Holiday start dates

[laura&fam]

Disneyland's official website only has a calendar for about two months out at most and we're trying to plan a trip in November.

Is there any way to find out when the "official" start of the holiday season is? They must know and we need to schedule vacation time from work, etc.

 

[Sherry E]

Disneyland's official website only has a calendar for about two months out at most and we're trying to plan a trip in November.

Is there any way to find out when the "official" start of the holiday season is? They must know and we need to schedule vacation time from work, etc.

Well, in 2008 the "official" start of the DLR holiday season was Friday, November 21. Of course, many of the holiday decorations and things were up prior to that, but that was the first offical day of the IASW Holiday opening as well as the light show from the Winter Castle to the Main Street Christmas tree. So this year I would assume that the start of the season officially commences on November 20th. I don't think they would start it any later than that, but possibly the 27th. I still think it would be the 20th, though. In the old, old days, the DLR holiday season actually used to begin quite a bit earlier. I recall seeing some of my old Christmas photos recently, and looked at the dates I had jotted down and was surprised at how early in November they were taken!

 

[laura&fam]

Thanks.

That sounds close to the same date as when we went four years ago.

I wonder if there is any way to find out for sure. I'd hate to set everything up and then find out everything is still closed to fit for Christmas. But I really don't want to go over Thanksgiving - too crowded.

 

[S. S. Columbia]

Disneyland's official website only has a calendar for about two months out at most and we're trying to plan a trip in November.

Is there any way to find out when the "official" start of the holiday season is? They must know and we need to schedule vacation time from work, etc.

Except for Sandy Claws himself, no one knows with certainty when the “official” Christmas holiday season will start.

Like Sherry mentioned, in Nov ’08 the “official” Christmas holiday season started on the Friday before Thanksgiving.

Next Thanksgiving is Nov 26, 2009. Based on the previous 3 years, it’s likely that the “official” Christmas holiday season will start on Nov 20, the Friday before Thanksgiving.

Here is some additional information about 2007 and 2006.

In Nov ’07:
Believe…In Holiday Magic fireworks and the Christmas Fantasy Parade started on 11/16/07, which was the Friday before Thanksgiving.
Here’s a link to the Nov ’07 calendar:
http://www.laughingplace.com/Guide-Cal-dlr2-200711.asp

In Nov ’06:
Believe…In Holiday Magic fireworks started on 11/12/06, which was a Sunday.
Christmas Fantasy Parade started on 11/17/06, which was the Friday before Thanksgiving.
Here’s a link to the Nov ’06 calendar:
http://www.laughingplace.com/Guide-Cal-dlr2-200611.asp

HTH

 

[Disneyluvr2]

Traditionally, the holiday season kick off starts the Friday before Thanksgiving. You'll see some of the decorations going up before that date though. such a magical time of year!

 

[laura&fam]

We just got the Disney planning DVD because it's been a couple of years since we've been (and can you ever have too much Disney?).

It says the holiday season starts "the weekend before Thanksgiving".

 

[Sherry E]

We just got the Disney planning DVD because it's been a couple of years since we've been (and can you ever have too much Disney?).

It says the holiday season starts "the weekend before Thanksgiving".

Yep. The 20th of November. It doesn't happen to state anywhere in that DVD when the Halloween season starts, does it? It's only in the last few years that DLR has begun to make a bigger deal about Halloweentime, and it seemed like they were experimenting with dates. Like in 2007, the official Halloweentime began on September 21, which was the next to last Friday of the month, but in 2008 it begn on September 26th, which was the last Friday of the month. I wonder if this year they will just start it in October, or start it even earlier in September.

 

[laura&fam]

I don't remember anything about a Halloween date, but maybe I was just paying more attention to the Christmas thing.