Disneyland Christmas 2013 Trip Report – Part III

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It was a busy weekend, so both Disney California Adventure and Disneyland opened at 8 am. I had gone to bed just after 2 am the previous night, and got up at 7 am to make it to the park by 7:45 am. Even though she went back before me, Sarah didn’t make it to Disneyland as early as I did.

Several of you have asked how I can function on so little sleep, and the answer is simple: caffeine. I used to not drink soda at all outside of our trips, making its effects more intense, but I now (sadly) drink it more regularly. The key to success isn’t just drinking a lot of caffeinated beverages, it’s drinking a lot of them and drinking them well into the night. For example, the previous night, I probably had a 32 oz Coke at 11 pm. Most people avoid doing this because it will keep them awake, but when you’re that physically exhausted, it doesn’t have much impact at night.

Instead, it’ll cause you to wake up earlier than you otherwise would’ve. This is the key–most people can stay up late, no problem, but can’t turn around and get up early the next day, too. I don’t know the science behind this (there probably isn’t any!), but my unscientific guess is that your body “overrides” the caffeine at night because it’s just too tired, but once that override is lifted (after you’ve had a bit of sleep), the lingering caffeine in your system can work its magic. At least, that’s my guess.

I hope there aren’t any medical professionals out there reading this, because it probably sounds absolutely nonsensical to anyone who actually knows what they’re talking about. I don’t know what I’m talking about, I just know what works for me. Nor do I actually “recommend” anyone else do this, as I can’t imagine it’s technically “safe” to consume this much caffeine in a single day. But what fun is it being safe…especially when there are theme parks to explore?!

Anyway, I got to Disneyland just before rope drop and set out to take some photos in the hub. Rope Drop at Disneyland is each of the lands being blocked, plus the inner circle of the hub. I have no idea when the hub is blocked off…perhaps Partners is considered an attraction? In any case, guests such as myself like to congregate against its rope to take photos of the empty hub.

Also for whatever reason, security Cast Members stand in this area of the hub. On this particular morning, the security guards were standing right between guests and Partners. These security guards essentially ruined a great photo op that guests could have enjoyed, and I don’t believe for a second that the security guards “didn’t know” they were in the way. (The numerous guests holding cameras up were probably a decent tip.) In fact, I’ve seen it happen before. I don’t think there’s a good reason for security there in the first place, but assuming there is, would it be too much to ask for them to stand off to the side to allow guests unobstructed photos of Partners and Sleeping Beauty Castle? That’s why the guests are at the rope in the first place with their cameras up–not for a glamour shoot of sharply dressed security guards.

My interactions with security at Disneyland have been much better in 2013 than in previous years, but this irks me. It’s totally unnecessary, and strikes me as one of those things they’re doing just because they can. An arbitrary exercise of “power,” in a way. Even if there are only a few bad apples (and to reiterate: this is definitely a very small minority), it still reflects negatively upon the whole bunch.

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Instead of a dead-on shot, I went off to the side and got this. But anyway, I digress. Once rope drop occurred, I headed to Space Mountain to ride it and grab a FastPass. My main priority was ‘it’s a small world’ holiday, but it just felt wrong to rush to that at rope drop. I should have anyway.

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There probably was no need in arriving to the park so early, because after riding Space Mountain and grabbing a FastPass, I only did Fantasyland dark rides and took random photos of things I could photograph any time.

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The Rocketeer popcorn turner is a favorite of mine.

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I scouted out this spot for a shot later that night…

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The seasonal popcorn turners are a nice touch.

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I mentioned the Center Street Flower Market in passing in Part 2 of this Trip Report, but now I’ll go into more detail about it. I don’t know why the Flower Market was added (my guess is to spruce up the park for Candlelight Processional) nor whether it’s still there, but I loved it.

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This is the type of detail that makes the Disney theme parks special. These little “corners” you stumble upon brimming with detail or a real ‘lived-in’ feel. With the closing of the Court of Angels, I’ll admit that I was more than a little worried that Disneyland’s leaders felt these types of things were unimportant (and I still am).

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It bothered me even more to hear from other guests who weren’t fans of the Court of Angels that it was expendable because it wasn’t popular. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I find this sentiment disappointing. Any loss–even of things to which I have no personal attachment–of rich details in the Disney parks disappoints me. I find it to be the erosion of exactly what separates Disney theme parks from the competition. Other parks do rides well–for countless years Disney has done the entire package well, and that entire package includes how everything is tied together via theming, environment, and detail. I get that one thing here or there is “just” that one little thing, but without the aggregate of those “little things,” you have nothing.

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The point is this: when I see a loss of detail, I complain. However, when I see an addition of detail, I applaud. To some, both reactions are overreactions. (At least they are consistent with one another, right?) But these are my priorities when it comes to the parks. When I saw the Flower Market, I applauded and had some of my faith restored.

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I know Flower Markets have existed in Disneyland and Walt Disney World in the past, but I thought at this point, they only existed in the pages of ancient souvenir books. I was ecstatic to see this nod to the past, but it wasn’t just that. I was ecstatic to see something that gave life to Center Street.

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There were guests wandering the market, looking at flowers, and generally having a good time. Most (or all) of the flowers aren’t real (although I could swear I saw some that were!), but that doesn’t matter. They look nice, and it’s a better fit for Center Street than a random ODV or cart selling glow toys.

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On the way through the FastPass queue in Space Mountain, I snapped this photo of a blue alien-dinosaur egg. I discussed these in our Disneyland Secrets post, but to reiterate, they’re one of my favorite secrets/mysteries of Disneyland.

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I then headed back to ‘it’s a small world’ holiday. I tried to find a unique way to photograph these awesome wreaths back there to no avail.

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I decided to use my Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 lens for the ride, as I wanted to capture some details and close-ups of the figures.

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Candle close up.

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I’d prefer that the Disney characters in the ride aren’t explicitly acknowledged by name. I’d rather have them as inhabitants of the ride that just “happen” to resemble specific characters. That’s probably just me.

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My least favorite scene of the attraction, but the lighting was good.

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The finale room is so awesome during the holidays, and a playground with the 70-200.

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Processed this photo in a soft focus, Orton manner as it seems like that goes with the whole “peace on earth” thing.

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The snowflakes make for a nice backdrop.

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The strings of multi-colored lights in the distance make for an even better backdrop, as they provide great bokeh.

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Not sure if this is supposed to be a Hidden Mickey or not. Probably is, right?

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My favorite photo of the ‘small world’ bunch.

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Basket-head-balancing is such a lost art.

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Is the goose a Christmas gift, or is it wearing the bow as a fashion statement? Also, did the girl just jump out of a cake, or are the candles traditional head-wear in her area?

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Moving on from ‘small world’, I did some other stuff, then rode the Disneyland Railroad.

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I make a lot of half-joking remarks about loving dinosaurs, but in all seriousness, I find it downright shocking (and a bit disappointing) that Disney doesn’t do more with the dinosaurs.

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I think dinosaurs are a perfect fit for theme parks (see Jurassic Park): they are loved by children, somewhat mysterious, and dinosaurs have great range in that they can be utilized as either “heroes” or lovable villains. (Unlike pirates, which are actually pretty reprehensible when you consider them in real life, dinosaurs are only “bad” to the extent that humans want them to be for storytelling purposes.) Humans are intrigued by dinosaurs, and we know just enough about them to pique further interest, but not enough that they’re completely understood by the general public. As one final plus, they look awesome and are cool. Prehistoricland should have been an opening day land at Disneyland, if you ask me.

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Next up was Jingle Cruise. I didn’t see a wait time for it, but the line is usually short. I didn’t realize the upstairs queue was open!

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It was my first time seeing the upstairs queue, so I can’t really complain. Although I would have preferred not to have waited 30 minutes for it.

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Jingle Cruise is garnering some mixed (at best) reviews, with some being really negative, but not many being really positive. I was pleasantly surprised by Jingle Cruise, but I can understand the criticism. In the queue, I think the Imagineers tried to toe the line between subtle decorating and over the top Christmas, trying to fit everything within the contrived storyline of the Jungle Cruise.

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Therein lies the mistake: adhering to the contrived storyline. This is something the Jungle Cruise itself doesn’t even do. The Jungle Cruise is the most self-aware Disney attraction in existence. It constantly breaks the fourth wall, and the skippers frequently make quips that reference other parts of Disneyland. That’s the essence of the Jungle Cruise, and while there is some inconsistency with elements of the script suggesting that it’s a real cruise, it’s mostly presented as an act.

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The story that’s been presented for Jingle Cruise, the queue at least, doesn’t fit this. The skippers are “homesick for the holidays.” To me, this seems wholly unnecessary in light of what the attraction actually is. However, this framework makes it necessary for the queue to be more restrained. Which makes it seem underdone.

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In any case, unnecessary “story” and the too-subtle queue are my only knocks on Jingle Cruise. I thought the script was hilarious, with a number of great holiday jokes that work perfectly. It helped that our skipper had great timing and perfect sense of dry humor. He even kept things rolling at the end when there was a considerable backup of boats waiting to dock.

I think a lot of the criticism of Jingle Cruise is a result of it not being the tried and true, familiar Jungle Cruise. I think Jungle Cruise often receives more credit than it’s due in terms of comedy, with many guests substituting their senses of nostalgia for the attraction for actual funniness. Not that it isn’t funny, I just wonder how many first-time guests who get the humor think it’s as funny as the average Disney fan does.

If the decor is expanded next year (just don’t throw Santa hats on the animals) with more done in the queue, and maybe a bit more on the boats (is it not feasible to have Christmas lights on them?), and I think Jingle Cruise will stand with Disneyland’s elite holiday overlays. Even now, I consider it a very solid first effort.

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Sarah met up with me after Jingle Cruise, and we got in line for the opening of Plaza Inn.

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Back in 2011, we had the Plaza Inn Yule Log, pumpkin version. Pumpkin is sold closer to Thanksgiving, before the chocolate/coffee version becomes available. I covered the pumpkin version in our Plaza Inn Review.

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Given the 2+ year gap between having the two, I really can’t say one is better than the other. Both are delicious. Both are must-do snacks if you visit Disneyland in November or December.

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Sarah next to the Victorian Christmas tree in Plaza Inn.

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We decided to head out to go over to Disney California Adventure to see Viva Navidad! during the daytime, but as we headed for the exit, we noticed people lining up for the parade. Our favorite spot for parade viewing was open, so we decided to grab that and wait for the parade, instead. While we were waiting, Guy showed up.

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Disneyland has local groups perform as “pre-parades” quite often. On this particular day, this was the group. Their outfits were great.

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A teddy bear that isn’t Duffy!

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Before this viewing, I wasn’t a fan of A Christmas Fantasy Parade at all. I thought it was aged, and lacking as compared to Walt Disney World’s Christmas parade. I still think it’s a bit long in the tooth, but I think I was hard on it.

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These snowflakes are not in ‘Once Upon’ and they’re awesome!

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Went with the soft Orton processing again. Wish she were turned just a tad more towards the camera.

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It has most of the cool elements of Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade. Toy soldiers, reindeer, gingerbread men, skiiers, etc., are all there.

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The big difference, I think, is ambiance. I wasn’t a fan of ‘Once Upon’ when I saw it during the daytime the week between Christmas and New Year’s, and I’m not a fan of A Christmas Fantasy during the day.

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Christmas is about ambiance, I think. That ambiance includes lights and snow. Both of these are key elements that are missing from the parades during the day.

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After the parade, we headed over to Cafe Orleans to see if we could adjust our reservation. Following that, we met up with our friends from Tours Departing Daily to chat for a bit. If you’re not familiar with their blog, you absolutely should check it out. They release a daily ‘Disneyland in HDR’ photo that can best be described as fine art photography. I’m a big fan of well-done fine art HDR photography and although I’m not much good at it myself, I love to see good fine art HDR by others. It takes real skill and finesse to get right, and to me, they are the standard-bearers of this in the Disney photography community. We chatted for a bit before parting ways–they had a top secret project to complete and we had ice cream brownie desserts to book! Given our shared affinity for empty park photography, we’d see them later that night, anyway.

Actually, Guy and Sarah went to do that while I headed across the Esplanade to the Candlelight Processional check-in. Candlelight Processional works a bit differently at Disneyland than Walt Disney World. It’s only held two nights per year (with the exception of last year) and takes place in Town Square with the performers at the Train Station. Only invited guests have seats…everyone else who wants to watch stands outside the seating area, with some people camping out for prime spots on benches literally all day. We were fortunate to have been invited to Candlelight, so I had to pick up our tickets to it.

We then met back for our meal at Cafe Orleans. No excuses this time–we finally were going to dine here! I’ll have a full review of Cafe Orleans soon, but suffice to say, we’re a bit embarrassed we had not previously dined here.

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We started out with pommes frites. They were delicious.

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Sarah ordered the N’awlins Vegetable Ragout. It was delicious.

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Guy ordered the Chicken Gumbo Crepe. It was delicious.

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I debated between the Monte Cristo and the Seafood Herb Crepe, ultimately ordering the latter. It was delicious.

If you’re going to Disneyland between now and whenever I get around to writing the full review, here’s our advice: EAT THERE! It’s right up there with Carnation Cafe and Plaza Inn as my top restaurants in the park. (We’d also recommend Blue Bayou if only for the experience of eating in the bayou alongside Pirates of the Caribbean.)

After eating, Guy and I went over to Disney California Adventure to grab World of Color FastPasses while Sarah headed to the hotel to get a coat. We reconvened at Big Thunder BBQ for the dessert that Guy described as a sea of superlatives.

The dessert was supposed to be ready when we arrived, but instead, we waited for 15 minutes (to be seated) only to find that it hadn’t been started yet.

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The good news was that while we waited, I got to enjoy one last performance of Billy Hill & the Hillbillies.

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I can’t claim to be a long-time Billy Hill fan. The first time I saw them was during One More Disney Day. Every trip since, though, I’ve made a point of seeing them.

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While things like the Flower Market reinforce to me that some decisionmakers running Disneyland “get it,” the choice to force out Billy Hill demonstrates that some don’t get it.

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I’m not at all a fan of country music, but I love Billy Hill & the Hillbillies. Their act is about family-friendly yet sharp humor (that connects on an adult level, too), engagement, and cleverness. They are the perfect act for Disneyland and the perfect example of how family-friendly comedy doesn’t have to be overly corny or cheesy. It’s hard to articulate exactly why they are good, but they are just a flat out fun act to watch.

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I have a lot more photos of Billy Hill & the Hillbillies, and plenty more thoughts on this, but I’ll save those for a dedicated “farewell” post. They deserve that much, just as the group deserved to end its run in the Golden Horseshoe. I’m just glad I got to see them one last time.

We didn’t have enough time before Candlelight Processional, so we had to miss out on what sounded like a glorious Christmas dessert.

It’s a good thing we decided to cut our losses, as navigating the chaos to get to the front of the park was a challenge. We’ll pick up with thoughts and photos from Candlelight Processional in the final installment of this trip report…

If you’re planning your own trip during the Christmas season, you should check out our “Ultimate Disneyland Christmas Guide,” which will give you tips for visiting, right down to snacks to try and when to experience certain holiday offerings!

As for figuring out the rest of your Disneyland trip, including what to pack, whether you should stay off-site or on-site in a Disney hotel, where to dine, and a number of other things, check out our comprehensive Disneyland trip planning guide!

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Your Thoughts…

What do you think of the Main Street Flower Market? Do you agree or disagree that the details are what makes the parks what they are? Ever dined at Cafe Orleans? Thoughts on Billy Hill & the Hillbillies “retiring”? Hearing from you is half the fun, so if you have additional thoughts or any questions, please share them in the comments!

29 Responses to “Disneyland Christmas 2013 Trip Report – Part III”
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