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MommyTo3Boys1Girl
07-02-2006, 09:26 PM
I read a reply in another thread mentioning the park closing early the first week in December for company parties etc. What do you mean by early? Like 8pm or earlier? Also when is the "normal" time that the candlelight processional begins? What days of the week is it performing?
This is our first trip to DLR around Christmas, as a family and I am very excited to be able to enjoy the holiday atmosphere. Normally we take our fall trip in early November.

Disney Votary
07-02-2006, 10:27 PM
Generally the Cast Christmas Parties are early in December during the week. The park closes around 6:00pm around that time of year. The Candlelight Processional is generally the first Saturday and Sunday in December.

All the other Christmas decorations and entertainment are in full swing by Thanksgiving weekend. Christmas at Disneyland is my favorite, it's magical. :-)

dland
07-03-2006, 12:21 AM
Mommy,
We were at DLR last year during the first week of December, we arrived the first Saturday of December and left on Wednesday. The processional was on Saturday and Sunday night. Both parks closed at 6:00 pm on Monday and Tuesday for the cast member party. The castle and the areas around it were closed for filming of the Disney Christmas party. It was a very hectic time to be there and I am hoping to avoid this time period this year.

MammaSilva
07-03-2006, 02:33 AM
After two years in a row of that type of issues...early closing, filming blocking off major parts of the park for extended times, we bumped our december trip further into the month...later hours less crazy schedules and still "off season" works for us much better.

rentayenta
07-03-2006, 05:30 AM
Mommy, if the Candlelight is on the first weekend again like it has been in previous years that would make the CP the weekend of Dec. 1-2 and the cast parties would be the week of Dec. 3-8. I can't find anything set in stone but this is my best guess.


Once you know for sure I'd rethink being there the week of CM parties. Closing at 6:00 seems just too early.

kiwifuz
07-03-2006, 07:55 AM
Also when is the "normal" time that the candlelight processional begins? What days of the week is it performing?

This past Dec ('05) the CP shows were at 5:30 & 8pm. We had 4pm dinner reservations at Hook's Pointe and then went to the 5:30pm show. I think the park closed at midnight that night, but it was so busy we fought our way out not too long after the 5:30 show was over, spent some time at CA and went back to our hotel.

Maus
07-03-2006, 08:56 AM
Maybe a CM will correct me but aren't the cast Christmas parties "mix-ins"? In other words, no one will be allowed to enter the park after six p.m. but if you are already in the park you won't be asked to leave.

annieb727
07-03-2006, 09:00 AM
we went last year - we hadn't really been thinking about it, we just wanted to go for our five year anniversary...which was December 9th...so we were there the 8th - 12th. It was great...we missed the Candlelight processional, which I thought might have been neat to see, but I also wanted a chance to enjoy everything else christmassy at DL...we really enjoyed our trip. We missed the cast parties and the cp...it was PERFECT...

The Lovely Mrs. tod
07-03-2006, 09:06 AM
Maybe a CM will correct me but aren't the cast Christmas parties "mix-ins"? In other words, no one will be allowed to enter the park after six p.m. but if you are already in the park you won't be asked to leave.
Not when we were CMs. The park closed. Once it was emptied and set up (picture stations, etc) they started letting us in.

That's the joy of the CM Christmas party - your kids can go on gadgets go-coaster six times in al row if they want to because the wait is about 30 seconds. It's uncrowded and a great time.

We haven't been CMs in a few years but that's the way it was, anyway. It could have changed...

-TLMt

Disney Votary
07-03-2006, 09:12 AM
Maybe a CM will correct me but aren't the cast Christmas parties "mix-ins"? In other words, no one will be allowed to enter the park after six p.m. but if you are already in the park you won't be asked to leave.

They usually do two nights of Cast Christmas Parties during the week, and then will have one or two weekend mix-in parties. The mix-ins allow the CMs to use their party tickets to get people in and they can get certain food discounts on the days of the mix-ins.

Walt'sbirthdaygirl
07-03-2006, 01:45 PM
It's usually so slow the week of the CM parties that the 6pm closing doesn't seem to be a big deal. We have gone the same week in December for the last 7 years and the way we handle it, the nights of the CM parties, we have a nice dinner outside the park after closing.

pisces
07-03-2006, 04:26 PM
One of the problems is that there's virtually no information about the Candlelight Processional, even as close as one month before........they don't announce anything to the public till very close to the date, whatever that will be.

I guess if you want to guestimate that it's going to be on Saturday, December 2........

But, I wish they'd make an official announcement a couple of months before that...

I'm going to be in town, this year, in early December, and I'd like to go to the Candlelight Processional; but it's hard to make definite plans, knowing that we'll never know for sure, up until 2-3 weeks before.

Hard to plan that way.

kiwifuz
07-03-2006, 07:19 PM
One of the problems is that there's virtually no information about the Candlelight Processional, even as close as one month before........they don't announce anything to the public till very close to the date, whatever that will be.

I guess if you want to guestimate that it's going to be on Saturday, December 2........

But, I wish they'd make an official announcement a couple of months before that...

I'm going to be in town, this year, in early December, and I'd like to go to the Candlelight Processional; but it's hard to make definite plans, knowing that we'll never know for sure, up until 2-3 weeks before.

Hard to plan that way.
Actually if you look at the 1st page of this old thread: http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?t=47803 it looks like they released the dates in September, but didn't open the dining plans until 2-3 weeks before the shows. At least that way you can make plans to attend knowing the dates.

evrythngwmn
07-03-2006, 10:55 PM
Not when we were CMs. The park closed. Once it was emptied and set up (picture stations, etc) they started letting us in.

We haven't been CMs in a few years but that's the way it was, anyway. It could have changed...

-TLMt

You are correct TLMt. The weekday evening dates are still a private event just for CMs only. They also usually offer one or two weekend dates during regular hours. On the mix-in dates CMs get special discounts and there's usually a hospitality area somewhere that they do the photos and distribute ornaments.

WITron
07-05-2006, 10:01 PM
We went the first week of Dec last year and had a great time. The biggest reason we chose that week was to see the candlelight procession. We had a great time and the parks were not crowded until later in the week. And it was nice to have the park close early for the CM party so that we didn't have to keep our daughters up late to watch the fireworks. The only downside to that was everyone was herded out of the park right after the fireworks and caused a jam on Main Street. I personally feel it all depends on the planing that you do. It also helps if you have the opportunity to spread out your visit. Even though we were there for 7 days we were only in the parks 5 days and had 2 days to just rest at our resort.

MommyTo3Boys1Girl
07-06-2006, 08:21 AM
Looking at the calendar for December 2006, would I be better to move it to the week starting the 11th, would that still be "off season" and less busy, or would I better leaving it the week starting on the 4th? Would the park then be closing for CM parties on that week, or would those parties actually be the last week in November, meeting up with the 2nd of December for CP opening?
We wouldn't mind the park closing at 6pm, because we could do Downtown Disney or CA then, as long as it was not going to be really busy during the day. We arrive on Monday, and travel home on Saturday.

The Red Head
07-06-2006, 11:06 AM
I know people have posted about it being slow during the week at the beginning of Dec. and I cannot comment on that. But it is usually pretty busy in the park the Saturday and Sunday of Candlelight. We go knowing we aren't going to get on many rides. We go for more of the festive holiday experience. The decorations are up, we have a nice meal, and then watch Candlelight. If you have never seen it before, it is beautiful.

infinite
07-06-2006, 11:27 AM
Looking at the calendar for December 2006, would I be better to move it to the week starting the 11th, would that still be "off season" and less busy, or would I better leaving it the week starting on the 4th? Would the park then be closing for CM parties on that week, or would those parties actually be the last week in November, meeting up with the 2nd of December for CP opening?
We wouldn't mind the park closing at 6pm, because we could do Downtown Disney or CA then, as long as it was not going to be really busy during the day. We arrive on Monday, and travel home on Saturday.

We will be there the week of the 11th...so it will at least be busy with us :)

MommyTo3Boys1Girl
07-06-2006, 11:37 AM
I know people have posted about it being slow during the week at the beginning of Dec. and I cannot comment on that. But it is usually pretty busy in the park the Saturday and Sunday of Candlelight. We go knowing we aren't going to get on many rides. We go for more of the festive holiday experience. The decorations are up, we have a nice meal, and then watch Candlelight. If you have never seen it before, it is beautiful.

I have seen it before, years ago. I would like to see it again, and we would be able to do that on Friday night, if we went the second week. BUT honestly, I would rather it be less crowded during the rest of the week, and miss it, than go just for that. My kids are still little and I think they would appreciate it more if they were older. Also, my dad and stepmom will be with us, and I know my 4yo is going to be wanting to drag my dad on EVERYTHING. I am all about the less busy times.

pisces
07-06-2006, 12:04 PM
Actually if you look at the 1st page of this old thread: http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?t=47803 it looks like they released the dates in September, but didn't open the dining plans until 2-3 weeks before the shows. At least that way you can make plans to attend knowing the dates.

Actually, I can't.

I have no intention of going unless I get the dinner reservations....and nothing finalized until 2 weeks before December 2.....that's cutting it very close.

I really want to go, but I simply won't do the stand-by seats.

It's either the reserved seating, or nothing, for me.

kiwifuz
07-06-2006, 05:17 PM
Actually, I can't.

I have no intention of going unless I get the dinner reservations....and nothing finalized until 2 weeks before December 2.....that's cutting it very close.

I really want to go, but I simply won't do the stand-by seats.

It's either the reserved seating, or nothing, for me.

Sorry just assumed that since you said you'd already be in town that you would just try for reservations knowing what nights CP would be.

I was super busy at work the day that the reservations opened up and still got in. I am pretty sure that it didn't book up instantly for all of the available seats either. I want to say that I called probably 2-3hrs after reservations opened and was more than fine. Nothing was totally booked at all. I'm pretty sure the "cheaper" options booked up faster, but it wasn't all booked by day 1.


MommyTo2Boys: When we were there last year we spent time there the week leading up to to the CP wasn't that busy at all. This was during the time of the capacity crowds around Christmas and that week before wasn't too bad at all. I honestly can not think of anything that had a really long wait. That was until the Saturday that we attended the CP, but we had done everything we wanted during the week pretty much.

prncsmsj
07-06-2006, 05:55 PM
We went last year Dec. 10-17. Up until Friday the 16th, it was not very busy. The mornings were great, then more people showed up later in the day. I think it is a perfect time to go because no one is out of school yet, but you still get to enjoy all the Christmas stuff.

pisces
07-06-2006, 05:55 PM
Sorry just assumed that since you said you'd already be in town that you would just try for reservations knowing what nights CP would be.

I was super busy at work the day that the reservations opened up and still got in. I am pretty sure that it didn't book up instantly for all of the available seats either. I want to say that I called probably 2-3hrs after reservations opened and was more than fine. Nothing was totally booked at all. I'm pretty sure the "cheaper" options booked up faster, but it wasn't all booked by day 1.




But, how did you know what day to call? That information isn't announced. All we know is that it's sometime.....2 weeks....before the date of the actual ceremonies.

If you go back to last year's thread.....there was no information given on Mouseplanet, because they were going through the changeover.....so by the time Mouseplanet announced dining options......they were all sold out!

It's like you have to keep calling and calling ....each day...to see if Disney Dining has opened up the packages....

....but you know that's kind of going to be hectic because 2 weeks before...this year....is Thanksgiving....just about.

It's just going to be hectic and aggravating, for me, not knowing for sure, and then calling and calling trying to nail something down.

I guess I'll go through it, like everyone else has to....calling and calling....every hour on the hour?......to catch them when they open up the packages......sigh.

There's gotta be a better way, though.

It means a lot to me to attend. This is the first time in about 4 years, I'll be in town around that date.

kiwifuz
07-06-2006, 07:38 PM
LOL I totally understand the frustration of trying to know when. I had called a few times in the evenings leading up the the time they actually started taking the reservations. I know a few days before when they said they were no longer taking reservations for the restaurants that everyone seemed to know would be part of the dining package for the nights of the CP that it was coming soon. Then I just make time to call in the mornings during my break to see if they were taking reservations yet. If you can get on here people always seem to be ready to post here as soon as they know something.

I understand wanting to go. Last year was the 1st and probably only time for a while that we would be there for the CP and we really wanted to go. I'm glad we did, it was totally worth it.

funatdisney
07-06-2006, 07:38 PM
Last year I got the info on Mouseplanet a fews days AFTER they posted it. I called at 6pm on the day I discovered the info. I think I got the last available table for four at Hooke's Point. I thought "No problem. At least I got in." This was my first CP. I called dining services the weekend before the event to see if there were any cancellations. I got a 3pm seating for 8 at Hooke's Point. Now I could bring the grand parents, too. That was the best time. We got to sit right under Dick Van Dyke's nose. It was very special to treat the grandparents and see one of the most beautiful Christmas events I have ever attended. I sure hope I can go next year. I guess what I mean to say is: never give up hope, things may work out even with difficult circumstances.