Holidays at the Disneyland Resort

Is it really that time of year again?  Can I break out my scarves and hats and listen to Christmas carols incessantly until I hear them in my sleep?  Disneyland certainly seems to think so, as Holidays at the Disneyland Resort kick off this Friday, November 12^th.  Now, I’m a big fan of Thanksgiving- delectable turkey, mashed potatoes, and pie- and could wait to kick off the holiday season until Black Friday, but I can make an exception for Disneyland and its holiday offerings.

What am I most excited to see at Disneyland?  SNOW!  I think that Sleeping Beauty Castle looks great all the time, but it looks even better dressed up as Sleeping Beauty’s Winter Castle.  When they flick the switch on those LED icicles and snow starts falling on Main Street, USA, it’s impossible not to feel all warm and cheery inside.  The current schedule looks like the Castle lighting will happen four times each evening, which means more opportunities to pretend that Southern California actually gets snow!  Being from Washington State, I really miss snow during my winters at college.  When I go to Disneyland, I can pretend for a moment that those slightly gross soap bubbles raining down are actually beautiful snowflakes, all thanks to a little Disney magic.

It’s always nice to see “A Christmas Fantasy” Parade as well, since Disneyland is currently lacking a parade that would actually pass for a parade.  (I’m looking at you, Celebrate! A Street Party.)  It’s cute and I really enjoy the float with ice skaters, but I don’t need to see it more than a few times this season.  I’m also not the biggest fan of the “Believe…In Holiday Magic” Fireworks Spectacular, but more snow does fall during the show, so it’s not that bad.  I find the extended musical sections a little boring and wish for a more dynamic show, but if Disney is going for sentimental they’ve certainly achieved that, especially with the show running for its 11^th season this year.

California Adventure is downplaying the Holidays this year since there are construction walls everywhere, but the Golden Gate Bridge has been decorated and the CALIFORNIA letters out front have gotten their candy cane overlay again.  Besides that, the Paradise Pier Christmas Tree is always nice to check out, as are the overlarge holiday decorations in “a bug’s land.”  Or, you could check out ElecTRONica or the new “TRONcore” to World of Color, both of which have nothing to do with the holidays, unless your holidays happen to involve computer grids.

Basically, I like the Holidays at the Disneyland Resort for the ambiance.  I love when it gets chilly at night so I can wear my winter coat and scarf (this would be applicable at about 60 degrees for all you non Southern Californians) and sip a cup of apple cider as snow falls on Main Street, USA with Sleeping Beauty’s Holiday Castle twinkling in front of me and the Main Street, USA Christmas Tree behind me.  I like “it’s a small world” Holiday and its sparkling façade, the crazy Mardi Gras Christmas decorations in New Orleans Square, and the general festivities on Main Street, USA.  I love seeing the parks wearing their holiday best for the festivities of the season.

Now if only the weekend forecast for Anaheim wasn’t 80 degrees, I could go to Disneyland and make my holiday wishes come true!  I guess I’ll wait a little longer for the weather to cool before I get my apple cider, snow, and Castle fix.  Happy Holidays at Disneyland!

Have you experienced the Holidays at the Disneyland Resort?  What did you like the most?  If not, what do you really want to see?  Also, has anyone heard about the special Holiday Beignets at Café Orleans?  They’re “Mickey-shaped gingerbread beignets covered in cinnamon sugar and served with eggnog”, so if they’re anything like the normal beignets, they will be amazing.  Will these be my new holiday tradition at Disneyland?  I think yes.

Confession: I listened to Christmas music as I wrote this.