candy canes - can't wait...

[AVP]

The candy canes will be sold again on Dec. 14 (Friday) and Dec. 22 (Saturday), according to Darlene Champeau, Disneyland candy production manager.

For the full post:
http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal...1087#more-1087

Brady MacDonald
Los Angeles Times Theme Park Blogger

Hi Brady, welcome to MousePad.

You're about a month behind the times - I posted the official release schedule at the begining of November!

AVP

[bag3lbit3s]

Does anyone have pictures of them? I'm going to be there the 15th...doubt I'll buy one for that price. But boy do I want the recipe. If by any chance I get to watch them make them I'm taking notes on what they do...

[DoleWhipped]

we went today and i saw the sign but no candy canes in sight...

[Malcon10t]

we went today and i saw the sign but no candy canes in sight...

I don't think Candy Canes were on today's schedule. Next Candy Cane day is Friday.

[lisap]

Got ours this morning. I have to hand it to the DL folks, they did try to keep things orderly and keep people informed. They checked with the candy makers to see how many they would get out of the batch, then walked down the line asking people how many they were planning to buy (two maximum.) Then they informed people on the "cusp" that they may or may not have a chance to buy them and when the next batch would be ready. One CM even played trivia games with the people in line and gave out prizes.

The only hitch in the plan were the people saving spaces in line for friends and family. As it came time for the canes to be sold, people appeared to stand with the person who held the line. The folks towards the back of the line were frustrated, understandably. One group went from one person to five--and this was about 15 minutes before the canes went on sale.

I'm not a collector and have never been to a pin event, but I wonder if it wouldn't be easier and more controlled to do something like wristbands--is that what they do for pins? I know it seems silly for a little thing like candy canes, but as word gets out on the internet about them, more and more people plan their trips around buying them during Christmas.

Anyway, I was happy to get mine, talked to some very nice people in line, and still had an hour of pretty crowd-free park touring afterwards. It was a good day.

[AVP]

I was also there this morning Lisa, but got there after the 1st batch sold out. Since I had about 30 minutes to pass while waiting for something else, I decided to see if I had a chance at the 2nd batch. The 11 batch went much the way you described the earlier batch, with the CMs talking to the crowd and playing trivia games (I got two questions right - not bad for a 30-something who knows nothing about High School Musical II).

They had distributed tickets to the first 15 people in line - they explained that each batch made between 30 - 45 candy canes, so they knew the first 15 would definitely get two each if they wanted.

Just like you experienced, just about the time the candy canes were ready, the line in front of me magically got much wider than it had been moments before. Once the CMs knew exactly how many candy canes they had made from the batch they came back and gave out tickets to 6 more people behind the original 15. Unfortunately those extra people who joined the line made the difference between my getting a candy cane and not, so I decided to skip it and hope for next week.

For those who plan to try again - DO NOT believe the CMs when they tell you that "there is no line" for the next batch. Just hang around until they get organized enough to form one, or you'll find yourself at the end when you come back. A number of people who missed canes from the first batch this morning were told to come back at 10:30 for the 11 batch - and then they started the line at 10. When those people got back and discovered that they were too far back to get a voucher, they were beyond annoyed. One of the women had come to Disneyland today for the sole purpose of buying one of the candy canes, and she was honestly in tears when she found out that the CM had given her bad info earlier.

Oh, and they are NOT being offered at Marcelines - that was another bit of misinformation I heard a CM tell a guest today.

AVP

[olegc]

sounds like the suggestion earlier of pin-day wristbands needs to be incorporated. Seems silly for only 4 times in one month in a calendar year - but it's the only way to stop these thieves (yes, I call them thieves) from taking away someone's chance to get a candy cane that they stood in a long line for.

I can hear the justification now "hey, I'm an AP holder and I don't stand in line".. (yes, I am an AP holder).

[Finding Gigi]

My husband was number 4 in line for the 11 am batch on Friday. Tickets were passed out and no one extra who got into the line at the last minute got a ticket. That happened at the first batch selling of the morning. I am not sure what AVP is talking about but if you did not have a ticket and then joined the line you still did not get a candy cane. My husband was in line at 8:50 for the 11 batch. We are enjoying our 2 candy canes. Hope those who want one get in line early on Saturday.

[AVP]

My husband was number 4 in line for the 11 am batch on Friday. Tickets were passed out and no one extra who got into the line at the last minute got a ticket. That happened at the first batch selling of the morning. I am not sure what AVP is talking about but if you did not have a ticket and then joined the line you still did not get a candy cane. My husband was in line at 8:50 for the 11 batch. We are enjoying our 2 candy canes. Hope those who want one get in line early on Saturday.

If your husband was number 4 then he had already purchased his when the CM came back out and handed out the additional 6 tickets, so you may have missed what happened. After they started selling the canes, and after they confirmed how many they had, they started with the person in line behind person #15 and handed out 6 more tickets to account for the extra 12 canes they got from that batch.

AVP

[Finding Gigi]

No he was still there when the extras were passed out. Anyway, good luck getting on on Saturday.

[lisap]

...talking to the crowd and playing trivia games (I got two questions right - not bad for a 30-something who knows nothing about High School Musical II).

That is pretty good. My kids strolled over when they started the game and between the three of us we pretty much answered all the questions, but quit taking posters after four. Don't mess with our HSM trivia skills.

They had distributed tickets to the first 15 people in line - they explained that each batch made between 30 - 45 candy canes, so they knew the first 15 would definitely get two each if they wanted.

Okay, they added the ticket thing after our batch. The thing is--tickets are useless if you keep giving them out to people who show up later while people hold their places. They should be for people who wait in line the entire time! Do they allow people holding spaces in pin lines? No wonder I'm not a collector--I can't handle the stress.

Oh, and they are NOT being offered at Marcelines - that was another bit of misinformation I heard a CM tell a guest today.
AVP

I also heard a CM telling someone that the first batch was the only batch that was going to be made that day--and the guest went away without a chance to try for the next batch.

[AVP]

No he was still there when the extras were passed out. Anyway, good luck getting on on Saturday.

You said above that there were no extra tickets:

Tickets were passed out and no one extra who got into the line at the last minute got a ticket.

None of the people who joined the END of the line at the last minute got an extra ticket, but at the risk of offending the people involved who may be reading this, that little "swell" in the group directly ahead of me certainly took care of those extra 6 tickets. (I was slightly amused when 4 more people tried to join their group AFTER the second round of tickets had been distributed, and were annoyed that they missed out)

Lisa, I'm glad you got yours, because I know what you've gone through the last few years. For me it's not worth the stress anymore. I gave it a good shot yesterday but it wasn't meant to be. If I can drag myself into the park at o-dark-hundred next Saturday, and IF the Early Entry folks haven't claimed the first 15 tickets, I might get one. But there's no way I'm waiting in a 3.5 hour line if I miss the first batch.

AVP

[lisap]

For me it's not worth the stress anymore. I gave it a good shot yesterday but it wasn't meant to be. If I can drag myself into the park at o-dark-hundred next Saturday, and IF the Early Entry folks haven't claimed the first 15 tickets, I might get one. But there's no way I'm waiting in a 3.5 hour line if I miss the first batch.
AVP

I know. I am thinking the same thing. I was one of the last to get mine, and if a few more people had joined the line ahead of me I would have been out of luck, and there was no way I was going to spend my day at DL stressed out, standing at the candy counter. I was looking at the pre-packaged candy cane trees thinking "you know, those are pretty cute."

BTW, I don't think the EE people are that interested in the canes, honestly.

[AVP]

I was looking at the pre-packaged candy cane trees thinking "you know, those are pretty cute."

Did the CM try to sell those to you? The guy managing the line for the 11am batch came out with the Snowman Candy Apple and tried to sell those to us. (At least one person bought one that I saw)

I sent the cute candy cane trees up to the family that I've previously purchased the big candy canes for. They are really adorable...

AVP

[lisap]

Did the CM try to sell those to you? The guy managing the line for the 11am batch came out with the Snowman Candy Apple and tried to sell those to us. (At least one person bought one that I saw)

AVP

No, he was pushing the snowman candy apple as well. I wasn't going over well with the people who were there for candy canes.

I actually bought a candy cane tree a couple of weeks ago--for four bucks, it's a great deal and is totally cute. That may be my new tradition, who knows.

[cstephens]

I'm not a collector and have never been to a pin event, but I wonder if it wouldn't be easier and more controlled to do something like wristbands--is that what they do for pins? I know it seems silly for a little thing like candy canes, but as word gets out on the internet about them, more and more people plan their trips around buying them during Christmas.

I think it's a good idea. They just started doing the wristband thing for this past Olszewski release, which ended up not being necessary. It would have been great if they'd done it for the last release, because there was a huge problem with people joining the line up front at a later time, so they were buying up the quantities so that people who had been in line the whole time but were further back ended up waiting in line for hours with nothing to show for it - the same swelling problem that AVP mentioned.

[Malcon10t]

They had distributed tickets to the first 15 people in line - they explained that each batch made between 30 - 45 candy canes, so they knew the first 15 would definitely get two each if they wanted.

They should limit the "buyers" to just the 15 gold ticket holders getting 2 candy canes, regardless of who shows up. Then give the people behind them a different color ticket, and they get to buy if there are more. Just like pin trading, you should have to be there to get a ticket and buy.

[Tinker Bell]

Even with the wristbands on pin things we still have swelling. The last big one we had started a few scenes. It is getting way out of hand. Disney will realy need to learn to beef up on CM during these things.

[dawnid]

What they've done with pins with various edition amounts is use wristbands in different colors. The wristbands make the line swelling not a panic issue because if you have a wristband you'll still get your item.

What they should do is issue 17 in color A for the first batch, 17 in color B for the second batch, 17 in color C for third batch, and 15 in color D for any left overs with no guarantee for color D just first opportunity and give a deadline time. Since the batches vary they could be anywhere from 35-45 only guarantee the 17 until the third batch is done. If the first batch goes over the 17 sell to color B but don't issue anymore wristbands, if batch 2 goes over the 17 sell to color C. At the begining of batch 3 you should be able to tell the people with the D wristbands what their odds are to wait or not. When the 66 wristbands are gone they are gone. They should make the wristbands (ABC) with an expiration time so that the D wristbands get a shot at whats left. (i.e. If your not back by the time the third batch goes on sale you lose out).

Tell people you're only selling to guests with the wristbands so they can get on with their day and try to salvage some fun from their trip if they miss out. It sounds kinda convoluted but I think it would work, people don't mind as much missing an item as long as they feel the rules apply to everyone and their is no way to circumvent the process.

[Gone2Disneyland]

A friend was considering going this Saturday to try and get a pair for her and her daughter. If she still wants to go, I'm going to make it very clear she will be one among thousands! And a previous post here mentioning the EE folks that may hit the line before we would get into the park further puts a damper on her chances to get them. But, better to know ahead of time.

[mousey_girl]

Those candy cane trees are cute, but they are verrrry strong. It is like trying to eat mouthwash.

[Gone2Disneyland]

Those candy cane trees are cute, but they are verrrry strong. It is like trying to eat mouthwash.

I saw those for the first time yesterday at the Market House. I thought, "That's gotta be something clever to carefully break each layer." lol

[lisap]

What they've done with pins with various edition amounts is use wristbands in different colors. The wristbands make the line swelling not a panic issue because if you have a wristband you'll still get your item.

Tell people you're only selling to guests with the wristbands so they can get on with their day and try to salvage some fun from their trip if they miss out. It sounds kinda convoluted but I think it would work, people don't mind as much missing an item as long as they feel the rules apply to everyone and their is no way to circumvent the process.

I think that's actually a great idea. I'm not sure the average guest would totally understand the system, but I get it.

[mkraemer]

I sent the cute candy cane trees up to the family that I've previously purchased the big candy canes for. They are really adorable...

AVP

You know, I have to agree; those people are really adorable.

[olegc]

so - I have to ask- did anyone brave either of the lines yesterday to get canes? If so - what was your experience?