Early December Hours and CM Party

[MommyWithDreams]

I hate to put a damper on anyone's excitement, but....


I just got off the phone with the Special Activities office about one hour ago (they are the ones handling my reservation this year, not the reservations office) - and they told me that none of the Cast Members have received any confirmation of any CM party dates yet. The girl I spoke to said she knows they will get the official dates soon (by late October/early November) because they have to have time to make arrangements for themselves and invite guests, but they do not have that information yet. No one has been told anything for sure.

I told her that people were reporting on my board that the dates were going to be 12/12 and 12/13 based on what certain DLR CM's are saying, and the Special Activities CM said she just can't say that it's true because they don't have any confirmation. They don't know. She said it's certainly possible that 12/12 and 12/13 could be the dates, but they do not have any official word yet, and everything is subject to change (including the calendar) until they get the "official" word.

She said that whoever it is at DLR that is giving those dates as confirmed is being premature.

So, nobody plan anything for certain yet until the dates are official.

Thank you Sherry for the update. I'm going for the Disney Institute Leadership conference in December so I only have one full day in the park, (12/6) hoping that's not a CM party day. Seems like it's taking forever for the Holiday schedule to come out, or maybe it's just me.

 

[Sherry E]

Thank you Sherry for the update. I'm going for the Disney Institute Leadership conference in December so I only have one full day in the park, (12/6) hoping that's not a CM party day. Seems like it's taking forever for the Holiday schedule to come out, or maybe it's just me.

I agree - I'm hoping to dodge the CM party nights myself this year. Even though it was not too bad last year when I encountered them, still....I like to have the option to stay in DL past 6 p.m. if I can.

And for you - since you only have one full day, you want to be sure to avoid that CM party at all costs! Part of the whole beauty of the holiday season is to be there in Disneyland at night, when IASWH is lit up, the Winter Castle is glowing, Main Street is lit up, etc. If you only have one full day and you have to be out of DL at 6 p.m., that would be bad!

I think it seems (to us) like it's taking forever but as I recall, last year the CM party nights were not officially revealed until either late October or early November. The CM in the SA office that I spoke with today seemed to agree with that schedule. She said there have been times when they thought certain things would be happening on specific dates and then they ended up changing before they became official.

Most likely the parties will happen on 12/12 and 12/13 but until it is confirmed and official and the CM's get their own announcements, we won't know for sure.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

I've come to terms with the fact that DL is closing early on my final day at the resort, especially if DCA does close at 10pm like reported.

I think I'll try to make some dining reservations for my dates and see what they say.

 

[Kittyskyfish]

The girl I spoke to said she knows they will get the official dates soon (by late October/early November) because they have to have time to make arrangements for themselves and invite guests...

Not like out-of-town visitors have this problem.

Sherry E, I agree with you on the magic of Disneyland at Christmas. Part of the wonder is the park at night, shining with thousands of lights, wonderful music and holiday decorations. It will start getting dark around 5:30 p.m. on the 12th and 13th., nearing time to leave the park.

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

I made my dining reservations today! And the CM confirmed 6pm closures for December 12th and 13th. But I was told DCA would be closing at 9pm those nights. They also have the park hours shooting back up to Midnight closure on the 14th.

 

[perlster]

Dec. 1 hours up yesterday, and ... drum roll please .. Dec. 2 hours added today.

 

[mjmcnns]

I had to chuckle when I read about people visiting the calendar every day as it gets closer to posting their arrival days.

I've been doing the same thing...and then on the very day that they're set to post my first day at the park they haven't updated for two days! Amusing coincidence.

EDIT - Doh. I'm not very smart. Just clued in that November ended on the calendar updates

 

[Sherry E]

Not like out-of-town visitors have this problem.

Sherry E, I agree with you on the magic of Disneyland at Christmas. Part of the wonder is the park at night, shining with thousands of lights, wonderful music and holiday decorations. It will start getting dark around 5:30 p.m. on the 12th and 13th., nearing time to leave the park.

Kittyskyfish -

It was kind of funny last year (to me) on the CM party nights because all of the fun nighttime stuff in DL had to be crammed in before 6 p.m. - the witching hour - but not before 5 p.m. So IASWH lit up in the 5 p.m. hour somewhere (it was at 5:15, I think, before it got dark), the fireworks went on, the snow fell on Main Street, the giant tree lit up along with the garland and everything on Main Street, the Winter Castle lit up - and then it was time to leave! It was literally like IASWH, fireworks, snow, Castle, okay everyone get out of the park now!

It was okay...but it felt rushed. One of the best things to do in DL during the holiday season - as you know - is to just kind of walk around and take in all the colors and lights and sounds everywhere...and that includes New Orleans Square, on Main Street, by the Castle, IASWH, even Toontown if you can get to it before it closes, as well as catch the snow if possible, do some 'chilly weather stuff' like drink cocoa or cider or whatever, get a photo in front of the Winter Castle, and all that.

Disneyland is almost like 2 different places in the daytime and at nighttime during the holiday season. It's a whole different sensory experience at night. It's not possible to do all of those things in one hour before the park closes for CM parties. Even though DLR tries to make people feel like they are not missing out on anything, I still kind of felt like I was missing some stuff.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Dec. 1 hours up yesterday, and ... drum roll please .. Dec. 2 hours added today.

They usually update it day by day. Have since I've stocked their site in 2009.

 

[jacs1234]

I'm an Aussie and the Disney calender switches over at 5 pm my time. So everyday, at about 5:30,, I'm checking that calender. I'm there for 13 days and so far 8 of my days are up.

 

[ttig34]

Interesting that they have World of Color showing on Thursday, December 1, but not Friday, December 2nd. Perhaps they will be adding it later.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

Interesting that they have World of Color showing on Thursday, December 1, but not Friday, December 2nd. Perhaps they will be adding it later.

Entertainment calendar sometimes takes awhile to update.