disney at christmas

[bbangel]

Thought I would share a few photos from our trip last year:

Decorations in New Orleans



HMH



Christmas Castle day and night





IASWH and Parade

[jessicaerv]

Originally Posted by mariezp

jessicaerv, I beginning to feel like a stalker. I just saw you on the November thread and when I came to get caught up over here I just happen to run across you again. Guess with us both having trips in the making we are bound to be running into each other all over the place!

HA! I think I'M the stalker here!!

I'm just so excited about going that I'll post in any and every thread on the DIS - my version of shouting it from the rooftops!

I wish I could post a picture here, but I don't have a photobucket account, and wouldn't you know it - the site is blocked by my employer. Anyway, I have a priceless photo of my baby girl laughing her head off - she's holding a DVC mailer in her hand. My DH still contends the love of Disney is passed through the umbilical cord. He also firmly believes its a conspiracy of some sort.

[mariezp]

Originally Posted by disneymom23

My kids really enjoyed the tour. My DH isn't one to pay for something more than once. We did Fantasmic seating once and probably won't do it again. But we feel the tour is something we'd enjoy doing every year.

BTW, we were talking Hidden Mickey's with our tour guide last year. He told us that while these are not HM's, they are fun to try to find. There is a hidden pic of George Washington and a pic of Elvis in the HM. We found the GW but not the Elvis. He told us they are not meant to be spotted by guests but put there to amuse the CM's. He was fun. He is a 3rd generation CM, his grandfather worked with Walt.

I agree with you on the Fantasmic/tour topic. Actually, we have done F more than once but I believe I have had my fill and would rather take the tour again if we ever need something to "occupy our spare time". I am looking forward to the WOC this year. It will be so nice to have another option!.....although, we have gone a couple years without a tour..... ah, things to ponder!
Sounds like your tour guide was a really good one. How could you not be after that many generations of CMs? I'll have to be sure to keep an eye out for George and Elvis!

Originally Posted by Sherry E

Marie, those ^^ are fabulous photos! See, that's exactly the sort of the thing that I think we all appreciate seeing here - all those details that we might otherwise overlook. I love the touches of red flowers in the wagons and all over the Round-Up (even if some of them are fake flowers). I love the boots in one photo and the little reindeer dude under the "Ranch Hands Only" sign. Those are wonderful - and now I KNOW I have to spend more time at the Round-Up.

You should see the Disney Parks Blog come through on your Facebook page since you are a fan of the Disneyland page. It will come through that. BUT, since things can move so fast on Facebook and the Disney Parks Blog stuff could be overlooked, I signed up for the e-mail version of the Parks Blog:

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/

You will see on the far right hand side where it says "E-mail." Then the Parks Blog will come right to you. Heather Hust Rivera is one of a few people who reports on DLR, but she was the one who broke the news that the Halloween Party was moving over to Disneyland and out of California Adventure, and then she revealed what date HalloweenTime was starting, which was big news for those of us over in the HalloweenTime thread! So I think Heather is probably our go-to gal for the info on when the holiday season will start. She may even have the start date already, but just hasn't had any need to publish it yet because summer just began!! Perhaps, if asked, she would reveal the start date.

I sure hope I can deliver the goods this year and take lots of holiday photos to add to both this thread and my TR!! Last year was a fiasco. In 2008 I was on a roll with the photos, and that was when my old camera was about to die. I really need to get to DLR and have a long, uninterrupted block of time where I can just snap away with the new camera and test out its abilities. I know you're on my side, Marie, so cross your fingers for me that it will all work out! You know what a fiasco last year was, and then when I finally went to DLR in December the crowds were so heavy and the time was so limited that it totally inhibted my photo-taking.

I always know you will appreciate the pictures! And yes indeed! You do need to be sure to spend some time at Reindeer Roundup. Always fun to get a photo with Santa too. I know they lines are always horrendously long but that's a good time to stand around and take in all the details.
Got all signed up with the Disney Parks Blog. Just what I needed! Something else to read!
Fingers crossed! No fiascoes allowed!

Originally Posted by amamax2

Whaaaat? They are getting rid of the bridge too? How have I missed these announcements? (Guess I'm too busy reading the Halloween and Christmas threads, hee hee.) I LOVE the bridge! I am looking forward to the Cars ride, but between the takeover of WOC and all the things they are removing, it's not going to feel the same at all.

On a more positive note, after reading everyone's three things not to miss...I'm thinking I need to add another day to our Christmas trip - we'll never be able to do EVERYTHING in only three days!!! So many things I didn't know about.....

I could be wrong but it was my understanding that the plan was to redo the entire entrance to CA. Seems like a total waste to me too so somebody be sure to correct me if I am wrong!!!
That a girl! Another day sounds like a good plan! Glad we could be of help!

Originally Posted by jessicaerv

HA! I think I'M the stalker here!!

I'm just so excited about going that I'll post in any and every thread on the DIS - my version of shouting it from the rooftops!

Nothing wrong with a little shout out!!!



Nice photos, bbangel! Thanks for sharing!!!

[christa2766]

My family and I usually go at Halloween but this year decided to go in Dec. We are so excited and all these photos make it even better! I was wondering what the typical hours are? We are going Dec. 1st for three nights which is Wendsday thru Saturday. I am hoping we will get to see parades and fireworks. Also, do they usually have any rides down for refurbishment. Any advice and information would be great.

[amamax2]

Welcome to the thread!

Here's a link to last year's December hours - we will be there over that time period, too, and I am using this as a rough guide. DL hours historically don't change too much year to year, but with WOC, who knows? My assumption is that in early Dec it will only be running on weekends, just like fireworks, F!, etc, but that is just MY guess. Since you will be there over a weekend, you should be able to see everything!

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/pa...h=12&year=2009

[Desert Dwellers]

Thanks, amamax2, for posting the link for the hours. I'm having fun reading the boards to help plan for our NYE visit.

I read one thread that stated while New Year's Eve will be jammed packed, early New Year's Day is pretty quiet and uncrowded, so we'll want to take advantage of that.

I'm loving looking at all the beautiful pictures, can't wait to see all the decorations in person. I also have something else fun to browse while I plan. tksbaskets sent holiday park maps to me. It's fun to read about the special events. On the maps, they have locations marked where you can pick up your NYE party hats and horns. Getting excited!



Wow, I need to resize my pic, but on the otherhand, you can read about the NYE celebrations.

[azdisneylover]

This is the best thread EVER!!! If anyone is in a sour mood, just click on this thread and Poof! (insert magic pixie dust here) a warm fuzzy feeling eminates from your heart before you are grinning ear to ear secretly planning a trip to Disneyland during the holidays! Thank you everyone!!
I have a question about that wonderful sounding peppermint ice cream in the red and green spinkle tipped cone. Where do you find that treat? Is that on Main Street? I MUST write this one down on my list! Does anyone have a picture of this yummy treat? Does this ice cream taste like a peppermint patty, or more of a vanilla ice cream with peppermint bits in it? Yikes, now I am drooling!

[Sherry E]

Originally Posted by amamax2

Whaaaat? They are getting rid of the bridge too? How have I missed these announcements? (Guess I'm too busy reading the Halloween and Christmas threads, hee hee.) I LOVE the bridge! I am looking forward to the Cars ride, but between the takeover of WOC and all the things they are removing, it's not going to feel the same at all.

On a more positive note, after reading everyone's three things not to miss...I'm thinking I need to add another day to our Christmas trip - we'll never be able to do EVERYTHING in only three days!!! So many things I didn't know about.....

amamax2 - Oh yes, add another day!! There are way too many holiday things to see and photograph to not add another day!!

The front of DCA will look very odd without that bridge and the letters out in front. But i guess it doesn't fit in with their vision of 1920's Los Angeles. It will be very interesting to see what DCA looks like when it is all finished with its billion dollar makeover. I am only excited for Carsland because it will give us a couple of new restaurants and rides. Otherwise, I think I am most excited for the Little Mermaid ride!!

Originally Posted by bumbershoot

Oh just add a few more. Give yourself a week!

That said, I went to DLR something like 18 days in one year, along with a few trips the year before and two day trips in the two years before that, and I still haven't done everything I want, let alone "everything"!

Molly - I agree - even though I could see more things with more time at DLR, there are so many details (many of them virtually hidden) to discover at DLR and so many things to take in, I don't know if I will ever see everything. Plus, now there will be new things to see in DCA when Carsland gets there. It's an endless discovery, which keeps it interesting.

Originally Posted by specialks

I have these problems all the time. I wonder if the disboards needs to add some servers -- perhaps you should put in a word to the tech guys...

specialks - Yes, that's probably it - server issues. I bet you're 100% right. At least I know I'm not the only one having trouble.

Originally Posted by ryalluvdiz

Oh gosh, just reading and seeing the pics on this thread is getting me so excited...I had been going to DLR at Christmas for a while but them started going at Halloween time because my second son has a birthday near that time....but this year we are staying home for Hallowen and making it a Christmas trip...... I can't wait to see that shining castle and wear my Mickey Santa Ears again!!!!!!

ryalluvdiz - That's one of the wonderful things about this thread, and what makes it so magical. Many of us who contribute here have already been to DLR during the holidays so we know what it's like...but that doesn't seem to dampen our interest in returning for more holiday trips, and I don't think any of us has seen it "all"!! It's almost as if we are seeing the things featured in the photos for the very first time! I guess, in many cases, some of us are seeing things in the photos for the first time because, although we have been to DLR at Christmastime, we have not necessarily combed every inch of the resort, and thus, have missed a LOT of details. Some folks maybe never knew the Reindeer Round-Up was so detailed (like yours truly!). Others may not have been aware of how special the GCH is during the season.

It's easy to miss a lot of things at DLR during the season because there is SO much to absorb. I can honestly say that there are things and details in almost every set of photos in this thread (posted by other people; not my own!) that I have overlooked. There is always that little something that I spot and say, "Wow! I'll have to check that out next time I'm there!" Also, everyone's photographic perspective is slightly different, so it's like we are seeing everything with new eyes over and over!! It's wnderful!!

So this thread is not only raising the interest of those who have never seen DLR at Christmastime and inspiring them to go, but it's also reigniting the interest of those of us who have already been!

Originally Posted by bbangel

Thought I would share a few photos from our trip last year:

Decorations in New Orleans



HMH



Christmas Castle day and night





IASWH and Parade

bbangel - Love those pictures! I especially love the top photo - something about the colors in it really catches my eye!! Thanks so much for posting them! Please post more if you have them!

Originally Posted by mariezp

I always know you will appreciate the pictures! And yes indeed! You do need to be sure to spend some time at Reindeer Roundup. Always fun to get a photo with Santa too. I know they lines are always horrendously long but that's a good time to stand around and take in all the details.
Got all signed up with the Disney Parks Blog. Just what I needed! Something else to read!
Fingers crossed! No fiascoes allowed!

I could be wrong but it was my understanding that the plan was to redo the entire entrance to CA. Seems like a total waste to me too so somebody be sure to correct me if I am wrong!!!
That a girl! Another day sounds like a good plan! Glad we could be of help!

Marie - you're right - the bridge and the letters are coming down as part of the whole entrance makeover.

I'm all about getting photos with Santa, wherever I can get to him without a line. Of course, I practically had to drag my friend into the GCH Santa photo in 2008 because she wanted to stay planted in the seat, but I got her in it and it turned into a nice photo!!

Originally Posted by christa2766

My family and I usually go at Halloween but this year decided to go in Dec. We are so excited and all these photos make it even better! I was wondering what the typical hours are? We are going Dec. 1st for three nights which is Wendsday thru Saturday. I am hoping we will get to see parades and fireworks. Also, do they usually have any rides down for refurbishment. Any advice and information would be great.

christa2766 - Will this be your first time being at DLR during the holiday season? You are in for a treat!! I hope you've had a chance to scroll back through the whole thread and see all the photos (you don't have to read the whole thing, but it's worth it to scroll for the pictures!!) - we have some real gems hidden in the depths of this thread!

HalloweenTime is great, too - it's quite fun, as you know very well. And I suppose some folks prefer DLR at HalloweenTime if they enjoy Halloween as a holiday more than Christmas in general. But there is just something extra during the holiday season - extra magic - that is not there during HalloweenTime. Christmastime is so much more detailed and thorough, so much more immersive. It really covers the whole entire Resort, whereas Halloween is not that all-encompassing. The holiday season is more of a full sensory experience. You can close your eyes and still smell peppermint or cocoa. You can hear differently-themed versions of Christmas songs in each land you enter. HalloweenTime is not up to that level of immersion yet.

Originally Posted by amamax2

Welcome to the thread!

Here's a link to last year's December hours - we will be there over that time period, too, and I am using this as a rough guide. DL hours historically don't change too much year to year, but with WOC, who knows? My assumption is that in early Dec it will only be running on weekends, just like fireworks, F!, etc, but that is just MY guess. Since you will be there over a weekend, you should be able to see everything!

http://www.wdwinfo.com/disneyland/pa...h=12&year=2009

amamax2 - I'm also guessing WoC will probably run on weekends, but it probably depends on how big of a hit it stays through the summer and into the Fall. If it keeps up its momentum, DLR may try to let it run more often if possible. I guess time will tell.

Originally Posted by Desert Dwellers

Thanks, amamax2, for posting the link for the hours. I'm having fun reading the boards to help plan for our NYE visit.

I read one thread that stated while New Year's Eve will be jammed packed, early New Year's Day is pretty quiet and uncrowded, so we'll want to take advantage of that...

Desert Dwellers - Yes, that was my experience too. Jam packed and crazy on NYE, but on New Year's Day, up until about noon, it was delightful. I knew that everyone was hungover and conked out, and I took advantage of it. It was wonderfully uncrowded until noon, and then everyone was back in the parks.

Originally Posted by azdisneylover

This is the best thread EVER!!! If anyone is in a sour mood, just click on this thread and Poof! (insert magic pixie dust here) a warm fuzzy feeling eminates from your heart before you are grinning ear to ear secretly planning a trip to Disneyland during the holidays! Thank you everyone!!
I have a question about that wonderful sounding peppermint ice cream in the red and green spinkle tipped cone. Where do you find that treat? Is that on Main Street? I MUST write this one down on my list! Does anyone have a picture of this yummy treat? Does this ice cream taste like a peppermint patty, or more of a vanilla ice cream with peppermint bits in it? Yikes, now I am drooling!

azdisneylover - I was hoping you saw the replies to your question about the top 3 things to do/see/eat. It sounds like you did! The pages move quickly, so sometimes the responses can end up on the previous page before you know it!!!

I agree - this is the best thread ever! I have thought so from the beginning, but it has only gotten 100 times better since last year, with all the wonderful contributions!! It is definitely an instant mood-booster and trip-inspiration, that's for sure!!

The peppermint ice cream can be found at the Gibson Girl ice cream place on Main Street. I posted photos of the ice cream (without the sprinkle cone) earlier in this thread. I was not hungry enough to get the ice cream with the cone at that moment, but I recommend getting it in the cone because it's so much more festive!! You can actually watch the CMs rolls the cone in the holiday toppings as you stand in line, and it's quite cool!! (It was also featured on Guy's Disney Holiday on the Food Network last year!!)

The peppermint ice cream is pink, with chunks of peppermint candy/candy cane in it, so I guess that's like a peppermint patty. It's full peppemint flavor through and through, not vanilla with peppermint pieces. (It's made by Dreyer's, so it's sold in grocery stores during the holidays but it's much more festive to get it at DLR!)

[tlovesdis]

Does anyone know when the Candlelight thing will be this year? Is it typically the first or second weekend in December?

[mariezp]

Originally Posted by tlovesdis

Does anyone know when the Candlelight thing will be this year? Is it typically the first or second weekend in December?

Pretty sure it is typically on the first weekend.

[mariezp]

Well, Sherry, while I have got you thinking you need really ought to spend more time at Reindeer Roundup I might as well entice you some more..... I've got a TON of them! Hope the rest of you enjoy them too!


More from 2008
Heading into Santa's house!




So what do you do once you get inside? Take pictures of the decorations, of course!
















What do you suppose happens as soon as we get there and our turn is next? Santa stands up and it's BREAK TIME!


Santa's helper goes all out to keep DD entertained until Santa gets back.






Guess who finally makes it back? YAY! SANTA!

[amamax2]

Ooooh LOVE LOVE LOVE these pictures!!!

The first time we went to DL at Christmas, we went to take pictures with Santa and there was no one in line, so it was awesome! We got a great shot for our Christmas card.

When we went the second time, a few years later, we just assumed we'd be able to waltz right up again. Wrong! Boy had Christmas time gotten popular. The line was long, made worse by the whole "call my family to come meet us 'cause I'm close to the front of the line now" scenario. As we stood there, with the line getting bigger rather than shorter the longer we waited, we finally bailed. I was so sad as my mom was with us - her first time at DL in probably 30 years.

We made up for it with tons of pictures by the tree on Main St and the one in DCA.

[disneylovingfamily:4]

I love seeing all the Dec pictures!! We LOVE going in December!! We wont be able to do a Dec trip until 2011 We are doing birthday trips this year instead..But I am already getting excited about our next Dec trip!!!

[AttilaTheHun]

Hello everyone, I have been reading all your posts and I have learned a lot. My son and I are planing to go to Disneyland this Christmas. We have been to Disney World in Florida before but this will be our first Christmas in Disneyland. After spending the past couple of weeks trying to decide which hotel to stay at I decided on the Sheraton Park Hotel across from the park. Have any of you ever stayed there. Is it a pretty nice place. I will try to get a room facing Disneyland for the nice view. At first I was going to get the 5 day hopper till my son said he also wanted to go see Universal Studios. So thought then we could go with 4 day hopper. While doing more research I saw that the Medieval Times was not that far away and I was there the last time in the early 90's. Well this would take us down to 3 days for Disneyland. My other question to you all is should I add a day to our trip and have 4 days at Disneyland and 2 days to go to the other 2 attractions? Or would 3 days in Disneyland be enough?? My son just turned 13 so he will have a lot of energy. We plan to fly down from up here in the San Francisco area and use the shuttles to get to the other places.

What do you all think?

[ConnieB]

Originally Posted by AttilaTheHun

Hello everyone, I have been reading all your posts and I have learned a lot. My son and I are planing to go to Disneyland this Christmas. We have been to Disney World in Florida before but this will be our first Christmas in Disneyland. After spending the past couple of weeks trying to decide which hotel to stay at I decided on the Sheraton Park Hotel across from the park. Have any of you ever stayed there. Is it a pretty nice place. I will try to get a room facing Disneyland for the nice view. At first I was going to get the 5 day hopper till my son said he also wanted to go see Universal Studios. So thought then we could go with 4 day hopper. While doing more research I saw that the Medieval Times was not that far away and I was there the last time in the early 90's. Well this would take us down to 3 days for Disneyland. My other question to you all is should I add a day to our trip and have 4 days at Disneyland and 2 days to go to the other 2 attractions? Or would 3 days in Disneyland be enough?? My son just turned 13 so he will have a lot of energy. We plan to fly down from up here in the San Francisco area and use the shuttles to get to the other places.

What do you all think?

Just an FYI....Medieval Times is not a full day event. A couple of hours but not all day. I would plan MT for dinner to maximize the time you can spend at Disney and just be sure to get to Disney at rope drop to get as much as you can in there, head back to your hotel for a short rest/clothes change, then grab a cab to MT for dinner and adventure. MT has one show each night at 7pm M-TH, on Fri they typically have 2 evening shows and on Saturday/Sunday a matinee and one or two evenings. The show itself is less than 2 hours long as I recall. So, depending on Disney's hours and your energy level, you might be able to go back to Disney that evening for a short time.

How many days you need in Disney really depends on your son's interests and your style of touring the parks. My girls (just turned 14) and I are definitely wanderers....we have our goals of rides to get to, but we love to talk to CMs, watch the various street artists at work, wait in line to meet/greet characters, see the shows, watch the parade each day and the fireworks too, ride the less popular rides too, etc. 3 days would never be enough for us, we typically do a week at Disneyland touring both parks. We tend to go during less busy times (our next trip is early December) so that we don't spend a ton of time in lines.

The other extreme is more "commando" types where you are interested mostly in riding specific rides with little or no interest in stopping to watch the street artists, don't bother with the characters, glimpse the parades only as you rush off to the popular rides because the lines are shorter while everyone else is watching the parade, eat from Counter Service but take it to eat in the next ride line etc. Friends who are this type tend to be able to do their version in one day per park and feel they've done all they need in 2 days.

Your family is likely somewhere in between. Personally I think 3 or 4 days is an absolute minimum to get more than just rides done. Since the price difference between a 3 and 4 or 4 and 5 day ticket is about $10 a day personally if you can afford the extra night(s) of hotel I'd say an extra day or two.