November 23, 2023 • 31 mins
Get ready to be transported to the Happiest Place on Earth during the most magical time of the year, Christmas! Excited? We are too! Let us guide you through an enchanting journey filled with insider tips for planning your Disneyland trip. From the best times to visit to hand-picking must-see and must-do highlights, we have your Disneyland Christmas adventure sorted.
In this episode, we unwrap the holiday treats, festivities, and entertainment offerings unique to Disneyland's festive season, such as vibrant shows, awe-inspiring parades, and iconic Disneyland fireworks and parade exclusive to the Christmas season.
Ready to embark on this snowy magical journey with us? Don't forget to hit that subscribe button for more Disney magic! Remember, your magical holiday experience at Disneyland is just a play button away.
Disneyland Daily Events Schedule: https://disneyland.disney.go.com/calendars/day/#/disneyland/
Right now, our tools are just for Disneyland, but we hope to expand to other parks soon. Disney changes policies, prices, and shows often. Be sure to visit our website at Parkmagic.com or Disneyland's Website for more information.
Park Magic is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Walt Disney World, Disneyland, or Disney Enterprises, Inc. Walt Disney World, Disneyland, and Mickey Mouse are all registered trademarks of Disney Enterprises, Inc. Any use of third-party names or trademarks is for identification purposes only and does not imply, nor is it intended to imply, any affiliation with, endorsement from, or business relationship with any third party, including with Walt Disney World, Disneyland, or Disney Enterprises, Inc.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Welcome to the Park Magic podcast, your place for
insider tips for your nextDisneyland adventure.
Whether you're a first-timer orfirst-time in a while visitor,
we're here to unwrap the secretsto creating and simplifying
your dream Disneyland vacation.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Welcome to the Park Magic podcast, where we give you
insider tips to help you planyour Disneyland adventure.
I've got my friend Selena ontoday.
We've been friends for a verylong time about 18 years or
something and you're one of thepeople that I can always talk to
about all things Disney.
How many times do you thinkyou've been to Disney?
Speaker 3 (00:51):
I started counting once about 10 years ago and was
in the high 50s before I decidednot as best if I just stopped
counting because I don't know ifthat's something to be super
proud of or something that makesme rethink some hobbies, but I
love it.
I'm going to say that I'm proudof it.
I've been multiple times.
I've been as a kid, I've beenwith other people's kids and now
(01:15):
I'm taking my own kids, who areabout to be 6 and 3.
And we love it.
It's Disneyland, it's escapism,it's excellent storytelling,
it's brilliant technology, it'sgood food, it's an adventure.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
There's this time of the year where I usually spend
less time in the parks, but thatis your favorite time to go,
and that is Christmas time, sowe're dedicating this podcast to
everybody who's planning to goat Christmas time.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Yes, it is by far my favorite time to go to the parks
.
Great first time everyone atChristmas time.
I was about 11 years old, thiswas 97.
The first time they had everdone the it's a Small World
holiday overlay.
A few years later it was thefirst time they had ever done
(02:01):
the Nightmare Before Christmasoverlay and Haunted Mansion.
So I've seen the evolution.
I've seen the level of detailthat they've done in the past 20
years or so in adding the decor, in adding the different
ambient music over the park.
I've seen it grow in CaliforniaAdventure as well.
It's so immersive, it's sojoyful and cheerful and there
(02:23):
are a lot of things that theyonly offer during this time of
year which just make it thatmuch more magical.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
And Christmas time is not just the weeks before
Christmas, I mean, it extendsall the way well into November.
Well before Thanksgiving, youknow, they take down the
Halloween decorations and theypretty much start working on the
Christmas stuff pretty soonthereafter.
And then for Haunted Mansion,right before Halloween, they put
a bunch of Nightmare BeforeChristmas stuff in and that
stays all the way in until midJanuary.
(02:50):
There are times during thatChristmas time window that are
busier.
When somebody says they'replanning on coming during
Christmas time, what would yousay about when to go?
Speaker 3 (03:00):
I would recommend either going early in November,
which I know can kind of turnsome people off, starting the
holiday season, that soon afterHalloween the crowds are much
slower.
I also recommend the firstcouple of weeks in December.
If you can go on a weekday, Irecommend that, although you're
not necessarily going to beguaranteed the fireworks, if you
(03:23):
can do a trip that maybe spamsa Thursday to a Saturday or
Thursday to a Sunday, so you geta couple of those lighter days
in the park but then you'reguaranteed to have the Believe
in Holiday Magic fireworksspectacular, which is my
favorite fireworks show of alltimes.
That would be my recommendation.
As far as staying away the parksduring this magical time of
year, if you can avoid going theweek of Thanksgiving I know
(03:46):
that sounds in theory like sucha great idea.
Done it before several timeswith my family growing up it is
so crowded.
Even now with the dynamicpricing on different days, even
with the Magic Keyholders beinglost out on certain days, it's
still very, very, very crowded.
I also recommend staying awaythe week between Christmas and
(04:07):
New Year's.
This has historically beenknown among the fandom as the
busiest week in the park's handsdown, with the busiest day
being New Year's Eve.
I think I read somewhere thatthe 4th of July and New Year's
Eve have been the busiest daysin Disneyland ever and I know
that might be disappointing.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
So you're like this is the only time I can go
between Christmas and New Year's.
It doesn't mean that you can'thave a really good time.
It just means that you reallyneed to readjust what your
expectations are, because it isa completely different animal.
So if you are somebody thatwants to ride every ride, you
might wanna reassess that timeperiod, because it is busy
(04:47):
enough where most people thatlove Disney and would go no
matter what any day of the weekwould not go during that period.
If it's really legitimately theonly time you can go, then if
you can add some days, try toset your expectations that it's
going to be crowded, taking moreshows, those kinds of things
then it is still very doable.
But if you go in expecting thatit's gonna be the same as if
(05:10):
you went on November 7th, you'rejust gonna be very disappointed
and frustrated.
You're gonna have to use GeniePlus, you're gonna have to
mobile order, you're gonna haveto have reservations early and
if you don't have kids that arein school basically any time
that you can avoid going whenkids are all out of school then
it's when the parks are gonna beless busy.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Yes, agreed 100%, and if you can get a couple of
weekdays in there, it does makea huge difference.
Even in that crazy week inbetween Christmas Day and New
Year's Day, the weekdays areslightly less busy, but not much
.
Definitely, if you're goingduring that time, it can still
(05:52):
be beautiful, it can still bemagical.
I would prioritize shows andfood and general ambiance over
writing as many writes aspossible.
Know what your must-dos are foryour attractions.
Get Genie Plus.
I would even recommendLightning Lane.
If you absolutely must do RadioSprings Racers, for example, or
(06:12):
absolutely must do Rise of theResistance, it's gonna be a lot
of waiting in line for sure, andthen you're gonna wanna get
there at Park Open and this iswhen early entry, with staying
at a Disneyland hotel, can bereally valuable.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
If I was gonna go during that week, what I would
do is I would if I could affordit, I would stay at one of the
Disneyland hotels, get therereally early, so, where they're
right at the very beginning ofearly entry, try to get as many
rides in as we can.
Then we'll be tired, go back toyour hotel, take a nap and I
know it seems counterintuitiveto take a nap, to leave the park
because it seems like you'll bespending less time in the parks
(06:46):
.
But you actually will be ableto spend more and the evening
will be much more enjoyable,because times of the parks that
are least busy in any day aregonna be when it first opens and
after fireworks.
So if you have taken a nice nap, your kids have taken a nice
break, you're gonna be able toexperience more of the park when
it's slightly less busy.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Yes, agreed and that early entry if you're staying on
property in one of theDisneyland hotels, you can get
in a half an hour early toeither park.
that works best with yourschedule.
As to which one you would wannaprioritize, and I will say that
the hotels yeah, it's anexpense, but if this is your one
time that you're gonna go toDisneyland at Christmas time, if
(07:26):
you can stay in one of thehotels they decorate them as
well, they're very beautifullydone and they have carolers.
It just helps add that teensybit more magic to the experience
.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
The decorations for Christmas time are amazing.
The shows are amazing.
There's a reason it's sopopular to go during this time
it is magical.
Do you wanna talk about thelittle magic that comes from the
sky?
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Oh, yes, oh my gosh, take me a second.
So one of the most fun thingsand this only happens during the
holidays at Disneyland it snows.
It's this interesting mix ofsoap and probably something else
.
It's little bubbles, but itsnows at Disneyland and a few
(08:14):
strategic spots throughout theevening it used to be, you would
see the believe in holidaymagic fireworks, and then, as
that show came to a close, itwould start to snow and they
played this very beautifulrendition of I'm Dreaming of a
White Christmas and it stillmakes me cry.
But now they've added a fewother opportunities to
experience that snowfall.
(08:34):
So they will light the beautycastle twice in the evenings
before the fireworks and there'sthis beautiful little song that
they play about wishing forsnow and some really cool
effects that they do with thelighting on the castle before
it's fully lit, with thesedripping icicles that shimmer
(08:55):
softly, and then they willrelease the snow into the air.
It's so fun and just thisspecial little extra, you can
experience that in front ofSleeping Beauty Castle proper or
on Main Street back down fromthe hub to the railroad station,
there's a giant Christmas treethat they put up near the
flagpole, and so if you'resituated anywhere along there
(09:18):
you'll be able to experience thesnow.
During the fireworks they alsorelease some snow at the Small
Worlds viewing area.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
It is really wonderful.
The other thing to think aboutis if you know you want to ride
Small World.
Normally Small World is notreally a ride you have to plan.
Usually you can get on thatmost times in the day without a
super long line.
The only time that I wouldreally ever use my Genie Plus
Lightling Lane for a Small Worldis going to be during that
holiday experience.
So during that holidayexperience you would probably
(09:48):
want to prioritize Small Worldand maybe Haunted Mansion, in
addition to maybe some of theother normal rides that you
might anticipate being reallybusy, like Space Mountain,
Indiana Jones, those kinds ofthings.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Small World is so much more fun, in my opinion,
during the holidays because, inaddition to seeing the song we
all know and love and get stuckin our head, they throw in a
medley of Jingle Bells and deckthe halls and it's decorated on
the inside not just forChristmas but for a lot of the
other holidays that happenduring the winter season and the
exterior, oh my goodness.
(10:22):
So Small World.
Disneyland is known for havingthis beautiful facade.
You can't find it in DisneyWorld, but they light it up with
beautiful multi-colored lightsand actually there will be a
countdown over the park speakersto light up Small World.
I recommend going on Small Worldafter the fireworks.
If you were not able to get itfor Genie Plus, then that's
(10:45):
going to be your shortest waittime.
You get to see the beautifullights and then every 20 minutes
they actually do a shortprojection show.
They'll dim the lightssurrounding the attraction and
then project this littleanimated sequence with songs
from the Nutcracker and it endswith the lights coming back on
in Small World and everyonecheers it's fun If you can go
during that time period.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
I mean, we could do a whole other episode on
Halloween time and the amazingdecorations that they have for
Halloween time, and we should,we should, we should, we'll come
back for that one too.
Oh, the candy canes.
We've got to talk about thecandy canes.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
A lot to talk about, oh my gosh.
So the candy canes.
This is another really infamousthing and it's been more and
more popular on social mediathese days.
The Disneyland candy shops willchoose select days throughout
the year to hand make and sellfresh, fairly decently size
about 15 inch candy canes onpremises.
(11:40):
They will release those daysaround the same time that they
announced the dates for theholiday season and it is just as
popular as folks who are tryingto get the limited edition Tiki
cuts from Trader Sam's.
So if that's something thatsounds of interest to you, I
would do a little bit ofresearch on which locations are
(12:01):
doing it, on which days they tryto stagger them out.
So it would be the candy palace, penny arcade in Disneyland and
then the trolley treat inCalifornia Adventure again
select days, sometimes weekends,sometimes weekdays.
The schedule varies and thereis a line.
They do limit certain amount ofpurchases per person, but how
(12:23):
cool to say that you have thiswarm candy cane because they
just made it fresh fromDisneyland.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
And they also do gingerbread cookies that are
really, really popular as well.
So there's all sorts of likespecial treats, so many
different like specialtycupcakes and cookies and apples.
There's a lot of really greatthings.
There's also a candlelightprocession.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
The candlelight procession?
Yes, so that is been atradition at the parks for a
long time.
It primarily takes place onMain Street.
I don't believe that they selltickets to the public anymore,
but if you want to camp outthere the day that they've
announced that they're going todo the candlelight processional,
(13:04):
it's a mixture of some musicalperformances and a reading of
the Christmas story, usuallydone by a fairly prominent
celebrity, and they don'tannounce who it is until you see
them show up.
In the past it's been PatrickHarris, john Stamos, I think
Chris Pratt did it one year, soit's always a really exciting
thing to see who gets to do it.
In the last few years beeninvite only.
(13:24):
I don't know if they're goingto be changing that anytime soon
, but they've allowed thegeneral public to kind of camp
out along the sides of MainStreet, typically where the
parade route is, if they want tobe able to watch but usually
the folks who want to do thatthey get their outrope drop and
then they're there the rest ofthe day.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
So it takes a lot of commitment, yeah, it does.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
It's very much just, but you don't have to do that,
and that's one weekend.
That's one weekend that theyoffer the candlelight
processional, when there are somany other options that span
that whole season.
I want to backtrack to the foodand what you were saying about
the food, because that's one ofmy favorite things about
Disneyland.
At the holidays, nearly everyfood service location has some
kind of special treat for theholidays and, yes, disneyland
(14:06):
will post a menu of which placesoffering what.
In addition to this, there isthis very cool thing that
happens.
It's almost like a mini foodand wine festival at California
Adventure, called the Festivalof Holidays.
So there are a number of foodcarts that are available along
what is typically the paraderoute of California Adventure.
(14:27):
They offer bite-sized holidaythemed treats, some savory, some
alcoholic, some desserts, andit's delicious and it's a lot of
fun.
You can try a little bit ofeverything if you get what's
called the Sip and Savor Pass.
You can get these littletickets that you can redeem at
the different locations.
They're not just good for oneday, they're good for the span
(14:47):
of the festival.
There's a lot of the same foodcarts that are open available.
There's one that's calledGrandma's Holiday Treats and
there's usually some kind ofvariation on like a grown-up
milk and cookies over there,which is very delightful.
But let's talk about some of theshows.
There are a couple of reallygreat entertainment offerings.
Of course there's always greatentertainment at Disneyland and
(15:07):
that helps add to some of theambiance that sets it apart from
a lot of the other theme parks.
So there's a lot of great musicperformances.
Five and Dime is a reallypopular one in California
Adventure.
You've got the Dapper Dance inDisneyland At the holiday season
they will sing holiday songsand have special holiday outfits
.
There are also carolers at bothDisneyland and California
(15:30):
Adventure.
But then some of the biggerholiday offerings.
One of my favorite, favoritefavorite is the Viva Navidad
Street Party in CaliforniaAdventure.
This will take place over nearthe Paradise Garden Grill and it
is a mini parade but there aremusicians, dancers and parents
by Guillain Mini and the threecaballeros.
(15:51):
How often do you see the threecaballeros walking around?
It's a celebration of Navidadand a couple of the traditions
and musical styles that you'llsee from South America.
They particularly highlightMexico and Brazil and because of
the three caballeros there'ssome really great dancing.
It's just really beautifulparade style set pieces.
(16:11):
It's a relatively short show.
It's not even 15 minutes long,but it does happen at the top of
the hour and a half hour.
But check the part schedule onthe day that you go.
But they offer it prettyconsistently from open until
right before World of Color.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
You know they change the schedules all the time, so
people will sometimes freak outbecause they'll look and they'll
say like it looks like they'renot doing this particular show
during this time period.
On Disneyland's website theyreally only put the smaller
shows up about three weeksbefore, so you can't really even
plan what shows you want to doat what time until you get a lot
closer.
They might put some of them,but those show times are not
(16:48):
always final and then you wantto check them the night before
because they have been known tocancel or move sometimes around.
So make sure that you check theshow times in the app directly
within three weeks before andthen the day of to make sure
that they haven't made anychanges to the schedule.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
And this is where I will recommend that folks be
ready to be flexible,particularly when it comes to
fireworks.
So this time of year inSouthern California is the peak
Santa Ana wind season, so thereis a very, very good chance that
the Believe in Holiday Magicfireworks will be canceled due
to winds at higher elevations.
(17:25):
If you've heard that voice overhappen at the parks.
They will wait until theabsolute last minute.
So people will be lined up andI have been there and they have
held off on doing the fireworksfor like 15, 20 minutes, almost
a half an hour, before theyfinally call it.
I've been ready to walk away.
We've started walking awaybecause we thought it was going
to be canceled and then theystarted it.
(17:45):
I have been there where theystopped it in the middle.
The Santa Ana winds can bereally unpredictable, but I will
say, regardless of what happenswith the fireworks, they will
always make it snow around thattime.
So you won't walk awaycompletely empty-handed.
But if you've decided that thefireworks are something that you
absolutely have to see whileyou're there, then I would
prioritize it that first nightIf you get to see it.
(18:08):
Great, you checked it off thelist.
If they cancel it, then atleast you have a couple of more
opportunities.
But if you choose to prioritizethat, that would be my
recommendation.
And it is a fun show.
They've kept it prettyconsistent for the last several
years, but it's a rollercoasterof emotions.
There's a sequence where theyplay music from the Nutcracker,
(18:30):
where they throw up some reallybright fireworks off the castle.
There's some pinwheels thatspin off the castle and then
everyone cheers and then you'llinevitably end up crying when
they're playing.
I'll be home for Christmas.
It's very emotional, but it'sso fun and so special.
I recommend it.
You can watch it either infront of the castle I think a
(18:50):
really good viewing spot forthat one is by Small World,
because a lot of the sameprojections that you'll see on
the castle they will put onSmall World and of course, you
can always view it from theRivers of America but, either
the castle or Small World wouldbe my recommendation.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
And you know, be nice to cast members.
They don't have any controlover whether the fireworks
happen or not and you know ifDisney could make the fireworks
go they would.
But if you look at Disneylandthere are a lot of houses really
close by.
It's really important that theytake that safety precaution to
protect the homes and thelivelihoods of all the people
that are around there.
(19:24):
So I know it's verydisappointing, especially when
you were already standing therewaiting for the fireworks.
I know it's frustrating, butyou know making sure you set
your expectations for yourlittle ones as well as saying we
hope that they will be doingfireworks so that nobody is
disappointed.
If fireworks are like a can'tlive unless I see the fireworks,
then you want to make sure thatyou are there for multiple days
(19:46):
when the fireworks are showing,just because on my last trip of
three days I think thefireworks only happen one night.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
Yeah, it's so important to check the schedule
to see if they're going to beoffered that day and then
remembering, particularly inNovember to December with those
wins, that they could pull theplug literally during the middle
of the show and in the shownotes I'm going to link to the
calendar where you can look.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
One of the things that the Disneyland app doesn't
do very well is showtimes andmaking it clear when showtimes
are happening.
So I actually don't use the appfor the showtimes.
For the most part, I willmostly go to the website.
Seems to be a little bit easierfor me to read that's very
clever and good to remember.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
I want to mention the parade, the Christmas fantasy
parade as well.
That's another must do for meat the holidays.
You'll notice that I'm nottalking about a lot of rides
other than Small World, and wewill get to how to mention a
little bit more, but it reallyis about the ambiance at this
time of year.
For me, as someone who's beento the park often, but the
(20:45):
Christmas fantasy parade again,it hasn't changed a ton over the
years.
There have been some parade setpieces that they've changed in
and out, kind of based on what'spopular.
At one point there was a setpiece with Aladdin and Jasmine.
That's been replaced with Elsaand Anna, but it is very, very
sweet.
A lot of appearances fromdifferent Disney characters,
(21:06):
some that you don't always see,like Jepeto and Pinocchio,
sometimes Macs I've seen Max andPluto interchangeably in the
last four years they offer ittwice a day in Disneyland and of
course Santa Claus is at the,bringing up the rear of the
parade and waving to all thekiddos, which mine just went
absolutely crazy last year whenwe visited.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
It's a lot of fun.
The one thing to know about theparade is it comes from Small
World at the first showing andthen it returns to Small World
from Main Street on the secondshowing.
So be thinking about thedirection that it's coming from,
because that will tell youwhich way you want to be facing.
And if you're at the verybeginning of the parade route,
obviously the floats will bethere sooner.
If not, they'll be there alittle bit later.
(21:51):
So you can kind of set yourexpectations correctly.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
Yes, and this parade is, I would say, about medium
length compared to the rest ofthem.
So if you're at the tail end ateither performance and it
starts at 3.30, you can expectit to start making its way to
you by around four.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
But waiting for the parade is a great time to have a
quick snack, those kinds ofthings.
Yeah, and that's because that'soff of the peak times for mobile
order, so that can be a reallyclever thing to set up your
dinner if you're at the 330parade showing and if you're not
wanting to do the parade,that's the best time to go to
small world, because a lot ofthe audience that would want to
go on small world Is justwatching the parade.
(22:28):
So there usually will be alower weight for small world and
a lot of other Attractions tofireworks and the parades.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
They do suck up a lot of people, so they can't make
some of the lines a little bitshorter during that period and I
will say one in particularHaunted mansion holiday does
have a shorter line during thefireworks, so if you saw the
fireworks one night, don't needto see them again.
Then I would recommend headingover towards Haunted Mansion
holiday if you've not been ableto experience that one yet.
(22:55):
That's a really fun one to seein the exterior in the day
versus at night.
Everywhere Jack is the pumpkinking, of course, but at night
they're all glowing.
You can see zero the ghost dog,reindeer, flying in the topmost
turret of the mansion.
I love and I remember forChristmas.
I have for years and years andyears and years.
(23:16):
That's another staple of theholiday season and and into
holiday time.
So here's a crazy thing theoverlay last, about fourth of
the year, so the entire, likelast quarter of the year,
haunted mansion has the numberfor Christmas overlay, which is
pretty wild if you think aboutit.
I can't think of any otherattraction that undergoes that
(23:38):
regular transformation for thatlong of a period of time.
It has been largely Unchanged.
There is one major set piecethat does change every year in
the ballroom sequence it forthose of you who are familiar
with the Haunted Mansion.
Well, the ghosts are startingto begin their swinging wake.
The gingerbread house that's ahuge feature Does change
annually and usually has adifferent theme.
(23:59):
Yes, it is gingerbread.
Yes, you can go online and seeVideos of the confectionary team
at Disneyland putting thismansion together.
Yes, they are pumping some kindof gingerbread and vanilla
smell Into the ride as you passthat part of the of the
attraction.
But it's a very different feel.
For the Haunted Mansion I knowthere's among the fandom there's
(24:21):
always a debate of is it funnyor is it scary?
It definitely leans more funnyduring this time of year.
Actually, my youngest child shewas two when we went on it last
year she loves Sally, she lovesJack.
I don't think I would take heron Haunted Mansion and it's
typical iteration, but I feltvery comfortable taking her
(24:41):
during Haunted Mansion holidayand she loved it, absolutely
loved it.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Yeah, I think it's definitely more Accessible as
far as people who maybe areafraid of ghosts or younger
folks that you know there's alot of creepy sounds, a lot of
things that are designed to kindof have that spooky feel.
The edge of that is kind oftaken off during the night
before Christmas overlay, and soI think that if you've been
like I don't know if my kids areready, then if you're on the
(25:07):
border, if you're going atChristmas time, it's a good time
to test that out.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Yeah, definitely, and that part of the park, new
Orleans Square, is Absolutelynight before Christmas
headquarters.
They have meet and greetseveral times.
They do have me in grief.
Yes, yes, so that space betweenthe pieces of eight shop and
the La Bate en Rouge and NewOrleans Square Turns into a meet
and greet for Jack and Sally.
(25:33):
Check the showtime.
The last time I was there theywere Intermittently between nine
and about eight pm Before.
At that point, fantastic looksat me.
So they were there for a longtime.
Speaker 2 (25:45):
There are so many special things that even if
you've gone to Disneylandrecently that it can be worth
Definitely going back toexperience the decorations and
the pictures next to theChristmas tree with the photo
pass photos.
They can be really great, quickways to get your Christmas card
photos done If you're goingearly enough in the year.
Many of our Christmas photoshave been photo passed from
(26:08):
Disneyland.
That's brilliant, especiallywith your family, selena.
You've gone year after year soI'm sure your mom loves getting
to see the different Christmaspictures of you guys getting
bigger and bigger.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Yes, absolutely, and we're now that we're starting
the tradition with my kiddos,I'm looking forward to be able
to have that for them as well.
So.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
Let's do our lightning questions here.
What is your favoriteattraction in California
adventure?
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Why do I have to think about it?
I have stage fright all of asudden.
Oh no, you know what?
I'm gonna go undersea adventure.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
I love Little Mermaid's undersea adventure.
I'm not a big Little Mermaidfan, but I really enjoy that
ride.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
It's very well done.
It was so nice to see a kind ofclassic dark ride attraction
for the 21st century.
And I mean, my daughter lovesAriel.
I have made my peace with this.
She is not my favorite princess, but that ride is fun and
Ursula is one of my favoritevillains.
So to see the animatronicsinging one of my favorite
(27:04):
villain songs, that's a prettycool experience.
Speaker 2 (27:07):
And it does tell the whole story.
So even if your little onehasn't seen Little Mermaid, it
gives them kind of the digestversion, so they're not going to
be lost.
It really is.
So it's a really cute ride.
You're in a little clam shelland you go under the bubbles.
It's super cute.
What's your favorite quickservice menu item at California
Adventure?
Speaker 3 (27:25):
You know what I'm actually going to go with the
Jirardelli shop in SanFrancocchio anything with a
scoop of mint chocolate chip onit.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
If you like ice cream , if you like chocolate, that's
definitely a place to hit up.
And then there's this reallycool display in the back and if
you watch it it changes.
It's really kind of fun, evenjust what.
You're waiting for your orderjust to watch it.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
Last time I was there .
I don't believe that they hadmobile order, but it was a very
quick line.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
I don't think that they have mobile order there,
because it's so tucked away.
I don't think a lot of peopleeven know it exists, so it's
usually not very busy.
What's your favorite show ormeet and greet in California
Adventure?
Speaker 3 (28:01):
During the holidays my favorite show is the Avena
Vida, but outside of the holidayseason I actually really love
the Spider-Man stunt show overon the Avengers campus.
My son got a huge kick out ofthat the last time that we were
there and they made it a pointto tell all the kids to line up
on one side of the street andSpider-Man ran down and gave a
(28:22):
high five to every single kidand I thought my son's eyes were
going to pop out of his head.
He was so excited.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
You know I was with somebody who's not super into
Avengers.
Now the thing about that showis it is fast.
You need to be there on time.
Yes, you do.
It's like a five minute show,so if you are a minute or too
late you've missed it.
So you need to get thereearlier and it's kind of tricky
to figure out where you shouldbe.
But basically, if you come infrom the side there that
Avengers campus sign where theytake your picture, and then
(28:50):
there's a little shop on theother end of that little
straightaway where they sell thelittle robot spiders, you're
going to go kind of like aroundthe corner.
So you're going to be kind ofon the side of what the web
slinger's attraction.
You should be able to see kindof a crane on the top.
You want to have a good viewand then, like Selena said, he
comes down and gives a high five.
So if they give you theopportunity to come stand kind
of more towards the middle ofthat pathway, go for it, because
(29:12):
that's where you're going toget your high fives.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
Yes, and if you can see the crane, well, you're
going to have a pretty good viewof the little stunt show.
If you can't see the crane,you're not going to see a thing.
So, yes, come in off of thatmain entrance.
Do not come in from behind,from Cars Land.
You will not find it.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
If you can see the ancient sanctum place where they
have the Doctor Strange show,or if you can see Avengers
headquarters from where you'restanding.
You're not in the rightlocation If you're planning on
going during the Christmas time.
No, it can be really magical.
It is all about settingexpectations.
You can also have a reallygreat time during that time when
it's busier.
Just make sure you planaccordingly.
(29:51):
But there's so much magic to behad.
As long as you're willing to bea little bit flexible with your
plans, it can be a reallymagical time to go.
So thank you so much for Selenafor coming on again.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
Oh, you're welcome, and yeah, please have me back,
we'll talk about Halloween.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
Go ahead and hit that Subscribe button if you can.
We'd love if you'd share alittle bit about us With anybody
that you might know that'splanning a trip.
We want to provide thoseinsider tips so that everybody
gets to experience Disneylandthe way that Selena and I do,
with all of our tips and tricksfrom going so many times.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
Thanks for listening to this episode of the Park
Magic podcast.
For more tips and planningtools designed to help simplify
your Disneyland adventure, visitparkmagiccom.
If you enjoyed today's episodeand want to hear more tips, be
sure to subscribe to the ParkMagic podcast, and don't forget
to leave us a review.
Your feedback helps us spreadthe magic even further.
Leaving a review could alsohelp you.
(30:45):
Each month, we will beselecting one reviewer to win a
one-hour planning session withRobin.
Winners will be announced atthe end of the first episode of
every month.
Thanks for tuning in andremember that we are here to
help you have a less stressfuland more magical trip to
Disneyland.
Welcome to the Park Magic podcast, your place for
insider tips for your nextDisneyland adventure.
Whether you're a first-timer orfirst-time in a while visitor,
we're here to unwrap the secretsto creating and simplifying
your dream Disneyland vacation.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Welcome to the Park Magic podcast, where we give you
insider tips to help you planyour Disneyland adventure.
I've got my friend Selena ontoday.
We've been friends for a verylong time about 18 years or
something and you're one of thepeople that I can always talk to
about all things Disney.
How many times do you thinkyou've been to Disney?
Speaker 3 (00:51):
I started counting once about 10 years ago and was
in the high 50s before I decidednot as best if I just stopped
counting because I don't know ifthat's something to be super
proud of or something that makesme rethink some hobbies, but I
love it.
I'm going to say that I'm proudof it.
I've been multiple times.
I've been as a kid, I've beenwith other people's kids and now
(01:15):
I'm taking my own kids, who areabout to be 6 and 3.
And we love it.
It's Disneyland, it's escapism,it's excellent storytelling,
it's brilliant technology, it'sgood food, it's an adventure.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
There's this time of the year where I usually spend
less time in the parks, but thatis your favorite time to go,
and that is Christmas time, sowe're dedicating this podcast to
everybody who's planning to goat Christmas time.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Yes, it is by far my favorite time to go to the parks
.
Great first time everyone atChristmas time.
I was about 11 years old, thiswas 97.
The first time they had everdone the it's a Small World
holiday overlay.
A few years later it was thefirst time they had ever done
(02:01):
the Nightmare Before Christmasoverlay and Haunted Mansion.
So I've seen the evolution.
I've seen the level of detailthat they've done in the past 20
years or so in adding the decor, in adding the different
ambient music over the park.
I've seen it grow in CaliforniaAdventure as well.
It's so immersive, it's sojoyful and cheerful and there
(02:23):
are a lot of things that theyonly offer during this time of
year which just make it thatmuch more magical.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
And Christmas time is not just the weeks before
Christmas, I mean, it extendsall the way well into November.
Well before Thanksgiving, youknow, they take down the
Halloween decorations and theypretty much start working on the
Christmas stuff pretty soonthereafter.
And then for Haunted Mansion,right before Halloween, they put
a bunch of Nightmare BeforeChristmas stuff in and that
stays all the way in until midJanuary.
(02:50):
There are times during thatChristmas time window that are
busier.
When somebody says they'replanning on coming during
Christmas time, what would yousay about when to go?
Speaker 3 (03:00):
I would recommend either going early in November,
which I know can kind of turnsome people off, starting the
holiday season, that soon afterHalloween the crowds are much
slower.
I also recommend the firstcouple of weeks in December.
If you can go on a weekday, Irecommend that, although you're
not necessarily going to beguaranteed the fireworks, if you
(03:23):
can do a trip that maybe spamsa Thursday to a Saturday or
Thursday to a Sunday, so you geta couple of those lighter days
in the park but then you'reguaranteed to have the Believe
in Holiday Magic fireworksspectacular, which is my
favorite fireworks show of alltimes.
That would be my recommendation.
As far as staying away the parksduring this magical time of
year, if you can avoid going theweek of Thanksgiving I know
(03:46):
that sounds in theory like sucha great idea.
Done it before several timeswith my family growing up it is
so crowded.
Even now with the dynamicpricing on different days, even
with the Magic Keyholders beinglost out on certain days, it's
still very, very, very crowded.
I also recommend staying awaythe week between Christmas and
(04:07):
New Year's.
This has historically beenknown among the fandom as the
busiest week in the park's handsdown, with the busiest day
being New Year's Eve.
I think I read somewhere thatthe 4th of July and New Year's
Eve have been the busiest daysin Disneyland ever and I know
that might be disappointing.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
So you're like this is the only time I can go
between Christmas and New Year's.
It doesn't mean that you can'thave a really good time.
It just means that you reallyneed to readjust what your
expectations are, because it isa completely different animal.
So if you are somebody thatwants to ride every ride, you
might wanna reassess that timeperiod, because it is busy
(04:47):
enough where most people thatlove Disney and would go no
matter what any day of the weekwould not go during that period.
If it's really legitimately theonly time you can go, then if
you can add some days, try toset your expectations that it's
going to be crowded, taking moreshows, those kinds of things
then it is still very doable.
But if you go in expecting thatit's gonna be the same as if
(05:10):
you went on November 7th, you'rejust gonna be very disappointed
and frustrated.
You're gonna have to use GeniePlus, you're gonna have to
mobile order, you're gonna haveto have reservations early and
if you don't have kids that arein school basically any time
that you can avoid going whenkids are all out of school then
it's when the parks are gonna beless busy.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Yes, agreed 100%, and if you can get a couple of
weekdays in there, it does makea huge difference.
Even in that crazy week inbetween Christmas Day and New
Year's Day, the weekdays areslightly less busy, but not much
.
Definitely, if you're goingduring that time, it can still
(05:52):
be beautiful, it can still bemagical.
I would prioritize shows andfood and general ambiance over
writing as many writes aspossible.
Know what your must-dos are foryour attractions.
Get Genie Plus.
I would even recommendLightning Lane.
If you absolutely must do RadioSprings Racers, for example, or
(06:12):
absolutely must do Rise of theResistance, it's gonna be a lot
of waiting in line for sure, andthen you're gonna wanna get
there at Park Open and this iswhen early entry, with staying
at a Disneyland hotel, can bereally valuable.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
If I was gonna go during that week, what I would
do is I would if I could affordit, I would stay at one of the
Disneyland hotels, get therereally early, so, where they're
right at the very beginning ofearly entry, try to get as many
rides in as we can.
Then we'll be tired, go back toyour hotel, take a nap and I
know it seems counterintuitiveto take a nap, to leave the park
because it seems like you'll bespending less time in the parks
(06:46):
.
But you actually will be ableto spend more and the evening
will be much more enjoyable,because times of the parks that
are least busy in any day aregonna be when it first opens and
after fireworks.
So if you have taken a nice nap, your kids have taken a nice
break, you're gonna be able toexperience more of the park when
it's slightly less busy.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
Yes, agreed and that early entry if you're staying on
property in one of theDisneyland hotels, you can get
in a half an hour early toeither park.
that works best with yourschedule.
As to which one you would wannaprioritize, and I will say that
the hotels yeah, it's anexpense, but if this is your one
time that you're gonna go toDisneyland at Christmas time, if
(07:26):
you can stay in one of thehotels they decorate them as
well, they're very beautifullydone and they have carolers.
It just helps add that teensybit more magic to the experience
.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
The decorations for Christmas time are amazing.
The shows are amazing.
There's a reason it's sopopular to go during this time
it is magical.
Do you wanna talk about thelittle magic that comes from the
sky?
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Oh, yes, oh my gosh, take me a second.
So one of the most fun thingsand this only happens during the
holidays at Disneyland it snows.
It's this interesting mix ofsoap and probably something else
.
It's little bubbles, but itsnows at Disneyland and a few
(08:14):
strategic spots throughout theevening it used to be, you would
see the believe in holidaymagic fireworks, and then, as
that show came to a close, itwould start to snow and they
played this very beautifulrendition of I'm Dreaming of a
White Christmas and it stillmakes me cry.
But now they've added a fewother opportunities to
experience that snowfall.
(08:34):
So they will light the beautycastle twice in the evenings
before the fireworks and there'sthis beautiful little song that
they play about wishing forsnow and some really cool
effects that they do with thelighting on the castle before
it's fully lit, with thesedripping icicles that shimmer
(08:55):
softly, and then they willrelease the snow into the air.
It's so fun and just thisspecial little extra, you can
experience that in front ofSleeping Beauty Castle proper or
on Main Street back down fromthe hub to the railroad station,
there's a giant Christmas treethat they put up near the
flagpole, and so if you'resituated anywhere along there
(09:18):
you'll be able to experience thesnow.
During the fireworks they alsorelease some snow at the Small
Worlds viewing area.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
It is really wonderful.
The other thing to think aboutis if you know you want to ride
Small World.
Normally Small World is notreally a ride you have to plan.
Usually you can get on thatmost times in the day without a
super long line.
The only time that I wouldreally ever use my Genie Plus
Lightling Lane for a Small Worldis going to be during that
holiday experience.
So during that holidayexperience you would probably
(09:48):
want to prioritize Small Worldand maybe Haunted Mansion, in
addition to maybe some of theother normal rides that you
might anticipate being reallybusy, like Space Mountain,
Indiana Jones, those kinds ofthings.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
Small World is so much more fun, in my opinion,
during the holidays because, inaddition to seeing the song we
all know and love and get stuckin our head, they throw in a
medley of Jingle Bells and deckthe halls and it's decorated on
the inside not just forChristmas but for a lot of the
other holidays that happenduring the winter season and the
exterior, oh my goodness.
(10:22):
So Small World.
Disneyland is known for havingthis beautiful facade.
You can't find it in DisneyWorld, but they light it up with
beautiful multi-colored lightsand actually there will be a
countdown over the park speakersto light up Small World.
I recommend going on Small Worldafter the fireworks.
If you were not able to get itfor Genie Plus, then that's
(10:45):
going to be your shortest waittime.
You get to see the beautifullights and then every 20 minutes
they actually do a shortprojection show.
They'll dim the lightssurrounding the attraction and
then project this littleanimated sequence with songs
from the Nutcracker and it endswith the lights coming back on
in Small World and everyonecheers it's fun If you can go
during that time period.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
I mean, we could do a whole other episode on
Halloween time and the amazingdecorations that they have for
Halloween time, and we should,we should, we should, we'll come
back for that one too.
Oh, the candy canes.
We've got to talk about thecandy canes.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
A lot to talk about, oh my gosh.
So the candy canes.
This is another really infamousthing and it's been more and
more popular on social mediathese days.
The Disneyland candy shops willchoose select days throughout
the year to hand make and sellfresh, fairly decently size
about 15 inch candy canes onpremises.
(11:40):
They will release those daysaround the same time that they
announced the dates for theholiday season and it is just as
popular as folks who are tryingto get the limited edition Tiki
cuts from Trader Sam's.
So if that's something thatsounds of interest to you, I
would do a little bit ofresearch on which locations are
(12:01):
doing it, on which days they tryto stagger them out.
So it would be the candy palace, penny arcade in Disneyland and
then the trolley treat inCalifornia Adventure again
select days, sometimes weekends,sometimes weekdays.
The schedule varies and thereis a line.
They do limit certain amount ofpurchases per person, but how
(12:23):
cool to say that you have thiswarm candy cane because they
just made it fresh fromDisneyland.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
And they also do gingerbread cookies that are
really, really popular as well.
So there's all sorts of likespecial treats, so many
different like specialtycupcakes and cookies and apples.
There's a lot of really greatthings.
There's also a candlelightprocession.
Speaker 3 (12:43):
The candlelight procession?
Yes, so that is been atradition at the parks for a
long time.
It primarily takes place onMain Street.
I don't believe that they selltickets to the public anymore,
but if you want to camp outthere the day that they've
announced that they're going todo the candlelight processional,
(13:04):
it's a mixture of some musicalperformances and a reading of
the Christmas story, usuallydone by a fairly prominent
celebrity, and they don'tannounce who it is until you see
them show up.
In the past it's been PatrickHarris, john Stamos, I think
Chris Pratt did it one year, soit's always a really exciting
thing to see who gets to do it.
In the last few years beeninvite only.
(13:24):
I don't know if they're goingto be changing that anytime soon
, but they've allowed thegeneral public to kind of camp
out along the sides of MainStreet, typically where the
parade route is, if they want tobe able to watch but usually
the folks who want to do thatthey get their outrope drop and
then they're there the rest ofthe day.
Speaker 2 (13:41):
So it takes a lot of commitment, yeah, it does.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
It's very much just, but you don't have to do that,
and that's one weekend.
That's one weekend that theyoffer the candlelight
processional, when there are somany other options that span
that whole season.
I want to backtrack to the foodand what you were saying about
the food, because that's one ofmy favorite things about
Disneyland.
At the holidays, nearly everyfood service location has some
kind of special treat for theholidays and, yes, disneyland
(14:06):
will post a menu of which placesoffering what.
In addition to this, there isthis very cool thing that
happens.
It's almost like a mini foodand wine festival at California
Adventure, called the Festivalof Holidays.
So there are a number of foodcarts that are available along
what is typically the paraderoute of California Adventure.
(14:27):
They offer bite-sized holidaythemed treats, some savory, some
alcoholic, some desserts, andit's delicious and it's a lot of
fun.
You can try a little bit ofeverything if you get what's
called the Sip and Savor Pass.
You can get these littletickets that you can redeem at
the different locations.
They're not just good for oneday, they're good for the span
(14:47):
of the festival.
There's a lot of the same foodcarts that are open available.
There's one that's calledGrandma's Holiday Treats and
there's usually some kind ofvariation on like a grown-up
milk and cookies over there,which is very delightful.
But let's talk about some of theshows.
There are a couple of reallygreat entertainment offerings.
Of course there's always greatentertainment at Disneyland and
(15:07):
that helps add to some of theambiance that sets it apart from
a lot of the other theme parks.
So there's a lot of great musicperformances.
Five and Dime is a reallypopular one in California
Adventure.
You've got the Dapper Dance inDisneyland At the holiday season
they will sing holiday songsand have special holiday outfits
.
There are also carolers at bothDisneyland and California
(15:30):
Adventure.
But then some of the biggerholiday offerings.
One of my favorite, favoritefavorite is the Viva Navidad
Street Party in CaliforniaAdventure.
This will take place over nearthe Paradise Garden Grill and it
is a mini parade but there aremusicians, dancers and parents
by Guillain Mini and the threecaballeros.
(15:51):
How often do you see the threecaballeros walking around?
It's a celebration of Navidadand a couple of the traditions
and musical styles that you'llsee from South America.
They particularly highlightMexico and Brazil and because of
the three caballeros there'ssome really great dancing.
It's just really beautifulparade style set pieces.
(16:11):
It's a relatively short show.
It's not even 15 minutes long,but it does happen at the top of
the hour and a half hour.
But check the part schedule onthe day that you go.
But they offer it prettyconsistently from open until
right before World of Color.
Speaker 2 (16:26):
You know they change the schedules all the time, so
people will sometimes freak outbecause they'll look and they'll
say like it looks like they'renot doing this particular show
during this time period.
On Disneyland's website theyreally only put the smaller
shows up about three weeksbefore, so you can't really even
plan what shows you want to doat what time until you get a lot
closer.
They might put some of them,but those show times are not
(16:48):
always final and then you wantto check them the night before
because they have been known tocancel or move sometimes around.
So make sure that you check theshow times in the app directly
within three weeks before andthen the day of to make sure
that they haven't made anychanges to the schedule.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
And this is where I will recommend that folks be
ready to be flexible,particularly when it comes to
fireworks.
So this time of year inSouthern California is the peak
Santa Ana wind season, so thereis a very, very good chance that
the Believe in Holiday Magicfireworks will be canceled due
to winds at higher elevations.
(17:25):
If you've heard that voice overhappen at the parks.
They will wait until theabsolute last minute.
So people will be lined up andI have been there and they have
held off on doing the fireworksfor like 15, 20 minutes, almost
a half an hour, before theyfinally call it.
I've been ready to walk away.
We've started walking awaybecause we thought it was going
to be canceled and then theystarted it.
(17:45):
I have been there where theystopped it in the middle.
The Santa Ana winds can bereally unpredictable, but I will
say, regardless of what happenswith the fireworks, they will
always make it snow around thattime.
So you won't walk awaycompletely empty-handed.
But if you've decided that thefireworks are something that you
absolutely have to see whileyou're there, then I would
prioritize it that first nightIf you get to see it.
(18:08):
Great, you checked it off thelist.
If they cancel it, then atleast you have a couple of more
opportunities.
But if you choose to prioritizethat, that would be my
recommendation.
And it is a fun show.
They've kept it prettyconsistent for the last several
years, but it's a rollercoasterof emotions.
There's a sequence where theyplay music from the Nutcracker,
(18:30):
where they throw up some reallybright fireworks off the castle.
There's some pinwheels thatspin off the castle and then
everyone cheers and then you'llinevitably end up crying when
they're playing.
I'll be home for Christmas.
It's very emotional, but it'sso fun and so special.
I recommend it.
You can watch it either infront of the castle I think a
(18:50):
really good viewing spot forthat one is by Small World,
because a lot of the sameprojections that you'll see on
the castle they will put onSmall World and of course, you
can always view it from theRivers of America but, either
the castle or Small World wouldbe my recommendation.
Speaker 2 (19:03):
And you know, be nice to cast members.
They don't have any controlover whether the fireworks
happen or not and you know ifDisney could make the fireworks
go they would.
But if you look at Disneylandthere are a lot of houses really
close by.
It's really important that theytake that safety precaution to
protect the homes and thelivelihoods of all the people
that are around there.
(19:24):
So I know it's verydisappointing, especially when
you were already standing therewaiting for the fireworks.
I know it's frustrating, butyou know making sure you set
your expectations for yourlittle ones as well as saying we
hope that they will be doingfireworks so that nobody is
disappointed.
If fireworks are like a can'tlive unless I see the fireworks,
then you want to make sure thatyou are there for multiple days
(19:46):
when the fireworks are showing,just because on my last trip of
three days I think thefireworks only happen one night.
Speaker 3 (19:54):
Yeah, it's so important to check the schedule
to see if they're going to beoffered that day and then
remembering, particularly inNovember to December with those
wins, that they could pull theplug literally during the middle
of the show and in the shownotes I'm going to link to the
calendar where you can look.
Speaker 2 (20:08):
One of the things that the Disneyland app doesn't
do very well is showtimes andmaking it clear when showtimes
are happening.
So I actually don't use the appfor the showtimes.
For the most part, I willmostly go to the website.
Seems to be a little bit easierfor me to read that's very
clever and good to remember.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
I want to mention the parade, the Christmas fantasy
parade as well.
That's another must do for meat the holidays.
You'll notice that I'm nottalking about a lot of rides
other than Small World, and wewill get to how to mention a
little bit more, but it reallyis about the ambiance at this
time of year.
For me, as someone who's beento the park often, but the
(20:45):
Christmas fantasy parade again,it hasn't changed a ton over the
years.
There have been some parade setpieces that they've changed in
and out, kind of based on what'spopular.
At one point there was a setpiece with Aladdin and Jasmine.
That's been replaced with Elsaand Anna, but it is very, very
sweet.
A lot of appearances fromdifferent Disney characters,
(21:06):
some that you don't always see,like Jepeto and Pinocchio,
sometimes Macs I've seen Max andPluto interchangeably in the
last four years they offer ittwice a day in Disneyland and of
course Santa Claus is at the,bringing up the rear of the
parade and waving to all thekiddos, which mine just went
absolutely crazy last year whenwe visited.
Speaker 2 (21:29):
It's a lot of fun.
The one thing to know about theparade is it comes from Small
World at the first showing andthen it returns to Small World
from Main Street on the secondshowing.
So be thinking about thedirection that it's coming from,
because that will tell youwhich way you want to be facing.
And if you're at the verybeginning of the parade route,
obviously the floats will bethere sooner.
If not, they'll be there alittle bit later.
(21:51):
So you can kind of set yourexpectations correctly.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
Yes, and this parade is, I would say, about medium
length compared to the rest ofthem.
So if you're at the tail end ateither performance and it
starts at 3.30, you can expectit to start making its way to
you by around four.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
But waiting for the parade is a great time to have a
quick snack, those kinds ofthings.
Yeah, and that's because that'soff of the peak times for mobile
order, so that can be a reallyclever thing to set up your
dinner if you're at the 330parade showing and if you're not
wanting to do the parade,that's the best time to go to
small world, because a lot ofthe audience that would want to
go on small world Is justwatching the parade.
(22:28):
So there usually will be alower weight for small world and
a lot of other Attractions tofireworks and the parades.
Speaker 3 (22:34):
They do suck up a lot of people, so they can't make
some of the lines a little bitshorter during that period and I
will say one in particularHaunted mansion holiday does
have a shorter line during thefireworks, so if you saw the
fireworks one night, don't needto see them again.
Then I would recommend headingover towards Haunted Mansion
holiday if you've not been ableto experience that one yet.
(22:55):
That's a really fun one to seein the exterior in the day
versus at night.
Everywhere Jack is the pumpkinking, of course, but at night
they're all glowing.
You can see zero the ghost dog,reindeer, flying in the topmost
turret of the mansion.
I love and I remember forChristmas.
I have for years and years andyears and years.
(23:16):
That's another staple of theholiday season and and into
holiday time.
So here's a crazy thing theoverlay last, about fourth of
the year, so the entire, likelast quarter of the year,
haunted mansion has the numberfor Christmas overlay, which is
pretty wild if you think aboutit.
I can't think of any otherattraction that undergoes that
(23:38):
regular transformation for thatlong of a period of time.
It has been largely Unchanged.
There is one major set piecethat does change every year in
the ballroom sequence it forthose of you who are familiar
with the Haunted Mansion.
Well, the ghosts are startingto begin their swinging wake.
The gingerbread house that's ahuge feature Does change
annually and usually has adifferent theme.
(23:59):
Yes, it is gingerbread.
Yes, you can go online and seeVideos of the confectionary team
at Disneyland putting thismansion together.
Yes, they are pumping some kindof gingerbread and vanilla
smell Into the ride as you passthat part of the of the
attraction.
But it's a very different feel.
For the Haunted Mansion I knowthere's among the fandom there's
(24:21):
always a debate of is it funnyor is it scary?
It definitely leans more funnyduring this time of year.
Actually, my youngest child shewas two when we went on it last
year she loves Sally, she lovesJack.
I don't think I would take heron Haunted Mansion and it's
typical iteration, but I feltvery comfortable taking her
(24:41):
during Haunted Mansion holidayand she loved it, absolutely
loved it.
Speaker 2 (24:45):
Yeah, I think it's definitely more Accessible as
far as people who maybe areafraid of ghosts or younger
folks that you know there's alot of creepy sounds, a lot of
things that are designed to kindof have that spooky feel.
The edge of that is kind oftaken off during the night
before Christmas overlay, and soI think that if you've been
like I don't know if my kids areready, then if you're on the
(25:07):
border, if you're going atChristmas time, it's a good time
to test that out.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Yeah, definitely, and that part of the park, new
Orleans Square, is Absolutelynight before Christmas
headquarters.
They have meet and greetseveral times.
They do have me in grief.
Yes, yes, so that space betweenthe pieces of eight shop and
the La Bate en Rouge and NewOrleans Square Turns into a meet
and greet for Jack and Sally.
(25:33):
Check the showtime.
The last time I was there theywere Intermittently between nine
and about eight pm Before.
At that point, fantastic looksat me.
So they were there for a longtime.
Speaker 2 (25:45):
There are so many special things that even if
you've gone to Disneylandrecently that it can be worth
Definitely going back toexperience the decorations and
the pictures next to theChristmas tree with the photo
pass photos.
They can be really great, quickways to get your Christmas card
photos done If you're goingearly enough in the year.
Many of our Christmas photoshave been photo passed from
(26:08):
Disneyland.
That's brilliant, especiallywith your family, selena.
You've gone year after year soI'm sure your mom loves getting
to see the different Christmaspictures of you guys getting
bigger and bigger.
Speaker 3 (26:18):
Yes, absolutely, and we're now that we're starting
the tradition with my kiddos,I'm looking forward to be able
to have that for them as well.
So.
Speaker 2 (26:26):
Let's do our lightning questions here.
What is your favoriteattraction in California
adventure?
Speaker 3 (26:31):
Why do I have to think about it?
I have stage fright all of asudden.
Oh no, you know what?
I'm gonna go undersea adventure.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
I love Little Mermaid's undersea adventure.
I'm not a big Little Mermaidfan, but I really enjoy that
ride.
Speaker 3 (26:43):
It's very well done.
It was so nice to see a kind ofclassic dark ride attraction
for the 21st century.
And I mean, my daughter lovesAriel.
I have made my peace with this.
She is not my favorite princess, but that ride is fun and
Ursula is one of my favoritevillains.
So to see the animatronicsinging one of my favorite
(27:04):
villain songs, that's a prettycool experience.
Speaker 2 (27:07):
And it does tell the whole story.
So even if your little onehasn't seen Little Mermaid, it
gives them kind of the digestversion, so they're not going to
be lost.
It really is.
So it's a really cute ride.
You're in a little clam shelland you go under the bubbles.
It's super cute.
What's your favorite quickservice menu item at California
Adventure?
Speaker 3 (27:25):
You know what I'm actually going to go with the
Jirardelli shop in SanFrancocchio anything with a
scoop of mint chocolate chip onit.
Speaker 2 (27:33):
If you like ice cream , if you like chocolate, that's
definitely a place to hit up.
And then there's this reallycool display in the back and if
you watch it it changes.
It's really kind of fun, evenjust what.
You're waiting for your orderjust to watch it.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
Last time I was there .
I don't believe that they hadmobile order, but it was a very
quick line.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
I don't think that they have mobile order there,
because it's so tucked away.
I don't think a lot of peopleeven know it exists, so it's
usually not very busy.
What's your favorite show ormeet and greet in California
Adventure?
Speaker 3 (28:01):
During the holidays my favorite show is the Avena
Vida, but outside of the holidayseason I actually really love
the Spider-Man stunt show overon the Avengers campus.
My son got a huge kick out ofthat the last time that we were
there and they made it a pointto tell all the kids to line up
on one side of the street andSpider-Man ran down and gave a
(28:22):
high five to every single kidand I thought my son's eyes were
going to pop out of his head.
He was so excited.
Speaker 2 (28:30):
You know I was with somebody who's not super into
Avengers.
Now the thing about that showis it is fast.
You need to be there on time.
Yes, you do.
It's like a five minute show,so if you are a minute or too
late you've missed it.
So you need to get thereearlier and it's kind of tricky
to figure out where you shouldbe.
But basically, if you come infrom the side there that
Avengers campus sign where theytake your picture, and then
(28:50):
there's a little shop on theother end of that little
straightaway where they sell thelittle robot spiders, you're
going to go kind of like aroundthe corner.
So you're going to be kind ofon the side of what the web
slinger's attraction.
You should be able to see kindof a crane on the top.
You want to have a good viewand then, like Selena said, he
comes down and gives a high five.
So if they give you theopportunity to come stand kind
of more towards the middle ofthat pathway, go for it, because
(29:12):
that's where you're going toget your high fives.
Speaker 3 (29:15):
Yes, and if you can see the crane, well, you're
going to have a pretty good viewof the little stunt show.
If you can't see the crane,you're not going to see a thing.
So, yes, come in off of thatmain entrance.
Do not come in from behind,from Cars Land.
You will not find it.
Speaker 2 (29:30):
If you can see the ancient sanctum place where they
have the Doctor Strange show,or if you can see Avengers
headquarters from where you'restanding.
You're not in the rightlocation If you're planning on
going during the Christmas time.
No, it can be really magical.
It is all about settingexpectations.
You can also have a reallygreat time during that time when
it's busier.
Just make sure you planaccordingly.
(29:51):
But there's so much magic to behad.
As long as you're willing to bea little bit flexible with your
plans, it can be a reallymagical time to go.
So thank you so much for Selenafor coming on again.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
Oh, you're welcome, and yeah, please have me back,
we'll talk about Halloween.
Speaker 2 (30:06):
Go ahead and hit that Subscribe button if you can.
We'd love if you'd share alittle bit about us With anybody
that you might know that'splanning a trip.
We want to provide thoseinsider tips so that everybody
gets to experience Disneylandthe way that Selena and I do,
with all of our tips and tricksfrom going so many times.
Speaker 1 (30:24):
Thanks for listening to this episode of the Park
Magic podcast.
For more tips and planningtools designed to help simplify
your Disneyland adventure, visitparkmagiccom.
If you enjoyed today's episodeand want to hear more tips, be
sure to subscribe to the ParkMagic podcast, and don't forget
to leave us a review.
Your feedback helps us spreadthe magic even further.
Leaving a review could alsohelp you.
(30:45):
Each month, we will beselecting one reviewer to win a
one-hour planning session withRobin.
Winners will be announced atthe end of the first episode of
every month.
Thanks for tuning in andremember that we are here to
help you have a less stressfuland more magical trip to
Disneyland.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.