Since Disneyland is having Soundsational run during the day, I do not see any reason they could not have a daytime Christmas parade... I am wondering if this is the start of moving it into a hard ticket event.
Unless there is a change in the plan for the holiday season, all information points to no Christmas Fantasy Parade. Supposedly the focus is going to remain on the 60th entertainment. Fellow DIS'er dtnrhi even reported that relatives (who perform in the parade) were told that it is not happening this year -
http://www.disboards.com/threads/di...etails-for-2015.3358217/page-23#post-53583174. Also, Micechat reported no Christmas parade.
I think that Soundsational is supposed to be the daytime parade for the rest of the year.
I did contemplate the possibility that there might simply just not be a parade taping this year, but that the Christmas parade may still happen -- that's what happened in 2014. The Christmas parade was not taped, but it still happened -- and other Frozen-related stuff was taped for ABC. They could do that this year, but based on what Steve Davison and another Disney person said at the press conference back in January (when the 60th shows were announced), it's going to be "all 60th, all the time" when the holiday season rolls around.
I wish they would do a good mixture of the holiday season and the 60th anniversary. Two celebrations would be fun! It's my first time going during the holidays and while I'm excited to see the 60th anniversary decor and shows, I don't want to lose the holiday cheer.
Exactly. There needs to be a balance. The only reason why I am not panicking yet (about a sparse holiday season) is because I know what a big, big deal the holiday season is to Disneyland Resort. I mean, it is a major endeavor -- and it is a huge draw for people who absolutely love Christmas and the entire holiday season. It's very significant that 3 major holiday shows are supposedly not going to happen, and that the Winter Castle will not be as "wintry" as it usually is, due to a lack of icicle lights (if that is what happens). To remove anything else would just be going too far.
I keep thinking that Disney has some surprises in store for us, and that they will add in some interesting holiday-specific things (more than just the rumored return of the Christmas star to the top of the Matterhorn). If it were Halloween Time we were talking about, I'd think that they would probably keep it on the minimal side for one season. But the holidays are -- to quote a Cast Member I spoke to -- "very special to Disneyland Resort" and they really like to do them in a big way. I hope they haven't lost sight of that because it's the 60th anniversary!
Sherry, if that turned out to be the case, it would be one step too far. It would tick ME off....... and right now I don't even have plans of being there that time of year!
I have said all along that they need to take the free holiday stuff away before they can add a hard ticket Christmas party....... but I just can't believe they would do that. I look at IASWH as DLR's version of the Osborne lights at DHS.
They have to have SOME degree of the holidays visible in the parks every day. If they take away the castle icicle lights and the Christmas parade, that would be too much. I know MK at WDW only decorates Main Street for the holidays, but they at least have the option of buying a ticket for a Christmas party if you want more. So far DLR does not, and I'm just not seeing this as the year the hard ticket party rolls out there. (I think next year is far more likely).
The loss of IASWH's holiday lights would be enough to tick you off from afar! I still think that the ride would get the overlay inside, but we all know that the exterior, the façade after dark, is a huge part of the whole IASWH experience!
I'm right there with you -- years ago when people were saying that the Christmas parade and the holiday fireworks could become party exclusives, I was the one saying, "No. They've been around too long to be made into party exclusives." The
only way the old parade and old fireworks would suddenly be a novelty and a selling point of a hard ticket party would be to remove them -- which is what is being done this year -- and then reintroduce them in a "Back by popular demand!!" way, with probably some additions and changes. I certainly hope Disney hasn't lost its mind and is contemplating adding in IASWH to the roster of possible future party exclusives. They don't have HMH and SMGG as party exclusives, so they'd better not try that with the holidays either.
If we were talking about a scenario with the 60th anniversary stuff eclipsing, for example, the Springtime Roundup and the Egg-stravaganza, and those seasonal events being skipped, then yes... I could understand that. But the holidays are huge at DLR, and people go there to have an immersive holiday experience. Removing some of the major aspects of the season diminishes the immersion somewhat. Even though I usually skip the parade and the fireworks, I like the snow on Main Street, and I love the Winter Castle. The current nighttime Diamond Castle -- from what I have seen in photos -- is pretty, but it's not as striking and shimmery as the Winter Castle is. So I hope it gets amped up a bit by November.
Please, please don't let this happen! I have been dreaming about coming during the Christmas season for years and this year we have finally made plans for it to happen (airline tickets already purchased). I was excited when I realized this year would also be the 60th anniversary celebration, but if that means sacrificing all the special Christmas stuff then I'm very disappointed I picked this year to go.
Do you know if there is anyone "in charge" at Disneyland who we could contact with our concerns and would it make a difference?
I don't know of anyone off-hand, but several years ago, when there was a rumor -- it was only a rumor, and it never happened -- that the general public was going to be allowed to stay and view the Halloween party exclusive fireworks, many, many people flooded poor Guest Services with concerns and complaints. Sometimes the CMs who read the mail and answer the calls don't have any idea what is going on in the planning departments at DLR, and they are left to answer the calls from people who have heard rumors.
The only thing that we really know for sure at this point is that the 60th anniversary shows will be going strong all year, and that the main holiday shows are not supposed to happen. The IASWH thing was just something mentioned by another DIS'er as a possibility, but it's not even a rumor at this point. I think that IASWH will still happen, but how "colorful" it is on the outside after dark is the real question!
I had assumed that the facade of It's A Small World Holiday would not be lit up this year as It's A Small World is used for some of the projections for Disneyland Forever. I cannot see how this will work with all the lights up.
Corinna
There have been projections on the IASWH façade in the past, and it still had the lights. It can be done. If the fireworks were going on all night long, that would be a different story, but for the times they do happen the lights on IASWH could be turned off and then on again when the fireworks are over.
I used to love this flavor but am now not able to eat it for the candy pieces. Are there any smooth peppermints? I would love that. I know I could eat around the candy bits or melt them in cocoa. More seriously, thank you early and always for all your work on here for Christmas thread. You know I am still hoping Candlelight is expanded this year and that we do hear a little earlier anyway. I am planning on first weekend in December otherwise. 
