Behind the Magic Sunday on HGTV

[mwbrown]

I didn't find the material all that interesting. In my opinion (and to my tastes) it was very glossed over. I would rather see more in-depth details as opposed to breif snippets of fact with no meat.

For example, the segment on the castle lighting. They mention that there are 500+ different circuits for the lights, so they can sequence them as they need to in order to create the effects. Then they switch to the host saying how amazing it is and how stunned it is. Then they show another shot of the castle with the host voicing over about how the castle can be washed in color from LED spotlights, including colors not visible to the human eye. Then they go to commerical.

That does not appeal to me.

1) It's pretty clear that the lights are on different circuits. How about some detals into the switching packs, what sort of sequencer are they using, how much power do they draw, how many lighting programs are there?

2) I know about the LED spotlights, and I hazard a guess that just about anybody who is a more than casual fan of WDW is aware of them as well. However I do not know in-depth details. What sort of current do they draw and how are they controlled. If they can indeed transmit non-visible light - why? and how is it used ? (I have a sneaky feeling that it's just like a lightbulb - infra-red, and not on purpose)

Again, it's just my opinions and my tastes, but I would like to see a special with less oohs and ahhs and hosts getting all choked up over how magical it is. I would like to see a special that gets into the real down and dirty backstage details. Showing horticulture or staging setting up in the streets is nothing new. There are dozens of shows that have done that.

Instead of a re-hash of the ingredient list that makes up the Gingerbread house in the GF (Which we have all heard a dozen times) how about some details on the kitchens - and not just "over a dozen ovens" - real details.

Eh, I keep hoping for a show like that, and I keep getting disappointed.


-dave

I am as much of a Disney Nut as the next guy, but I still can't see gathering the family together on a Sunday night near the start of the holidays to learn about switch pack sequences and how much current the castle lights draw. There is a degree to which I want to know the behind the scenes, and a degree to which I think I do not.

We are headed to WDW in less than two weeks and will be staying at the Beach Club, and I think this special did a decent job of getting our excitment level even higher than before.

Remember, the only reason for Disney to allow a special like this is to create more excitment for people to travel during the expensive holiday season. I don't know if the kind of specs that some of us found lacking from this special is going to get any more business for WDW.

Hoping this doesn't sound like a personal attack, because it is not. Just an acknowledgement that what you might be hoping for is not something that would likely appeal to the broad masses, and Disney is all about the broad masses.

As for wanting a detailed show regarding particular rides and how they work, check out Martin Smith's vids online or through RodentParts (not the real name...). If anyone is giving a detailed history of current and past rides, its Martin and his fabulous videos...

 

[muse1983]

I wish it would have been a little more in depth but it was still a decent episode. The only bad part about it was the insanely obnoxious host

 

[RiversideBunny]

I wish it would have been a little more in depth but it was still a decent episode. The only bad part about it was the insanely obnoxious host

Yes, agree.

:xmas::xmas:

 

[Buried20KLeague]

I didn't see the show... But I'm assuming there was nothing in it about the LoW? :lookaroun

I'd imagine if they had a segment about the LoW but then they weren't really up at the parks, this board would be (pardon the pun) "lit up like a Christmas Tree". :zipit:

 

[myawn]

I thought it was a very good special, and I enjoyed seeing how WDW's 3 major theme parks decorate for the holidays.

(Since EPCOT can't afford holiday decorations, I don't think it can still be considered a major theme park, at least during Christmas. Maybe they'll start closing it seasonally like they used to do with River Country before they shut it down altogether).

 

[mickeysaver]

No, there was no mention of the LoW. They did a shot of the Epcot tree, standing there lonely and unlit.

I don't typically watch a lot of stuff on the HGTV channel, so I had no idea who the host was. I assumed he was trying to be the typical "everybody loves a flaming trendy designer" kind of a guy. I am a lesbian, so I can say that without a bit of malice. :ROFLOL:

The details given were sufficient for the general public, in fact, I thought that a lot if it was more info than most would care about. Like the part where they said the castle lights are on 105 different circuits. I also thought it was a bit weird that he said that it would take him 12 hours to design a Christmas tree for himself, but magically decorated the Cinderella Castle Suite tree in the blink of a eye. Oh, and how many times did we have to hear that they had a ribbon room? :hammer:

Overall, it was an enjoyable show. It did help me, for the most part, manage to find my excitement for our upcoming holiday trip again. I am not looking forward to Epcot, but hook me up with a visit to DHS and 3 MVMCP's and I will be all set to leave WDW with a great sense of holiday magic and be ready to celebrate the holidays with lots of good cheer once we return home.

4 days from now, my vacation begins. :sohappy:

 

[pacochran]

I enjoyed the show, especially because we aren't going to WDW this year and this is the time of year we usually go.

I thought the facts were interesting about what they used and how many.

 

[Phonedave]

I can agree that for true WDW fans, a more in-depth look would be appreciated. But remember, this was HGTV...a decorating channel. Perhaps the non-Disney people who watch the station wouldn't be as interested in the technical end of things and maybe the station was trying to appeal to that broader audience. I don't know.
Maybe someday Disney will grant your wish and give us a better look. I'm all for that. A series on the Disney Channel that focuses on all aspects of Disney technology would be amazing.

Oh I realize that they have to play to their audience, and I have no problem with that.

It's just that when they program to that audience, they loose me.

-dave

 

[Phonedave]

I am as much of a Disney Nut as the next guy, but I still can't see gathering the family together on a Sunday night near the start of the holidays to learn about switch pack sequences and how much current the castle lights draw. There is a degree to which I want to know the behind the scenes, and a degree to which I think I do not.

We are headed to WDW in less than two weeks and will be staying at the Beach Club, and I think this special did a decent job of getting our excitment level even higher than before.

Remember, the only reason for Disney to allow a special like this is to create more excitment for people to travel during the expensive holiday season. I don't know if the kind of specs that some of us found lacking from this special is going to get any more business for WDW.

Hoping this doesn't sound like a personal attack, because it is not. Just an acknowledgement that what you might be hoping for is not something that would likely appeal to the broad masses, and Disney is all about the broad masses.

As for wanting a detailed show regarding particular rides and how they work, check out Martin Smith's vids online or through RodentParts (not the real name...). If anyone is giving a detailed history of current and past rides, its Martin and his fabulous videos...

I realize that, but then I could not see getting the family together to watch this show either.

I realize that for people who are new to Disney that this is entertaining. I also know that it's is, in effect, a giant hour long commerical.

It is just nothing new. Maybe it speaks to the staleness of WDW that there is nothing that they can put in a Holiday show length commerical that I have not seen hashed and re-hashed over time and time again. I am not even that huge a fan. I don't read books on WDW, scour the web for old ride schematics, memorize speils (not on purpose at least) or any thing like that. I read the magazines I get (from DVC and AP and D23) and read these boards. Just by doing that I have seen 99% of the stuff they put into these specials.

I am not deriding them, I personaly just don't find them all that special.

I will say that it fits the HGTV programming method though.

-dave

 

[EpcotServo]

My favorite part was the new wreath going up on Contemporary...That just happens to be on the side seen less by guests but seen most by certain paying members of a new ugly condo building that, surprise, just happens to be facing that side...

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

My favorite part was the new wreath going up on Contemporary...That just happens to be on the side seen less by guests but seen most by certain paying members of a new ugly condo building that, surprise, just happens to be facing that side...

Intersting isn't it? :lookaroun Ideally, for uniformity, there would be a wreath on BOTH sides of the Contemporary. That way, the condo people and us common folk would both be able to enjoy the sight, but nah... :brick:

 

[mwbrown]

I assume that we commoners can see it leaving the MK by bus or riding the monorail, but I would agree having two wreaths would be better. Of course, two wreaths that size would be about enough lights for the LoW (not to digress...)

 

[traveler93]

Anyone know where the Holiday services warehouse is??? I think it'd be great to see.. any tours??

Might be a little boring to see during the holidays since everything is out of the warehouse! haha.

 

[wolf359]

I thought it was a very odd special. Yeah, I thought the host was distracting, but that wasn't the only problem.

The pacing and flow were really weird. They lingered on some things for quite a while, while other bits flew right on past. I really didn't need to see 10 minutes of the endless rows of trees in storage, but I really wanted more about the castle decorations. Instead of wasting time giving us a gingerbread recipe, how about a little more about all of the resorts, instead of just three?

Was it necessary to keep showing the hanging baskets being hung on Main Street over and over? I think they showed the workers "finish" Main Street about four times, but every time they returned to the Magic Kingdom we saw more baskets being hung and planting flowers. Yet the segments on Mary Blair, the International Christmas storytelling at EPCOT, and the entire Animal Kingdom were all "blink and you'll miss 'em."

The special had a few bits of interesting information, a lot of fluff, and some pretty pictures, but overall I think it was very lackluster. The poor editing and repetition were really annoying, and the host made everything else just an absolute chore to sit through.

 

[islesgirl]

I loved the host. I love his show that he has on HGTV so I might be biased. He used to work for Disney as an illustrator. They don't get too detailed on certain things because if they did most people wouldn't watch. I think for an hour long special on Disney decorations it was well done. I have never seen footage of them getting everything up in one/two nights, so I found it very impressive and I enjoyed the special AND the host

 

[jmani56]

The special had some interesting moments, but 75% of it was filmed on Main Street. I saw about 2 seconds worth of Epcot and Animal Kingdom, and the only resorts I saw were ones with gingerbread houses. I think programs like this further the idea that Walt Disney World consists of Magic Kingdom and.... Magic Kingdom. Maybe this is why I used to be asked how to get to Disney World while working in Epcot and DHS.

 

[prberk]

I didn't get to see this special yet, although my brother recorded it for me; however, I can say that specials like these still remind me that "WDW Inside/Out" should still be on The (non-)Disney Channel. Those were some of the best little shows. Even though they were very commercial (like this special, I am sure) for the Disney folks, it was something that really showed us around WDW and really gave us some fun looks behind the scenes. I miss that show... and think it should come back!

 

[traveler93]

The warehouse is at the Disney Production Studios - and yes, you CAN tour it... it's part of the 7 hour-ish "Backstage Magic" tour. My wife and I went in 2007, and LOVED it. But be warned... it's a LOOOOOONG tour.

In Florida? Can you tour it anytime the year?

 

[Texas84]

My favorite part was the new wreath going up on Contemporary...That just happens to be on the side seen less by guests but seen most by certain paying members of a new ugly condo building that, surprise, just happens to be facing that side...

I'm one of those certain paying people and we're staying in that condo in January. Be jealous!

 

[EpcotServo]

I'm one of those certain paying people and we're staying in that condo in January. Be jealous!

:lol: :wave: