****Official December 2014 Check-In! ****

[dadofnicholas]

December 14-17 (maybe 18). Last-minute decision to take my son for his 7th birthday. He's never been at Christmas - and I haven't been back during Christmas season for nearly 30 years.

During our last visit earlier in the year, I was ready to stay off-site but changed my mind - I think a good deal popped up or something. I really like the onsite experience and prices are still pretty reasonable for Paradise Pier (our favourite of the three) for our dates. But I would really like to try an offsite nearby hotel too - walking is OK especially if we are just across the street, we don't feel the need to try every ride anymore - we have our favourites, plus although we really like RSR, it's not a must. We can also spend that extra money on Disney products Will make a decision this week!

 

[Escape2Disney]

December 14-17 (maybe 18). Last-minute decision to take my son for his 7th birthday. He's never been at Christmas - and I haven't been back during Christmas season for nearly 30 years.

During our last visit earlier in the year, I was ready to stay off-site but changed my mind - I think a good deal popped up or something. I really like the onsite experience and prices are still pretty reasonable for Paradise Pier (our favourite of the three) for our dates. But I would really like to try an offsite nearby hotel too - walking is OK especially if we are just across the street, we don't feel the need to try every ride anymore - we have our favourites, plus although we really like RSR, it's not a must. We can also spend that extra money on Disney products Will make a decision this week!

Be sure not to wait too long to decide. Rooms are disappearing quickly! We're at PPH the 14-20th. About a week or two after I booked, at least one of the days was unavailable (except for suites).

Have a fantastic trip!

 

[joyfulDisneytears]

I'll be staying offsite Dec 7-10 for a solo trip! First solo Disney trip ever! I'll be Disneybounding and focusing mostly on the holiday events. Well, if can manage to get my work for my current semester of school done ahead of schedule. Christmastime at Disney is quite the carrot to dangle in front of myself, I feel confident it'll happen!

 

[krispin41]

I'll be staying offsite Dec 7-10 for a solo trip! First solo Disney trip ever! I'll be Disneybounding and focusing mostly on the holiday events. Well, if can manage to get my work for my current semester of school done ahead of schedule. Christmastime at Disney is quite the carrot to dangle in front of myself, I feel confident it'll happen!

Awesome! This is also my first solo trip, and I am so excited. I will be there from 12/10-12/13, so we will just miss each other...what are you Disneybounding as?

I just purchased a very cute Nightmare Before Christmas cardigan that I will be wearing to the Parks.

 

[joyfulDisneytears]

Awesome! This is also my first solo trip, and I am so excited. I will be there from 12/10-12/13, so we will just miss each other...what are you Disneybounding as? I just purchased a very cute Nightmare Before Christmas cardigan that I will be wearing to the Parks.

I'm not sure yet, I have a huge list of possibilities! I started a thread on the community board about Disneybounding but no one else contributing yet! I'm thinking I want to dress as characters I can meet, or their supporting cast so I can get pictures with them.

 

[DreamtheImpossible]

I looked at the Disneyland entertainment schedule and it shows that the Storybook Canals are off the refurb list! Any news on this, or is Disney's website just not caught up? =P

We'll be there from the 1-5th!!

 

[Escape2Disney]

I'll be staying offsite Dec 7-10 for a solo trip! First solo Disney trip ever! I'll be Disneybounding and focusing mostly on the holiday events. Well, if can manage to get my work for my current semester of school done ahead of schedule. Christmastime at Disney is quite the carrot to dangle in front of myself, I feel confident it'll happen!

It sounds like you have great motivation to finish early! Enjoy your trip.

I looked at the Disneyland entertainment schedule and it shows that the Storybook Canals are off the refurb list! Any news on this, or is Disney's website just not caught up? =P

We'll be there from the 1-5th!!

It sure would be nice if the ride is open! Storybook is one of my favorites. I haven't heard any news about it, but will post here if I do.

 

[letitsnow]

It's official...room is booked Anaheim Marriott Suites 12/4-7!!!!

 

[Escape2Disney]

It's official...room is booked Anaheim Marriott Suites 12/4-7!!!!

YAY! Enjoy!

 

[joyfulDisneytears]

I'll be staying offsite Dec 7-10 for a solo trip! First solo Disney trip ever! I'll be Disneybounding and focusing mostly on the holiday events. Well, if can manage to get my work for my current semester of school done ahead of schedule. Christmastime at Disney is quite the carrot to dangle in front of myself, I feel confident it'll happen!

Slight change of plan, found out my sister-in-law's baby shower will be on 12/7. So my dates are now Dec 8-11. More weekdays means less crowds, so I'll take it!

 

[Escape2Disney]

Slight change of plan, found out my sister-in-law's baby shower will be on 12/7. So my dates are now Dec 8-11. More weekdays means less crowds, so I'll take it!

 

[kgbrav]

kgbrav - (Ayers Inn) - (12/09-12/15)

Hello!! Its our first big family trip and our first time at Disneyland. I'm nervous and excited, I feel like its coming fast and furious!! I'm hoping to add even more to my overrread brain right now! haha!

 

[Escape2Disney]

kgbrav - (Ayers Inn) - (12/09-12/15)

Hello!! Its our first big family trip and our first time at Disneyland. I'm nervous and excited, I feel like its coming fast and furious!! I'm hoping to add even more to my overrread brain right now! haha!

How exciting!! There's so much to do and see during the holidays - I'm sure you'll have a terrific time!

 

[SweetAlex]

Oh my gosh! TWO weeks today we leave for the airport and the next day, we finally fly away to the magical land that we all love so much as a family! When I first posted on here, months ago, it seemed SO far away, our trip (you may remember a particularly whiney email expressing my impatience). Now, before I knew it, the time crept up and it's nearly here... and I suddenly have so much to do!

Hopefully everyone else going next month is getting as excited as we are. The kids are back and forth about what ride to do first and talk everyday about what we are going to make sure not to miss this time.

Me? Well I'm most excited to see the parks all done up for Christmas. I've always loved Christmas, everything about it and from what I've seen and heard, Disney does not disappoint when it comes to going over the top on Christmas joy. I can't wait!

Two.more.weeks.

 

[dec2009mama]

Oh my gosh! TWO weeks today we leave for the airport and the next day, we finally fly away to the magical land that we all love so much as a family! When I first posted on here, months ago, it seemed SO far away, our trip (you may remember a particularly whiney email expressing my impatience). Now, before I knew it, the time crept up and it's nearly here... and I suddenly have so much to do!

Hopefully everyone else going next month is getting as excited as we are. The kids are back and forth about what ride to do first and talk everyday about what we are going to make sure not to miss this time.

Me? Well I'm most excited to see the parks all done up for Christmas. I've always loved Christmas, everything about it and from what I've seen and heard, Disney does not disappoint when it comes to going over the top on Christmas joy. I can't wait!

Two.more.weeks.

are you flying out of YVR? we fly out on the 4th......i hope these next two weeks fly by!

 

[SweetAlex]

are you flying out of YVR? we fly out on the 4th......i hope these next two weeks fly by!

Nope. Our closest international airport is Spokane (just under 3 hours drive), and since it's on the state side, we saved a ton on flights. We moved from Langley earlier this year and flew out of Seattle for our last two trips. I would have loved to fly out of Vancouver to avoid the long drive on an already long day of travel but the cost savings always won over that.

Hope you have a fabulous trip! Where are you staying and for how long are you there?

 

[westcoastminnie]

We have been in the spring, late summer and Halloween, but this will be our first Christmas trip December 6-13!

Question: We'll be checking in around 5pm on Saturday December 6. I know it's CP that evening, would we be crazy to attempt entering DL that night? We have park hoppers that we are converting to AP's so I'm not worried about only having a few hours in the park, I just wonder if it will be super busy. We had originally thought we'd do CP on Sunday but I wondered about trying to see the 8 pm show on Saturday? Will it be hard to find a good spot? Otherwise we'll just do dinner in DTD and make it an early night so we can have an early start on Sunday

 

[Sherry E]

We have been in the spring, late summer and Halloween, but this will be our first Christmas trip December 6-13!

Question: We'll be checking in around 5pm on Saturday December 6. I know it's CP that evening, would we be crazy to attempt entering DL that night? We have park hoppers that we are converting to AP's so I'm not worried about only having a few hours in the park, I just wonder if it will be super busy. We had originally thought we'd do CP on Sunday but I wondered about trying to see the 8 pm show on Saturday? Will it be hard to find a good spot? Otherwise we'll just do dinner in DTD and make it an early night so we can have an early start on Sunday

In addition to the CP on Saturday, 12/6, there is also something called RaverDay (which I had never heard of before last week) -- see info HERE. I am guessing that will increase crowds in Disneyland on 12/6.


There is also a pharmacist/pharmacy convention in town, starting on 12/7 and lasting through 12/11. -- info is HERE. A lot of the attendees will be staying at the onsite hotels (because they got special rates for the Disney hotels due to this convention). My guess is that -- since many of the pharmacist convention attendees will be coming from out of town -- some of them will arrive earlier over the weekend and go to the parks prior to the start of the convention on 12/7. They could be in the parks on 12/6 as well.

So, my feeling is that, between Candlelight crowds, RaverDay crowds and pharmacist crowds, that whole weekend in general will probably be very crowded.

 

[westcoastminnie]

Thanks Sherry E, that's very useful information and might make our decision easier... Looks like dinner at DTD might win over the parks that first night! And maybe check out the decorations at the hotels

 

[Sherry E]

Thanks Sherry E, that's very useful information and might make our decision easier... Looks like dinner at DTD might win over the parks that first night! And maybe check out the decorations at the hotels

You're welcome! I think that's what I'd do as well.

In previous years we didn't have RaverDay and pharmacist convention crowds converging on DLR at the same time as Candlelight crowds, so it was easier to predict what might be happening. These events are new on the DLR scene this year, and I think they will have a big impact on crowds, unfortunately.

If the pharmacists were not getting special discounts at the Disney hotels, I would think that maybe most of them were staying offsite and not bothering with the parks. But since some of them will be staying at the Disney hotels, and the convention begins on 12/7, I think it's a reasonable assumption that some of the convention attendees will arrive in Anaheim a bit early and head into the parks on 12/6 (maybe even on 12/5). Once the convention begins on 12/7, they'll probably be gone from the parks and busy with the convention events.