Disapointed with Decorations

[webbmom]

We planned our Thanksgiving vacation to meet family in Orlando and see the decorations at Disney. I remember many years ago being in awe at all the decorations at the parks and hotels and really feeling ready for the holiday season. We went to 6 major Dis hotels and 2 parks and I have been less than impressed.

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

I think it's still early to expect much, isn't it?

 

[eelderm1]

We were at MK for the Christmas Party on Nov.11th. I was not blown away with the decor like I usually am. I remember a few years ago there were huge decorated beautiful trees at each park. This year at MK there were only 2 small trees with toy soldiers. I was so excited to show my daughter the huge tree and then it was not even there. What happened?

 

[mesaboy2]

We planned our Thanksgiving vacation to meet family in Orlando and see the decorations at Disney. I remember many years ago being in awe at all the decorations at the parks and hotels and really feeling ready for the holiday season. We went to 6 major Dis hotels and 2 parks and I have been less than impressed.

Was the time you were in awe of them the first time you saw them? If so, that might have something to do with it.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I think it's still early to expect much, isn't it?

Really nothing more will be going up after today. They have cut back quite a bit in recent years.

The MK tree is not put in place until after they have taped the Christmas Day parade, next weekend.

 

[msmith07101]

We were at MK for the Christmas Party on Nov.11th. I was not blown away with the decor like I usually am. I remember a few years ago there were huge decorated beautiful trees at each park. This year at MK there were only 2 small trees with toy soldiers. I was so excited to show my daughter the huge tree and then it was not even there. What happened?

They had the huge trees at each park last year. Maybe November 11th was too early? Not sure when they put them up

 

[Withacy]

We were at MK for the Christmas Party on Nov.11th. I was not blown away with the decor like I usually am. I remember a few years ago there were huge decorated beautiful trees at each park. This year at MK there were only 2 small trees with toy soldiers. I was so excited to show my daughter the huge tree and then it was not even there. What happened?

I may have totally imagined it (always a possibility), but I thought I read here last year that the tree doesn't go up until AFTER they film the parade, because it blocks camera views or something?

Anyway, I remember people complaining about there not being a tree there, but when we went (2nd week of December) there certainly was a MASSIVE tree there, just inside the entrance - and at every resort we visited (and we went to most of the Deluxe & Moderate ones).

 

[shinysparklybubbles]

We saw a huge tree at EpCot and HS. The one in Epcot was kind of funky real on the bottom 10 feet or so and fake the rest. Strange.

 

[webbmom]

I am glad I am not the only one then. According to their site, they start Nov 1. and are complete by Thanksgiving weekend. Going to try AK tomorrow. Hoping that is better but not getting my hopes up. Even the countries in Epcot were blah. I was really looking forward to seeing them decorated.

Gingerbread houses - They only one I saw advertised was at Grand Floridian, which is where I had seen a hole lobby full before. So I was extreamily disapointed to see only one there and half of it was a store.

Now the one at Beach Club, that one was cool and we found that by mistake. We just happened to have dinner reservations there. Interactive too. There were hidden mickeys through out the display.

 

[DisneyNDecember]

Really nothing more will be going up after today. They have cut back quite a bit in recent years.

The MK tree is not put in place until after they have taped the Christmas Day parade, next weekend.

This is soooo true !!!! We have gone every December for the past 8 years & every year there is less & less, especially at Epcot.

Epcot used to have the Lights of Wonder (I think that was what they were called) with the dancing lights/music & I could literally sit on a bench with a cup of coffee & watch them for at least an hour-- gone !!!

They used to have the Character Tree lighting ceremony at Epcot with dancing, a stage show, & huge presents & a huge EPCOT bow under the tree, gone !!!! Only the tree is there & no tree lighting ceremony like in months past.

In the Epcot World Showcase area, they used to have TONS of lights within the trees surrounding the lakes, last year they were barely there, just a few trees had any lights in them. The decorations at Epcot for Christmas have become almost non-existent-- very sad !!!!

I noticed this exact same thing at Magig Kingdom last year, they used to have clear lights in almost all of the trees, just a few now.

Yes, they used to put the Magic Kingdom Tree up BEFORE the taping of the parade about 2 or 3 years ago & now they have stopped that, they only now put the Magic Kingdom tree up AFTER the taping of the parade to save the costs of putting it up & taking it down more than once.

If you don't go every December, you probably would not notice these things, but this is my favorite time of the year to go & it fits into my son's school schedule the best, so we still love this time of year, but the little details are slowly being removed, very sad !!!

Lights of Wonder & the presents under the tree/Epcot Banner that USED to be at Epcot ....

You won't see this now until AFTER the parade taping (first weekend in December), so if you are there after Thanksgiving or in November, no tree in Magic Kingdom.

 

[Mary T in PA]

Im here now and to the OP you need to stop in at the Boardwalk as their display is very cool too. And isnt there a gingerbread house at America in Epcot inside the resraurant? Also the festivities are just starting at Epcot as the extra fireworks at the end for the holidays started tonight.

I feel the parks are decorated pretty well. Do I miss LoW at Epcot? Yes. But I still think the resorts and parks are decked out. I guess I'm happy to be here instead of freezing at home

 

[TLSnell1981]

[/B]

The Lights of Winter, were definitely one of my favorites. At least, we saw them in 2008, before they were retired. I'm concerned, we will be disappointed with the decorations this year. It seems, everything at Disney is on a downward slide. Of course, except their prices.

 

[Mickey Gator]

I do miss the Lights of Wonder but WDW is a better holidays experience then Universal or Sea World.

 

[kaelarad]

There seem to be fewer and fewer decorations each year. Not very festive anymore. Epcot is the worst. So much has been taken away. Like everything else with Disney, It is the bottom line.

 

[webbmom]

To DisneyinDecember Thanks for posting the pictures. THAT is what I remembered seeing and was looking forward too. We won't be back during this time of year again. I will stick to January and September when the parks are less crowded.

 

[RMulieri]

The huge MK tree DOES NOT GO UP till after the parade taping (1st weekend in Dec)anymore.They used to put it up and move it out of the way for taping.They stopped doing that about 2 yrs ago

 

[OhioDisneyDad]

To DisneyinDecember Thanks for posting the pictures. THAT is what I remembered seeing and was looking forward too. We won't be back during this time of year again. I will stick to January and September when the parks are less crowded.

Same here. We went last year the week before Xmas expecting to see all kinds of decorations and we were disappointed. The best part is the Osborne Lights and the resort decorations. Other than that, I can go to my local outdoor mall and see the same or more decorations. I'm glad we went but I won't be going back for the Xmas decorations - our next trip is January 2011.

 

[Planogirl]

Epcot was so beautiful at one time. It really bothers me that they've taken much of that away.

 

[Dan Murphy]

The huge MK tree DOES NOT GO UP till after the parade taping (1st weekend in Dec)anymore.They used to put it up and move it out of the way for taping.They stopped doing that about 2 yrs ago

It was nice years back, before they had that Regis guy and lady doing the broadcast in Town Square. When they had those two set up by the bridge between Casey's and the hub, they were able to have the tree in Town Square from day one. Then those 2 took over Town Square and they would have the tree by the rose garden area for Nov and Dec until after the taping, then move it overnight on Sun or Mon to the square. So much is lost by not having it there at all for a month.

 

[RMulieri]

It was nice years back, before they had that Regis guy and lady doing the broadcast in Town Square. When they had those two set up by the bridge between Casey's and the hub, they were able to have the tree in Town Square from day one. Then those 2 took over Town Square and they would have the tree by the rose garden area for Nov and Dec until after the taping, then move it overnight on Sun or Mon to the square. So much is lost by not having it there at all for a month.

I agree..I feel bad for all the people who go to MVMCP before the tree is up, it simply is NOT the same and it feels like a BIG part of Christmas is lost