Halloween or Christmas?

[MamaChelle]

It sounds as though you've done 2 Christmas trips and this would be your 3rd trip (if you don't choose Halloween instead), correct? Just making sure I have the facts accurate!

Clearly I love both Halloween Time and the holidays at DLR (I have a Superthread going for each of those seasons), so to pick one is like choosing between my children and trying to pick a favorite!


On the one hand I would say that you should try Halloween Tiime at least once, just to experience it since you already have been there for the holidays twice.

On the other hand, the holiday season is so much more thorough and extensive with the decor. Halloween Time is just not up to that level of all-encompassing seasonal festivity yet. There is no getting around this. It's not an opinion. It's a fact. The holiday season offers decorations, trees, displays and music in both parks, Downtown Disney and in all 3 hotels. (The GCH and PPH Christmas trees are gorgeous.) There is a tree or decoration of some kind in just about every shop and every restaurant around the Resort (like the aromatic gingerbread house in Storytellers Cafe, for example, and the wacky tree at Goofy's Kitchen).

Halloween Time's decorations are not even close to being that involved thus far. Believe me, I wish Halloween Time were up to that level. I want Halloween Time to become bigger and better, but the holiday season is treated as a bigger deal by DLR. Cast Members have even told me, "The holiday season is very special at Disneyland."

So I suppose I am telling you all of this so that, in case you expect to get the same kind of 'specialness' from Halloween Time that you get out of a holiday visit, you know it will not be the same.

Also, this year it is expected (rumored) that Cars Land and Buena Vista Street in DCA are going to get their own themed Christmas decorations. The DCA Christmas tree will be relocated to BVS. I'm not yet sure that we will see too much in the way of Halloween decor in the "re-imagined" DCA, other than Duffy's PhotoPass spot. There have been no rumors of decorations other than a possible "Frankenweenie" overlay at the Muppets theater.

Still, I would say that you should try Halloween Time because it is loads of fun and it is totally whimsical and festive in a different way than the holiday season. The Halloween Round-Up is a gem (see our current Halloween Round-Up Theme Week that is happening in the Halloween Superthread).

If you want a change of pace, go with Halloween Time. If you want to get more bang for your Disney buck, stick with the holiday season.

Oh my! thank you so much for your post! I'm still trying to get a hang of this site! Finding posts and whatnot! There is something magical about Christmas time which is why we always choose it, plus coming from Hawaii's hot and humid weather we look forward to chilly mornings and nights. Halloween will definitely be on my list now, when I don't know but someday! Thanks for your input

 

[MamaChelle]

Thank you everyone that replied! I'm still trying to get a hang of this site since I just joined yesterday!!! I am gaining sooooo much Disney knowledge here! Everyone is right we should try Halloween but I am sooo in love with the magic during Christmas time it is hard to part from it, love the crisp chilly air mornings and night since its ALWAYS hot and humid where I live! But I do plan on getting to DL during Halloween time!!!

 

[Sherry E]

Oh my! thank you so much for your post! I'm still trying to get a hang of this site! Finding posts and whatnot! There is something magical about Christmas time which is why we always choose it, plus coming from Hawaii's hot and humid weather we look forward to chilly mornings and nights. Halloween will definitely be on my list now, when I don't know but someday! Thanks for your input

Michelle -

You're very welcome. You've gotten a lot of good input and advice from everyone in this thread.

You know, you have mentioned that you like the chilly mornings during the holiday season. You are a girl after my own heart!

Coincidentally, I am currently working on my Trip Report from my holiday trip to Disneyland this past December (yes, I am way, way behind in getting it finished, to say the least!) - see the green "Aunt Betty's Weepy, Wacky, Wonderful..." link in my signature below - and in one of my early installments of this trip report in progress I posted all about how much I love love love arriving at Disneyland Resort - whether it's at the hotels or just to walk around Downtown Disney - early in the morning. I explained all about how exhilarating and invigorating it is to walk around in the crisp late Fall/almost Winter air, feeling the chill on my cheek, when the day is new and not too many people are really awake yet, just soaking in the atmosphere. There's an extra little bit of - for lack of a better word - 'magic' in the air during that time.

I can't explain it, but I just adore the mornings during the holiday season. I love to feel chilly enough to where I have to bundle up a little bit, rather than being hot and uncomfortable!

In any case, if going during the holidays this year is still an option for you, I would maybe suggest doing one more holiday trip this year - to see whatever new decorations are put up in California Adventure, which should be beautiful - and then possibly switching to a Halloween Time trip next year if you can. I think you will really enjoy Halloween Time when you finally get there for it, if you already like Halloween in general. It is a lot of fun and it's very clever and festive. But I think that the possibility of new decorations and some new holiday highlights this year might be worth another Christmas time trip in 2012!

As for crowds, Halloween Time has become increasingly popular over the last few years and the crowds have picked up. There are certain days/weeks when it is not as crowded as other times.

I think that your time frame post-Thanksgiving is a prime time to visit Disneyland because it's in between Thanksgiving break and Christmas break. In fact, a lot of people recommend going then because the crowds are lower, while the holiday entertainment and decor is in full swing.

 

[Pesky]

I voted Halloween just for variety. If you've done 3 years of Christmas, why not try something new?

Exactly. That's why I voted Halloween. Personally love Christmas (and you can see what time I'm picking for the kids' first visit) but if you've done Christmas already, I'd check out Halloween so you can leave out the wondering from here on out.

 

[kirstie101]

I'm a HUGE fan of Halloween time at DLR. The decorations are beautiful. I love the fall colors and the weather is usually beautiful. That being said, DLR during the Holidays is something pretty magical. From the snow to the Tree its amaziing. If I could only choose one I'd choose Christmas. But if you've seen Christmas a few times, give Halloween a try.

 

[Elk Grove Chris]

Love both, fortunate enough to be doing both this year. If I had to pick just one it would be Christmas hands down. However, I would pick Halloween for you since you have already been for Christmas time. Hopefully DCA will get more into the act of decorating for Halloween this year.