When we were in WDW two weeks ago, DHS was closing at 7 every night. With the lighting ceremony at dusk (around 6:00), this left less than a hour to enjoy the amazing display. And what I found most annoying were the signs placed about that stated the lights would turn off promptly at 7:00. This sounds a lot like MVMCP so I was surprised they were going to be so quick to show guests the gate.
I spend quite a bit of time each holiday season putting up 10,000+ lights and decorations outside my house. They start the Osbourne lights in August and put in countless hours. The way I look at my display is based on all the time I put in, I want to make sure there is ample time for everyone to enjoy it (which is the reason I do it in the first place). I just changed my timer from 10:00 pm to 12:00 am for exactly this reason. If you're going to go to all that trouble, make it worth it!
This trip was primarily for the purpose of seeing the decorations, as we were just there in August. We had a great trip and really got in the Christmas spirit. I still couldn't help but notice, however, that there was even less than our trip three years ago during the holidays (especially Epcot). Hopefully this doesn't continue! :xmas:
Ah ... showing the online bulge again, JT!:ROFLOL::xmas:
Looks like you are in the minority. Big time.
http://blog.touringplans.com/2009/12/21/crowds-larger-than-expected-this-pre-christmas/
It's called a recession, they have always discounted during bad economic times and always will. It is economics 101. Big picture people, big picture.
PS- The Chinese are done subsidizing our economy and HUGE tax increases are coming to all the earners out there. So expect the discounts and cutbacks to become even larger. You ain't seen nothing yet. Because eventually the discounts won't draw in the crowds and we all know what happens then. Polish up those resumes. Just sayin'.
Disney has NEVER dicounted like it has in 2009. Never. Ever.
Book four nights, get three free. Eat free. Merchandise gift cards.
40% off deluxe resorts during the busiest two weeks of the year.
Giving APers 10% off all merchandise ... nope let's make it 20% during the holiday period.
Sale-priced merchandise all over.
Instead of having lower numbers, but keeping the premium brand label, Disney has reverted to cosntant discounting and that has Wall Street (rightfully) worried. But it makes the short term numbers look a lot better than they would or should.
But at the cost of devaluing the brand. People become addicted to discounting (look at the pheonomenon of Black Friday, Walmart or even the airline industry domestically).
The Weatherman can lie all he wants about scaling back discounts in 2010, but the reality (and he well knows it especially with NOTHING happening at WDW) is they'll be inforce all through the new year.:xmas:
Ah, so you want to bring in politics and taxes? I say RAISE them taxes as high as you want ... so long as the money goes to health care ... to education ... to job creation ... and to infrastructure ... and NOT to the wealthy ... to Wall Street ... to Big Business ... or to Iraq. Taxes haven't exactly been low this decade ... yet my money has gone to almost nothing I support and many things I don't. :xmas::xmas:
Being as contrary as a woman, my own opinion was that the Thanks Giving Weekend and the following week felt busier than the same period last year. However much of that feeling came from congested walk ways home to squadrons of marauding pensioners and salad dodgers in ECVs and the epidemic of Nimitz class strollers with their spoiled and pampered occupants and half witted drive mechanism. Qs were acceptable in the main, with the odd case of artificial line creation such as SSE where for at least the 1st hour only one side would operate, or BTMR where it seemed only 1 train was running.
I also visited Sea World and was very impressed with the place, especially the Polar Express overlay. However Sea World lost marks as if my memory of a Discovery Channel program are correct the polar bear was exhibiting all the signs of a very unhappy bear, of the non blue nose variety. Busch Gardens is Epcotesque in its seasonal decor, and despite its great attractions as shabby as any UK park, though oddly enough in this country we have built coasters that can function when it rains. Maybe something the new owners can pick up on.
Have you seen the discounts for 2010?
They're offering 40% off select deluxe resorts and 45% off DVCs nearly every day except about a total of two weeks.
Code OKR.![]()
First person to put that on a t-shirt gets my money.WDW is now The Discounted Timeshare Kingdom of the World!:xmas:
![]()
No. Hadn't seen that.
But I got a pin code deal (about my fifth this year after NEVER getting one before ... guess they noticed that 2009 was my first year since sometime in the 1980s that I didn't spend one night in a WDW owned and operated hotel) about a month and a half ago that had similar discounts that went into June with a few exceptions (two weeks around Easter, Race Weekend maybe Memorial Day weekend too).
WDW is now The Discounted Timeshare Kingdom of the World!:xmas:
![]()
First person to put that on a t-shirt gets my money.
I must say...your report would be a great pleasure to read if it weren't for non-WDW garbage like this. I'd venture a guess that not too many people on a WDW board care to hear your political opinions, or your opinions on why this country is where it is today.
Whether I agree with you or not, there's no need to drag stuff like this into an informative, fun, and otherwise well written WDW report.
I agree. 74, I think you're awesome, but a little less politics please. :wave:
It'll still cost an arm and a leg to have a week or longer vacation though... I would know. :/
True. But a WDW vacation can actually be a bargain IF you do it right.
That means not staying on property ... not eating most meals at Disney dining locations ... and not buying $30 tees and $16 pins.
I stayed at two of the nicest hotels in Orlando and paid less than the least-expensive discounted rate of a WDW value resort these days.
Some folks don't believe you can enjoy WDW without being on-property and as someone who has stayed at EVERY WDW resort (most many times) I can categorically say that's simply the pixie dust talking. :ROFLOL::king::xmas:
Being as contrary as a woman, my own opinion was that the Thanks Giving Weekend and the following week felt busier than the same period last year. However much of that feeling came from congested walk ways home to squadrons of marauding pensioners and salad dodgers in ECVs and the epidemic of Nimitz class strollers with their spoiled and pampered occupants and half witted drive mechanism. Qs were acceptable in the main, with the odd case of artificial line creation such as SSE where for at least the 1st hour only one side would operate, or BTMR where it seemed only 1 train was running.
I also visited Sea World and was very impressed with the place, especially the Polar Express overlay. However Sea World lost marks as if my memory of a Discovery Channel program are correct the polar bear was exhibiting all the signs of a very unhappy bear, of the non blue nose variety. Busch Gardens is Epcotesque in its seasonal decor, and despite its great attractions as shabby as any UK park, though oddly enough in this country we have built coasters that can function when it rains. Maybe something the new owners can pick up on.
True. But a WDW vacation can actually be a bargain IF you do it right.
That means not staying on property ... not eating most meals at Disney dining locations ... and not buying $30 tees and $16 pins.
I stayed at two of the nicest hotels in Orlando and paid less than the least-expensive discounted rate of a WDW value resort these days.
Some folks don't believe you can enjoy WDW without being on-property and as someone who has stayed at EVERY WDW resort (most many times) I can categorically say that's simply the pixie dust talking. :ROFLOL::king::xmas:
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