Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread #5

[tiffjoy]

Ugh! This is when we will be there too (Park days the 14, 15 and 16) and I had somehow COMPLETELY MISSED that it is a run weekend. Oh well, we will still have a great time. Too bad I hadn't realized this earlier or I might have worked signing up for the 10k into our trip. The half marathon is still open but I don't think I'd be ready (and would have to re-do everyone's plane tickets!)

I just started my half training last week! You definitely have time still if you are on the fence. This will be my first half- I've only run 5Ks before this.

 

[Malroy]

I just started my half training last week! You definitely have time still if you are on the fence. This will be my first half- I've only run 5Ks before this.

I did a 10K this weekend - so you are right, I probably could be ready. What is putting me off though is having to re-arrange plane tickets and the $215 entry fee!

 

[LadyBJ]

Do you think it will be very hard to enjoy the parks during the week between Christmas and New Year? I know it will be super crowded and busy, but I hope not to a point that you don't enjoy anymore.

 

[Mouseketeers4]

Sherry i looked back at my notes and you're right, it wasn't on sunday when the trees went up. Monday morning we woke up in the frontier tower and the western trees were up. I do not know if the grand had their trees up on monday though.
I didn't even know that storytellers and white water snacks had gingerbread houses! Now i really want to see them! Unfortunately our AP's expire mid november so it looks like I won't get to see them this year either I am really hoping Christmas time starts a little earlier this year since we will be there remembrance day week which is a bit early.
Last year on our weekly magical adventures sheet they had the merriest holiday hunt listed but no description on the back stating what it was, and like a fool we didn't end up doing it so i don't know what that entails. There was no winter ornament listed on the DLH sheet but maybe it was on the GCH weekly adventures. I do remember you linking rentayenta's trip report from 2013 and her DLH sheet did have it listed.

The Christmas trees went up during our stay the week before Thanksgiving last year. We were at PPH and we saw that the tree had gone up overnight when we headed to the parks on the morning of Wednesday the 19th. I don't remember the exact day trees appeared in the GCH, but it was around the same time. The big gingerbread house was almost done when I walked through the night of the 21st.

 

[peanutmomma]

I've been reading through the trip reports from the holiday seasons and am ridiculously excited to see the different decorations around the resort! I upgraded my camera body and got a couple new lenses for my birthday and can't wait to see what images I can capture. I've been taking it to our local theme park, but when they went under the Cedar Fair umbrella it seems like park decor took a nosedive.

 

[dedesmith32]

My Vacation is all paid for - I can't wait until the first week of December!

 

[mgd]

Does anyone know about what date space mountain changes back from the ghost theme? I have searched but can't seem to find that listed anywhere. And is there any theme for it during Christmas time or is it back to normal by then?

edited: I finally found it. ghost galaxy goes back to normal right after halloween.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

By the way, what happened to Jamie/DisneyJamieCA? I've seen her posting on the forums, but she has not popped into this thread. Hopefully she will be back for this year's Countdown too!

Hi!!! It's nice to be missed!

So long story sort of short - we actually hadn't planned on renewing our passes after last November's trip. And then I started missing it. Around Spring Break, we had friends invite us on their trip - 3 days at Disney and 5 out at their house in Newport. How could we say no?! Then we realized we had a business meeting in San Diego in June, so it made sense to go then too....and so we bought passes again! We also snuck in one literally last minute crazy day over Memorial Day weekend. So that brings us to now - since we have our passes, we might as well go for our traditional week of Thanksgiving! We are staying at the PPH and are scheduled Sat Nov. 21-Sun. Nov 29th, so a long trip! That may change as we find out what the Nutcracker schedule looks like, but our hope is to have some down days or at least sleep in days built in.

We just returned from Disney/San Diego last night so I'm going to take to the next few days to poke around the super thread and catch up and do laundry and then you've got me! Looking forward to the countdown again this year. AND I have Hallmark this year, so I can do Christmas in July!!!!

 

[707MickeyGirl]

Do you think it will be very hard to enjoy the parks during the week between Christmas and New Year? I know it will be super crowded and busy, but I hope not to a point that you don't enjoy anymore.

I'm curious about this too. If anyone's been during this week, can you tell us a little about it? I'm not changing plans based on any feedback actually, because I can't. It's the week my DGD7 is out of school so we have to go during that time. We've been during some pretty busy times before - we've been in the parks during Memorial Day and near Thanksgiving - and we're okay with crowds, but I'm still curious about others' experiences.

 

[ilovelucydog]

I think I remember last year at Christmas they allowed early entry into either park each day if staying on site. Am I remembering correctly ? And if so, does anyone remember when it started?

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Do you think it will be very hard to enjoy the parks during the week between Christmas and New Year? I know it will be super crowded and busy, but I hope not to a point that you don't enjoy anymore.

I'm curious about this too. If anyone's been during this week, can you tell us a little about it? I'm not changing plans based on any feedback actually, because I can't. It's the week my DGD7 is out of school so we have to go during that time. We've been during some pretty busy times before - we've been in the parks during Memorial Day and near Thanksgiving - and we're okay with crowds, but I'm still curious about others' experiences.

We're in the same boat as well. I was debating about posting a thread on managing my expectations considering the massive crowds that will be there for these dates. I also can't change plans due to work, school schedules/attendance mandates, and DH's insisting that we combine our DL visit with a CA ski trip. I know we won't get to do everything, I know waits will be longer, etc. but just hoping others have some input to make it enjoyable. I mean, I know we can all say "hey, you're at DL and it's what you make of it," but working on a game plan would probably be prudent. Debating about renewing with Touring Plans so I have some kind of plan of attack.

 

[Phoenixrising]

I'm currently saving for a family trip to WDW in Jan/17. I'm also planning another solo trip in Nov/17. I was initally only planning on going for 5 days, but due to my OPS (Over Planning Syndrome), I'm now planning an 8 day solo trip. I am seriously considering 4 days in DL, followed by 4 days in Waikiki, since the cost to split the trip in 1/2 is not that much more. I personally found that going the week leading up to Thanksgiving in 2013 was too much for me in regards to the extremely heavy crowds that week. I'm thinking about leaving on my solo trip either the first or second week of Nov, and was wondering how the crowds were during this time frame. Any help would be appreciated. Have a great day!

 

[Sherry E]

I just wanted to pop in here to let you all know that I have not abandoned my Holiday Season thread. I have to announce the details of this year's Theme Week Countdown very soon as well (since it is starting in the near future).

I am waiting for the details of the Halloween Time season and Mickey's Halloween Party to be released, as are many people in my Halloween Time at DLR Superthread, and I thought they would have been announced by now. There are a lot of mysteries and questions surrounding what will potentially happen with the party in light of the 60th anniversary events and old rumors from last year. If we see that the Halloween Time season and MHP are not going to be impacted too much or too drastically because of the 60th, then that could give us an indication of how much or how little the holiday season will be impacted as well.

Once those dates come out and I can breathe a sigh of relief, I can turn my attention back to this thread and launching the 5th Annual Theme Week Countdown!!!!!!!!!!!!!

​

 

[Disney127]

Sherry,
I know that you would never abandon us! LOL Looking forward to the Theme Week Countdown. Hopefully, we will be back in time from our July DL trip so that I can join the in fun of submitting Holiday photos!

 

[kylie71]

Yay! Cannot wait for the theme week!!!!! I am READY with LOTS of photos from my years going over Thanksgiving week!

--Lori

 

[Sherry E]

This falls into the "not really news, but something to ponder" category.

For those who are worried that the Diamond Celebration will be over by the holiday season -- even though it was made clear by Disney at the announcement about it back in January that even during the holiday season it would still be "all 60th, all the time" -- today Michelle from the Disney Parks Blog responded to someone's post and seemed to confirm (in that vague, cryptic, non-specific way) that, indeed, the Celebration will still be going on.

The commenter said, "I’ve been trying to find a date for then the Diamond celebration ends? Does anyone know!?!?!?!?! I”m going in November for my daughters birthday and really hope it’s still going on."

Michelle replied, "I think it’s safe to say you’ll be in good shape heading to the Resort in November. What a wonderful time to choose, as the park slowly transitions to holiday."

​

 

[JadeDarkstar]

I love the Christmas holiday and decorations however I hope that we wills till get the 60th celebration with some Christmas. I do believe Disney can do a good job with fusing the two.

 

[Sherry E]

I love the Christmas holiday and decorations however I hope that we wills till get the 60th celebration with some Christmas. I do believe Disney can do a good job with fusing the two.

They'll make it work somehow. They're not going to turn their back on the holiday season. It has to be remembered that the holiday season at Disneyland Resort is not a small thing. It's a big, big deal for Disneyland Resort, and a big money-making time of year, and they treat it as a very special time. As a HUGE Christmas/holiday season and Halloween Time fan, I would be very annoyed if they cut too much out of those seasons' decorations -- just to leave some blue bunting hanging on facades. The holiday season décor is in depth, detailed and themed to each land. There is no way that the blue bunting around the park can take the place of that level of detail and theming.

A lot of people who visit Disneyland this year do not have a nostalgic attachment to the park, and won't really care if it's the 60th anniversary. They will just go to Disneyland wanting a holiday experience, wanting to meet Santa, wanting to see Christmas trees and to ride It's a Small World Holiday. Disneyland won't let those people down -- although the specific holiday season entertainment (especially at night) may be compromised a bit here and there.

Someone on MiceChat reported that a CM on the phone at Disneyland (and those phone CMs are not reliable) told her that Haunted Mansion will be closing on (or maybe right after) August 28th for the installation of Haunted Mansion Holiday. Even though the 8/28 date could end up being wrong (it might be 8/31), at least it appears that HMH will not be threatened and will return as usual this year!

 

[Sherry E]

I wanted to share with you guys this bit of weather news. Some of you may be unfamiliar with El Nino and the havoc it wreaks. During past El Ninos in California, all kinds of mayhem has ensued - lots of flooding everywhere, storm drains backing up, mudslides, roofs collapsing and caving in (and unable to be repaired until the rain stops, which can be weeks later), water damage inside houses and apartments, cars hydroplaning and an increase in accidents, etc. El Nino rain can be pounding, relentless, steady, heavy, loud, etc. It's a mess. It's not the "let's go walk in the rain and splash around" kind of rain. What Texas just got hit with in the last couple of months was El Nino-related.

Yes, it will bring the lines and crowds down at Disneyland, but it will also cause closures of things and disrupt certain entertainment.

And it's not as simple as "get lots of rain, solve the drought problem." The rain has to end up in the right places and it has to hold, not run off. Easier said than done.

Anyway, for months scientists have been saying that an El Nino was forming and likely to hit us (in California) by winter. They weren't sure if it would dissipate before then, which is sometimes what happens. They are still holding firm that El Nino is coming, and now they say it will likely be "massive." Oh joy.

Read for yourself - http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2015/07/09/el-nino-california/29921633/

So, this could be a wet winter and a wet holiday season, to say the least.

 

[kylie71]

We have had 2 solid weeks of rain, thunderstorms, flash flood warnings, you name it we have had it! Its 70 here today, when its normally high 90's in July, in Reno ( Northern Nevada )
I wonder if this is El Nino weather? Last time we had El Nino year we had a 100 year flood!

Oh Joy, I know we need the moisture, but YUK! I feel like we live in the deep south... we are used to Dry Heat!

--Lori