WDW Halloween vs. DL Halloween

jjharvpro

Active Member
Original Poster
I just finished watching videos on the Disney Parks YouTube channel. Videos of the Halloween season in both Walt Disney World and Disneyland were shown. In my opinion, Disneyland seems to have much more umph to it! For example, Haunted Mansion themed with Nightmare Before Christmas. Also, Space Mountain a spooky ghost theme. The fireworks show has more Halloween to offer, I think. Now, don't get me wrong, WDW is my place to be! But I want some other opinions from Disney fans!
 

the-reason14

Well-Known Member
Never been to DL during Halloween time, and just a few times at WDW during Halloween time, but I'm sure you're right. When it comes to seasonal changes, DL does it better. Not to mention a few other things too.
 

jjharvpro

Active Member
Original Poster
The question is--why? It somewhat disappoints me:( I haven't been to either coasts during Halloween. . .but still.
 

NoChesterHester

Well-Known Member
I just finished watching videos on the Disney Parks YouTube channel. Videos of the Halloween season in both Walt Disney World and Disneyland were shown. In my opinion, Disneyland seems to have much more umph to it! For example, Haunted Mansion themed with Nightmare Before Christmas. Also, Space Mountain a spooky ghost theme. The fireworks show has more Halloween to offer, I think. Now, don't get me wrong, WDW is my place to be! But I want some other opinions from Disney fans!

I think holiday overlays have always been historically better at Disneyland just due to their target audience. MNSSHP is still fantastic.
 

jjharvpro

Active Member
Original Poster
I wonder about Christmas too. . I've been during the Christmas season(though didn't get to see Osborne Family Spectacle of Dancing Lights) and it was so great! Does anyone know of anything in DL that outdoes WDW during Christmas?
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
Does anyone know of anything in DL that outdoes WDW during Christmas?

A little thing called It's A Small World Holiday for starters.

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The HD ride through at Christmas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE9c5jFyS10&feature=related

Disneyland also does more to decorate the entire park for Christmas, not just the main entrance and Main Street USA, or a snow topped Castle.

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They really go all out all over the whole park.

New Orleans Square Alleys at Christmastime
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They decorate the exteriors of different attractions around the park for Christmas, as if the Characters decorated it themselves. The card on the big tree being hoisted into the barn at the Splash Mountain entrance says "To Brer Bear & Brer Fox, From Brer Rabbit"

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On the StorybookLand Canal Boats all the Characters have decorated their homes for Christmas with miniature wreaths and garland and trees. It's amazingly detailed for such miniature buildings.

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They ship live reindeer down from Alaska for Frontierland and set them up outside Santa's cabin where he and Mrs. Claus greet kids and take gift lists.

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Critter Country, Mickey's Toontown, Frontierland, New Orleans Square, Main Street USA and the main entrance all get the full Christmas treatment. Fantasyland gets a limited treatment at just select attractions or buildings. The only land left out of the seasonal fun at Disneyland is Tomorrowland, for an unknown reason.
 

jjharvpro

Active Member
Original Poster
That truly amazes me! Thanks for the pics!! Still my question remains--why? WDW showcases some great holiday fireworks, shows, etc. but why not go to the limits that DL does
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
The question is--why? It somewhat disappoints me:( I haven't been to either coasts during Halloween. . .but still.

Disneyland caters a lot to locals in SoCal, and other West Coasters who come to SoCal specifically for the different seasons.

Halloween became a big deal for Disneyland quite suddenly in 2006. The Halloween decorations Disneyland created were eventually copied and a set was sent out to WDW to start using, I think in '08. There are a few elements that are different at Disneyland though, at least on Main Street USA and the main entrance.

The tram route from the Disneyland parking structure sets up little vignettes along the roadways at Halloween to look at as your tram heads to the main entrance...

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The main entrance turnstiles get big pumpkin heads in the form of favorite Characters that light up at night...

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And there's a big Mickey pumpkin head at the tip of Main Street USA, where the Christmas tree usually goes. He smiles for pictures on the way in...
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And winks good night to you on the way out...
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Disneyland also plays up the Southwest culture in Frontierland by decorating for Dia De Los Muertos, the Mexican "Day of the Dead" celebrated on November 1st. They have free face painting and mariachi bands performing for Dia De Los Muertos.

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The conventional wisdom is that Disneyland is a little "locals park" that has to work hard to satisfy a very sophisticated local audience. Walt Disney World is bigger and mainly for tourists who would be going there anyway, so they don't have to do the same things that Disneyland does. Halloween at Disneyland is similar to Magic Kingdom, and yet very different.
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jjharvpro

Active Member
Original Poster
Now I'm understanding this more. All these pics are great by the way. In your opinion, which would you rather want--WDW's Halloween or DL's Halloween?
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
That truly amazes me! Thanks for the pics!! Still my question remains--why? WDW showcases some great holiday fireworks, shows, etc. but why not go to the limits that DL does

See my reply using the typical and well-used answer above about Disneyland being a little locals park and WDW being for tourists who are going anyway.

Christmas is when Disneyland really goes into hyperdrive. There are lots of little night shows happening all night long.

In '08 Disneyland switched to programmable LED lights for the Main Street USA Christmas tree and garlands. It does a show every hour with the hourly snowfall on Main Street USA and the Castle snow show. This short video gets going at around the 1:15 minute mark. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5wBtGkU2iY

But my ABSOLUTE FAVORITE is the digital projections they do on the exterior of the Small World Holiday facade. Every 15 minutes the clock tower goes off with the march of the children, as it's been doing every 15 minutes since 1966. But after the usual clock show, the lights switch off and 21st century digital projection takes over for a fast-paced 90 second holiday show that's a true spectacle. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3V8jSAFAfgY&feature=related

This is how they turn the lights on for the Holiday version every day at dusk.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t11MkEmNSro&feature=related

It's just little things that add up to one, giant experience. There's no way to justify its profitability, but darnit it just all adds up and makes the entire park buzz with goodwill and cheer. It's forever fascinating how things are done differently between WDW and Disneyland.
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
Now I'm understanding this more. All these pics are great by the way. In your opinion, which would you rather want--WDW's Halloween or DL's Halloween?

For overall park experience, I would pick Disneyland mainly because of Space Mountain Ghost Galaxy and Haunted Mansion Holiday.

But I love MNSSHP at WDW, especially the parade. This year Disneyland moves their version of the Halloween parties from DCA over to Disneyland due to all the DCA construction. So we'll have to see what they do with the parties now that Disneyland is the venue. But WDW's Halloween private parties have been superior to the Anaheim versions historically, in my opinion.
 

Tigger1988

Well-Known Member
It's just little things that add up to one, giant experience. There's no way to justify its profitability, but darnit it just all adds up and makes the entire park buzz with goodwill and cheer. It's forever fascinating how things are done differently between WDW and Disneyland.

I'd say the Christmas decorating efforts are just as extensive at WDW as they are in Disneyland.

At WDW they have to decorate 4 parks, as well as each resort. Exploring the resorts and seeing all the time and effort they put into decorating them is one of my favorite things to do. The fact that they construct Grand Floridan's giant gingerbread house at from scratch each year is mind blowing.

Not to mention the Osborne Lights, which is one of the greatest things I've ever seen at a Disney park.
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
I'd say the Christmas decorating efforts are just as extensive at WDW as they are in Disneyland.

At WDW they have to decorate 4 parks, as well as each resort. Exploring the resorts and seeing all the time and effort they put into decorating them is one of my favorite things to do. The fact that they construct Grand Floridan's giant gingerbread house at from scratch each year is mind blowing.

Got it. More parks, more acreage, etc., etc.

But why aren't the decorations very extensive in any of the 4 WDW parks? They end just past the main entrance of each park for the most part. Magic Kingdom gets the most treatment, just because it extends down Main Street and to the Castle. But the other parks are pretty sparsely decorated once you get past the pre-fab tree near the entrance.

Got more parks and hotels? Hire more people to decorate. It's that simple.

They decorate DCA for Christmas quite nicely, and I would dare say more than Epcot, DAK or DHS.

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The deluxe hotels, however, are where Disneyland and WDW put up a similar effort.
Grand Californian Hotel Lobby Christmas Tree
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But the actual theme parks? There's a big difference that I've noticed between the coasts.
 

JustInTime

Well-Known Member
I still can't figure out why Haunted Manson needs a Holiday. It's the worst idea ever. Plus, wouldn't it make more sense to do it for Christmas since it gets a christmas overlay? I mean the Haunted Mansion, WDW's ONLY scary attraction, has a Christmas theme for Halloween. How does that add up?
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
I still can't figure out why Haunted Manson needs a Holiday. It's the worst idea ever. Plus, wouldn't it make more sense to do it for Christmas since it gets a christmas overlay? I mean the Haunted Mansion, WDW's ONLY scary attraction, has a Christmas theme for Halloween. How does that add up?

It's both. Jack Skellington tries to decorate the Mansion for Christmas, but it looks more like Halloween, and hilarity ensues. It also creates very, very long lines for the ride. :lol:
 

Horizons1

Well-Known Member
I'd say the Christmas decorating efforts are just as extensive at WDW as they are in Disneyland.

At WDW they have to decorate 4 parks, as well as each resort. Exploring the resorts and seeing all the time and effort they put into decorating them is one of my favorite things to do. The fact that they construct Grand Floridan's giant gingerbread house at from scratch each year is mind blowing.

Not to mention the Osborne Lights, which is one of the greatest things I've ever seen at a Disney park.

Was one of the greatest things. Now it's just a bunch of lights shoved onto a small space that dance every 15 minutes. Meh.
 

DisneyNut2007

Active Member
I'd say the Christmas decorating efforts are just as extensive at WDW as they are in Disneyland.

At WDW they have to decorate 4 parks, as well as each resort. Exploring the resorts and seeing all the time and effort they put into decorating them is one of my favorite things to do. The fact that they construct Grand Floridan's giant gingerbread house at from scratch each year is mind blowing.

Not to mention the Osborne Lights, which is one of the greatest things I've ever seen at a Disney park.

True, but unfortunately, WDW has been heavily cutting back on Xmas season offerings over the last few years, including ones that were EXTREMELY popular like the Country Bear Xmas show and the Lights of Winter arches.

Let's hope that these are only temporary cutbacks due to our current economic recession and that they'll eventually start reinstating them all when they have more money and budgets with which to do it all again.
 

wdwfan22

Well-Known Member
Got it. More parks, more acreage, etc., etc.

But why aren't the decorations very extensive in any of the 4 WDW parks? They end just past the main entrance of each park for the most part. Magic Kingdom gets the most treatment, just because it extends down Main Street and to the Castle. But the other parks are pretty sparsely decorated once you get past the pre-fab tree near the entrance.

Got more parks and hotels? Hire more people to decorate. It's that simple.

They decorate DCA for Christmas quite nicely, and I would dare say more than Epcot, DAK or DHS.

DSCN3059.JPG


discollection.1189468320.california-adventurex-christmas-time.jpg


bugsland_decorations_michael.jpg
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The deluxe hotels, however, are where Disneyland and WDW put up a similar effort.
Grand Californian Hotel Lobby Christmas Tree
6a011570a40d72970b0128765078cb970c-400wi


But the actual theme parks? There's a big difference that I've noticed between the coasts.

I guess its a matter of opinion. I feel that Walt Disney World does a great job decorating the parks for the holidays especially the resorts. Having been to both Disneyland/Walt Disney World for Halloweentime and Christmas, I still feel Walt Disney World does the holidays better.
 

DisneyNut2007

Active Member
I guess its a matter of opinion. I feel that Walt Disney World does a great job decorating the parks for the holidays especially the resorts. Having been to both Disneyland/Walt Disney World for Halloweentime and Christmas, I still feel Walt Disney World does the holidays better.

But it would be even better if WDW were to bring back the Country Bear Xmas show, the Lights of Winter, etc. and also start offering the Small World and Haunted Mansion holiday overlays like they do at DL. And then it'll be REALLY extensive for sure!
 

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