Hi Robert! Thanks for dropping by planDisney.
I'm so sorry your wife experienced such a deeply affecting loss at Christmas. The holidays can be absolutely magical and they can also be very challenging for many of us, especially when they are associated with a painful loss. Your wife isn't alone. I hope your upcoming visit will be a source of mutual joy and maybe a bit of a distraction too.
You've chosen a really beautiful location to stay during the
Holidays at the Disneyland Resort.
Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa is beautifully decorated for the holidays. The lobby is a real treat. Soak up the atmosphere by grabbing a spot to enjoy the tree and sip a little something from the Grand Californian Great Hall Cart. Also, you can purchase the popular Mickey Mouse Gingerbread Cookie from the cart. The lines are often shorter than elsewhere in the parks.
There aren't Characters in the lobby or at the desk. However, there are plenty of places to meet your favorite Characters, including Character Dining Experiences in Disney's Grand Californian Hotel & Spa. If you'd like to book
Character Dining, do so soon! Popular experiences fill up fast. Keep checking if your top spot is full. People's plans change, which will lead to changes in availability.
Outside of a meal, you can also meet your favorite Characters in the parks. To locate Characters, download the
Disneyland mobile app, bring up the map, and switch from "Attractions" to "Characters" at the top. Some Characters are roaming, others have Meet & Greets. Our favorite spot in Disneyland Park to run into roaming Characters is Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. There are always a lot of Characters roaming in Fantasyland too. Or, hang out in Avenger's Campus in Disney California Adventure Park to run into some of your favorite heroes.
This trip might be the perfect occasion to make fresh memories and build new traditions, while also honoring the memory of your mother-in-law. You all will know how best to do that. If she was a Disney fan too, you might purchase a special holiday ornament featuring her favorite Character, something to hang on the tree and always remember her.
I hope you and your wife have a beautiful, healing holiday.
Elizabeth