brenthodge

Great review, and I agree, the decor is over the top in a good way. It’s so well done that it’s a shame most of the great detail is lost at night. I wish they did more general low level wash lighting of all the buildings not on I street so you could really make out things like the garland on Skyline is trimmed in all yellow and blue, Subway has all yellow and green ornaments, Racer had a split red/blue wreath and garland, but then they lit it all white and you totally lost that. The trim is designed as much for day as night, but they open so late,that you don’t really have a chance to appreciate the details like the wheat and cotton in Rivertown decor.

Totally agree that small steps are definitely being taken with the food. I certainly understand that it’s also a business balancing act when you are trying to be theme appropriate, yet sellable.

Thanks. Some, with their passion and love for the park feel they need to negate anything they view as critical of the park, when it’s really not meant as a negative, but a wistful desire for things that you personally see as creating the “best possible guest experience “

Agree, and honestly I’d venture that with the fountain renovation, they actually lessened the experience. Now, if the grand renovation on international street involved pushing the seating out closer to the fountain all the way around allowing for the seating to be further out, bringing back a true “street” hardscape and light posts along the building side to better define the “street”, hiding speakers so they aren’t just hung on the buildings, building out soffits to hide lighting equipment instead of having cords bundled all over the buildings, installing enough electrical outlets to properly light all Winterfest trim with out running extension cords that are left up all year, replacing mall food court options with true international foods, bringing back some compelling retail instead of a mall build a bear, and creating a program fir a show fountain that stays grand and refined through the day, then amazes at night…THEN I’d say WOW that’s the most impressive project they’ve ever undertaken. As it is, they performed needed maintenance with an eye toward historical references, replaced aging pavers and cleaned up traffic flow, and replaced aging fountain equipment that resulted in an overused, too thin spray “show fountain” that looses its impact by the time of its show by showing off all its tricks throughout the day. I know I’ll get the usual “why do you even come here because you clearly don’t like the park” line I always get, but it’s just that I feel they could’ve done so much more when they had the chance (which won’t probably come around again for a long time) and that’s BECAUSE I enjoy the park and hope it to be the best it can.

based on what you said about being designed for the parade, it’s an odd layout they did in that the pavers could’ve been used to define the parade route and where peopke are to stand instead of having to use tape to create lines. As it is now, there’s NOT a defined “standing area” vs “parade area” with the pavers, so that’s a bit of a fail in the layout in my opinion. People seem hung up on the actual raised curb idea. I was simply expressing my feelings that the project as a whole stopped short of really bringing the area to the next level with lighting, hardscspe etc. It looks nice, I agree, but I don’t feel it’s the second coming like some make it out to be. It’s actually just reversing only some of the bad decisions made over the past few decades.

I didn’t say I wanted a return to 1972, but I felt like there were elements of the original park that looked better (and some certainly didn’t look so great) Yes, there have been years of neglect, bad choices and odd design “add ons” that the park has done a lot to correct these past few years, but I still think there are things they could’ve done to bring more of a street scape to IS and the placement of trees in the narrow strip of black pavers to mimic a street was odd. It just feels like the tan “sidewalk” is too wide, and the third material by the fence is unnecessary. Wish the made the black wider in the center and edged it on both sides with the cobblestone. I don’t know, it just looks like half the tables and the trees are in the little “street” part.

I think others have made it work quite well. And it’s not one matching surface it’s three styles of pavers that that seem oddly scaled in their application to me. This image is essentially all one level plane, but it looks like a street with curbs and brick sidewalks

Hmmmm yet Disney, arguably one of the most commercially motivated companies out there seemed to survive with “mental barriers” blocking their stores. And I didn’t say it was a bust. I said it was a missed opportunity. You know, people can have different opinions without needing to put words in their mouth. And I disagree in that I feel like in it’s completed state it isn’t one of the best projects they’ve done when I feel like they stopped halfway, but that’s my opinion (which I’m sure you’ll tell me is wrong)

I’m not sure if they are doing themselves a favor posting these historical photos that show how much better the park looked back then. Seeing these again illustrates to me the lost opportunity I feel they had when they “redid” I-street and did such a weird spacing of the paver “lanes”, trees and tables and didn’t put back the impression of curb and sidewalk with lampposts. Disney has redone most of main street to minimize the actual curbs as a tripping hazard but still look like they are there.

Sounds like they are leaning and adapting. First year we got there at around 8 (to not have too much time to kill) balloons were down. As I said, we missed 19, do it sounds like it’s better timing. In a good way, the parade has probably pushed it even later this year. Did they do a later performance of Cool Yule or something else upbeat later I. 19? (although sounds like that’s out this year anyway) not heading up tonight, but hoping all goes well and it’s a fun night.

I feel like the nativity thing didn’t happen NYE either, and I feel like Tinkers was done after the balloon drop thing at like 7 or 8. I just remember feeling like I was biding my time NYE last time until 12. Seems like they need to push the entertainment at least an hour later or something. I feel like a lot of food places closed as well. I remember it feeling more like a sad whimper than a grand finale. I wasn’t there in 2019, so maybe they upped the ante from year one when I was there.

I just know from personal experience the last night 2 years ago some of the smaller shows didn’t run on New Year’s Eve so maybe a combo of both.

Yes. I remember 2 years ago the week after really starts dropping entertainment. What the Dickens was cut I believe. Santa float cut from parade (was used just the other night with elves). We at least had 2 drummers drumming. I get that it’s after Christmas and people probably have commitments they pushed out till after due to working so much before, but if it’s the event, it really needs to be the full event. Some people may be paying full price and this is the first time they’ve had a chance to go. I remember being pretty bored New Year’s Eve when I planned to catch a few smaller shows and half had already wrapped their runs. FYI Knotts cut the run of their big marque show “Home for the Holidays” due to staffing and tech issues the other day as well, so even the big players are not immune to post Christmas cuts.

PACKED!!!! Fun night, ride lines crazy food lines moving pretty good. Great to see such a solid closing week Mike Koontz was at tree lighting thanked him and team for a great run. Now just bumped into him directing parade traffic on I Street. Good to see a leader… lead

Trying to remember from a few years back, since rides and shows all end at 10, what happens till 12 fireworks on NYE? Remember being a bit bored for those 2 hours.

Wow! That didn’t take long.

The performers piece is the challenge. It would also eliminate the “let’s stay till 8:30” incentive if people could catch it early.

If they are going to do the light show in coney, they really need to keep it up. I’d say 50% doesn’t do anything as of last night. Just unlit wire form trees and elf set pieces with no lights. It was also so odd last night at 7:30 there were guys out on a ladder replacing globes for the post lights. Why isn’t this happening before open? Just odd. That whole area seemed really thrown together this year. And none of the overhead garland/pole ornaments were used for tinsel town. I think because the left the overhead string lights up from haunt and don’t have enough poles they couldn’t install those. Seems like they need to figure out more permanent building based mounts for these things so they don’t have to keep hauling those giant concrete blocks around. How was that without the stops? I like them, but feel like if they slowed it down just a bit it wouldn’t seem a lesser experience without them.

That’s the best solution. I’ve always thought that’s best but was trying to figure out a way to not loose that show stop. Wonder if it would even be possible to run the parade 2x. Once from that gate to coney at 5 or so to “kick off” Winterfest and introduce all the characters, then again at 8:30 to return it to “home”

That would be MUCH better solution. What they do now is bad show and dangerous as the “parade” is over and they are fast laning these things through the dark around the tower, then against the flow of people back down coney. They are actually honking horns at people, but then there are a few remaining characters that are secured to the floats that can’t get off still waving and chatting. It’s just a really bad way to end a great addition. I still don’t understand why maybe the floats can’t go through the gate by child center at least for the night, then get driven back home at close. The gate seems very tight, but that could be renovated. Even if a few parked on the backside of the tower for the night and a few went through the larger gate behind boo blasters beside the French cafe.

No snow tonight on coney. Really bad music sync issues on coney. The “light show music” didn’t cut out until the show stop. Then the parade track started and was a good 15-20 sec behind the float track. They eventually stopped the PA track and did just the float speakers, but then at some point got it synced back up. The “race to the start” around the back of the tower and back down coney is just weird and bad show. I personally think they should eliminate show stop 2 to shorten the run time and keep going with the parade back to coney going the route they took with carnivale to eliminate so much back tracking.

Guess that ship has sailed sadly

Good call out! Surprised no one mentioned it. Yes it looks nice.

Sorry, if I saw that show in mid January i would see it as a leftover sophisticated Christmas show. It’s pretty, but comes off as pretty holiday to me.