Tell me all about Christmas time at Disneyland, anniversary suprise for DH

[Jessd]

My anniversary is in October and I got DH a brick outisde the gates with our name on it and it will be installed in November.

I have also booked us a flight for December so we can go see our brick.

I have been to DisneyWorld for Christmas before, but we have never been to Disneyland during the Christmas season.

What kind of events or special things do they do? Do they do Christmas parties like DisneyWorld?

This will also be our first trip without the kids. I am so excited but it is a suprise for DH so I can't talk about it at home. I had to share it with all of you! I have also been trying to think of a really creative way to tell him on our anniversary. Any ideas?

 

[bumbershoot]

Hi!

As far as I know there are no parties, but they don't need parties b/c the whole place is decorated. From what I've read about WDW, you only get the decorated fun if you pay to go to certain spots, while at DLR it's all pretty.

New Orleans Square is amazing during the holidays. I like DCA's decorations, too!

My December trip report has pictures!

 

[kaity230]

Ohh you'll have an amazing time!

The whole place is decorated, as bumbershoot said. It looks beautiful.

At night there are Christmas fireworks, followed by snow

There is a Christmas parade thats definitely worth seeing in DL.

On that note, there is a Holiday tour (costs extra) thats really quite fun, talks about different holiday traditions and points out many of the decorations - best part though is that you skip the line entirely for Its a small world (which will have a holiday layover - its a completely different experience - and it will have just opened from its long refurb) and for Haunted Mansion Holiday you go right through the fastpass line (another ride that has a layover for the holidays) AND you get actual seats reserved for the holiday parade with hot chocolate and a treat. And of course a pin.

Don't miss out on seeing the carolers on main street/ GCH lobby

Big Thunder Ranch becomes Santa's area and you can meet Santa and Mrs Claus and they have real reindeer And in DCA they have Santas beach blast

On certain days you can watch them making candy canes from scratch on main street - but this is pretty popular

Also be sure to check out the lobby of GCH it always looks lovely.

All the characters can be seen in their christmas attire.

And one last thing - in downtown disney there is a shop called Dept 56 which sells all those little christmas villages - so fun to go see near christmas!

 

[dizneekrazee]

All I can say is it is beautiful!! As other posters have already described, it is definately a must see. I didnt know about that tour, I think I am going to have to try it out too!!

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

My anniversary is in October and I got DH a brick outisde the gates with our name on it and it will be installed in November.

I have also booked us a flight for December so we can go see our brick.

I have been to DisneyWorld for Christmas before, but we have never been to Disneyland during the Christmas season.

What kind of events or special things do they do? Do they do Christmas parties like DisneyWorld?

This will also be our first trip without the kids. I am so excited but it is a suprise for DH so I can't talk about it at home. I had to share it with all of you! I have also been trying to think of a really creative way to tell him on our anniversary. Any ideas?

They don't have special parties. However, they have the Xmas parades, the special xmas fireworks show w/ snow falling on main street. The park is so beautifully decorated at that time of year. There is nothing like it! We just love it in the Holiday season.
Here are some links to some of my Holiday pics, click the thumbnail...



There are a bunch more in many different albums if you want to browse around...

 

[DTDkettleCORNfan]

And last year they started the castle lighting ceremony where they do a short song.....and the castle lights up light it has been snowed on. It is really beautiful. Those ceremonies are scheduled a few times a night, and then it lights up after the fireworks end when the snow starts.

Also, don't miss the projections on Its a Small World........if it is open. I had heard about them, but hadn't seen them the first few times I went. We were waiting in front of it for the parade to start, and they seem to do them every 15 minutes or so. They are great!

 

[Mommy2PrincessAbby]

That sounds sooo wonderful!!! I am going to have a hard time sticking with my promise to dh and not returning to DL until after the big refurb... but now I think I want to go and see the Christmas stuff! When does it all go up? Because of work scheduling we'd probably have to go the first 2 weeks of November, or not until like the 14th of December (and I think that is too close to holiday break for me, I don't like crowds!

--Lisa

 

[Sleepless Knight]

The first couple of weeks of November are the transition time as the park shifts from Halloween to Christmas. Last year, the full Christmas castle wasn't in effect until mid-November. If you want to guarantee the full Christmas experience(which unlike WDW does not cost you beyond the admission ticket), I'd go in December.

For some pictures from last December, you can check out the trip report in my sig if you so desire.

 

[SweetPeasMom2]

I'm pretty sure that at WDW you get the decorations with your admissions. You have to pay extra for the after hours party though.

 

[Sleepless Knight]

When I say full Christmas decor, I also mean the parade and fireworks that are special just for Christmastime at Disneyland. No extra charge to see those unlike WDW. Experience would have been a better word choice on my part.

 

[gaucho2000]

There are also real reindeer at Big Thunder Ranch (Santa's Reindeer Roundup).

 

[tinkermell]

I'm pretty sure that at WDW you get the decorations with your admissions. You have to pay extra for the after hours party though.

Hi!

I've been to both parks for Christmas.

You get all the decorations at both parks. Absolutely beautiful!!!!

The difference is that at WDW, you need to have the special party ticket to see the Christmas parade and fireworks. At DL, they will do 2 Christmas parades a day, and special fireworks everynight for the season, with no extra cost.

At DL, Small World and Haunted Mansion also get full Christmas overlays. I love the overlays, and prefer them at Christmas myself. (Sorry to the purists out there.)

It snows at different parts of the park. Thunder Ranch is decorated, and New Orleans Square is just beautiful too. The Christmas tree at DL, is the only real tree in all of the Disney parks.

Main Street is so beautiful, and of course the castle is just magical.

I think that if you were to compare WDW's MK only to DL, DL would win in the decorations area. Probably because it is smaller and more intimate. But the rest of WDW's decorations are pretty neat too. Not to be missed either, if one can go.

 

[Stitches glitch]

I agree with all the others, it is absolutely beautiful at Christmastime at DL! We went Dec 23rd-26th 2005, it was our very 1st time at DL/DCA and we had a BLAST! It wasn't to terribly crowded except on Christmas day- it was so crowded that day they were turning people away at the gates and redirecting them to DCA! My son got a pic with Surfer Santa at DCA, and Ms Clause at the Thunder mountain ranch. They have some fun arts and crafts going on there too, and its FREE! The only thing that we missed was It's a Small World all decorated for the holidays because the line was HORRENDOUS- I mean it wrapped halfway through fantasyland! So, my advise is if you are going early, head straight over there if IASW is on your list of "To-Do's". Have a great time!

 

[Sleepless Knight]

IASW is also pretty quick after the fireworks. Plus if you watch it by IASW, you can see the fun projections they put onto the facade during the fireworks such as snowflakes and scenes from classic Disney Christmas cartoons and shows.

 

[JadeDarkstar]

I think its a grate time to go. we did last year nov 26-dec1st or something like that as long as you go after thanksgiving you will get the christmas decrations.
The week i went most rides were walk on and not to crouded till the weekend of candle light persection

It was fun and there was a lot of things to see and do. We wanted to do this year but know we cant but were doing halloween this time. next year were'll do christmas again

 

[Dizneydaz]

The holidays are awesome at DLR. Just as all PP have said.

I've been to MVCMP at WDW, which I enjoyed, but I prefer the holidays at DLR. You get the same feeling, without the extra $$. And the snow falls everynight. The parade at night is good too.

Here's a few pix from last year

Surfer Santa

DCA decorations

Games at Beach Blast at DCA

Minnie at Toontown

Photo op outside BTR

Santa at BTR

Castle day

Castle at night before lighting

Castle after lighting

Reindeer at BTR

Parade

Parade

Okay, so it's more than a few!