive, elaborate overlay -- they didn't even have to close the regular Jungle Cruise to add in all of the holiday touches -- but it is still significant enough to mention, I would think!

 

[Misskitty3]

Thank you Sherry for the update about the press release. Your insight is amazing and it is extremely helpful to all of us planning trips!

Thank you!!

 

[KCmike]

LOVE your picture!!

Thanks so much!!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Thanks for the link Sherry about the news from Disneyland News. I knew that we were going to have all the full effects of the holiday season around when it starts on Nov. 13th.

I can see MHP moved to DCA next year during DL 60th Anniversary.

 

[blackjackdelta]

Jack

 

[mom2rtk]

Can't say that I'm surprised by the lace of new stuff in the announcement. Thanks so much for the confirmation though Sherry!

 

[KCmike]

Can't say that I'm surprised by the lace of new stuff in the announcement. Thanks so much for the confirmation though Sherry!

I agree. I think all efforts are going for the 60th Anniversary.

 

[PixiDustDears]

Here's my picture for this week. It's the only one I seem to have.



Im actually kind of glad there's nothing new this year. I have so much on my holiday to do list that I don't think I could add more. I didn't even know such a thing as Viva Navidad existed until this thread this year! And the last Holiday World of Color I saw just had the little elves in it somewhere. I'm also so excited that we get a whole week in Disney for Thanksgiving. We've been doing these extended weekends and all the driving back and forth without a real break between is starting to get to me.

 

[PHXscuba]

Only one decent photo this week. We didn't make it to Viva Navidad last year, and World of Color got called off 5 minutes in.

Happy Friday to all!

PHXscuba

 

[dec2009mama]

here are mine -- i don't have many shots of these areas -- must take more on our upcoming trip

 

[Sherry E]

I have logged in everyone's fantastic and fun-filled photo entries into the Theme Week Countdown!

In 3 days we are on to the next theme.

Remember, we are in "Pacific Wharf and Paradise Pier" Theme Week, so that can include Viva Navidad, World of Color - Winter Dreams, any of the many presents and candy sticks and things that were set up near Winter Dreams last year, any of the decorations on/around the Little Mermaid façade, the tree inside Ariel's Grotto or the large tree on the pier, the character photo spot in the gazebo, etc. Paradise Pier is not too hard to come up with holiday photos of, but Pacific Wharf is the challenge because the holiday décor and touches are very minimal in that area.

We are actually coming close to the end of the 2014 Theme Week Countdown/gift card giveaway, believe it or not. Time has flown by! The final, final theme week ("Holiday Cornucopia") will begin on Monday, November 3rd, which is just 24 days from now!

We will kick off a full week of 7 Mini-Daily Themes -- otherwise known as the Warp Speed/Rapid Fire round (but you will earn 2 entries for your photo submissions on each of those days) -- on Monday, October 27th (which is in 17 days).

So... that means that we have just 2 more 'regular' theme weeks ahead of us -- the one starting in 3 days (on Monday, 10/13), and the one starting on Monday, 10/20. Hmmm... what could those themes be??

(That's a rhetorical question -- don't blurt out the answer even if you know it or can figure it out, because there are some people new to the Countdown this year and we don't want to spoil it!).


And, in 4 weeks, happy guests will be riding It's a Small World Holiday for the first time this year, as well as watching the Christmas Fantasy Parade and Believe in Holiday Magic fireworks in DLR!!

In Holiday TV news...

For those who have the Hallmark Channel, the "Countdown to Christmas"/mega-marathon of Christmas movies and other holiday programming begins in exactly 3 weeks/21 days (which is weird to say, because I remember when I was saying that there were 7 months until the marathon began!) -- on Halloween night! There will be 13 brand new movies airing during this time, as well as at least 45 or 50 movies from their previous Countdowns/years. Since I first discovered this 2-month marathon (it usually ends right around December 31st or in the first few days of January), I became an instant fan and look forward to it every year. Leaving this channel on in the background as I do other things, and then sitting down to watch old favorites and new favorites, has become a tradition for me!

One of my favorite websites -- Countdown Until Christmas -- has the schedule and line-up for the first 10 days of Hallmark's Countdown to Christmas (and all of my favorites are showing in the line-up so far!) -- HERE.



Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ “Most Wonderful Movies of Christmas” marathon also begins on Friday, October 31st, and it will feature at least 2 brand new movies, 5 "classic" (familiar) holiday movies and a bunch of Hallmark's holiday originals (the ones that won't run on the regular Hallmark Channel). I don't know if it lasts quite as long as its sister network's Christmas marathon lasts, but it lasts a while -- at least a month.

On ABC Family, the "Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas" begins on Sunday, November 23rd and ends on Sunday, November 30th, while the actual "25 Days of Christmas" event begins on Monday, December 1st. There are usually only 2 or 3 brand new movies that air during this time, but the notable thing about this 25-day event (for me) is that they usually devote a day or two to Rankin-Bass' old clay puppet/stop motion specials, which I love (such as The Year Without Santa Claus).

On ION Television, their “Get Wrapped Up in the Holidays!” event begins on Sunday, November 30th and includes five new, original holiday movies as well as 18 returning favorites from their holiday catalog (and all of their movies are exactly like Hallmark's movies in tone and overall plot, and they share many of the same actors). These movies appear to run until at least December 20th, if not later.


Over on the INSP network, they will offer up their “Welcome Home for Christmas” event (from November 29th thru December 25th), and it will include 2 brand new movies (also very much like Hallmark and ION movies) and premieres of "network" holiday movies (such as An American Girl Holiday).


Not to be outdone, the UP TV holiday movies (which are along the same lines of Hallmark, ION and INSP) begin on Sunday, November 2nd and run through Wednesday, December 31st (though not steadily or consistently). There will be at least 9 premieres and many of their returning favorites.


Lifetime's "It's a Wonderful Lifetime" holiday movie schedule should be announced in a couple of weeks, and will probably include anywhere from 7-10 brand new movies and dozens of their older ones. Their movie schedule is a little harder to predict, as they sometimes start the movies in early November and sometimes in mid-to-late November. I am guessing their holiday movies (which are very similar to Hallmark's, UP's and ION's) will probably begin on Saturday, November 8th or Saturday, November 15th.



TCM's Christmas movie line-up is a bit hard to figure out in terms of when it "officially" begins and ends, but it seems like a couple of holiday movies may air over Thanksgiving weekend and then when December begins, random movies air here and there, increasing in volume and numbers for the week of Christmas. As you probably know, most of their movies are very old -- which some people love and some people can't deal with. They usually incorporate one or two "recent old movies" into their line-up to lure in a younger demographic. This year, TCM has acquired one of my favorites, The Holiday (with Cameron Diaz, Jude Law and Kate Winslet), as their recent oldie. I have no clue when it will air on TCM, but they've got it so it will be on at some point in December.

In Peppermint Pandemonium/seasonal product news...

Starbucks Discoveries has now released a Peppermint Mocha Iced Café Favorites coffee drink to go along with the Gingerbread Latte version that is already out.

Another sure sign that the holidays are a-comin' is the sudden appearance of TV ads with snowy scenes or sick people -- or both. They creep in slowly. It could be a car commercial, with snow-covered roads. It could be a commercial for a cold & flu medicine that features someone standing out in the middle of the snowfall, either sneezing or boasting of how they take XYZ medicine to relieve their symptoms. It could be a scene of children playing with snowmen and then coming home to eat a warm bowl of soup. I have seen a couple of these types of ads so far, but I am also just now seeing certain Halloween commercials for the first time this year...so the TV marketing may be a bit delayed.

 

[figment_jii]

I don't have much from Paradise Pier and Pacific Wharf, but here are two from Viva Navidad.

 

[egritz]

From last year:

 

[dsneygirl]

5 weeks to go and we are getting so excited. Loving all these holiday pictures. We have WDW many, many times around Xmas but are really looking forward to all DL has to offer. This is the BEST thread. My son is so excited for HM and IASW overlays.

 

[Sherry E]

5 weeks to go and we are getting so excited. Loving all these holiday pictures. We have WDW many, many times around Xmas but are really looking forward to all DL has to offer. This is the BEST thread. My son is so excited for HM and IASW overlays.

dsneygirl --

We are very glad to have you as a part of this thread! I'm so glad you're enjoying it -- I always hope that this thread will strike a good balance between information, questions & answers, planning help/advice, general holiday discussion, breaking news, food talk, photos, rumors and speculation, various holiday season-related things, etc. (By the way, our final theme in the Theme Week Countdown -- Holiday Cornucopia -- will allow for WDW holiday photos as well, so keep that in mind if you'd like to enter the Countdown/gift card giveaway random draw!)

Five weeks will be here in no time! Really, this year has zoomed by at lightning speed. I can remember when I was saying "10 months until the holidays start... 7 months until the holidays start... 4 months until the holidays start..." and now the season (officially) begins at DLR in 5 weeks, and, unofficially, many things will be up and running in 4 weeks!

I think that IASW Holiday is absolutely beautiful and enchanting -- and it is a detailed, extensive, thorough overlay. Almost every small detail has been transformed into something holiday-ish. At night, the façade of IASWH is breathtaking. I think your son will love it!

Haunted Mansion Holiday is also a thorough, extensive overlay that is amazing to see!

Don't miss the Jingle Jangle Jamboree/Round-Up/Big Thunder Ranch, which is just one of the locations where Santa will be, as well as a petting zoo, characters, cute reindeer decorations and holidays crafts/games/treats!