Discover the best month to visit and how to avoid the crowds
by Philippa Lane
Disneyland is California’s most popular amusement park, simply because there is no other place like it. With exciting themed lands, such as New Orleans Square, Adventureland, Frontierland, Fantasyland, Critter Country, and fun filled rides, live shows, parades, and delicious cuisine, Disneyland offers something special for the whole family.
Since Disneyland first opened up in 1955, it has attracted millions of visitors and for more than half a century, has been a place where both children and adults can have a wonderful time. The dazzling parades, marching bands, horse drawn carriages, steam engine trains, and the turn of the century style buildings on Main Street USA transport visitors to another era.
I love to visit Disneyland during Christmas time, because of the unique atmosphere, holiday shows, festive characters, expansive lights, and Christmas ornamentations.
If you are planning to take a trip to Disneyland in beautiful Anaheim, California during the Christmas holiday season and you want to beat the crowds and see all of the illustrious decorations, then mid-November is the best time to go. The entire theme park is transformed into a winter wonderland and if you have never been to Disneyland for the holiday season, then you definitely need to visit during this special time, because it is spectacular.
Upon entering the theme park, one of the first things you will notice is the decorative ornaments that adorn Main Street, the thoroughfares decorated with wreaths, lights, garland, and the 60 ft. Christmas Tree in the middle of Town Square. You can also enjoy all the special food and entertainment that is there only during the Christmas season.
My daughter and I went to Disneyland two days before Christmas and it was crowded and I mean crowded! There were so many people in the park that we had to take a bus back to my car just to be able to sit down and take a break from walking so much. The decorations were wonderful, but there were far too many visitors in the park to enjoy it. Needless to say, we never want to visit Disneyland two days before Christmas ever again. The following year, we decided to try something a little different. Instead of going to the park in late December, we chose to visit during the second week of November, a day after the decorations were put up. This was a good decision, because it was the perfect time to experience the full grandeur and holiday wonder of the Disneyland Resort. To our amazement and delight, the lines were not as long, the crowds were much smaller, and the overall atmosphere was so much better than when we previously visited in December.
We rode the train to different locations in the park, so that we would not have so walk far to each themed land. It was a great experience and I highly recommend hopping on board the train if you want to rest a little, save time, energy, and take a tour of the theme park.
The Small World Ride in Fantasyland is a must see during the holiday season at Disneyland because it is completely transformed and dressed up with more than 300,000 shining lights. The Christmas Fantasy Parade through Main Street is spectacular and the colorful holiday fireworks in front of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle are fascinating and after the fireworks are over, snow begins to fall while holiday music is played.
Disney's California Adventure was also beautifully decorated on the day we visited, however, I was not that impressed with the layout of the theme park at the time, because we had to walk about a mile just to get to one attraction. This may have been due to new editions, renovations, and developments of what is now Cars Land.
The World of Color Show is definitely a must see if you are visiting Disney’s California Adventure. It is a 26 minute musical presentation that uses characters and score components from about eighty years of signature Disney films. The elaborate display shows approximately 100,000 images upon a backdrop of water and mist with lasers and bursts of flame.
If you are unable to walk extensively around Disneyland or California Adventure for a long period of time, you can rent a scooter for about $75.00. I actually saw a group of about 15-20 women riding scooters from Frontierland into Fantasyland and after walking for more than eight hours, the thought of using one, didn’t seem like such a bad idea. There are also benches throughout the park that you can sit on, but from my observation, I saw many individuals lying down across an entire bench, making it impossible for others to sit down next to them, however there is usually always ample seating on the Disneyland Railroad.
Christmas is the most joyous and festive time of the year and Disneyland is a wonderful place to celebrate this special season with those you love. From unique shows, parades, fireworks, and holiday themed rides, the theme park offers an unforgettable experience that you and your family can treasure for many years to come.
If you want to see Disneyland in all of its splendor at Christmas time, then try going in November or in the early part of December, believe me, you will not be disappointed.
Sweet Treats from Disney..... Disney Princess 5-in-1 Tasty Baker Set
Sweet Treats from Disney..... Disney Princess 5-in-1 Tasty Baker Set
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