Zachary, Luke, and I went to CT on Friday to check out the new stuff. I have not had time to share my impressions before now, so I apologize for the delay.
The bottom line is that BGW was charming.
First, despite (apparently false/exaggerated) rumors we heard about swaths of lights being out, I thought the park was lovely and, in fact, had more decorations than in the past. San Marco especially stood out to me as being dramatically improved with new lights on the paths and in the shops.
I'm not sure how I feel about all of the changes at the Polar Pathway. While I prefer the white lights on the icebergs, I miss the green and purple trees; I found the monochromatic replacements to be "heavier" for lack of a better word. There was a delicacy to the old design that was missing on Friday.
I also missed the twinkling lights that previously punctuated the trees on Heatherdowns. That said, I still adore the suspended star globes.
We rode the Skyride around the entire loop twice during the night, and with the exception of Land of Dragons, the view was enchanting. We also walked the entire loop, and I was particularly struck this year by how beautiful the park really is at CT. We went to Hershey last weekend, and to Dollywood last year. Neither park can hold a candle to BGW in terms of decor, in my opinion. Probably because of the Old World theming, the park simply lends itself to gorgeous holiday displays.
We will post separately about the new cookie shop, as we tried everything.
The new Rudolph movie was really clever. The integrated 4D effects worked really well; the lights were brilliantly synched with the movie; and the venue was cleverly themed, right down to the snow banks for the kids to sit in.
I have mixed feelings about the new Santa's Workshop. I never went to the original space, so I can't compare them. I believe the new version was very well done. The stables were clever, and the decorations were great. Unfortunately, they incorporated a lot of DK's decor, and on Friday we were already seeing signs of destruction. People had ripped the wallpaper. Posters had been screwed into existing portraits. Guests simply had to much access to DK's walls and effects.
It is probably worth noting that there is a new Nativity set up in the shop in Rhinefeld.
So, I have a few complaints, but I want to re-emphasize that I had a wonderful time Friday.
1. The number of specialty CT dishes has dropped dramatically. There was honestly nothing other than the doughnuts and the cookies that I wanted to try.
2. The light show in front of the Festhaus has been redone, and not for the better. The lights no longer match the energy and pacing of the music. In fact, there were sections that simply lacked any musicality at all. Blinking to the beat is not the same thing as creating a light display that matches the soundtrack.
3. Some of the minor changes to the decor were also disappointing. The lights that used to crown the towers in LotD were moved to some nearby trees. It makes some sense, since that area is closed, and the North Pole has moved, but it used to be one of the prettiest parts of the Skyride. The loss of the twinkling lights in Heatherdowns and the purple and green trees at the Polar Pathways were also an unfortunate choices, in my opinion.
All of that said, I believe overall the event has improved. I can't comment on the shows, of course.
The bottom line is that BGW was charming.
First, despite (apparently false/exaggerated) rumors we heard about swaths of lights being out, I thought the park was lovely and, in fact, had more decorations than in the past. San Marco especially stood out to me as being dramatically improved with new lights on the paths and in the shops.
I'm not sure how I feel about all of the changes at the Polar Pathway. While I prefer the white lights on the icebergs, I miss the green and purple trees; I found the monochromatic replacements to be "heavier" for lack of a better word. There was a delicacy to the old design that was missing on Friday.
I also missed the twinkling lights that previously punctuated the trees on Heatherdowns. That said, I still adore the suspended star globes.
We rode the Skyride around the entire loop twice during the night, and with the exception of Land of Dragons, the view was enchanting. We also walked the entire loop, and I was particularly struck this year by how beautiful the park really is at CT. We went to Hershey last weekend, and to Dollywood last year. Neither park can hold a candle to BGW in terms of decor, in my opinion. Probably because of the Old World theming, the park simply lends itself to gorgeous holiday displays.
We will post separately about the new cookie shop, as we tried everything.
The new Rudolph movie was really clever. The integrated 4D effects worked really well; the lights were brilliantly synched with the movie; and the venue was cleverly themed, right down to the snow banks for the kids to sit in.
I have mixed feelings about the new Santa's Workshop. I never went to the original space, so I can't compare them. I believe the new version was very well done. The stables were clever, and the decorations were great. Unfortunately, they incorporated a lot of DK's decor, and on Friday we were already seeing signs of destruction. People had ripped the wallpaper. Posters had been screwed into existing portraits. Guests simply had to much access to DK's walls and effects.
It is probably worth noting that there is a new Nativity set up in the shop in Rhinefeld.
So, I have a few complaints, but I want to re-emphasize that I had a wonderful time Friday.
1. The number of specialty CT dishes has dropped dramatically. There was honestly nothing other than the doughnuts and the cookies that I wanted to try.
2. The light show in front of the Festhaus has been redone, and not for the better. The lights no longer match the energy and pacing of the music. In fact, there were sections that simply lacked any musicality at all. Blinking to the beat is not the same thing as creating a light display that matches the soundtrack.
3. Some of the minor changes to the decor were also disappointing. The lights that used to crown the towers in LotD were moved to some nearby trees. It makes some sense, since that area is closed, and the North Pole has moved, but it used to be one of the prettiest parts of the Skyride. The loss of the twinkling lights in Heatherdowns and the purple and green trees at the Polar Pathways were also an unfortunate choices, in my opinion.
All of that said, I believe overall the event has improved. I can't comment on the shows, of course.
