What Year did WL Cheapen the Christmas Decor?

[Sparrow'sLady]

The "gingerbread house" they had this year was sad. No bear family. The only real decor was the beautiful tree and the bridge lights. When did they cutback on the rest?

 

[Dave006]

I am going to go with last great year was 2019 at the WL.

Dave

 

[hardcorestitch]

The "gingerbread house" they had this year was sad. No bear family. The only real decor was the beautiful tree and the bridge lights. When did they cutback on the rest?

Must be a case of Chapek-itis.

 

[gottalovepluto]

This year it was listed until around the day the cheap roll out one debuted and then it just disappeared from the list. No one seems to have intel if something went amiss or if WL decided to kill it and forgot to tell marketing.

I’m hoping something went amiss and it pops back up next year, the mini one they have has weird cheap aspects to it that make it look like it was slapped together quick by Disney standards.

ETA- timeline correction! I can’t believe it’s been 6 years since we last saw it! Chapeked indeed

 

[mrsap]

The large gingerbread house only appeared once at The Lodge in 2019. While it was on the list of gingerbread houses to appear again this year, it was removed & replaced by a small table sized chocolate lodge. All of the other decorations appear to be unchanged.

 

[gottalovepluto]

The large gingerbread house only appeared once at The Lodge in 2019. While it was on the list of gingerbread houses to appear again this year, it was removed & replaced by a small table sized chocolate lodge. All of the other decorations appear to be unchanged.

2019?! Seems like yesterday and a lifetime ago all at the same time. Obviously I am not ready for tomorrow

 

[mrsap]

2019?! Seems like yesterday and a lifetime ago all at the same time. Obviously I am not ready for tomorrow

Crazy, right??! One and done, I guess! lol

 

[hardcorestitch]

This year it was listed until around the day the cheap roll out one debuted and then it just disappeared from the list. No one seems to have intel if something went amiss or if WL decided to kill it and forgot to tell marketing.

I’m hoping something went amiss and it pops back up next year, the mini one they have has weird cheap aspects to it that make it look like it was slapped together quick by Disney standards.

ETA- timeline correction! I can’t believe it’s been 6 years since we last saw it! Chapeked indeed

or should I say “CHEAPEK”?

 

[Sparrow'sLady]

So perhaps 2019 was the last time for this bear family as well?

 

[Dave006]

So perhaps 2019 was the last time for this bear family as well?

So Far since Covid seemed to end the recently enhanced version from 2019. This year (2025) it sounded like that they were upping the Game at WL again based on the Announcement of the Gingerbread "houses" for Christmas 2025.

But at the last minute is was communicated that there would no Gingerbread house at the WL, and then the tabletop display appeared. But it really had that hasty (1) day look of an attempt at a Gingerbread house in the 11th hour.

Dave

 

[wdwnomad]

I have a feeling the bear family moves around. When I was there in 2024, they were out front in the porte-cochère. I didn't stay at WL this year but I pretty sure someone posted a picture of them. I seemed to recall they are inside this year.

 

[mrsap]

I have a feeling the bear family moves around. When I was there in 2024, they were out front in the porte-cochère. I didn't stay at WL this year but I pretty sure someone posted a picture of them. I seemed to recall they are inside this year.

Yes, agreed, they have been outside.

@Sparrow'sLady, they are still around.

Taken 2022


Taken 2024


They were also there this year.

 

[pixiedust33]

Yes, agreed, they have been outside.

@Sparrow'sLady, they are still around.

Taken 2022
View attachment 1035034

Taken 2024
View attachment 1035030

They were also there this year.

Yes confirming this. The bear family was outside. It was sort of hidden. There was also some decor along the ramp up to the lobby from roaring fork and there was decor on the DVC side. This year was our first year staying there but I thought it seemed very well decorated overall.

My gripe was with crowd volume. It almost felt like the park with the photo pass photographer at the tree and the huge line every evening. The good vibes for us were only early in the morning. I think this is probably controversial but I wish the common spaces at the resorts were limited to guests staying at those resorts at peak times.