Santa Photopass spot - GCH lobby

[the donut]

Just back from our trip, and the parks really look beautiful. Wanted to give everyone a heads up that when we finished our dinner at Napa Rose, we went to check out the tree in the lobby of the Grand Californian Hotel, and Santa is there with a photopass photographer in front of their big tree! I think the photopass guys said Santa's there from 4:30 - 8:30. Unforunately, we lingered at dinner too long and just missed him, and of course it was our last night there. But maybe some of you all can take advantage. He's also at Big Thunder Reindeer Ranch during the day, of course, but every time we swung by there, the line was long and not moving very fast. Not sure how the line would be at the hotel.

There were also some great carolers singing in the Grand Californian lobby, who were singing when Santa left at 8:30pm. I'm not sure when they started, but they were very talented.

 

[bumbershoot]

He's also at PPH in the mornings, and I hear DLH in the afternoons.

 

[Jennifer in WA]

We missed him each day that we were at CGH, but did see him in DL at the ranch. The line moved pretty quickly. Wasn't too bad at all.

 

[evilprncess96]

I know that Santa will be gone after Christmas, but does anyone know if the Photopass CM will still be there after Christmas to take pictures in front of the tree?

 

[Sherry E]

Just back from our trip, and the parks really look beautiful. Wanted to give everyone a heads up that when we finished our dinner at Napa Rose, we went to check out the tree in the lobby of the Grand Californian Hotel, and Santa is there with a photopass photographer in front of their big tree! I think the photopass guys said Santa's there from 4:30 - 8:30. Unforunately, we lingered at dinner too long and just missed him, and of course it was our last night there. But maybe some of you all can take advantage. He's also at Big Thunder Reindeer Ranch during the day, of course, but every time we swung by there, the line was long and not moving very fast. Not sure how the line would be at the hotel.

There were also some great carolers singing in the Grand Californian lobby, who were singing when Santa left at 8:30pm. I'm not sure when they started, but they were very talented.

As has already been stated by Bumbershoot, Santa is in all three hotels at different times of the day, as well as the Reindeer Round-Up. He is not in DCA this year in any capacity, which surprised me. I can understand getting rid of the Beach Blast Santa, but they don't have any Santa in DCA. In fact, he is not even at GCH for one solid block at night. He sits for 45 minutes at a time, then takes breaks. So he is there off and on during his time block at night. I LOVED the carolers last year when we caught them by accident in the GCH lobby, but this year I have been angling to get back to DLR and time it just right so I can see those carolers in the GCH lobby again, sitting on the comfy couches and sipping a beverage. It's so Christmasy! It really got me in the spirit of the season! And so that is just what I am going to do next week! Yay! Thanks for letting me know the time though. I was trying to recall what time they were there last year, and I thought it was somewhere in the 8 o'clock hour. With my luck, I would miss them if I didn't know when to be in that lobby!

Also, Santa and the PhotoPass people leave the GCH as soon as Christmas is over. When Dec. 26th hits, they are all gone. The carolers are still supposed to be around the weekend after Christmas, but then as the New Year approaches, they will probably scram too!

 

[bumbershoot]

By the way, there was no photopass person with PPH Santa that morning.

 

[Sherry E]

By the way, there was no photopass person with PPH Santa that morning.

Oh, that's too bad. They probably consider the PPH and DLH Santas the "red headed step-children" of the DLR hotel Santas. The prime Santa location in the hotels in the GCH, I guess, because it has that nice rustic, wintry lodge-type of feel, I suppose! The other Santas get short shrift!

 

[bumbershoot]

I figured it was just b/c it was so early. We weren't around for the later times, so I don't know though.

 

[DisneyCruiser2008]

Probably a silly question -- but can we stop by GCH and check out the carolers and get a pic with Santa, or are they really meant for hotel guests only?

 

[the donut]

I LOVED the carolers last year when we caught them by accident in the GCH lobby, but this year I have been angling to get back to DLR and time it just right so I can see those carolers in the GCH lobby again, sitting on the comfy couches and sipping a beverage. It's so Christmasy! It really got me in the spirit of the season! And so that is just what I am going to do next week! Yay! Thanks for letting me know the time though. I was trying to recall what time they were there last year, and I thought it was somewhere in the 8 o'clock hour. With my luck, I would miss them if I didn't know when to be in that lobby!

I thought they were really great. There were four of them and they played the bells and/or sang any christmas carol that you called out. One smart aleck requested "Grandma got run over by a reindeer," and they could play it on the hand bells.

I guess I might call the hotel just in case they move the performance days and times around. We were there on a Tuesday night nad we stayed and watched from 8:30-9pm, and they weren't finished when we left.

I assume that anyone can take the photo with Santa; at least the photographers didn't mention anything about guests only. And the tree really looked beautiful in the lobby of the hotel.

 

[the donut]

He's also at PPH in the mornings, and I hear DLH in the afternoons.

I figured I was the last to know about this, but I thought I'd post it just in case.

 

[bumbershoot]

Probably a silly question -- but can we stop by GCH and check out the carolers and get a pic with Santa, or are they really meant for hotel guests only?

Anyone can. It's right out there in the open. And photopass is for everyone too!

I figured I was the last to know about this, but I thought I'd post it just in case.

The more people who know about any of it, the better! I would hate for anyone who really likes Santa pictures to miss it because they didn't see a post about it.

 

[Sherry E]

I thought they were really great. There were four of them and they played the bells and/or sang any christmas carol that you called out. One smart aleck requested "Grandma got run over by a reindeer," and they could play it on the hand bells.

I guess I might call the hotel just in case they move the performance days and times around. We were there on a Tuesday night nad we stayed and watched from 8:30-9pm, and they weren't finished when we left.

I assume that anyone can take the photo with Santa; at least the photographers didn't mention anything about guests only. And the tree really looked beautiful in the lobby of the hotel.

I agree. I thought the carolers were great. In our group of lobby dwellers who were lounging and lolling about on the couches and chairs, there was a smart alecky (tipsy) guy who shouted out his request of "The Hanukkah Song," by Adam Sandler!!! Needless to say they didn't know that one!

Yes, good idea to double check on times, because that is the sort of thing where times may vary from night to night. I have been told by the various Cast Members in Reservations that they never know the "exact" schedules of the carolers, and they are not sure if this is the same group of carolers who move around from hotel to hotel and into Disneyland, or if there are different groups, so that may affect the timing as well. Last year, when we saw them by accident, we were sitting right in front of the gorgeous tree, and we had no clue the carolers were coming. All of a sudden they tiptoed in, and they happened to see the birthday buttons we were wearing (it was supposed to a be a mutual birthday celebration trip, even though my birthday was long past and my friend's was several days away). Lord knows how they saw them - I was practically sitting on mine - but they have eagle eyes and are used to looking at buttons, I suppose. So they did a 4-part harmony version of "Happy Birthday" in front of everyone in the lobby and hearth area, which was mildly embarrassing. But then I got to make the next song request. I would like to take a picture of them by the tree this time. Even though, sadly, this year we will not be staying at the GCH like we did last year, we can sit in the lobby and pretend we are hotel guests!!!

Yes, anyone can get in the Santa picture in any of the hotels, no matter where you are staying. It makes no difference to Disney. I only wish the PhotoPass people would stick around after Christmas to photograph people by the tree even though Santa is gone. It IS a nice photo opportunity, and they leave that big Santa chair by the tree, so it would be nice if they stayed. But they leave!

 

[bumbershoot]

Oh! There were Carolers at PPH in the...late afternoon/early evening, too. We saw them two evenings, but didn't stick around b/c Eamon was giving them dirty looks. Never quite figured out what the problem was, he was just suspicious of them for some bizarro 4 year old reason!

 

[Sherry E]

Oh! There were Carolers at PPH in the...late afternoon/early evening, too. We saw them two evenings, but didn't stick around b/c Eamon was giving them dirty looks. Never quite figured out what the problem was, he was just suspicious of them for some bizarro 4 year old reason!

Poor Eamon! What a cutie he is! Poor little thing is being exposed to all these sights and sounds that are bizarre to him - Darth Maul, suspicious-looking carolers, loud rides...and of course, he was on Captain Hook watch while interacting with Peter Pan!

By the way, OT - you said E wanted to see Mickey. Has he met Mickey in Mickey's house in ToonTown before? Mickey is always there, though you have to walk through the whole house and stand in a bit of a line to get to him.

 

[bumbershoot]

Sherry, yes he has. We were going to meet him again this time, but Mickey was "stuck on Main Street" and couldn't be in his house when we were in ToonTown, so we missed him.


OK back to the caroler/Santa thread!

By the way, it's funny when kids who have been on autograph hunts hand their books over to Santa. Only at Disney, right?

 

[Disneylvrforever]

I thought they were really great. There were four of them and they played the bells and/or sang any christmas carol that you called out. One smart aleck requested "Grandma got run over by a reindeer," and they could play it on the hand bells.

I guess I might call the hotel just in case they move the performance days and times around. We were there on a Tuesday night nad we stayed and watched from 8:30-9pm, and they weren't finished when we left.

I wonder if this was the same group that I saw a couple of weeks ago. I went in the GCH lobby after eating at Storyteller's for dinner and heard carolers singing. Little did I know that I knew one of them! She sings soprano & I couldn't recognize her at first, but she waved at me and we chatted a little after their performance. I asked her how long they had been singing there & the day I went was their fist day. She said that they also sing @ Knott's & some place in Fullerton, but would be at Disney 'til the 14th.
So I guess Disney hires groups from outside the company to sing, which I think is odd. I wonder how many groups of carolers they had hired for the season.

 

[Sherry E]

I wonder if this was the same group that I saw a couple of weeks ago. I went in the GCH lobby after eating at Storyteller's for dinner and heard carolers singing. Little did I know that I knew one of them! She sings soprano & I couldn't recognize her at first, but she waved at me and we chatted a little after their performance. I asked her how long they had been singing there & the day I went was their fist day. She said that they also sing @ Knott's & some place in Fullerton, but would be at Disney 'til the 14th.
So I guess Disney hires groups from outside the company to sing, which I think is odd. I wonder how many groups of carolers they had hired for the season.

That is interesting that Disney hires outside groups to sing. I think I saw on some Disney special or TV segment that WDW has people sing/carol who already work for WDW. Like it could be Joe in Accounting and Mary in Merchandising and Sue from Guest Relations and Sally from the Art Department who just happen to sing on the side, and so they are recruited to be the carolers. I assumed Disneyland did the same thing. Maybe they couldn't find any singers among the DLR employees this year! Or maybe those Disney Cast Member carolers are only working the park and not the hotels.

In any case, since the girl you know told you that they are only there until the 14th (meaning tomorrow, I assume), then I suppose another group moves in on the scene after that group leaves, to carol for the next couple of weeks! I know they don't stop singing before Christmas, so someone has to take over caroling duties!

 

[MonkeyDishwasher]

Why go through the pains of training a new group several songs and harmonies, when you can just hire a group that already does it professionally (thus saving extra time and money)? At least, that's how I look at it.

 

[bumbershoot]

I agree. And the group already knows each other and is used to each other, they know what they know, so it probably works much better than starting from scratch.