Hi there:
If you haven't made your reservations for the Fantasmic dinner package, do it PRONTO! With Fantasmic closing in January during the Star Wars building, Blue Bayou is already booked up for most times, with or without the package. River Belle Terrace doesn't have the atmosphere, but is about $20 less and will give you a good viewing area where you can sit down to watch. Don't bother with the Aladdin meal to go, as it only gives you a regular fast pass and I'm told the food isn't that good.
Note that if you choose the earlier show, you can stay sitting and watch the fireworks as well after the show before you move on... not the same as from the castle of course, but they have their own special effects and its own charm as well.
Be sure to do a World of Color Dinner package at CA Adventure as well. Believe it or not, the Trattoria and Ariel's Grotto choices gives you better viewing areas than the more expensive Carthay Circle. They're showing two different shows, the Winter Dreams holiday show (Frozen focused, narrated by Olaf) for the early show, and the 60th Anniversary show is the later show, so be aware of that when you choose your restaurant time.
Happy Birthday and have a wonderful time... be sure to get your free Birthday button at City Hall (to the left when you first enter
Disneyland park)... people and castmembers are great about wishing you a special day, which adds a special touch to the day. For kids, they sometimes offer them opportunities they wouldn't otherwise (such as when my young nephews got to steer the boat on Jungle Cruise!)
Oh, just saw you've got your reservations at BB already... good job!
Another thing I didn't see anyone mention is that at night, Small World has an outside overlay Holiday show about every 15 minutes or so of music and projections all over the building that's worth seeing. Also, at dusk the castle lighting is fun to watch as well... a small magical moment that's memorable!
