IllumiNights 2013

Register or Login to Hide This Ad for Free!
The original shows were never the real problem.

The core issue was that the park felt the need to overlay its natural beauty with crap like this. To this day, I still can't believe that those fireflies were actually a thing BGW hung over guest paths for months.

In addition to the incredibly shitty decorations, over the years, the event ended up bringing us nightmarish shows like Killarney Kommotion and Wunderbarn. Not only did they clash horribly with the aesthetics of the areas in which they took place, but, especially in the case of Wunderbarn, some aspects were downright offensive.

Just in case anyone needs a refresher...

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.


To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.


Lastly, the (I believe justified) rabid hate for IllumiNights was also a byproduct of the park's incredible investment in the event year after year. While most main season entertainment was taking a nosedive, BGW kept pumping money into IllumiNights. It got to the point where it was sucking up money that was originally intended for Howl-O-Scream... which is just completely absurd. Just take a look at the size of the casts for the two shows above—the park was basically lighting money on fire for IllumiNights while making huge cuts to aspects of the park people actually cared about.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Mushroom and CastleOSullivan
Zachary said:
The original shows were never the real problem.

The core issue was that the park felt the need to overlay its natural beauty with crap like this. To this day, I still can't believe that those fireflies were actually a thing BGW hung over guest paths for months.

In addition to the incredibly shitty decorations, over the years, the event ended up bringing us nightmarish shows like Killarney Kommotion and Wunderbarn. Not only did they clash horribly with the aesthetics of the areas in which they took place, but, especially in the case of Wunderbarn, some aspects were downright offensive.

Just in case anyone needs a refresher...

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.


To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.


Lastly, the (I believe justified) rabid hate for IllumiNights was also a byproduct of the park's incredible investment in the event year after year. While most main season entertainment was taking a nosedive, BGW kept pumping money into IllumiNights. It got to the point where it was sucking up money that was originally intended for Howl-O-Scream... which is just completely absurd. Just take a look at the size of the casts for the two shows above—the park was basically lighting money on fire for IllumiNights while making huge cuts to aspects of the park people actually cared about.
Click to expand...


The money problem makes sense. The decorations at least fit with the overarching theme, though they could've been done better. Those other two shows I don;t think I ever saw so I can;t give input. It just felt like a very Busch version of celebrating summer and I feel like that has been missing ever since.
 
I always remember disliking those shoes, but wow, I forgot how big the casts were. What a waste of talent and money in tacky shows. And those stage setups really destroy the atmosphere of the area.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zachary
I'd argue that there is a case to be made for allowing the main season to be simply the park. Unadorned. On its own merits.

Presumably, the World's Most Beautiful Theme Park doesn't need an overlay year round to attract visitors. Especially during the busy season, it seems odd to add special events and additional decorations.

It makes sense to attempt to attract additional guests in the Spring, Fall, and Winter; but why does BGW need extra flair to sell tickets in the Summer? If the current attractions and theming aren't enough to get people through the gate then perhaps they should focus their budget on the heart of their product, rather than dressing it up in extra glitter.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Mushroom, sereniv, Pat and 4 others
I'm just talking about why everyone disliked Illuminights so much. IF there is going to be a summer overlay, they did it pretty well with this one, and I still don't understand a lot of the hate towards it, other than the obvious mistakes with the financial idiocy and stuff.

What I have gathered so far is that the og Illuminights was pretty good, but they went on to ruin it?
 
Nicole said:
It makes sense to attempt to attract additional guests in the Spring, Fall, and Winter; but why does BGW need extra flair to sell tickets in the Summer?
Click to expand...

Honestly, I don't think it's an effort to drive attendance, I believe it's an effort to drive longer stays. A nighttime event means guests are at the park for dinner, driving food sales, not to mention everyone's favorite glow products.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jesy and luseendesi
mtpelepele said:
Honestly, I don't think it's an effort to drive attendance, I believe it's an effort to drive longer stays. A nighttime event means guests are at the park for dinner, driving food sales, not to mention everyone's favorite glow products.
Click to expand...

I agree, that makes sense. Busch isn't exactly a huge destination, all day park after you go once or twice. You can very easily get tired early or just plain run out of stuff to do by late afternoon if you show up when they open, I know on numerous occasions when I would leave around 4 or 5 instead of staying through dinner simply because there wasn't a point in it.

They should put more money into permanent things to do for the park, but that isn't what really attracts people anyway. They could either add one or two really cool new permanent things that lose their sense of shiny and new after a couple months, or add two new shows, dance parties, fireworks, and fun drinks/desserts for a couple months that way people are like "shiny and new AND limited time only I better go in there and check it out"
 
There was a short time when BGW nailed the feeling of wanting to stay for more after the fireworks. They used modified stage lights throughout the park that played a part at the start of the fireworks and after them to create an exciting atmosphere. This wasn't going overboard since it was only while guests were leaving the park.

I think Illuminights started as a wonderful idea. It had its flaws, but they could have been easily fixed. Rather than fixing those issues, the park only decided to capitalize on them. Every year they added more convoluted shows than the last and then topped it off with cheap, gaudy decor. In the end, there was no longer anything about Illuminights that accentuated the park experience but cheapened it instead. The animals that Zachary and PK mentioned were the last straw from a parkwide experience standpoint.

Since some people missed it in Zachary's post above:
The animals.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Alf33, belsaas and Zachary
Oh the fake animals, I though Kaiser was referring to something they did with actual animals and I was lost
 
I would like to remind everyone that the turtle had no hind legs. It spent its entire life inexplicably leaned up against a curb next to crates of fireworks.

Nothing says BGW like a bilateral amputee turtle lying on the side of a path for months as it blankly stares off into the distance—likely plotting its own suicide by means of spectacular, glittery explosives.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Alf33, sereniv and Zimmy
All of the Illuminights animals were scary and depressing. Especially the Disco Turtle and the Existential Crisis Fireflies.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zachary
Thomas said:
Especially the Disco Turtle
Click to expand...

I totally forgot that his shell was a flashing multicolored dance floor. Holy shit. What drugs were involved with his creation? That poor creature...

Also, another note. The 2013 post linked above doesn't even cover the chrome tree or the ants... There was just so much wrong with that event...
 
  • Like
Reactions: jornor and Alf33
You must log in or register to reply here.
Consider Donating to Hide This Ad