Help me plan my Christmas trip

[Disneyqueendenmark]

Hi....

I'm planning my 5th trip to Disneyland but I can't figure out what to do when!? I think it's been too long since I last did it. So I really need some help

We arrive in Anaheim 12/19 and leave 12/25. We will have a 3-day hopper ticket with magic morning.
The plan right now is:
12/20 - Day 1 (magic morning?)
12/21 - Day 2 (cars land?)
12/24 - Day 3 (Walk in Walt's Footstep tour?)
I first thought this was a good plan. We spent 12/23 and 12/24 in the parks in 2011 so we know how the crowds can get. So I thought that going a few days before Christmas would make the crowds a little better? But then I found out it was a weekend?!

What would you do? We want to be in the parks on Christmas Eve but our plans for the other days can be moved if it would be better to go e.g. on monday the 22nd?

Thanks!

 

[Disneyqueendenmark]

Btw.... any tips on how to do Cars Land? Since it is Christmas I expect bigger crowds than normal and from what I read here Cars Land is pretty crowded - eventhough it's been a couple of years since opening.
So what to do? Since we're staying off-site we won't be able to get into DCA prior to official opening.....

 

[Disneyqueendenmark]

Any comments and suggestions will be greatly appriciated!! I'm lost on when to do what and why!?

 

[dr&momto2boys]

Maybe I can jump in and get the ball rolling...

Not sure about whether a weekend day will be less busy than the Monday before Christmas because we've never gone at that time of year, but I would definately keep reading about that.

As far as Cars Land is concerned, you should definately arrive before opening so you'll be some of the first in the park (every day!) and have one person go straight to the FP line to obtain FPs for everyone in your party. The rest should either go straight to RSR before the wait builds too much, or go over to TSM and do the paradise pier area with much less wait than later in the day.
I don't know if RSR breaks down as much as it did when it first opened, but that can really throw a crimp in the plans so have a back-up plan. The FP line won't open if RSR is down.

Good idea to do a tour on the 24th. Have fun!

 

[superlarz]

Just go and have fun. Dont over plan, because you dont know what is going to be crowded. Your basic outline of a gameplan looks good. Stick with that and youll be ok.

 

[larina]

Since you're going at Christmas, think about the Christmas tour. You get to go on a few rides and you get wonderful seating (in chairs) for the holiday parade. We loved it and will do it again when we go in 2015.



another thought, try to see all the santas in the resort. We still haven't done it but always plan to, next time.

 

[Sherry E]

Disneyqueendenmark --

I saw your post a couple of weeks ago, but when I am pressed for time and can't reply I tend to just bookmark a thread and/or subscribe to it in hopes that I can get back to it later at some point. I will always go to my Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread and/or my Halloween Time at DLR Superthread first, before anything else (to report on any news, rumors, speculation, chat with the other participants about the seasons, answer questions, etc.). So if you ever have specific holiday season questions, comments, experiences to share or whatever, please feel free to come and join us in the Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread. You don't need to read the whole thread -- just jump in and say hello! We're a fun, friendly group of people!

You've already visited DLR for the holiday season so I won't go into the range of things to do during that time. If I am understanding correctly, your question seems to be more about scheduling/planning your days in relation to pre-Christmas crowds.

You've been given good feedback already, from dr&momto2boys, superlarz and larina!

Honestly, the dates you have in mind for December are going to be crowded at DLR no matter how you plan out your activities. You wouldn't be going far enough away from the Christmas holiday for the crowds to be noticeably lower on any specific day.

The week of Christmas is busy and people begin to descend upon the parks on the weekend before Christmas, if not slightly before that. Since the re-imagining of California Adventure 2 years ago -- combined with the fact that California Adventure is now a lot more involved in the holiday season, with events like World of Color--Winter Dreams and Viva Navidad -- more people have flocked to the parks for the holidays in the last couple of years. Even Downtown Disney has gotten into the holiday game now, with an ice rink and various activities throughout the season.

I don't think it will make too much of a difference if you're in the park on a weekend or weekday at that specific point in December. People are on vacation and will be at Disneyland for the holiday. Sure, there may be fewer people in the parks on a Monday than on a Saturday or whenever, but I don't think the difference will be that noticeable so close to Christmas -- unless weather becomes a factor. If there is a threat of rain in the forecast, or if it is actually raining, that will scare off a lot of people!