Nothing to See Here...

[kaoden39]

I am glad to hear you called them. That is great news I know you said not to celebrate but I did a happy dance for you.


And I am really excited for you on your trip to Catalina Island.

 

[tksbaskets]

So excited that you booked your holiday trip!! Sounds spectacular I can't wait to share in all your excitement, planning, and follow your trip report.

 

[6Smiles]

I am so happy for you Sherry for both of your trips!

I have been to Catalina once back in 8th grade on a school field trip, but the funny thing is I kissed a boy on that trip. Never did I expect the boy I kissed back then, to be my husband now. As it was a spur of the moment thing and weren't even going to the same school! .

Now Disney at Christmas how sweet this is! You are getting a sweet deal and I am absolutely thrilled for you!

A Christmas trip and sweet talking my husband into doing the Diva trip are my next goals. So far no such luck . Today he asked me if there was a guys trip...my reply "Not that I know of but you could organize one, I'll even help"! My next idea was babe we could do one Halloween party and then we can get annual passes. Then we all could be there at the same time since the kids are out of school for the Diva's next trip and I'll split the time. He just laughed and said you know I love ya. I think he might be softening to the idea fingerscrossed.

 

[DizNee Luver]

Woo Hoo Sherry......SCORE!!!!!! I do have to say, I'm feeling a bit jealous!! I'm so happy for you!!

Please, please, please.......try to work a day trip in the first week of October!!

If we were going at Christmas time.......we definitely would have been there at the same time, but with our needing to change to Halloween time.....it took away our possible meet up.....so hopefully you can drive over for a day!

 

[mvf-m11c]

Glad to hear that you booked your trip for the Holiday season Sherry.

I am curious why you selected that week? It is due to the fact that when you posted on the Christmas Thread of the Backstage Pass that the Holiday season might start after Thanksgiving weekend. I think you already know this that in the past the first weekend of December is a good time to go. The CP is something I want to see and that is something you want to see to. No matter, I am happy that you have your Holiday trp all set.

Also your Catalina trip has been planned and glad that you got everything done today.

 

[azdisneylover]

Yeah! Some good news! Congrats on the booking of your holiday trip, Sherry! Glad you are going.

Michele, thank you for the offer on getting the Jelly Bellies for me! I just might take you up on that offer. You take paypal? I was at Costco and the price of a 4# jar made me cry! So, no new jar for me at the moment.

My router took a dive the last few days, so I had to purchase a new router and hook it up. No easy feat since our last router was through our phone service (Qwest) who's right hand doesn't know what the left hand, or the rest of the body is doing for that matter.

Long story short, back up and online! Woohoo!

 

[kaoden39]

Yeah! Some good news! Congrats on the booking of your holiday trip, Sherry! Glad you are going.

Michele, thank you for the offer on getting the Jelly Bellies for me! I just might take you up on that offer. You take paypal? I was at Costco and the price of a 4# jar made me cry! So, no new jar for me at the moment.

My router took a dive the last few days, so I had to purchase a new router and hook it up. No easy feat since our last router was through our phone service (Qwest) who's right hand doesn't know what the left hand, or the rest of the body is doing for that matter.

Long story short, back up and online! Woohoo!

You're welcome!!

Yay for being back up and running!!

 

[Sherry E]

Okay, finally getting back to my replies!!

I hope you get a couple more trips in too! Not just so I can enjoy DL vicariously through you!

Your threads helped me organize both Christmas and Halloween holiday trips to the happiest place on earth.

After the trips have passed I really get a great deal of pleasure out of reading and posting occasionally on the super threads.

One wonders what I did with my time before I found DIS....

Thanks for the kind words, TK! The Halloween & Christmas threads are great fun to organize, participate in and follow along with, and your contributions have definitely been integral to them. You've been an important contributor to the Christmas thread since its former version (the less organized one)!

It just doesn't seem possible to me.


Oh and by the way, I did get the Star Tours thing. But, with all that has happened recently I cannot afford it. But, I am a winner just the same.

Michele - my Star Tours time is May 31 (Tuesday), between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Although I discovered that Kerri will be at DLR on that day (her time slot for ST2 is 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.) and it would be great to finally meet her, I don't know if I will go that day. I don't like the time. I should have just picked one or two time slots/days that I wanted and hoped that I got either one, but I let Disney pick my day and time for me and it's not my first choice. I think I would have preferred a weekend or at least a 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. slot.

Honestly, the main thing that is still keeping me interested in possibly doing the May 31 Star Tours thing (other than Kerri being at DLR) is that, in the back of my mind, I keep thinking that DLR may decide to do some Little Mermaid soft openings on that day because it's just a few days before June 3. THAT is what I am really interested in and hoping for - the Little Mermaid! And we all know that the Little Mermaid line is going to be all kinds of hideous for a long, long time - because that ride is so long overdue to Disneyland Resort and I think people really love the story of the Little Mermaid. (It's always been one of my all-time favorites of the Disney animated films.) It's going to be extremely popular for a while, before the novelty of the ride dies down.

Hey Sherry. I'm glad that you also got selected for the ST2 Sneak Peek.

That is neat to hear from you Michele that you also got selected for the ST2 Sneak peek. I'm sorry to hear that you won't be able to make it.

Thanks, Bret! I'm still not sure I'm going to actually do the ST2 preview - I haven't made up my mind for sure yet.

I hadn't seen Creepy Dancing Guy out and about recently, so I thought he might be due to celebrate something. Maybe he's been out and about in the Halloween and Christmas superthreads. I haven't made my way in those lately.

I'm really hoping "later" happens soon -- as far as hearing if your dates are accepted or rejected!

deej - There is always a place for Creepy Dancing Guy! I do sneak him into the Halloween thread every now and then. He was given a name - Gus - by Kris (6Smiles), who also found some other hilarious dancing smilies to help Gus out.

Congrats on all of your ST2 winnings! Even if you can not go- it is still super cool to win anything from Disney!

tinksdreamswishes - You're right - it's definitely cool to win something! Better to win than to NOT win, that's for sure. It seems like most of the people who entered the AP drawing won some time slot or other. There were many dates and times to choose from. Only a couple of people mentioned not being selected, but one of those people won the Parks Blog preview for Star Tours (which happened yesterday) so I am thinking the Disney computer system recognized that she won the Parks Blog contest and disqualified her from the AP drawing. I could be wrong on that, but it seems reasonable and fair.

Love your pictures!! I was born in '95 so I wasn't around for most of your old pictures.

Welcome, Kaitlin! I'm so glad you joined us here. Thank you for the compliment. Wow - now that I think about it, a good portion of the photos in this TR are older (not counting anything from the 2000's), or would be considered older to you! Yikes! I'm so ancient! When you look at some of the older things I posted - like the Dick Tracy stuff, the older characters or the older hotel stuff - it must seem like it was 100 years ago. Even when I look back at some of the older photos from different decades, it makes me realize how much has changed at DLR. I really miss some of the older things - for example, there used to be a really great diner/coffee shop type of restaurant in the Disneyland Hotel called the Monorail Cafe, which had great food. It was a big mistake to get rid of it. I wish they would bring it back.

Hi,
Why yes we are taking the DCL trip to Alaska! We depart 7/2 for a couple of days in Vancouver and then leave on our cruise 7/5. I have never done a pre-trip report but if someone will read it I'll do a trip report when we return. We are SO excited! We haven't cruised since our DCL Mexican Riviera trip in 2008 and haven't been on the wonder since our very first DCL cruise long ago.

TK

TK - I don't think I've ever followed a TR for a cruise. I've only followed the ones for DLR or WDW. So if you do one, I'll be there too!

I am glad to hear you called them. That is great news I know you said not to celebrate but I did a happy dance for you.


And I am really excited for you on your trip to Catalina Island.

Michele - Yep, I had to call because when 5 days passed and I hadn't heard a peep, I began thinking maybe they copied my phone number down wrong, or my e-mail or something. I figured I'd better call and get the ball rolling.

Well, I wouldn't say don't celebrate or get excited at all - there will be a holiday trip of some kind so you can do a little happy dance! I have to use the PPH offer this year. It's just that I am intending to cut the number of days down from the 7 nights I currently booked, and I don't yet know if I will cut off nights from the beginning or from the end. I really had to do tit this way for now because I needed to leave a block of time open to figure everything out. This trip may require more actual planning and scheduling than what I'm used to - like for shows and meals and things. If I can get everyone to sort of 'shift' over to one end of the trip (meaning Idaho friends, Shawn, Jackie & Bob) then I can cut off days from the other end. But for the time being I wanted to leave it open.

Two months form today is my Catalina day trip!! I only wish I could do a multi-day trip but that will have to wait until another time.

So excited that you booked your holiday trip!! Sounds spectacular I can't wait to share in all your excitement, planning, and follow your trip report.

TK - Thank you! I think there may have to be some extra planning involved in this trip than the norm for me. For example, I usually skip a lot of shows and things because I don't feel like dealing with the viewing set-up and mobs of people. I would be much mroe willing to stand around and wait for certain things if the crowds were not hideous and the viewing awful.

But now that I am going to have VIP/preferred viewing for at least a couple of shows during my stay, I want to take advantage of that because I won't get that opportunity on other trips. So now I have to actually factor in times and things for shows, and figure out if anyone is going to be with me, book the VIP viewing, etc. Last year, I didn't care one bit about standing there for World of Color, dealing with Fast Passes for WoC, etc. But now...I might want to see it if I have VIP viewing!

Now, instead of eating at Goofy's with one or two other people, I could end up at Goofy's with five other people, perhaps.

Even though I am not counting on anyone showing up (because we all know how my luck goes with that), I'd say that in a 7-night/8-day block of time, someone is likely to show up at some point...and it will be a matter of coordinating WHO and WHEN and WHAT we are doing while they are there.

I am so happy for you Sherry for both of your trips!

I have been to Catalina once back in 8th grade on a school field trip, but the funny thing is I kissed a boy on that trip. Never did I expect the boy I kissed back then, to be my husband now. As it was a spur of the moment thing and weren't even going to the same school! .

Now Disney at Christmas how sweet this is! You are getting a sweet deal and I am absolutely thrilled for you!

A Christmas trip and sweet talking my husband into doing the Diva trip are my next goals. So far no such luck . Today he asked me if there was a guys trip...my reply "Not that I know of but you could organize one, I'll even help"! My next idea was babe we could do one Halloween party and then we can get annual passes. Then we all could be there at the same time since the kids are out of school for the Diva's next trip and I'll split the time. He just laughed and said you know I love ya. I think he might be softening to the idea fingerscrossed.

Thank you so much, Kris!

What a great Catalina story! So, really, Catalina should hold an extra special place in your heart because of your kiss with your future husband! Did you enjoy Catalina? I am guessing you didn't? It seems like most people I know who went there when they were kids or teens did NOT like it at that time because they found it to be too boring for them. However, those same people, when they grew up and went back, ended up really loving it later on in time.

Catalina, along with Disneyland, has always been one of my favorite places in SoCal and I actually can't believe I've been away from it for so long. All of these things have changed - some for better; some for worse - and it will be interesting to see when I get there in July.

It's funny that you mentioned a guys trip to DLR because I remember that a while back - not last year but maybe in 2009? - some of the guys on the DIS started a thread for guys only and were sort of half-heartedly organizing a trip (which provoked lots of giggles from the Divas). I can't remember who it was who was trying to get it going - and I don't know if a guys trip ever even happened - but it was tossed around!

You've absolutely got to get your husband on board for a DLR Christmas trip. I know this is your first Halloween trip coming up, so I assume Christmas would be a first too? Well, let me just say (and this is the instigator in me!) - a Halloween trip and a Christmas trip are like bookends. You need one to complement the other! They are so different - the Halloween decorations and experience are so different from the Christmas experience, and the Christmas experience is so detailed and thorough. It's really interesting to be able to experience both seasons at DLR and compare.

Woo Hoo Sherry......SCORE!!!!!! I do have to say, I'm feeling a bit jealous!! I'm so happy for you!!

Please, please, please.......try to work a day trip in the first week of October!!

If we were going at Christmas time.......we definitely would have been there at the same time, but with our needing to change to Halloween time.....it took away our possible meet up.....so hopefully you can drive over for a day!

Laurie - Thank you! I may not end up at DLR for all 7 nights I booked (in fact, I might be sick of DLR at the 7-day point) and may just stay 5 (which is my plan for right now), but I think I did get a great deal on the room, with the parking and the VIP/preferred viewing and all of that. Even if NO ONE else goes with me, I will still have a great time.

I know - my trip would have been exactly when you were planning to go to DLR for the holidays if you hadn't switched dates! I normally would not even pick that week if not for the fact that I was trying to leave room for my Idaho friends to use their air miles or points before they expire in November.

I have not abandoned HalloweenTime at all - in fact, I am more eager for HalloweenTiime to begin than in the past because I had to miss it last year and that makes me sad! So I am definitely trying to work that out, and the first week of October would probably be the time frame in which I would choose my day. Hopefully we can meet up!

Glad to hear that you booked your trip for the Holiday season Sherry.

I am curious why you selected that week? It is due to the fact that when you posted on the Christmas Thread of the Backstage Pass that the Holiday season might start after Thanksgiving weekend. I think you already know this that in the past the first weekend of December is a good time to go. The CP is something I want to see and that is something you want to see to. No matter, I am happy that you have your Holiday trp all set.

Also your Catalina trip has been planned and glad that you got everything done today.

Bret - Thank you! Well, normally I would have picked a week in December, with no November dates at all. I prefer to do an all-December trip because it feels more Christmasy to me. But I knew my Idaho friends had some air miles or rewards/points that are expiring in November sometime, so I wanted to make the DLR trip a little earlier than when I would normally go just to give them a chance to be included.

And then, of course, I want the FULL holiday experience - I want to be there when the hotels are decorated too. I don't want to go before the trees go up in the hotels. The GCH lobby, tree, carolers, etc. is a big part of my holiday enjoyment. That will be after Thanksgiving.

And I also had to pick a non-holiday weekend (meaning I couldn't pick Thanksgiving weekend) for my PPH discount.

And then, also, that week I am going - right after Thanksgiving and into the beginning of December - is supposed to be lower in crowds (except for the Candlelight Processional weekend). Even the CM I spoke to at the special activities office confirmed that the week I am going and into the next week of December are the lowest crowd points of the holiday season, while still getting the full array of holiday entertainment.

So when I added up all of those factors, it seemed to be the best time to go this year.

IF I can manage to get some tickets (there are always no-shows and then tickets are handed out to guests) for the Candlellight Processional and I am still at DLR on the CP weekend, I would love to see the CP. I may not still be there then if I cut off those two weekend days, but if I am then I am going to try to get one or two of the tickets the CM's hand out when there are no-shows.

Yeah! Some good news! Congrats on the booking of your holiday trip, Sherry! Glad you are going.

Michele, thank you for the offer on getting the Jelly Bellies for me! I just might take you up on that offer. You take paypal? I was at Costco and the price of a 4# jar made me cry! So, no new jar for me at the moment.

My router took a dive the last few days, so I had to purchase a new router and hook it up. No easy feat since our last router was through our phone service (Qwest) who's right hand doesn't know what the left hand, or the rest of the body is doing for that matter.

Long story short, back up and online! Woohoo!

Thank you, Linda! I knew you would be happy to hear that a plan of some kind is in the works! Now, as to how that plan will take shape over the next several months is up in the air, but at least I got the ball rolling. The reservation has been made. Sure, there may be days eventually cut off and people joining in and then backing out of the plan along the way. There may be mass chaos in trying to get everyone to figure out when in the heck they are showing up. But I am going to proceed as though I am going alone - I will gve all the necessary information to my friends and tell them what I'm doing and who is or is not going, but I'm not getting my hopes up. I will just assume that things will not go as planned and that I will be on my own, but we shall see!

Glad to see you're back up and online! I still have to replace this old, tired PC - it is making noises and shutting down and locking up and flashing and all kinds of things. Sometimes I can get online; sometimes I can't. I can't count on it to even turn on each day - it's a miracle when it DOES work, even poorly. I lost a bunch of documents and photos that I don't think will be recovered, so now I just have to focus on getting a new PC.

 

[deejdigsdis]

Love your pictures!! I was born in '95 so I wasn't around for most of your old pictures.

What's that you say the batteries in my hearing aid seem to be broken.

Count me in as feeling very old after reading this! We had a yard sale today and I put my old cassette player from the 1980s on the 25 cent table. It was white with mostly gray-ish buttons, the "play" button was turquoise and the "record" button was bright pink. Can you get more 1980s than that? DS11's friend saw it and asked, "What is that? Some kind of old-time music player? Is it an antique?" He wasn't trying to be funny at all, either. I told him it was a cassette player from when I was a teenager -- it plays cassette tapes -- blah blah blah. His reply was, "So basically it is an antique..." Again, not trying to be funny. My husband and I sure got a good laugh out of that one!

Back to business at hand...

Sherry! I'm a bit behind in the celebrating! So glad to hear you were able to secure the dates you wanted. What a deal! And to get the preferred viewing for everything out of the deal as well.... I wonder if that means you'll get one of those Mickey gingerbread guys (that have lost a little weight ) when you watch the Christmas parade. I'm really glad you get to go back to Catalina for your birthday trip as well. That would be nice if they added those extra return times. Thanks for keeping us all posted with your trip news. It's great to hear some good news for a change.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Thanks, Bret! I'm still not sure I'm going to actually do the ST2 preview but I haven't made up my mind for sure yet.

It would be nice to hear from you about the experience during the ST2 Sneak Peek. We'll wait and see.

Bret - Thank you! Well, normally I would have picked a week in December, with no November dates at all. I prefer to do an all-December trip because it feels more Christmasy to me. But I knew my Idaho friends had some air miles or rewards/points that are expiring in November sometime, so I wanted to make the DLR trip a little earlier than when I would normally go just to give them a chance to be included.

And then, of course, I want the FULL holiday experience - I want to be there when the hotels are decorated too. I don't want to go before the trees go up in the hotels. The GCH lobby, tree, carolers, etc. is a big part of my holiday enjoyment. That will be after Thanksgiving.

And I also had to pick a non-holiday weekend (meaning I couldn't pick Thanksgiving weekend) for my PPH discount.

And then, also, that week I am going - right after Thanksgiving and into the beginning of December - is supposed to be lower in crowds (except for the Candlelight Processional weekend). Even the CM I spoke to at the special activities office confirmed that the week I am going and into the next week of December are the lowest crowd points of the holiday season, while still getting the full array of holiday entertainment.

So when I added up all of those factors, it seemed to be the best time to go this year.

IF I can manage to get some tickets (there are always no-shows and then tickets are handed out to guests) for the Candlellight Processional and I am still at DLR on the CP weekend, I would love to see the CP. I may not still be there then if I cut off those two weekend days, but if I am then I am going to try to get one or two of the tickets the CM's hand out when there are no-shows.

That does make sense since you want to enjoy the DLR when all the Holiday decorations are up. That is really nice of you to do a Christmas trip at the end of November and beginning of December.

DL during the first few weeks is very nice, but you are right that it does not feel like the Holiday season before Thanksgiving. I really missed the Christmas tree in the GCH last year. The Holiday season feels good until all the Holiday decorations are up for the Holiday season.

That does make sense to use your PPH discount on a non-holiday weekend. You have to use the great deal you got on your last trip.

You are correct that the first week of December is one of the lowest crowds during the Holiday season.

Got to say that going during that week is of the best time to go to DL during the Holiday season.

The CP is one of the Holiday activities that I wanted to do after all of my years going to DL during the Holiday season, but I am busy on that first weekend of December. It would be nice to hear about your adventures during the CP and hope u do get tickets for that event.

I'm happy for you that you got your trip all set up.


I wrote on the Christmas thread that I was planning on going to DL during the 2nd weekend of the Holiday season. But after hearing that it might not start after Thanksgiving weekend, I am now going to push it during the first weekend of December. I don't want to have it too close to my WDW trip on the 2nd weekend of December. I don't want to go to DL when there is no Holiday activities going on in November. I am going to wait until I hear something from the DLR if they are going to start the Holiday season on 11/11, 11/18 or 11/25.

 

[Sherry E]

Count me in as feeling very old after reading this! We had a yard sale today and I put my old cassette player from the 1980s on the 25 cent table. It was white with mostly gray-ish buttons, the "play" button was turquoise and the "record" button was bright pink. Can you get more 1980s than that? DS11's friend saw it and asked, "What is that? Some kind of old-time music player? Is it an antique?" He wasn't trying to be funny at all, either. I told him it was a cassette player from when I was a teenager -- it plays cassette tapes -- blah blah blah. His reply was, "So basically it is an antique..." Again, not trying to be funny. My husband and I sure got a good laugh out of that one!

Back to business at hand...

Sherry! I'm a bit behind in the celebrating! So glad to hear you were able to secure the dates you wanted. What a deal! And to get the preferred viewing for everything out of the deal as well.... I wonder if that means you'll get one of those Mickey gingerbread guys (that have lost a little weight ) when you watch the Christmas parade. I'm really glad you get to go back to Catalina for your birthday trip as well. That would be nice if they added those extra return times. Thanks for keeping us all posted with your trip news. It's great to hear some good news for a change.

deej -

I am very old!! I still have some antique cassette players/recorders around. And I still have some cassettes that people made for me which I have not converted to CD. It's funny because vinyl albums are so old and antique that they have become cool again. I don't think cassettes will ever experience the same kind of renaissance, but vinyl is acceptable in certain circles, I think!

Yikes - I remember the days of my early teens when the release of a new album was a BIG deal, and we would have to scurry off to Tower Records and get it on the first day it came out. And it was an even bigger deal if the albums had lyrics in them - some did and some didn't. That was a bonanza. And it was even bigger deal if the 45 singles off of an album had cool picture sleeves - I hated it when they started making "cassingles" on cassette tapes. I liked 45's and their picture sleeves, and I liked vinyl albums because the pictures were big and it was fun to watch it spin on the turntable! You could actually frame album covers like artwork (in fact, most rock & roll swap meets used to sell album covers alone, just for collecting and framing), but you can't really do that well with CD inserts.

Yes, I got the dates I wanted for the DLR holiday trip - well, not my personal ideall dates, but the dates that I chose as a way to allow my Idaho friends to sneak in if they want. I actually think they WILL come out here this time because they have to use those air miles or rewards or whatever it is before they expire, which is at the end of November. I just don't know exactly how they will fold into my plan, and I don't know if Shawn, etc. will be able to show up during the time they are there.

I'm still not going to count on anyone going yet, but as it gets closer to the time - like within a couple of months before the trip - I will have to start figuring out exactly who will be there on which dates (even if it's only just me!) and if we are going to see any of the shows and parades with the VIP viewing.

This is what I was told when I asked for clarification about which shows are included in the VIP viewing from the CM I spoke to (no mention of a cookie!):

Christmas Fantasy Parade will most likely be the parade during your visit. Other shows that may be available to set up VIP Viewing for are: Disney’s Aladdin A Musical Spectacular, World of Color, Fantasmic!, the current Fireworks show & Disney Junior. The entertainment schedule is usually on www.disneyland.com 6 weeks in advance and we can book the VIP Viewings 30 days in advance.

Heck - I would like to get VIP viewing just for Aladdin alone, seeing as my seating for Aladdin was horrible the last time I saw it! And I've never seen World of Color at alll, so if that's part of the VIP viewing and it saves me the trouble of having to get a picnic just for the Fast Pass, then I'm all for it!

I plan to cut off a couple of days (making it a 5-night stay instead of a massive 7-night extravaganza), so my friends will have to figure out if they are coming at the beginning or the end of the trip.

One thing I made sure to tell my Idaho friends was that, since there will be two regular beds and one pull-out sofa bed thingy, I am taking one of the regular beds for myself, and they will have to duke it out between them to decide who gets the other regular bed and who takes the pull-out. I know my friend was hoping I would say that I am going to take the pull-out and give them the regular beds, but...that ain't gonna happen! So she may rethink the number of nights she wants to stay!

Actually, I think my friend is going to have her friend get them into Club 33 on one night...at basically $100 per person. Even though I would love to see the inside of Club 33 for the sake of taking photos and maybe buying a souvenir, I really can do without a $100 meal. I'm not a fine dining kind of gal. I would want to be taking photos of the beautful interior while everyone else was eating!

It would be nice to hear from you about the experience during the ST2 Sneak Peek. We'll wait and see.


That does make sense since you want to enjoy the DLR when all the Holiday decorations are up. That is really nice of you to do a Christmas trip at the end of November and beginning of December.

DL during the first few weeks is very nice, but you are right that it does not feel like the Holiday season before Thanksgiving. I really missed the Christmas tree in the GCH last year. The Holiday season feels good until all the Holiday decorations are up for the Holiday season.

That does make sense to use your PPH discount on a non-holiday weekend. You have to use the great deal you got on your last trip.

You are correct that the first week of December is one of the lowest crowds during the Holiday season.

Got to say that going during that week is of the best time to go to DL during the Holiday season.

The CP is one of the Holiday activities that I wanted to do after all of my years going to DL during the Holiday season, but I am busy on that first weekend of December. It would be nice to hear about your adventures during the CP and hope u do get tickets for that event.

I'm happy for you that you got your trip all set up.


I wrote on the Christmas thread that I was planning on going to DL during the 2nd weekend of the Holiday season. But after hearing that it might not start after Thanksgiving weekend, I am now going to push it during the first weekend of December. I don't want to have it too close to my WDW trip on the 2nd weekend of December. I don't want to go to DL when there is no Holiday activities going on in November. I am going to wait until I hear something from the DLR if they are going to start the Holiday season on 11/11, 11/18 or 11/25.

Bret - I am hoping that the holiday season doesn't officially begin on 11/25 - I don't think it will. Even though they won't put up the hotel decorations until after Thanksgiving, I think DLR wants to get a jump start on their holiday entertainment, so they would have to start IASWH, the parade and fireworks and the Winter Castle lighting on 11/11 or 11/18. I can't see why they wouldn't start the season on 11/11, really, unless they wanted to devote that day strictly to the Veterans. But they certainly would not start the entertainment any later than 11/18, even if the hotels are not decorated yet.

I would love to see the Candlelight Processional IF I happen to be there at that time, which I am not sure about yet. I know the crowds will be bad, but it looks like a beautiful ceremony and I think it's a really Christmasy thing to do. I would love to hear the choir singing Christmas songs and hear the narrator read stories.

The only problem is getting the tickets - the CM I talked to said there are always no-shows, so there are always tickets handed out to people in certain areas, but you have to be there at the right time to get them!

So, Bret, hopefully one of us gets to see the CP at some point because the Christmas thread needs photos of it!!

 

[kaoden39]

Sherry,

I still have all my vinyls. I wonder if this somehow makes me cool? One of the bands that Kody listens to just offered a vinyl of a single I had a deja vu moment.

 

[Sherry E]

Sherry,

I still have all my vinyls. I wonder if this somehow makes me cool? One of the bands that Kody listens to just offered a vinyl of a single I had a deja vu moment.

Everything old becomes new again at some point, I guess. I got rid of a lot of my vinyls a long time ago - but I still have quite a few. I got a lot of good bootlegs on vinyl at swap meets long ago and I wasn't about to part with those just because they're vinyl. Of course, they probably sound horrible now but I have them.

 

[kaoden39]

Everything old becomes new again at some point, I guess. I got rid of a lot of my vinyls a long time ago - but I still have quite a few. I got a lot of good bootlegs on vinyl at swap meets long ago and I wasn't about to part with those just because they're vinyl. Of course, they probably sound horrible now but I have them.

Oh mine too. But, to me they are a wonderful memory of my past. I loved those things and listened to them all the time. My first vinyls were Disney ones. Actually Disneyland. One was Small World and it was a full LP. I cannot remember what else was on it but oh how I loved that poor abused LP.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Bret - I am hoping that the holiday season doesn't officially begin on 11/25 - I don't think it will. Even though they won't put up the hotel decorations until after Thanksgiving, I think DLR wants to get a jump start on their holiday entertainment, so they would have to start IASWH, the parade and fireworks and the Winter Castle lighting on 11/11 or 11/18. I can't see why they wouldn't start the season on 11/11, really, unless they wanted to devote that day strictly to the Veterans. But they certainly would not start the entertainment any later than 11/18, even if the hotels are not decorated yet.

I would love to see the Candlelight Processional IF I happen to be there at that time, which I am not sure about yet. I know the crowds will be bad, but it looks like a beautiful ceremony and I think it's a really Christmasy thing to do. I would love to hear the choir singing Christmas songs and hear the narrator read stories.

The only problem is getting the tickets - the CM I talked to said there are always no-shows, so there are always tickets handed out to people in certain areas, but you have to be there at the right time to get them!

So, Bret, hopefully one of us gets to see the CP at some point because the Christmas thread needs photos of it!!

Same here. I would like it to start at its usual schedule on the 2nd weekend of November like they have been doing the last few years. I will be surprised if the Holiday season starts after Thanksgiving. The parade and fireworks are the main activities for me during the Holiday season. The Tree/Wreath Quest last year was exciting to do and I'm looking forward to doing it again later this year.

The crowds are really bad during the CP day. The DISers that went last year said it was hard to walk down MS while there were a lot of people tailgating on MS for the CP. That reminds me when I go to WDW this year during the Holidays, I have to check out the CP at EPCOT. Even though they do a have a lot of choirs and narrators for the CP on certain days, I have to find the right one to go and see.

That would be nice to get tickets to the CP, but I have to stay in DL the whole day in order to possibly get a ticket to it.

I barely seen any CP pictures on the thread. You are right Sherry that we need some photos of it.

In the end, I might go with my usual plan of going to DL during the 2nd weekend during the Holiday season. Even though the hotels are not fully decorated, this gives me time to relax until I head to WDW in a few weeks.

 

[Sherry E]

Same here. I would like it to start at its usual schedule on the 2nd weekend of November like they have been doing the last few years. I will be surprised if the Holiday season starts after Thanksgiving. The parade and fireworks are the main activities for me during the Holiday season. The Tree/Wreath Quest last year was exciting to do and I'm looking forward to doing it again later this year.

The crowds are really bad during the CP day. The DISers that went last year said it was hard to walk down MS while there were a lot of people tailgating on MS for the CP. That reminds me when I go to WDW this year during the Holidays, I have to check out the CP at EPCOT. Even though they do a have a lot of choirs and narrators for the CP on certain days, I have to find the right one to go and see.

That would be nice to get tickets to the CP, but I have to stay in DL the whole day in order to possibly get a ticket to it.

I barely seen any CP pictures on the thread. You are right Sherry that we need some photos of it.

In the end, I might go with my usual plan of going to DL during the 2nd weekend during the Holiday season. Even though the hotels are not fully decorated, this gives me time to relax until I head to WDW in a few weeks.

Bret -

You're right - there are a lot more CP dates and narrators at WDW, aren't there? I had forgotten that until I read your post. DLR only gets 2 CP nights, and it's the same narrator both nights. WDW often has different narrators on different nights, don't they? And there are different choirs, too? It's not the same choir that sings each night at the WDW CP?

I will be honest - one of the reasons why I thought I might leave my block of time open in late November/early December to include the CP nights is because of that rumor that was floating around a while back - I think it might have first appeared on MousePlanet or Mouse Info, but I'm not sure. This was the rumor that the Candlellight Processional might move to DCA, into the Hyperion Theater. Do you remember hearing that?

Of course, we have no idea where that rumor originated, or if it will ever happen (and when), but I have a feeling it might very well happen because that will give DCA a 'signature' holiday event and DLR can then begin a holiday party in Disneyland to fill the void. The holiday party would then be Disneyland's signature holiday event.

Well, even though I have never seen the CP at Disneyland, something tells me that it fits much better against the backdrop of Main Street, and Main Street's old fashioned decor and charm. If the CP were to move to the Hyperion, I don't think it would have the same appeal to me. Next year should be the first holiday season in a while when there will be no work going on in DCA and most of the changes are done. So it wouldn't be unreasonable to think that the CP could end up in DCA next year.

So, just in case this happens to be the last year for the CP in Disneyland, I figured I wanted to leave some days open in my reservation that would allow me to see it if I can get a ticket.



Oh, and as for which dates you go to DLR this year - even though it is frustrating that the hotels are not decorated until after Thanksgiving and you will miss them, you're used to going to DLR in mid-November so you know what to expect in terms of decorations, crowds and weather that time of year (in fact, I think you were the first one to report back on the fact that the light canopy in NOS was gone and that some of the decorations in NOS had changed). If you tried to squeeze in a post-Thanksgiving trip, it would end up being too close to your WDW trip and wouldn't really give you enough time to recover from the DLR trip before you had to zoom off to WDW. I think that doing your usual second weekend of November trip will be good.

Maybe next year you can plan to hit DLR after Thanksgiving? I'm sure it will be a bigger and better holiday season in 2012.

 

[Sherry E]

Anyway, just to recap for anyone who is new to this thread (lurking) or who has not been following along with the latest update to my TR and has missed some things.

I currently have a 7-night stay booked at the PPH for late November/early December of this year. This will be my annual DLR holiday trip - I can't miss Christmas at DLR - but it will be a bit earlier in the season than when I normally go. The trip will probably get cut down to 5 nights, but I won't know that for sure for another few months. In any case - whether it's 5 nights or 7 nights, it will be the longest amount of time I've ever spent onsite in one DLR stay. I've been going to Disneyland since 1972, and I have stayed onsite since 1987 or 1988 or so, but never for 5 or 7 nights. This will be a first for me. I have a lot of things to accomplish - and there may be a lot of people with me making things confusing and chaotic, so I'm not sure if having extra time will end up being a blessing to my agenda, or if I will end up getting burnt out.

This is what led up to the booking:

Basically, when I checked in at PPH last December they mistakenly put a hold on a big chunk of my money - totalling one night of my stay plus 17% tax & the resort fee plus tax, plus the 'incidentals' - even after I had paid them in full for the balance due on the entire cost of the room at check-in. Paying the balance in gift cards seemed to somehow throw off the whole process, compared to my previus stays onsite. Technically, they should have only put a hold on the incidentals amount (maybe $50-ish) until I checked out and they could release it.

Also, the PPH people did not tell me they had put a hold on such a large amount of money - I'm not even sure if they realized it - and they did not ask me which of my debit cards was okay to use. Their system just randomly selected one of the cards it had on file for me and blocked almost $300 of my money. I had no clue about this, so I went about my stay, spending money on meals at Storytellers and a couple of other small things, unaware that my money was on hold and I didn't have enough funds to cover my transactions.

In fact, I didn't find out about this until I returned home - 4 days later - and saw an e-mail notification about the almost $300 hold the PPH put on my card without telling me. I panicked, realizing that this was going to set off a series of overdraft fees. I made a mad dash to the bank in the dark to deposit some cash in the ATM so I could hopefully avoid the overdraft fees.

I called the PPH, they acknowledged that they made a mistake, they offered to cover any overdraft fees I might incur, they apologized, etc. Meanwhile, I also sent an e-mail to Guest Communications, explaining the mishap.

Eventually I received a phone call from a nice lady in Guest Communications and she also agreed that the mistake was on their end. She offered to send me an discount for a FREE night's stay at the PPH, and $99 for each additional night of the same stay, along with free parking. I was not expecting anything like that at all - not at all! I woud have been happy if they had just covered my overdraft fees if there had been any (I avoided fees when I ran to the bank in the dark to hurl money into the ATM!). I totally did not even think about 'getting' anything in return for this incident - perhaps because DLR and the PPH were rather unapologetic a few years ago when I stayed in a room where the water smelled like poo.

So....I received a letter in the mail from the lady in Guest Communications with the offer for the free night at the PPH and the $99 each additional night IN PRINT. They gave me a special phone number to call to handle this type of reservation. I can't go through the regular Central Reservations office. I have to only go through the Special Activities office...which happens to be the same place where they handle celebrities and VIP's who are going to visit DLR...except, chances are, the celebrities are all heading to the GCH and not to the PPH.

I called Special Activities about a week ago and put in my request for dates I wanted. Finally, a few days ago I called back and got the okay. The people in the SA office are extremely pleasant and friendly, as well as being helpful. Not only am I booked from Monday, November 28 - Monday, December 5 at this awesome rate (it will total about $70 more, roughly, for 7 nights than what I paid for 3 nights last year - that's a great deal!), but I get free parking (for up to 2 cars, I think). I also don't have to pay anything now - I don't have to give them a card number to hold, I don't have to put down a deposit. I don't have the same cancellation 'rules' that the people with normal reservations have.

PLUS - and this was a total surprise - I am being given VIP/preferred viewing to at least some of the shows and parades that are going on during my stay, which would include Aladdin, A Christmas Fantasy Parade, Believe...In Holiday Magic fireworks, World of Color, Fantasmic and Disney Junior.

It is not guaranteed that I can get VIP viewing for all of those shows - so I am not going to be greedy and try to get ALL of them - but it does have me seriously reconsidering my plans and working some shows/parades into my trip that I might not have otherwise bothered with. For example, I have never seen World of Color - it just was not a priority for me. But if I have a VIP/Preferred viewing Fast Pass, I would be inclined to see it. I would love to get the VIP seating for Aladdin, too. We shall see. I have to wait until the entertainment calendar shows up on the DLR website 6 weeks in advance of my trip, and then book what I want at the 30-day point.

Now...as for WHO is going with me, well...that will probably end up becoming a chaotic situation as it gets closer to November. Right now I am carrying on as though I am going alone until my friends let me know what they are doing. I've given them all the necessary info, told them all the details, and I will probably not say anything else about the trip to them until late August/early September, unless they bring it up to me first.

My friends from Idaho are coming into town in November (I'm fairly positive they will come to town this time), and I told them they could stay with me at the PPH a couple of nights. I can't handle having people with me for the whole stay, so I was only willing to allow a couple of nights. Four people in one room is too many for my taste. Too crowded. We will see which nights they choose to come - if they show up at DLR at all (I'm not holding my breath). I also invited the usual suspects - my friend Shawn, her sister, and my happily-married-couple friends, Jackie and Bob. They all know my Idaho friends so we are all kind of one big group. Shawn, et al., can decide if they are going to show up when Idaho friends are there, or if they would prefer to show up at DLR on another day, when it's just me.

In any case, if I can get everyone to kind of 'shift' to one end or the other of my 11/28 - 12/5 dates, then I can easily cut off dates from the other end (simply for money purposes - I don't really have the $$ to fork over for 7 nights). But if it seems like they can't all come at the same time and have to show up at different 'ends' of the trip, then I may keep my 7 nights and try to see if I can score tickets for the Candlellight Processional. Even though I don't have to put down any money on this room until I check in, I still have to scrape it together in 6 months. Easier said than done - especially since I am trying to sneak in a DLR Halloween Time trip before the holiday trip!

I don't want to wait until the last minute to call and change my reservation - even though there is no penalty to do so. I would like to let the SA office know in advance if I have to amend my dates, if possible.

After all, you never know...maybe John Stamos or Kobe Bryant or Gwen Stefani is in need of a room through SA, and my freeing up a couple of nights might give them that room!!!!

 

[6Smiles]

Hi Sherry - Catalina still holds a special place in my heart and my husbands heart. We have even talked about going and renewing our vows on the island. Catalina island was full of magic - It was the first time I had ever been snorkeling. Their salt water taffy is absolutely amazing and i do not think I have ever had any as good as I bought on this trip. This was back in the eighties and I remember how soft and yummy it was. I remember them telling us about the movie shot on the island and that is why there are so many animals. We had a wonderful camp fire on the top of a hill and that is where my husband and i kissed. I actually have looked at returning to Catalina a few times, but have worried my younger children would not enjoy it. A return trip is definitely on the list of things to do in the future.

I laughed the other day when WDWJonas posted and was feeling quite young until I went to a meeting later that day to register my oldest DD for a HS program and realized she was born the same year ! Age is a state of mind... and my mind chooses to forget to realize how old I am.

Do try for the first week in October to come for Disney as we will be there also and I would love to meet you and Laurie.

Kris

 

[kaoden39]

Kris,

High school is the killer. All three of my kids are currently in high school. The oldest graduates in June.

 

[mvf-m11c]

Bret -

You're right - there are a lot more CP dates and narrators at WDW, aren't there? I had forgotten that until I read your post. DLR only gets 2 CP nights, and it's the same narrator both nights. WDW often has different narrators on different nights, don't they? And there are different choirs, too? It's not the same choir that sings each night at the WDW CP?

I will be honest - one of the reasons why I thought I might leave my block of time open in late November/early December to include the CP nights is because of that rumor that was floating around a while back - I think it might have first appeared on MousePlanet or Mouse Info, but I'm not sure. This was the rumor that the Candlellight Processional might move to DCA, into the Hyperion Theater. Do you remember hearing that?

Of course, we have no idea where that rumor originated, or if it will ever happen (and when), but I have a feeling it might very well happen because that will give DCA a 'signature' holiday event and DLR can then begin a holiday party in Disneyland to fill the void. The holiday party would then be Disneyland's signature holiday event.

Well, even though I have never seen the CP at Disneyland, something tells me that it fits much better against the backdrop of Main Street, and Main Street's old fashioned decor and charm. If the CP were to move to the Hyperion, I don't think it would have the same appeal to me. Next year should be the first holiday season in a while when there will be no work going on in DCA and most of the changes are done. So it wouldn't be unreasonable to think that the CP could end up in DCA next year.

So, just in case this happens to be the last year for the CP in Disneyland, I figured I wanted to leave some days open in my reservation that would allow me to see it if I can get a ticket.



Oh, and as for which dates you go to DLR this year - even though it is frustrating that the hotels are not decorated until after Thanksgiving and you will miss them, you're used to going to DLR in mid-November so you know what to expect in terms of decorations, crowds and weather that time of year (in fact, I think you were the first one to report back on the fact that the light canopy in NOS was gone and that some of the decorations in NOS had changed). If you tried to squeeze in a post-Thanksgiving trip, it would end up being too close to your WDW trip and wouldn't really give you enough time to recover from the DLR trip before you had to zoom off to WDW. I think that doing your usual second weekend of November trip will be good.

Maybe next year you can plan to hit DLR after Thanksgiving? I'm sure it will be a bigger and better holiday season in 2012.

By far way more then DL. I believed it was around 12 narrators and a lot of conductors and choirs for the EPCOT CP. For every two to three nights, they have different narrators, conductors and choirs. My guess is that the CP have different choirs that sing each night.

You did write something that the CP might be moved to DCA this year if it is not at DL.

We talked about this for awhile now that DL might do a Holidy party just like at MK MVMCP which is a success. The party at MK was okay, but the only thing I wanted to do during that event was only the fireworks and parade. All the other things I can do at a normal park. To pay for $50 a head is kind of expensive since I have a Premier Pass. It would be neat to have the CP inside the Hyperion Theater, but there will be a limit on how many people can be in the building.

The Hyperion is a nice place to see events on a cold day, but it is better to have the CP outside at DL where it is a tradition every year in MS. Even though I have never gone during the CP, it would be really crowded just to walk past MS while the guests are waiting for the CP that night. I can't wait to see DCA when all the construction is over, it wouldn't surprise me too if they move the CP to DCA next year.

It would be a good idea to leave some days open during the CP and possibly get a ticket for the event. That might be the last time in DL to have the CP this year.


After going to DL last year in November, it was a nice and quiet time to go down there for the Holiday season. I am mostly used to go to DL during the 2nd weekend of December since that is my birthday weekend. Trying the 2nd weekend of November last year was a great experience to go to especially I have never gone to DL during the month of November. I like the hotels decorated during the Holiday season, but after seeing it last year during my time, it was disappointing of not seeing the tree in the GCH lobby. I believe you were right that I was the first one to know that the light canopy in NOS was gone last year. A lot of NOS changed last year from years past with the white light canopy and standard color lighting on the buildings. Last year, it was all bright blue color on the railings of the buildings.

That what I thought, it wouldn't be a good idea to do a DL trip one week prior to my WDW trip. Just need to recover after a fun weekend in DL then have to unpack and repack for the WDW trip. In the end, my DA and I are planning on going to DL during the 2nd weekend of the Holiday season 11/18 to 11/20 and hope that the decorations and events are running at the DLR.

I'm not planning on going to WDW in 2012 during the Holiday season, so I might go back to my usual dates in December like I have always been doing. I do missed going to DL during the 2nd weekend of December last year and that might be my dates for next year.

TY for the help Sherry. U inspire me so much during the Holiday season. I have like the Holiday season at DL for all my life, but since I have been on the thread, I love it even more.