Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread #4
- Thread starter Sherry E
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dhorner233
Disneyophile
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mom2rtk
Invented the term "Characterpalooza"
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Misskitty3
DIS Veteran
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All of these photos are really making me excited for our trip 
. I am looking forward to hearing when the actual season will begin. Maybe we will here something Monday or Tuesday?
What is it like when the Christmas parade is filmed? Are there extra special elements for the parade? Celebrities? Is it more crowded?
Thank you Sherri for organizing this really amazing thread and to everyone for sharing your trips with us.
. I am looking forward to hearing when the actual season will begin. Maybe we will here something Monday or Tuesday?What is it like when the Christmas parade is filmed? Are there extra special elements for the parade? Celebrities? Is it more crowded?
Thank you Sherri for organizing this really amazing thread and to everyone for sharing your trips with us.
rentayenta
DIS Legend
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- Feb 28, 2007
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- 27,424
I am loving everyone's photos. 
Sherry E
Currently tag-less...
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Luisa and Denise have each gained another entry into the random draw for their fantastic photo contributions! I would include Amy too, but I don't think she wants to be entered. 
In any case, Amy, thank you for sharing your lovely photos with us! I can't wait to see more!
Janet -- Amazing fireworks shots!
Misskitty3 --
You're very welcome! I'm so glad that people seem to be enjoying it, and (the ones who are new to DLR's holiday season) are finding the thread informative/helpful. The fun has just begun!
Hopefully you will be able to post something in the new (3rd) theme, which starts in 2 days!
When the Christmas parade is filmed, I have heard that it does get more crowded (lots of people want to be on camera), and there are a few celebrities who appear (not anyone really, really major, but some) and tape segments for the parade.
I am hopeful that we will at least get a nice confirmation of a holiday season start and end date very soon. The Halloween Time season start date (which is September 12th) was announced/confirmed in early July, even though we already suspected that would be the date for months prior. That was only about a 2-1/2 month warning.
The official "Holidays at Disneyland Resort" dates are more of a mystery this year, as it is hard to tell if they will go with 11/10, 11/12 or 11/14 as the "official" start date (though I am still leaning towards 11/14).
Even though Halloween Time is a very popular season at DLR, and it seems to be growing in popularity every year, I still feel that the Holiday season at DLR is a 'bigger deal' in general, probably requiring more involved trips, more activities, more schedules and plans, lengthier trips, etc. So it would stand to reason that the Disney Parks Blog should announce the official start date at least a good 3 months in advance...meaning at least by mid-August, at the latest.
August is a strange month in terms of Disneyland's seasons, however. It's kind of like "seasonal information gridlock," in a way. Their summer season is officially over at the end of this month, even if the "real" summer season doesn't end until next month (thank the heavens for that!
). Haunted Mansion will be closing before August is over, to receive its detailed Haunted Mansion Holiday makeover.
Within the month of August, we will see the winding down of summer at DLR, with any final Blogs or articles promoting the last vestiges of sun-drenched fun. We will also see a slight ramping up of the Fall/Halloween Time-specific Blogs or articles, to get everyone excited for what is in store for guests as of September 12th. And, we should see the initial signs of Holiday season info begin to trickle in, especially if there is anything new or major to reveal (just as the 20-night Candlelight Ceremony was announced in August of 2012).
Also, there is so much going on at DLR right now, with the whole Get Happier/Monday surprise deal, the Legends of Frontierland game, the whole Adventure Trading Company/Juju thing in Adventureland, the various events that have been popping up in Downtown Disney, etc. It's been a very busy summer season so far, starting with that 24-hour event in May and also including DL's 59th birthday! I can see why they didn't do a Christmas in July thing this year -- there are too many other things happening around DLR.
Like summer, the Holidays are also considered to be peak season at DLR, so I hope that there are some fun surprises in store for all of us this year, and that they are announced soon!! Why do I have a feeling that there are going to be more themed, interactive games and experiences coming our way (like the Frontierland and Adventureland concepts)? I think that a New Orleans Square experience would be awesome for Halloween Time, and a Buena Vista Street experience would be great for the Holidays, but we'll see...
Remember -- a new Theme Week begins in 2 days (Mon., 8/4/14)!!!!
Just as a bit of backstory on the Countdown and how it all works (in my mind!
) -- I started the Countdown a couple of weeks earlier this year than I did last year, and I wasn't sure how many people would join in and participate at first (due to being busy with summer fun and all of that). Prior to last year I started the Countdown a bit later in August.
We now have 20 more themes to go in this Countdown -- and 7 of them will be mini-daily themes happening in the home stretch (end of October/first 2 days of November). I know what all of the upcoming 20 themes are going to be, of course, and I already have two dates/weeks chosen for particular themes ("Holiday Cornucopia/These Are a Few of My Favorite Things" on Monday, 11/3/14 and ... something else! ). But I have to assign the other 18 themes to specific dates! It's harder to decide than it appears!
To let everyone into my "process" for a minute (a.k.a. into my mad scientist lab!
).... I have reasons for selecting certain themes to go with certain days or weeks each year, or sometimes I like to line themes up in a certain order for a month or so, so that no one will be repeating photos within a short time span. Repeating photos within the whole span of the Countdown is perfectly okay, but I feel that people will be less inclined to want to repeat the pictures if they just posted them for a different theme one week ago, so there needs to be some elapsed time/separation in between some of the themes.
And then, as the Theme Week Countdown rolls along, I start thinking that I don't like certain themes on certain days, and I switch them around to an order that makes more sense. For example, I thought I had an idea of which theme I wanted to use for the week starting Monday, October 20th. I started thinking about it more and realized I will need to change the theme designated for 10/20 to something else, which means that the theme I had scheduled for 10/20 will have to be worked in somewhere else in the Countdown and the order of themes will have to change once again.
In any case, at this moment I am deciding between 3 different themes for this coming Monday, 8/4/14. I thought I had it narrowed down to the one I wanted, but then I started to rethink it again! I have to select my own photos for the themes as well, so I have to pick a theme for Monday and stick to it!
The previous two themes did not require too much effort from me because I had very few parade pictures, fireworks pictures or even PhotoPass-Santa-Character photos that I liked, and/or that were brand new. As we get deeper into the Theme Weeks, my own photo selection becomes more abundant (and the pictures I will have are, quite frankly, much better than the ones that I have shared for the past 2 theme weeks!), and I have to decide on which ones I want to use to introduce the themes (not to mention dealing with the text/information in the introduction, the Code Word Challenge and all of that)!
All the while -- in addition to launching a new theme each Monday -- I have to randomly pop in here and post/discuss any little bits of info that come up (like the confirmed Candlelight dates, or suggestions for other holiday things to do while people are in town to visit DLR), answer questions if need be, log/track who has posted photos for Theme Weeks so they are entered into the random draw, etc. -- and then pop over to the Halloween Time thread to do some of the same things!
You can see why I like to let the Superthreads kind of rest for a bit after the New Year! I'm usually exhausted by that time!
In any case, Amy, thank you for sharing your lovely photos with us! I can't wait to see more!
Janet -- Amazing fireworks shots!
All of these photos are really making me excited for our trip
What is it like when the Christmas parade is filmed? Are there extra special elements for the parade? Celebrities? Is it more crowded?
Thank you Sherri for organizing this really amazing thread and to everyone for sharing your trips with us.
Misskitty3 --
You're very welcome!
I'm so glad that people seem to be enjoying it, and (the ones who are new to DLR's holiday season) are finding the thread informative/helpful. The fun has just begun!Hopefully you will be able to post something in the new (3rd) theme, which starts in 2 days!
When the Christmas parade is filmed, I have heard that it does get more crowded (lots of people want to be on camera), and there are a few celebrities who appear (not anyone really, really major, but some) and tape segments for the parade.
I am hopeful that we will at least get a nice confirmation of a holiday season start and end date very soon. The Halloween Time season start date (which is September 12th) was announced/confirmed in early July, even though we already suspected that would be the date for months prior. That was only about a 2-1/2 month warning.
The official "Holidays at Disneyland Resort" dates are more of a mystery this year, as it is hard to tell if they will go with 11/10, 11/12 or 11/14 as the "official" start date (though I am still leaning towards 11/14).
Even though Halloween Time is a very popular season at DLR, and it seems to be growing in popularity every year, I still feel that the Holiday season at DLR is a 'bigger deal' in general, probably requiring more involved trips, more activities, more schedules and plans, lengthier trips, etc. So it would stand to reason that the Disney Parks Blog should announce the official start date at least a good 3 months in advance...meaning at least by mid-August, at the latest.
August is a strange month in terms of Disneyland's seasons, however. It's kind of like "seasonal information gridlock," in a way. Their summer season is officially over at the end of this month, even if the "real" summer season doesn't end until next month (thank the heavens for that!
). Haunted Mansion will be closing before August is over, to receive its detailed Haunted Mansion Holiday makeover.Within the month of August, we will see the winding down of summer at DLR, with any final Blogs or articles promoting the last vestiges of sun-drenched fun. We will also see a slight ramping up of the Fall/Halloween Time-specific Blogs or articles, to get everyone excited for what is in store for guests as of September 12th. And, we should see the initial signs of Holiday season info begin to trickle in, especially if there is anything new or major to reveal (just as the 20-night Candlelight Ceremony was announced in August of 2012).
Also, there is so much going on at DLR right now, with the whole Get Happier/Monday surprise deal, the Legends of Frontierland game, the whole Adventure Trading Company/Juju thing in Adventureland, the various events that have been popping up in Downtown Disney, etc. It's been a very busy summer season so far, starting with that 24-hour event in May and also including DL's 59th birthday! I can see why they didn't do a Christmas in July thing this year -- there are too many other things happening around DLR.
Like summer, the Holidays are also considered to be peak season at DLR, so I hope that there are some fun surprises in store for all of us this year, and that they are announced soon!! Why do I have a feeling that there are going to be more themed, interactive games and experiences coming our way (like the Frontierland and Adventureland concepts)? I think that a New Orleans Square experience would be awesome for Halloween Time, and a Buena Vista Street experience would be great for the Holidays, but we'll see...
Remember -- a new Theme Week begins in 2 days (Mon., 8/4/14)!!!!
Just as a bit of backstory on the Countdown and how it all works (in my mind!
) -- I started the Countdown a couple of weeks earlier this year than I did last year, and I wasn't sure how many people would join in and participate at first (due to being busy with summer fun and all of that). Prior to last year I started the Countdown a bit later in August.We now have 20 more themes to go in this Countdown -- and 7 of them will be mini-daily themes happening in the home stretch (end of October/first 2 days of November). I know what all of the upcoming 20 themes are going to be, of course, and I already have two dates/weeks chosen for particular themes ("Holiday Cornucopia/These Are a Few of My Favorite Things" on Monday, 11/3/14 and ... something else!
). But I have to assign the other 18 themes to specific dates! It's harder to decide than it appears! To let everyone into my "process" for a minute (a.k.a. into my mad scientist lab!
).... I have reasons for selecting certain themes to go with certain days or weeks each year, or sometimes I like to line themes up in a certain order for a month or so, so that no one will be repeating photos within a short time span. Repeating photos within the whole span of the Countdown is perfectly okay, but I feel that people will be less inclined to want to repeat the pictures if they just posted them for a different theme one week ago, so there needs to be some elapsed time/separation in between some of the themes.And then, as the Theme Week Countdown rolls along, I start thinking that I don't like certain themes on certain days, and I switch them around to an order that makes more sense. For example, I thought I had an idea of which theme I wanted to use for the week starting Monday, October 20th. I started thinking about it more and realized I will need to change the theme designated for 10/20 to something else, which means that the theme I had scheduled for 10/20 will have to be worked in somewhere else in the Countdown and the order of themes will have to change once again.
In any case, at this moment I am deciding between 3 different themes for this coming Monday, 8/4/14. I thought I had it narrowed down to the one I wanted, but then I started to rethink it again!
I have to select my own photos for the themes as well, so I have to pick a theme for Monday and stick to it! The previous two themes did not require too much effort from me because I had very few parade pictures, fireworks pictures or even PhotoPass-Santa-Character photos that I liked, and/or that were brand new. As we get deeper into the Theme Weeks, my own photo selection becomes more abundant (and the pictures I will have are, quite frankly, much better than the ones that I have shared for the past 2 theme weeks!), and I have to decide on which ones I want to use to introduce the themes (not to mention dealing with the text/information in the introduction, the Code Word Challenge and all of that)!
All the while -- in addition to launching a new theme each Monday -- I have to randomly pop in here and post/discuss any little bits of info that come up (like the confirmed Candlelight dates, or suggestions for other holiday things to do while people are in town to visit DLR), answer questions if need be, log/track who has posted photos for Theme Weeks so they are entered into the random draw, etc. -- and then pop over to the Halloween Time thread to do some of the same things!
You can see why I like to let the Superthreads kind of rest for a bit after the New Year! I'm usually exhausted by that time!
Phoenixrising
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2013
- Messages
- 454
With a little extra savings I may be turning our 2017 trip to DL into a 7 day trip to WDW instead. For this reason while I'll post pics to the various theme weeks, please take me out of the draw so that someone who's going this year can take advantage of it.
Sherry E
Currently tag-less...
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2008
- Messages
- 19,646
It's actually easier and faster to just throw all names into the box o' names from which I will draw (it's more to remember if I have to keep track of who does not want to be entered into the contest), but I'm happy to not enter anyone into the random draw at all if no one wants to win the Disney gift cards I am giving away! 
Remember that these are gift cards that can be used online, at the Disney Store, for PhotoPass, on the Disney Cruise Line, at WDW, etc. They can even be used towards the purchase of Hoppers, etc.
Also, people who win are free to give their gift cards away to someone else, if that's what they choose.
Either way, whether you want an entry into the random draw or not, any photo submissions have to be within the designated Theme Weeks or Days, and not after the deadline.
So, that said, we have a little over 12 hours left of the current Theme Week, which is "A Christmas Fantasy Parade and Believe in Holiday Magic Fireworks," so hurry and get those photos is while we have time. Tomorrow morning begins a new theme week!
Remember that these are gift cards that can be used online, at the Disney Store, for PhotoPass, on the Disney Cruise Line, at WDW, etc. They can even be used towards the purchase of Hoppers, etc.
Also, people who win are free to give their gift cards away to someone else, if that's what they choose.
Either way, whether you want an entry into the random draw or not, any photo submissions have to be within the designated Theme Weeks or Days, and not after the deadline.
So, that said, we have a little over 12 hours left of the current Theme Week, which is "A Christmas Fantasy Parade and Believe in Holiday Magic Fireworks," so hurry and get those photos is while we have time. Tomorrow morning begins a new theme week!
DisneyJamieCA
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2007
- Messages
- 8,054
I want to be entered, so if it comes down to it, you can just send it to me I'm excited to see tomorrow's theme!
I'm excited to see tomorrow's theme!
Sherry E
Currently tag-less...
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2008
- Messages
- 19,646
I want to be entered, so if it comes down to it, you can just send it to me
I have now narrowed it down to 2 themes that I am debating between!
Yesterday it was 3 themes, and then I ruled one of them out for now (though it will come up in a later week).I wish Disney would get hustlin' with at least just letting us know when everything is starting (the season, Viva Navidad, Winter Dreams, the ice rink, etc.) this year. They don't have to do a full-blown "Christmas Spectacular" Parks Blog right now, of course, but just one of their Blogs that says: "We know it's only August, but the Holidays will be here soon..."
Once again, Jamie, I think we will be in the clear if we can get through August without any dreaded "Christmas party announcements"! Let's hope! If we don't hear anything about a party by the end of the month, I think there won't be one.
mom2rtk
Invented the term "Characterpalooza"
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2008
- Messages
- 62,647
Janet -- Amazing fireworks shots!
Thanks Sherry!
Mike, LOVED the shot of your daughter watching the parade! I'm going to have to copy that this year if you don't mind!
This is my last installment in this week's theme..... daytime photos of the parade.
IMG_7609 by mom2rtk, on Flickr
IMG_7639 by mom2rtk, on Flickr
IMG_7649 by mom2rtk, on Flickr
IMG_7661 by mom2rtk, on Flickr
IMG_7676 by mom2rtk, on Flickr
IMG_7689 by mom2rtk, on Flickr
IMG_7723 by mom2rtk, on Flickr
IMG_7756 by mom2rtk, on Flickr
IMG_7768 by mom2rtk, on Flickr
IMG_7796 by mom2rtk, on Flickr
IMG_7823 by mom2rtk, on Flickr
IMG_7829 by mom2rtk, on Flickr
IMG_7847 by mom2rtk, on Flickr
IMG_7863 by mom2rtk, on Flickr
IMG_7867 by mom2rtk, on Flickr
IMG_7907 by mom2rtk, on Flickr
IMG_7947 by mom2rtk, on Flickr
IMG_7954 by mom2rtk, on Flickr
Here Comes Santa Claus by mom2rtk, on Flickr
Santa's Arrival by mom2rtk, on Flickr
tksbaskets
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2002
- Messages
- 4,457
I mentioned a while back that as I was working on a family history project I found the pictures from my first ever trip to Disneyland in December 1989. It's hard to believe these pictures were 25 years ago.
I was in Anaheim for a conference. We had one evening at Disneyland as part of the conference (I got a couple of poor quality night shots from that) and then I played hooky from the conference for an entire day and took myself to Disneyland! I remember the joy of seeing DL and remembered how fun to was to sit on Mainstreet and enjoy the Christmas parade.
I busted out the scanner this afternoon so I could get them posted for this theme week
I think it's interesting to compare elements of the decorations on Mainstreet and what has remained the same.
Some of the same include the Toy Soldiers!
Notice how much more sparse the decorations are on the Mainstreet buildings?
Snowflakes:
Our friends from the 100 Acre Woods
Loving the high wasted 80's jeans!
Snow People:
Mickey and Minnie on the snow float:
Remember what movie was so popular in 1989?? Here is a hint:
You've probably already guessed but it remains one of my all-time favorites:
Holiday dancers:
A float I didn't remember from recent years:
The princess and prince float - we hadn't met Belle and the Beast yet or many others:
The one nighttime photo that wasn't too bad:
I hope you enjoyed my blast from the past.
I was in Anaheim for a conference. We had one evening at Disneyland as part of the conference (I got a couple of poor quality night shots from that) and then I played hooky from the conference for an entire day and took myself to Disneyland! I remember the joy of seeing DL and remembered how fun to was to sit on Mainstreet and enjoy the Christmas parade.
I busted out the scanner this afternoon so I could get them posted for this theme week
I think it's interesting to compare elements of the decorations on Mainstreet and what has remained the same.
Some of the same include the Toy Soldiers!
Notice how much more sparse the decorations are on the Mainstreet buildings?
Snowflakes:
Our friends from the 100 Acre Woods
Loving the high wasted 80's jeans!
Snow People:
Mickey and Minnie on the snow float:
Remember what movie was so popular in 1989?? Here is a hint:
You've probably already guessed but it remains one of my all-time favorites:
Holiday dancers:
A float I didn't remember from recent years:
The princess and prince float - we hadn't met Belle and the Beast yet or many others:
The one nighttime photo that wasn't too bad:
I hope you enjoyed my blast from the past.
mom2rtk
Invented the term "Characterpalooza"
- Joined
- Aug 23, 2008
- Messages
- 62,647
tksbaskets, What an awesome memory! Thanks so much for sharing your photos from the way back machine! 
I love that Little Mermaid float. And I love that there are so many elements of the parade still the same.
I am a little bummed though that Mickey and Minnie's float hasn't changed in all that time. That has dashed all my hopes it might change for this year!
I loved that it's an ice rink, but just thought it was too hard to see them up there.
I love that Little Mermaid float. And I love that there are so many elements of the parade still the same.I am a little bummed though that Mickey and Minnie's float hasn't changed in all that time. That has dashed all my hopes it might change for this year!
I loved that it's an ice rink, but just thought it was too hard to see them up there.
Sherry E
Currently tag-less...
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2008
- Messages
- 19,646
Very fun throwback parade photos, TK!
I think 1989 was before A Christmas Fantasy Parade actually became A Christmas Fantasy Parade! The parade you saw was the version of it (with many of the same elements, it appears) that was, I think, called "A Very Merry Christmas Parade" or something like that (unless I am confusing AVMCP with WDW?). It eventually morphed into A Christmas Fantasy Parade in the '90s.
I think 1989 was before A Christmas Fantasy Parade actually became A Christmas Fantasy Parade! The parade you saw was the version of it (with many of the same elements, it appears) that was, I think, called "A Very Merry Christmas Parade" or something like that (unless I am confusing AVMCP with WDW?). It eventually morphed into A Christmas Fantasy Parade in the '90s.
tksbaskets
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2002
- Messages
- 4,457
tksbaskets, What an awesome memory! Thanks so much for sharing your photos from the way back machine!
I am a little bummed though that Mickey and Minnie's float hasn't changed in all that time. That has dashed all my hopes it might change for this year!
Thanks mom2rtk! It was really fun to find the pictures and be able to share them.
mvf-m11c
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Jun 28, 2009
- Messages
- 9,320
Very nice picture of the classic parade TK.
I also do have some from 1985 Christmas parade.
I believe A Christmas Fantasy parade started in 1994 and will be 20 years old this year. I can't believe is has been 20 years since ACF parade has been running that long at DL during the holiday season. I believe the retro parade pictures I showed was back in 1985 and I believe it as called "The Fantasy Parade Christmas Parade" I think. WDW parade is Once Upon a Christmastime parade during MVMCP.
I also do have some from 1985 Christmas parade.
I believe A Christmas Fantasy parade started in 1994 and will be 20 years old this year. I can't believe is has been 20 years since ACF parade has been running that long at DL during the holiday season. I believe the retro parade pictures I showed was back in 1985 and I believe it as called "The Fantasy Parade Christmas Parade" I think. WDW parade is Once Upon a Christmastime parade during MVMCP.
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