Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread #4

[sgrap]

Finally some news from the disney blog. November 13- January 6. At work secretly on my phone so can't post a link, can someone please post for me!

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/bl...t-returns-november-13-through-january-6-2015/

 

[Sherry E]

Honestly, Downtown Disney needs the holiday cheer. I hope the rink and the Village stay in DTD (though I expect they will be put up after the Avengers marathon -- which the Blog doesn't tell us).

 

[Jenasweetemotion]

I see no mention of the jingle cruise like they had last year. So happy that there is finally a date though.

 

[rentayenta]

I see no mention of the jingle cruise like they had last year. So happy that there is finally a date though.

I was wondering about the Jingle Jungle Cruise too.

 

[Sherry E]

I was in the middle of putting together a post for the Halloween thread when the Parks Blog came through, and when I commented here a while ago, but I will expand on my thoughts.

• The start date of the season is pretty much exactly in the time frame that we expected/predicted, so that is not shocking but it is great to have a firm date;

• I suspect that not everything will be up and running on 11/13 -- I think that some things may not happen until 11/14;

• I think it is certain that the DTD ice rink and Village will not go up until after the Avengers marathon is over, but it will be there before the pre-Thanksgiving weekend;

• I have absolutely no problem with a carbon copy of last year's seasonal celebration -- IF that is what happens. I don't mind it if nothing new is being added in for the holiday season -- only IF nothing from last year is removed either! I have a bigger issue with nothing new being added into the Halloween Time festivities because that season needs something more.
  
  I felt that last year everything was almost perfect during the holidays, as it felt like holiday magic was everywhere (in and out of the parks).
  
  However, although nothing was mentioned, it is still possible that Disney may decide to throw Olaf, Anna and Elsa into some awkwardly-placed meet-up area in Hollywood. It's also possible that Disney was trying to determine whether or not they could do the mini-Frozen area in Hollywood Land this year -- hence, the wait for a season date -- and ultimately decided against it at the last second. That's assuming MiceAge even had the correct info to begin with.

• I, too, wonder about the fate of the Jingle Cruise. The holiday touches were not extensive, but there were more added in as the season rolled along last year. It wasn't a bad idea in theory, but it needed to be fleshed out a little more, I think. But maybe Disney decided to scrap it in 2014? I guess we shall see.

• No hard ticket party in Disneyland park for another year! Dodged the bullet once again!! The fireworks and parade will not be held hostage (next year may be a different story, though)! Yay!

​

 

[mvf-m11c]

Finally the dates are now up for the official holiday start season.

Nice to read that there is no hard ticket event this year and the parade and fireworks will be part of the holiday season at DL.

 

[mom2rtk]

If I'm not mistaken, they have already confirmed Jingle Cruise will continue this year at WDW. So I'd be surprised not to have it back at DLR.

 

[SweetAlex]

Howdy all! So we'll be at DLR during the Candle Light Ceremony thingy but I'm kinda hoping to avoid the crowds. Does anyone know if this ceremony will make for a "quieter" night at DCA as many will be drawn to the ceremony?

Maybe I'll try and youtube it to see what to expect but at this point, it doesn't sound like something we'll want to spend precious hours waiting for/watching...

Am I a Scrooge or what!?

 

[mom2rtk]

Howdy all! So we'll be at DLR during the Candle Light Ceremony thingy but I'm kinda hoping to avoid the crowds. Does anyone know if this ceremony will make for a "quieter" night at DCA as many will be drawn to the ceremony?

Maybe I'll try and youtube it to see what to expect but at this point, it doesn't sound like something we'll want to spend precious hours waiting for/watching...

Am I a Scrooge or what!?

Not a Scrooge. We purposely took that Saturday off last year to avoid crowds, and scheduled the Fantasmic dessert seating that Sunday night.

Can't answer on how DCA was that night though. Hopefully someone else will chime in.

 

[Sherry E]

Finally the dates are now up for the official holiday start season.

Nice to read that there is no hard ticket event this year and the parade and fireworks will be part of the holiday season at DL.

Bret --

I think that we can almost be certain that somehow, in some way, the Christmas Fantasy Parade schedule and the Believe in Holiday Magic schedule (possibly the Enchantment Lighting schedule too) will be affected or impacted in 2015, due to whatever new events Disneyland have in store for the 60th anniversary.

Next year is when they could decide to run ACFP and BIHM during a hard Christmas ticket event, as the new night parade and new fireworks take place on other non-party nights. OR they could include the new night parade and new fireworks in a Christmas party. One way or the other, ACFP and BIHM will be affected in 2015. I highly doubt that Disney will debut a new night parade and new fireworks (if that is what they are doing), only to stop them completely when the holidays begin in November.

It is still possible that they could do a limited, short-term hard ticket event this year in DCA, IF that whole Frozen area is coming to Hollywood Land. That makes more sense to me than having a hard ticket party in DL at this point.

If I'm not mistaken, they have already confirmed Jingle Cruise will continue this year at WDW. So I'd be surprised not to have it back at DLR.

Janet --

The JC overlay was really not all that involved and extensive, as you know, so it seems like it would be no big deal to just throw in the holiday touches to Disneyland's version of JC once again. The overlay was so -- for lack of a better word -- minimal that they were able to get it ready without ever closing down the ride. They simply just put up decorations, more and more each day, while the ride was operational. So it couldn't be that hard to do it for another year.

I notice that someone asked about the Frozen/Hollywood Land thing on the Parks Blog, in the comments -- because people read rumors and assume they are facts, straight from Disney. They don't say, "I read a rumor that said..." They ask Erin about it as though it is a factual event that is happening. And at this point we don't know IF it is happening (it may be in the works), if it ever was going to happen at all, etc.

All I know is, DTD needs some holiday cheer so it is not a bad idea for the rink to stay there, along with the Winter Village!

 

[JadeDarkstar]

yesss i am so happy to get this news. I will arrive on the 13th. Now i will need to figure out when i should call for tour and F reservations is it 30 or 60 days out. Also does any one have a weather place that goes 60 days out so we can see what days may be likely to rain?
We are thinking of getting those ponchos in case it rains but we also want to make sure we don't lose out f or parade seating from the tour and f seating.

 

[Sherry E]

Howdy all! So we'll be at DLR during the Candle Light Ceremony thingy but I'm kinda hoping to avoid the crowds. Does anyone know if this ceremony will make for a "quieter" night at DCA as many will be drawn to the ceremony?

Maybe I'll try and youtube it to see what to expect but at this point, it doesn't sound like something we'll want to spend precious hours waiting for/watching...

Am I a Scrooge or what!?

SweetAlex --

Not a Scrooge!

A lot of people will head to DCA at night, I think. As I was saying to another DIS'er who just asked the same thing here recently, other people will have the same idea that you have and will be trying to "avoid the crowds"! (I have seen the mass exodus of people on Candlelight nights, and I have to assume they are headed to DCA and into Downtown Disney.)

People are not keen on standing around in the masses gathered around Town Square if the Candlelight Ceremony is not their cup of tea. There are no seats to be reserved or purchased for the general public, so that will dissuade a lot of people. And the narrators are generally not made public -- presumably so that even more masses don't flock to Town Square to see them.

It cannot hurt to go over to DCA, but I would not expect that to be crowd-free.

I find that the crowds get worse in Disneyland on Candlelight Sundays in the mid-to-late afternoon. Avoid Town Square from mid-afternoon until about 9 p.m., if you can help it. I have heard that Candlelight Saturdays are super-crowded all day in Disneyland.

 

[figment_jii]

yesss i am so happy to get this news. I will arrive on the 13th. Now i will need to figure out when i should call for tour and F reservations is it 30 or 60 days out.

Both of those are 30-days out according to Disneyland.com.
Fantasmic: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/entertainment/disneyland/fantasmic/
Holiday Tour: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/events-tours/holiday-time-at-disneyland/

Also does any one have a weather place that goes 60 days out so we can see what days may be likely to rain?

I don't know that there is any reliable means of predicting whether it'll rain or not on a given day 60-day (or even 30-days out). The weather reports seen iffy even 7-days out! If someone does have a reliable website for predicating weather 60 or even 30-days out, I'd be interested in check it out as well!

 

[niclodn]

Does anyone remember the days/times for the Holiday Time at DL tour from last year? I'll be there for Avengers half marathon weekend and am really hoping to be able to do the tour

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Thanks again Figment for suggesting I post in here, wow what a thread. I will have to take some time to read through it.

I did post this separately and am wondering if anyone is planning on attending the Candlelight Processional this year? I am and it will be my first time, so excited. I would very much appreciate any suggestions on logistics such as where best to view and how early to get there.

Thank you!

 

[Sherry E]

Two things:

1. I have logged everyone's photo entries for this week's theme, so everyone has another entry into the random draw to win the Disney gift card!; and

2. Corinna was 100% correct! She said that she was positive that the announcement of the official season start date would come in this week, while she was in Hungary, because that's the kind of timing she has! And that's exactly what happened!

​

Does anyone remember the days/times for the Holiday Time at DL tour from last year? I'll be there for Avengers half marathon weekend and am really hoping to be able to do the tour

Hello, niclodn! Welcome!

You should be able to do the tour. As long as the season has an official start date attached to it I think the tour booking window should open up at least by 10/13, if not a few days earlier.

I have not yet done the tour, but from what DIS'ers have said, the last one starts somewhere in the range of 3 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. (that's the one that will put you near It's a Small World Holiday when the colored lights go on!). The first tour is probably at least a few hours earlier than that.

Hopefully tkbaskets, Cheshirecatty, the_princess and the other tour participants will speak up if they remember the times!

Thanks again Figment for suggesting I post in here, wow what a thread. I will have to take some time to read through it.

I did post this separately and am wondering if anyone is planning on attending the Candlelight Processional this year? I am and it will be my first time, so excited. I would very much appreciate any suggestions on logistics such as where best to view and how early to get there.

Thank you!

flyingdumbo127 --

Welcome! I am glad you joined us. This is definitely an interactive thread, for everyone to jump in and ask questions, discuss the seasonal happenings, rumors, news, etc. It wouldn't hurt to skim down page 1 of the thread and stop at whichever sections grab your attention, but there is no need to read or look through the thread if time is an issue. We try to help answer questions here as often as we can!

Let's see -- Candlelight. Well, first of all, let me say that if you love the holiday season and Christmas music, you will love the Candlelight Ceremony and Processional. In its Town Square setting it is absolutely enchanting. The candlelight creates an intimate, haunting sort of mood. The singers and performers are amazing. The young fellow who comes out to sing "Silent Night" in Spanish has everyone in tears. It is truly beautiful.

I had the good fortune of seeing Candlelight twice in 2012 (both times with Lou Diamond Phillips as the narrator), from seats. Normally the seats are for invited guests, however, and not for the general public. In 2012, the 20-night marathon of the CP was going on, so seats were more readily available for non-invited guests.

In 2013 I decided to stand in the crowds around Town Square and wait for Candlelight (Kurt Russell was narrating).

While the first performance of the night was going on (it was scheduled to have begun at 5:30, as I recall), people who wanted to wait for the next performance (there are 2 performances on each of the 2 nights the Ceremony takes place) had to line up along the right side of Main Street, facing the train station. The Cast Members directed us where to stand.

The second performance takes place at 8 p.m., so if you want to see that one and not be standing way, way back in the hinterlands you have to get in the formed line on Main Street fairly early on. I would say that I was probably standing in the line on Main Street by 6 p.m. or 6:15, if not slightly earlier. The first CP started a bit late, but I wanted to see the second showing.

Once the crowds from the first Ceremony cleared out, the Cast Members let us move into Town Square. We were directed to stand on the right side of Town Square, facing the stage, which is closest to the narrator's podium, and everyone had to file in behind us until that area filled up, in which case the CMs moved them over to the other side of Town Square. I was not horrifically far from the stage, but I was not close either. A lot of people were trying to find sneaky ways to sit down in areas where they were not supposed to sit, and the CMs would come along and move them.

If you want to get a good look at the narrator I would suggest trying to get to your line or waiting spot at least a couple of hours before the Ceremony begins -- probably more like 3 hours or more. I have seen some people waiting around all day long in Town Square, to try to nab bench seats before the crowds start piling in! If you want to hunker down in Town Square all day, you might be able to get a bench seat, but if you show up 2 or 3 hours early, you will end up standing in the crowds.

 

[niclodn]

Hello, niclodn! Welcome!

You should be able to do the tour. As long as the season has an official start date attached to it I think the tour booking window should open up at least by 10/13, if not a few days earlier.

I have not yet done the tour, but from what DIS'ers have said, the last one starts somewhere in the range of 3 p.m. or 3:30 p.m. (that's the one that will put you near It's a Small World Holiday when the colored lights go on!). The first tour is probably at least a few hours earlier than that.

Hopefully tkbaskets, Cheshirecatty, the_princess and the other tour participants will speak up if they remember the times!

Thanks! That is exactly what I was hoping - that it is offered in the afternoon! I also want to do the Walk in Walt's Footsteps tour and, because of the races, I only have one morning available for tours

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Does anyone remember the days/times for the Holiday Time at DL tour from last year? I'll be there for Avengers half marathon weekend and am really hoping to be able to do the tour

I don't know the time of the earlier one, but the afternoon one we did started at 3:30.




Here are my pictures for this week

 

[MommyJKM]

SweetAlex --

Not a Scrooge!

A lot of people will head to DCA at night, I think. As I was saying to another DIS'er who just asked the same thing here recently, other people will have the same idea that you have and will be trying to "avoid the crowds"! (I have seen the mass exodus of people on Candlelight nights, and I have to assume they are headed to DCA and into Downtown Disney.)

People are not keen on standing around in the masses gathered around Town Square if the Candlelight Ceremony is not their cup of tea. There are no seats to be reserved or purchased for the general public, so that will dissuade a lot of people. And the narrators are generally not made public -- presumably so that even more masses don't flock to Town Square to see them.

It cannot hurt to go over to DCA, but I would not expect that to be crowd-free.

I find that the crowds get worse in Disneyland on Candlelight Sundays in the mid-to-late afternoon. Avoid Town Square from mid-afternoon until about 9 p.m., if you can help it. I have heard that Candlelight Saturdays are super-crowded all day in Disneyland.

I was just informed booking a VIP Tour that you get "Premium Seating" for CP with the tour that week.

Last year we were at C33 so we got the "Premium Seats" and it was awesome! We had a meet and greet with Blair Underwood (Whom my husband kept calling Blair Underwear) and escorted seating. You also get one of the trading pins that last year, there were only 2500.

Just FYI in case it's worth it to anyone to spend the money. I'm trying to convince DH but he only wants to meet Kurt Russell like the second day last year.

 

[Sherry E]

I was just informed booking a VIP Tour that you get "Premium Seating" for CP with the tour that week.

Last year we were at C33 so we got the "Premium Seats" and it was awesome! We had a meet and greet with Blair Underwood (Whom my husband kept calling Blair Underwear) and escorted seating. You also get one of the trading pins that last year, there were only 2500.

Just FYI in case it's worth it to anyone to spend the money. I'm trying to convince DH but he only wants to meet Kurt Russell like the second day last year.

MommyJKM --

Thank you for the info!

The seating is still very limited, even with seats being included in the VIP Tour -- so the majority of people will not get seats. And then, beyond that, a lot of folks will stand around and a lot of them will vacate Disneyland as fast as they can!

The seats are amazing, indeed! Unfortunately, I also saw people getting escorted to seats because they sat on a planter or somewhere where they were not supposed to sit, and a CM took pity on them and moved them into the seats. Can you believe that? They did something wrong, and they ended up in the 3rd row of seats?