Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread #4

[HappiestHaunt]

To online booking, although I could not book the Christmas dining online, I had to call in.

 

[Sherry E]

This is not relevant to our themes -- neither our current "Treats & Treasures" Theme Week nor the first theme in our warp speed round of daily mini-themes, starting tomorrow!!! -- but I was thinking about the Candlelight Ceremony and I went to YouTube in search of videos.

I found videos from the Ceremony last year (12/8/13) -- with Kurt Russell narrating. Just look at how beautiful it all is, with the twinkling lights in Town Square...


From MouseInfo -- HERE. This one was apparently the one right before the one that I saw (my Ceremony was at 8 p.m. on that same date -- 12/8/13).


From DAPs Magic -- HERE. (Includes some surprisingly good zoom-ins/close-ups!)


I can just picture myself at Disneyland now -- bundled up in wintry attire... the cold air on my cheeks... the faint smell of hot cocoa and churros nearby... the Castle glistening in icicles in the distance... the hustle and bustle of Main Street beneath the glow of the giant Christmas tree... the lights dimmed as the choirs walk up to the stage, to take their places on risers... the jubilant, triumphant music begins, and the night is filled with song!


I can't wait for the Holidays at DLR to begin!!!

​

Sherry--
Well, I know John used to hang out at the Disneyland Hotel, years ago,,, because he met up with his now Ex-wife, Rebecca Romijn in the old Lobby Bar, in the Marina Tower... that was their first date, he brought her to Disneyland
I am sure he has been back...... or maybe too many bad memories?


--Lori

Lori --

I know that John takes most of his dates or potential dates to Disneyland (he even took Renee Zellweger there once in the last few years -- probably after she and Bradley Cooper broke up -- but they never got past that first date), but I didn't know he met up with Rebecca at the Disneyland Hotel! I remember the old version of the tower, and the bar!

Thanks Sherry, that was helpful.

Stacey --

You're welcome! I know that we have so little to go on as far as info about Christmas Eve/Day dining that all we can do is look to last year's menus for guidance! I keep hoping that the Disney Parks Blog will do a blog this week (like in the next day or two) about Christmas dining options, for those who didn't realize it was time to start making reservations. They haven't done it in any previous year, but we'll see.

We will be there from 11/7-11/11. Is there anyway to ensure that we can attend the taping of the ABC Christmas Day parade?

Thanks for all this great information!

RNBelle --

You're welcome! Thank you for joining us.

I have not yet been to DL while the actual taping is going on, but a while back I sent a Facebook message to Nancy Johnson (writer and Podcast team member/correspondent of DIS Unplugged), as I knew that she had been to the parks during the taping at least a couple of times. I was asking her specific questions so I could bring the information back to Misskitty3, but maybe the info will shed some light on how it works.

I asked [these questions about the CFP parade taping days:

"1. How, when and where can people find out who will be appearing in or performing in the taping of the parade in advance, and where they will be? Does ABC post it on their site? I know that the Parks Blog cannot always be relied upon to post that info in advance.;

2. Will CMs hand out schedules or brochures with the taping info (such as where the performers will be set up) at the turnstiles?;

3. How early should people begin waiting or lining up to see the performers/singers or the actual parade?;

4. Are crowds substantially worse in DL or DCA on taping days (I am going to assume they are)? and

5. Will all taping be done early enough to get out of DL for a reasonably early Goofy's Kitchen dinner?"




Nancy's reply (copied and pasted directly from Facebook, and I broke it up into paragraphs) contained great information!:

Taping is a long drawn out process done over multiple days. How do I want to put this -unless you want to do nothing else, but sit and wait for things to happen in taping, don't bother with trying to be in it. It goes all day when they are doing the actual parade.

Celebrity appearances only come out through leaks and gossip, so watching the dis is best for that. The reason is they want to control the crowds and not have a rich on screaming Tweens who will disrupt the crowds.

Surprisingly, Attraction waits are light because of the curious guests and tapings are held on low traffic weekends with the celebrities done on weekdays to eliminate the aforementioned Tweens.

CMs will not tell you anything. They are specifically kept in the dark about the schedule unless they have a need to know. Signs are posted in specific areas, but are vague. They will say things like Taping is Occurring, your presence indicates permission to be photographed.

Bring holiday hats and clothes if you want to be in the close-up crowds. On the parade dancer day, usually Saturday, all of the parents and extra people stay along the parade route, so they don't affect the park guests for rides. If you want to see a celebrity appearance and be in the front of the taping, plan on standing in the same spot forever and doing nothing else, or wander up at the last minute and stand in the back if you don't care.

Leave the tapings when you have your reservations. No one cares if you are there or not and your reservation is more important.

Did that answer everything?

You can also call Disney dining and ask about a menu for a specific venue. I called yesterday and that is how Ii learned what was available. And many many thanks to Sherry, you who provide such an incredible amount of information make it easy to plan even when Disney is still keeping things in the dark. I cannot figure out how they do not release what is offered once they open up the reservations up to guests.

Thank you for the kind words, HappiestHaunt!

That's my goal here -- to, of course, bring the official info (provided by Disney) to the thread, but also to help fill in the blanks/gaps where Disney provides very little info. I also like to break down what is likely to happen or to not happen, despite what Disney officially posts (because sometimes they officially announce things and they don't necessarily tell the whole story)!

I agree -- I can't figure out why there's no info released, since the reservations are now open. I can't figure out why blogs about and complete menus for Christmas Eve/Day have been neglected by Disney in the past. It makes no sense. It is a huge holiday -- arguably the biggest one of the entire year -- and many people will want to plan special meals for 12/24 and 12/25. It's not like we're talking about a lack of St. Patrick's Day dining info, or a lack of any decent Arbor Day dining info. This is Christmas we're talking about!

Sherry, did you see the latest thread asking about rooms being sold out in December? It appears there is a convention for hospital pharmacy workers at the Anaheim Convention Center that second week. The poster says she got GC for $220 a night. I'm thinking that might be the missing link in this year's room shortage story.

Janet --

Yes, indeed -- I saw the thread and either subscribed to it or bookmarked it because I didn't have time to comment in it when I saw it! I think you're right -- that pesky convention could very well be the missing link -- because there was no way that alllllll of the standard rooms at all 3 of the hotels would have already been booked so quickly after the AP discounts, Visa discounts and other discounts were announced. It is obvious that a bunch of rooms are being held back or blocked.

Now that still doesn't mean that the rooms are actually all booked up, and the ones that don't get booked could very easily be released back into the reservations system -- but that might not be until November.

 

[MikeRx]

Sherry, did you see the latest thread asking about rooms being sold out in December? It appears there is a convention for hospital pharmacy workers at the Anaheim Convention Center that second week. The poster says she got GC for $220 a night. I'm thinking that might be the missing link in this year's room shortage story.

Yes the American Association of Health-system Pharmacists (ASHP) is holding its annual meeting starting on the 6th and going until the 11th. It's will be 15000 or so attendees and the GC was $220, DLH $189 and the PP $159 all plus tax if I recall, the block is sold out for DLR rooms over much of the week. We could book 1-2 days in advance and a few days beyond the meeting at the conference rate. I wait for this deal each time it's in Anaheim! We will be there on Friday the 5th and I return on Wednesday the 10th. The meeting was in Orlando last year, poor me....

Not everyone at the meeting will be going to DL or DCA, but there will be a sea of meeting dressed people with the same convention bag wandering around. I've been asked to help plan the trips for several colleagues attending with their families. I guess I'm the resident Disney nerd at our university. The artwork in my office and AP must have given me away....

We are truly looking forward to our return to the GC for the holiday season.
Mike

 

[krispin41]

In regards to the hotels being booked. I just booked for a solo trip 12/10-12/13.

I usually book through AAA. I had to get my boss' go-ahead to get 12/11 off (I work retail, and it's tough to get time off during the Holidays). I looked on a Wednesday and they were showing rooms available. I waited ONE day...got the go-ahead from my boss, got paid, so had money for the deposit...and everything at all the on-site hotels were gone, room only and package (maybe some suites were available, but yeah, couldn't afford that). I tried Costco next...same story...so long story short, I booked straight through Disneyland.com and was able to get my reservation.

 

[Sherry E]

It’s Monday -- and it’s time for the Theme Week Countdown!!

……Only 17 DAYS Until the
Holiday Season Begins at the Disneyland Resort!!!!
​

Each day this week – from today through Sunday, November 2nd – 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 themes are over, with the exception of our final theme on Monday, November 3, 2014 – Holiday Cornucopia (more on that later this week).

I know of a few people in this thread who have photos to fit today’s theme! 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!!

Up to this point, we have covered a lot of territory. We have explored: Holiday Treats & Treasures (a.k.a. Food & Merchandise); Holidays Gone By; Pacific Wharf and Paradise Pier; Christmas Trees and Wreaths; Frontierland and the Jingle Jangle Jamboree; Main Street and Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle; New Orleans Square and Haunted Mansion Holiday; Cars Land; Hotels of the Disneyland Resort; Mickey’s Toontown; Buena Vista Street and Hollywood Land; It’s a Small World Holiday and Fantasyland; A Christmas Fantasy Parade and Believe…In Holiday Magic Fireworks; and Holiday Character photos, PhotoPass photos and Santa Claus photos.

So…what will be our fifteenth overall theme (and first daily theme) of 2014? Let us begin our week of daily mini-themes with a Christmas Cruise!!

In the Spotlight Today......

JINGLE CRUISE!!!​

For the holiday season of 2013, the creative minds at Disneyland surprised repeat seasonal visitors by adding a bit of extra “jingle” to the jungle on the longstanding Jungle Cruise ride – and “Jingle Cruise” was born at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort.

The storyline for this holiday overlay was that the skippers of the Jungle Cruise had become homesick and missed their loved ones, so to cheer themselves up they decorated the boats and the boathouse with Christmas cards, a tree and other odds and ends.

The ride’s queue (both upstairs and downstairs) featured many of those odds and ends, and others could be found hanging on the boats themselves. Skippers also donned appropriately themed and colored Santa hats and worked some seasonal references into their collective repertoire of jokes.

While Jingle Cruise was not quite the massive, extensive overlay that is Haunted Mansion Holiday or It’s a Small World Holiday -- and reviews were mixed -- apparently more holiday details were added into the ride between November and December. (I rode it early on in the season and saw no embellishments at all along the actual cruise. However, reports later came in to indicate that assorted touches had been placed by some of the animals and familiar locations along the ride’s course.)

Jingle Cruise is said to be returning this year, and no one yet knows if it will receive a more extensive Yuletide makeover, or if things will be more or less the same as they were in 2013, but Jungle Cruise is set to be closed for approximately 10 days leading up to the start of the 2014 holiday season. Something tells me that when it reopens we may see a few more Santa hats and Christmas trees caught in the animals’ clutches…or floating down the river.

November and December 2013


The sign above the entrance to the ride was changed…

A makeshift Christmas tree…

The boats were decorated with subtle holiday touches…

…and given new names for the season…

A new attraction poster was created too (and only a lucky few managed to get a miniature version of the poster, which was part of “Limited Time Magic”)!

​

There is no code word today. Please feel free to post your photos of Jingle Cruise TODAY (Monday, October 27, 2014) ONLY, through 11:59 p.m., P.S.T.

Then, stay tuned for our sixteenth theme on Tuesday, October 28th – that’s TOMORROW!! – as we continue this ‘lightning round’ with our second Daily Mini-Theme of the week!! Although we are rapidly approaching the end of this year’s Countdown, we still have quite a few themes coming up over the next 7 days, so get your photos ready and jump into the fun while you still can!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Jingle Cruise

 

[Sherry E]

I love the nighttime Jingle Cruise pictures, Bret!

Also, you went upstairs in the JC queue at one point, didn't you? I never made it upstairs because my line was short and fast. I didn't see what was up there.

 

[mvf-m11c]

I love the nighttime Jingle Cruise pictures, Bret!

Also, you went upstairs in the JC queue at one point, didn't you? I never made it upstairs because my line was short and fast. I didn't see what was up there.

Thanks Sherry. I didn't since I rode it first thing in the morning and the nighttime one was when the queue was short. Just like you.

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks Sherry. I didn't since I rode it first thing in the morning and the nighttime one was when the queue was short. Just like you.

That was my main gripe about Jingle Cruise -- not being able to see what was upstairs. I didn't even mind that the overlay was minimal (in comparison to HMH and IASWH), but I wanted to see what else they added upstairs and there was no way to do that unless the line was long.

It was difficult to get photos in the downstairs JC queue at all because the line was moving quickly. No one wants us to stop or hold up the line to take photos, and they also don't like it if we stop to take photos, let the line pass us and then run to catch up to our groups -- especially if everyone in line is doing the same thing!

The whole queue decorations set-up seemed to be designed for a long, slow line -- so that people would have something to look at while they're waiting. Little did I know that, right out of the gate, when I got in line for Jingle Cruise it would be short and fast and I would hardly have time to see anything!

 

[kylie71]

Here are mine for today... this was pretty cute.
It was also one of our LONGEST lines! We went upstairs too!

I guess 2 is all I have....

 

[mvf-m11c]

That was my main gripe about Jingle Cruise -- not being able to see what was upstairs. I didn't even mind that the overlay was minimal (in comparison to HMH and IASWH), but I wanted to see what else they added upstairs and there was no way to do that unless the line was long.

It was difficult to get photos in the downstairs JC queue at all because the line was moving quickly. No one wants us to stop or hold up the line to take photos, and they also don't like it if we stop to take photos, let the line pass us and then run to catch up to our groups -- especially if everyone in line is doing the same thing!

The whole queue decorations set-up seemed to be designed for a long, slow line -- so that people would have something to look at while they're waiting. Little did I know that, right out of the gate, when I got in line for ingle Cruise it would be short and fast and I would hardly have time to see anything!

I really wanted to get the decorations upstairs but my groups were not willing to wait in that long queue to ride JC. Maybe this time they will have no problem with the waiting. I did gent those picked of the queue really quickly since the queue was moving.

I completely agree with you that they added the decorations to the queue that the holiday version will get long wait times and DL did a good job of adding decorations to the queue so the guests can look at something while waiting.

 

[kylie71]

We waited over an hour.... it was AMAZING

--Lori

 

[pattyduke34]

When my daughter and I went last year we had to wait almost 40 minutes and got to go upstairs and all around! I looked at my pictures and they did not want come out very well.



This one is the view while we were waiting upstairs..you can barley see the lights above the entrance below...

 

[Sherry E]

Until we begin to see more blogs coming from the Parks Blog, we will take what we can get...

MiceAge's Dateline Disneyland installment for today has some photos of the "holidays colliding" phenomenon now happening in Disneyland -- HERE.

​

 

[AZpharmacist]

Anyone know of any hotels across the street that still have rooms available the week after thanksgiving (or the weekend of thanksgiving)? Planning a last minute trip

 

[Disney127]

Until we begin to see more blogs coming from the Parks Blog, we will take what we can get...

MiceAge's Dateline Disneyland installment for today has some photos of the "holidays colliding" phenomenon now happening in Disneyland -- HERE.

​

Thanks Sherry! We are so excited to visit in 19 days! The last time we were in DL during the Christmas holidays, we were kind of 'lost' since we didn't even realize that DL had a Christmas holiday season!

Now, after checking out this thread and looking at all the photos, we know what to expect! Thanks again for keeping us up to date!

 

[Jenasweetemotion]

We also had a long line and went upstairs. I took lots of pictures while in line to pass the time so enjoy some of mine.

 

[Angrose]

Anyone know of any hotels across the street that still have rooms available the week after thanksgiving (or the weekend of thanksgiving)? Planning a last minute trip

Today might be your lucky day! Your message reminded me to cancel my reservation at Park Vue Inn, which is right across the street from the entrance on Harbor. I had a family suite booked for Nov 28-Dec 2. I paid $179/nt back in the spring when I booked it, but not sure what the going rate now would be. They just completed renovations of all the rooms, so they look pretty nice now. The family suite has a separate living room with fold-out sofa, kitchen area and bedroom with two queen beds. You do need to go directly to their website or call to book, they are not on any of the travel sites.

If you don't need this room then hopefully one of the other DISers can use it!

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

I only have one for this week. We did this ride as part of the Holiday Tour, so we had no wait and therefore didn't get to see any of the queue. Hopefully this year, I'll get to see more - although I could do without the hour long wait!

 

[Sherry E]

I only have one for this week. We did this ride as part of the Holiday Tour, so we had no wait and therefore didn't get to see any of the queue. Hopefully this year, I'll get to see more - although I could do without the hour long wait!

Theme Day, not Week. Remember, we're on to a new theme tomorrow, and every day through Sunday!