disney at christmas

[disneegrl4eva]

Originally Posted by Disneylvrforever

The good thing about Halloweentime is that the caramel apple cider comes out & that it stays 'til the end of the Christmas season! That is always my warm treat during the chilling weather.

And the Christmas season is just around the corner. The tree can be seen from the M&F tram route.

you got that right...its the only time I get to enjoy it because last 3 years its been way to hot to drink that stuff during this time of year down there....

[Leofoenget]

Originally Posted by hrslvr142

What an awesome thread! I just returned from WDW last Saturday but was talking to my Marine son tonight who I will be visiting at Thanksgiving and told him we needed to go to DL while I am out there and then I came across this thread and KNOW we need to go now. I copied and pasted the first long post (sorry don't remember whose it is) into an email to him with the subject line "so can we go, can we go, can we go?", lol. Thanks for all of the wonderful pictures. Were most of them taken with advance (not point and shoot) cameras? The fireworks sound phenomenol (sp?). I think we will be there the Sat/Sun after Thanksgiving-will the crowds be horrible? Thanks again for all of your sharing.

Sat and Sun after Thanksgiving Plan on VERY heavy crowds.

[tksbaskets]

We have never been to DL at Christmas but consider ourselves veterans of WDW at Christmas as we've been there many times between Christmas and New Years. We plan on the crowds being enormous. We get up early and take advantage of the early entry (or whatever they call it now ) and then head back to the hotel or do the less popular attractions while the crowds are at the largest point. Forewarned is forearmed right? it's all good - We're going to Disney Land!!!!

[DisneySuiteFreak]

Originally Posted by smiley_face2

my entertainment for the evening is going to be uploading my video of last years christmas fireworks and snow on main street to youtube...I"ll post a link when I get it done. It was the best viewing we had ever had, we were in a perfect position, and it was so completely un-crowded. a really magical moment....

Smiley_face2, I'm still waiting to see your uploaded videos! I'm not going this year so I have to live vicariously through you guys!

Originally Posted by Krissy Marissy

Last night they had thw snow up on the roof of the castle. No lights yet but the snow. It got me excited for the christmas season but also looked very strange with the halloween decor.

OMG, you are so lucky that you live there and can see it all coming together!

Originally Posted by hrslvr142

What an awesome thread! I just returned from WDW last Saturday but was talking to my Marine son tonight who I will be visiting at Thanksgiving and told him we needed to go to DL while I am out there and then I came across this thread and KNOW we need to go now. I copied and pasted the first long post (sorry don't remember whose it is) into an email to him with the subject line "so can we go, can we go, can we go?", lol. Thanks for all of the wonderful pictures. Were most of them taken with advance (not point and shoot) cameras? The fireworks sound phenomenol (sp?). I think we will be there the Sat/Sun after Thanksgiving-will the crowds be horrible? Thanks again for all of your sharing.

I think the first long post was from Sherry. I use a DSLR, but I think most of the photos in the thread are from Point and shoot cameras. I hope you get to go -- you will love it!

[Pesika]

Who has been there on Christmas Day? How crowded is it? Seriously thinking of going, but not sure if it would be worth it. Any info would be appreciated... Thanks!!!

[Sherry E]

Originally Posted by DisneySuiteFreak

I think the first long post was from Sherry. I use a DSLR, but I think most of the photos in the thread are from Point and shoot cameras. I hope you get to go -- you will love it!

I wish I could take credit - I am usually responsible for many a long post - but 21 Yankees was the first one to post photos on this thread, and then I jumped in with some pictures after, and then Disney Dreams did, etc., etc. I posted the long list of all the treats and goodies.

Yes, most of those photos that I took and posted here were actually taken on an old 35mm camera, which was on its last legs and got rained on last December at DLR, but I needed to finish off all my 35 mm film before I laid it to rest completely. I also used a 'disposable' digital camera as well. Nowhere near the level of the excellent photos taken by DisneySuiteFreak, but steeped in DLR holiday magic nonetheless!!

This year I gave my new Canon SD880 P&S a whirl for Halloweentime at DLR (I was so excited to see those chubby gingerbread men cookies with ears again), and while the photos are okay (what few I was able to take, that is), I think I could do better. My friend was trying to use a Nikon CoolPix to take nighttime Halloween photos and those were as blurry as blurry can be!! I think a little tripod is necessary if you want to shoot anything at night with a P&S. I want to try my new P&S at DLR for Christmastime.

Anyway, let us consider this thread now officially 'bumped,' which we need to do, as the holiday season begins at DLR one week from tomorrow!!!

[Eeyore's Wife]

I was just looking at the calendar for our December trip and it looks like Mr. Lincoln will be up and running on December 17. Whee! I adored Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln, and I want to see all the upgrades to his animatronic systems!

Yeah!

[Sherry E]

Cool! I have not seen Mr. Lincoln in so many years. I don't know yet when our DLR holiday trip will be but hopefully I will get to see him and Pres. Obama. I am just excited to see IASW Holiday again. I am itching to see that nighttime facade, with the lights all colorful and glorious, beckoning DLR visitors from every corner of the parks. The PhotoPass picure I got last year was cluttered with people in the backgorund, so am hoping to try for another one that is a little better.

[disneymom8589]

Sherry,

I just hopped on this thread today and your list of all the Christmas goodies on the first page plus your beautiful pictures (along with 21Yankees) make me all the more excited for our trip to DLR next month!! Christmastime at DL has an extra special significance for our family as our DD became engaged there last December in front of the castle after the fireworks show! Very magical!!

[Sherry E]

Originally Posted by disneymom8589

Sherry,

I just hopped on this thread today and your list of all the Christmas goodies on the first page plus your beautiful pictures (along with 21Yankees) make me all the more excited for our trip to DLR next month!! Christmastime at DL has an extra special significance for our family as our DD became engaged there last December in front of the castle after the fireworks show! Very magical!!

Hi, Disneymom8589! Thank you for the kind words! I remember your DLR trip last year very well, as that was the same time I was there! In fact, I was on the lookout for a big group of people near the Castle, hoping to catch a glimpse of that magic moment, but I never found you! Can you believe that almost a full year has passed? Time flies! With any luck, I will get to DLR again next month, and with any luck, maybe I will again be there at the same time as you!

Yay! DLR Holiday Season starts one week from TODAY!! Soon, we will begin to see photos of this year's magical decorations, food, merchandise, etc., which we can hopefully add onto this thread. I got so excited when I saw those portly gingerbread men with ears cookies 2 weeks ago - but I didn't buy any yet. I felt like it would be more appropriate to buy them during December. But seeing them, to me, is a sign that the holiday are coming!

[disneymom8589]

DH and I were looking at the DLR website with all of the cool Christmas things on it! I remember you were at DL last year, too!

I'm looking forward to all of the delicious goodies!!

[smiley_face2]

I can't wait to get there next month and try out the ride wait time app I got for my new iPhone. I love checking it here at home it makes the park feel so much closer I hope someone puts together an app for the restaurants too

[firefly87]

Originally Posted by Pesika

Who has been there on Christmas Day? How crowded is it? Seriously thinking of going, but not sure if it would be worth it. Any info would be appreciated... Thanks!!!

I have never been there on Christmas Day but about 5 years ago, a co-worker went and she said it was crazy busy and the park reached capacity. She is a Disney lover and said, and I quote, "NEVER again"!!!! (on Christmas day, that is)

While most of us think the majority of people would want to be home on Christmas Day, apparently there are thousands of people who head to the parks! I can't think of a better way to spend Christmas myself......but not with the crowds like that.

[Eeee-va]

Originally Posted by Pesika

Who has been there on Christmas Day? How crowded is it? Seriously thinking of going, but not sure if it would be worth it. Any info would be appreciated... Thanks!!!

This year MAY be different than previous years as far as Christmas attendance, since all the APs except for Premium will be blocked out that day, and the cheap APs sometimes have shifted a lot of the attendance to more the "off-peak" days, at least for other holidays like Easter and 4th of July. I know historically the park has become awfully busy as more students get out of school but again, I know the Southern California APs have affected crowd levels somewhat over the summer, so the attendance pattern might be a little different in December.

I'm fairly sure that arriving at opening on Christmas would at least give you an hour or two of relatively low crowds before the huge throngs of people made their way in, if that means anything to you. Magic Morning shouldn't be offered either, so you could do any part of the park you wanted first thing in the morning.

I can't say if it will be insanely crowded overall, though...if I were going I would plan for crowds but cross my fingers.

[Sherry E]

Well, we cannot let this thread drop to page 2! Christmastime at DLR starts in just 5 days so we must keep this active and in the spotlight so people can see it before they go to DLR!