What to Expect on December 29 and December 31

[Blueliner]

Those in this subforum may recall that my family had a fantastic spring break in California this year, including 4 nights in a Grand Californian 2BR villa overlooking Paradise Pier and 3 days in the parks (sandwiched between visits to San Diego, San Francisco, and Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, among other awesome places).

Late last year, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that our high school band (my oldest is a member) will be marching in the Tournament of Roses parade on January 1. Accordingly, the whole family is excited to be heading back out to Southern California in a little over a month.

I know you folks get tired of these threads from less experienced Disneylanders, asking what to expect, etc. However, please indulge me: If we get to the parks at rope drop (staying off property), do we have a fighting chance of getting on some attractions on the Sunday and Tuesday between Christmas and New Year's Day? I have already told the family to expect large crowds and long lines, but I was just curious as to your personal experiences.

Thanks for any insights you can provide.

 

[Californian Elitist]

You will be able to experience attractions, just expect the wait times to be high. It will be extremely crowded on those dates, as you've already been told. Don't expect to get too many things done and you'll be okay.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Congratulations to your oldest, by the way! Marching in the Rose Parade is an honor.

 

[Blueliner]

Congratulations to your oldest, by the way! Marching in the Rose Parade is an honor.

Thanks! They are excited to be there!

 

[Blueliner]

You will be able to experience attractions, just expect the wait times to be high. It will be extremely crowded on those dates, as you've already been told. Don't expect to get too many things done and you'll be okay.

Thanks. Our thought is to try to pick a few favorites to focus on, and then enjoy some of the entertainment and general atmoshere if the lines get too long.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Thanks. Our thought is to try to pick a few favorites to focus on, and then enjoy some of the entertainment and general atmoshere if the lines get too long.

That's EXACTLY what you should do. I'd recommend at least doing Haunted Mansion Holiday and "it's a small world" Holiday. These two attractions do not exist in Magic Kingdom and they're both worth experiencing.

Haunted Mansion Holiday:

"it's a small world" Holiday:

You should check out the new Christmas-themed version of World of Color, Winter Dreams as well as Viva Navidad in DCA.

 

[Californian Elitist]

Thanks! They are excited to be there!

Are you planning on doing anything else in SoCal, or do you not have time?

 

[GiveMeTheMusic]

Get there before rope drop each day and go straight to the E-Ticket Fastpass machine of your choice; in DCA, your second stop should be World of Color Fastpass. Be patient - it will be horrifically crowded. Do not try to navigate during a performance of A Christmas Fantasy Parade; pick a part of the park to stay in until it passes. Stick around till after the fireworks to get some thinning on the non-NYE night. On New Years Eve, all bets are off - people will be camped out on Main Street and there will be a countdown at World of Color as well.

 

[Blueliner]

Get there before rope drop each day and go straight to the E-Ticket Fastpass machine of your choice; in DCA, your second stop should be World of Color Fastpass. Be patient - it will be horrifically crowded. Do not try to navigate during a performance of A Christmas Fantasy Parade; pick a part of the park to stay in until it passes. Stick around till after the fireworks to get some thinning on the non-NYE night. On New Years Eve, all bets are off - people will be camped out on Main Street and there will be a countdown at World of Color as well.

Thanks, and I think that will be the plan of attack. We may even look into single rider for Radiator Springs Racers at rope drop and then snag some California Screamin fastpasses as soon as we exit.

Wow! I had not even considered the whole countdown to New Year angle (duh!). My youngest is 6, and we also will need to be up extremely early on New Year's Day to make it up to Pasadena, so we may not make it that late.

 

[Disnee4Me]

Eat at Blue Bayou by Pirates of the Carribean if you can ... I did way back in 1976!! Great food and atmosphere.

 

[Blueliner]

Are you planning on doing anything else in SoCal, or do you not have time?

The schedule is pretty compressed. We are flying into LAX early afternoon on December 28. Because we will already be pretty close, I think we might try to look around Beverly Hills a bit and then head across to the Santa Monica Pier before heading to our hotel in the OC. The 29th will be a Disneyland Park/DCA day (depending on where our high school band is going to play). The 30th we are heading to Pasadena to tour the Rose Parade float building area, and I'm thinking about the Griffith Observatory and Hollywood Bowl Overlook before we head back south. The 31st is another Disneyland Park/DCA day. The 1st is the Rose Parade, likely followed by a long nap and some college football viewing somewhere. We fly out of John Wayne late morning on January 2.

We are headed to WDW this coming Monday for 5 days with my parents and my sister and her family, staying at the Boardwalk villas (LOVE that place). We have the Magic Bands, FastPass+, etc. set up, but truthfully I am quite anxious about the extended family's reaction to the parks and this new system. I am very interested in contrasting it with Disneyland such a short time later (also during a busy time).

 

[Blueliner]

Eat at Blue Bayou by Pirates of the Carribean if you can ... I did way back in 1976!! Great food and atmosphere.

Great recommendation! We ate there in March and loved it!

 

[Blueliner]

That's EXACTLY what you should do. I'd recommend at least doing Haunted Mansion Holiday and "it's a small world" Holiday. These two attractions do not exist in Magic Kingdom and they're both worth experiencing.

Haunted Mansion Holiday:

"it's a small world" Holiday:

You should check out the new Christmas-themed version of World of Color, Winter Dreams as well as Viva Navidad in DCA.

Viva Navidad sounds like an awesome thing to see. We definetly will hit these two seasonal overlays as well.