10 Mths of WDW Planning leads us to~~DISNEYLAND!! Report Completed~Pic Heavy!!!

[DizNee Luver]

Originally Posted by Sherry E

I think that schools being out for a full week into January would definitely factor in to the crowd scenario - especially if families are trying to catch the final days of the "official holiday season" (not counting the random giant lights in A Bug's Land, IASWH or the New Orleans Square decor, which will still be up for a while). I still have to believe, though, that despite what the kids' school schedule may be, there will be some parents who have to get back to work post-New Year's Day, especially if NYD happens early enough in the week and there are enough workdays left before the weekend. IF anything, a lot of the local visitors would be back at work.

I've watched the specific holiday crowd dynamic change over the last couple of decades. It has always seemed very "busy" because the holidays have always been popular at DL, even before there was another park or 2 extra hotels to visit, but there are definite weeks and days when it is much worse than others.

I've been to DL on New Year's Eve too (many years ago) and it was way more crowded than I ever wanted to deal with. The crowds on Main Street were soooooo bad that I was about to freak out. You would not have been able to deal with it, Laurie. It was worse than I have ever seen in all of my DLR trips. I felt like we couldn't escape because everyone was packed in so solidly, shoulder to shoulder, and they were not moving. We literally had to push through the not-moving people to escape. Everyone was waiting for the countdown to midnight so they were not budging.

I think that some of the New Year's Eve crowd intensity probably lessened a tad when another park opened up, and when DTD became an option for something to do. It gave all of the people more places to go than just Disneyland park. But after my one NYE experience way back when, I am a little battle-scarred and afraid to try it again (even though Jessica/Belle Ella said the crowds were not too awful when she did NYE a couple of years back).

Otherwise, yes, I agree that since the makeover of DCA has been completed, while it's still a novelty to see Cars Land and Buena Vista Street, the slower times seem to be few and far between. There are simply more people coming to the parks overall, every month. However, eventually, in time, the novelty of the new DCA will wear off and Disneyland Resort as a whole will once again settle into a general pattern where it will be easier to predict less busy times. Right now everything is kind of outside of the norm.

There will be still be 'better' times than others during the holiday season (such as after Thanksgiving break and before a lot of Christmas breaks start) because people have to be at work and school during that time frame. I've been pretty satisfied with the crowd levels on my last 3 holiday trips because they have fallen within that early/pre-mid-month December time frame. There were more people there than I expected, but it wasn't too bad. And some of my days have been downright delightful in terms of crowds (Mondays are coming out as the big winners for me, and Tuesdays have been busier!).

Yes, preparing for the worst (mentally) is always a good thing because the reality of the situation will probably be better than what was expected/planned for!

I imagine years ago, tracking busy and slow seasons was easier based on school schedules. Now you have some schools that are traditional and others that go year round.....all of them starting and stopping at different times.

Things will eventually slow down once the DCA makeover isn't still sporting the "new smell" thing......lol But I'm sure there will be something else to take it's place. (just not sure where they would put the next great thing)

It's just hit & miss when it comes to crowd levels.....so go knowing it could be busy & have plans set......if you arrive and have Main Street to yourself......kick up your heels and have a great day!!!

[Markie Mouse]

Took a couple days, but I am all caught up. I love not only the amount of pics but the quality. I don't know if you answered all ready but what camera are you using? Your TR inspired me for my next TR to take more pictures on my trip, the last one I stayed away from the camera a little too much and I feel why my TR doesn't get many replies. But the next one definitely have a lot of pictures. I also want to say you are a brave women taking so many kids, it is a handful with just my 3 little ones but woooo, you must have unbelievable patience.

[DizNee Luver]

Originally Posted by Markie Mouse

Took a couple days, but I am all caught up. I love not only the amount of pics but the quality. I don't know if you answered all ready but what camera are you using? Your TR inspired me for my next TR to take more pictures on my trip, the last one I stayed away from the camera a little too much and I feel why my TR doesn't get many replies. But the next one definitely have a lot of pictures. I also want to say you are a brave women taking so many kids, it is a handful with just my 3 little ones but woooo, you must have unbelievable patience.

Thank You so much!!! My hubby has a Nikon7000 (his expensive toy), I use a Canon Power Shot SX120 & Ty uses a point & click. All 3 camera's take decent pictures. Mike shoots in raw form, so he's able to fix pretty much any picture. He only fixed the normal red eye on a few pics and tried to get the color right on the PPH tree....the rest are "as is".

I think including pictures helps interest readers. Especially if you can show them something new or something they have a huge interest in. I try to put an index on the front page, so they can find what they're looking for.

I wouldn't say I have unbelievable patience.....I get annoyed, have bad days & blow up just like every other parent.......I just think having 27 yrs under my belt helps a lot. There's not a lot I haven't seen or heard.......lol

[nicholaseck]

Originally Posted by DizNee Luver

Where is Addy?

[DizNee Luver]

Originally Posted by nicholaseck

Where is Addy?

Not in that picture! She's in this one, behind Anthony & beside Ally.

[RI Disney Star]

Originally Posted by DizNee Luver

I'm guessing the parks are pretty dead come January 2nd.....lol I hope you'll be able to get there to see some of the decorations next year!!

Originally Posted by Sherry E

Beth -

Most likely the season will officially end on Sunday, January 5, 2014. There will probably be another Three Kings Day celebration from Fri., Jan. 3 - Sun. Jan. 5. So you will miss out on some things that will disappear right after Christmas, but you'll still be able to experience a lot of the festivities!

Thanks again. It will probably be hit or miss. I know our plans will change many times between now and then. DD just told me she wants to go Dec. 29th. I have a cousin in Pasadena so we will probably stay with him for a few days. Might go down to San Diego to Sea World. Not sure if we can make it a day trip or should plan on staying down there. Any advice on that would be greatly appreciated.

Beth

[nicholaseck]

Originally Posted by DizNee Luver

Not in that picture! She's in this one, behind Anthony & beside Ally.

Ah...thought she was with Tyler. Funny. There she is.

[DizNee Luver]

Originally Posted by RI Disney Star

Thanks again. It will probably be hit or miss. I know our plans will change many times between now and then. DD just told me she wants to go Dec. 29th. I have a cousin in Pasadena so we will probably stay with him for a few days. Might go down to San Diego to Sea World. Not sure if we can make it a day trip or should plan on staying down there. Any advice on that would be greatly appreciated.

Beth

Lots of people do day trips to San Diego.....but it's a LONG day trip....just because of the travel (traffic down there is a nightmare) and then you want to get to the park at opening & stay into the evening so to see as much as possible. Some people opt to stay a night or two down there so they don't feel rushed. We've yet to do the San Diego thing....but we'll make it one of these times!!

Originally Posted by nicholaseck

Ah...thought she was with Tyler. Funny. There she is.

Nope, Ally and Addy were "buds"......... lol

[DizNee Luver]

We went back to the Hollywood Backlots to see the Prep & Landing in 4D. I thought maybe this was a different little show, but soon figured out it was the one we already owned. Oh well........











After the movie, we left the big kids and told them to meet us for dinner at Goofy's Kitchen. (this is when they went back to CarsLand and saw Brad Paisley before doing RSR). Mike & I took the 4 littles back to the motel to give them baths and get them dressed up in their princess dresses (and Anthony just cleaned up.....lol)



Addy went with the Belle costume this year. We went with a bigger size, so she'd have growing room.....it was a tad too big.





Shyann went with the Ariel costume. GLITTER EVERYWHERE!!!!



Shy was in one of her moods & gave dad this face when he told her to smile!!!



And Michayla went as Alice.....I knew this woudl be a good choice for her!!





Dad caught the girls again.....







The kids came back & headed to concierge to pick up a little snack. This was a couple of the offerings in the afternoon.



We headed to the Disneyland Hotel for dinner & to meet up with Michelle & her daughter Zoe!! Michelle (zoemakes5) is one of the Divas and someone we see almost every trip!!





So we were early for dinner & decided to look around the lobby area. Last years Christmas tree was pretty but small compared to the other 2 resorts. This year they went with this...........



ICK!!!!!! What happened to the pretty purple ornaments that adorn my profile pic?? <---------------------- look under my name! Not impressed!

I did like the teacup chairs in the lobby!



A map on the wall.



The Santa plate in the gift shop.

[DizNee Luver]

We looked around a little in the gift shop and then headed into the hallway & realized the Santa was there. They have a really nice set up and a photopass photographer, so we headed over to get a pic of the kids with Santa.





While we were watching the kids, Michelle & Zoe joined us!!

I love Addy's expressions as she converses with Santa......lol









She even explained to Santa that Shy was autistic.



Zoe noticed the HUGE wreath hanging in one of the windows.



The memorabilia has been sized down a ton over the last few years, but we still enjoy this very large case of goodies. See anything there you remember having as a child??













Zoe & Michelle.

[Trentmom]

The girls all looked so pretty dressed up. Loved the Princess Minnie ears.

That tree at the hotel was Pitiful for Disney. Cutbacks maybe?

Santa set up was nice. Great looking Santa too

[DizNee Luver]

Originally Posted by Trentmom

The girls all looked so pretty dressed up. Loved the Princess Minnie ears.

That tree at the hotel was Pitiful for Disney. Cutbacks maybe?

Santa set up was nice. Great looking Santa too

I thought the ears looked cute instead of the clunky kid tiaras.

Well, since the trees I believe are all fake.....not sure why they thought the tinsel tree would look better than the one last year.

It was a very nice Santa spot and he was a good Santa too!!

[Sherry E]

The decorations people and enhancement team at DLR move things around, switch locations, borrow pieces of decorations from one area and put them elsewhere, etc.

That huge wreath, for example, used to be somewhere else in the DLH and it had different ornaments.

From what I can see, there are two larger, fuller trees in the background of that one particular photo of Anthony and Shyann. Those two trees have not always been together in that one spot. Disney has put other things in that spot (at least a couple of seasons ago they did).

So I think that Disney took one of the skinny trees that was previously positioned inside or outside of the Fantasia shop (or took a skinny tree from one of the former DCA gift shops) and moved it over to the teacup chair spot. The tree that you saw in 2011 (with the ornaments in your avatar) was probably moved to that spot in the lobby with the two trees side by side and redecorated, or it was moved into DCA somewhere and redecorated to fit a theme.

I think that some of the trees at the Round-Up/Jingle Jangle Jamboree are real. The giant Main Street tree was real every year until just a few years ago!

[DizNee Luver]

Originally Posted by Sherry E

The decorations people and enhancement team at DLR move things around, switch locations, borrow pieces of decorations from one area and put them elsewhere, etc.

That huge wreath, for example, used to be somewhere else in the DLH and it had different ornaments.

From what I can see, there are two larger, fuller trees in the background of that one particular photo of Anthony and Shyann. Those two trees have not always been together in that one spot. Disney have put other things in that spot.

So I think that Disney took one of the skinny trees that was previously positioned inside or outside of the Fantasia shop (or took a skinny tree from one of the former DCA gift shops) and moved it over to the teacup chair spot. The tree that you saw in 2011 (with the ornaments in your avatar) was probably moved to that spot in the lobby with the two trees side by side and redecorated, or it was moved into DCA somewhere and redecorated to fit a theme.

I think that some of the trees at the Round-Up/Jingle Jangle Jamboree are real. The giant Main Street tree was real every year until just a few years ago!

I think I have a picture of that huge wreath from last years trip. Just don't remember exactly where it was.....I remember it was in a window somewhere.

That tinsel tree was so cheap looking. I noticed the 2 trees together by the entry but was underwhelmed with them too. I know they don't have the high ceilings to do the big tree there, but you'd expect something a little more grand?!

I heard they quit using a real tree when it caught fire!!

[Sherry E]

Originally Posted by DizNee Luver

I think I have a picture of that huge wreath from last years trip. Just don't remember exactly where it was.....I remember it was in a window somewhere.

That tinsel tree was so cheap looking. I noticed the 2 trees together by the entry but was underwhelmed with them too. I know they don't have the high ceilings to do the big tree there, but you'd expect something a little more grand?!

I heard they quit using a real tree when it caught fire!!

You do have pics of the wreath from 2011 (I remember them), but it was moved from its previous location to the spot where you saw it in 2011. In 2010 and years prior to that, it was in a different spot and it had different ornaments. I took pictures. It had possibly some of the same ornaments that it has now, but some of the other ones that used to be on it were removed.

And those two trees in the background of the Anthony/Shyann pic were not there in 2010, either (I use 2010 as a reference because that was the last time I thoroughly covered all of the DLH decorations in my TR). So when I saw them in your photo tonight I was thinking, "Uh huh - Disney took those trees from another area...but where?" They could be recycled trees from one of the old DCA shops or locations.

For that matter, whatever happened to the old Toon Town trees? They must have been re-purposed and redistributed somewhere.

I've always thought the DLH trees were lackluster compared to the others. And with the removal of the giant DTD tree to make way for the ice rink, the DLH tree situation was pitiful all around!