Lights of Winter not being displayed this year (2009)!?!

B

BroganMc

Well-Known Member
What distresses me most is that it doesn't seem like EPCOT is getting much of any holiday treatment. Pictures taken in the last few days show very little on the decor.

As for this letter response...

slowbee said:
As a result we have made the decision to
retire the Lights of Winter, the illuminated canopy along Showcase Plaza
at Epcot®, as the technology is obsolete.

Although we understand your disappointment with this change, we have
several offerings for Holidays Around The World. We hope you will visit
us as we continue to feature the nightly Candlelight Processional at
America Gardens Theatre,
Click to expand...

Knowing how much they charge for this CP package, I'd cancel my reservation on the spot with this response. I'm only sorry I already cancelled my reservation (due to costs). In fact, I'm inspired to make a reservation, wait 2 days then call and cancel it just to make a point.

TDO needs to realize that there's a reason people carve time out of their schedules to go to WDW in December and it's not to spend an extra $50 a head for a dinner show. Not when you can see the same show at home via your local symphony, concert hall, kid's school, etc.

We go to Disney because EVERYTHING is decorated with holiday spirit, not just the things we pay extra to see. But if it's just gonna be like other times of the year with a few "special events" then it's not worth the time and expense.

Before this announcement I was prepared to take both my brothers' families into EPCOT the first day of our trip next month (I'm taking 17 people to Disney first weekend in December). It would mean an extra park day for them and several hundred dollars for me in park ticket gifts to their kids. (We're talking 11 people here.) But now I'm just gonna forget it. They want to go to Seaworld. Hearing what Seaworld is offering in their new holiday events, I'm thinking it's a better choice over EPCOT. I myself may go resort hopping instead.

My only fear is that if enough people cancel CP then TDO may decide to axe that too. The thinking being that "it doesn't attract guests to spend money so we'll cut the cost".
 
RSoxNo1

RSoxNo1

Well-Known Member
The Lights of Winter not being there doesn't really bother me to the extent it bothers other people. I don't dislike them, but they won't make or break my vacation.

That being said, the trend of cutting corners is becoming a growing problem. On one of the TV specials there's a line that sticks with me where someone from Disney says:
"The expectations of someone going to Disney World are higher than when they do anything else in their life."
I agree with that statement, and I think many people on here would also agree. We're all Disney fans, otherwise we wouldn't be here, and we all have certain expectations that we expect to be met. When these expectations get undercut it cheapens the experience. There is a growing trend of offering less for more money.

I went to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party this year for the first time ever. I had a great time. The problem is, this was not part of regular admission, when similar offerings are part of the regular admission in California.

Considering that a flight to California isn't much more than than a flight to Florida for me (And others), I hope Disneyland becomes a major resort destination. The mouse will still be getting my tourist dollars, but hopefully they will see that anything less than excellence doesn't fly with Disney World fanbois. There is a sizable gap in major additions between American Idol Experience (January 2009), and Star Tours 2.0 (October 2011). Space Mountain could have been a significant enough stop gap, but costs were cut there as well. Would the time frame have been significantly extended if they added on board audio and a modified re-entry tunnel in addition to the existing work? What would that have cost?
 
ChrisFL

ChrisFL

Premium Member
RSoxNo1 said:
The Lights of Winter not being there doesn't really bother me to the extent it bothers other people. I don't dislike them, but they won't make or break my vacation.

That being said, the trend of cutting corners is becoming a growing problem. On one of the TV specials there's a line that sticks with me where someone from Disney says:
"The expectations of someone going to Disney World are higher than when they do anything else in their life."
I agree with that statement, and I think many people on here would also agree. We're all Disney fans, otherwise we wouldn't be here, and we all have certain expectations that we expect to be met. When these expectations get undercut it cheapens the experience. There is a growing trend of offering less for more money.

I went to Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party this year for the first time ever. I had a great time. The problem is, this was not part of regular admission, when similar offerings are part of the regular admission in California.

Considering that a flight to California isn't much more than than a flight to Florida for me (And others), I hope Disneyland becomes a major resort destination. The mouse will still be getting my tourist dollars, but hopefully they will see that anything less than excellence doesn't fly with Disney World fanbois. There is a sizable gap in major additions between American Idol Experience (January 2009), and Star Tours 2.0 (October 2011). Space Mountain could have been a significant enough stop gap, but costs were cut there as well. Would the time frame have been significantly extended if they added on board audio and a modified re-entry tunnel in addition to the existing work? What would that have cost?
Click to expand...

I'd much rather be giving my tourist dollars to OLC and have a superior Disney experience than anything stateside
 
Next Big Thing

Next Big Thing

Well-Known Member
This may be a bit off topic (didn't want to start a whole thread for it), but I was at MK today to ride SM and noticed that in the place where they usually have the large christmas tree as you walk in, there are now two small ones. Does anyone know why this is? Why would they set the large ones up at the other parks, but not at MK?
 
PhotoDave219

PhotoDave219

Well-Known Member
EPCOT Explorer said:
With each passing day, they do less and less, Dave. :( You saw the pics....They have weeds around them, now.


*sigh*
Click to expand...

Thats the same place they've been stored for years. Never been a problem before.

Either TPTB needs to come out and be honest about what technology is 'obsolete' or this is straight up, budget related.

This of course should lead to a lengthy discussion about how disney stores things around property. Just leaving stuff out in the open is not the way to do things.
 
PhotoDave219

PhotoDave219

Well-Known Member
Next Big Thing said:
This may be a bit off topic (didn't want to start a whole thread for it), but I was at MK today to ride SM and noticed that in the place where they usually have the large christmas tree as you walk in, there are now two small ones. Does anyone know why this is? Why would they set the large ones up at the other parks, but not at MK?
Click to expand...

Parade taping.

Although in the past, the big tree has been at the Castle around this time before magically growing legs and walking down MSUSA one night.
 
captain marvel1

captain marvel1

New Member
its not just guests that are bummed. Epcot employees are disappointed too. my friend Jackie who is a Kim possible agent at the park who i consider as my 2 mom who works their at epcot is very disappointed too. so we were talking and we were both thinking that Disney could have went the Osbourne light route with led lights. that reminds me i have a photo of a basketball hoop lit up.
 
brkgnews

brkgnews

Well-Known Member
PhotoDave219 said:
Thats the same place they've been stored for years. Never been a problem before.

Either TPTB needs to come out and be honest about what technology is 'obsolete' or this is straight up, budget related.

This of course should lead to a lengthy discussion about how disney stores things around property. Just leaving stuff out in the open is not the way to do things.
Click to expand...
Especially when you have a gi-freaking-gundo Holiday Services warehouse just north of MK.
 
B

BroganMc

Well-Known Member
themeparkpioner said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_IY7OGwhuA Heres a petition by WDW1993. You will enter into a youtube video but the link is on the side. Sign every petition you find.
Click to expand...

Here's a direct link to that petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/SAVELIGHTSOFWINTER/index.html

For my part, I've e-mailed, twittered, written, blogged and am preparing fr a prsonal onslaught next month during my erly Deceber trip (planned 11 months ago).

I just ordered a bunch of Bring Back LOW buttons and magnets from CafePress. My plan is to take them with me and spread as much word as possible to the average guest who doesn't know about it.

--- SSR LOVER ------
--- Marriott Owner | SSR, BWV & BLT Owner| PWC user ----
Grandpa Mohawk Travel Blog



Booked Trips: Dec 4-8 (Family Gathering with 3 sibs & kids = 17 people), NYE '09 (3rd Annual GM Posse), April/May '10, Sep/Oct '10
 
M

Mr.MouseFan

Active Member
RSoxNo1 said:
Considering that a flight to California isn't much more than than a flight to Florida for me (And others), I hope Disneyland becomes a major resort destination. The mouse will still be getting my tourist dollars, but hopefully they will see that anything less than excellence doesn't fly with Disney World fanbois.
Click to expand...

I agree. I spent 4 days out at Disneyland and then flew to Orlando and spent 4 days at WDW over the last 2 weeks. For me personally, I felt I got a better value for my dollar at Disneyland. Even though I was at DL for Halloween Time, if you just look at the holiday offerings at Disneyland compared to Disney World, you can see the difference. Disneyland will be offering Small World Holiday, Haunted Mansion Holiday, Believe...In Holiday Magic fireworks (nightly), Sleeping Beauty's Winter Castle, and the "A Christmas Fantasy" parade. These are all included with regular park admission, you don't have to spend an extra $60 just to see them. The only holiday offerings you can see at WDW (at least up until the last MVMCP) are The Osbourne lights, Jingle Jungle parade, a fireworks tag at Epcot and the castle lighting. Of those, the only two that stand out to me are the Osbourne lights and the POE tag at Epcot.

Things like this are why I've decided that I won't be visiting WDW again until FL is complete. Until then, my $ will be flying out to Anaheim.
 
Thurp

Thurp

Member
As long as people keep paying for these things, the company will continue doing these things.

MK Fireworks viewing from the Tomorrowland noodle place (exact name escapes me right now), great location, now it's a pay "experience" and they give you some sugar to make it "worth it"

Typhoon Lagoon/Blizzard Beach "cabanas", these were normal locations that anyone could sit at. Now they put a rope, give you a couple towels and price it at almost $200.

People pay. Why, I don't know. They just do.

If there was a service where for $50 someone would come out at wave at you personally as you enter the MK, people would pay in the missappropriated name of "magic."

If the "1st visit" or "Anniversary" buttons were $2 each, people would pay.

Read some of those other boards. People are obsessed with "magic" and the company is offering a version of it for a price. And man, are they biting. And as long as people bite, they will continue being taken advantage of, and free experiences that we take for granted, will continue being axed or offered at a premium. (Christmas/Halloween events at MK is a great example that you guys were just discussing.)

I love WDW, I just hate seeing it "decline by degrees." Kevin Yee has been right all along, for years.
 
Figment82

Figment82

Well-Known Member
Mr.MouseFan said:
I agree. I spent 4 days out at Disneyland and then flew to Orlando and spent 4 days at WDW over the last 2 weeks. For me personally, I felt I got a better value for my dollar at Disneyland. Even though I was at DL for Halloween Time, if you just look at the holiday offerings at Disneyland compared to Disney World, you can see the difference. Disneyland will be offering Small World Holiday, Haunted Mansion Holiday, Believe...In Holiday Magic fireworks (nightly), Sleeping Beauty's Winter Castle, and the "A Christmas Fantasy" parade. These are all included with regular park admission, you don't have to spend an extra $60 just to see them. The only holiday offerings you can see at WDW (at least up until the last MVMCP) are The Osbourne lights, Jingle Jungle parade, a fireworks tag at Epcot and the castle lighting. Of those, the only two that stand out to me are the Osbourne lights and the POE tag at Epcot.

Things like this are why I've decided that I won't be visiting WDW again until FL is complete. Until then, my $ will be flying out to Anaheim.
Click to expand...

Not only do they offer everything you mentioned for "free" as in, included in admission, but I believe it is still cheaper to go to Disneyland for the day than the Magic Kingdom. So you end up paying less (if you compare 1-park 1-day DL to MK) but you are getting more.

And - they announced that the Storybook Canal and Casey Jr. Circus Train attractions are getting holiday layovers this year as well.
 
aladdin2007

aladdin2007

Well-Known Member
Figment82 said:
Not only do they offer everything you mentioned for "free" as in, included in admission, but I believe it is still cheaper to go to Disneyland for the day than the Magic Kingdom. So you end up paying less (if you compare 1-park 1-day DL to MK) but you are getting more.

And - they announced that the Storybook Canal and Casey Jr. Circus Train attractions are getting holiday layovers this year as well.
Click to expand...

They get all these great layovers and yet we cant even get a park (epcot) decorated a little here. Somethings rotten in Denmark.
 
xdan0920

xdan0920

Think for yourselfer
It is really strange how one company can operate such diametrically opposed resorts. At WDW there are constantly taking away, and when they are not busy taking anything away, they are busy just barely keeping things operable. The magic continues to disappear. Where is it going?

I guess the only reasonable response to that question is it is migrating west to DL. They get these beautiful new shows, new layovers, new rides. We get less magic.

New weekly review blog. Bombard it.

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2009/11/disney-parks-blog-weekly-recap-4/
 
CommandoDisney

CommandoDisney

Member
i want to start off by saying, i am sorry for all of those who are dissappointed by this news, i really am. i know its a bummer when something youve been looking forward to gets cancelled. but seriously? this has turned into post after post of complaints about how "magic is fading" and wdw is screwing people over and DL is way better and people cancelling their trips.... really?? over some lit up archways? one thing gets pulled this year and everyone cries foul? has this become the new "wand"? have i overused the question mark? yes, i have.

ladies and gentlemen i am not here to dismiss your dissappointment, but some of these posts are worded as if they feel the removal of the lights was a personal attack against themselves. i guess i just dont understand because i never really cared much for them. sure they were cool, but certainly not mind blowing.

i still feel like wdw has plenty of christmas stuff up for all you holiday folks. between all the resorts and parks, thats a whole lot of christmas. and yet if they decided to turn Spaceship Earth into a giant tree ornament (you know, like those shiny ball things) everyone would go insane with anger. im gonna be there at the end of this week and im just stoked that im going at all. if you still are upset about it, then ill buy you a couple drinks at the rose and crown and ill get a bunch of kids to run around you with those glowy things they sell at night. deal?

i love you all.
 
M

Mr.MouseFan

Active Member
Figment82 said:
Not only do they offer everything you mentioned for "free" as in, included in admission, but I believe it is still cheaper to go to Disneyland for the day than the Magic Kingdom. So you end up paying less (if you compare 1-park 1-day DL to MK) but you are getting more.

And - they announced that the Storybook Canal and Casey Jr. Circus Train attractions are getting holiday layovers this year as well.
Click to expand...

A 4 day park hopper to DL is about $96 cheaper than a 4 day park hopper to WDW. If you throw in the extra cost of a MVMCP ticket to see the Christmas stuff that Disneyland would include with admission, you'd save about $155.
 

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