diberry
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- May 5, 2004
Saturday 11th December 2004 We arrived at 5.15. It was VERY cold!!! We took the bus to the hotel Santa Fe, checked into our room and then walked to the parks. Hundreds of people were leaving already, which seemed strange, but when we got in the place was still heaving! People were lining Main Street for the Fantillusion parade and were already 3 or 4 deep three-quarters of an hour before the parade started. The park was all lit up and looked very festive with the Lights of Winter Arches and the characters Christmas trees in Town Square. The castle was absolutely beautiful and we couldnt stop oohing and aahing at it as well as at the whole area around the castle with the 4 giant snow globes. It was really spectacular.
We went right up to the castle theatre seats, where it was much quieter and we even got seats at the front. From other peoples messages on the DISboard we knew that the transformations take place near where we were sitting and we saw them clearly Maleficent changes into a dragon for example - and it was also one of the stopping points where the characters come out and interact with the crowds so we enjoyed that too. The whole parade was beautiful.
After that we wanted to get a meal but the main park was emptying and everywhere was choc-a-bloc with queues even outside all the restaurants despite the bitter cold. We decided to have a look in King Ludwigs Castle in the Village, which we hadnt been to before. There was a long queue but fortunately, as there were only 2 of us, we were able to get a table before all the family groups - and it was lovely and warm in there!! We had a lovely meal and drinks!! Then back to the hotel for a reasonably early night before the busy day ahead.
Sunday 12th December
It was INCREDIBLY cold!!!!! We set out wearing our exotic thermal vests plus as many layers of clothing as we could wear and still walk, plus hats, gloves and scarves!!!
We took quite a few photos of the scenery in Town Square and Main Street, and as we walked up we experienced our first snowfall! Its very convincing dont know what its made of but it looks like the real stuff - but only ever falls on Main Street!! All the shops have beautiful Christmas windows and inside the displays are gorgeous too.
We met Mickey in his sleigh by Caseys Corner, which was in a lovely setting
and at Central Plaza we met Smee, a rabbit of some description (!?) and Minnie herself!!! We took lots of pictures of the beautiful snow globes on Central Plaza and of the Christmas tree etc.
We had breakfast in the Chalet de la Marionette and then popped into the shops to see all the lovely Christmas stuff and tried on some great hats!!! I decided to buy a Santa hat with Mickey ears- very elegant!!
The park was already extremely busy. We expected to be able to get on Its a Small World without too much of a wait but even that was 60 minutes so we decided not to bother. We had a wander through Belles Christmas Village, which was very pretty, and bought some soup to warm us up. We then decided it would be less busy in Adventureland so headed across to Pirates of the Caribbean wrong again!!! Even though it has an extremely long queuing area inside and its a quick loader people were queuing outside!!! We decided to go and look at the information boards in Main Street which said that every single ride had a wait of at least an hour and all the Fastpasses had long since been taken. The Liberty and Discovery arcades are usually pretty empty but even these were full to bursting with people sitting on the floor to eat their food as all the tables and chairs were occupied!!! We thought this might be a good time to have a look around the Disneyland Hotel, which is so expensive well never be able to stay there. We had a look around and took a few pictures trying to pretend we werent really the poor relations!!
Then to Disney Village to wander round the Christmas market stalls. After that we thought that as it was now 2.30 wed be able to get a meal in the main park so went back but we were proved wrong yet again!!! The arcades were still heaving and all the restaurants we tried were impossible to get into with huge long queues inside and out and absolutely no free tables or chairs anywhere. After looking everywhere we eventually found a table in Colonel Hathis Pizza Outpost and finally got to eat at 3.30!!
We resigned ourselves to not being able to get on any rides so left the park where they were already queuing 7 or 8 deep for the Christmas Parade. We went back to the village to have a look round the shops there, which were, predictably, bursting at the seams!! I wanted to get a few odds and ends for Rhiannon so we split up which proved to be a very bad move!! We were in the Disney store where, being absolutely huge and so full of people, it was impossible to find each other again and we foolishly hadnt discussed a meeting-point if we did lose each other!! After about an hour wandering around the shops in the Village I decided Id have to go back to our hotel to get my mobile phone (it would have been sensible to carry it with me anyway!!!!) to try to contact her but thankfully as I was walking towards the exit of Disney village I felt a tap on my shoulder and there she was!! Phew!!! We felt in need of warmth and alcohol (!) so we went to the Rainforest Café to recharge our batteries and decided that we werent going to be able to get on any rides or get anything to eat so went back to our hotel where we wrote postcards, looked round the shop and had a late meal in the restaurant there. Not the most successful day in the parks but tomorrow is another day!!!
We went right up to the castle theatre seats, where it was much quieter and we even got seats at the front. From other peoples messages on the DISboard we knew that the transformations take place near where we were sitting and we saw them clearly Maleficent changes into a dragon for example - and it was also one of the stopping points where the characters come out and interact with the crowds so we enjoyed that too. The whole parade was beautiful.
After that we wanted to get a meal but the main park was emptying and everywhere was choc-a-bloc with queues even outside all the restaurants despite the bitter cold. We decided to have a look in King Ludwigs Castle in the Village, which we hadnt been to before. There was a long queue but fortunately, as there were only 2 of us, we were able to get a table before all the family groups - and it was lovely and warm in there!! We had a lovely meal and drinks!! Then back to the hotel for a reasonably early night before the busy day ahead.
Sunday 12th December
It was INCREDIBLY cold!!!!! We set out wearing our exotic thermal vests plus as many layers of clothing as we could wear and still walk, plus hats, gloves and scarves!!!
We took quite a few photos of the scenery in Town Square and Main Street, and as we walked up we experienced our first snowfall! Its very convincing dont know what its made of but it looks like the real stuff - but only ever falls on Main Street!! All the shops have beautiful Christmas windows and inside the displays are gorgeous too.
We met Mickey in his sleigh by Caseys Corner, which was in a lovely setting
and at Central Plaza we met Smee, a rabbit of some description (!?) and Minnie herself!!! We took lots of pictures of the beautiful snow globes on Central Plaza and of the Christmas tree etc.
We had breakfast in the Chalet de la Marionette and then popped into the shops to see all the lovely Christmas stuff and tried on some great hats!!! I decided to buy a Santa hat with Mickey ears- very elegant!!
The park was already extremely busy. We expected to be able to get on Its a Small World without too much of a wait but even that was 60 minutes so we decided not to bother. We had a wander through Belles Christmas Village, which was very pretty, and bought some soup to warm us up. We then decided it would be less busy in Adventureland so headed across to Pirates of the Caribbean wrong again!!! Even though it has an extremely long queuing area inside and its a quick loader people were queuing outside!!! We decided to go and look at the information boards in Main Street which said that every single ride had a wait of at least an hour and all the Fastpasses had long since been taken. The Liberty and Discovery arcades are usually pretty empty but even these were full to bursting with people sitting on the floor to eat their food as all the tables and chairs were occupied!!! We thought this might be a good time to have a look around the Disneyland Hotel, which is so expensive well never be able to stay there. We had a look around and took a few pictures trying to pretend we werent really the poor relations!!
Then to Disney Village to wander round the Christmas market stalls. After that we thought that as it was now 2.30 wed be able to get a meal in the main park so went back but we were proved wrong yet again!!! The arcades were still heaving and all the restaurants we tried were impossible to get into with huge long queues inside and out and absolutely no free tables or chairs anywhere. After looking everywhere we eventually found a table in Colonel Hathis Pizza Outpost and finally got to eat at 3.30!!
We resigned ourselves to not being able to get on any rides so left the park where they were already queuing 7 or 8 deep for the Christmas Parade. We went back to the village to have a look round the shops there, which were, predictably, bursting at the seams!! I wanted to get a few odds and ends for Rhiannon so we split up which proved to be a very bad move!! We were in the Disney store where, being absolutely huge and so full of people, it was impossible to find each other again and we foolishly hadnt discussed a meeting-point if we did lose each other!! After about an hour wandering around the shops in the Village I decided Id have to go back to our hotel to get my mobile phone (it would have been sensible to carry it with me anyway!!!!) to try to contact her but thankfully as I was walking towards the exit of Disney village I felt a tap on my shoulder and there she was!! Phew!!! We felt in need of warmth and alcohol (!) so we went to the Rainforest Café to recharge our batteries and decided that we werent going to be able to get on any rides or get anything to eat so went back to our hotel where we wrote postcards, looked round the shop and had a late meal in the restaurant there. Not the most successful day in the parks but tomorrow is another day!!!
