Originally Posted By MerryMouseWife My husband and I are trying to plan a long weekend get away in December, thinking of going 12-13 through 12-16. Does anyone know what is happening that weekend? We would very much like to avoid going during the Candlelight Procession weekend. Will this weekend be after it? This is the first trip we have planned without children for 12 years. This is a combined Christmas present to each other and an anniversary present, as we recently had our 20-year anniversary. Thank you! I will be back later as I am sneaking on during work.
Originally Posted By LuLu Is there a reason you're trying to avoid Candlelight? If you're trying to avoid crowds, the weekend you mentioned will likely be more crowded than the 2 weekends before it, as some schools start Christmas break on the 14th.
Originally Posted By MerryMouseWife I am trying to avoid crowds, but I am aware that it will be crowded on the weekend no matter when we go. I also have to schedule this around our daughter's dance performance and my company's Christmas party (Although I would not be too sorry to miss it. It is just a politic thing to do.) The other option would be to go in late January or early February as our anniversary and oldest daughter's birthday are in February. We usually always go in the fall and I will dearly miss it if we can't this year. Every weekend up until 12-14 has something going on and the kids are too old (high school and taking advanced classes so to miss even one day is a pain to make up) to take out of school for a few days as we have done in the past. Fall break is week after next, so that is too soon. Sigh. We might just have to wait until early next year.
Originally Posted By LuLu Aw, don't give up your trip! At least that weekend will be way better than the 2 following! Just know that it will be fairly crowded and plan accordingly. Jan/Feb should be much less crowded, but you'll have shorter hours and some ride closures. It's always a trade-off!
Originally Posted By MerryMouseWife Wait a minute! I just read my post and realised that I started talking about taking the kids! Heck, this was supposed to be an anniversary and Christmas present for each other. Duh! Thing is that I love going to Disneyland with my kids. They are great to be around and love Disneyland as much as I do. They grew up there practically, having visited the park(s) some 15 times since 1992. I was pregnant with our youngest on that first trip. I wonder if we will have just as much fun with just the two of us than with all of us. But then, I also want some time with my hubby in DL without the kids, much as I love them. More thinking is in order, I believe.
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 While going to DLR with the kids at any age is memorable, just the 2 of you can be a blast. One perk I have noticed is there are alot less decisions to make. If you plan to go to Splash and the band starts marching down the street you can make an instant decision to stop and listen. You can plan to go to Tower of Terror but notice that the lineup for Aladdin is moving and in you go. Or opposite, you can plan to see Fantasmic but decide it's too crowded and head for some rides. As a family we always made "group" decisions and tried to stick to them. We went often enough that we were a "well oiled machine" as a group but still everyone had their favorite things to do. You can also try some different restaurants. We went to Catal for the first time and dined on the balcony at 9pm, shortly after our salad came, the fireworks started. We had a late brunch at Carnation Cafe and met Oscar for the first time. In the past few years we made PS for Fantasmic and went on a couple of tours (I highly recommend the Holiday Tour.) Trust me, it is a completely different trip, just as magical but in a different way.
Originally Posted By MerryMouseWife Thanks, Amazed. We had a terrific time in 1995 when we went without the kids, but they were really little at the time, 5, 3, and 18 months. It was truly magical as we stayed in the Disneyland Hotel and it was fantastic. Very romantic. Now that the kids are 17, 15, and 13 it is not as stressful as when we had to manage baby switch and all that. We had the chance to go for a one-day, one-park visit this past July and just had the best time. Now the oldest DD is close to college, I really value our vacation time together before she is away permanently. Wahhhh! I am so not ready! Goodness, was it just a few years ago that I wondered if the diaper stage was ever going to end? Anyway, the more we are talking with each other, the more I think we will go for just the two of us. We did celebrate a milestone anniversary this past February and have not had a real chance to celebrate it, so this might be our chance. Then maybe we can come back in February for a quick weekend with the kids. We live in AZ so it is not impossible to get there for a weekend. I'll be sure to let you all know and post in the trip countdown thread. EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
Originally Posted By Dalia3001 oooh! Holiday tour! What's that? My husband and I will be there the 11th through the 14th, that sounds like it might be fun. Anyone know if it's going on during the week?
Originally Posted By amazedncal2 Dalia, 99% sure the tour is available everyday during Dec but I could be wrong. It's a tour showing the holiday decorations and traditions of Disneyland. Included along with the tour, is front of the line access to the holiday themed attractions, seating for the parade and a holiday snack We've gone on it 3 times now and enjoyed every one. I wish I knew how to post links, but if you scroll back to last Dec, there must be a trip report or info in the DL section. MerryMouseWife, I remember those ages, lots of fun and busy times. My "kids" are now 31, 28, 25 and 20. DH and I are going to DLR in Oct., 25 year old son and his wife are joining us for 3 nights and 28 year old son and his girlfriend are driving down for 2 nights DH and I now go about 4 times a year and when the kids find out, somehow they find a way to join us Now we make sure that we are there for a couple of "alone" days and then days with the "kids." Now that I think about it, our 20 year old DD and her boyfriend are at DLR now, without us, hey, how did that happen! Have fun with your trip planning!
Originally Posted By dzy76 amazedncal2 you raised those kids right if they still choose to go to DL. I'm hoping that is how it will be with my three boys. They still love it 21, 18, 15. I'll need them to go with me in my older years as my DH won't go anymore (hates the lines and crowds).
Originally Posted By Dalia3001 Oh wow, thanks, that sounds great! I think the Holiday tour would make a perfect suprise for my husband.
