Well, after all these years I finally got to experience WDW during the holiday season. I actually experienced DL during the holidays a few years ago. I hate to say it but MK can't even hold a candle to DL when it comes to Christmas. The biggest thing that bugs me is that you have to go to a party to really experience Christmas at MK. I was there Thursday night and it was sold out. I will say this they really need to reduce the cap on attendence because 22,000 is just too many people. I have been twice to the Halloween party(once on a sold out night) and it never felt as crowded as it did the other night. Here are some of the negatives and positives of the event.
Positives
1. Disney actually did a very good job of clearing the park. I do think they should go back to closing the park at 6pm but still have Wishes at 6. Most guests did leave after Wishes but many ran to get in one more ride. However the cast members were everywhere at 7pm(shop and ride entrances, doing a sweep of the park) making sure everyone had wristbands and I didn't see anyone without one that night.
2. Just like the Halloween party the cast members really get into the spirit of the party. I know some of them have been working all day but they seem to really kick the magic up a notch during the parties.
3. Even though the night was sold out I never had to wait in line for the cookies, hot chocolate, etc. They had multiple lines at all the locations we went to and you could take as much as you wanted to questions asked. And those cookies were really good.
4. Finally seeing the Christmas parade and Holiday Wishes was great.
Negatives
1. I think Disney has really pushed it too far with the attendance cap on the party. 22000 is just too many people. There are really starting to push it to the point where it is just not enjoyable. Where you are spending a good hour of your time just to get a good spot for the fireworks and the parade. Even the 2nd showing of the parade all the good spots were taken a half hour before the parade started.
2. With all this money they are making off these parties do you think they could invest in some better parade lighting. The lighting for the parade is horrible. While it may work for the Halloween parade because it is supposed to be spooky. Dim lighting for a Christmas parade is unacceptable esp. when you see the amazing parade route lighting DL has. I can't believe it would be that expensive or time consuming to put in some extra lighting esp. in Liberty Square and Frontierland esp. since they now have 3 parties a year.
3. I am sorry but Holiday Wishes was just not that great and can't even hold a candle to Hallowishes. There was just way too many of the same fireworks that are in Wishes whereas Hallowishes has alot more original fireworks. That and they didn't seem to use as many perimeter fireworks and to me the finale was just sorta blah. I will say that "The Spirit of Holiday Childhood Fantasies" was the best part of the show. That had the most unique fireworks of any part esp. the shooting of the rockets over the castle to make it look like a Christmas tree.
I just really don't feel that MVMCP was worth the money. It probably is on a night that is not that crowded and I wish I could have gone on one but I had to go when my friends could go. I just think it is ridiculous that they ran the parties all the way up till the 22nd this year. It is just plain greed. I realize the last 6 parties sold out but I wonder how much of that was tourists coming here and finding out the only way they can experience Christmas at Mk is if they pay extra for it.
I am sorry but MK can't hold a candle to DL when it comes to Christmas. HMH, IASWC, Believe in Holiday Magic w/White Christmas finale and the Christmas parade. I just find it funny that the park that gets the most play every year on that 2 hour infomercial Christmas day is the least Christmassy of all.
However, Epcot is where the holidays truly shine at WDW. From the holiday storytellers, to the awesome Christmas tree, the amazing decorations and displays, the Lights of Winter, the Candlelight Processional which I was really impressed by even though I am not religious and the Illuminations holiday tag. What can I say about the Peace on Earth finale that hasn't already been said. It is one of the most jaw dropping fireworks finales of any show I have ever seen. All I can say is if you can look away during those last 30 seconds look to you left or right and see the look on peoples faces. That is true Disney magic.
I was also really blown away by the Osbourne Lights. This was my first time seeing them. I don't know if I would have kept going back again and again if it wasn't for the dancing lights part. The cool thing is they did a good job with the TSO songs but that was nothing compared with the job they did with Feliz Navidad. I hope next year the add some more songs and I can't wait to see what they will do with those.
I thought the decorations were great at DAK and the Jingle Jungle Parade was a nice overlay of the standard parade.
Overall, I like WDW during the holidays. I was there 7 nights in the last month. However, they really need to do something about MK. I hope they consider adding HMH, IASWC or bringing back Country Bear Christmas and just maybe they will cut the parties back to the middle of Dec. like they used to but I doubt it. I think the MK mgrs. really need to go to DL during the holidays and see how the holidays can be done right. If it wasn't for Epcot the holidays would be very disappointing at WDW. That's just my opinion.
Positives
1. Disney actually did a very good job of clearing the park. I do think they should go back to closing the park at 6pm but still have Wishes at 6. Most guests did leave after Wishes but many ran to get in one more ride. However the cast members were everywhere at 7pm(shop and ride entrances, doing a sweep of the park) making sure everyone had wristbands and I didn't see anyone without one that night.
2. Just like the Halloween party the cast members really get into the spirit of the party. I know some of them have been working all day but they seem to really kick the magic up a notch during the parties.
3. Even though the night was sold out I never had to wait in line for the cookies, hot chocolate, etc. They had multiple lines at all the locations we went to and you could take as much as you wanted to questions asked. And those cookies were really good.
4. Finally seeing the Christmas parade and Holiday Wishes was great.
Negatives
1. I think Disney has really pushed it too far with the attendance cap on the party. 22000 is just too many people. There are really starting to push it to the point where it is just not enjoyable. Where you are spending a good hour of your time just to get a good spot for the fireworks and the parade. Even the 2nd showing of the parade all the good spots were taken a half hour before the parade started.
2. With all this money they are making off these parties do you think they could invest in some better parade lighting. The lighting for the parade is horrible. While it may work for the Halloween parade because it is supposed to be spooky. Dim lighting for a Christmas parade is unacceptable esp. when you see the amazing parade route lighting DL has. I can't believe it would be that expensive or time consuming to put in some extra lighting esp. in Liberty Square and Frontierland esp. since they now have 3 parties a year.
3. I am sorry but Holiday Wishes was just not that great and can't even hold a candle to Hallowishes. There was just way too many of the same fireworks that are in Wishes whereas Hallowishes has alot more original fireworks. That and they didn't seem to use as many perimeter fireworks and to me the finale was just sorta blah. I will say that "The Spirit of Holiday Childhood Fantasies" was the best part of the show. That had the most unique fireworks of any part esp. the shooting of the rockets over the castle to make it look like a Christmas tree.
I just really don't feel that MVMCP was worth the money. It probably is on a night that is not that crowded and I wish I could have gone on one but I had to go when my friends could go. I just think it is ridiculous that they ran the parties all the way up till the 22nd this year. It is just plain greed. I realize the last 6 parties sold out but I wonder how much of that was tourists coming here and finding out the only way they can experience Christmas at Mk is if they pay extra for it.
I am sorry but MK can't hold a candle to DL when it comes to Christmas. HMH, IASWC, Believe in Holiday Magic w/White Christmas finale and the Christmas parade. I just find it funny that the park that gets the most play every year on that 2 hour infomercial Christmas day is the least Christmassy of all.
However, Epcot is where the holidays truly shine at WDW. From the holiday storytellers, to the awesome Christmas tree, the amazing decorations and displays, the Lights of Winter, the Candlelight Processional which I was really impressed by even though I am not religious and the Illuminations holiday tag. What can I say about the Peace on Earth finale that hasn't already been said. It is one of the most jaw dropping fireworks finales of any show I have ever seen. All I can say is if you can look away during those last 30 seconds look to you left or right and see the look on peoples faces. That is true Disney magic.
I was also really blown away by the Osbourne Lights. This was my first time seeing them. I don't know if I would have kept going back again and again if it wasn't for the dancing lights part. The cool thing is they did a good job with the TSO songs but that was nothing compared with the job they did with Feliz Navidad. I hope next year the add some more songs and I can't wait to see what they will do with those.
I thought the decorations were great at DAK and the Jingle Jungle Parade was a nice overlay of the standard parade.
Overall, I like WDW during the holidays. I was there 7 nights in the last month. However, they really need to do something about MK. I hope they consider adding HMH, IASWC or bringing back Country Bear Christmas and just maybe they will cut the parties back to the middle of Dec. like they used to but I doubt it. I think the MK mgrs. really need to go to DL during the holidays and see how the holidays can be done right. If it wasn't for Epcot the holidays would be very disappointing at WDW. That's just my opinion.
