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

[RSoxNo1]

A wildly popular show that will be 6 years old by the time it finishes its run at DCA in 2010. For Disneyland and the rabid local SoCal crowd, that's an eternity. Only because Alladin was so good did it get to stay as long as it did. It was a stage show; those aren't supposed to live forever.

Hence why we don't have the Kids Of The Kingdom singing This Land Is Your Land in matching sweater sets like it's still 1974. :lol:

I recognize that the Disneyland Resort is a different entity than Disney World, but at the same time, look at The Festival of the Lion King. With talk of Camp Minnie Mickey being replaced, everyone is under the assumption that Festival of the Lion King will be moved, and that show is 11 years old. A show's age isn't as important as it's popularity.

Did the show about the cut backs to Fantasmic have 1700 posts? That's the only thing that's close, and that thread didn't get anywhere near 1700 posts.

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=332031&

 

[cdunbar]

I recognize that the Disneyland Resort is a different entity than Disney World, but at the same time, look at The Festival of the Lion King. With talk of Camp Minnie Mickey being replaced, everyone is under the assumption that Festival of the Lion King will be moved, and that show is 11 years old. A show's age isn't as important as it's popularity.

Did the show about the cut backs to Fantasmic have 1700 posts? That's the only thing that's close, and that thread didn't get anywhere near 1700 posts.

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=332031&

Disneyland gets more local visitors than anything else so people who have seen the attraction 15 times aren't going to go see it on every visit because they've already seen it numerous times, hence why DL needs to update things like stage shows. People understand that rides at DL are classics aren't going to be constantly changed, I mean they might get constant updates and possibly a few upgrades but no major major changes, accept of course for haunted mansion. While Disney World on the other hand gets visits from people all over the world on an annual basis. Plus the thing with the Lion King show is that it was/is a popular broadway show, why change something if there are still lines for most every show. The thing with Fantasmic! is a horse of a different color, that was cost cutting measures, plain and simple. DCA getting Aladdin replaced with Toy Story was not a cost cutting measure it was instead a matter of keeping the locals happy so like I said a horse of a different color there...

 

[WDW Vacationer]

EPCOT was badly lacking in decorations.

Tree,Outpost and a couple countries were decorated.

How about floating pointsettias,like they do for F&G?

 

[RSoxNo1]

Disneyland gets more local visitors than anything else so people who have seen the attraction 15 times aren't going to go see it on every visit because they've already seen it numerous times, hence why DL needs to update things like stage shows. People understand that rides at DL are classics aren't going to be constantly changed, I mean they might get constant updates and possibly a few upgrades but no major major changes, accept of course for haunted mansion. While Disney World on the other hand gets visits from people all over the world on an annual basis. Plus the thing with the Lion King show is that it was/is a popular broadway show, why change something if there are still lines for most every show. The thing with Fantasmic! is a horse of a different color, that was cost cutting measures, plain and simple. DCA getting Aladdin replaced with Toy Story was not a cost cutting measure it was instead a matter of keeping the locals happy so like I said a horse of a different color there...

I think that's a horrible argument. I understand that Disneyland caters to locals more than not but has Aladdin actually slipped in popularity? They cut back Aladdin showtimes, but I was under the impression that it was a bit pre-mature.

As for the comparison to The Lion King, the production value of Aladdin is that of a Broadway Musical as well.

 

[gsimpson]

Futureworld almost Christmas free, how sad

I just returned from a week in Orlando and noticed that apart from Mouse Gear Christmas is pretty much gone from Futureworld. Not only the LOW but even the plantings are lacking the typical Christmas look, mostly pansies, petunias, snap dragons, and geraniums. The entry esplanade had a couple of topiaries with Santa hats on them but that was about it. Even the quick serve locations like the Electric Umbrella had almost no decorations. World Showcase seemed to have less than usual, but not nearly to the degree of Futureworld. The FON did not do any music of any kind on either of the two evenings I was there, unless I happened to only be passing during breaks each of the many times I passed them. On a positive note, MK and DHS at least still seemed to be fully Christmasized.

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

EPCOT was badly lacking in decorations.

Tree,Outpost and a couple countries were decorated.

How about floating pointsettias,like they do for F&G?

That'd be great...Always liked that look.

I just returned from a week in Orlando and noticed that apart from Mouse Gear Christmas is pretty much gone from Futureworld. Not only the LOW but even the plantings are lacking the typical Christmas look, mostly pansies, petunias, snap dragons, and geraniums. The entry esplanade had a couple of topiaries with Santa hats on them but that was about it. Even the quick serve locations like the Electric Umbrella had almost no decorations. World Showcase seemed to have less than usual, but not nearly to the degree of Futureworld. The FON did not do any music of any kind on either of the two evenings I was there, unless I happened to only be passing during breaks each of the many times I passed them. On a positive note, MK and DHS at least still seemed to be fully Christmasized.

Nope...shut down, so the choir rolleyes can use the stage.

 

[wdwmagic]

OK, I understand that people are upset about the lights of winter not being displayed anymore. I recognize that people are perhaps more upset about the perceived cost cutting that's going on here. That being said, I think the scope of this thread is ridiculous. We're 1700+ posts deep. Was there this level of discussion when major attractions closed?

I trhink the major difference is that LoW was closed and replaced with nothing.

Other closures during recent years have been because a rework was in progress (AE to Stitch, Timekeeper to Monsters Inc). There can't be an outcry over something like that, because at the time of the close, it isn't know how good the replacement will be, and there is the hope it will be great and a worthy replacement. The problem with LoW is that it was cut for no benefit to the guest. LoW was also one of those things that was universally liked, very few had a bad word to say about it. Not many attractions have that.

 

[dxwwf3]

Other closures during recent years have been because a rework was in progress (AE to Stitch, Timekeeper to Monsters Inc). There can't be an outcry over something like that, because at the time of the close, it isn't know how good the replacement will be

I don't think too many were surprised with how well SGE turned out :lol:

All joking aside, I think the LoW announcement hit at a time where a straw could break the camel's back for a lot of people, myself included.

 

[wm49rs]

Expect more Christmas decorations at Epcot next year. The public outcry has made a difference.

Also, expect certain people on the boards to say it was all part of one big master plan, even though it wasn't.

Right, master plan. Just like these message boards, the outcry on the Disney blog, and the complaints endured by the CMs at Epcot were all part of the "master plan." :brick:

 

[TimNRA757]

It was all part of one big master plan!

 

[tirian]

Right, master plan. Just like these message boards, the outcry on the Disney blog, and the complaints endured by the CMs at Epcot were all part of the "master plan." :brick:

Of course I'm not talking about the outcry; I'm referring to LoW's absence and the few posters who blindly defend every decision made in Florida.

 

[jt04]

Of course I'm not talking about the outcry; I'm referring to LoW's absence and the few posters who blindly defend every decision made in Florida.

You have not heard me "blindly defending" the effort to secularize the Holidays at WDW. Truth is I posted the opinion that was the main reason LoW was not rehabilitated during the off season. There is a slow "progressive" attempt to secularize all walks off life in the US due to some bizzare reasoning. It is even infecting WDW and has been for years now. If Disney has decided to reverse course at Epcot, it is likely due to guests demanding more "Chiristmas" at the park and not that they are demanding their "pretty blinky lights" return.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

You have not heard me "blindly defending" the effort to secularize the Holidays at WDW.

If thats true we have a first. :drevil:

 

[EPCOT Explorer]

You have not heard me "blindly defending" the effort to secularize the Holidays at WDW. Truth is I posted the opinion that was the main reason LoW was not rehabilitated during the off season. There is a slow "progressive" attempt to secularize all walks off life in the US due to some bizzare reasoning. It is even infecting WDW and has been for years now. If Disney has decided to reverse course at Epcot, it is likely due to guests demanding more "Chiristmas" at the park and not that they are demanding their "pretty blinky lights" return.

And Steve, quickly said that it was wrong. :shrug::lookaroun

 

[harryk]

One may think that they are secularizing the Christmas season when they have Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and during the stage shows wish everyone Happy Holidays. But I won't consider it such until they have Mickey's Very Merry Holiday Party.
In no way would Walt Disney consider Happy Holidays what with all the Christmas material he produced over the years. Too many people are trying to be P.C when there is no need for it.
Let's get on with it and all have a Merry Christmas - even without the Lights of Winter. (I do hope that they will be back next year.....)

MERRY CHRISTMAS

 

[tirian]

You have not heard me "blindly defending" the effort to secularize the Holidays at WDW. Truth is I posted the opinion that was the main reason LoW was not rehabilitated during the off season. There is a slow "progressive" attempt to secularize all walks off life in the US due to some bizzare reasoning. It is even infecting WDW and has been for years now. If Disney has decided to reverse course at Epcot, it is likely due to guests demanding more "Chiristmas" at the park and not that they are demanding their "pretty blinky lights" return.

I wasn't talking about you. You've been one of the most vocal opponents of the LoW removal.

However, the LoW had nothing to do with holiday-vs-Christmas. The gospel group they added disproves that theory.

///RANT///
I've noticed the removal of the term "Christmas" all over WDW, and it's STUPID. That's the name of the holiday. Get over it. Paris doesn't have a problem with it. Neither do Japan and Hong Kong, where Christmas is celebrated as a family, not religious, holiday. Only hyper-sensitive, politically-correct, STUPID Americans care about the name of a holiday; and the people who complain are usually a tiny minority that finds fault with everything (see: ACLU).

Little is more anti-climatic and generic than hearing Jiminy Cricket blast "Happy Holidays!" at the end of a fireworks show that sings about Christmas. There's still plenty of "Christmas" left in the parks, but the places where they've chosen to omit it, like the Epcot tree, are glaring examples of foolishness.

We don't refuse to call planets and moons by their names because it might offend people who don't believe in Roman gods and goddesses.

:brick:

 

[jt04]

I wasn't talking about you. You've been one of the most vocal opponents of the LoW removal.

However, the LoW had nothing to do with holiday-vs-Christmas. The gospel group they added disproves that theory.

///RANT///
I've noticed the removal of the term "Christmas" all over WDW, and it's STUPID. That's the name of the holiday. Get over it. Paris doesn't have a problem with it. Neither do Japan and Hong Kong, where Christmas is celebrated as a family, not religious, holiday. Only hyper-sensitive, politically-correct, STUPID Americans care about the name of a holiday; and the people who complain are usually a tiny minority that finds fault with everything (see: ACLU).

Little is more anti-climatic and generic than hearing Jiminy Cricket blast "Happy Holidays!" at the end of a fireworks show that sings about Christmas. There's still plenty of "Christmas" left in the parks, but the places where they've chosen to omit it, like the Epcot tree, are glaring examples of foolishness.

We don't refuse to call planets and moons by their names because it might offend people who don't believe in Roman gods and goddesses.

:brick:

Nicely put. I'm not so sure the Gospel show isn't part of weening folks off Christmas at Epcot however. This is no reflection on the group. I am very grateful they were willing to do the show. I hope it becomes an annual tradition.

But the number of LoW presentations were quite substantially more than the Gospel group preformances. This is how it's done. Remove a traditional element (which included Christmas and Hanukkah standards) and replace it with a show that includes some traditional Christmas music and also includes a song that only mentions Hanukkah and Kwanza :veryconfu. But also provides far fewer presentations. That way they can claim they are still providing traditional religious Holiday music when in fact they are just covering up the actual slow elimination of it. Next up, they will scale back or eliminate the Gospel group.

And in Epcot of all places they are "sanitizing" centuries old traditional culture in the name of progress I guess. It's PC madness spinning out of control. IMO.

 

[Thurp]

There was an older couple by the tree last night trying to convince each other that there were more decorations in the past.

They sounded so confused. The man kept saying "there was more! I remember sitting over there looking at some lights" and the woman answered "yes! and then it started raining! And wasn't there a stage over here?" as she walked back towards the tree.

 

[jt04]

If thats true we have a first. :drevil:

Perhaps you missed my rants on Energy, the SSE descent, and the aesthetics of the TTC to name a few.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Perhaps you missed my rants on Energy, the SSE descent, and the aesthetics of the TTC to name a few.

youll be straying into doom n gloom territory soon.