Greetings to you, Melissa, and a warm welcome from all of us at planDisney!
How wonderful that you're going to be surprising your entire family with a trip to the Disneyland Resort! Are you planning a big reveal? I can't wait for you to see the looks on their faces when you tell them that they're all going to spend the
Holidays at the Happiest Place on Earth! It's one of the most beautifully decorated times of the year and my sister has made it an annual tradition to visit with her kids just to see all the decorations.
I'm glad that you're planning ahead and checking for reservations.
Park reservations are usually released on a rolling basis 120 days in advance, so you're checking a bit early for the actual week of Christmas. As of the time of this writing, you'll have about another week to go before the
reservation calendar opens up for that time, so just keep checking! I would recommend getting your tickets early since that particular week can be a little busier.
Be sure to keep your eye on the
Disney Parks Blog for any upcoming announcements about the Holiday Season. There will be so much to take in especially since your family has not visited before! Not only do the Parks get into the Holiday Spirit, but the
Disneyland Resort Hotels will also be sporting their own festive decorations. My kids and I really enjoy walking around the Hotels and soaking in the Holiday spirit. One of our favorite things to do is to grab a cup of hot chocolate from the
GCH Craftsman Grill at
Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa and sip it while lounging in one of the comfy chairs at the fireplace in the grand lobby.
Take some time to explore the
Festival of Holidays at Disney California Adventure which is one of the highlights of the Season! And if you see a Mickey shaped Gingerbread cookie, grab one! It was one of my favorite snacks when I visited last year. If you have
Genie+, make good use of the
Disney PhotoPass photographers you'll see around so you can document this wonderful trip! You and your family are in for the time of your lives!
Melissa, I hope that this response was helpful and best wishes to all of you for a festive and magical trip! If you have any further planning questions, feel free to write back to us anytime. You're always welcome here at planDisney!
Wishing You a Great, Big, Beautiful Tomorrow!
-Al