I can remember watching the Disney Christmas Parade when I was really little.  After the rush of excitement from opening presents and dressing up for church, my mom and grandma and I would curl up in the family room and watch our VCR recorded parade.  The Christmas parade was amazing… Disneyland and Walt Disney World were literally sparkling with thousands of Christmas decorations and the characters were so festive in their Holiday costumes.  It was during those special parade viewings that I determined I HAD to get to Disney to experience these wonders for myself.  So… some 20 years later… I’m headed to Disneyland this December to see all of its Holiday splendor!

My mom and I had been tossing around the idea for months, but with our D23 Expo trip, we knew we wouldn’t be able to make another California trip this year.  But, it seems a little pixie flew our way and sprinkled some of that shimmering dust on us because some really great things fell into place and the second weekend in December we will find ourselves checking into the Paradise Pier Hotel.

I can’t wait.  Seriously, I can hardly sit still with excitement!  While we knew family obligations would prohibit us from being at Disneyland on Christmas Day, or even the week of, we are more than thrilled to make it any time when snow will fall on Main Street and those infamous Small World dolls will turn in their “catchy” tune for some Christmas Carols.

We’ve had so many blessings in planning this trip… amazing airfare that we never thought possible, hotel deals that are allowing us to stay on property instead of at a Good Neighbor Hotel… every piece is magically falling into place.  This year Christmas will have more than its normal share of joy and wonder.  This is going to be the kind of Disney Magic I’ve been dreaming of my entire life.

So, what are your tips and tricks, must-sees, and skip-its for visiting the park during the Holiday season?  Other than preparing for crowds is there anything I need to know about maximizing four days of Christmas splendor?  Leave a comment and let me know!

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