Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread #4

[DisneyJamieCA]

Hi, Jamie! Figment_jii mentioned it in the Halloween Superthread, but it hadn't been mentioned here in this thread yet (and some people don't follow both threads, or other threads, so it's definitely good to have the info posted here too!). Thank you! Aren't the #GetHappier folks supposed to be out again today (in an unknown location) with more surprises? It seems like I read a comment that said they would be back out today. (They have to make up for the lack of surprises on the previous 2 Mondays!) I was saying in the Halloween thread that this promo is like a hybrid/combo of Year of a Million Dreams and Limited Time Magic. There will be times when CMs are out in the parks, handing out surprises, like in the case of YOMD in 2007 and 2008. And then there will be times when the Parks Blog makes an "announcement" of some kind, as they did for LTM, about some sort of limited, random event that is coming up (like a Halloween thing or a holiday thing). #GetHappier should instead be called "Summer of a Million Limited Time Surprises"!

I just hope there is something in parks next Monday when I'm there! Although I'd need somebody to text me since I don't check FB that often when I'm in the parks! I would also take some Halloween or Holidaytime announcements

 

[Sherry E]

I just hope there is something in parks next Monday when I'm there! Although I'd need somebody to text me since I don't check FB that often when I'm in the parks! I would also take some Halloween or Holidaytime announcements

Jamie --

Do you have a Twitter account? I was just saying to Crystal in the Halloween thread that if she can get her phone to accept alerts from Facebook when either the Disneyland page or Disneyland Today page have posted new updates, she wouldn't necessarily need Twitter (I think the same info will be posted on both Facebook and Twitter for either Disneyland or Disneyland Today).

If she/you can't get the Facebook alerts to work, then Twitter will definitely send your phone an alert if you sign up and follow Disneyland and Disneyland Today and you elect to get the alerts sent to your phone.

The surprise next Monday could be on the Parks Blog, but chances are that one would be more of an announcement of an upcoming event. If you can fix your phone to get updates from the Parks Blog too, it wouldn't hurt!

 

[kylie71]

Hi Sherry, I am here!!
As usual this is an Amazing thread! I will not make it to DLR this holiday season, because we are going to Maui in Sept, but I will be back at DLR for Thanksgiving 2015!
I will make sure to hang out here, and live through you all! I LOVE Christmas time in the parks, and I will miss it terribly!

I am interested to know if they start having the Christmas parties either this year or next, and of course HOPE they will not. I do not want to have to pay to watch the Very Merry Christmas Parade!! So, we will see, I guess!

Have a great day!!

--Lori

 

[rentayenta]

I did Sherry. I was hoping for some online fun but the park stuff looked great too. I'm @jenny_sheets on Twitter. @DisneylandToday is really fun to follow.

 

[Sherry E]

Hi Sherry, I am here!!
As usual this is an Amazing thread! I will not make it to DLR this holiday season, because we are going to Maui in Sept, but I will be back at DLR for Thanksgiving 2015!
I will make sure to hang out here, and live through you all! I LOVE Christmas time in the parks, and I will miss it terribly!

I am interested to know if they start having the Christmas parties either this year or next, and of course HOPE they will not. I do not want to have to pay to watch the Very Merry Christmas Parade!! So, we will see, I guess!

Have a great day!!

--Lori

Welcome aboard, Lori! Thank you for the kind words!

I'm glad you made it here and joined in! I wanted to be sure you knew way in advance that the Theme Week Countdown was coming up on 7/21 because I know you have a lot of photos to share! I am starting it about 2 weeks earlier than usual this year, just to accommodate all 22 of the themes (14 of which will be weekly; 7 of which will be daily mini-themes; and the final theme will be a version of Holiday Cornucopia), and also to time it so that we end in early November, which will hopefully be 7-11 days before the season officially starts at DLR.

Aside from the Countdown, though, we need as many people as possible to jump in and answer questions, share advice, experiences and feedback for the newcomers here (whether they are lurking or participating), or for anyone who needs assistance! So please feel free to jump in and tackle questions if you know the answers!

I really didn't think we would be seeing a Christmas party rear its head until after the 60th anniversary of DL was behind us. Certain Cast Members I talked to last year also didn't think there would be a party any time in the near future, if ever, and they all thought the Halloween parties made more sense for DL.

When Escape2Disney reported here what she was recently told by someone in the travel industry -- which is that DLR is supposedly having a Christmas party this year, like the one at WDW, and that tickets would go on sale soon -- immediately I thought that the person who told Escape got the Halloween party confused with a Christmas party, and the info was mixed up.

And then... the Disney Parks Blog announced the #GetHappier/Monday Summer Surprise thing, which will include a surprise every Monday through Labor Day, sometimes in the parks and sometimes online. I think that some of the "surprises" will come via the Parks Blog, as they announce various limited time events that will take place. For example, I am expecting that one of their "surprises" will be something Halloween Time-related -- either an announcement of Halloween party dates, or of a new event taking place during Halloween Time, etc.

If there were going to be a Christmas party or some sort of brand new holiday season "event," I can picture that being announced as a "surprise" on the Parks Blog too, probably by August.

Seeing that Disney is doing another Villains event at WDW this year makes me wonder if they are, indeed, planning to have one at DLR too (especially since they are making the Villains more and more exclusive over time). If so, it would be a one-night event.

I am thinking that DLR might be planning to "test the waters" as to how a Christmas party would do and have something for one or two nights. The thing is, like the Villains event at WDW which promises "rare" Villains, DLR would have to have something exclusive or "rare" in their Christmas event. They could, possibly remove the Christmas Fantasy Parade from the regular roster of holiday fare and stick it in a hard ticket party, though that seems like a weak idea because it's such an old parade.

I think (it's a rumor, but likely) that there is going to be some sort of new "nighttime" parade coming to DLR in 2015, in time for the 60th anniversary, and I would bet money I don't have that DLR will decide to skip the Christmas parade next year, in favor of running the new nighttime parade -- at least for part of the holiday season, if not all of it. Maybe the new nighttime parade will even have a holiday float or two added in.

So, adding in a new nighttime parade to the mix in 2015 (if it comes to fruition) changes the game a bit! Disney could announce something this year (2014) such as, "See the beloved Christmas Fantasy Parade for the last time!" And they could have special "party nights" devoted to the final viewings of the parade (this is all hypothetical, of course). Or, in 2015 they could run a new nighttime parade every night, except for on select "party" nights when the Christmas Fantasy Parade would run.

In other words, I think the only real way to make the existing Christmas Fantasy Parade a true selling point of a Christmas party is to make it more exclusive or unattainable somehow. If they make it seem like it is going away, people will flock to see it.

But...personally, I'd prefer to not have to pay extra for the holiday magic that has already been in the parks during the holiday season for years (even if it goes away at some point). I'd rather have something brand new, available nowhere else outside of the party, if I am going to buy a party ticket.

If a party were held in DL, it would also hold Haunted Mansion Holiday, Jingle Cruise and It's a Small World Holiday hostage on party nights, so people wouldn't even be able to ride those on party nights without paying more money. And what would be the alternative? Winter Dreams in DCA? That's not enough, in my book!

I did Sherry. I was hoping for some online fun but the park stuff looked great too. I'm @jenny_sheets on Twitter. @DisneylandToday is really fun to follow.

Jenny --

I knew it was you because I recognized you in your picture, and because you had mentioned your name in your TR at one point!

I think we will eventually get some online announcements, but we won't know in advance if the "surprises" will pop up on the Parks Blog or in the parks. We won't find out until the actual day.

And I also think that, at some point, some of the in-park giveaways might be "bigger" too -- in other words, a little better than the ears they were handing out yesterday! I don't know what would be given out, but it could be something interesting.

I don't even have a Twitter account. I just peek in on it to see what is happening. I have a longstanding Facebook account, with a lot of photos loaded on it, but I am now trying to gradually move away from that Facebook page and into a new one. I created another Facebook page, which will eventually replace my existing one, but have not yet added any friends (or any photos, or anything else) to it! I have to move all of my current "Disney friends" from the existing page over to the new one, and then add in anyone else I'm going to add.

 

[Sherry E]

I forgot to mention earlier, too -- in the Halloween at DLR Superthread I have ranted in the past about incorrect info flying around the Internet. I have seen comments and supposed "information" posted on all sorts of sites that is flat out untrue, or incomplete, or inaccurate.

One person told someone else (on one Facebook page or another) that Club 33 was either closing down (for good) or relocating -- both of which are absolutely untrue. It is expanding! There is a big difference!

Another time I saw a comment online made by an excited Halloween Time/Mickey's Halloween Party visitor who said that "All the rides are Halloween themed and a must to see" -- also absolutely untrue (the only rides that are Halloween-themed are Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy and Haunted Mansion Holiday, and HMH hangs around through the entire holiday season, too, so it is not specific to Halloween Time)!!!

There was also a girl who told someone, somewhere, on the Halloween Time Facebook page that Disneyland didn't decorate for Halloween, but more just decorated for the Halloween Party. And again... not true! While Disneyland lacks Halloween décor in many areas (in comparison with the immersive holiday season), there are most certainly decorations in Disneyland "for Halloween," for Halloween Time, for Fall, for the MHP, all of it!

I got to thinking that people -- while very well-meaning and truly wanting to be helpful -- probably don't pay very close attention when they read things or hear things, and that's how information gets skewed and distorted in the process. The people who misheard, misread or otherwise misunderstood information they obtained, then pass it along to other people -- and claim it to be fact.




Anyway, I guess my point in all of this ranting is that you have to be very careful of the sources from which you learn info anywhere online -- and that includes any Holiday Season information!! There are many people out there who will freely pass on information that they "thought" they heard/read and claim it as fact, or they will interpret something they read as fact, even if it is unofficial. Some people will take rumors they read/heard and state that those things are happening.

Here, in this Superthread -- where we discuss and break down any rumors, news, details, speculation, etc., about the Holiday Season as it comes in -- I am very careful to always clarify whether something is official, unofficial, confirmed, unconfirmed, whether or not it comes from an actual official Disney source, etc. I -- and others in this thread -- will state if something is definite, or just "likely" to happen based on previous years. I think it's always important to make that clear, because we don't want people unknowingly planning around a rumor or something that hasn't been made official, if some particular date/event/detail makes a huge difference to them.

Even after info has been released in an official capacity, by Disney, it could still change or be incomplete -- but at least that goof or oversight is on Disney and not on us!

 

[Cheshirecatty]

Sherry….

I don't consider it a "rant" at all!

I personally, really appreciate the time and effort you put into combing through all posts, to make sure that they have been clarified, and are accurate!

I have taken "advice" and "tips" from friends and others before, only to get to the Resort, and find them to be completely wrong, which has then caused us unnecessary frustration and stress!

Thank you for helping all of us to avoid---hopefully---experiences like that in the future!!!!!

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry….

I don't consider it a "rant" at all!

I personally, really appreciate the time and effort you put into combing through all posts, to make sure that they have been clarified, and are accurate!

I have taken "advice" and "tips" from friends and others before, only to get to the Resort, and find them to be completely wrong, which has then caused us unnecessary frustration and stress!

Thank you for helping all of us avoid experiences like that in the future!!!!!

Thank you for the kind words, Cheshirecatty -- and I'm not even just referring to myself. I think that any of us here -- who have some sort of grasp of and experience with how the holiday season works (or Halloween Time, or whatever time), and know what to realistically expect of the rumors that come out, will make it known that such-and-such is not official or confirmed or whatever.

I tend to wonder if the people I have seen dispensing incorrect info online are people who maybe visited DLR many years ago, and haven't really kept tabs on the latest official news, but they read snippets of things and think they have the whole story.

Or, people just go by what it "seems" (like the guy who was telling someone on Yelp that all of the rides at DL are Halloween-themed) to them. If someone who is new to DL hits two rides that have a Halloween theme, maybe to that person it seems like "all" of the rides are themed that way! The only problem is when that guy then tells other people online that bit of false info, and that person may plan a trip under the assumption that all of the rides will be Halloween-themed! Can you imagine telling a little child, "All of the rides at Disneyland have a Halloween theme," only to get there and the child realizes that there is no Halloween theme on IASW or on Peter Pan or whatever? Yikes.

I think that, sadly, there is a lot of info floating around out there in cyberspace that is completely and totally wrong!

 

[HappyHaunts999]

I just want to say thanks for all the great info here. We have not been to Disneyland in 13 years and I am thinking about a trip for Christmas. We have been to WDW the past 2 years for Christmas. I have only just begun to start reading and I am sure that I will get great help here. Thanks

 

[Sherry E]

I just want to say thanks for all the great info here. We have not been to Disneyland in 13 years and I am thinking about a trip for Christmas. We have been to WDW the past 2 years for Christmas. I have only just begun to start reading and I am sure that I will get great help here. Thanks

Welcome aboard, HappyHaunts999!

Thank you for joining us! We will all help as much as we can! I have not experienced WDW for the holidays as of yet, but from all that I have seen it is quite a bit different than the Holidays at DLR -- mainly because of the overall scope and size of WDW, I think. But Disneyland Resort does the holidays quite nicely too, and I hope you will enjoy it if you go!

I still have to finish tweaking and adding to the last 2-1/2 designated information posts on page 1, but the bulk of the info is there.

It seems as though last year there were a lot of WDW holiday vets embarking on their first DLR holiday trips. Janet/mom2rtk was one of them (she's currently got a TR in progress - Here), and I think she might be going back to DLR for the holidays again this year.

When you mentioned not visiting Disneyland in 13 years, it also made me think of DIS'er deejdigsdis, who made a grand return to DLR for the holidays of 2009, after a 13-year break! Here is her TR.

 

[HappyHaunts999]

I will check out the TR for sure. We do WDW at a slow pace having been many times. At Christmas we do the Candlelight Proccesion and enjoy all the decorations. Last year we stayed at AKL and one night they had a bell choir perform. It was sooo beautifull.

 

[Sherry E]

I will check out the TR for sure. We do WDW at a slow pace having been many times. At Christmas we do the Candlelight Proccesion and enjoy all the decorations. Last year we stayed at AKL and one night they had a bell choir perform. It was sooo beautifull.

HappyHaunts999 --

I am a slower-paced kind of person at DLR too. Of course, it wasn't always that way. I used to need to squeeze in as much as possible in my trips, but during the holidays I feel there is so much to see/hear/smell/taste and I just like to soak it all in.

Does AKL still have the fun, "edible" holiday display somewhere in the lobby? Isn't it made of marzipan, gingerbread and other ingredients like that? I know that a lot of the WDW hotels have those fantastic, elaborate displays for the holidays, and that is one thing we are sorely missing out at DLR.

You will find a small, rather generic gingerbread house inside Storytellers Café at the Grand Californian Hotel -- although, if it is freshly made, the smell wafting around the waiting area of the restaurant is amazing.

You will find an even smaller gingerbread house in White Water Snacks in the GCH.

There is also a scaled-down gingerbread (which I suspect might be faux gingerbread) model of the Cozy Cone in the Cozy Cone office in Cars Land (which you will see more of after the Theme Week Countdown begins next month). I thought it was made of real gingerbread in 2012, but when I saw it again in 2013 I wondered if it might not be real.

In 2012 there was also a gingerbread Mater in Flo's in Cars Land, as well as a Snow White-themed gingerbread cottage in the Carthay Circle Restaurant on Buena Vista Street. In 2013, however, those creations were nowhere to be found.

Our Disneyland Hotel had a giant, very obviously fake, gingerbread Castle in the lobby of the Fantasy Tower last year, and there was a piped in gingerbread smell in the air around it!

Yes... we desperately need some of those awesome WDW hotel creations for our holidays!

As for Candlelight -- I had never even seen the Disneyland version of it until 2012, when it ran for a whopping 20 nights (2 performances per night) in December. I managed to get good seats for it on a couple of nights and I fell in love. I became an instant fan! I adore Christmas music anyway, and the Town Square location was just enchanting. The whole Ceremony was so beautiful and moving, and a perfect way to celebrate the season. I'd love to see the WDW version of it too.

Last year, Disneyland reverted to the traditional 2-night schedule for Candlelight (on the first full weekend in December), and I am guessing that is what it will be again this year. I don't know if your trip would fall around early December or later in December, but if you're there on 12/6 and 12/7 you would probably be able to catch Candlelight.

 

[HappyHaunts999]

AKL does not have an edible display. In the lobby they have special treats for sale. Last year they had a chocolate fondue with cake and fruit. The chocolate was in an edible white chocolate cup. They also had a very rich hot chocolate that was amazing. I am hoping to go Christmas week but not sure if my DH can get off that week. Also wait to get my DD schedule.

 

[u2pixi]

Hi everyone,
I'm following along again and am looking forward to being able to take part in the photo countdown! No trip planned for me this year but next December I am going to take my mum for her first visit- I think the only thing better than Disneyland is Disneyland all decorated for the holidays so I'm really looking forward to taking her.

I have been meaning to chime in About Christmas in July from the other day, here in Australia Christmas is in the middle of Summer so it is usually really really hot. People celebrate Christmas in July in order to enjoy the hot cooked meals (we often have a BBQ or seafood for Christmas lunch), mulled wine and all that good stuff! Also there a lot of people from UK origin living here so those traditions often fit better with the cooler weather.
It's not a huge celebration but you can usually find restaurants or parties somewhere.

Have a great day everyone,

Amy

 

[kylie71]

Sherry,
I hope your thoughts are all correct regarding the Christmas Parties, and if they ever come to DLR!
I wish it we're possible to bring back the Mainstreet Electrical Parade, and maybe put a Christmas spin on it......... Now I would pay to see that!!
Just a thought...

I have very similar DLR touring habits as you, we go at rope drop, ride our faves, have a nice breakfast or lunch, sit on a bench, people watch with a coffee, or a treat, takes pics, wander, listen to the music, shop...
Its just about the sights and sounds, and soaking in the magic... DLR has my heart since I was 3 years old, it draws me back year after year... after YEAR!



Have a Magical day, lol!

Lori

 

[Sherry E]

Well, I tried to avoid it. I tried to keep it away. I tried to pretend it wasn't happening. And yet, despite all my efforts, it is here. It has arrived.

The first day of summer.

Now for many of you out there, summer is a time of joy, of playfulness, of frolicking in the sand, of lazy afternoons by a pool, of picnics in the park... For me, it means 3 months of potential heat-related illness, soaring temperatures and misery!

While watching the Saturday version of The Today Show this morning, the host was giving out some "fun facts" about summer: 1) Today there will be 5 extra seconds of sunlight; 2) Starting tomorrow (June 22), the days begin to ever-so-slowly get shorter, a tiny bit at a time, as we creep towards fall, even though it seems like daylight lasts forever during summer; and 3) Because the sun takes time to "warm up" like an oven warms up, the heat apparently doesn't begin today (tell that to the 82-degree weather we are having in SoCal today ) but it reaches its peak in July (not for every single state -- it gets hotter where I am in August and even September -- but on average, around the U.S.).

Anyway, the good news in all of that is that the days begin to get shorter, ever-so-slowly, starting tomorrow!

And... we have one more month until the Theme Week Countdown begins in this thread on July 21st; three more long, hot months until fall; 19 weeks until the Hallmark Channel's Countdown to Christmas begins; and roughly 20 weeks until Holiday Merriment at Disneyland Resort kicks in (even in an unofficial sense)!

Twenty weeks doesn't sound too bad or too long to wait at all, does it?

What I love most about summer is that it paves the way to fall!!!

​

AKL does not have an edible display. In the lobby they have special treats for sale. Last year they had a chocolate fondue with cake and fruit. The chocolate was in an edible white chocolate cup. They also had a very rich hot chocolate that was amazing. I am hoping to go Christmas week but not sure if my DH can get off that week. Also wait to get my DD schedule.

HappyHaunts999 --

Oh wow. I always thought AKL was one of the hotels at WDW that had one of those elaborate edible scenes/displays in the lobby, with the various marzipan figures. I guess not!

I wonder if the rich hot chocolate you had at AKL is similar to the kind that is served at Club 33 and at Napa Rose at DLR. It's on the thick side, but very tasty.

Hi everyone,
I'm following along again and am looking forward to being able to take part in the photo countdown! No trip planned for me this year but next December I am going to take my mum for her first visit- I think the only thing better than Disneyland is Disneyland all decorated for the holidays so I'm really looking forward to taking her.

I have been meaning to chime in About Christmas in July from the other day, here in Australia Christmas is in the middle of Summer so it is usually really really hot. People celebrate Christmas in July in order to enjoy the hot cooked meals (we often have a BBQ or seafood for Christmas lunch), mulled wine and all that good stuff! Also there a lot of people from UK origin living here so those traditions often fit better with the cooler weather.
It's not a huge celebration but you can usually find restaurants or parties somewhere.

Have a great day everyone,

Amy

Hello and welcome back, Amy!

I'm so glad you are going to be joining in for the Theme Week Countdown this year!

I couldn't agree with you more -- prior to discovering the holidays at Disneyland, I was already sold on Disneyland! It was already the best place to be. Adding in the seasonal decorations all over the Resort just makes it so much better!! It's like a blanket of holiday magic covers all of DLR during November and especially December!

I'm glad you spoke up about Christmas in July! That makes a lot of sense. Your weather on December 25th probably does not feel very Christmasy at all. So any kind of Christmas in July celebration during a month when it is actually winter is the time to eat all of the warm, comfort foods (a BBQ sounds great!), bundle up and drink cocoa (and mulled wine!)!! I'd be doing the same thing.

Sherry,
I hope your thoughts are all correct regarding the Christmas Parties, and if they ever come to DLR!
I wish it we're possible to bring back the Mainstreet Electrical Parade, and maybe put a Christmas spin on it......... Now I would pay to see that!!
Just a thought...

I have very similar DLR touring habits as you, we go at rope drop, ride our faves, have a nice breakfast or lunch, sit on a bench, people watch with a coffee, or a treat, takes pics, wander, listen to the music, shop...
Its just about the sights and sounds, and soaking in the magic... DLR has my heart since I was 3 years old, it draws me back year after year... after YEAR!



Have a Magical day, lol!

Lori

Lori --

An Electrical Parade with a Christmas spin would be awesome -- and the lights in the parade already kind of lend themselves to the idea of Christmas lights! It would be nice if it ever happened.

Exactly! It's all about soaking in the magic and taking it all in for me -- especially during the holiday season! On my trips there is a lot of bench sitting and people watching, in between the frantic picture-taking and strolling through the shops! There is so much to take in, all around DLR, that it's almost impossible to do everything and see everything. Then again, that's the reason to keep going back year after year, as you said!

In my younger years I was rushing around, trying to squeeze in as many rides during the day as possible, but now I have a totally different way of enjoying the parks and appreciating all of the "other" stuff that is there, in addition to the rides and attractions.

 

[KCmike]

Sorry Sherry that Summer brings so many miseries for you but I am oh so ready for summer. I like that the sun is out till at least 9pm and the days seem longer. My wife and I took a walk at a local park yesterday and while it was a bit warm in the evening it was nice to take it all in. Now with all that being said I am ready for some themed countdowns!

So no swimming pool fun for you in the summer??

 

[rentayenta]

Awww Sherry, I live for summer. Honestly, the summer is what gets me through winter.

That being said, 171 days until Disneyland and it can't come soon enough.

 

[mom2rtk]

Sherry, I'm not a big fan of summer either, except that at least I get my son home again.

At least Olaf loves the season.

And remember, the only way back to Christmas..... is through summer.

 

[Sherry E]

Sorry Sherry that Summer brings so many miseries for you but I am oh so ready for summer. I like that the sun is out till at least 9pm and the days seem longer. My wife and I took a walk at a local park yesterday and while it was a bit warm in the evening it was nice to take it all in. Now with all that being said I am ready for some themed countdowns!

So no swimming pool fun for you in the summer??

Mike --

That's the funny thing about summer. As you said, it seems like the days are longer, and the sun seems to be out forever, but the days are actually slowly getting shorter! It's crazy how these seasons work!

No pool fun for me. There is no pool here where I live, but if I had access to a convenient, non-crowded one I would probably bury myself in it until September!

I should be heading back to Catalina again next month (on the day the Theme Week Countdown begins in this thread), and am only doing that in the summer because it will be a free boat ride, but it doesn't tend to cool down in Avalon and get breezy/comfortable until late afternoon. The day is just non-stop scorching sun in July.

However, I think that part of the birthday freebies on Catalina this year include the Casino tour. That tour wasn't part of the free stuff last year or in the previous years of the birthday promo. I haven't done the Casino tour since maybe 2002 or so, and the inside of the Casino is beautiful -- the ballroom is great, as is the gorgeous movie theater -- so I'm glad that was added in as a freebie! That will get me out of the sun for s short bit!

In all seriousness, though, I do enjoy many things associated with summer -- BBQs; pool parties; the beach/ocean; cookouts on the beach; picnics; fresh, ripe seasonal fruits; long walks at sunset -- all of that. That's all great stuff. I just get into trouble when we get into the really hot weather, instead of just staying in the mildly warm weather!

But, one never knows. It could be a milder summer than usual -- that happens every now and then.

Have you figured out your Santa Barbara plans for November yet?

Awww Sherry, I live for summer. Honestly, the summer is what gets me through winter.

That being said, 171 days until Disneyland and it can't come soon enough.

Jenny --

Well, you also have extreme winters, where you see nothing but snow for long chunks of time. So it's understandable that you would want something other than what you have been getting. I, on the other hand, am used to warm weather much of the time out here in SoCal (it was over 100 degrees just last month!), and when it gets even warmer or seriously hot, I get ill! I want a nice, reasonable 70-degree day (or even 75 degrees) -- warm enough for people who enjoy doing outdoorsy things, and mild enough for those of us who hate really hot weather! Has Mother Nature not heard of the word "compromise"?

When your trip countdown is broken down into days, it really doesn't sound like it's all that far away -- 171 days sounds much better than 'just under 6 months' or whatever!!

Sherry, I'm not a big fan of summer either, except that at least I get my son home again.

At least Olaf loves the season.

And remember, the only way back to Christmas..... is through summer.

Janet --

Oh, well, that is a HUGE reason to be excited for summer -- being able to see your son! I know how sad you were when he went off to college, so it will be wonderful for you to see him! I'm very happy for you!

Yes, Olaf loves the season -- and I must admit that, despite the crazy heat that tends to linger at DLR (all of that pavement soaks up the sun), I am curious to see the Olaf sculpture (the Olaf "sandman") that I think is somewhere in the Esplanade. I saw it in photos and would like to see it in person. I don't know if it's still in the Esplanade, but that's where it was for the 24-hour event.

Olaf will undoubtedly make another appearance for Halloween Time, when he is created out of pumpkins at the Halloween Carnival! Olaf is everywhere these days!

You're absolutely right -- the only way back to Christmas, or even just autumn/Halloween, is to plow right through summer! There's no other way to get to fun that awaits on the other side without enduring summer!