Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread #4

[Natara]

I've always though a DCA party would be a good idea, but Winter Dreams, Viva Navidad (which I loved) and the Mad T Party would probably not provide enough interesting entertainment to make people want to buy tickets. That's the problem. Those are all entertaining enough when they are part of the regular schedule of holiday activities, but not interesting enough for a hard ticket event. However, if Disney finally busted out the long-delayed Toy Story Midway Mania overlay, that could be an extra perk.

I heard about the TSMM overlay before and thought it sounded so cool! I would love to have that be a regular part of the holiday lineup. I imagine it would be quite fun, not to mention popular!

Last year it definitely seemed as though Disney was building up the holiday merriment in DCA, both in décor and in entertainment. Suddenly there were decorations in Hollywood Land. Suddenly they had "Elf Days" for a week in Grizzly Peak. I think that all of that was a concerted effort to make DCA more interesting to anyone who doesn't want to attend a future party in Disneyland. If people don't want to pay whatever amount for a party in DL, they won't feel totally disconnected from the holiday fun in DCA.

Still, though, it would be sad if the very old holiday parade and fireworks suddenly became the big tickets items in a party at DL.

I noticed that! I loved the sleigh and reindeer over in Hollywood Land. So cute.

I just feel like DCA has so much potential for a holiday party. The issue with doing it in DL is that I've seen the fireworks and parade so many times that I'm not sure it would be worth it to buy tickets to see them again, yet obviously, I wouldn't want to be kicked out of the park early due to a party, either!

If they were to redo the Winter Dreams show slightly and make it stronger (something actually worth seeing time and time again, like the regular WoC show), and maybe add in some other holiday fun (like the TSMM overlay and maybe some kind of Christmas-themed show over at Hyperion Theatre -- though I know the latter is probably just me dreaming!), I feel like it could work.

I'd just be pretty disappointed if the parade and fireworks over at DL would be the star attractions of a party. Like mvf-m11c, it wouldn't be worth it to me to buy tickets if those are what I'd be paying for. Not after seeing both enough times to have practically memorized them!

Oh, and I saw your link to the Build Your Disney Side thing on the previous page, Sherry, and used it to make my decal right after you posted it. So, your link didn't go entirely unnoticed!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Bret --

The decal was announced by the Parks Blog in May! Does no one else here read the Parks Blog? I posted the link and then siskaren posted it (because apparently everyone missed it in my post from this morning).

That Frozen float might just be integrated back into the Christmas Fantasy Parade in some way -- either that, or the Christmas Fantasy Parade will get another float in its place.

What is your opinion about what the "Select nights Nov. and Dec." reference means? That is the first time I've seen that wording used in regards to Disneyland's holiday season and it is not the wording used on the DLR website in the Holidays section.

There are times when I just don't read all the blogs on the Disney Parks Blog. I might have missed it when I was on it.

It will be nice for the Frozen pre-parade float that is being used right now during Mickey's Soundsational parade be converted back to the Ice Rink float when we get to the holiday season. It was surprising to see that Disney converted the Ice Rink float to the Frozen pre-parade float instead of making a new float. It does make sense to use the Ice Rink float while all the rest of the CFP floats are backstage until it is the holiday season.

When I read about the "Holidays at the Disneyland Resort - Select nights in November and December", my first impression was that the DLR will be having paid party days on selected days in November and December. I am also very suspicious of what that means and hope that it doesn't mean another party ticket event. I could be wrong but this is my opinion when I read about it. It doesn't make sense to do a paid event with no new announcements with a few months to go until the holiday season. Just as you said that it might not be a paid party event but selected nights that the DLR will do something special during the holiday season and still leave the parade and fireworks at DL the same as is during the holiday season. Doing those paid events at DL (MHP) & MK (MNSSHP & MVMCP) are very expensive just to have free candy (for Halloween party), hot chocolate & cookies. For me to go to these parties is the shows like the parades and fireworks. I have done all those paid parties at DL & MK and it is very expensive to be in the parks when I have an AP (Premier when I was at WDW).

 

[kylie71]

Sherry--

OK, I went back at your prompting earlier, and read your post in RED, and I am hyperventilating!
I REALLY hope this does not mean a hard ticket party! As soon as I read "Select Nights" Christmas Party popped into my head! I am hoping they are just referring to the Candlelight Processional, and not the parade..
Those new tunnels or sidewalks are not going to block us from seeing the decorations on Mainstreet USA are they?? I am really panicking now! I really love all the decorations on Mainstreet, I spend hours looking, taking pics, strolling, Please do not let them separate us from entering Mainstreet!
I need a glass of wine!

--Lori

 

[Luisa]

I think I'm reading it differently - 'Discover an assortment of grown up fun' sounds like maybe they are coming up with more adult options. Could select nights only maybe mean something in Downtown Disney or the Mad Tea Party - having an adults only type event?

 

[pudinhd]

pudinhd --
Mine says the same thing. I guess they figure that those of us without kids want "grown-up fun." But why did they single out December for both of us? For me it makes sense because that's when all of my hotel stays take place. Did you stay onsite in December?

I am not sure if we have stayed onsite during December, but I don't think so. We live less than an hour away, so we only stay at the hotels for special occasions.

 

[Sherry E]

I heard about the TSMM overlay before and thought it sounded so cool! I would love to have that be a regular part of the holiday lineup. I imagine it would be quite fun, not to mention popular!


I noticed that! I loved the sleigh and reindeer over in Hollywood Land. So cute.

I just feel like DCA has so much potential for a holiday party. The issue with doing it in DL is that I've seen the fireworks and parade so many times that I'm not sure it would be worth it to buy tickets to see them again, yet obviously, I wouldn't want to be kicked out of the park early due to a party, either!

If they were to redo the Winter Dreams show slightly and make it stronger (something actually worth seeing time and time again, like the regular WoC show), and maybe add in some other holiday fun (like the TSMM overlay and maybe some kind of Christmas-themed show over at Hyperion Theatre -- though I know the latter is probably just me dreaming!), I feel like it could work.

I'd just be pretty disappointed if the parade and fireworks over at DL would be the star attractions of a party. Like mvf-m11c, it wouldn't be worth it to me to buy tickets if those are what I'd be paying for. Not after seeing both enough times to have practically memorized them!

Oh, and I saw your link to the Build Your Disney Side thing on the previous page, Sherry, and used it to make my decal right after you posted it. So, your link didn't go entirely unnoticed!

Natara --

I am probably one of the few who wouldn't mind it if the Halloween party moved back to DCA, so if a Christmas party were held there it would be fine with me! I think DCA has a lot of potential too, if they just added in the right selling points for a hard ticket party.

I think that if DLR had tried to have a Christmas party 10 years ago and include the old holiday fireworks and old Christmas parade in it, it would have been better than doing it now. Those events -- although not everyone has seen them -- are just too old to want to pay extra for.

However, if the likely "new nighttime parade" is headed to DL next year, chances are that it will impact the Believe in Holiday Magic and Christmas Fantasy Parade schedules. Disney can use that to their advantage by making it seem as though BIHM and CFP are going away after this year -- which would prompt a bunch of people to buy party tickets to see them "one last time."

Another problem is that a party in DL would hold the 2 ride overlays and the Winter Castle lighting hostage on party nights too. Sure, they would be available every other day and night but they would not be available on party nights if a party were held in DL. So whatever was happening in DCA would have to make up for the lack of snow on Main Street, IASWH and HMH on those nights too!

I think the Hyperion could certainly be used for something -- in fact, that was one of the things that ran through my mind last year when I noticed decorations in Hollywood Land. I wondered if Disney was sprucing up Hollywood Land with the intention of eventually doing something at the Hyperion for the holiday season.

I'm glad that someone saw my link to Build Your Disney Side! I really didn't mind that part getting overlooked so much, but I was afraid that the people who missed it were also overlooking the "Select nights" stuff -- which was the whole point of that post!

There are times when I just don't read all the blogs on the Disney Parks Blog. I might have missed it when I was on it.

It will be nice for the Frozen pre-parade float that is being used right now during Mickey's Soundsational parade be converted back to the Ice Rink float when we get to the holiday season. It was surprising to see that Disney converted the Ice Rink float to the Frozen pre-parade float instead of making a new float. It does make sense to use the Ice Rink float while all the rest of the CFP floats are backstage until it is the holiday season.

When I read about the "Holidays at the Disneyland Resort - Select nights in November and December", my first impression was that the DLR will be having paid party days on selected days in November and December. I am also very suspicious of what that means and hope that it doesn't mean another party ticket event. I could be wrong but this is my opinion when I read about it. It doesn't make sense to do a paid event with no new announcements with a few months to go until the holiday season. Just as you said that it might not be a paid party event but selected nights that the DLR will do something special during the holiday season and still leave the parade and fireworks at DL the same as is during the holiday season. Doing those paid events at DL (MHP) & MK (MNSSHP & MVMCP) are very expensive just to have free candy (for Halloween party), hot chocolate & cookies. For me to go to these parties is the shows like the parades and fireworks. I have done all those paid parties at DL & MK and it is very expensive to be in the parks when I have an AP (Premier when I was at WDW).

Bret --

"Select nights Nov. and Dec." is such a confusing sentence, isn't it? It's not something Disney would usually use to describe a whole season. It's more what would be used to describe a nighttime event. So there would either have to be something brand new headed our way, or they are going to scale back some of the existing entertainment and only run it on "select nights" - or both.

Either that, or it was just a poor choice of wording and means absolutely nothing!

Sherry--

OK, I went back at your prompting earlier, and read your post in RED, and I am hyperventilating!
I REALLY hope this does not mean a hard ticket party! As soon as I read "Select Nights" Christmas Party popped into my head! I am hoping they are just referring to the Candlelight Processional, and not the parade..
Those new tunnels or sidewalks are not going to block us from seeing the decorations on Mainstreet USA are they?? I am really panicking now! I really love all the decorations on Mainstreet, I spend hours looking, taking pics, strolling, Please do not let them separate us from entering Mainstreet!
I need a glass of wine!

--Lori

Lori --



I think that the back alleys being worked on behind Main Street are supposed to eventually help with traffic flow when they have events such as the Unleash the Villains thing that they had in 2013, or like the Candlelight Ceremony. There ends up being such crowd gridlock along Main Street when those sorts of events happen, and if they can free up the back walkways they can move people along much faster.

So the fact that the walkways are supposed to be done by sometime in the fall is telling, because maybe "an event" is on the horizon for later this year -- one that would contribute to clogging up Main Street, and where the back alleys will come in handy.

I wish Disney would find a way to hold Candlelight on more nights -- in the Town Square setting, which is absolutely enchanting. The 20 nights in 2012 were problematic for Main Street, but if they open up those back alleys it might be possible to expand Candlelight to more nights once again (not necessarily 20 nights again, but more than 2 nights!).

I think I'm reading it differently - 'Discover an assortment of grown up fun' sounds like maybe they are coming up with more adult options. Could select nights only maybe mean something in Downtown Disney or the Mad Tea Party - having an adults only type event?

Luisa --

It could be a DTD or DCA thing. I think it was just the way it was phrased -- "Holidays at Disneyland Resort - Select nights Nov. and Dec." -- that was odd. That implies that it is the whole season that is being held on select nights, which would be bad! We know that the season in general is not just a nighttime thing, so they had to mean a particular event of some sort, if it wasn't just a bad choice of words.

I am not sure if we have stayed onsite during December, but I don't think so. We live less than an hour away, so we only stay at the hotels for special occasions.

pudinhd --

Hmm. That's weird then. Why did they specifically zero in on December when telling us of the grown-up fun? Isn't it weird that they skipped ahead to December and didn't mention anything about summer or Halloween Time fun? For such a short, seemingly harmless sentence in an insert that came with the decal, it is very mysterious and odd!

 

[pudinhd]

pudinhd --
Hmm. That's weird then. Why did they specifically zero in on December when telling us of the grown-up fun? Isn't it weird that they skipped ahead to December and didn't mention anything about summer or Halloween Time fun? For such a short, seemingly harmless sentence in an insert that came with the decal, it is very mysterious and odd!

Not just skipping summer and Halloween... But it also didn't mention November. Weird considering the other line said select nights in NOV and DEC.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Bret --

"Select nights Nov. and Dec." is such a confusing sentence, isn't it? It's not something Disney would usually use to describe a whole season. It's more what would be used to describe a nighttime event. So there would either have to be something brand new headed our way, or they are going to scale back some of the existing entertainment and only run it on "select nights" - or both.

Either that, or it was just a poor choice of wording and means absolutely nothing!

No matter what, it is confusing and what does it mean. I am still wondering what does that mean all night. If there is something brand new during the holiday season that will be good. I am hoping that it won't be a paid party event and have BIHM fireworks and CF parade as part of the party. But the wording of using "Select nights Nov. and Dec." does not make any sense until we learn more about it.

 

[Escape2Disney]

Then again, there was that bit of unofficial, unconfirmed info that Carrie (Escape2Disney) got recently (from someone in the travel industry) and shared with us, which indicated that DLR was going to have a Christmas party like the one at WDW this year, and that tickets would be going on sale "in a couple of months" (which would be fairly soon, at this point).

I was quite certain that the travel person gave Escape the wrong info, as that person may have gotten the Halloween Party confused with a Christmas party! I think that, if there were to be a major multi-night party this year, we would hear something about it in July or August, at the very latest. It would be big news. If we haven't heard anything by August I think we're in the clear!

I really hope my source was wrong! The wording on the decals though make me think something different is happening this year. My guess is we'll know by the end of July.

 

[Gisele]

I hear that Disney is going to be starting a new event, called up all night, it will be like musical chairs, only instead of chairs, it will be a matter of who is the last person standing in the park by the time the event ends. No one can leave, one must stay in the park 24 hours. no napping, no sitting down (Other than rides) no sleepin in any of the toieties!
It is scheduled for next summer. So keep your ears open! So, who's in?

 

[JadeDarkstar]

omg where did you hear about this?

 

[Gisele]

omg where did you hear about this?

Lol....Just having fun with y'all!

 

[Sherry E]

I am all for seasonal flavors, but... Limeade Oreos? I just saw a picture of those and I might have to pass.

Not just skipping summer and Halloween... But it also didn't mention November. Weird considering the other line said select nights in NOV and DEC.

pudinhd --

I think that after the Sneak Peek of the 60th Anniversary events takes place on July 17th (the Parks Blog will be posting news from that event, as will the attendees) and we find out if there is, indeed, going to be a "new nighttime parade" coming next year, that will give us a better sense of how the holiday season could possibly be impacted -- not just next year but also this year, if DLR decided to stick the holiday parade and fireworks in a party as a sort of "see them before they disappear forever" sort of tactic!

Also -- and I doubt that this would happen but one never knows -- if Disney knows of any kind of Christmas party beginning in 2015, they could announce it when they have the Sneak Peek on 7/17. Most likely they would not give us that kind of notice, but it would be nice. They did re-start the Halloween Party (after a 9-year break) during the year of the 50th anniversary, so why not bust out the Christmas party during the 60th?

Believe in Holiday Magic did not run during the 50th anniversary year's holiday season, at all, so it's possible that it could be shelved once again next year -- which would make it all the more alluring this year to people who wanted to see it before it potentially disappears -- or it could run "only on party nights" in 2015, with the "new nighttime parade" and another fireworks show taking place on non-party nights.

No matter what, it is confusing and what does it mean. I am still wondering what does that mean all night. If there is something brand new during the holiday season that will be good. I am hoping that it won't be a paid party event and have BIHM fireworks and CF parade as part of the party. But the wording of using "Select nights Nov. and Dec." does not make any sense until we learn more about it.

Bret --

Did you do any post-Winter Dreams surveys at DLR last year? You know how the CMs stand around and approach people to do surveys near certain events or locations? I would have to imagine that they surveyed people about Winter Dreams (and found out that it wasn't as big of a hit as they expected it would be).

I did 2 Viva Navidad surveys -- one in DCA and one after my December trip. So DLR was definitely interested in getting feedback on that show. They must be planning to bring it back.

I really hope my source was wrong! The wording on the decals though make me think something different is happening this year. My guess is we'll know by the end of July.

Carrie --

I hope she was wrong too! I was certain that your source must have confused the MHP with a Christmas party, but that pesky, mysterious wording on the decal insert -- "Holidays at Disneyland Resort - Select nights Nov. and Dec." -- is very perplexing! If nothing else, at the very least, it is misleading! It might not mean anything and was just a poorly worded sentence, but it gives a certain implication or impression that contradicts what the wording on the DLR website says about the holidays ("mid-November to early January").

Yes, I think that if a major party is on the horizon for the near future, DLR would let us know by July or August at the absolute latest. Big announcements like that -- that are not the norm -- get earlier coverage than other stories! The 20-night CP was announced in August of 2012, for example. When the MHP moved from DCA to DL it was announced in May 2010.

 

[kylie71]

Sherry, could you please give me the link to the Blog, so I can sign up, I do not receive these... I want to!

--Lori

 

[crystal1313]

Hmmm...select nights? Gosh, I sure hope this isn't a ticketed event. And if it is I hope that there is ALL NEW offerings at DCA, not DL. Time will tell. We go every year at Christmas time and I would sure have some super sad kids if they couldn't see the beloved parade and fireworks with snow

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry, could you please give me the link to the Blog, so I can sign up, I do not receive these... I want to!

--Lori

Lori --

Here is a link to the Disney Parks Blog website - http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/. Over on the right-hand side of the page, you should see an option to subscribe, in orange. I get both the email summaries (which come one day after the Blogs are actually posted) and I get the RSS feeds delivered to my browser every 10 or 15 minutes. If you can, sign up for both the emails and RSS feeds.

If you're on Twitter you can also follow the Disneyland page or the Disney Parks page and get mobile alerts -- Disneyland will probably post tweets or retweets anytime the Parks Blog does a blog that is Disneyland-related!

Hmmm...select nights? Gosh, I sure hope this isn't a ticketed event. And if it is I hope that there is ALL NEW offerings at DCA, not DL. Time will tell. We go every year at Christmas time and I would sure have some super sad kids if they couldn't see the beloved parade and fireworks with snow

Crystal --

DCA is the weak link, I suspect. While Disney is definitely making an effort to ramp up the holiday festivities in DCA, what they have done is still not enough to take the place of or rival the nighttime holiday fare in Disneyland. I just don't think Winter Dreams was a big enough hit to satisfy anyone who can't or won't pay for a hard ticket party in DL.

Think of how stunningly beautiful IASWH is at night, or how magical it is to feel the fake snow falling on your cheek, or to see the Winter Castle shimmering in icicle lights in the distance. I'm not even counting the Christmas Fantasy Parade and Believe in Holiday Magic Fireworks at the moment! There is nothing that is a worthy alternative in our one and only "other" park. Unlike WDW, which has 3 other parks to enjoy, and numerous hotels with amazing decorations, we are limited in scope at DLR, and a multi-night party at DLR would put a huge dent in the longstanding entertainment.

So the only way it would work is with all-new entertainment. If there is a new, non-holiday nighttime parade coming next year, that is very likely how Disney will wedge a party into the mix. The new non-holiday nighttime parade will run every night, and the Christmas Fantasy Parade will get relegated to "party status," along with BIHM fireworks, I suspect.

But the "Select nights Nov. and Dec." reference to the Holidays at Disneyland Resort is curious and a bit confusing as to what it means for this year!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Bret --

Did you do any post-Winter Dreams surveys at DLR last year? You know how the CMs stand around and approach people to do surveys near certain events or locations? I would have to imagine that they surveyed people about Winter Dreams (and found out that it wasn't as big of a hit as they expected it would be).

I did 2 Viva Navidad surveys -- one in DCA and one after my December trip. So DLR was definitely interested in getting feedback on that show. They must be planning to bring it back.

I didn't do any surveys at DCA after seeing Winter Dreams after we left the park. All those days when I saw it in November and December were the busy times ( Thanksgiving break and Christmas break). I do see the CM's around BVS and some certain areas when you leave the park, I mostly don't go up to the CM's and give my opinion. There are times where they approached me and I do give my opinion. I don't like to criticize the shows at the DLR but Winter Dreams wasn't all that hyped as I have thought after seeing it in person. I was so excited that there was a new variation of the show for the holiday season. It was an okay show but there could be improvements in the show.

Even though I didn't experienced Viva Navidad a lot as I hoped during the two trips, it was a nice addition to DCA for the holiday season. It will be nice to have it back this upcoming year.

 

[kylie71]

Thank You Sherry, all signed up! I do not have a Twitter account, but I signed up for everything else!


--Lori

 

[JadeDarkstar]

Ok so i wrote Disneyland last night asking about the party here is what I got back.

Dear Tiffany,

Thank you for your email to the DISNEYLAND® Resort.

Currently, there are no plans for a Christmas Party at the DISNEYLAND®
Resort. We anticipate the holiday decorations to be up and holiday
entertainment to begin mid-November. We do not have specific dates yet,
and our entertainment schedule is posted six weeks in advance on our
website.

 

[Sherry E]

Sadly, the people on the front lines at DLR (answering calls and emails) are the last to know anything. I'm sure they have no clue about what was printed in the decal insert from Disney Destinations, nor does Disney Destinations have any clue what is posted on the main DLR website under the "holidays" section. The different departments and offices within Disney are not all on the same page, it seems.

Sometimes official info will trickle out via newsletter or email, or Blog, and the people actually working at DLR have no clue about it. There has been no official, public announcement of a party or of any official information, so therefore a CM answering emails would not give out that information even if they had it to give (which they don't). That doesn't mean that there will or will not be a party. It just means that the CMs dealing with emails and calls would not know about it in June.

As I was just saying in the Halloween thread a while ago, I have had to tell the CMs when certain events were happening -- that's how little they know and how little they are told in advance.

And...even when the schedule is posted on the DLR calendar 6 weeks in advance, it is not always complete. Last year the calendar was not showing the Enchantment Lighting of the Castle on certain nights. Now I knew it would happen on those nights, and I tried to reassure anyone who was doubting it, but because it wasn't showing on the calendar people thought it was not happening. I found out from someone behind the scenes that the Enchantment Lighting was, as I suspected, happening every night and that the calendar thing was just an oversight which would eventually be corrected. So even the info that we think is final and complete is not always reliable!