Epcot's Nightmare Christmas just wont go away

[TP2000]

I DONT BUY the 4 parks VS one, I remember when it was ONLY MK & 3 resorts, barely nothing past main street was done waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back then either.:fork:

That was Disneyland's process as well for most of the 20th century. WDW learned Christmas from Disneyland USA, and Walt always let Christmas stop at the Castle. Disneyland kept that up in the 1970's and 80's and into the 90's as well. And the decorations Disneyland did in Walt's day were pretty cheesy stuff by todays standards.

Santa Claus helping put the star on top of the Matterhorn at Disneyland, 1963

But it was Paul Pressler, of all people, that really turned on the Christmas cheer beginning in 1997 with the debut of It's A Small World Holiday. That one was a smash hit, and it's since been cloned in every single Disneyland style park on the globe, except for Magic Kingdom in WDW. :shrug:

In 1998 Disneyland started adding Christmas decorations to New Orleans Square, in the first bit of decorating past Main Street USA. They never looked back, as by 2000 they had Christmas decorations blanketing Mickey's Toontown, Frontierland, and Critter Country. 2000 is also when Believe In Holiday Magic premiered, with the snow finale' that was exotic weather for Southern Californians, and the Christmas season crowds were growing to epic proportions. In 2001 they debuted Haunted Mansion Holiday, and that proved to be another smash holiday hit and has been cloned in Tokyo now.

In recent years they added Santa's Reindeer Roundup in Frontierland, where they set up Santa and Mrs. Claus in a wood cabin for pictures, and ship in a fleet of live reindeer each November for display out in the Big Thunder Ranch petting zoo.

And DCA gets in on the Christmas cheer act quite succesfully as well.

CALIFORNIA letters decorated out front of DCA

http://ocresort.freedomblogging.com/files/2008/11/11-11c.jpg

Golden Gate Bridge/Monorail Beam

http://images.travelpod.com/users/k...8320.california-adventurex-christmas-time.jpg

Flik's Fun Fair giant Christmas decorations and lights

http://albums.mouseplanet.com/AdrienneVincentPhoenix/BugsLand2_110907_AVP.jpg

Hollywood Blvd. decorated like a real city street

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2274/2178643092_63a01544fe.jpg


I could keep going with DCA Christmas stuff, but I think the point is made.

I will never understand why WDW doesn't at least try a few of Disneyland's tricks at Christmas. Would it hurt 'em to at least try?

 

[crlachepinochet]

That was Disneyland's process as well for most of the 20th century. WDW learned Christmas from Disneyland USA, and Walt always let Christmas stop at the Castle. Disneyland kept that up in the 1970's and 80's and into the 90's as well. And the decorations Disneyland did in Walt's day were pretty cheesy stuff by todays standards.

Santa Claus helping put the star on top of the Matterhorn at Disneyland, 1963

But it was Paul Pressler, of all people, that really turned on the Christmas cheer beginning in 1997 with the debut of It's A Small World Holiday. That one was a smash hit, and it's since been cloned in every single Disneyland style park on the globe, except for Magic Kingdom in WDW. :shrug:

In 1998 Disneyland started adding Christmas decorations to New Orleans Square, in the first bit of decorating past Main Street USA. They never looked back, as by 2000 they had Christmas decorations blanketing Mickey's Toontown, Frontierland, and Critter Country. 2000 is also when Believe In Holiday Magic premiered, with the snow finale' that was exotic weather for Southern Californians, and the Christmas season crowds were growing to epic proportions. In 2001 they debuted Haunted Mansion Holiday, and that proved to be another smash holiday hit and has been cloned in Tokyo now.

In recent years they added Santa's Reindeer Roundup in Frontierland, where they set up Santa and Mrs. Claus in a wood cabin for pictures, and ship in a fleet of live reindeer each November for display out in the Big Thunder Ranch petting zoo.

And DCA gets in on the Christmas cheer act quite succesfully as well.

CALIFORNIA letters decorated out front of DCA

http://ocresort.freedomblogging.com/files/2008/11/11-11c.jpg

Golden Gate Bridge/Monorail Beam

http://images.travelpod.com/users/k...8320.california-adventurex-christmas-time.jpg

Flik's Fun Fair giant Christmas decorations and lights

http://albums.mouseplanet.com/AdrienneVincentPhoenix/BugsLand2_110907_AVP.jpg

Hollywood Blvd. decorated like a real city street

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2274/2178643092_63a01544fe.jpg


I could keep going with DCA Christmas stuff, but I think the point is made.

I will never understand why WDW doesn't at least try a few of Disneyland's tricks at Christmas. Would it hurt 'em to at least try?

Not doubting you at all, but it is funny that you post a pic of a Tomorrowland/Fantasyland attraction from 1963 and then say that decorations didn't spread past Main St. until the 90's!

 

[SMRT-1]

anyone know if they are still playing the music?

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

So why would the weather preclude Disney from removing Christmas merch from the stores? Does horticulture also stock the shelves?

And does the weather interfere with changing the music loops, as well?

All $$$ Based, I think.


Great pics, BTW, TP2000!

 

[Texas84]

Was at EPCOT yesterday. Main tree was up, USA tree was up, Christmas music was playing, and several World Showcase pavilions still have garland with lights. We had to postpone our usual December trip so we're enjoying it. :xmas:

 

[raven]

Second, you must have missed all the CMs wearing WINTER coats, scarves, gloves etc? Costuming has plenty.

Actually they ran out and most of the 150 cast member in my department had to buy our own (within the costuming guidlines) in order to sheild ourselves from the weather all night working the marathon. Costuming also runs out of rain gear all the time. And when they DO have them you can only get S, M, L or XXXXXL.

It's an annoyance to have Xmas music still playing in Epcot on Jan. 11

As much as hearing Christmas music at MK on the 12th? Why is Epcot always shot down?

Holiday services can only take down one HUGE tree per night (60') due to the trailer it uses and the crane to hoist it. I saw DHS's back by the warehouse this morning and am guessing the others will be coming down this week.

As far as weather goes it does effect the ongoings in the parks at night. Even though they don't powerwash when it's below freezing the roads and walkways still form ice which makes it diffucult for any utility vehicle to safely do what they need to. The entire World Showcase area is especially prone to ice and this morning it was even salted (albiet table salt :lol by 6AM. The Odyssy bridge and area around the fountain are also dangerous in cold weather.

 

[Duckberg]

Epot Xmas

Decorations STILL up, life CHANGING :veryconfu Duckberg :snore::snore::snore:

 

[_Scar]

I will never understand why WDW doesn't at least try a few of Disneyland's tricks at Christmas. Would it hurt 'em to at least try?

All the parks have a very tall Christmas tree

DAK has Mickey's Jingle Jungle Parade

of course the Osbourne Spectacle of Lights at DHS

& Epcot's Santa's around the world
& the choir

MK has the lights, the parade, the party, the snow, the fireworks

and all the parks have some Christmas decorations

In my eyes, there's something at each park that celebrates Christmas in their style- and I love it. And they don't have to be copy/paste from Disneyland to be good either.

 

[HMF]

Decorations STILL up, life CHANGING :veryconfu Duckberg :snore::snore::snore:

NOW' it is getting ridiculous.

 

[TP2000]

Not doubting you at all, but it is funny that you post a pic of a Tomorrowland/Fantasyland attraction from 1963 and then say that decorations didn't spread past Main St. until the 90's!

Yeah, I thought of that too when I found the Matterhorn pic. :lol:

But the Matterhorn star was a gimmicky thing that was put up there for about 10 years and was canned in the early 1970's and never replaced. It was more of advertising for Disneyland as a whole and as a PR stunt, to be seen from the freeway and such as you drove towards the park, than it was to lend any sort of decoration to Fantasyland proper.

It was during the late 1990's that Disneyland went into the hyper-themed and land-based decorations past Main Street USA, like New Orleans Square at Christmas... :xmas:

 

[_Scar]

Is there a nighttime pic of Matterhorn's star all lit up?

 

[TP2000]

Is there a nighttime pic of Matterhorn's star all lit up?

What a great question! :xmas:

I spent a few minutes on Google, but I just couldn't find one taken at night. I did find this photo though, taken in daylight towards dusk when they've turned on the lights and you can kind of see the effect it had after the sun went down.

This is an amateur photo taken by a tourist heading from Tomorrowland to Fantasyland in a Skyway bucket, during some pre-1964 Christmas season before the Skyway changed to the larger rectangular buckets in mid 1964. The website I found this at had the Christmas 1963 press release on the star, stating it was 24 feet wide. The star also revolved slowly. It was spectacularly tacky and kitschy, and it's probably best that it's retired.

 

[ClemsonTigger]

Maybe we can shoot for keeping the celebration going until Candlemas on Feb. 2 (the "official end" of the Christmas celebration) which is celebration of the presentation of Jesus at the Temple.

Traditionally, Candlemas had been the last feast day in the Christian year that was dated by reference to Christmas.

:lookaroun

 

[_Scar]

TP, thanks for the pic!

I do see the tackyness- but good tacky.

I can't help but notice that the star is like 1/4 the mountain's height. Wowzers.

 

[sponono88]

I can't help but notice that the star is like 1/4 the mountain's height. Wowzers.

No, not really. That picture was taken from high up in the skyway bucket, doesn't show the base of the mountain.. the matterhorn is bigger than what that picture shows :wave:

 

[_Scar]

No, not really. That picture was taken from high up in the skyway bucket, doesn't show the base of the mountain.. the matterhorn is bigger than what that picture shows :wave:

Oh okay...

Err, 1/6 the Matterhorn? Good? :lol:

My point is IT'S HUGE.

I wish Disney would take risks like this in today's parks. *cough*castle cake*cough*

 

[MythBuster]

Epcot Showcase is now being De-Christmased tonight, AA tree is gone and so are the decorations, they had a big crew in, so it should be back to normal on Wednesday

 

[raven]

Epcot Showcase is now being De-Christmased tonight, AA tree is gone and so are the decorations, they had a big crew in, so it should be back to normal on Wednesday

Yep. I walked by the crane last night on the way to my detail. And the music is back to normal.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

All the parks have a very tall Christmas tree

DAK has Mickey's Jingle Jungle Parade

of course the Osbourne Spectacle of Lights at DHS

& Epcot's Santa's around the world
& the choir

MK has the lights, the parade, the party, the snow, the fireworks

and all the parks have some Christmas decorations

In my eyes, there's something at each park that celebrates Christmas in their style- and I love it. And they don't have to be copy/paste from Disneyland to be good either.

Why make excuses? Don't you want more?

DL has lighting shows, interactive trees, the works.

Epcot Showcase is now being De-Christmased tonight, AA tree is gone and so are the decorations, they had a big crew in, so it should be back to normal on Wednesday

Hallelujah! It's a Christmas Miracle. :lol:

 

[jt04]

Why make excuses? Don't you want more?

DL has lighting shows, interactive trees, the works.

Hallelujah! It's a Christmas Miracle. :lol:

Just think, we are only about 6 months from the Osborne Lights going back up.

:xmas:

:sohappy: