Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread #4

[revwog1974]

Hi everybody, my family of 4 and our close friends, a family of 6, will be at Disneyland for Christmas, the 21st to 26th. This has been in the plans for over a year, but I looked around at my life yesterday and realized that I've completely slacked off on planning and preparation! At least I've got hotel rooms and flights booked, so everything else is doable. (Please tell me it's doable). Maybe I should have waited to start the new job until after Disneyland. So, I've got lots of catching up to do, but I'm so excited, and mildly freaked out too!

 

[Sherry E]

Hi everybody, my family of 4 and our close friends, a family of 6, will be at Disneyland for Christmas, the 21st to 26th. This has been in the plans for over a year, but I looked around at my life yesterday and realized that I've completely slacked off on planning and preparation! At least I've got hotel rooms and flights booked, so everything else is doable. (Please tell me it's doable). Maybe I should have waited to start the new job until after Disneyland. So, I've got lots of catching up to do, but I'm so excited, and mildly freaked out too!

revwog1974 --

Of course it is doable! It will be crowded in those days leading up to Christmas, I'm sure, but if you know that going in it should be easier to deal with (I think that going in without expectations of crowds can be risky at that time of the year). There will be a lot of people out on break for the holiday but, at the same time, a lot of Annual Passes will be blocked so you might encounter more tourists than locals in that week.

A lot of folks have said that, while they found it to be crowded leading up to Christmas, it wasn't unbearably so -- and it didn't really start to get uncomfortably crowded until the day after Christmas. You will probably see an influx of guests coming in during the latter part of the day on 12/25 -- unless it rains or unless there is a threat of rain, in which case that will keep some people out of the parks. And 12/26 should be a madhouse, but you'll be gone soon after that so it shouldn't matter too much.

I think you'll have a great time -- it will be a wonderful place to spend Christmas!

 

[revwog1974]

I'm completely expecting crowds, so I'm not worried on that account. I'm just worried about getting everything ready: dining reservations, clothes, ground transportation, and all those little extras that make a trip magical. The crowds will be there and we'll just have to cope the best we can!

 

[trapaq]

Hello,
I've got a quick question for you
I am planning a trip for our family of 6 dec 27-jan 3. We are getting 5 day passes .... Which day should we take off to go to the beach? We have reservations in disneyland on New Year's Eve (so that day is out). We have a family tradition of doing the polar bear swim on New Year's Day and thought it might be fun to do it in Cali (rather than chilli Canada). I don't want to give up a quiet day in the park and was thinking jan 1 morning might be quieter. Will there be a quieter day in the park? ... Or no? So we would potentially go to the parks 28,29,30,31,2 or 28, 29, 31, 1, 2. Also, do you think park hoppers are necessary? Or can I get away with park per day with little kids in tow and 5 days to spend?!
Thanks so much for your advice!

 

[Brunolvr]

What's the earliest time in the day that you can call to make tour reservations? 8AM, 9AM ??????

Thanks!

 

[figment_jii]

I'm sure this was posted at some point, but I can't seem to find it. Does anyone know if Mad T Party is only on weekends, or every day? We'll be there the week before Christmas

figment_jii might remember the Mad T Party holiday schedule. I don't see it on last year's December 2013 schedule, but I know it was happening! I could be completely wrong, but I thought that it originally started out on Fri-Sun only in the earlier part of the holiday season, and then had a more extensive schedule (either nightly or for more than 3 nights in a week) as the season kicked into high gear (like around when you'd be going).

Sorry for the long delay in responding...I've finally caught up on reading the thread since I've been gone!

Mad T Party usually only runs Fri, Sat, and Sun, but during Thanksgiving week and during the height of the holiday season it was presented daily. Last year, it looks like it ran nightly from 12/20 (the Friday before Christmas) through 1/5 (the Sunday after New Years). Assuming the schedule holds, it should start running nightly on 12/19 this year (based on last year's schedule).

I was looking through my photos from 2012 (the only year I've been there when Candelight Processional was presented) and I only had one photo of the actually CP area. The rest were of signs related to CP!

The only photo I have of the CP area.

This sign told guests where to go for the various viewing areas.

This sign said that the trains would be closing early. It doesn't explicitly state that it's due to the CP, but given that the Main Street train station was used for the set-up, it seemed likely that it was related.

Another sign...this one saying that Jungle Cruise would not be running during CP. I'm guessing it was because they didn't want the sounds from the guns (or the boats) interrupting the show.

 

[tksbaskets]

Interrupting the normally scheduled programming for a Hallmark Christmas Movie review....

I spent the day yesterday doing projects and watching Hallmark Christmas movies I had on DVR (and watch the Christmas Ornament again real time). The first new movie of the season, A Starry Christmas, was a bust for me. Frankly I liked the boyfriend better than our cowboy. Our heroine's parents were adorably wonderful. I'm curious what everyone else thought? Sherry did you catch the movie?

Never fear, I had 'A Bride for Christmas' to cheer me up!

Back to our mini-theme week....

 

[Sherry E]

It’s Monday -- and it’s time for the final theme and final Theme Week in the 2014 Theme Week Countdown to the Holiday Season at Disneyland Resort!!!

……Only 10 DAYS Until the
Holiday Season Begins at the Disneyland Resort!!!!
​

Since late July, I have created themes to help us count down to the DLR holidays’ official start date and build excitement for it, as well as showcase areas or details (in photos) that might otherwise be overlooked. I have covered a wide range of highlights of the Disneyland Resort holiday season, writing up intros and sharing my photos to set the stage for each theme.

Thankfully, this is an idea that caught on with the Superthread followers in 2011 and has continued in each subsequent year, with this year’s Theme Week Countdown being the biggest one to date. Many of you have been kind enough to share your beautiful pictures as well, allowing us to feel as if we have been part of your celebrations! The number of both views of and posts in this thread has increased tremendously. Plus, we’ve been joined by many new people along the way.

Hopefully I have given everyone some ideas of the extra special little things to look out for (and take photos of!) as you are strolling around Disneyland Resort during the glorious holiday season.

Thank you to everyone who has participated and/or followed along with the Countdown for the last 3½ months (covering 22 themes in total), as well as joined in either of the 2 simultaneous contests I’ve been running in conjunction with this Countdown (the photo contributors’ random draw for two $25 Disney gift cards, and the Code Word Challenge for a $25 Disney gift card). I hope you’ll stick with me as we begin to see photos and learn information about the new 2014 holiday season!

Most likely there will be a (5th Annual) Theme Week Countdown beginning in July or August 2015, and a new contest, but I will make that final decision a few months prior to July. The final code word is: daddy. If so, I hope to see some of this year’s Disneyland Resort holiday visitors contributing pictures to the various theme weeks. Otherwise, you are always welcome to share your photos at any other time during the year – this Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread is a place for year-round discussion and celebration of the Holidays at Disneyland Resort

Throughout this Countdown, we have covered a lot of territory. We have explored: the Candlelight Ceremony & Processional; Downtown Disney; Halloween Time (When Holidays Collide); A Bug’s Land; Holiday Horticulture (a.k.a. Holiday Flowers and Plants); Critter Country & Grizzly Peak; the Jingle Cruise; 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 22nd and final theme of 2014?

In the Spotlight Today (and All This Week!)......

HOLIDAY CORNUCOPIA (These Are a Few of My Favorite Things)!!!​

So, what exactly can be included in the “Holiday Cornucopia (These Are a Few of My Favorite Things” theme entries for this week?

You have many options for your “Holiday Cornucopia/Favorite Things” contributions:


1. For one thing, today is the day to share any photos you didn’t get to post in previous theme weeks over the last 3½ months;


2. OR, even if you have already posted photos in the themes, feel free to share/re-post your absolute favorite photos of the bunch, whether they are family Disneyland photos, scenic/landscape photos, PhotoPass – whatever they are…if it involves the holidays at Disneyland Resort and it’s your own personal photo (not belonging to someone else), share it with us! It’s fun to see which photos our participants view as their absolute favorites!;


3. If you happen to be traveling to Disneyland Resort between today – Monday, November 3rd, 2014 – and Sunday, November 9th, 2014, and see any holiday decorations, merchandise, treats, etc., during this week, photos of those will count as well!;


4. Also, if you have made any holiday trips to any other Disney parks (whether it’s WDW or one of the international Disney Resorts), you are welcome to post a few of those photos too (as long as there is something holiday-ish in them!); and


5. Finally – if you have a favorite photo or two of any non-Disney holiday trip, non-Disney holiday gathering, non-Disney holiday get-together, Disney or non-Disney-inspired Christmas tree or other kind of Disney or non-Disney holiday decorations you’ve put up, etc., that counts too! An example would be if you have a great scenic “snow shot” from a mountain getaway, or a wonderful group photo in front of the tree or something like that…. or a photo of you as a child, with Santa.… a wacky office Christmas party picture…. a trip to Knott’s Merry Farm or Universal Studios Hollywood’s Grinchmas. Anything along those lines!

These are a few of my favorite things – or, more specifically, these are just some of the photos that I have chosen to represent my contributions to the different categories this year…






My favorite Grand Californian Hotel holiday photos


(from December 2010)

(from December 2011 – Storytellers Café)

(from December 2013)

My favorite Paradise Pier Hotel holiday photo


(from December 2013)

My favorite Disneyland Hotel holiday photos


(from December 2010 – Goofy’s Kitchen)

My favorite Treats and Treasures photos



(from December 2010)

(from December 2011)

My favorite Holiday Horticulture photos


(from December 2012 – Candlelight Ceremony flowers)

(from December 2013 – Main Street Flower Market)

My favorite Main Street and Winter Castle holiday photos


(from December 2010)

(from December 2012)

My favorite Buena Vista Street and Hollywood Land holiday photos


(from December 2012)

(From November 2013)

My favorite Cars Land holiday photo

(From November 2012)

(from November 2013)

My favorite Mickey’s Toontown holiday photo


(from December 2012)

My favorite New Orleans Square/Haunted Mansion holiday photos


(from December 2010)

(from November 2013)

My favorite Paradise Pier holiday photo


(Viva Navidad – December 2013)

My favorite Frontierland/Jingle Jangle holiday photos


(from November 2013)

My favorite It’s a Small World Holiday photo


(from December 2012)

My favorite Christmas Trees and Wreaths photos


(December 2013 – Tangaroa Terrace tree)

My favorite Holidays Gone By photos


(December 1992 – the old photo spot at the Disneyland Hotel)

(The old Toontown Christmas tree – December 2010)

My favorite Santa Claus—Character—PhotoPass photos



(December 2008 – Hangin’ with Santa at the Grand Californian Hotel… and, yes, I was wearing Christmasy colors! What’s wrong with that? Lol.)

​

Please feel free to post your “Holiday Cornucopia (These Are a Few of My Favorite Things)” photos ALL WEEK LONG, through 11:59 PST on Sunday, November 9th, 2014!!

The 2 winners of the random draw for the $25 Disney gift cards will be chosen on Monday, November 10th. The gift cards for the random draw winners and the gift card for the Code Word Challenge winner will be mailed out on or around Monday, November 10th or Wednesday, November 12th.


Happy Holidays to everyone!!!! Let the merry-making begin!


Code Word Challenge Participants – it’s your time to shine! You may now post your list of Theme Weeks, Codes, song or movie title, etc.!

 

[Melda]

Theme 3--it's a small world and fantasyland--Code word: a
Theme 5--Mickey's Toon Town--Code word: bell
Theme 6--Hotels of Disneyland Resort--Code word: angel
Theme 8--New Orleans Square and Haunted Mansion Holiday--Code word:time
Theme 9--Main Street and Sleeping Beauty's Winter Castle--Code words: an, look
Theme 11--Christmas Trees and Wreaths--Code word: rings
Theme 13--Disneyland Resort--Holidays Gone By--Code word: wings
Theme 16--Critter Country and Grizzly Peak--Code word: says
Theme 18--Bugs Land--Code word: gets
Theme 19--Halloween Time (When Holidays Collide)--Code word: his
Theme 20--Downtown Disney--Code word: every
Theme 21--The Candlelight Ceremony and Processional--Code word: teacher
Theme 22--Holiday Cornucopia (These are a few of my favorite things)--Code word: daddy

Line: "Look, daddy. Teacher says, 'Every time a bell rings, an angels gets his wings.' "

Movie: "It's a Wonderful Life"

 

[marlana323]

Code Word Challenge:

Third Theme - August 4, 2014 – It’s a Small World Holiday/Fantasyland – Code Word: a
Fifth Theme - August 18, 2014 – Mickey’s Toontown – Code Word: bell
Sixth Theme - August 25, 2014 – The Hotels of the Disneyland Resort – Code Word: angel
Eighth Theme - September 8, 2014 – New Orleans Square/Haunted Mansion Holiday – Code Word: time
Ninth Theme - September 15, 2014 – Main Street/Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle – Code Words: an, look
Eleventh Theme - September 29, 2014 – Christmas Trees and Wreaths – Code Word: rings
Thirteenth Theme - October 13, 2014 – Disneyland Resort – Holidays Gone By!!! (a.k.a. Seasonal Things That Are Not There Anymore!) – Code Word: wings
Sixteenth Theme (2nd Mini) - October 28, 2014 – Critter Country & Grizzly Peak!!! – Code Word: says
Eighteenth Theme (4th Mini) - October 30, 2014 – A Bug’s Land!!! – Code Word: gets
Nineteenth Theme (5th Mini) - October 31, 2014 – Halloween Time (a.k.a. WHEN HOLIDAYS COLLIDE)!!! – Code Word: his
Twentieth Theme (6th Mini) - November 1, 2014 – Downtown Disney – Code Word: every
Twenty-First Theme (7th Mini) - November 2, 2014 – The Candlelight Ceremony and Processional – Code Word: teacher
Twenty-Second Theme - November 3, 2014 – Holiday Cornucopia (These Are a Few of My Favorite Things)!!! – Code Word: daddy

Sentence/Line: “Look, Daddy. Teacher says, every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings.”

Movie: “It’s A Wonderful Life”


Thank you Sherri for all of your work on this! 

 

[mvf-m11c]

Holiday Cornucopia/My Favorite Thing

MK during the Holiday season

Cinderella Castle


Mickey’s Once Upon A Christmastime Parade












DHS




DHS “The Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights








EPCOT


Garden Grill Christmas tree


Christmas tree at the American Pavilion




Germany Pavilion


Norway Pavilion


Mickey and Minnie topiary


Animal Kingdom Christmas tree




The Gingerbread house in the Grand Floridian Hotel


Camp Mickey


Grand Floridian Christmas tree

 

[mlnbabies]

Our first trip to Disneyland will be in December so I didn't have pictures to share but I do have WDW Christmastime pictures.


At the Orlando airport

Going into the Grand Floridian

Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party

Tree at Camp Mickey in AK

Main Street

 

[Sherry E]

Okay, well... this is a dilemma, and one for which I will have to make a judgment call.

I went to check my email and saw that I had two back-to-back alerts, letting me know that 2 Code Word Challenge people had submitted their entries. Those alerts came in at the same time (same time stamp on the emails, which was funny).

Melda gave the first correct answer, although Marlana323 gave more detail (and her answer was also correct). I know that I didn't necessarily require the extra dates and what not, so that is not the ultimate deciding factor, but she took the time to add it in -- even specifying which mini-themes they were in the sequence, etc.

Also, Melda never posted here to introduce herself and let us know that she would be participating! I believe I did ask quite a while back (when this whole thing got going, and probably after that) for people to speak up and let me know they were participating so that I would know to whom I would be sending a gift card.


So.... although, technically, Melda got the correct answer in first by one minute (according to the time stamp in this thread, but not according to my email alerts), I had no idea she was following along.

...In which case I am going to award the gift card to Marlana323!!!!!


I'm sorry, Melda! You gave the required correct answers, but I wish you had spoken up and introduced yourself!

​

 

[mom2rtk]

Once Upon a Dream by mom2rtk, on Flickr

Christmas Belles and their Beast by mom2rtk, on Flickr

Osborne Lights by mom2rtk, on Flickr

mk2dapperdans by mom2rtk, on Flickr

mk2partydwarfgroup by mom2rtk, on Flickr

mk3amcastle by mom2rtk, on Flickr

mk3gftrees by mom2rtk, on Flickr

Mr. & Mrs. Santa in Epcot by mom2rtk, on Flickr

IMG_5927-1 by mom2rtk, on Flickr

IMG_7427 by mom2rtk, on Flickr

IMG_7507 by mom2rtk, on Flickr

IMG_0924 by mom2rtk, on Flickr

IMG_9380 by mom2rtk, on Flickr

IMG_8801 by mom2rtk, on Flickr

IMG_5845B by mom2rtk, on Flickr

IMG_5806B by mom2rtk, on Flickr

IMG_5619B by mom2rtk, on Flickr

 

[kylie71]

I love this theme very much!
First pic is my baby Dano! With his snow booites on, and our tree in the background:

Thanksgiving 2013, with my brother, sil, myself, and my sister

I Love the Candy Cane, Dapper Dan's!

Pretty Horsie all decked out!

Squaw Creek, where we have spent a few Christmas's

Myself at Squaw Valley

Squaw Valley tree, in the village,,, real snow!

 

[marlana323]

Thank you so much Sherry! I've had such a great time following this thread and so enjoy all the pictures and advice from everyone!

It was a lot of fun and great game to everyone!

 

[egritz]

Holiday Cornucopia/My Favorite Thing (part 1)

Since I didn't know I was going to DL until just a few weeks ago, I hardly participated in the countdown (I think I did 2, maybe 3?) So I'm sure most of these would have otherwise fit in previous week's themes. These are all from our first holiday trip last December when I was just 10 weeks pregnant with my son. We are less than 2 weeks out on our next (impromptu) trip!

DL Castle:

DL Holiday Parade:

Small World:

Toon Town by Night:

Goofy in Toon Town:

Main Street Fire Dept:

Santa's Cabin at Jingle Jangle Jamboree:

Mickey Mouse at Jingle Jangle Jamboree:

Jingle Jangle Jamboree Santa:

Frontierland Decorations

Haunted Mansion Holiday

Jack & Sally:

 

[egritz]

Holiday Cornucopia/My Favorite Thing (part 2)

Since I didn't know I was going to DL until just a few weeks ago, I hardly participated in the countdown (I think I did 2, maybe 3?) So I'm sure most of these would have otherwise fit in previous week's themes. These are all from our first holiday trip last December when I was just 10 weeks pregnant with my son. We are less than 2 weeks out on our next (impromptu) trip!


Minnie & Friends Christmas Tree

DCA Tree:

Outside the Hyperion Theater

Car's Land Tree

Car's Land Deco

Paradise Pier Hotel:

Surf's Up with Mickey:

DLH Santa:

GCH Santa:

GCH Deco:

Knot's Berry Farm - Snoopy's Holiday Show:

 

[Orbitron]

Christmas time at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank

I know it's not a Disney park, but it's Disney and it was one of the biggest highlights of our California trip last year.

 

[amyamya]

Sorry if this question is annoying, but I have searched for the answer and can't find much info:

We will be staying at the PPH on concierge level from Dec. 22-29. We plan to make the most of the lounge and food offerings. Can someone tell me what special items or events the lounge has for Christmas?

Second, we are having Christmas Eve dinner at Storytellers. I have see the menu from last year but am wondering about decorations in the restaurant, how to get a table near a fireplace and more detail about the food.

Thanks!