Whoa... Why can't WDW get decorations like these?

[imagineer boy]

I must say wow. DL's brand new Haloween decorations are simply stunning. I really wish WDW could get awesome decorations like these. Anyone think that they ever will? Anyway, here's a link to them:

http://www.mousetimes.com/dlrpictorials/09_29_06/

 

[CTXRover]

I agree, it looks great. This is the first year that DL has done a Halloween event and all the decorations look amazing. I wish MK would do something like this as well. Apparently some of the bigger pumpkin decorations though are borrowed from previous Tokyo Disneyland Halloween celebrations where new decorations of similar caliber are made each year.

Like Tokyo, DL relies heavily on locals and needed something solid to persuade people to come back after the end of the big 50th, hence a major Halloween event was planned. It started last year with the "Halloween Treat" after-hours event at DCA, which is basically just an after-hours Trick or Treat in the park with characters.

I'd like to see MK start something like this next year. Technically, WDW's MK is the only Disney MK-style park without some major Halloween decorations for its day guests. Even HKDL got in the mood this year.

 

[Emerald Rose]

Those decorations are beautiful and it would be great if MK could have them also. I miss the spring decorations. I think MK should decorate for several seasons every year. It would be really nice.

 

[Horizons1]

Yeah, I too would love to see a major Halloween celebration like that done at the MK. There is so much they can do, and it would draw alot of crowds, throw in the HMH and bingo!, youve got something that the guests would love. And a few of us locals might kinda like it too...

 

[TTATraveler]

Wow, DL looks really cool with its Halloween decor!! It's nice to still see a few Mickey 50s around too.

 

[GymLeaderPhil]

I have to add that the latter part of that update, dealing with Tomorrowland, gosh it's like new again. I'm so happy that Disneyland is seeing this attention.

 

[teebin]

LOL, last week at MK, all they had was a few piles of hay and some pumpkins in the town square on main st. DL is over the top.

 

[TP2000]

I've got a WDW comment, but first a Disneyland comment...

I just got back this evening from seeing the Disneyland HalloweenTime decorations with my own eyes. It looks even more festive at night when all of those pumpkins are lit up inside, including the big Character ones above the entry turnstiles. Big Thunder Ranch is all done up, and the new Woody's Halloween Roundup Show is a hoot! They dress up the real Big Thunder Ranch petting zoo animals in Halloween costumes and put on a little Masquarade Parade. The goat dressed up like Sherlock Holmes and the cow dressed up like a ballet dancer were my favorites.

They decorated Tower of Terror at DCA for Halloween too, with stained glass fixtures on the lampposts, a glowing bat marquee, and a new lighting effect on the exterior that has swarms of bats flying across it. The entire Disneyland Resort looks great for Halloween!

Back OT, as for Walt Disney World, I've noticed the big discrepancy in decorations between WDW and Disneyland during Christmas, and that's an entirely different thread. But with Disneyland celebrating Halloween for the first time in 10 years the decorating differences between the two American properties have been thrown to the forefront again. And it's not at all flattering for WDW or their Magic Kingdom Park.

For the life of me, I can't quite figure out why WDW drops the ball like this when it comes to decorating the parks, especially the Magic Kingdom.

 

[CTXRover]

Back OT, as for Walt Disney World, I've noticed the big discrepancy in decorations between WDW and Disneyland during Christmas, and that's an entirely different thread. But with Disneyland celebrating Halloween for the first time in 10 years the decorating differences between the two American properties have been thrown to the forefront again. And it's not at all flattering for WDW or their Magic Kingdom Park.

For the life of me, I can't quite figure out why WDW drops the ball like this when it comes to decorating the parks, especially the Magic Kingdom.

In all fairness though for Christmas, DL only has to decorate two parks, a relatively much smaller DTD and three hotels, only one of which has a solid lobby to decorate. DCA only started to see some really "substantial" decorations last year, so the focus has been on making DL something special. WDW decorates 4 parks, each with its own massive tree, at least one water park, a huge DTD complex, 23+ hotels, two cruise ships and its terminal, among other smaller things throughout the resort. WDW as a whole looks amazing at Christmas, even if the MK to DL comparison puts DL in the forefront. I've always found MS at MK at Christmas to have more "wow" factor than DL at Christmas. I thinks its the more substantial garlands across the street vs the "skinnier" and smaller garlands used at DL (even if more fitting of the smaller street they are hung across).

 

[TP2000]

In all fairness though for Christmas, DL only has to decorate two parks, a relatively much smaller DTD and three hotels, only one of which has a solid lobby to decorate...

Very true. I do remember the Grand Floridian at WDW having wonderful Christmas decorations! The Magic Kingdom Park, on the other hand...

 

[davewasbaloo]

Another reason why I think the MK is poor compared to it's siblings. DL, DLP and TDL all have wonderful Christmas Offerings and now Halloween offerings that make the parks truly special, and they do not charge extra for them compared to the MK.

I will never be likely to go to MNSSHP or MVMCP when I can get similar experiences for free at the other resorts. Sadly, I do tend to spend very little time at the MK compared to the other WDW parks because the neglect depresses me.

 

[TP2000]

Another reason why I think the MK is poor compared to it's siblings. DL, DLP and TDL all have wonderful Christmas Offerings and now Halloween offerings that make the parks truly special, and they do not charge extra for them compared to the MK.

I think the level of investment and design sense used for the MK Halloween decorations is embarassing for Walt Disney World, even without comparing them to Disneyland or Tokyo. But, when you do compare them to Disneyland's Halloween decorations through the miracle of pictures on the Internet, then it's not just embarassing, it becomes just bizarre.

I almost think maybe someone is decorating the MK so poorly to humiliate a WDW Vice President into approving a bigger budget or something. It's just a little suspicious how cheap and tacky the Halloween decorations look at WDW's Magic Kingdom.

 

[Valawen9]

Wow their decorations look really good

 

[Dragonrider1227]

Those are good decorations and I agree. Didn't Walt intend for Disney World to be the end all be all of Disney parks? Shouldn't that mean that the MK should be getting all the bigger and better stuff?

 

[AEfx]

Shouldn't that mean that the MK should be getting all the bigger and better stuff?

Who's to say it won't?

This isn't directed specifically at your comments, but many of the themes coming up in this thread. The reason Disneyland has such stunning, NEW decorations is because this is their first time having a Halloween party in a decade, so some capital expenditures were made because everything is brand new.

The Magic Kingdom has been doing rotating Halloween parties for years, and does not simply replace everything every single year. Comparing a NEW event at Disneyland to an EXISTING event at WDW the same year the new event comes out is folly.

When more investments are made, I'm sure some of the newer decorations will make their way to WDW. I'd expect to see some of the more innovative ones for the parties next year (the character pumpkins, etc.).

AEfx

 

[davewasbaloo]

Not totally brand new

Who's to say it won't?

This isn't directed specifically at your comments, but many of the themes coming up in this thread. The reason Disneyland has such stunning, NEW decorations is because this is their first time having a Halloween party in a decade, so some capital expenditures were made because everything is brand new.

The Magic Kingdom has been doing rotating Halloween parties for years, and does not simply replace everything every single year. Comparing a NEW event at Disneyland to an EXISTING event at WDW the same year the new event comes out is folly.

When more investments are made, I'm sure some of the newer decorations will make their way to WDW. I'd expect to see some of the more innovative ones for the parties next year (the character pumpkins, etc.).

AEfx

Although the celebrations at DL are brand new, the decorations are not. Many of them are from TDL. Also, at TDL, DLP and DL, they do not charge guests extra to enjoy the Halloween Festivities, nor the Christmas ones in November and early December.

 

[AEfx]

Although the celebrations at DL are brand new, the decorations are not. Many of them are from TDL. Also, at TDL, DLP and DL, they do not charge guests extra to enjoy the Halloween Festivities, nor the Christmas ones in November and early December.

Right...and do you think TDL just sent them over for free? LOL. They are different companies, but that's probably why they could afford to go all out this year.

The point is, Disneyalnd has not done Halloween like this in a decade, and there is also a new, hard-ticket event at DCA.

I know you have this thing against the Magic Kingdom, and I don't entirely disagree with some of the broader points, but I just don't think this is one of those "OH THEY SHAFTED THE MK!" things that some people are making it out to be. Those decorations are NEW to Disneyland, because they made an investment this year for the first time in a very long time.

I think it's also a practical issue : it's a lot easier to dress up Disneyland than it is the MK. It's a much smaller scale, less looks like more. I think WDW does great at Halloween - it's my favorite time of year. It seems as if Disneyland has some great, NEW decorations, and I think "good for them" not, "man, why can't the MK do that". People are making it out like MK throws up ripped toliet paper and decorates with silly string.

I'll take our great, big, beautiful castle and larger scale anytime over what they have to deal with at Disneyland in terms of space and the invasion of the outside world; they are different experiences. I enjoy WDW much more, and am very happy with what we've got. If I wasn't, I'd stop visiting and wouldn't come here to talk about it anymore, I'd just go to MiceChat and Disneyland more often, LOL.

It's really funny how the tides have changed. Up until a couple of years ago, all you heard on the Internet was what a crap-hole Disneyland had become and how WDW was the "lucky duck" park that got everything it wanted and was the flagship. Now they give Disneyland a nice, thorough spit and polish and finally start plussing after a decade in decline and people are making the opposite argument.

Gotta love the internet. Just have to keep it in perspective, and I think Disney does a good job of that.

AEfx

 

[TP2000]

Those are good decorations and I agree. Didn't Walt intend for Disney World to be the end all be all of Disney parks? Shouldn't that mean that the MK should be getting all the bigger and better stuff?

Hmm... not really. Walt Disney intended Disney World to be a property big enough for his EPCOT urban planning concept, and a showcase for American industry and the American Free Enterprise system.

The Florida theme park Walt planned was a "weenie", a copy of Disneyland, at the top of the property that would be used to get people to come visit and see EPCOT. In the Epcot planning film produced just before Walt died in 1966, the theme park at the top of the property map was an exact duplicate of Disneyland, right down to Casey Jr. Circus Train, StorybookLand and the Matterhorn. Check out the EPCOT '66 film on the Disney Classics DVD and freeze the screen as Walt points to the Florida theme park; it's an exact copy of Disneyland USA circa 1966. Walt bought the Florida property to build EPCOT first and foremost.

As for the Halloween decorations, there was an interesting story about them and one of the local designers that helped create them in todays Orange County Register. Here's the link and a brief intro...

ANAHEIM – This summer while the nation was wrapped in red, white and blue bunting for Independence Day celebrations, Shawna Tice-Miles was thinking orange.

Orange as in the 300 foam-core pumpkins that needed to be carved for Disneyland's Halloween windows. And orange as in the orange-and-white cobweb cakes created to dazzle children's eyes in the costume shop.

As one of the top window-display artists at Disneyland, the Fullerton resident works months in advance to capture seasonal elements for 20 showcase windows in the resort.

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/abox/article_1293659.php

 

[TP2000]

Although the celebrations at DL are brand new, the decorations are not. Many of them are from TDL.

The only decorations from Tokyo are the three little vignettes alongside the parking lot tram route from the Mickey & Friends Parking Structure.

All of the stuff inside both Disneyland and DCA, and in the Esplanade between the parks, was created at Disneyland's decorating center up in north Anaheim (a couple miles from Disneyland) specifically for this years Halloween season.

 

[Epcot82Guy]

I like their decorations. Obviousy, that cost a pretty penny. So, kudos to DL for puting some thought in.

As for WDW, though, I really think you have to agree with the sheer size. The resorts get very nice decor overall. The parks do, too. Unfortuantely, the "blessing of size" in Florida means decorations get spread thin. Also, unlike DLR, I don't think MK is the flagship holiday park. Epcot gets that honor. Having moved Candlelight there (even if it was to up attendance) really solidified Holidays around the World as the premier WDW holiday event from a decoration standpoint. Osbourne is great, but it's localized. MVMCP is nice, but it is more an event than it is decorated (but snowing on Main St. is pretty darn cool). Epcot gets great decorations that rival DL or any other resort.