Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread #5

[kylie71]

Sherry, I was at DLR last week ,and it was 101 on Weds and Thurs, with high humidity! How did you like those temps?
We stayed at the DLH, and we got to ride the Monorail 1 time, on Monday, they closed it after that, do to the heat, they said it was 110 inside the Monorail.
I guess I ( thought ) it was Air Conditioned!!!!!!!!! We had to walk to and from all week!! Across that former parking lot/concrete jungle that is DTD.
Ick, I am tired of heat, and DTD! lol!

It was a great trip though!

Bring on El Nino!!!

--Lori

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry, I was at DLR last week ,and it was 101 on Weds and Thurs, with high humidity! How did you like those temps?
We stayed at the DLH, and we got to ride the Monorail 1 time, on Monday, they closed it after that, do to the heat, they said it was 110 inside the Monorail.
I guess I ( thought ) it was Air Conditioned!!!!!!!!! We had to walk to and from all week!! Across that former parking lot/concrete jungle that is DTD.
Ick, I am tired of heat, and DTD! lol!

It was a great trip though!

Bring on El Nino!!!

--Lori

No, no, no -- let's hope El Nino calms down. Did you read the part in the article I linked above about the terrible flooding in California during a previous El Nino season? Yeah... we don't need that to happen again.

Yes, the heat and humidity have been awful. Even when the humidity is 'only' 40% or so, it's extremely uncomfortable. There are supposed to be some days coming up with 80% to 94% humidity! I can't deal with it. I can't be in Disneyland when it's hot like this. It's too much for me. It has even been warm at night. It's too much.

110 degrees inside the Monorail? Seriously? They don't have A/C?

I don't mind the walk through DTD because I prefer staying on the move rather than stopping to wait in line for the Monorail, but on a really hot day... who knows?

Do you see what I mean about how the Halloween Time decorations are nowhere near as extensive and all-encompassing as the holiday decorations are? Once you get out of Main Street and Frontierland, there are many other lands that give almost no clue that it is Halloween Time.

How did your Vons delivery go?

 

[NewbieMouse]

A retro TV holiday window display on the side of Off the Page…

That same retro TV holiday window display, slightly closer-up…

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I need to spend way more time looking around - I lOVE these retro displays!

 

[Sherry E]

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I need to spend way more time looking around - I lOVE these retro displays!

That specific display is relatively new in the scheme of things. It did not show up in Hollywood Land until 2013. Hollywood Land was lacking in décor for years, and then finally it got its own little decorations package in 2013, retro TV display and all!

 

[kylie71]

No, no, no -- let's hope El Nino calms down. Did you read the part in the article I linked above about the terrible flooding in California during a previous El Nino season? Yeah... we don't need that to happen again.

Yes, the heat and humidity have been awful. Even when the humidity is 'only' 40% or so, it's extremely uncomfortable. There are supposed to be some days coming up with 80% to 94% humidity! I can't deal with it. I can't be in Disneyland when it's hot like this. It's too much for me. It has even been warm at night. It's too much.

110 degrees inside the Monorail? Seriously? They don't have A/C?

I don't mind the walk through DTD because I prefer staying on the move rather than stopping to wait in line for the Monorail, but on a really hot day... who knows?

Do you see what I mean about how the Halloween Time decorations are nowhere near as extensive and all-encompassing as the holiday decorations are? Once you get out of Main Street and Frontierland, there are many other lands that give almost no clue that it is Halloween Time.

How did your Vons delivery go?

Of course I do not want the flooding, but in Nevada we need some precip, the Sierra snowpack is non-existent, and the rivers and lakes are dry. A wet winter is needed, but not to extreme... We have all the smoke from the fire in Cali right now, in our valley.

The Von's delivery was Perfect no issues at all. Was on time and everything was there.

I normally do not mind DTD, but it was BOILING out there!!! We had to walk through WOD just to get out of the heat for a few minutes, arounf noon, on the trek back to the hotel. There was no shade at that time of day.... The worst part was from the Jazz Kitchen on, no shade at all, on either side... It felt like the Sahara Desert!
I wish the DLH would have offered us alternative transportation ( maybe a old fashioned parking lot tram ) in place of the Monorail....... it was pretty hard for the older folks and people pushing strollers.... sweat was just pouring off folks.

Halloween decorations was Underwhelming for sure! They had the Pumpkins at the entrance, and Town Square, above the stores on Mainstreet.... a few around Walt... and a few at the entrance to BTR, but no carvings going on.
Frontierland had a little at the clothing store, on the porch... nothing outstanding.

--Lori

 

[blondietink]

Subscribing ... we will be in DL for the first time ever the week before Thanksgiving. Let's hope that El Nino doesn't strike early even though I know you guys need it.

 

[sgrap]

Subscribing ... we will be in DL for the first time ever the week before Thanksgiving. Let's hope that El Nino doesn't strike early even though I know you guys need it.

We will be there that same time, so hoping for the later El Nino as well!

 

[Sherry E]

Subscribing ... we will be in DL for the first time ever the week before Thanksgiving. Let's hope that El Nino doesn't strike early even though I know you guys need it.

Welcome! I'm glad you joined us!

Is this your first holiday season trip at all, or just the first one during that pre-Thanksgiving week? And when you say the week before Thanksgiving, do you mean the week leading up to Thanksgiving, or the week before the week of Thanksgiving, if that makes sense??

No -- believe me.... I don't want an El Nino at all. I have lived through enough of them in my life and the rain that comes with them always causes a lot of problems for California. The rain won't help the drought unless it falls up north in massive quantities and piles on to the snow pack, but it will probably be a huge mess in terms of flooding, mudslides (especially in the fire-ravaged hillsides), collapsed roofs, etc. That kind of rain only causes a whole lot of trouble! It's a shame that we can't just get a nice, normal, reasonable rain on a regular basis in winter (meaning rain that we can count on to fall every year) instead of being smacked with the bad El Nino stuff. Unfortunately, it's one extreme or another -- no rain and bad drought, or lots and lots of destructive rain. I am not anxious to go through that kind of mess again. I am hoping it weakens or fizzles a bit, so there will be rain but not the kind that it has been in the past. Time will tell!

 

[jnfr2424]

Hi everybody even though I am not a stranger to Dis Boards this will be my family's first trip to DL. We will be visiting right after Thanksgiving (the Sunday to be exact)
Excitement is an understatement I'm trying to learn and prepare myself since this is foreign for me. I just wanted to say thank you for this thread! I am finding a lot of useful information! Hopefully it will be a great trip and we won't encounter El Nino either

 

[DisneyWillow1975]

Love the pics this week! I am working on planning our dining and the pics keep me so excited! And Sherry, thanks for the weather update.

 

[ksromack]

Dang, I'm right down to the last minutes......I don't have a ton of photos this week but here's what I have:

 

[Spanky]

Thanks for all your posts. I will be there during the Avengers race Nov. 11-16.
I hope to be able to see the new 60th fireworks & Paint the Night parade.

 

[ishbit92]

I almost forgot to post for this week!
Here's what I have of Buena Vista St/Hollywoodland

 

[Angrose]

Ha, I almost forgot to post the few photos that I have for this week! I had nothing for last week's theme, oh well. I also have some of Olaf's Snow Fest, but they were taken from our March trip, not during Christmastime, so I don't think they would count

 

[Sherry E]

The ever-changing avatar madness and disappearing photos and smilies continue on. Every time I check this site -- whether I am signed in or not -- I see that something else has reappeared or disappeared, and it keeps happening. Sometimes my new avatar will be there (I can see it now), and sometimes it's the old avatar. Sometimes I can see the little "sunny" icon in my signature below (at the very bottom), and sometimes it doesn't show up. Sometimes I can see the avatars of other people, sometimes I can't. Sometimes the photos show up and sometimes they don't. I have no clue what is going on.


Anyway, tomorrow morning (Monday) begins a new theme week -- so hopefully all of the photos that everyone takes time to post will be visible! I would hate for the same issue to happen with other photos as was the case with lorijohnhill's photos, where they were visible at first and then suddenly not visible to some of us.


As the next several weeks of the Countdown continue on, we are going to get into some themes that are not only double headers, but maybe triple and quadruple headers too! There will be themes that I grouped together, which I have never grouped together before, so they will cover a wide range of photo subjects -- and everyone should have something to share.

Hi everybody even though I am not a stranger to Dis Boards this will be my family's first trip to DL. We will be visiting right after Thanksgiving (the Sunday to be exact)
Excitement is an understatement I'm trying to learn and prepare myself since this is foreign for me. I just wanted to say thank you for this thread! I am finding a lot of useful information! Hopefully it will be a great trip and we won't encounter El Nino either

Welcome, and thank you for joining us! You came to the right place for info on all things Holiday at Disneyland Resort! I'm so glad the thread has been helpful so far. In fact, this reminds me that I have to update the Dates to Remember post on page 1 with the current dates (instead of 2014's dates!). It will be quite different from WDW (assuming you are a WDW vet!), but hopefully just as fun and festive.

You are going to be at DLR at a great time -- while it will still be busy (unless it rains), it won't be unmanageable. It's a good time because everyone who was out on break for Thanksgiving will be back at home and school, and it will still be a bit too early for people to be out on their official Christmas breaks. At the same time, everything will be in full holiday mode, including gingerbread houses (ranging from very small to kind of large, but not Grand Floridian-large) at the Grand Californian Hotel and carolers singing in the hotel lobbies. Hopefully, Olaf's Snow Fest will be going on by that point, and Olaf's Frozen Ice Rink should be happening in Downtown Disney. And you'll get to see least 2 out of 3 of the new 60th anniversary nighttime shows (Paint the Night and Disneyland Forever), if not World of Color-Celebrate too.

How long will you be staying/visiting?

Love the pics this week! I am working on planning our dining and the pics keep me so excited! And Sherry, thanks for the weather update.

You're very welcome! I know that a lot of people will be heading out to Anaheim in Nov-Dec-early Jan, and weather may or may not play a key role in terms of what to wear, what to pack, what to buy when at DLR, etc.

Thanks for all your posts. I will be there during the Avengers race Nov. 11-16.
I hope to be able to see the new 60th fireworks & Paint the Night parade.

Thank you for joining us and sticking with us! You should be able to see both Paint the Night and Disneyland Forever when you're there, as well as the Christmas Fantasy Parade (in the daytime, most likely). The main things that are in question are: will we get World of Color - Celebrate or World of Color - Winter Dreams; Jingle Cruise -- when will it open (Nov or Dec); Olaf's Snow Fest -- will it open in Nov or Dec; and the Winter Castle -- just how wintry can it become this year, since it has all of the Diamond Anniversary lights and draping on it right now?

 

[blondietink]

Welcome! I'm glad you joined us!

Is this your first holiday season trip at all, or just the first one during that pre-Thanksgiving week? And when you say the week before Thanksgiving, do you mean the week leading up to Thanksgiving, or the week before the week of Thanksgiving, if that makes sense??

This is our very first trip to DL at all! Our dates are Nov. 15th - 22nd. Actually we are flying in on the 13th, but staying in Hollywood/Universal for 2 nights to get that out of the way so we can concentrate on all things Disneyland for a week! We are hard core WDW visitors, with more than 18 trips there and 4 over the holiday season.

I am almost glad that there is no Christmas party in DL like there is in WDW. Taking all things into consideration, and from what I am reading, DL seems like it will fit us better than WDW right now as it is smaller and more intimate than WDW. We can't wait to see!

 

[dlawallace]

I wonder when the official announcement for the Christmas details will post. Last year it was on the parks blog on Sept 10th. Any thoughts?

 

[Sherry E]

It’s Monday -- and it’s time for the sixth week of the 5th Annual Theme Week Countdown to begin!!

……Only 60 Days Until the
Holiday Season Begins at the Disneyland Resort!!!!
​

With each new week will come a different Disneyland Resort holiday theme!

As I have previously mentioned in this Superthread, I’ll be showcasing a particular aspect of DLR's holiday festivities each week until early November. Including today’s theme, there are 8 more themes to explore over the next 8 weeks: Seven main weekly themes every Monday from today, September 14, 2015, through October 26, 2015, and a final “Holiday Cornucopia/These Are a Few of My Favorite Things” theme on Monday, November 2, 2015 (there will be more details about what the “Cornucopia” can include when we get closer to that date!).

Last year I began the Countdown about 3 weeks earlier than I started it this year. I am ending it before the Holidays at DLR officially commence (which will be Friday, November 13th, 2015, although certain things will likely soft open or soft launch on the weekend before Veterans Day). Once November starts and the decorations in the parks appear little by little each day, our attention shifts to learning information about and seeing photos of what is new for the current season’s celebration. This year there are many questions revolving around what will or will not be back for the holidays with the current focus on the Diamond (60th) Anniversary of Disneyland, and all eyes will be on any news or reports coming in from the parks.

Theme Week Countdowns are a great way to keep the photos rolling in on a regular basis and build anticipation for November at the Disneyland Resort! They are also a way to display the different elements, nuances and details of the Holidays at DLR that may be totally new to some visitors…or previously unnoticed/undiscovered by others. Finally, this is an excellent way for our Theme Week Countdown participants to shine a light on their wonderful pictures and attract visitors to their Trip Reports, photo libraries, etc.

Last week we stepped back in time to see how Christmas was celebrated on Buena Vista Street and in Hollywood Land in the 1920s through the 1940s, respectively. We have also explored: the seaside celebrations in Paradise Pier & Pacific Wharf; tempting Holiday Treats & Treasures (a.k.a. Food & Merchandise); different seasonal photo options with Holiday Characters, PhotoPass and Santa Claus; and beautiful Christmas Trees, Wreaths and Holiday Horticulture (Holiday Flowers and Plants) around Disneyland Resort.

So…what will be our sixth theme of 2015? It is a triple header Theme Week, featuring 3 themes in one!! Today, we stroll through the lands of fantasy and adventure, and embark upon a couple of merry Christmas Cruises.

In the Spotlight this Week......

IT’S A SMALL WORLD HOLIDAY, FANTASYLAND (including Storybook Land Canal Boat Ride) and JINGLE CRUISE!!!!
​

We all know the opening line…. “It’s a world of laughter, a world of tears…” (Some folks wish they could forget it!) For many of us, this song from Disneyland’s longstanding It’s a Small World attraction became one of our earliest introductions to Walt’s park, and has been embedded in our memory banks ever since. Ironically, something about the wide-eyed innocence of the message of unity and common bonds behind the song, as well as the Mary Blair-inspired dolls representing countries from around the globe, seems to either appeal to guests…or repel them!

It is true, It’s a Small World has become a ride that is taken for granted and often ignored during visits to the Disneyland Resort. That is, until November rolls around….when the familiar whimsical façade gets a little face lift…and becomes It’s a Small World Holiday!!!

From November to mid-January (exact dates differ each year), It’s a Small World Holiday is one of the most popular attractions of the holiday season, and after dark is truly one of the most beautiful sights to see. At dusk, guests begin to flock from all corners of Disneyland Resort to gaze in awe at the brilliant colored lights which envelop IASWH – literally, thousands and thousands and thousands of lights that collectively glow like a beacon in the night. It is, quite simply, stunning. Even the surrounding area – the “Mall” – gets a makeover. The topiaries are adorned with lights, and special wreaths symbolizing various nations (with the same sort of playful design synonymous with It’s a Small World) mark a pathway to the ride. And those are only a few of the surprises you will discover.

But it’s not only the exterior of It’s a Small World that gets the seasonal treatment. The whole ride is transformed into a celebration of worldwide holidays. The famous dolls sing “Deck the Halls” and “Jingle Bells” (though, if you listen closely, you will notice that as you pass the “Little Mermaid” scene the lyrics change to “Jingle Shells”)….the faint scents of peppermint and pine fill the air in certain rooms…the colors are brighter and more vivid than usual...no corner is left unattended. The details are just amazing!

If you love It’s a Small World and you love the Christmas season, you will absolutely adore It’s a Small World Holiday. If you don’t love IASW as a rule, you might just love this particular version of the ride because of the sheer beauty of it. Either way, it is a spectacle to behold!



Fantasyland – the land in which It’s a Small World is located – is, curiously, minimally decorated in November and December. This is notable as that area of the park would seem to potentially work well (thematically) with Christmas mini-villages and fairs along the lines of what you would find in several European countries.

But if you look closely you will find a few little touches of the season here and there in Fantasyland, such as in the themed horticulture around the area, tiny wreaths and trees along the Storybook Land Canal Boat ride, and in a few of the shops. You may even find Mary Poppins dancing to her favorite Christmas songs!

For the holidays of 2013, Fantasyland received a bit of a decorative boost with the nearby “Frozen” Meet and Greet/Royal Reception, featuring Anna and Elsa from last year’s immensely popular film. An animatronic version of Olaf, the summer-loving snowman, could be seen perched atop the snow-covered chalet in which the sisters met their fans, occasionally speaking and surprising guests as they waited. The Meet and Greet eventually moved over to California Adventure, and the Animatronic Olaf was removed from his perch. (It is unknown at this time if he will resurface somewhere else for the Holidays of 2015.)

Princess Fantasy Faire in Fantasyland also provides a few extra Yuletide touches here and there, by way of a wreath or two, and strands of garland. It’s not much, but it’s a step in the right direction!



For the holiday season of 2013, the creative minds at Disneyland surprised repeat seasonal visitors by adding a bit of extra “jingle” to the jungle on the longstanding Jungle Cruise ride – and “Jingle Cruise” was born at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort.

The storyline for this holiday overlay was that the skippers of the Jungle Cruise had become homesick and missed their loved ones, so to cheer themselves up they decorated the boats and the boathouse with Christmas cards, a tree and other odds and ends.

The ride’s queue (both upstairs and downstairs) featured many of those odds and ends, and others could be found hanging on the boats themselves. Skippers also donned appropriately themed and colored Santa hats and worked some seasonal references into their collective repertoire of jokes.

While Jingle Cruise was originally not quite the massive, extensive overlay that is Haunted Mansion Holiday or It’s a Small World Holiday -- and reviews were mixed -- more holiday details were added into the ride between November and December of 2013. In 2014 the themed overlay was much more extensive and involved to convey the story of the jungle’s animals getting into a shipment of holiday items and scattering them about. An approximate 10-day shutdown of Jungle Cruise was required for installation. Once again, reviews were mixed.

Jingle Cruise is most likely returning at some point in 2015, though no one is quite sure if the more elaborate Yuletide makeover of 2014 will be in place or if the minimalist approach of 2013 will be implemented.

Fantasyland



Princess Fantasy Faire area…

The former “Frozen” Meet and Greet/Royal Reception…

The sun shines on the Matterhorn in the distance, beyond the snowy peaks of the Fantasyland side of the Winter Castle…

It’s a Small World Holiday and surrounding area…



Inside the ride…

In the past, there has been a slight pine aroma wafting about as guests approached the tree…

When you enter this happy room inside IASWH, you might smell just a trace of peppermint in the air!

Listen for “Jingle SHELLS” playing when you pass Ariel in her underwater holiday habitat…

It’s a Small World Holiday and IASW Mall, after dark…

It’s a Small World Holiday and IASW Mall, in the daytime…

Jingle Cruise


The sign above the entrance to the ride was changed…

A makeshift Christmas tree…

The boats were decorated with subtle holiday touches…

…and given new names for the season…

A new attraction poster was created too (and only a lucky few managed to get a miniature version of the poster in 2013, which was part of “Limited Time Magic”)!

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I may or may not post more photos during the week.

Please feel free to post your photos of It’s a Small World Holiday, Fantasyland and Jingle Cruise all this week, through Sunday, September 20th, 2015, 11:59 p.m., P.S.T.

Then, stay tuned for our seventh theme on Monday, September 21st!! We have many themes coming up in future weeks, so get your photos ready!

A reminder – please follow my leads (in either the photos I post or in the text) as to what to post for the themes. Please stick to the designated themes and save any other photos that don’t fit for future theme weeks. Every possible Disneyland Resort holiday-related element will be covered in some theme or another, so nothing will be left out. However, since this is a game/contest – in which people are entering to win Disney gift cards based on their contributions – it’s important to not stray from the theme that is underway. Feel free to ask me if you are not sure if something counts or doesn’t count.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Fantasyland










Fantasyland Faire






Storybook Land Canal Boats


IASWH daytime

Ride Experience

At Night

Jingle Cruise 2013










Jingle Cruise 2014

 

[mlnbabies]

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