Uggh! 11/10 - 11/17 Christmas Deorations were already up all over the world!

[DazedandConfused]

Hi all, just back on Thurs 11/17 late night flight. Had to work Fri and Sat and passed out all day today. I will be posting a trip report at some point. We had an unbelievable magical trip! One thing that really bothered me all week though was that the Christmas decorations are up already! Now, I love Christmas and love to celebrate but I paid a gazillion dollars to go to Disney and experience Disney! If I had wanted christmas I would have booked for the week of Thanksgiving or after. I never imagined that everything would be decorated already. It didn't spoil the trip but I must say that I really missed hearing the Classic Disney music throughout the park (MK). They had Christmas music piped in. It just was very strange walking around on Nov 11th listneing to "do you hear what I hear" and "rockin around the Christmas Tree". All of our photos have The decorations in them as they have Christmas garland hanging along main st and at MGM. I know I will get flamed by some but I just had to post so that if anyone is preparing for next year be aware that Christmas is coming sooner every year! I will say that the Christmas trees are beautiful in all 4 parks.
My favorite thing at Disney is WISHES so I planned to be in MK 2 nights to see and experience Wishes (I cry every time). We saw it on Fri night which was so magical - everything I had waited for during the last year and a half! We then planned again on Weds night 11/16 for wishes before extramagic hours. Well, when we got to MK... I have never seen Main St so crowded. There were hundreds of people in the hub and lining the street at 7PM. When I asked a CM what everyone was waiting for she said "I don't know, I think they think there is a parade before the preview of Holiday Wishes". I say "Come Again? Holiday Wishes?" Oh yes, they replaced my wonderful wishes with a holiday version! It was very nice but not the emotion evoking original show. It is just way to early to feel that special Christmas feeling on Main st. They did a nice job with the holiday wishes and it is beautiful it is just not "my" Wishes. I would have been prepared for Christmas if I had booked and arrived after Thanksgiving it was just such a shock to be emersed in Christmas when you're not expecting it. Everyone going for Christmas will not be dissapointed. It looks beautiful! The holiday parade at MGM is already in full swing, the performers on main st are already in full holiday attire, and the trees are decorated. I'm sure that everyone expecting Christmas will not be dissapointed. Like I said it is beautiful! I hope I didn't offend anyone - just our opinion.

 

[TDC Nala]

This is happening all over. If you don't want any Christmas it's probably time to start planning trips for before Halloween.

 

[mickey0216]

DandC - Sorry to hear that the decorations weren't to your liking. But glad to hear that the decorations did not prevent you from having a magical vacation. For us, we love going to WDW and seeing the decorations.

Different strokes for different folks...

 

[Ilovestitch]

Now, I love Christmas and love to celebrate but I paid a gazillion dollars to go to Disney and experience Disney!

Why does the amount of money you pay have to do with it?

People would complain if decorations weren't up for their trip and people complain if they are up for their trip You can't make everyone happy.

Why not just enjoy that you are at WDW?

 

[sunny04]

Osbourne Lights were being put up in August...that's pretty crazy IMO!

 

[FanOfStitch]

I have to agree with the OP. Whatever happened to waiting until after Thanksgiving to bring the Christmas stuff out? It gets old before it even gets here!

 

[PJV57]

I have to agree with the OP. Whatever happened to waiting until after Thanksgiving to bring the Christmas stuff out? It gets old before it even gets here!

I have to agree as well. We were there November 9 - 13 and I was also aghast at the decorations. I can understand that it takes some time to put up them all up, but the Christmas music did for much for me. Even the Country Bear Jamboree was all decked out with its Christmas show. They should wait tiil Thanksgiving.

 

[TammyJ]

And its hard for the kids to see Christmas so soon. They might enjoy it at the time but then the wait until Christmas is unbearable. We always decorated after Thanksgiving, and I remember as a kid it seemed like a LONG time between when the decorations went up and the gifts were opened!

 

[twojo21]

we also just got back from wdw 11/13-11/19 at akl, it was a great trip. we had tons of fun at the parks, crowds werent bad, did emh & we enjoyed seeing all the christmas decorations.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

OMG I thought my family was the only oddballs who didn't like seeing Christmas stuff up so early at WDW. Nice to know we are not alone I like Christmas, and I like WDW, but Christmas + WDW in early November does not = magic for us. Last year when we were there we tried to sort of ignore the Christmas stuff; we certainly would not want that to interfere with a great vacation

 

[WDW Poly Princess]

I've been feeling that way, too! Of course, it's my fault for always going in December, but I really miss the plain old parks! I love Christmas, but not when it's three months long!

 

[brandt79]

I have the same feelings as the OP. We are going after Thanksgiving for our honeymoon, and obviously I know the Christmas decorations will be up and Christmas music will be everywhere, and I'll definitely be in the holiday spirit. But I want to hear Disney music and see all the familiar sights I'm used to, not be feeling like it's Christmas everywhere. It's just that particular Disney atmosphere that I'll miss. I'm sure it'll be beautiful, but just not what my idea of a perfect Disney vacation would be - but we'll have a wonderful time regardless.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Sounds like we should have a support group for all us Disney-holics who like our parks without the early Christmas trimmings

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

We were at WDW Nov.4-7. When we were at the MK on 11-5, Home Makeover was there filming. I made a comment to DH when we entered the MK, that I didn't think that the Christmas decorations were up until after Thanksgiving. A CM told us, they were put up extra early this year, due to the taping of Extreme Makeover and that episode would air during Christmas week.
We've always noticed the Osbourne lights going up early at MGM, even during our late September visits. I'm sure it takes a long time to get all those lights up.
Actually, DH and I loved the Christmas lights and music. We've never experienced it before during any of our trips, and thought it made the place even more magical.

 

[Skroops]

I feel kind of lucky that WDW is celebrating "early", because it gives me a chance to see the world decorated.

I totally agree with you, that EVERYWHERE is going full force ahead with early holiday decorating. What is up with that? It used to be AFTER Thanksgiving that everyone pulled out all the holiday decorations. A part of me wonders if it is all for holiday retail sales. Yes, even WDW wants to sell its holiday merchandise. If the retailers remind the public that they need to buy presents early...

Icky poo poo. It can't be all about the money...can it? Why else?

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

Well it IS all about the money. Every year Christmas seesm to get earlier and earlier. I guess this is the economic corner we have backed ourselves into.

 

[Hugpug]

I agree with OP as far as Christmas being pushed before Thanksgiving and even before Halloween which I think is crasy. By the time Christmas gets here I'm sick of it and can't enjoy it. This year will be my First Christmas at WDW and I am looking forward to it because that is what I am going for. But I sure don't want to see any Christmas until after Thanksgiving.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

I listen to live365 to hear the WDW park music, all the background music that I love. I would be very dissappointed instead of hearing the music that evokes my memories, hearing music that reminds me of my childhood.

We go twice a year, once in December for the Christmas feeling and once in the spring for the more traditional experience. It is definately two very different visits.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I agree with the OP. While I love Christmas, the beginning of Nov is just too early to start decorating and piping in music. It sort of detracts from that special feeling when it's dragged out for so long. One of my neighbors put all their Christmas lights up 2 days after Halloween this year I don't get it ?
Also, there's probably people of other faiths that plan their trips to WDW to perhaps avoid all the holiday stuff. They may not appreciate (nor expect) all the holiday sentiment in early Nov. What happened to getting into all the fesitvities after Thanksgiving ?
To the OP, glad you had a nice trip and thanks for the report.

 

[Susiesnowflake]

I remember arriving on 11/9 a few years back, and the Christmas decorations were going up. Too, too early in my opinion. And as much as I love Christmas and decorating my home and listening to Christmas music and watching Christmas movies, I prefer WDW when it isn't decorated for the holidays. All the trimmings seem to mask the beauty of the parks to me.

I'll be seeing those decorated parks one week from today though, and I cannot wait!