This is an interesting point in time in the world of Pumpkin Pandemonium and Peppermint Pandemonium (a.k.a. the transition from the absolute bombardment of Pumpkin Spice/Halloween goodies to the inevitable wave of Holiday/Christmas goodies on the store shelves). There is almost a lull at the moment. Since July, when the first sign of anything Halloween-ish reared its head, the pumpkin, candy corn and caramel apple-flavored items began popping up left and right, all the way through early October.
And now, with Halloween just a mere 9 days away, it's sort of too late to unleash anymore Halloween items now -- unless the pumpkin items are marketed for Thanksgiving -- but it's too early to begin putting out the true, thunderous wave of Holiday/Christmas items. The first real glimmer of anything Holiday-ish appeared last month (not counting the random, lone package of Reese's Peanut Butter Ice Cream Christmas Trees that someone spotted at Walmart in July or August!), but the Christmasy items have not been steadily appearing ever since them. They are kind of slooooooowly creeping in, waiting for October 31st to pass. All of the coffee chains are still presenting their "Sneak Previews" of their holiday blends because they don't want to come right out and say, "Yeah...we're releasing our holiday coffee now, before Halloween. Got a problem with that?" 
You just know that there are probably entire stock rooms filled with wondrous Peppermint/Cranberry/Eggnog/Gingerbread items, waiting to be released to the shelves in just a matter of a week or two.
Sherry-
I was reading the DL update on Mouse Planet this morning. Under resort events it was mentioning the Christmas parade taping and said that they will be taping and DCA on Friday the 7th and DL on Saturday the 8th with Sunday the 9th as the backup day.
Has there every been a full day taping at DCA? I know I've seen snippets of DCA in the parade but I don't recall there being a day dedicated to filming at DCA.
I know it's still a rumor but I didn't know if you had heard anything about this.
MinnieLovesMickey --
I don't recall hearing about a full day of taping in DCA either. They do tape some segments that are interspersed into the special, but I thought that the taping was more brief. It could be just that a bit of footage will be shot in DCA on 11/7, with more extensive footage being filmed in DL on 11/8. Either that or there is some new reason to be taping all day in DCA that we are currently unaware of.
The fact that -- as reported by Mouse Planet -- Disney is supposedly looking for singers/musicians with preferable "knowledge of Scandinavian-style folk music" for new entertainment in DCA tells me that something
Frozen-ish is coming, although I wish it had more to do with a 'holiday celebrations around the world' sort of theme at DCA than just straight
Frozen.
Lori --
There is at least one Christmas tree up in the China Closet on Main Street right now -- maybe 2 trees!
The tree is set up right near the big holiday display.
It's that magical Crossover time -- when Holidays collide! Snow is sneaking in on the Castle, while pumpkins are still perched on Main Street!
I always find it kind of interesting that some -- not all -- people complain about seeing snow appear on the Castle while it's still Halloween. While it seems peculiar if taken only at face value, it makes sense when we actually think about it a bit more (and I'm an analytical person, so I think about it!
).
The
Disneyland Enhancement Team does a good job of working in the holiday touches in a way that makes some sense, and doesn't disrupt the Halloween feeling too much -- at least, out in the open (I'm not talking about inside the stores, as that seems to be a different story).
For example, the snow on the Castle is symbolizing a changing of the seasons in the fantasy/fairy tale world that is Disneyland. Even though we are not
really changing from Fall to Winter yet (in real life), within the 'storytelling' aspect of Disneyland we are changing seasons soon. And, in this fantasy/story, time has magically advanced to a point at which snow is now beginning to fall, which will usher out Autumn and bring in Winter.
Also, if the Mardi Gras masks go up in New Orleans Square (and I'm not sure exactly when they go up but I thought it was before Halloween), they, too, provide a nice transition from Halloween to Christmas. Mysterious masks and masquerades are very much associated with Halloween, so it makes sense to me that those would go up before some of the other holiday décor.
I really think that Disney does as good a job as it can with the decorating, showcasing Halloween -- when the Halloween offerings are fairly minimal to begin with -- while preparing for the much larger Holiday celebration. They may have a Christmas tree or two up in the China Closet, but it's not like there are trees in the window displays yet, or pumpkins sitting in a bed of poinsettias at the Hub. It's not like Santa Claus is conjuring up Villains at the Halloween Carnival. The transition from Halloween to the holidays makes some sense.
45 days until I arrive and I can't wait!!! I get to be in DL for my birthday for the first time ever!!! My littlest niece has never been at Christmas time and she is super excited!
We can't wait to try some of the yummy treats! I am a gingerbread-a-holic!!! I want to try this yummy hot chocolate at Ghiradelli I keep hearing about as well!!!
Tina --
There are not too many better ways to spend a birthday than at Disneyland, during the holiday season! I don't think I have been to DL on my actual birthday since the '80s.
I think your niece will have a magical time -- she is in for a real treat!
