OTC 2014..What do you think?

[tinmann620]

Just a side note...the tree on the square had all new decorations installed this year...

[Gilligan]

I like the tree.  If they change it, I hope it doesn't go too "all techy".  It may take away some of the charm.

[Joy]

I don't think you can really get too much more "techy" than the tree already is. It just needs updated light controls so that the light shows can have more customization to it; that's what I was really aiming for in my last post. During the day, you can hardly tell there are lights on the tree unless you get close to it, so it looks fine by day. It just needs less blocky lighting for the shows.

[Swoosh]

I think if they could make the the lighting package do patterns that make it look like an actual Christmas tree being decorated during the music.  Also being able to make pictures and so on -- I think they call it "mapping".  I think it would be neat to put photos of people that visited that day on there during a song.  Stuff like that.

[Joy]

I don't know if they still do it, but Disney World used to use their projection mapping on Cinderella Castle to put people's pics up from that day during their pre-show for Wishes; it was SO cool. I'd love to see something like that on the tree!

[runner1960]

I don't know if they still do it, but Disney World used to use their projection mapping on Cinderella Castle to put people's pics up from that day during their pre-show for Wishes; it was SO cool. I'd love to see something like that on the tree!

Exactly what I was thinking they should do. I think Disney is still doing this. Also, I think the music soundtrack on the tree is really sounding bad.

[Joy]

Sounding bad as in needs new songs or the audio output isn't sounding good?

Have they ever used any Mannheim Steamroller or Trans-Siberian Orchestra for the tree? Most of what they use comes from David Foster and Boston Pops, right? Does it maybe just cost too much to license out Mannheim or TSO music? 'Cause, man, I'd love to see some Mannheim or TSO used.

[runner1960]

Sounding bad as in needs new songs or the audio output isn't sounding good?

Have they ever used any Mannheim Steamroller or Trans-Siberian Orchestra for the tree? Most of what they use comes from David Foster and Boston Pops, right? Does it maybe just cost too much to license out Mannheim or TSO music? 'Cause, man, I'd love to see some Mannheim or TSO used.

To me it sounded like something recorded in the 40's . Real crackly ( if thats a word) and tinny sounding.

A TSO soundtrack on a new tree would be awesome.

[DollarCityBoy]

I am a huge Mannheim Steamroller and TSO fan, but I LOVE David Foster's version of Carol of the Bells more than any other I have ever heard. The SDC Tree was the 1st time I ever heard that version, and for a while I thought they composed it themselves because I had such a hard time finding it anywhere else. What I liked about the old/original tree were the candles and how they were lit to the beat of Carol of the Bells.
If/when SDC does do a new tree, I'd like to see them incorporate the candles from the original tree, or something similar. I wouldn't mind new songs, but Carol of the Bells has to stay.

[runner1960]

Sounding bad as in needs new songs or the audio output isn't sounding good?

Have they ever used any Mannheim Steamroller or Trans-Siberian Orchestra for the tree? Most of what they use comes from David Foster and Boston Pops, right? Does it maybe just cost too much to license out Mannheim or TSO music? 'Cause, man, I'd love to see some Mannheim or TSO used.

To me it sounded like something recorded in the 40's . Real crackly ( if thats a word) and tinny sounding.

A TSO soundtrack on a new tree would be awesome.

Now that I think about it more, what I was hearing was probably more of a speaker problem than a soundtrack problem. With today's digital soundtracks they really never go bad. I still feel the tree needs a complete overhaul. It is past its prime. And the Pickers hate it, just ask them

[History Buff]

Open flames in the entire area would be awesome.  Consider the cressets at Williamsburg.

[shavethewhales]

I don't know if they still do it, but Disney World used to use their projection mapping on Cinderella Castle to put people's pics up from that day during their pre-show for Wishes; it was SO cool. I'd love to see something like that on the tree!

Exactly what I was thinking they should do. I think Disney is still doing this. Also, I think the music soundtrack on the tree is really sounding bad.

Somehow I don't think this would work out well on the tree. It's nice to just look at the tree as it's going through it's regular light cycle outside of the shows. Maybe they could do this on another christmas-themed structure nearby though...

After watching the tree again with my family a few weeks ago, I found that it still had a great effect. When you imagine back on it it's always less impressive than in person. If I were to mess with it now I'd really just want to get rid of the moving box segments since they never seem to look right and I'd make the tree another two stories taller or so.

[runner1960]

To be totally honest I would just rather see a real tree brought in from somewhere. Decorated very nice and a nightly lighting ceremony that is not so loud and in your face like the one is now. Something like the white House does for a tree.

[okiebluegrass]

Leave the main tree and have the live tree lighting somewhere away from the main square. Perhaps in the area between the waterfall and powderkeg. In the old 'land of forgotten crafts' area. That would be epic

[palallin]

We just managed to make it to the city for a few hours yesterday, so, while it's fresh in my mind, I'll comment.  BUT:  I warn you--my commeants will be contrary    Pleae don't sic the Baldnobbers on me!  YMMV!


Tree:  UGLY--like Ralphie B.  It looks nothing like any tree I've ever seen.  I loathe LED lighting--grates on my nerves like fingernails on the chalkboard in the schoolhouse.  They are garish and obnoxious, cold but feverish.  I refuse to watch the tree show and avoid the square if possible during OTC.  The MUSIC is OK, but I don't have to be near the tree-thing to hear it.  Give me a real tree--or even a decent artificial one--with real lights, and I'll be mesmorized.

Parade:  Zero interest.  It is at best an inconvenience when you need to get around the city, and it seems to draw out the worst in people protecting their standing/sitting spots from anybody who might poach them--but all *I* want to do is get through to go somwhere else!  Have yet to see one of the parades.  I have fond memories of Rudolf's show, and I still try to watch it every year, but I am not the intended audience, so I won't say anything more.

Train:  Love Grandpa.  I think the conductors should stop the ads during the Christmas runs and add another song or two to sing, especially at least one carol.

Frontier Follies:  Haven't seen any of the previous ones but was delighted by this one, especially the shift from the Grinch-ish show to Linus telling Charlie Brown the Real Meaning of Christmas.  Great audience participation.

Dickens:  A very well done production that could be improved by correcting the silly reversal of the Ghosts of Past and Present.  I don't mind the Carol-Kane-esque schtick so much, but put the right ghost with the right name.  Believe it or not, the symbolism IS important.  Scrooge does a great job of making clear the "Bah!  Humbug," is NOT a single phrase but nearly unrelated words.  One interesting point:  my younger son was put off by the use of a song from The Polar Express.  Thinking about it, I think they might try to replace it with the song from Mr. MaGoo's Chsristmas Carol.

Wonderful Life:  Didn't make it to see it this year, but did last year.  I was left lukewarm by it, but I can't really think of any changes to improve it.

Live Nativity:  Again, didn't get there this year, and I am sorry about that.  Can't recommend anything because of the miss.


I hope no one is offended by some of my harsh comments, and I fully realize that *I* am not a good judge of what will bring folks to SDC today.  OTC does a wonderful job of not only valuing Christmas but doing so for the right reasons, and I can live with what I perceived to be flaws for that reason.