{"id":55592,"date":"2017-07-28T12:00:06","date_gmt":"2017-07-28T16:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/?p=55592"},"modified":"2022-04-09T00:41:53","modified_gmt":"2022-04-09T04:41:53","slug":"christmas-in-july-disneyland-resort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/christmas-in-july-disneyland-resort\/","title":{"rendered":"Christmas in July — These Are a Few of My Favorite Things (Disneyland Resort)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Christmas<\/p>\n

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Summer is in full swing, and, for many people, it is a time for pool parties, road trips and carefree sunset strolls on the beach.\u00a0 It is a time to sing and tell ghost stories around a campfire, and to enjoy picnics in the park.\u00a0 It is time to grab a boat and explore the nearest lake or ocean.<\/p>\n

But, for some of us, summer is a time for visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads.\u00a0 It is a time to dream of dashing through the snow, walking in winter wonderlands and chestnuts roasting on an open fire.\u00a0\u00a0 It is when we start longing to see Rudolph and Hermey travel to the Island of Misfit Toys, and watch Frosty come to life with a corn cob pipe, button nose, and two eyes made out of coal.<\/p>\n

Forget all of the \u201cfun in the sun\u201d hoopla at this point in the year.\u00a0\u00a0 Summer is the time to look\u00a0ahead to\u00a0the holiday season!<\/p>\n

Yes, that\u2019s right.\u00a0 I am one of those\u00a0 <\/em>Christmas in July people, and am not ashamed to admit it.\u00a0\u00a0 I watch Christmas movies in July.\u00a0 I hum Christmas tunes in July. And if a random Santa Claus-embossed-item happens to find its way to a store shelf in July, I do not recoil in horror at the mere sight of it.\u00a0 Truth be told, if I could get away with drinking hot chocolate and wearing a sparkly\u00a0red and green sweater right now, without feeling as though I was burning alive, I might just do it.<\/p>\n

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Every year there is a new popcorn bucket design at Disneyland Resort. This Snowman Mickey was the design in 2010.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Gingerbread cookies with chocolate-dipped mouse ears are a delicious treat available in the sweet shops around Disneyland Resort.\u00a0\u00a0 Find out how to make them at home – HERE<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Two of my favorite things in the world are Christmas and Disney, so you can guess that, when those two worlds collide for the spectacular Holidays at Disneyland Resort<\/a> in November and December, I am brimming with mirth and merriment.\u00a0\u00a0 But, while the Disney Parks Blog will occasionally throw something together to observe Christmas in July<\/a>, Disneyland Resort has really only had one \u201cofficial\u201d celebration of it in recent years, and that was during the Limited Time Magic promotion of 2013<\/a>.<\/p>\n

So, as the last vestiges of Christmas in July 2017 melt away and we begin the slow crawl to fall, I would like to share \u201ca few of my favorite things\u201d about Disneyland Resort’s holiday season.\u00a0\u00a0 Vikki<\/a> and Kristina<\/a> did a great job of covering it last year, so\u00a0I will focus on just a handful of holiday highlights for now.<\/p>\n

It’s Lovely Weather\u00a0for a\u00a0Sleigh Ride Together <\/em>(<\/em>Themed Ride Overlays!)<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n

Three\u00a0attractions in Disneyland Park<\/a> receive annual Yuletide makeovers:<\/p>\n

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1.\u00a0 “<\/em>it’s a small world” Holiday<\/em><\/span><\/strong> — From November to mid-January (exact dates differ each year), “it’s a small world” Holiday<\/a> is one of the most popular attractions of the season, and\u00a0when\u00a0the sun goes down\u00a0it is truly one of the most beautiful sights to see.\u00a0\u00a0 At dusk, guests\u00a0flock from all corners of Disneyland Resort to gaze in awe at\u00a0the thousands and thousands of\u00a0brilliant colored\u00a0lights that envelop the familiar, whimsical\u00a0fa\u00e7ade and collectively glow like a beacon in the night.\u00a0\u00a0 It is, quite simply, breathtaking.\u00a0\u00a0 The surrounding topiaries\u00a0glisten, and special wreaths\u00a0representing various nations (with the same sort of playful design synonymous with “it’s a small world”) mark a pathway to the queue.<\/p>\n

But it is not only the exterior of “it’s a small world” that is transformed, as the\u00a0entire\u00a0voyage along the canal\u00a0becomes a celebration of worldwide holidays.\u00a0\u00a0 Along with the iconic theme song known far and wide, the famous Mary Blair-inspired dolls also sing Deck the Halls<\/em> and Jingle Bells<\/em> (though, if you listen closely, you will notice that as you pass the Little Mermaid<\/em> scene the lyrics change to “jingle shells<\/em>“).\u00a0\u00a0 Additionally, the faint scents of peppermint and pine fill the air and the\u00a0vibrant hues\u00a0are\u00a0more vivid than usual.<\/p>\n

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The Haunted Mansion Holiday queue has so many interesting things to see that it is easy to miss a lot of the details if the line moves quickly.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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2. \u00a0 Haunted Mansion Holiday<\/em><\/span><\/a><\/strong> — In 2001, Jack Skellington left his mark on Disneyland’s venerable Haunted Mansion for the first time, and Haunted Mansion Holiday<\/a> was born.\u00a0\u00a0 Sixteen years later, this\u00a0surprisingly polarizing\u00a0overlay continues to\u00a0draw large crowds\u00a0to New Orleans Square from the start of the Halloween Time<\/a> season in mid-September\u00a0to the end of the Holidays in\u00a0early January<\/p>\n

The concept of Haunted Mansion Holiday<\/a> invites us to imagine what would happen if Jack Skellington took over the existing Mansion and infused some twisted Christmas merriment into it.\u00a0\u00a0 While there is some controversy over the theme of Haunted Mansion Holiday<\/a> and how well it actually fits or does not fit in with the Halloween and\/or Christmas seasons in the park — or how well Nightmare Before Christmas <\/em>fits in to the Disney family at all, for that matter — there is no question that the attention to detail in this\u00a0overhaul of a longstanding, beloved park attraction is exceptional.\u00a0\u00a0 The Skellington-ized accents are abundant, from the cemetery, light fixtures and shrubbery in the outdoor\u00a0waiting area\u00a0to the famous ballroom scene inside, which features a most interesting and menacing gingerbread creation<\/a> as the table’s centerpiece (there is\u00a0a new one made every year!).\u00a0\u00a0 Almost no corner of the ride is left untouched, which explains the nearly 3-week time frame it takes to install the makeover.\u00a0\u00a0 Love it or hate it, most people will agree that it is an elaborate undertaking and truly a spectacle to behold.<\/p>\n

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When Jingle Cruise debuted in 2013, it was not as elaborately decorated as it is now. People felt there were not enough theme-specific enhancements, but by the following year they complained of “too many” enhancements.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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3.<\/strong>\u00a0 \u00a0Jingle Cruise<\/em><\/span><\/strong> — For the holiday season of 2013, the creative minds at Disneyland surprised repeat seasonal visitors by adding\u00a0a bit of jingle to the jungle \u2013 and \u201cJingle Cruise<\/a>\u201d was born at both Walt Disney World<\/a> and Disneyland Resort.<\/p>\n

The original storyline for this holiday overlay was that the skippers of the Jungle Cruise had become homesick and missed their loved ones, so to cheer themselves up they decorated the boats and the boathouse with Christmas cards, a tree and other odds and ends.\u00a0\u00a0 The ride\u2019s queue (both upstairs and downstairs) featured many of those odds and ends, and others were strung on the boats themselves.\u00a0\u00a0 Skippers also donned appropriately themed and colored Santa hats and worked some seasonal references into their repertoire of jokes.<\/p>\n

While\u00a0Jingle Cruise was\u00a0initially\u00a0not a massive, extensive overlay — and reviews were mixed — more embellishments were applied throughout the ride in subsequent years, and the narrative was expanded to include a “lost holiday shipment”<\/a> intercepted by the jungle’s most ferocious residents.<\/p>\n

Deck the Halls (Hotel Holiday Fun!)<\/em><\/h3>\n

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This gingerbread castle in the Fantasy Tower lobby of the Disneyland Hotel is not real, but for at least one holiday season the smell of gingerbread was piped in from somewhere to give the illusion that it was real!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Goofy’s Kitchen tree adds a bit of wacky whimsy to the Disneyland Hotel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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The Disneyland Hotel currently has a more retro photo spot set up for Santa Claus, but every few years they change the design of the location. This is one of the older versions.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Paradise Pier Hotel’s sea-themed tree<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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The lobby of the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa offers a warm, comfortable atmosphere.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Storytellers Caf\u00e9 in the Grand Californian Hotel features a different tabletop gingerbread display every year.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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For a few consecutive years, there was a reindeer display around the drive-up entrance to the Grand Californian Hotel. The reindeer figures were prone to toppling over on windy days. No one is sure if the reindeer returned in 2016.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Appearing\u00a0just before\u00a0Thanksgiving, one of the wonderful aspects of the holiday season at Disneyland Resort \u2013 and possibly one of the most overlooked \u2013 is the d\u00e9cor that you can find around the three Resort hotels:\u00a0 the Disneyland Hotel<\/a>, the Paradise Pier Hotel<\/a> and the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0 Each hotel has its own unique style and ambiance<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0 Whether it\u2019s the wacky, colorful, slightly askew tree which greets guests at Goofy\u2019s Kitchen<\/a> in the Disneyland Hotel; the gingerbread creation<\/a> in the cozy Grand Californian Hotel lobby; or the combination of oceanic decorations and gorgeous, glowing jewel tones on the majestic Paradise Pier tree<\/a>, there are many amazing things to see to get you in the holiday spirit, and you do not\u00a0need to be a guest of the hotels or buy admission to\u00a0the parks to enjoy them.<\/p>\n

It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (Themed Decorations in the Parks!)<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n

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New Orleans Square’s Mardi Gras-inspired holiday d\u00e9cor appears at the end of October and stays up until Mardi Gras of the next year.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Toontown is filled with clever decorations, but it seems to be a land that is taken for granted and underappreciated by visitors.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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The Christmas tree outside of Mickey’s House in Toontown<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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A Bug’s Land – Flik’s Fun Fair<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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At the Cozy Cone Motel in Cars Land, you will find a miniature, artificial gingerbread model of the Cozy Cone in the Cozy Cone office!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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For Cars Land’s first holiday season, a gingerbread Mater was set up at Flo’s V8 Caf\u00e9.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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This Santa Claus display in Hollywood Land was not always there. It was added in several years ago, after years of very few decorations in that land. It reminds me of the Santa and reindeer displays above Hollywood Boulevard that I used to love as a child.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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This vintage TV window display appeared at the same time as the Santa display (shown above), and the two things combined really provided a much needed dose of holiday cheer to Hollywood Land.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Though it is a very popular free souvenir and tends to get snapped up very quickly, if you look around you can usually find The Buena Vista Bugle during any major season on Buena Vista Street.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Under the Buena Vista Street Christmas tree…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Some of my favorite things about Main Street’s holiday overlay are the charming window displays.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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I am in favor of all gingerbread displays — both real and artificial.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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I like to imagine a light snow falling over this house made of candy…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Dusk falls on Main Street — back in the pre-Paint the Night parade days, when Mickey wreaths and garland still hung overhead. Since Paint the Night will be moving to California Adventure in 2018, there is a lot of speculation as to whether or not the garland will return to Main Street.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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A peek at a bit of the Winter Castle…<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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I will confess that I am a sucker for a theme.\u00a0\u00a0 Themed decorations, themed parties, themed music, themed Christmas trees… I love it all.\u00a0\u00a0 Disney’s dedication to themes and immersion knows no bounds, and the holiday season provides an opportunity to play with those themes and take them to a different level.\u00a0\u00a0 From the mystical Mardi Gras masks\u00a0of New Orleans Square, to more offbeat enhancements in A Bug’s Land, Mickey’s Toontown and Cars Land, to the vintage atmosphere of Main Street and Buena Vista Street, there is something for everyone, no matter the preference in Christmas d\u00e9cor.<\/p>\n

In a\u00a0previous article<\/a> I told you about other things I love about the Holidays at Disneyland Resort<\/a>, such as the joyous Candlelight Ceremony and Processional, which I will cover in more detail in a future article.\u00a0\u00a0 This year’s upcoming season promises to be pretty similar to that of 2016, with the return of Viva Navidad<\/a>, the Festival of Holidays<\/a>, A Christmas Fantasy Parade<\/a>, Believe… in Holiday Magic fireworks, World of Color – Season of Light<\/a>,\u00a0the three ride overlays mentioned above, and much, much more.\u00a0\u00a0 As we inch closer to the opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge<\/a> (which is the name of the new land slated to open in 2019, even though it sounds very much like the title of a movie), some elements of each season in the parks could disappear into the Disney history books, while there will inevitably be many additions, new\u00a0entertainment and unique, creative decorations.<\/p>\n

What are a few of your<\/em> favorite things about the Holidays at Disneyland Resort<\/a>?\u00a0\u00a0 Share them in the comments below.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Happy Christmas (in July) to all… and to all a good night!<\/p>\n

What are some of your favorite holiday aspects of the Disneyland Resort? Share them in the comments!<\/em><\/p>\n

Did you like this article? Make sure to share it with your friends! Check below for easy ways to share!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Summer is in full swing, and, for many people, it is a time for pool parties, road trips and carefree sunset strolls on the beach.\u00a0 It is a time to sing and tell ghost stories around a campfire, and to enjoy picnics in the park.\u00a0 It is time to grab a boat and explore…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":128,"featured_media":55617,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[4318,4319,506,1685],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55592","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-resorts","category-disneyland-travel","category-resort-menus","category-disneyland-parks"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55592","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/128"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55592"}],"version-history":[{"count":36,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55592\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56290,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55592\/revisions\/56290"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/55617"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55592"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55592"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.themouseforless.com\/blog_world\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55592"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}