Okay, "less Christmassy" folks...let's see your comparison pictures!

[dreambound]

I keep hearing aobut how there are less decorations and it just "feels" less Christmassy in the parks. If you've made that statement, then clearly you have been during Christmas time before...

Let's see those comparison pics! Aside from LOW being gone, let's SEE the difference with pics of Futureworld from last year (or any other "more Christmassy" year) and this year.

Not being snarky. I just want to see the difference for myself. The only other concrete I've heard is, "Fewer poinsettias at Beach Club" and "LOW is gone." But what else???

Meg

 

[MareSINY]

What the heck is LOW? LOL

It's funny, I was there the first week of November, when we arrived we saw the Halloween decorations and at the end of our week they were starting to decorate for Christmas. We heard Christmas music in the parks, saw lots of decorations and started to feel the warm and fuzzy Christmas spirit. And that was just when they started decorating!

 

[TunaSled]

Felt just as 'Christmassy' as ever to us. Truly enchanting. Anyone who believes that the holiday spirit at WDW is diminishing needs to spend a half hour in the center of the Osborne lights display. That should be the Scrooge 'time out' area... you're guaranteed to walk away feeling like a candy cane. As for decorations and such, it's all there... no different from our last stay 3 years ago. The huge decorated trees, the buntings, wreaths, all of it. Beautiful.

 

[DisneyChristmas]

LOW is Lights of Winter lighted arch display at Epcot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44F6uRm0C9g

Hope it's OK to post links. This is NOT my video, but a good example.

 

[princessmom29]

We have been at Thanksgiving 2 years in a row now and if anything, it felt MORE christmasy this year than last, with the exception of EPCOT. Taking out the lights of winter really, really effected our enjoyment of the christmas events there. I just didn't feel the same.

 

[dburg30]

 

[wdwtweets]

It would be need to see side by side comparison photos. Good idea for a thread.

 

[Rip]

I keep hearing aobut how there are less decorations and it just "feels" less Christmassy in the parks. If you've made that statement, then clearly you have been during Christmas time before...

Let's see those comparison pics! Aside from LOW being gone, let's SEE the difference with pics of Futureworld from last year (or any other "more Christmassy" year) and this year.

Not being snarky. I just want to see the difference for myself. The only other concrete I've heard is, "Fewer poinsettias at Beach Club" and "LOW is gone." But what else???

Meg

Almost like saying "Aside from main street having no decorations", or "aside from the Osbourne lights being gone".

Seriously, when you, as part of your initial premise, acknowledge that the biggest "Christmassy" thing in their second-most popular park is gone, that pretty much renders the rest of the question moot.

FWIW, I just returned and there certainly was a noticeable difference between the "Christmassy" look of this year as compared to previous times we have been for the holidays. Unfortunately, I seriously doubt I have any side-by-side pictures to post, as many of mine are not digitized anyway.

ETA - I apologize in advance if this comes across as sarcastic or anything, tone is not always an easy thing to determine on the interwebs, but this wasn't meant to sound snarky.

 

[dreambound]

Almost like saying "Aside from main street having no decorations", or "aside from the Osbourne lights being gone".

Seriously, when you, as part of your initial premise, acknowledge that the biggest "Christmassy" thing in their second-most popular park is gone, that pretty much renders the rest of the question moot.

FWIW, I just returned and there certainly was a noticeable difference between the "Christmassy" look of this year as compared to previous times we have been for the holidays. Unfortunately, I seriously doubt I have any side-by-side pictures to post, as many of mine are not digitized anyway.

No, I'm referring to people saying that Tomorrowland feels much less Christmassy, or that the Boardwalk lacks a Christmassy feel. I'm just sayin', people keep saying it, and they aren't just referring to LOW. They've said it is pervasive, and several have said that it is extremely noticeable at MK. So, LOW being gone at Epcot doesn't account for the Christmassy feel being absent at MK.

LOW is definitely a big deal. It's one of my favorite things at Epcot. But I can see why they removed it. My dh thought it was a bit chintzy and feels he has seen better things in our hometown. (I disagree with him.) Anyway, the walkway from Futureworld to World Showcase HARDLY accounts for the entire WDW resort. I'm not just hearing that EPCOT is less Christmassy. I'm hearing the whole darned thing (including DTD) just doesn't have as many decorations.



Meg

 

[mickeystoontown]

I've read a few posts about the "less Christmasy" feel too. I'd love to see comparison pictures.

 

[dreambound]

FWIW, I just returned and there certainly was a noticeable difference between the "Christmassy" look of this year as compared to previous times we have been for the holidays. Unfortunately, I seriously doubt I have any side-by-side pictures to post, as many of mine are not digitized anyway.

ETA - I apologize in advance if this comes across as sarcastic or anything, tone is not always an easy thing to determine on the interwebs, but this wasn't meant to sound snarky.

Rip, I hope I am not sounding snarky either. But you say there is a noticeable difference. I'm not challenging the honesty of the posters here who have said there is a difference. I'm actually trying to decide if our next trip should still be in Dec. because I think I would be sad if the difference was really that noticeable.

So, if you could be more specific, where is the difference? At the resorts? Tomorrowland? What is it in tomorrowland? Less garland? Fewer Christmas trees? Is the Christmas music gone?

Thanks,

Meg

 

[snowwhitenyc]

I just got back from my first holiday visit to the World. I can't really compare the decoration level from one year to the last, but Epcot looked glaringly bare, particularly Future World. We entered from the International Gateway so I imagine there must have been something at the front of the park, but otherwise you wouldn't have known it was a holiday until you got to the big tree at the entrance to the World Showcase.

The park looked pretty as always, but I didn't even take any photos because they wouldn't have looked any different from the ones I took in May, or last February. I mean, they couldn't have stuck Santa hats on the seagulls in front of Nemo? Or placed some funky metallic trees here and there? I am sure LOW was amazing, and I certainly think Disney needs to come up with a suitable replacement for it for Christmas 2010.

 

[Rip]

No, I'm referring to people saying that Tomorrowland feels much less Christmassy, or that the Boardwalk lacks a Christmassy feel. I'm just sayin', people keep saying it, and they aren't just referring to LOW. They've said it is pervasive, and several have said that it is extremely noticeable at MK. So, LOW being gone at Epcot doesn't account for the Christmassy feel being absent at MK.

LOW is definitely a big deal. It's one of my favorite things at Epcot. But I can see why they removed it. My dh thought it was a bit chintzy and feels he has seen better things in our hometown. (I disagree with him.) Anyway, the walkway from Futureworld to World Showcase HARDLY accounts for the entire WDW resort. I'm not just hearing that EPCOT is less Christmassy. I'm hearing the whole darned thing (including DTD) just doesn't have as many decorations.


Meg

I'd agree with that sentiment. The problem is, you're not likely to find enough pictures of the exact same areas to actually prove it.

As a whole, outside of Main Street the entire MK seemed to have fewer decorations this year. Given that a large section of DTD is now closed, I'm not sure if it is fair to bring them into the comparison, though one could make the argument that the closings are related. Obviously it's noticeable at EPCOT, and I don't really recall that many decorations in DHS outside of the Osbourne area. AK didn't seem to be decorated all that much either, but then I'm not sure it ever has been as it is our least favorite park and we generally only spend a half-day or so there.

I have never really spent much time in the Boardwalk area prior to this visit, so I can't compare, but I can say that there wasn't much there this year.

I would venture a guess that the LOW is what is making all the other, smaller reductions more noticeable (and the "dead-zone" that takes up 1/3 of DTD).

 

[ShannonMB]

I've also read lots and lots about how 'less-Christmassy' everything is this year. I'm awfully glad I didn't go at holiday time until this year, so I don't know what I'm missing from the 'good ol' days' when everything was WAY more awesome than now. I was pretty knocked out by the gorgeous Christmas trees at each of the parks, the Osborne lights, Main Street during MVMCP, and especially the smell of gingerbread throughout the lobby of the GF.

 

[Rip]

Rip, I hope I am not sounding snarky either. But you say there is a noticeable difference. I'm not challenging the honesty of the posters here who have said there is a difference. I'm actually trying to decide if our next trip should still be in Dec. because I think I would be sad if the difference was really that noticeable.

So, if you could be more specific, where is the difference? At the resorts? Tomorrowland? What is it in tomorrowland? Less garland? Fewer Christmas trees? Is the Christmas music gone?

Thanks,

Meg

No worries, you aren't sounding snarky at all.

I hope my previous post answered some of your questions. I couldn't vouch for the resorts as we didn't really visit any and have never stayed at ours in previous holiday visits.

There was Christmas music, but (thankfully) it wasn't constantly blaring like it was at Universal the last half of our trip!

 

[DisneyChristmas]

I'd posted the following rant to another string, but it's really more apporpriate here...

The whole point for me of putting up with the holiday crowds, high air fares, etc is to be immersed in the wonderful decorations, music, and shows.

Bit by bit these are disappearing. The subtle joys of special lamp post decorations, guest performing groups popping up here and there in the parks, and even the lighted arch at EPCOT are being replaced with mass events such as the Osbourne lights stampede and Mickey's Very Merry parties starting before mid-November.

Beginning last year, it's now OK not to put up the MK Christmas tree until after the parade is taped. In recent years, the tree had been on the lawn between the castle and rose garden. Before that, it was in place all season near the flag pole.

We've been visiting WDW at Christmas time or New Year's week since 1994. There used to a holiday dinner show at the Contemporary. The Voices of Liberty used to sing every night for the EPCOT tree lighting. Every resort - not just GF- had marvelous holiday decorations with gingerbead or chocolate structures. The entire IllumiNations show celebrated Christmas and Hannukah with holiday music and special fireworks and lasers.

It's "death by a thousand cuts". Bits of magic are being scrapped every year.

 

[dreambound]

I've also read lots and lots about how 'less-Christmassy' everything is this year. I'm awfully glad I didn't go at holiday time until this year, so I don't know what I'm missing from the 'good ol' days' when everything was WAY more awesome than now. I was pretty knocked out by the gorgeous Christmas trees at each of the parks, the Osborne lights, Main Street during MVMCP, and especially the smell of gingerbread throughout the lobby of the GF.

FYI, I've been going in December since 2005. EVERY year there are "less decorations" and "it is less Christmassy" threads. I've always thought it is all wonderful, so back in the "good 'ol days" it must have been like Christmas threw up all over WDW.

Meg

 

[ShannonMB]

FYI, I've been going in December since 2005. EVERY year there are "less decorations" and "it is less Christmassy" threads. I've always thought it is all wonderful, so back in the "good 'ol days" it must have been like Christmas threw up all over WDW.

Meg

 

[goofy4tink]

FYI, I've been going in December since 2005. EVERY year there are "less decorations" and "it is less Christmassy" threads. I've always thought it is all wonderful, so back in the "good 'ol days" it must have been like Christmas threw up all over WDW.

Meg

Yep, that's pretty much how it 'used' to be. I've been going every year for 6 years now. I didn't take photos of non-Christmasy things...didn't think there would be any call for that...dopey me.
All I know is that there used to be beds of poinsettias everywhere you looked...at all the resorts. They were incredibly absent this year. Epcot was barren, with the exception of WS..each country was nicely done up but that was it. The beautiful icicle type things that were in back of the fountain are gone, as well as the wonderful LoW.
Even the huge Christmas tree at the entrance to WS had a huge area, towards the top, that was completely out. But it was fixed by the next night.
I'm not going to try to justify my feelings. I guess it's all relative. I just didn't feel all that 'Christmasy' this time around. And I know others with me felt the same way...and we've been there at the same time, every year for 6+ years.
Yes, I went to the Osborne Lights...several times. And they were wonderful. But, they were squished into a much smaller area this year. It seems that each year, they are more and more compact, which puts more and more people in one area. But, they are, as usual, beautiful and very festive.

 

[dreambound]

Yep, that's pretty much how it 'used' to be. I've been going every year for 6 years now. I didn't take photos of non-Christmasy things...didn't think there would be any call for that...dopey me.

Oh, I just mean general shots, like a picture looking down Tomorrowland from Dec. 2004 compared with a shot from Dec. 2009. Not, "here is a picture of a lamppost without garland."