A Fond Look back at the Lights of Winter

[safetymom]

http://www.wdwinfo.com/a-fond-look-back-at-epcots-lights-of-winter.htm

 

[ArwenMarie]

Very nice (but sad!) blog post.

It feels so empty without them.

I think this is one of those things that goes along with WDW's incessant focus on first-timers...First-timers don't know that these are gone so poof.

 

[mrsR123]

I, too, loved them and miss them. Stupid, short-sighted financial move. They would have been a nice thing to do while one was waiting for one's FP+ for Donald's sad boat ride or a place to relax after waiting three hours for Soarin' after one used a FP+ for TT...


Thanks, though, for the post and the pictures. They are lovely.

 

[JanaDee]

DH and I were lucky enough to see them in early Jan 2008, right before they disappeared, never to be seen again.

I can still remember the joy of walking underneath the lights and seeing the reflection on DH's face and our smiles.

 

[Sandy Fisher]

We moved to central FL in spring of 2007 so we had more than a few opportunities over the years to see the way Disney World WAS done over the holidays.
I'm not sure I'd believe any excuse now for what they do or don't do. Those of us who have been Disney fans for many years have seen many things, large and small disappear. Nice things.
Epcot was nicer with the lights.

 

[Donut23]

Here. Let's further enhance our Walk Through Memory Lane.

Remember the big platform/stage the EPCOT tree stood on and all the characters who came out for the tree lighting every night. Thank you YouTube. We don't have to rely on memory when Disney takes away.


http://youtu.be/xGHhUk56pe8


"One Solitary Life". Removed from Candelight Processional because it was "too Christian". Marlee Matlin's narration will bring chills. I was fortunate enough to see Rita Moreno narrate. She brought the show to a stop after her reading with our standing ovation. Enjoy the chills.


http://youtu.be/rbhVL6uxkm4



Should I post a video of the Illuminations Holiday postscript last year....before they shortened the show/took away Walter Cronkite's marvelous section and dramatically reduced the shells in the finale. Kind of leaves us old timers shaking our heads. It's easy to find on YouTube if you want to see the real show!

There are too many cutbacks to show, sadly. The tree lighting and One Solitary
Life deserve another look.

Enjoy.

 

[Donut23]

DH and I were lucky enough to see them in early Jan 2008, right before they disappeared, never to be seen again.

I can still remember the joy of walking underneath the lights and seeing the reflection on DH's face and our smiles.

The view from "inside" is not so pretty. DH is a 37 year cast member working hard toward 40 years and retirement. Few as dedicated.

He has never forgiven them for taking away Lights of Winter.

 

[js]

Thanks. I have pictures somewhere from December 2008. We were there the first week of December.

Have been back to Disney many times since then but not over Christmas with the exception of this year since Im leaving on Friday!

Thanks for the pictures.

 

[songkat]

My first Christmas time trip to WDW was in December of 1994. I had no idea they were brand new that year. They were beautiful! I'm so glad I have extensive video of those lights. Their absence is truly felt by those of us who knew their beauty.

 

[Belle5]

Very bad decision to remove them. They were so beautiful!

 

[Grumpy92]

To this day I hear the music they used on the radio and immediately think of the lights of winter. The way the monorail went right thru them. I Miss them every year at this time!!!

I still have a video, but you can watch this one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9BOZ3VIfao

 

[lustergirl]

they were beautiful