Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread #4

[sgrap]

So we have Dec. 5-15 as our dates. We are going to take a 2 or 3 days to go to Legoland and Seaworld but other than that we will be in Anaheim. I am looking at the 5 day tickets as that's the biggest they sell. Oddly I could have sworn we bought 6 day tickets 10 years ago when we used to go with the older boys but maybe my memories aging.

Thanks.

I can only answer the park hopper question. Around late summer/early fall 2012, they stopped selling more than a 5 day hopper. Many of us wrote to Disney asking them to bring back longer hopper passes, but so far that has not happened. We bought 8-day hoppers several times and used all 8 days, so it was a big bummer for us. I still don't get it. But rest assured, your memory is doing fine.

 

[meljensmom]

Cindy --

Welcome!

Thank you so much for joining us. I am very sorry about the loss of your father.

I think that the idea of taking your mom and girls to Disneyland for Christmas is an excellent one, and what a way to make new memories! Are you planning on being there actually over the Christmas holiday?



Also, you are actually planning to be at DLR over December 25th I can locate some extra posts that may be of interest to you (I have the links saved offline, but I would have to get them tomorrow).

In any case, we will all try to help as much as we can!

Hi There....and thank you for the warm welcome! Yes, we will be there over Christmas. We are arriving on Dec. 22 and will be leaving on the 27th. My mom and girls are VERY excited!!

I would be thankful for ANY information given because we've never gone to DLR any time other than the summer. We will be staying at the DLH.

Thanks again!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Would it be better to do the non Disney stuff first and the DL later so that we have a better chance of getting later hours so we can see the FW/Fantasmic/WOC? Or would it be too crowded by then? Due to the 60th would this December be a bad time to visit ie do you think there will be a lot of ride refurbs./closures?

The Candlelight Processional will be on 6th & 7th which will draw crowds that weekend. During the second week of December (Monday thru Thursday) the park hours will be limited than on the weekends which should be around 9am to 9pm. You can check the park hours from last year: http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/park-hours.cfm?month=12&year=2013 If DL is not doing a paid party this year, Believe...In Holiday Magic fireworks will be playing every night during the holiday season. WoC will be playing every night. As for Fantasmic!, the only way to see it is on Friday, Saturday or Sunday where it won't play during the weekdays during your trip (unless the park hours are increased on the certain days). Most of the rides are up and running in mid December unless certain rides are down for long refurbishment (for example BTMRR was closed during the holiday season last year during it's long refurbishment until it re-opened in March 2014).

 

[tksbaskets]

Can't wait for countdown! I have more to contribute this year and some golden oldies.
TK

 

[marlana323]

Hi All!
We are booked from Dec. 7-11 at the Disneyland Hotel! This will be our second trip to Disneyland and first for Christmas. I haven't told the kids. My daughter's birthday falls during our trip too. I have a lot of reading up to do. Our last trip was before Carsland.

Any tips on where to start? I'm reviewing page 1...

Look forward to keeping up with you all!

 

[trainingupmy4princes]

The Candlelight Processional will be on 6th & 7th which will draw crowds that weekend. During the second week of December (Monday thru Thursday) the park hours will be limited than on the weekends which should be around 9am to 9pm. You can check the park hours from last year: http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/park-hours.cfm?month=12&year=2013 If DL is not doing a paid party this year, Believe...In Holiday Magic fireworks will be playing every night during the holiday season. WoC will be playing every night. As for Fantasmic!, the only way to see it is on Friday, Saturday or Sunday where it won't play during the weekdays during your trip (unless the park hours are increased on the certain days). Most of the rides are up and running in mid December unless certain rides are down for long refurbishment (for example BTMRR was closed during the holiday season last year during it's long refurbishment until it re-opened in March 2014).

Thanks. I am really excited about going to DL during holiday time, two of my favorite things.
I know the HM, IASW, and JC have overlays for the holidays. Are there any others? Are all 3 included in the holiday tour? I think the tour looks nice just for the reserved parade view. Are there any reviews out there for this tour?

 

[mom2rtk]

Thanks. I am really excited about going to DL during holiday time, two of my favorite things.
I know the HM, IASW, and JC have overlays for the holidays. Are there any others? Are all 3 included in the holiday tour? I think the tour looks nice just for the reserved parade view. Are there any reviews out there for this tour?

We did the tour last year. It included all 3 of the rides with holiday overlays. It also does include reserved seating for the Christmas parade. We purposely scheduled this for what we expected to be one of our busier park days. The ride access that day saved us a lot of time, so I didn't feel like we were missing out on a huge chunk of park time by doing it.

We did enjoy the tour, although we probably won't do it a second year in a row, just because we have heard all the holiday tidbits already. If you haven't done it before, I definitely recommend it.

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks. I am really excited about going to DL during holiday time, two of my favorite things.
I know the HM, IASW, and JC have overlays for the holidays. Are there any others? Are all 3 included in the holiday tour? I think the tour looks nice just for the reserved parade view. Are there any reviews out there for this tour?

trainingupmy4princes -

In this post, look under "Main Street," and go to the Holiday Tour section. You will see links to reviews from different years (including 2013).

The first 12 posts on page 1 of this thread are a hotbed o' info about all facets of DLR during the holidays, from the parks to the hotels, to holiday food, to activities, to Downtown Disney, etc.

ETA: There's weather/temperature info on page 1 too -- in the FAQ section of the General Info post!

 

[KCmike]

So we have Dec. 5-15 as our dates. We are going to take a 2 or 3 days to go to Legoland and Seaworld but other than that we will be in Anaheim. I am looking at the 5 day tickets as that's the biggest they sell. Oddly I could have sworn we bought 6 day tickets 10 years ago when we used to go with the older boys but maybe my memories aging.

Would it be better to do the non Disney stuff first and the DL later so that we have a better chance of getting later hours so we can see the FW/Fantasmic/WOC? Or would it be too crowded by then? Due to the 60th would this December be a bad time to visit ie do you think there will be a lot of ride refurbs./closures?
Thanks.

Hey Neighbor!!!! We have gone twice for Christmas but both were in November so I can't be of much help. Nice to see another KC person on this side of the disboards. Janet is also from kc "mom2rtk". How do you like the move from Portland? I have visited there once and thought it was absolutely beautiful.

 

[mom2rtk]

Hi. I thought since a lot of people in this thread visit in December that this would be a good place for questions on a December visit.
We used to go to DL and I was on this forum years ago (different name as I had lost my login password) when it was just my boys but then we moved from Portland to the midwest and WDW became our Disney place. Anyways, I have always missed DL as it seemed more magical, can't seem to explain why to my family . So with the whole MB and FP+ I convinced DH that going to DL was a better idea albeit more expensive.

So we have Dec. 5-15 as our dates. We are going to take a 2 or 3 days to go to Legoland and Seaworld but other than that we will be in Anaheim. I am looking at the 5 day tickets as that's the biggest they sell. Oddly I could have sworn we bought 6 day tickets 10 years ago when we used to go with the older boys but maybe my memories aging.

Would it be better to do the non Disney stuff first and the DL later so that we have a better chance of getting later hours so we can see the FW/Fantasmic/WOC? Or would it be too crowded by then? Due to the 60th would this December be a bad time to visit ie do you think there will be a lot of ride refurbs./closures?

I absolutely love Christmas and lights and decorations. We are looking at DL hotel or PP. Is one more festive? GC is definitely out of our budget so we are only looking at the other 2. We have Costco and AAA. Does anyone know if either give you a discount to book through them? It will also be our anniversary as I love Christmas so had a Dec wedding. Does anyone have any experience with the childcare place at GC in case we wanted a fancy dinner out?

Also, I tend to get really bad migraines from too much heat/humidity. Anyone know what the temps tend to be that time of year?

Thanks.

Hey neighbor!

You're not imagining things. They used to sell longer tickets. They had a lot of trouble with ticket fraud, so cut back the max to combat that. I was terribly disappointed though that once they started taking photos to associate with tickets, that should have taken care of the problem enough to allow them to start selling longer tickets. But alas, 5 is the limit.

We were there last December 4-11. You need to be prepared for all sorts of weather. We hit an unseasonably cold stretch with temps in the high 30's many of the mornings we were there. I don't tell you that to scare you since that isn't common, but just to let you know you need to prepare for ALL sorts of weather.

We experienced a similar cold snap in FL back in 2010, so we are just ready for anything at Disney in December now.

 

[Sherry E]

Remember, everyone -- not only does the Theme Week Countdown start in 7 days (Mon., 7/21), but this week (Thurs., 7/17) is the day that there will be a sneak peek of the events happening for the 60th anniversary in 2015. The Disney Parks Blog gave away a limited number of spots for people to sit in on this sneak peek, and I am pretty sure that every official and unofficial Disney news outlet will be reporting on it that day.

Although there are rumors trickling out that the sneak peek is now going to be scaled back (meaning that Disney is not going to give as extensive of a sneak peek as they were originally going to), confirmation of a new night parade, a new fireworks show and a new Castle show is expected.

That means they may not tell us everything they have planned for 2015, but they will probably confirm those 3 major events.

The reason why these 60th anniversary events in 2015 will be relevant to us here in the Christmas/Holiday Superthread is that it almost certainly means there will be some disruption of the "normal" holiday season entertainment schedule in 2015. I am guessing that Disney will either create some sort of hard ticket Christmas party and include the Christmas Fantasy Parade and Believe in Holiday Magic Fireworks as party exclusives while running the new parade, fireworks and Castle show on all other nights, for the general public, OR they will skip the holiday fireworks and Christmas parade entirely next year to focus on the 60th anniversary fare. Or, maybe the new night parade, new fireworks and new Castle show could be worked into a party somehow.

Once we get confirmation of those events for 2015, I think we will know that the holiday season of 2015 might be a bit different than it has been for years. In fact, we could start seeing little 'changes' in the schedule as early as this year, to prep us for larger changes next year.

In any case, Thursday's 60th anniversary news will be interesting!

Hi. I thought since a lot of people in this thread visit in December that this would be a good place for questions on a December visit.
We used to go to DL and I was on this forum years ago (different name as I had lost my login password) when it was just my boys but then we moved from Portland to the midwest and WDW became our Disney place. Anyways, I have always missed DL as it seemed more magical, can't seem to explain why to my family . So with the whole MB and FP+ I convinced DH that going to DL was a better idea albeit more expensive.

So we have Dec. 5-15 as our dates. We are going to take a 2 or 3 days to go to Legoland and Seaworld but other than that we will be in Anaheim. I am looking at the 5 day tickets as that's the biggest they sell. Oddly I could have sworn we bought 6 day tickets 10 years ago when we used to go with the older boys but maybe my memories aging.

Would it be better to do the non Disney stuff first and the DL later so that we have a better chance of getting later hours so we can see the FW/Fantasmic/WOC? Or would it be too crowded by then? Due to the 60th would this December be a bad time to visit ie do you think there will be a lot of ride refurbs./closures?

I absolutely love Christmas and lights and decorations. We are looking at DL hotel or PP. Is one more festive? GC is definitely out of our budget so we are only looking at the other 2. We have Costco and AAA. Does anyone know if either give you a discount to book through them? It will also be our anniversary as I love Christmas so had a Dec wedding. Does anyone have any experience with the childcare place at GC in case we wanted a fancy dinner out?

Also, I tend to get really bad migraines from too much heat/humidity. Anyone know what the temps tend to be that time of year?

Thanks.

trainingupmy4princes --

Bret and Janet both gave you good info, but I didn't give you an "official" welcome earlier (I was rushing on and off the thread), so !! I'm glad you joined us! You are correct -- there are a lot of December visitors in this thread (and I'm one of them!).

You mentioned the 60th -- is it next year that you're planning on going to DLR, or this year? The 60th is next year.

I think that all of the hotels are festive in their own way. The PPH has a tree with a gorgeous color. DLH has a giant fake gingerbread castle in the lobby of the Fantasy tower, and themed Christmas trees in the Frontier and Adventure towers. The great thing is that you can visit all of them on foot, and experience a bit of the holiday magic at each one. I usually stay at the PPH in December, and I usually go to DLR in the first or second week of December (it's a good in-between time when Thanksgiving break crowds are back home, while Christmas break crowds are not out of school and work yet!). But I like to walk across the street and enjoy the lobby and carolers at the GCH!

Also, I think that the hotel-specific holiday activities (mentioned in the Hotels post on page 1 of this thread) apply to each hotel, so that gives some extra options.

I have heard of people getting packages through Costco or discounts through AAA in the past, but I'm not sure if they still can.

I don't know first-hand, but I have heard that the childcare place at the GCH is great.

I posted the link to the section with Holiday Tour info/reviews for you in a separate post (previous page), and Janet gave you some great feedback!

You asked about temperatures -- there is also a section in the FAQ on page 1, with more detailed weather info for December. Living in SoCal my entire life, I have experienced all kinds of December weather. Last year, when I was at DLR (12/8-12/12), on my very first night it was in the low 30s -- like 30 degrees. I am not a hot weather fan at all, and I usually relish the much cooler temperatures, but my hands were icy and I had to grab for the mittens and neck scarf! As long as I am prepared for the chill, I am fine in it!

The next day, 12/9, it was very windy for quite a while -- so much so that the wind was knocking over the poor reindeer out in front of the GCH!

A couple of days later I think it was around 80 degrees or so. I have also been to DLR in December when it was 90 degrees, or 40 degrees at night, or raining, or very dry.

As Janet said, be prepared for ALL sorts of weather!

Hi There....and thank you for the warm welcome! Yes, we will be there over Christmas. We are arriving on Dec. 22 and will be leaving on the 27th. My mom and girls are VERY excited!!

I would be thankful for ANY information given because we've never gone to DLR any time other than the summer. We will be staying at the DLH.

Thanks again!

Cindy --

You're very welcome!

Just to start you off, here are some links to a bit of Christmas trip-specific info:



Trip Reports/Recaps/Reviews that involved trips around Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (glance over these to learn about crowds and general Christmas experiences)


blue888’s trip recap (was there over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 2013)

tipoveriff’s December 19-26, 2013 trip recap (including Christmas and Christmas Eve)

NSmuppetmom’s December 22-25, 2013 trip recap (including Christmas)

JediMasterNerd's review/recap of a December 2012 trip (including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day -- a lot of great info in this review!) - Here and Here

Mickey&JoshNut's review/recap of a December 2012 trip (including Christmas) - Here



In-Room Celebration Info


See the Disney Floral & Gifts page for further information about ordering miniature Christmas trees and other in-room celebration packages!

"You’ve Got Mail … and Gifts from Disney Floral & Gifts" -- Disney Parks Blog; posted on December 17th, 2013 by Jean Volante, Manager of Dream Making, Disney Floral & Gifts/DEG

2013 Thread about Disney Christmas in-room celebration

"Disneyland Hotel Christmas Amenities" - with pictures and details (November 2012 DISboards thread started by mo3bys, with photos of in-room celebration items)




Special Christmas Eve/Christmas Day Dining Options (menus will likely be identical or similar to what they were for the last couple of years)


(Catal and Ralph Brennan's Jazz Kitchen in Downtown Disney each offer special meals and menus for Christmas, but those menus will not appear on their websites until closer to the holiday.)

”Last-minute Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dining advice” (includes list of Christmas Eve and Day Dining Options) – MousePad/MousePlanet; posted on December 22, 2013 by Adrienne Vincent-Phoenix

JediMasterNerd's partial list of special menus for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day 2012 - here



And, again, when you have eventually have time, please don't be afraid to scroll down the first page of this thread and see if any of the titles or links jump out at you! Also, when our Theme Week Countdown begins in one week, you will see a parade of photos of all things Disneyland Holidays, so hopefully that will be fun and helpful as well!

Hi All!
We are booked from Dec. 7-11 at the Disneyland Hotel! This will be our second trip to Disneyland and first for Christmas. I haven't told the kids. My daughter's birthday falls during our trip too. I have a lot of reading up to do. Our last trip was before Carsland.

Any tips on where to start? I'm reviewing page 1...

Look forward to keeping up with you all!

Welcome, marlana323!

Thank you for joining us!

Well, you are going during my favorite time of the year -- early December! Hopefully you found some items of interest on page 1, while skimming the posts. I would suggest glancing over the Hotels post for Santa info and other hotel-specific holiday info. The Food/Drink post is always important for any holiday trip! The Disneyland and California Adventure posts are good, because they tell you exactly what kinds of activities you might find in either park.

And, if there is anything you can't find or don't know where to look to find, we will try to help!

Thanks. I am really excited about going to DL during holiday time, two of my favorite things.
I know the HM, IASW, and JC have overlays for the holidays. Are there any others? Are all 3 included in the holiday tour? I think the tour looks nice just for the reserved parade view. Are there any reviews out there for this tour?

One other sort-of-but-not-really-overlay --

The Storybook Land Canal Boat ride is known to feature teeny tiny Christmas decorations on the miniature cottages and residences, but it is not advertised. People just kind of discover the tiny decorations when they ride the ride!

 

[theggs4ever]

If you watch the fireworks in the 9:00 position on the map, are there snow machines there? I've always stood on Main Street because I have to have snow. But, I've never Dumbo since he's been added and would like a good spot. Still need my snow though!

Also, can I reserve GC now and then update it once the military rates are released? Or do I have to wait?

 

[Sherry E]

If you watch the fireworks in the 9:00 position on the map, are there snow machines there? I've always stood on Main Street because I have to have snow. But, I've never Dumbo since he's been added and would like a good spot. Still need my snow though!

Also, can I reserve GC now and then update it once the military rates are released? Or do I have to wait?

Welcome, theggs4ever!

I think that Bret/mvf-m11c might be a good one to answer the question about where the snow machines are located around Main Street/the Hub. I've stood directly on Main Street to catch the snow too.

You can also experience the snow in the It's a Small World Holiday mall/plaza area, and in New Orleans Square, near the Rivers of America.

Unless something has changed, you should be able to book the GCH now (make a "room-only" reservation), put down a deposit to hold it, and then apply any discounts (such as military rates) later on. I've been able to book rooms and then later applied a discount. Check with Disney first to be sure they will allow it.

 

[mvf-m11c]

If you watch the fireworks in the 9:00 position on the map, are there snow machines there? I've always stood on Main Street because I have to have snow. But, I've never Dumbo since he's been added and would like a good spot. Still need my snow though!

As for the snow machines around the Hub, they are mostly on the light towers around the Hub. If you watch BIHM fireworks or SB Winter Castle Enchantment Lighting, there are light towers right by the Hub and across the street from the Hub that have the snow machines. Also Dumbo is not part of BIHM fireworks and is only available to see during Magical: Disney's New Nighttime Spectacular of Magical Celebrations which is only available during the summertime. Tinker Bell and Dumbo do not fly during BIHM fireworks.

Here is a picture of the light tower on the Hub side where it started to snow after BIHM fireworks.


As you can see from this picture, it is snowing right on the other side towards Astro Orbiter which is where the another light tower is with the snow.

 

[rentayenta]

Next week! Thanks for the 60th info heads up too Sherry! You take great care of us!

 

[mybestieismickey]

If you watch the fireworks in the 9:00 position on the map, are there snow machines there? I've always stood on Main Street because I have to have snow. But, I've never Dumbo since he's been added and would like a good spot. Still need my snow though!

Also, can I reserve GC now and then update it once the military rates are released? Or do I have to wait?

Just wanted to point out that Dumbo is not a part of the Christmas time fireworks show. He only appears during the summer time "Magical" show (adorable by the way). If you want to check out the Christmas show "Believe...in Holiday Magic," the Dis posted a beautiful video of it last year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6mrRYn0qxk&feature=youtu.be

Assuming that the 9pm position has you right next to the Frontierland bridge, that should be an okay spot to see from. Obviously 6 o'clock Main Street is the best, but I am assuming you are going to try and make the Fantasmic dash after and want good positioning. We usually watch from the section next to the Tip Board in front of Jolly Holiday bakery (maybe 7 1/2 o'clock) and have had great luck with the light tower trick for Fantasmic. Not sure about the snow though. You should be able to look up during the day on the light posts and see where the snow machines are and make your final decision then.

Good Luck!

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks for helping out with the snow question, Bret!

I'm glad you addressed Dumbo, too (Bret and mybestieismickey -- thank you both!!)! My first thought was that Dumbo was added to the other fireworks show and not to BIHM. I started to type that, and then I thought, "Maybe I'm wrong. I'd better not say anything. Hopefully Bret will catch it." And you did!

​

Next week! Thanks for the 60th info heads up too Sherry! You take great care of us!

You're welcome, Jenny!

I just happened to catch an online report/rumor yesterday that said that the sneak peek of the 60th was being scaled back somewhat, but I suspect that we should at least get confirmation of the new events for next year, which will then at least make it likely that the holiday season of 2015 will be affected in some way.

And...since the 4th Annual Theme Week Countdown begins this coming Monday, 7/21, I trust that we will see some of your photos between then and November 3rd...I hope?

 

[rentayenta]

Yes ma'am, I'll be posting! Thanks again for keeping us all in the know. I love having a go-to thread.

 

[Sherry E]

Jenny -- Great! I'm so glad you'll be participating this year!

​

Just wanted to point out that Dumbo is not a part of the Christmas time fireworks show. He only appears during the summer time "Magical" show (adorable by the way). If you want to check out the Christmas show "Believe...in Holiday Magic," the Dis posted a beautiful video of it last year. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6mrRYn0qxk&feature=youtu.be

Assuming that the 9pm position has you right next to the Frontierland bridge, that should be an okay spot to see from. Obviously 6 o'clock Main Street is the best, but I am assuming you are going to try and make the Fantasmic dash after and want good positioning. We usually watch from the section next to the Tip Board in front of Jolly Holiday bakery (maybe 7 1/2 o'clock) and have had great luck with the light tower trick for Fantasmic. Not sure about the snow though. You should be able to look up during the day on the light posts and see where the snow machines are and make your final decision then.

Good Luck!

Thank you for helping tackle the fireworks question, mybestieismickey!

There will also be a Theme Week in our Countdown that covers the fireworks, coming up sometime between 7/21 and 11/3. So there will be lots of fireworks photos down the road!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Thanks for helping out with the snow question, Bret!

I'm glad you addressed Dumbo, too (Bret and mybestieismickey -- thank you both!!)! My first thought was that Dumbo was added to the other fireworks show and not to BIHM. I started to type that, and then I thought, "Maybe I'm wrong. I'd better not say anything. Hopefully Bret will catch it." And you did!

​

No problem.

It's always nice to see the snow during the Enchantment Lighting and after BIHM fireworks which makes it so special during the holiday season at DL. I do ask myself this since last year after the December trip. After experiencing the snowing at IASW Plaza when we tried to watch BIHM fireworks, which is the best place to see it snow. Is it the Hub, Main Street (where the stores are located), MS TS, IASW Plaza or NOS right next to the viewing area for F!? People do have there preferences where they like to watch it snow after BIHM fireworks. I do enjoy watching it snow around the Hub when I watch the Enchantment Lighting show and after BIHM fireworks since I am so used to that area.

If BIHM fireworks still continues this year and in the near future, it is nice as is without any Disney characters flying in the sky where RDCT, Magical & Halloween Screams fireworks have the characters fly during the fireworks. BIHM fireworks is a classic firework show during the holiday season and I don't like DL to change it where they have changed "A Christmas Fantasy" parade last year which was a disappointment.