Disneyland at Christmas/Holiday Season Superthread #3!- HOLIDAYS BEGIN 11/12/13!!

[mom2rtk]

Sherry I had a problem a couple of years ago trying to develop pics at Costco with my then 4 GB memory card. The card kept crashing their system until after much hassel we discovered that one of the pics was corrupted, and once I deleted it off the memory card it worked fine, and I was able to download the pics into their system for developing. However, once we discovered the corrupt file, I downloaded everything into the computer and wiped the card. DH reformatted the card, and now it works fine with no further problems. So there is a possibility that one of your files is corrupted, but if it is it's a royal pain to find out which one it is and deleting it. However if it keeps crashing at a certain point it might be easier to track it down.

It generally is recommended that you reformat cards every now and then. I use our annual Disney trip as a reminder to do it, although some suggest doing it every time you put it in the camera.

Knock wood...... I haven't had any problems.

 

[larina]

This time next week we'll be on our way. The countdown has begun and the excitement at our house is thick!

 

[julieheyer]

Hey Christmas Disneyland peeps!! It sounds like you're all all doing well! I'm home from 5 days in the parks - dec 8-13! It was great overall! I started the week with several friends, party of 18 at one point. By the last 2 days it was just me and my 2 dd's. much easier to manage and enjoy with a smaller group! I do have some negative feedback at the end, so skip this post if you prefer not to hear me complain .

A few observations:
1. The crowds! I think they were so much heavier, and on all days of the week, not just the weekend! Sunday morning at rope drop for the first few hours were our lightest crowds of the whole week! And that was DL during the cp days. After the fireworks people still stayed on Thursday, which surprised me. Sunday they clearer out more. It wasn't until closing that it really thinned out. I think I wrongly expected it to be liter during the week since kids were still in school! Gah! Not lighter at all!

2. The flying carpet is back in Alladin! I hadn't read this anywhere before going, and that was a pleasant surprise! love that show! And loved the royal theater production of Belle, rapunzel wasn't as good, but still really cute! Mickey and the magical map was pretty good, but I here they'll do the Ariel show or full beauty and beast show from MK instead.

3. Reservation for seated dining is a MUST with the crowds! We enjoyed a great meal at Cafe Orleans and were seated immediately upon arrival, 15 minutes before our reservation time . Highly recommend!! Others were being turned away. Pomme frites and mont cristo were awesome!

4 pirates- much wetter than I remember it!! We rode it a lot during our 5 days there, and got wet on half our trips! Gah! Still a favorite though!! Can't beat the theming!

5. Matterhorn is not less jerky, but a fun ride and decent substitute for btmrr. I only rode it twice and at night it seemed jerker. My dd's discovered and used the SR line too many times to count!!! About 6-8 rides a night each! I couldn't take that . But went and enjoyed IASw st night without my dd's complaining about it being boring .

6. DL has busy maintenance men!!! Every ride we rode was down at some point!! Even buzz, autopia, and pirates which I don't think of as down-able? We found ride closures to be much more frequent this visit. With btmrr closed, the pressure on Indy, space and Matterhorn is much greater, and they went down a lot our week there. CA already had challenges with RSR and TSMM. But goofy went down too!

7. RSR is still our favorite, even with going down a lot. Still worth it!! And sr line is wonderful! Night time ride is a must!! Maters is a favorite too!! Love the voice over instructions while wasting to ride .

8. Decorations!, loved them!! They seemed even more beautiful than last year!!! And the fireworks and light show (castle and IASW) were wonderful!! We got to see the fireworks from 3 separate locations-small world area, front left of castle, and front right, all were great, love the show and the snow!! IASW has the added projection which I preferred to the castle show, but the right side by astro orbiter was the best view of the actual fireworks! Love them!!

9. Missed WOC-weather cancelled Tuesday's performance and my dd's were too tired for the other nights option.

10. Hoppers are looking better to me with all the ride closures. TSMM and RSR down at the same time really hurts ca. It would be really nice to hit the other park .

11. FPs for Indy don't help much. Great for RSR and space though . SR for Soarin' is a big mistake. Waited forever and eventually left b/c the standby line went much faster. I think they need a SR for Space. Would be a good addition, really great for RSR and Matterhorn.

12. Parade was really cute, and we caught it 3 times!

13. IASW was magical!!! The highlight of my trip!! The show outside was great, the train ride through it during the little show was sweet!, and inside it seemed even more decorated and magical then years past? Love it!!

14. While I waited for 11 FPs for RSR on Tuesday morning, my family and friends were chosen to open TOT!! They rode the trolley with chip and dale (my favorite characters who I could not find the rest of the trip, despite countless promises by well meaning but woefully uninformed CMs), and signed the guest book, and our friends who were there for their first visit got a free photo pass plus! Highlight for the week for all of them!

15.. Last observation-the gingerbread beignets are no where near as good as the regular ones . Still yummy, but I'm glad I got the regular ones too (yummy!).

I think 5 day tickets were too much for me and my dd's. by the end of the week my dd's were fussing with each other and I was frustrated with the crowds and ride closures and lost sight of the Magic of Disneyland. Our last day we went to use our FPs for Indy, and it was down, so we walked across to Autopia and waited in line for 30 minutes, then it went down. No FP for later, just leave. Then we went to Space, waited and it went down!! Really? Then my dd's did SR for Matterhorn and dd(13) got stuck on the ride- sideways, by the water. Crazy! It was just a streak of bad luck right at the end of the trip which left us frustrated . It wasn't the only time ride closures interrupted the trip, but it was the lasting impression of so many back to back that hurt. So much so that we chose NOT to upgrade to APs. We will take a break from DL for a while, let them fix the rides and see if they continue to raise the prices. I am still a DL lover, but this trip left me with a slightly different view of DL, and I'm sad to admit I was disappointed for the first time in my life . I'm sorry to be so negative. I think I've reached the point where the cost vs benefit balance has been tipped in favor of taking a break from DL for a while. I was going to keep my thoughts to myself, as I don't want to discourage you all. But I think having more realistic expectations might keep other visitors happier going into the crowds and technical difficulties. Just my $0.02. I still love Disneyland!! But am going to take a bit of time off from visiting and build that enthusiasm back up .

 

[Sherry E]

Trish --

I don't think a file/photo is corrupted in this specific case. It could be, but I don't think so. I would have thought that, except the message appearing on my camera specifically said "communication error," like it wasn't even recognizing that there was a camera or a card hooked up.

So I looked online for the "communication error" message in regards to my camera model and software and I found many other questions and comments about that same issue on different sites. Most of the replies/solutions to the problem involved getting a card reader, and advised that this is a common problem for this camera's software when a certain number of photos is surpassed on a card.

Now if I get a card reader and it still doesn't work, then I'll think it is a corrupted photo/file and it will have to be dealt with in another way. We'll see what happens when I get the reader, but I have a feeling it will be fine after that. I usually don't exceed 5000 photos on one individual memory card, and this time I did so I think it confused the software that I use to download. I would bet that if I were to start a whole new card with new photos I wouldn't see that communication error again when trying to download.

In fact, I may try that -- I will put in the blank memory card again (which I used to test it out yesterday to see if the software recognized the camera and card), take a couple of junk photos that I can delete, and try to download them. I would bet that I won't have any trouble, but I'll keep my fingers crossed. I will report back on my findings!


UPDATE: I tried a blank memory card. I took a couple of throwaway photos and then hooked up the camera to begin the download process. The software recognized the camera and downloaded the photos without issue. So at least I have ruled out this being a problem with the software and/or a problem with the camera. Most likely this is just an issue of the software not communicating with the camera and vice versa due to the large number of photos on this one card, but if there is a corrupt file/photo on the card I will probably find that out when I get the card reader.

I was going to go out and buy a reader and then I remembered that I had a gift card balance on Amazon. So I ordered a cheap reader and only had to pay $2 for shipping. The reader should get to me within a week or so. Hopefully that will do the trick and let me retrieve this last batch of photos. If not, if it doesn't work, the next step will be to march over to the local camera store and ask for their help! I can view the photos on the card directly in my camera, so it's not like they are inaccessible. I just need to get them off of the card!

​

Okay -- I have to go back and read Janet's last posts and Julie's update that just came in!

Hi, Larina, Liza and blue888!

 

[WestMom2two]

So if we go the week before Thanksgiving week will we get to see the snow fall after fireworks or does that not start until December?

 

[Sherry E]

So if we go the week before Thanksgiving week will we get to see the snow fall after fireworks or does that not start until December?

WestMom2two --

Unless DLR forces a ticketed Christmas party on us in 2014, the holiday fireworks and snowfall will begin as soon as the season officially begins in November -- which could be anywhere between 11/7 and 11/14.

You should be able to experience everything except some of the extra entertainment and decorations at the 3 hotels if you go before Thanksgiving. This year the hotels were decorated early -- I think because of the late Thanksgiving -- but that is not always the case so we can't count on it to happen every year. Santa and the carolers don't seem to appear at the hotels until Thanksgiving day and beyond.

But you should get to experience all of the decorations and entertainment in the 2 parks if you go pre-Thanksgiving!

 

[czmom]

Not sure if I should ask this here or in a separate thread. But I would love a crowd comparison from someone who has been recently. We were there Dec 1-6 for reference.

How do the crowds this year compare with summer crowds?

Are the rides working at a higher capacity in the summer?

I know one day we waited over an hour to meet the princesses at Fantasy Faire. They only had 1 side open and the CM said they were not expecting these crowds.

I am curious because my daughter is begging to go back for her birthday (August). We thought it was crowded a couple weeks ago, so should we anticipate just a little higher crowds, or much higher?

 

[mrsw94]

Hi all. Just checking in. We are here! Currently taking a break by the pool. Did DL last last but fireworks were cancelled. They did still play what I think might be the final song and it Snowed. DD loved that. Crowds lady night were pretty intense. DS5 was tired and the crowds were tough on hubby, so they went back to the hotel early.

Today and been good and bad. Hubby woke up with a vVERY painful back, worse that he's ever had. We were running a bit late already, and then he decided he just couldn't walk, so I went back to our hotel (Ramada inn) and rented a wheelchair. It's harder on me, but better for him.

We were able to get our WOC FP and RSR FP for between 4:50-5:50). By 11am the RSR FP were gone. Did a few rides and overall the morning was ok. Weather is warm!

 

[Sherry E]

Not sure if I should ask this here or in a separate thread. But I would love a crowd comparison from someone who has been recently. We were there Dec 1-6 for reference.

How do the crowds this year compare with summer crowds?

Are the rides working at a higher capacity in the summer?

I know one day we waited over an hour to meet the princesses at Fantasy Faire. They only had 1 side open and the CM said they were not expecting these crowds.

I am curious because my daughter is begging to go back for her birthday (August). We thought it was crowded a couple weeks ago, so should we anticipate just a little higher crowds, or much higher?

czmom --

I can only speak to the December part of the question, as I have not been to DLR in August in years and years and years -- yes, it has been more crowded than it was the last couple of years (and probably more crowded than many folks expected) but I would guess that it's not up to the level of August crowds.

Bret/mvf-m11c has been to DLR more recently in August so he might be able to address the August crowd issue, ride capacity, etc.

Hi all. Just checking in. We are here! Currently taking a break by the pool. Did DL last last but fireworks were cancelled. They did still play what I think might be the final song and it Snowed. DD loved that. Crowds lady night were pretty intense. DS5 was tired and the crowds were tough on hubby, so they went back to the hotel early.

Today and been good and bad. Hubby woke up with a vVERY painful back, worse that he's ever had. We were running a bit late already, and then he decided he just couldn't walk, so I went back to our hotel (Ramada inn) and rented a wheelchair. It's harder on me, but better for him.

We were able to get our WOC FP and RSR FP for between 4:50-5:50). By 11am the RSR FP were gone. Did a few rides and overall the morning was ok. Weather is warm!

mrsw94 --

As a fellow back problem sufferer, I can empathize with your husband. It's terrible to be in pain at DLR when so much walking and getting on and off rides is involved.

I hope your trip is amazing and memorable!

The weather is too warm for December -- it's over 80 degrees today! That's not right! At least you won't freeze, since we know you don't like cold.

​

Oh, you know, I forgot to ask this very important question!

I'm still very interested in reading final reviews from everyone -- especially those who experienced their very first DLR holiday trips this year, or those who have not been to DLR for the holidays in quite a while (like tksbaskets, after she returns home from this trip!).

egritz has said that she will most likely not be making another trip to DLR during the holiday season, and that she felt underwhelmed by the decorations.

julieheyer (even though this wasn't her first holiday trip) has said that she is going to take some time away from DLR, and that 5 days -- with all of the crowds and ride breakdowns -- was too much.


I am pretty sure that Trish/Phoenixrising, Wendy/czmom, Janet/mom2rtk and Kathy/ksromack were not thrilled with crowds -- but, was it enough to keep any of you from going to DLR for the holidays again, or would you do another holiday trip without hesitation?

In other words, is there anyone else here who was kind of disappointed with their trip in general (for whatever reason) and won't consider another holiday visit? Or did everyone pretty much have a great time overall?

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Oh, you know, I forgot to ask this very important question! I'm still very interested in reading final reviews from everyone -- especially those who experienced their very first DLR holiday trips this year, or those who have not been to DLR for the holidays in quite a while (like tksbaskets, after she returns home from this trip!). egritz has said that she will most likely not be making another trip to DLR during the holiday season, and that she felt underwhelmed by the decorations. julieheyer (even though this wasn't her first holiday trip) has said that she is going to take some time away from DLR, and that 5 days -- with all of the crowds and ride breakdowns -- was too much. I am pretty sure that Trish/Phoenixrising, Wendy/czmom, Janet/mom2rtk and Kathy/ksromack were not thrilled with crowds -- but, was it enough to keep any of you from going to DLR for the holidays again, or would you do another holiday trip without hesitation? In other words, is there anyone else here who was kind of disappointed with their trip in general and won't consider another holiday visit? Or did everyone pretty much have a great time overall?

Well you already know my answer - we loved it so much, we're already booked for next year, brining more family with us! I am hoping all this talk about the week before Thanksgiving being quiet stops before it changes that case I'm also hoping, although not necessarily expecting, the hotels to be decorated early since Thanksgiving will fall late again next year - especially since we'll be at the GCH this time. I've already stated that I didn't find the crowds Thanksgiving week to be that bad and I don't know if that's because we're used to a busier time (and have done that week before) or if it's because we have our morning touring down, so are able to utilize our time in a way that the crowds don't bother us. And obviously the tours helped us get on rides that had longer lines (JC, HMH & IASWH), so I'm sure that helped.

That said, we do get to go a lot and seeing it all isn't a priority for us. I can understand for those who haven't been before or don't go often how frustrating the crowds can be. It does make me sad that so many are reporting not having a great time though.

 

[mom2rtk]

I'm still very interested in reading final reviews from everyone -- especially those who experienced their very first DLR holiday trips this year, or those who have not been to DLR for the holidays in quite a while (like tksbaskets, after she returns home from this trip!).

egritz has said that she will most likely not be making another trip to DLR during the holiday season, and that she felt underwhelmed by the decorations.

julieheyer (even though this wasn't her first holiday trip) has said that she is going to take some time away from DLR, and that 5 days -- with all of the crowds and ride breakdowns -- was too much.


I am pretty sure that Trish/Phoenixrising, Wendy/czmom, Janet/mom2rtk and Kathy/ksromack were not thrilled with crowds -- but, was it enough to keep any of you from going to DLR for the holidays again, or would you do another holiday trip without hesitation?

In other words, is there anyone else here who was kind of disappointed with their trip in general (for whatever reason) and won't consider another holiday visit? Or did everyone pretty much have a great time overall?

I would go back again the same week in a heartbeat. I just wouldn't kid myself into thinking the crowds might be low. And I would definitely work hard to stay onsite again. Between my inability to sleep past a certain hour, and how we got so much done during EE, I would have to have that benefit at my disposal again to make the most of it.

Here's what I've told a few people so far. I hated the crowds. I hated the cold. I hated the fastpass times enforcement. I hated that they would only sell me a 5 day ticket. I hated that so many rides were closed. Katie disliked the puny castle........... But we were both absolutely smitten and can't wait to go back. We had initially planned to head east to experience the 7 Dwarf Mine Coaster next year, but that is very much up in the air now.

I'm not sure if it's because of the more pervasive Christmas decorations, or the fact that it's Walt's home park, or because we were just getting burned out on WDW, but I could definitely see us heading west again.

 

[Sherry E]

Well you already know my answer - we loved it so much, we're already booked for next year, brining more family with us! I am hoping all this talk about the week before Thanksgiving being quiet stops before it changes that case I'm also hoping, although not necessarily expecting, the hotels to be decorated early since Thanksgiving will fall late again next year - especially since we'll be at the GCH this time. I've already stated that I didn't find the crowds Thanksgiving week to be that bad and I don't know if that's because we're used to a busier time (and have done that week before) or if it's because we have our morning touring down, so are able to utilize our time in a way that the crowds don't bother us. And obviously the tours helped us get on rides that had longer lines (JC, HMH & IASWH), so I'm sure that helped.

That said, we do get to go a lot and seeing it all isn't a priority for us. I can understand for those who haven't been before or don't go often how frustrating the crowds can be. It does make me sad that so many are reporting not having a great time though.

Jamie -

Same here. It makes me sad too. I've already said that I thought the level of decor was more extensive than ever before this year, and I was finding beautiful trees and garland in places where I didn't know they'd be (Tangaroa Terrace's lovely tree -- who knew?!), so it's a bummer if they didn't make as big of an impression on others. I thought it was great! I even liked the different towers' trees at the Disneyland Hotel this year (because of their themes) and I usually can take or leave them!

My only concern is that DLR won't be able to keep up that level of decor every year and will scale it back rather than maintain it or build it up.

And crowds, well, yes, they were bigger this year and that wasn't fun -- but they really didn't bother me that much, other than on Candlelight night. Then again, I tour DLR differently than the average visitor, so crowds would impede progress for others more than they might for me!

I didn't have to wait in any crazy lines for food. I didn't have to wander all around Plaza Inn or Tangaroa Terrace to find one lone chair to sit in. I found tables right away. Heck, there wasn't even a line at Earl of Sandwich when I went there -- and that line can get long!

I think the longest or slowest-moving line for a ride I got in was Haunted Mansion Holiday, but the supposed 45-minute wait for IASWH was not even close to that.

I thought of you when I posted in the other thread (the one asking if the OP should go during the week before Thanksgiving or in December)! Honestly, I really do think that word of mouth played a big role in the crowds being heavier during a (usually) slightly less crowded time this year, which is what I was afraid of. That, and the fact that there was a late Thanksgiving coinciding with the start of Hanukkah. I think that some folks just wanted to wait until those holidays were over before heading to the parks.

Even though I think it took a couple of years to really register with people, eventually word got out about the first two weeks in December and now there are more people there during that time. If the talk about the week before Thanksgiving being less crowded continues, in time it will eventually become more crowded. Maybe not yet, but down the road.

If the hotels continue to get their decorations in place way ahead of schedule (this year the first reported hotel tree sighting was like 9 days before Thanksgiving, if I recall!!), then that will give people even more reason to show up before Thanksgiving. I think there have been some holdouts who -- like I do -- wait until December to get the "full holiday experience," including the hotels. If DLR starts offering more of that experience even earlier in the season, then eventually -- maybe not in 2014, but sooner or later -- more people will start to pile in pre-Thanksgiving and the crowd dynamic will shift.

I will be interested to read crystal1313's observations when she returns. Hopefully she had a good time!

Oh, and by the way -- I checked World of Disney twice and I did not see one single nutcracker pin! I have no clue where dalstitch45 saw them, or where they could have been hiding, but I never saw them. I didn't see them in the Emporium either. I'm sure they were lurking around somewhere, and I probably just didn't look in the right places.

 

[KCmike]

Sounds like you had an eventful trip, Sherry. Sorry about what happened with your card and the Candlelight Processional. I will email you when I receive my PhotoPass CD. In the meantime, here are the ones Crap took. It was awesome to finally meet you. Kathy and Janet were cool too.

Look at all of these famous Disers!

I would go back again the same week in a heartbeat. I just wouldn't kid myself into thinking the crowds might be low. And I would definitely work hard to stay onsite again. Between my inability to sleep past a certain hour, and how we got so much done during EE, I would have to have that benefit at my disposal again to make the most of it.

Here's what I've told a few people so far. I hated the crowds. I hated the cold. I hated the fastpass times enforcement. I hated that they would only sell me a 5 day ticket. I hated that so many rides were closed. Katie disliked the puny castle........... But we were both absolutely smitten and can't wait to go back. We had initially planned to head east to experience the 7 Dwarf Mine Coaster next year, but that is very much up in the air now.

I'm not sure if it's because of the more pervasive Christmas decorations, or the fact that it's Walt's home park, or because we were just getting burned out on WDW, but I could definitely see us heading west again.

Funny you say that. I was burned out on WDW back in 2007 and have been completely smitten with Disneyland ever since. It helps when they keep adding new stuff and there's so many places in California I want to see. Any chance of a trip report this time around?

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Sherry, thank you so much for looking. I really appreciate it!

 

[Sherry E]

I would go back again the same week in a heartbeat. I just wouldn't kid myself into thinking the crowds might be low. And I would definitely work hard to stay onsite again. Between my inability to sleep past a certain hour, and how we got so much done during EE, I would have to have that benefit at my disposal again to make the most of it.

Here's what I've told a few people so far. I hated the crowds. I hated the cold. I hated the fastpass times enforcement. I hated that they would only sell me a 5 day ticket. I hated that so many rides were closed. Katie disliked the puny castle........... But we were both absolutely smitten and can't wait to go back. We had initially planned to head east to experience the 7 Dwarf Mine Coaster next year, but that is very much up in the air now.

I'm not sure if it's because of the more pervasive Christmas decorations, or the fact that it's Walt's home park, or because we were just getting burned out on WDW, but I could definitely see us heading west again.

Janet --

That's very good to hear!

I really am interested in reading the honest opinions from everyone about their trips, so I hope no one thinks they can't freely speak of any downers or minuses that they encountered. It's not always sunshine and roses at DLR, after all. There are things that I am not always thrilled with at DLR, and there are certainly times that I've been to DLR when the crowds were way too much for my liking -- hence, the reason I have not been back for New Year's Eve since 2000 and the reason I stopped going on the weekend immediately before Christmas. The crowds got to be too much for me.

I was also not thrilled that the Storybook Land boats were not running and that the line for TSMM was enormous when I checked it.

I had to giggle about the "puny castle"! I would imagine that after being used to the giant castle at WDW, ours would look rather puny! I looked at the Winter Castle at night, up close, and I could see that the icicle lights were a little more sparse this year than last year. The strands of lights were either more spread out -- ever so slightly -- or they were more sparse. And the lights on the turrets were arranged differently, in a different pattern. All of this combined made the Castle look a wee bit less sparkly than it did in 2012. I'm sure it looked sparkly enough to most people, but I could see a difference so I wasn't entirely thrilled with that.

The extra hour offered daily to onsite guests is a big plus so I can see how that would be a big factor in the level of enjoyment and productivity in the parks. It used to be that Magic Mornings were only on certain days, and only in Disneyland. It makes a tremendous difference that it opened it up to include California Adventure too, and that the Extra Magic Hour expanded to a daily schedule (for the most part, with a few exceptions here and there).

 

[mom2rtk]

Funny you say that. I was burned out on WDW back in 2007 and have been completely smitten with Disneyland ever since. It helps when they keep adding new stuff and there's so many places in California I want to see. Any chance of a trip report this time around?

I think part of it might be the effort they put into keeping DLR fresh for all the AP holders who come back often. WDW just doesn't seem to have any concern in that regard at all. I really don't have any interest in doing other things in CA though. Once I get to Disney, I want to stay in that Disney bubble. And of course, it helps that we did big westward driving trips iln 05, 06, 07 and 2010. We've seen a lot already.

And yes, I will be doing a trip report. I'll be sure to post a link and let you know when I do. I still have to finish up 2012 first though!

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Janet -- That's very good to hear! I really am interested in reading the honest opinions from everyone about their trips, so I hope no one thinks they can't freely speak of any downers or minuses that they encountered. It's not always sunshine and roses at DLR, after all. There are things that I am not always thrilled with at DLR, and there are certainly times that I've been to DLR when the crowds were way too much for my liking -- hence, the reason I have not been back for New Year's Eve since 2000 and the reason I stopped going on the weekend immediately before Christmas. The crowds got to be too much for me. I was also not thrilled that the Storybook Land boats were not running and that the line for TSMM was enormous when I checked it. I had to giggle about the "puny castle"! I would imagine that after being used to the giant castle at WDW, ours would look rather puny! I looked at the Winter Castle at night, up close, and I could see that the icicle lights were a little more sparse this year than last year. The strands of lights were either more spread out -- ever so slightly -- or they were more sparse. And the lights on the turrets were arranged differently, in a different pattern. All of this combined made the Castle look a wee bit less sparkly than it did in 2012. I'm sure it looked sparkly enough to most people, but I could see a difference so I wasn't entirely thrilled with that. The extra hour offered daily to onsite guests is a big plus so I can see how that would be a big factor in the level of enjoyment and productivity in the parks. It used to be that Magic Mornings were only on certain days, and only in Disneyland. It makes a tremendous difference that it opened it up to include California Adventure too, and that the Extra Magic Hour expanded to a daily schedule (for the most part, with a few exceptions here and there).

I agree with you - I don't want anybody to feel they have to temper their reports or observations here! I even put in my little report that I was bothered by how many rides went down during our trip. I know it happens, but it is disappointing (especially ones like Dumbo & PP during EMH!) I also didn't see Storybook running at all during our trip, even though we walked by at all different hours, when it wasn't schedule for any rehab yet. I'm sure it did run and we just missed it, but I wanted to see some of the holiday decor on the ride.

I 100% agree with Janet that EMH is probably what made the difference for us, especially in the crowd issue.

 

[czmom]

czmom --

I can only speak to the December part of the question, as I have not been to DLR in August in years and years and years -- yes, it has been more crowded than it was the last couple of years (and probably more crowded than many folks expected) but I would guess that it's not up to the level of August crowds.

Bret/mvf-m11c has been to DLR more recently in August so he might be able to address the August crowd issue, ride capacity, etc.

​

Oh, you know, I forgot to ask this very important question!

I'm still very interested in reading final reviews from everyone -- especially those who experienced their very first DLR holiday trips this year, or those who have not been to DLR for the holidays in quite a while (like tksbaskets, after she returns home from this trip!).

egritz has said that she will most likely not be making another trip to DLR during the holiday season, and that she felt underwhelmed by the decorations.

julieheyer (even though this wasn't her first holiday trip) has said that she is going to take some time away from DLR, and that 5 days -- with all of the crowds and ride breakdowns -- was too much.


I am pretty sure that Trish/Phoenixrising, Wendy/czmom, Janet/mom2rtk and Kathy/ksromack were not thrilled with crowds -- but, was it enough to keep any of you from going to DLR for the holidays again, or would you do another holiday trip without hesitation?

In other words, is there anyone else here who was kind of disappointed with their trip in general (for whatever reason) and won't consider another holiday visit? Or did everyone pretty much have a great time overall?

We had a wonderful time and would absolutely go back the same week again! Even though the crowds were heavier than I expected (even JJJ was packed- but Billy Hill was playing), it did not stop us from having a magical trip....obviously, since we are now considering an August trip. I just need to adjust my expectations.

We fell in love with VGC and DCA. We are DVC owners and I admittedly have now been looking at VGC resale contracts. Absolutely loved the convenience and staying in the Disney bubble.

My dad even had food poisoning and spent one whole day in the hotel room, but that memory is nothing even for him compared to our week. It was a blast!

Honestly, the only negatives were the crowds, the cold, and POTC being closed so much. But for those 3 negatives, we have a zillion positives!

Funny though, we rode RSR 5 times and all 5 times were sent through Ramone's body shop! We joke that we have to go back and make it through Luigi's side.

I think since this was our first time (and we thought our only), we were on a mission to do it all. We utilized EE every day, and were at the front of the pack, but even at DL I felt like lines were long at that hour. Makes no sense to only have 2 areas of the park open. Anyway, our next trip we will be able to pick and choose more, know what to skip, and tour a little differently.

All that being said, we will be back!

 

[egritz]

Not sure if I should ask this here or in a separate thread. But I would love a crowd comparison from someone who has been recently. We were there Dec 1-6 for reference.

How do the crowds this year compare with summer crowds?

Are the rides working at a higher capacity in the summer?

I know one day we waited over an hour to meet the princesses at Fantasy Faire. They only had 1 side open and the CM said they were not expecting these crowds.

I am curious because my daughter is begging to go back for her birthday (August). We thought it was crowded a couple weeks ago, so should we anticipate just a little higher crowds, or much higher?

We've gone twice in recent years (2010 & 2012) in June, and the crowds this past week were equal or heavier than our June trips.

egritz has said that she will most likely not be making another trip to DLR during the holiday season, and that she felt underwhelmed by the decorations.

Sherry we still had a great time (I passed you on Thursday in DL but it was so fast I didn't have a chance to stop and say high! you were with 2 men I think?) It could be that I'm 11 weeks pregnant, it could be that my parents were bickering a bit, it could be that it is just a stressful time of year, etc. that may have influenced my perceptions, but then the rest of my group agreed (adults at least). I was actually disappointed in JJJ - we went Thursday morning and saw Santa, then hubby waited for the characters while we took DD on the carrousel, we only got to see Mickey & Woody (who was not in any holiday gear) at JJJ, when we went by again later to check it out again, still just those two. So our only character pictures in holiday gear were Mickey, Daisy (from DCA PP), and Minnie (from the Plaza Inn breakfast). Which REALLY bummed me out. I too NEVER saw any characters at the front of DL or on main street.

We had great character breakfasts (1st ressies of the day) at both Minnie's at Plaza Inn & Mickey's Surf's up, they were possibly the highlight of our trip. We have pics of DD with 4 of the 5 Santa's - I completely forgot about the one at DCA until it was too late (DD was in the stroller trying, but failing, to nap on our walk out on the final day).

We didn't spend too much time at the parks in the evening, we were all so tired.

Surprisingly our lowest crowds of the week were Saturday morning at rope drop in DCA. IT WAS DEAD, eerily quiet. I took a picture from Tower of Terror back towards Monster's Inc & there were only cast members in the picture! By 10 the crowds were there, but it was a great first 2 hours in the park with minimal crowds. I'm assuming DL was mobbed. We left just after noon (we had a flight) and the lines to get through security were really long.

We spent Friday the 13th at Knott's. After 2 mishaps causing up over 2 hours delayed (the concierge at the Anabella called a private car service for our transportation, they were late & sent a taxi not private car, then didn't bring a car seat for DD in the 2nd vehicle, then the replacement car wasn't big enough, OY! They comped that leg of the trip) Then at Knott's our tickets wouldn't scan causing another delay. BUT the saving grace was that Knott's was dead for crowds. We walked only almost every kiddie ride with DD, and my dad & DH walked on to several coasters. It was lovely. And there was no wait for the restaurant so my mother got her fried chicken dinner she had been hoping for. Then the private car was late returning BUT they sent a stretch limo.

DH and I have been to DL now 3 times in the past 18 months, our most concentrated # of visits yet. We now think it will be 3 years before our next trip. I have no interest in bringing a baby (I'm due in July) and 3 years from Jan/Feb will put the baby around the same age as our DD is now which is a fun age (2 1/2). We have discussed that if we ever go in a busy time of year again either saving up to stay on-site to take advantage of daily EE &/or staying for a week and mainly doing the parks in the morning when the crowds are lighter.

As for the decorations, they just weren't "in my face". I was making an effort to really slow down, enjoy the window displays, etc. I dunno, just wasn't worth the crowds or the stress of traveling during the holidays. Oh well. DH & DD are home from the grocery store so I'll stop my book!

 

[mvf-m11c]

I am curious because my daughter is begging to go back for her birthday (August). We thought it was crowded a couple weeks ago, so should we anticipate just a little higher crowds, or much higher?

In early and mid August can be a little busy during the summer break. When I went on the 2nd weekend of August during the D23 Expo event and went at night to the parks, it was a little busy but not like Christmas break crowds. The parks were not that super busy and the ride wait times are manageable. The rides can When the SoCal AP are unblocked on the third week of August, the weekdays can be a little busy. It can be a little hot in August.

On my last day during my November trip last month on Monday the 25th, getting into DL that morning was a little crowded where it did took a while to enter DL. That was during Thanksgiving break week.