Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread #4

[Sherry E]

I had to chuckle. There are many people who dislike seeing Christmas stuff in the stores before Thanksgiving, let alone in October and September, and there are many folks who are surprised to see Halloween things appear in July or August.

But two days ago -- February 16th -- I saw an Easter commercial! Easter is not until April 20th this year! Cupid was barely on his way out the door when the Easter Bunny moved in!

Don't get me wrong -- none of it bothers me. I love all of the "fun" holidays, or the holidays that involve festive colors, designs, decorations, TV specials and special packaging of familiar goods (such as the M&M's holiday dispensers). So I welcome Valentine's Day and Easter (and St. Patrick's Day too), but I was just surprised to see an Easter ad so early!

Just got done making reservations for Dec 10-14. Will be staying at DLH. You will ne seeing me on this thread a lot. Lol

Welcome, BarbLM!

Wonderful! I'm so glad you joined us, and that you have a trip in the works. I love going to DLR in that general time frame in December. Feel free to hang out with us as often as you'd like! We've got about 5.5 months until the next Theme Week Countdown begins and that will be a 3-month long bonanza of activity, but as any news of the 2014 season trickles in we we will be reporting it and discussing it here in this thread, so stay tuned!

 

[Luisa]

February is nothing, Australian supermarkets start selling hot cross buns and Easter Eggs on January 1! Not that I'm complaining when it comes to 4 months of Cadbury creme eggs and Malteaster bunnies....

 

[Sherry E]

February is nothing, Australian supermarkets start selling hot cross buns and Easter Eggs on January 1! Not that I'm complaining when it comes to 4 months of Cadbury creme eggs and Malteaster bunnies....

January 1st! Wow! When does Valentine's Day stuff hit the shelves in Australia? I know that my local stores get in holiday candy and supplies rather early, but I don't think they had any Cadbury creme eggs on January 1st!

Speaking of Cadbury... The Easter commercial that I saw on TV a couple of days ago was, indeed, the annual Cadbury Bunny tryouts commercial, with the cat and other animals wearing bunny ears.

I guess I'm just surprised that Easter stuff is now on the shelves as long as Christmas stuff and Halloween stuff (in America). I certainly love Easter, and I love chocolate bunnies, dyed eggs and egg hunts, and those super cute M&Ms Easter dispensers. I just didn't realize that it was quite as marketable a holiday as Christmas and Halloween -- simply because not as much planning and preparation go into Easter festivities, like for parties, traveling, entertaining, etc. Most people don't even decorate for Easter, sadly.

Well, no one should be surprised when they see Christmas things sneaking into their stores in September if Easter things are appearing so early!

What's funny is that manufacturers and merchandisers have a bonanza of holidays -- of varying degrees of popularity -- to deal with and sell to the public, in one big block. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Cinco de Mayo, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, 4th of July and then... nothing... until Halloween, really! (Not counting the condiments and hamburger buns that go on sale for Labor Day picnics.) In countries where 4th of July and Halloween are not celebrated, there is an even longer gap in between holidays.

That's probably why the stores out here (like Costco) start trotting out the Halloween merchandise in July! After July 4th is over the stores don't want the 'holiday momentum' to diminish and the holiday business to fade, so out come the "harvest" wreaths, the 5-pound bags of candy corn and pumpkin votive holders!

 

[lucysmom]

What makes me laugh are the new holiday light displays. At first, there were only Christmas lights. Then Halloween light displays started getting elaborate. Several neighbors have Halloween displays that rival their Christmas ones. Now Valentine lights are creeping their way in. I even saw a huge Valentine inflatable heart in a front yard this year. We have always had the festive egg trees for Easter at a smattering of houses, but we will have to wait and see if they hold the line with colorful plastic eggs. I am imagining giant inflatable bunnies!

 

[Luisa]

January 1st! Wow! When does Valentine's Day stuff hit the shelves in Australia? I know that my local stores get in holiday candy and supplies rather early, but I don't think they had any Cadbury creme eggs on January 1st! Speaking of Cadbury... The Easter commercial that I saw on TV a couple of days ago was, indeed, the annual Cadbury Bunny tryouts commercial, with the cat and other animals wearing bunny ears. I guess I'm just surprised that Easter stuff is now on the shelves as long as Christmas stuff and Halloween stuff (in America). I certainly love Easter, and I love chocolate bunnies, dyed eggs and egg hunts, and those super cute M&Ms Easter dispensers. I just didn't realize that it was quite as marketable a holiday as Christmas and Halloween -- simply because not as much planning and preparation go into Easter festivities, like for parties, traveling, entertaining, etc. Most people don't even decorate for Easter, sadly. Well, no one should be surprised when they see Christmas things sneaking into their stores in September if Easter things are appearing so early! What's funny is that manufacturers and merchandisers have a bonanza of holidays -- of varying degrees of popularity -- to deal with and sell to the public, in one big block. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, Easter, Cinco de Mayo, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, 4th of July and then... nothing... until Halloween, really! (Not counting the condiments and hamburger buns that go on sale for Labor Day picnics.) In countries where 4th of July and Halloween are not celebrated, there is an even longer gap in between holidays. That's probably why the stores out here (like Costco) start trotting out the Halloween merchandise in July! After July 4th is over the stores don't want the 'holiday momentum' to diminish and the holiday business to fade, so out come the "harvest" wreaths, the 5-pound bags of candy corn and pumpkin votive holders!

Easter and Christmas are really the only big celebrations here (and Hanukkah depending on where you live). Australia Day is celebrated more for the fact we get a long weekend I think! Halloween is certainly not as popular as the US but it seems to be catching on a little- I know a few neighbourhoods where people will put out something like an orange balloon so kids know they can go to that house to trick or treat. Valentines day, Mothers/Father's Day etc all get a look in but nothing like the 3-4 month countdown of deliciousness that Easter and Christmas do!

 

[siskaren]

I am imagining giant inflatable bunnies!

They already exist :

http://www.americansale.com/Departments/Holidays/Easter/Easter-Airblown-Inflatables.aspx

 

[kirstie101]

So with the announcement of the Avengers Half Marathon Weekend in Disneyland November 15-17, do you think this will affect the start date of the Holiday season in DL?

My in-laws were going to go in December because they've never seen DL at Christmas. Now my brother-in-law wants to do the Avengers Half and he'd switch the family trip to the November dates if the Christmas Season at DL would be officially kicked off by then. If its not, he'd just leave the race as a solo trip and still come in December with his family.

For me it doesn't matter. I know most of the decorations will be up during the half marathon weekend and that will be plenty for me. I can cancel my short December trip I had planned now!

 

[Sherry E]

This is one of the final posts I will be contributing from this horrible computer from hades! The new tower & monitor are here, and they need to be hooked up. When I can set aside a block of time to dismantle the current system and hook up the new one, I will be done with this energy-draining, stress-inducing, soul-crushing beast forever!

I will have to have a ceremony to commemorate the occasion -- out with the old and in with the new and all of that -- but the ceremony will largely involve a lot of me doing this... ... so it really won't be all that different than a regular day for me.

So with the announcement of the Avengers Half Marathon Weekend in Disneyland November 15-17, do you think this will affect the start date of the Holiday season in DL?

My in-laws were going to go in December because they've never seen DL at Christmas. Now my brother-in-law wants to do the Avengers Half and he'd switch the family trip to the November dates if the Christmas Season at DL would be officially kicked off by then. If its not, he'd just leave the race as a solo trip and still come in December with his family.

For me it doesn't matter. I know most of the decorations will be up during the half marathon weekend and that will be plenty for me. I can cancel my short December trip I had planned now!

Hi, Kirsten!

My personal feeling is that the Half Marathon won't interfere with the official start of the season, though it is possible that it could interfere with some of the parks' decorations going up in certain places (not sure where), or possibly with some of the holiday-specific events beginning.

As I mentioned on either the previous page or 2 pages ago, I am fairly certain that the official start of the season will be somewhere between 11/7 and 11/14. I think it would have to be during that week. I tend to think that the Christmas Fantasy Parade will tape on 11/7 and 11/8. I think that Believe in Holiday Magic fireworks will (unofficially) begin on 11/7 or 11/8. I think that It's a Small World Holiday should open on 11/7, if not a day earlier. It's possible that the Jingle Jangle Jamboree could be (unofficially) open at that point too.

Then, my guess is that the official start date will probably be Monday, 11/10 or Wednesday, 11/12. The latest it would begin is 11/14, I think.

By 11/14, things like the Winter Village in DTD, Winter Dreams and Viva Navidad should be up and running. However, again, the Half Marathon could somehow interfere with when certain things begin, but there is no way to know that yet because there hasn't been a Half Marathon right around the beginning of the holidays in the past.

It will definitely be something to keep an eye on as the months progress and we inch closer to November.

 

[mom2rtk]

LOL, can I help?



That was very therapeutic.

Congrats on the new computer, Sherry!

 

[Sherry E]

LOL, can I help?



That was very therapeutic.

Congrats on the new computer, Sherry!

Janet --

Thank you!

I think that a good round of is a very effective stress-reliever for anyone! It's very healing, somehow! Everyone, join in the fun!

Before Kirsten posted I was planning to pop in here in the next couple of days and post something specific before I shut down this horrible PC for good and attempt to set up the new system (operative word being "attempt"). I am still planning to do that, so it will either be later today or tomorrow.

​

I can't believe we are already almost into March! Right now we have got about 5-ish months until the next Theme Week Countdown commences!

I should point out that I saw 2 more cartons of the coveted Dreyer's Peppermint Wonderland ice cream (which is the same ice cream that Disneyland Resort carries at certain locations during the holiday season, for those who are new to holiday trips to DLR and new to the phenomenon that is Dreyer's/Edy's Peppermint Wonderland ice cream!) at CVS the other day. It is still winter, after all, so why not?!

Anyway, CVS was just one of my stops that day. I also ventured into Whole Foods, the 99 Cents Only Store (a treasure trove) and Starbucks. While in Whole Foods I used up the last few cents on a WF gift card and bought a Newman's Own Peppermint Cup -- it contains a sleeve of three chocolate cups filled with delicious peppermint cream.

Typically I do not put chocolate of any kind in my peppermint ice cream, but... do you see where I am going with this?

Uh-huh. That's right. I crushed up the Newman's Own Peppermint Cups and sprinkled them over a bowl of Peppermint Wonderland ice cream...'cause it is still winter, after all. And wow...that was yummy. It was a peppermint wonderland in a bowl, indeed!

 

[kirstie101]

Thank you Sherry!

mmmm peppermint ice cream sounds so good right now...especially since its 75 outside right now.

 

[Sherry E]

Thank you Sherry!

mmmm peppermint ice cream sounds so good right now...especially since its 75 outside right now.

You're welcome! Of course, I could be totally wrong and we'll find out that DLR's holiday season will officially kick off at some totally unexpected time (after the Half Marathon)...but I don't think so. Again, the marathon could somehow affect the schedule of certain activities and perhaps when certain decorations go up (depending on what the course/route is), but hopefully not. Hopefully it won't affect anything.

In typical SoCal fashion we are now getting a delayed winter out here. It's been winter for more than 2 months now, and for the last few weeks, basically, it has been springy/summery weather. We've had a lot of days in the 80s and upper 70s. Apparently, starting tomorrow, rain will kick in. From what the weather people say, the rain won't be too substantial tomorrow or early Thursday, but the "real" rainy fun will come on Thursday night and last through Saturday. One weather person said that this will be the "most rain we've seen in years." I'll believe it when I see it.

In a weird, twisted, warped way, I almost sort of hope that the rain is delayed and that it pours on Sunday. I think it would be amusing to see all of the celebrities arriving on the Academy Awards red carpet, trying to look glamorous under umbrellas and coats.

 

[WestMom2two]

So I am a worrier and a planner, bad combo right!? With the latest announcement of the Avenger hero race how do you think it will affect crowd levels for the following week, Monday 17th and on. We planned on doing that Monday-Wednesday but I honestly feel like changing dates if crowd levels will soar. How have previous races affected crowd levels for the Monday after.

I was thinking of moving to the First week of December now and even considering doing October, again, but I would really like to see Christmas at Disney.

 

[Sherry E]

So I am a worrier and a planner, bad combo right!? With the latest announcement of the Avenger hero race how do you think it will affect crowd levels for the following week, Monday 17th and on. We planned on doing that Monday-Wednesday but I honestly feel like changing dates if crowd levels will soar. How have previous races affected crowd levels for the Monday after.

I was thinking of moving to the First week of December now and even considering doing October, again, but I would really like to see Christmas at Disney.

WestMom2two -

If I were to guess I would think that a lot of people will clear out after 11/17...but I also think that a lot of people who are there for the event will stay on and enjoy the parks after the Half Marathon is over because they will expect that week to be less crowded. It's even possible that certain folks who would ordinarily be going to DLR during other points in the holiday season (like later in November or in December) will move their trips to that weekend so they can participate in the Avengers Half Marathon.

I don't know if it will be insanely crowded (like peak crowds) -- it's hard to tell because this Half Marathon event is new to the holiday season at DLR -- but I think it will be more crowded than it would have been if there were not a Half Marathon happening.

I am a fan of the first and second weeks in December, even though it was a bit more crowded last year than it had been in recent years. I don't think you'd be unhappy going during that time frame if you end up switching, and you'd be sure to get the full Disneyland Resort holiday experience (Santa at the 3 hotels, carolers, etc.), but your November dates will probably be okay.

I don't know if that was much help, but those are my random thoughts!

 

[ACDSNY]

I'm in the same boat WestMom2two, we're scheduled for Nov. 16-20th.

 

[tksbaskets]

I'm jelous that many of you have planned your Christmas trips alread!

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm also jealous that people can plan that far out. I was dying to take advantage of that 20% off Orbitz/Ebates deal, but it makes you put in dates. I could change dates half a dozen times between now and then based on things that come up at school.

I had been considering one of the weeks around the Avengers half marathon. But after fighting the crowds of Candlelight Processional weekend last year, I really don't want to take any chances. So back to the drawing board.

 

[kirstie101]

As for the Avengers Half and crowd levels, I'm sure some runners and their families will stay and enjoy the parks the week after the half, and the week before as well. But I really think the majority of the race crowds will be heading out Monday and Tuesday. Actually there are even some people on FB talking about flying out on Sunday after the race to make another race in Vegas that night! Crazy!
I know we will be leaving Monday. We'll stop in DL for breakfast that day but thats all.

 

[julesann]

I've been peeking in on this thread and now that I just got back TODAY from a wonderful 4 day Dapper Day stay at the GCH, it is soooo comforting to realize I am now planning an early December trip for a family reunion to celebrate my brother's 50th birthday!! I look forward to sharing the planning with y'all

 

[Sherry E]

I've been peeking in on this thread and now that I just got back TODAY from a wonderful 4 day Dapper Day stay at the GCH, it is soooo comforting to realize I am now planning an early December trip for a family reunion to celebrate my brother's 50th birthday!! I look forward to sharing the planning with y'all

Welcome, julesann!

I'm so happy you joined us here! We've got a lot of fun coming up in this thread in the next few months -- specifically between late July/early August and November, when we kick off the annual Theme Week Countdown photo bonanza (with a couple of Disney gift card giveaways). Until then, we are just hanging out, discussing plans, asking/answering questions, waiting for breaking news about the upcoming holiday season, etc. (I also have to add/revise a bunch of stuff on page 1 of the thread.)

Will you be staying at the GCH again in December? If not, be sure to swing by the GCH lobby to enjoy the wonderful holiday atmosphere, Santa and carolers. You will also find rustic reindeer figures stationed around the front drive-up entrance to the GCH.

While I did enjoy my trips to DLR on the weekend immediately before Christmas in the past (before it became way too crowded for my liking), my new favorite time to go is early December. I will usually go for one day in November too, just to check on what's new for the season, take photos and report back to this Superthread (a "fact-finding mission," I guess you could say). But December is my favorite time. It just feels so much more Christmasy and more festive to me, not to mention the fact that there are a few little things here and there that don't even come out until after Thanksgiving, such as certain merchandise, certain food items in the restaurants, certain decorations, certain music loops around the whole Resort, etc.

I hope you enjoy your early December visit too! It sounds like the family reunion and 50th birthday of your brother are the perfect reasons to celebrate!