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

[CarolA]

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!

But... The day after Thanksgiving ALL Disney guest MAGICALLY expect the parks to be fully decorated.

Sorry, but there is NO way Disney can do what they do overnight. (Tinkerbell is not helping out here! LOL!)


SO you have two choices. One early decorations or two not near as many decorations.. (Then we get the thread entitled. "THEY CALL THIS DECORATING! where people complian that "last year there were more decorations")

 

[maxiesmom]

It is probably a case of Disney giving the people what they want. I daresay more and more people want to see the Christmas decorations. The season seems to start earlier and earlier every year. The mall I work at has been playing Christmas music for almost a month! It was annoying at first, but guess what? People are buying preasants! We have been insanely busy. So I'm betting that more people want to see the decorations than don't. And you happen to be in the minority.

 

[mickeyfan2]

Due to the amount that needs to be decorated, they start weeks early just to have it all ready by Thanksgiving.

 

[shellybaxter]

I'm sorry to all of you who don't like the early christmas decorations. I don't think they are that much earlier this year though. Our very first trip was November of 2002. We arrived on the 5th and the next day the tree and decorations went up at POR. I was so excited. Just a bit of unexpected magic as far as I was concerned. None of the park trees were up, but garland started going up around the shops. I loved it. Since then I've always wanted to go back when full blown Christams was happening and we finally are - in just 11 days

 

[VSL]

People generally start putting decorations after Guy Fawkes night here (Nov 5). Obviously, not the majority, but there are a few. They seem to get everyone else started.

My mother probably won't put ours up until either just before or just after me and DBf leave for WDW - I'm hoping that they're up before we go!

 

[cara76]

We were there the first week of November and all of it was up. We asked one of the CM's and he told us this year was the earliest that WDW had decorated. He said it's getting earlier and earlier each year. He said it started b/c of the Dolly Parton Show moving into town and starting Christmas shows after Halloween so the theme parks felt the need to compete (why you need to compete with that is beyond me). It was pretty but kinda strange for the first week of November. I haven't gone since then, but the next three weeks before the Christmas crowds come rolling in is going to be my weeks to explore a WDW Christmas! LOL

 

[Cookie55]

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

Gotta agree with you on that...We were there in August and I found it rather disconcerting to see Christmas lights when it was 98 degrees out!!!

 

[bbump]

We were at the MK on 11/8 waiting in front of the Castle waiting for the 3pm parade. It was a mid 80 degree day and we were sweating in the sun listening to Xmas music playing over the sound system with the Huge tree sparkling in the distance.

it was very weird!!!!
We are used to COLD and MN SNOW arround Xmas time and to be in a "Holiday environment" in 80 degree weather was absolutely funny to us!

 

[tiki23]

I have to agree with the OP...because I've posted the same thoughts on this board already!

I too, LOVE Christmas and all the trimmings but because we are making our very 1st trip to WDW 11/9-18/06 I was hoping to see the parks in all of their original glory. I know if we stick with that week (already have ressies) that we'll have a magical trip, but now we're toying with the idea of going in October.

And again - no, I am not bashing decorations! - just not full-blown before Thanksgiving.

 

[CarolA]

I was in Epcot on November 6 and there were no decorations... Not sure where it was "all up", but it wasn't there.

I was there last week and it was partially decorated. The biggie was the tree...


As for the Osborne lights, it just takes that long. The guy how did them in Arkansas started in the summer too.

 

[Claudia Kellenberger]

I think our local malls were fully decorated by November 1st. My DH hates the early decorating, I myself, love it. It just gives me a special feeling that I cannot explain. I don't at all feel pressured to buy my Christmas presents earlier. I usually choose the first week of December at WDW because I love the decorations. The malls want to start earlier so that they might have better Christmas season profits. Is That really all that bad??? You don't have to buy things if you don't want to. It's just a little nudge. So .... early WDW decorating I would consider a plus.

HOWEVER .... I do not have the same attitude about the non-stop Christmas music. I sure do wish that even during the REAL Christmas season, they could alternate Christmas music with regular music. Maybe 2 Christmas songs, and then one regular ..... then repeat.

 

[Eeyore2003]

But... The day after Thanksgiving ALL Disney guest MAGICALLY expect the parks to be fully decorated.

I LOVED the decorations starting to go up. I LOVED being able to see the Osbourne lights again. There were certainly tons of "Disney-ish" stuff going on everywhere besides Christmas stuff. I LOVED sitting at Whispering Canyon on Thursday with a beautiful view of the big tree. (They were doing one resort a night from what I heard, this one was done the night before)

How Disney could decorate 4 huge parks, ALL the inside and outside of ALL thier resorts, ALL thier restaurants, ALL of Downtown Disney, ALL the nooks and crannies that they so diligently decorate, ALL OVER NIGHT ON THANKSGIVING!!! REALLY!!!

I'm sure it USED to be possible when there were fewer parks and they were not so big and there were 1/2 and maybe even 1/3 of the resorts and restaurants that they now have, but when as one poster wrote, everyone EXPECTS as many or more decorations, perfectly up, the day after Thanksgiving, or else THAT is the complaint, I would think it would not be illogical to start 2 to 3 weeks before this huge job has to be done.

As for the Osbourne lights being started in August or September??? The enormity of this yearly job is well beyond me and I would be tempted to leave them up year round!!! They have to account for delays in hurricanes, glitches, malfunctions... anything and everything that could go wrong in a huge job like this AND have them perfectly done and perfectly running and perfectly up for everyone EXPECTING them perfectly there for the day after Thanksgiving. Since Thanksgiving is the 24th, having them done 10 days ahead does not sound that unreasonable to me considering the size of the job. And since they are done, why not open them and share them with anyone wishing to see them??? You don't HAVE to go!!! I'm just grateful that things DID go well this year and I was able to just sit for a while and enjoy them this Wednesday.

Perhaps it should be "duly" noted that if you don't want to see any Christmas things, do not come in November or December. I've been there the last two Decembers, and everything is not up yet. We were there the 10th - the 18th, and gradually over the week and a half, more and more went up.

As far as the weather, the last two Decembers have been in the 70's. It's just as "strange" in December for us "northerners" to see Christmas and all it's "trimmings" in upper 70 degree weather as in November. The extra week or two, makes no difference in that area.

 

[cobbler]

Wow, you got to see holiday wishes?? I thought that was special for the MVMCP parties.

 

[MiaSRN62]

How Disney could decorate 4 huge parks, ALL the inside and outside of ALL thier resorts, ALL thier restaurants, ALL of Downtown Disney, ALL the nooks and crannies that they so diligently decorate, ALL OVER NIGHT ON THANKSGIVING!!! REALLY!!!

I've been visiting WDW during early/mid Nov for many years and never noticed holiday decorations/music. They routinely didn't decorate this early, so this is something fairly new. I know in the past, holiday decor was not up until Thanksgiving week at earliest, so it can be done, maybe not overnight, but early Nov is not really necessary either. I visited during the holidays one year (1998) and we were there a day before T-Day with barely any decorations up, and then the day after T-Day it seemed like the whole World became lit up with lights/music piped in etc. So I think it can be done later in the month. This very early decorating, is most likely a newer trend with Disney for whatever reasons.

 

[puffkin]

I believe they tested Holiday Wishes when you were there. That version is only for during MVMCP. You just happened to hit the night they were testing it.

I like seeing the decorations early. They put so much money and effort in them, it is a shame to only get one months use out of them. And I think people underestimate the sheer scope and size of the Christmas decorating. Not to mention that they do it mainly at overnight. They have to start early to get it all done.

If you don't like, don't plan a trip in November or December

 

[kennezgirl]

We were there Nov. 12th - 18th and we LOVED the decorations. We felt like it was a wonderful bonus to our trip. We actually came home and put our own tree up on the 20th.

For us, two of the most magical things are Christmas and Disney. Put them together and it is amazing.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

[ms.ojo]

I understand putting some of the less conspicuous lights ups early (not lighting them) to help w/ the load...but I think it use to be truly FANTASTIC when you went to bed Thanksgiving night...and the next day...WOW...the whole Disney World was decorated to the hilt. The music was playing...it was now Christmas. Everyone would marvel at how they could possibly get this all done in one night! I know they're had cutbacks, and probably don't have the manpower to do it in 1 night anymore...but it sure was amazing!!!!!!

And yes, Christmas is coming earlier everywhere, but it doesn't mean we can't be a little sad that it's coming to Disney earlier too. Heck, our Filenes stores were decorated BEFORE Halloween this year! Christmas music didn't start playing til the beginning of Nov...but it was still too much. This is the commercialization of Christmas...not the spirit. kwim?

 

[goofie4goofy]

I have to agree with christmas being too early. In the malls the decorations were up before Halloween....just crazy. As far as WDW, I can understand some decorations going up, as there are so many. The music is pushing it. I do know the Osbourne lights take months to put up I think they start in Sept, but are not lit. I do remember being on my honeymon in November 2000, before thanksgiving and seeing decorations go up overnight....one day they were not there and the next some were up....but not fully, I would call it the foundation. There were some trees in the parks and some wreaths but definately not full as from the pics I have seen. We left WDW 2 days before Thanksgiving..so they must have gone up earlier this year. When we were in WDW this past Sept, there was a note in our room that they were testing special holiday fireworks (hallowishes) so that explains the Wishes being replaced by holidaywishes.

 

[MiaSRN62]

If you don't like, don't plan a trip in November or December

It's just not that simple. Noone is saying they don't like the Christmas decor if you go back and read all the posts ? Just saying they rush the seasons a little too much and it sort of detracts from the uniqueness and special quality only afforded the holiday season. Heck, my kids are still eating Halloween candy in early/mid Thanksgiving and even they said they couldn't believe how early decorations go up (just about everywhere).
As for saying simply "don't plan a trip" during Nov or whatever, well, November happens to be a great time to vacation----with Food & Wine, ABC Soap weekend, Jersey Week (school breaks) and all. It's just not that cut and dry.

 

[back2disney]

Anyone know when the decorations come down and/or xmas music stops getting piped in?