Christmas Decorations This Year

[famsen]

But, I couldn't find the little gingerbread houses they usually display at the Polynesian... I thought maybe it's early?

We went to see the gingerbread at the Polynesian and was told by CM that they are not doing it this year.

 

[LindaBabe]

I have to agree with wolfpackfan. It was WAY more crowded than we have been accustomed to for the same week in past years. The decorations were sparcer and less 'themed' than in the past - a big disappointment, I thought. And we too, witnessed the CM "lack of 'traditions'. Even many of the guests in general seemed to have more 'me first' attitudes. Just didn't feel the magic.

As a result, I'm not renewing my annual pass this year. Banking what's left of our points. We'll try again probably in 2011. If the 'magic' is still not found, I imagine we'll be selling, or just using DVC as lodging on a Central Florida vacation. I figure in 40+ trips over the last 10 years plus buying DVC, as a couple, we've dropped close to 200K at WDW. So, I guess 'lack of magic' is going to save me money!

 

[mjlass11]

Is it just me, but so far we've been to three parks - Epcot, MK and AK and there doesn't seem to be as many decorations out this year (not withstanding the Epcot Lights). DW has noticed it also. Also, we don't seem to hear as much Christmas music as we've heard in the past. If all of this is some type of Disney cost savings, I just don't understand. The parks and resorts seem to be absolutely packed with people. Last night at MK, it seemed like the crowds were larger than any other time we've been there including Easter and Christmas Day. I'm really kind of disappointed. This is our third year in a row coming to WDW at Christmas and so far the magic just isn't here. All we've seen so far is crowds, slow buses and CM's who don't seem to be real friendly. I saw one CM give a guest one heck of a time this morning at Pizzafarri related to the DDP. I mean he was absolutely rude. I felt very sorry for the lady. DW and I kind of go with the flow. We've done everything and seen everything pretty much you can do here, so if we miss something it doesn't matter. But if I was a first time visitor, I would be very disappointed.

I was afraid to write anything for being labeled a "whiner", but just returned from my first Disney Christmas trip and was less than impressed. I figured that it was just the weather because it was rainy and cold. I was really looking forward to this trip and the decorations, yet the only placed that I remember great decorations was the Grand Floridian. The Christmas trees at Epcot, Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge were nice as were the Osborne lights, but otherwise I was disappointed. I thought that I was just expecting too much, so I'm actually happy to hear that it was due to cutbacks. This way, it may return to "how it used to be". As for rude CM, I went to the concierge and said I had 2 quick questions for her, and her response with an irritated look was "what". I did call her supervisor who apparently knew exactly whom I was talking about with just saying where she was from, so apparently this wasn't the first time. MK was crazy busy Saturday night so we couldn't get a good picture of the castle when it was lit. I thought it seemed busier that what it was "supposed to be" for the first week of December. I'm truly happy to see others had similar experiences.

 

[manning]

I imagine we'll be selling, or just using DVC as lodging on a Central Florida vacation.

That's what we do now. It is sad when you look forward to eating at Bob Evans.

 

[dvcod]

Like others who just returned from WDW my family and I were dissapointed with the Christmas Decorations. This was our first DVC visit and our last visit was 5 years ago...and the difference to me was incredible. I can understand with the economy why this has happened...but it is sad none the less. As others have said....had I not know how the World looked at Christmas in the past....I would not be responding as I am. We purchased annual passes and talked before the trip that we might return the week before Thanksgiving so we could get another use out of the passes...but also talked that we loved the Christmas Decorations so much that we might just go after Thanksgiving again and buy new passes. Well...on our flight home we decided that we will go the week before Thanksgiving...use the passes....and really don't feel we will be missing much. We stayed at AKV Jambo...and the decorations in the lodge were exceptional!!!!!!...and we will miss that...but as for the parks...well...we will just save the money and miss the decorations that were up. PS...the Osborne lights were INCREDIBLE !!! This was our first time for them...and words can't discribe how special they were. Merry Christmas to "ALL"

 

[Maistre Gracey]

With the exception of Mainstreet and parts of Epcot, I always thought the decorations in the parks were over rated.
I always thought the resorts were great, but now I'm concerned about that..

MG

 

[manning]

Understand all the action is over at the campground.

 

[bobbiwoz]

We begin our trip on Friday, with dinner at Artist Point. If the VWL doesn't have a tree in the atrium, I will be very disappointed. However, I think Cinderella's castle's lights make up for lots of disappointments elsewhere. There were no Osborne lights for at least one year, and they came back dancing and with music.

As long as they have the Candlelight Processional, DH and I will continue to go and enjoy December in WDW.

It's interesting that so many of you are disappointed when the D23 magazine featured an article about Christmas decorations at all of the Disney parks and then there was the H&G TV special. I wonder why they chose to pick this year to downsize, yet advertise. It must be to get many more first time visitors, yet D23 is for "regulars."

Bobbi

PS. We do go over to the campgrounds to see what the people do there.

 

[DMKEDM]

Add us to the group that noticed the downgrade in seasonal decorations this year...we were there 11/22 to 12/1...prior to T-giving, we kept expecting a "transformation" Thursday night...but we didn't notice anything at all added Friday morning.

The missing Lights of Winter are a huge disappointment to me...I loved that arch of lights SO much...oh, well...I do like the blue/silver/purple tree display at the beginning of the walkway to World Showcase (just behind the dancing fountain)...

The decorations that were up were beautiful...Beach Club (where we stayed), Yacht Club and Boardwalk were gorgeous...but even they seemed understated compared to years previous (we go every T-giving)...and I do believe the g'bread store in the Beach Club lobby is new...I noticed it, didn't particularly mind it, but thought w/a moment of sadness that the only "new" things are things aimed at separating people from their money...$7 for a g'bread shingle was a high enough price for a treat that I skipped it at first...finally bought one a couple of days later, and didn't care for it...that added to my sense that if Disney could charge extra for it, it'd be there...otherwise, it would cut back...easier to be critical of this when you don't care for the "luxury" you just purchased...

Like others, I don't "blame" Disney and I am not currently planning to cut back on our visits to WDW...but I did notice the skimpier decorations everywhere and I was disappointed...I hope as the economy rebounds the cuts will disappear...if not, well then "the magic" that keeps bringing me back to Disney will either remain or not...all the cut-backs do in fact diminish "the magic;" I guess we'll see when/if they cross the line and there's little enough magic remaining that it's not worth making the trip any more...

Sad...but in the economic times we're living in, there's much more that's lots sadder...and hopefully it's temporary...

 

[dcfromva]

...and I do believe the g'bread store in the Beach Club lobby is new...I noticed it, didn't particularly mind it, but thought w/a moment of sadness that the only "new" things are things aimed at separating people from their money...$7 for a g'bread shingle was a high enough price for a treat that I skipped it at first...finally bought one a couple of days later, and didn't care for it...

I thought about the commercial aspect, too. But, on the other hand, it is cool to be able to get at little taste of gingerbread (if you like gingerbread )
I never cared for the shingles, but I do like the snowflakes. I thought the snowflakes at the BC were a pretty good deal. They were $4.00 per cookie. At CR, the smallest gingerbread cookie was $6.00 (though, they had more chocolate on them) and at GF, the exquisitely decorated snowflake ornaments were $8.50 each. We brought back samples for DS who loves gingerbread. (His favorite remains the classic GF snowflake ornarments. )

 

[WolfpackFan]

Food for thought - I was surprised at how early MK is closing this week. Then I noticed how often MVMCP is offered. I guess that is a big source of revenue. Charging guests big bucks to get back in where they have already purchased a pass.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I do blame Disney. They charge high prices, and still make a large profit regardless of the economic conditions. They want to make an even larger profit, so they are cutting back on the things that made them great in the first place.

Bottom line, I don't mind paying the high prices that Disney charges, but I darn well better get the exceptionalism that I'm paying for.
Paying high prices for mediocrity is unacceptable.

MG

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Food for thought - I was surprised at how early MK is closing this week. Then I noticed how often MVMCP is offered. I guess that is a big source of revenue. Charging guests big bucks to get back in where they have already purchased a pass.

I noticed that as well. We were there for 10 days in Nov and in an 8 day period they had 5 MVMCP's! I did start debating if Nov/Dec is the best time to go since access to the park is so restricted by this. And of course the nights that didn't have the party were mad house's b/c everyone was going when they had an opening. This also is a time period that the parks close down early so we were much more limited all the way around.

 

[SusieBea]

I do blame Disney. They charge high prices, and still make a large profit regardless of the economic conditions. They want to make an even larger profit, so they are cutting back on the things that made them great in the first place.

Bottom line, I don't mind paying the high prices that Disney charges, but I darn well better get the exceptionalism that I'm paying for.
Paying high prices for mediocrity is unacceptable.

MG

That last paragraph pretty well sums it up and should be prominently posted in the office of every Disney decision maker!

 

[El&Asmom]

We've never been during the holidays. We are considering a trip in '11 for the week after Thanksgiving as our younger two dds both have b-days that week. This post is making me rethink this. Maybe we'll consider an Oct trip instead. It will be warmer and it looks like the crowds are starting to grow for the early Dec period. Hopefully when the economy picks up, Disney will go back to the old decorations that made the x-mass period such a wonderful time to go.

 

[nickspace]

This all sounds very disappointing. Perhaps when the economy turns around Disney will pick up their quality. If they don't the will have lost their greatest asset and the money will follow out the door.

 

[disneynutz]

Unfortunately, I think that the reductions are here to stay. With every vacation, and we are at WDW 2 to 3 times per year, we notice cut backs and changes that reduce what made WDW so special.

Granted first timers wouldn't notice the cut backs and the changes to the business model that has become the new Disney but us old timers do and apparently Disney has made their decision.

 

[thelionqueen]

That last paragraph pretty well sums it up and should be prominently posted in the office of every Disney decision maker!

ITA!

 

[manning]

I can remember Disney in it's blazing christmas decoration glory..... and that was in the Carter years when inflation and unemployment were high gas was in short supply....and Disney was able to pull it off.

So, when does Disney become a Six Flags??? Just another theme park to maybe go to.!!

 

[Doug7856]

We spent 10 day from November 19 to 28 at Walt Disney World. Other than SSR, I can't speak to specific resorts, but we did not notice a huge reduction in decorations. We stayed at SSR and the decorations, while underwhelming there, were about the same as last year and 2006. I was surprised by the nice decorations at the Treehouse Villas since the rest of SSR doesn't have them (the music playing in the bus stops is a very nice touch).

I thought the parks were about the same -- big exception being the missing Lights of Winter at Epcot. As was mentioned previously, the Osborne Lights began November 10th this year -- a huge improvement over 2008. I did miss the banners on the light posts in the Magic Kingdom during MVMCP -- there were there in 2006, but I did not see them in 2007 (missed 2008).

A previous post mentioned music and I have to agree that there seemed to be less Christmas music playing in the parks.

I don't think the reductions are significant, but definitely a decline by degrees.