brenthodge

There are a lot of things not lit this year. Garlands on the tinkers stage are not lit and have plugs just hanging out, several things have sections out etc. they keep filing in with a lot of “off the shelf” flimsy things that just look too small in scale and don’t last. The whole area with random cheap deer behind coney skyline is an example of qty over quality. You can definitely see the commercial grade things over the residential, but even some of that on year 3-4 needs to be retired and replaced. I get this is a hard year budget wise, and I love that we got the parade. I just hope they keep refreshing. As for the lights on the buildings, they either need to be removed after Winterfest each year, or upgrade to permanently installed lighting. The way they installed years ago really doesn’t stand up to year round use. I think the animals are cool, but are such a distraction that I don’t think the show gets the respect it deserves. I’d be cool with ditching the petting zoo all together. I think they were going for the living nativity idea, but those usually just have the set with static characters. That’s all I was expecting it to be the first year. I was blow away when all the vocalists came out. They seem like two separate ideas (pretty sophisticated vocals, mixed With a kids petting zoo) so that’s why I was thinking actually make the animal experience more kid focused. Don’t even call it sounds of the nativity, but maybe just “Away in the manger-a Peanuts nativity”

Really? It’s been done a lot. I mean if HALLMARK is ok with it…

And yea, coney is a disappointment. That was an improvement that has really not been kept up. A lot of elements weren’t even lit Sat night. The Elf props are wasted there. They aren’t lit at all and make no sense with the LED neon stuff. Wish they would move all of the elf props to Festhaus area where the elf show is, light them properly all around the lake and make it a focused elf village. Then really really play up the “CONEY CHRISTMAS” with Christmas dance music, a well maintained light show and incorporate the crazy drug trip tree into it.

Agree about nativity. That’s why I wish it was its own experience, and use cutouts of the peanuts gang for the petting zoo nativity. My idea was put the classic nativity and vocalists in tower gardens with the stained glass nativity. Add additional stained glass panels that light up as different parts of the story are narrated and sung. Call it “Silent Night, Holy Night”. Move Candy Cane Lane to the path to Rivertown using the footers from year one for the candy canes and even add a path in the grass fir some of the additional props. Bring back a big red/white lit tree to the base from year one.

Loved that the “presents” on the ice rink became giant ice cubes. Brought the whole theme together. That was a nice change. Liked how the blue/white wrapped trees framed the path to Ice zone. Not sure why they don’t move ALL of the icy elements to that area and do something different along the path to Coney from Rivertown Planet Snoopy lighting was much better/brighter without the oversized lightbulbs, but the trees/garland wreaths really need work. A lot of the lights don’t work. Maybe that’s a rolling refurbishment. Sounds of Nativity really got more enhancements to draw attention over there and it seemed to work. Still feel like the talent in that “show” is wasted in a venue competing with a petting zoo.

The ending of the parade at the 4th final show stop is ROUGH. I know it’s basically the same as CARNIVALE but that didn’t have as many float based characters. The show stop ends and all the sudden elves, princes, princesses and more just start jumping off floats and cast running by to hurry to their next post. It’s just sloppy. Then unpopulated floats just drive by. It kills the mood the parade just built, and it’s a bit of an operational nightmare while the parade just sits there blocking the oath. I’d sacrifice the final show stop to have them leave by the gate by the men’s restroom at the end of I street to have a cleaner end and then drive the floats back to the storage tent after close or something. Or cut the second show stop to be able to get the floats with cast back to storage sooner so the cast could go back to their spots. Not sure why the walking cast could go with the floats up to the tower and peel off from there. Whatever. It just ends a GREAT addition on a sloppy note.

Agree. I gave it a pass (a bit) when they first released it with the thought there might be some revisions. There were. It got worse. Why is the 50 so fat? I mean we did just have thanksgiving LOL. I looks like an acronym. What’s SAO?

I thought “fever” was a bit odd anyway.

I’m not sure “led lights” is a theme. More like a feature or element. I don’t mind the one that had the station that looked like a barn.

Like where Santa sleigh and reindeer are going this year. Never mind.

Dollywood does a MAJOR flip in 6 days. There may not be mazes, but there are a ton of lighting and prop swaps to flip Pumpkin Illuminight to Glacier Ridge. No reason they shorten the gap a bit. Money and budgets is likely the reason. It could be done with staffing if they wanted to.

This one actually makes sense (compared to the event that just won “best Halloween”)

They certainly aren’t befitting the “marque” indoor theater, but the show as a whole isn’t that bad. It just is a poor use of the capability of that space. As others have said, and I’ve long advocated for, the international showplace needs to be fully renovated or even replaced to have a third, higher capacity indoor (or semi enclosed) performance space. Then they could run a more appropriate show like “home for the holidays” from Knotts in the KI Theatre.

Totally Agree. It’s sad that the “marque” show at the original birthplace of Winterfest is that lip synced, silly “spectacular” that even uses the voice track from knotts ( it references the Buena Park news)

REALLY REALLY wish this was in the KI theatre and move the silly snoopy show to the International Showplace close to Charlie Brown Christmas town - This is GREAT!

Agree. It’s just not that good. New font, old font, whatever. It’s bad design. They got paid to do a job. It’s not like it was a community service project that they donated their time for (hopefully) so no, I don’t feel the need to cut slack. It’s bad design. The designers might have had their hands tied by higher ups, so then it’s their fault as well, but at some level, someone decided this was “good enough” and that’s what it looks like. And no, I’ve not been paid by the park to design a logo, so I’m not going to waste time coming up with “what I would’ve done”.

Based on the initial version at carrowinds, it’s a mix of the streetmosphere characters and some of the performers in their show costumes, and others in different costumes that relate to the float unit (very similar to Carnivale)

Exactly, I think you’ll see most show times end around 7:30-8 so they can get over to the start point. Some of the small shows might do one after the parade, but I think that’s how most entertainment cast will end their shift.

No confirmation it’s happening yet.

Or keep the building and have it indoors with (easier to maintain) theming.

That gives me hope. Just seems odd they’ve been talking about WF but sitting on this detail, but agree. Maybe they just want to “soft tease” (that sounds dirty) WF right now and not even highlight new things (especially since with the exception of the parade, nothing is new) looking forward to seeing how it plays out.

Still no word on parade. Beginning to think floats were sent with the expectation that it would happen, but budget has been cut to not do it. I would think by now if it was happening it would be hyped since it could be a major “brand new this year” addition.

I hope that’s a joke, because snoopy starlight spectacular sure was.

So then what exactly is the identity of Planet Snoopy? Left over, stripped down nick universe? I’d much prefer a well developed “corporate” theme than whatever we have is.

Ugh. Sound like we are stuck with tacky Planet Snoopynick universe if they are repainting. Why won’t they invest in a camp snoopy conversion that would tie into river town, align with their corporate branding and provide an overall better experience.