2019 Holiday Time at DLR Superthread: 11/08/19 - 1/06/20!

TikiTikiFan

DIS Veteran
Joined
May 1, 2018
Let’s talk Holiday Time at Disneyland!

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https://disneyland.disney.go.com/events-tours/holidays-at-the-disneyland-resort/
Disneyland Resort
  • “Believe... In Holiday Magic” Fireworks
  • A Christmas Fantasy Parade
  • it’s a small world Holiday
  • it’s a small world Holiday Lighting
  • Haunted Mansion Holiday
  • Wintertime Enchantment at Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle
California Adventure
  • Festival of Holidays
  • Disney Viva Navidad!
  • Mater’s Jingle Jamboree
  • Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl
  • Buena Vista Street Holiday Tree Lighting
  • World of Color- Season of Light
Experience the Most Magical Time of Year with Celebrations Throughout Both Parks—from November 8, 2019 to January 6, 2020!
 
Disneyland Resort ‘Decks the Halls’ for the 2019 Holiday Season, Beginning November 8


The Disneyland Resort transforms into the Merriest Place on Earth for the holiday season, Nov. 8, 2019, through Jan. 6, 2020.

Thu, July 25, 2019Disneyland Resort ‘Decks the Halls’ for the 2019 Holiday Season, Beginning November 8
Michael Ramirez

by Michael Ramirez, Editorial Content Director, Disneyland Resort
The Disneyland Resort will once again transform into the Merriest Place on Earth as guests begin their holidays here, Nov. 8, through Jan. 6. This festive season will include many holiday traditions, including cheerful entertainment, yuletide treats, specialty merchandise, sparkling décor and seasonal transformations of select attractions!
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At Disney California Adventure park, “World of Color – Season of Light” will dazzle with its holiday-themed spectacular of lights, lasers, water, fire and hundreds of fountains bringing animation to life. Festival of Holidays returns, bringing the spirit of the season to life through the sights, sounds and tastes of Christmas/Navidad, Hanukkah, Diwali, Kwanzaa and Three Kings Day (Jan. 3-6). For the residents of Cars Land, two attractions rely on holiday magic to transform into Luigi’s Joy to the Whirl and Mater’s Jingle Jamboree.
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At Disneyland park, holiday magic shines brightly with the glistening Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle. Returning entertainment includes “Believe … in Holiday Magic” fireworks spectacular and “A Christmas Fantasy” parade. In addition, one-of-a-kind seasonal transformations will once again take over “it’s a small world” Holiday and Haunted Mansion Holiday.
Check back on the Disney Parks Blog for more details as we get closer to the start of the holiday season at the Disneyland Resort on Nov. 8!

From November 8th:
Time to Celebrate! The Holidays Begin Today at Disneyland Resort
 
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My absolute favorite time of year at Disneyland! We opted for fall this year, but hopefully will be back for the Christmas season in 2020!
 
Yes! I can’t wait for the DLR Christmas season! It’s my first time to experience it...
Great to have a very own holiday season thread now!

I am already counting days till thanksgiving information is announced and reservations open... (not that I am counting the days till our vacation starts since January... :rolleyes1 )
 


Do any of you know when they typically announce when the candlelight processional will be, or if it is happening at all? I didn't see it listed as an event on any of the announcements for Christmas so I'm wondering if they will be doing it this year. We have never been at Christmas and I wanted to try and plan our trip for the weekend they will be doing the processional. In the past few years it looks like they do it the first Saturday of December...
 
Do any of you know when they typically announce when the candlelight processional will be, or if it is happening at all?...
CP is usually the first full weekend in December. So this year that will be Dec. 7th & 8th. No narrator has been announced, and probably won't be until much closer to CP.
 
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I'm trying to map out our couple of days at DLR this November and wanted to get peoples' opinions: what do you prefer? The daytime Christmas parade or the evening one? My DD is 4.5 years old and it will be her first time seeing a parade at Disneyland (not that that matters, but for context, I guess).

Thanks!
 
We (me, my sister, her DD12 and DS16 and friend) are doing Disney from December 30th to the 3rd and from what I've read, it is the absolute busiest time of the year. We have never been during Christmas time. I would love to go earlier in the month, but it's not doable with work and school. We have been several times, but we are doing things very different this time. We usually go in off season, stay within walking distance, have park hoppers and take mid day breaks. I'm trying to prepare myself as best I can, and any advice would be greatly appreciated.

First question. Are mid day breaks even an option during this time? I've read the park can reach capacity. If we left mid day is there a chance we wouldn't be able to get back in? If we can do breaks, is there a time of day to avoid trying to get back in because of long security lines? If we can't do breaks, any advice for resting inside the park?

We are not staying within walking distance. Is parking going to be insane to try to come back during the day?

Is rope drop still as beneficial during this time, or is it even busier during rope drop time this week? Do crowds dwindle down during the last hours? I'm guessing not on the 31st?

How beneficial is it to have a park hopper? Scale of 1-10, leaving out preference for being able to do both parks in one day, and just focusing on if one park is really really busy and the other is not as busy.

Which do you think would be more beneficial if it's not feasible for us to do both. Max pass or hopper?

I've read things like 'we could barely move' When it gets like that, are we talking the entire park or just bottle neck areas? Are there places we should avoid at certain times of the day?

Does small world get really busy during Christmas time because of the overlay? I know haunted mansion does because we've done Halloween time before. My nephew acts like he's been triggered if someone so much as hums the tune, but the rest of us still love this ride.

What is the weather like? We've been during spring break, very end of May, early and late June and mid October for comparison.

We do enjoy the parades and fireworks but stuff like that has never been a huge priority for us. Are ride lines shorter during these times?

Any other advice you have? Things not to miss? Must try treats?
 
First question. Are mid day breaks even an option during this time? I've read the park can reach capacity.

In both 2017 and 2018, Disneyland Park reached capacity and closed to new visitors on December 27 and 28, but not on the dates that you'll be there. Of course, that does not mean it will happen the same way this year, but it's interesting that it was the exact same dates both years. But who knows? It's certainly possible the parks will reach capacity on your dates, and it's impossible to predict.

However, there is good news. First, Disneyland did apparently allow people who had previously entered (earlier in the day) to re-enter in 2018 (though not in 2017) even after they closed the gates to new visitors. And California Adventure didn't reach capacity either of those days. And I'm not aware of it ever reaching capacity and closing the turnstiles (someone correct me if I'm wrong). Again, there are no guarantees, but it seems less likely that you would be effectively locked out of both parks if you had been there earlier in the day. But this might actually be a reason to get Park Hopper -- just in case you did get locked out of Disneyland, you could (probably) get into DCA.

Which do you think would be more beneficial if it's not feasible for us to do both. Max pass or hopper?

For me, the answer to this is hand's down MaxPass, and that would be the case any time of the year. But it's doubly so when it's busy. Anything that can help you get your FastPasses when it's that crowded is going to be a huge help. It's true that you could still get FastPasses the old fashioned way (from the kiosks), but it just makes it that much harder to maximize your use of them (being able to get a new FastPass as soon as you're able, instead of waiting until you're done with the attraction or navigate to the next kiosk).
 
I will be making my first trip during the holiday season so have never seen the Believe fireworks. Is Small World plaza a good place to view them? Does this show have projections on Small World facade? How much time do I need to invest to get a good viewing spot for a family of 5 that includes 2 preschoolers? I appreciate your help.
 
I am interested as well. Would also be interested in how early for Main Street. We haven’t done Christmas time At DLR so we would like to see all the special things.
 

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