Grinchmas 2013 Official

[Allen The Actor]

Yeah, it is! Especially considering Avatar is still so far off, and Disney hasn't announced anything else besides giving hints at future Star Wars stuff.

Universal on the other hand? Wwohp Hollywood, attraction every year promise, and more!

 

[Jon Fu]

I really can't be all that upset at the park since they are building the biggest and most anticipated theme park addition on the west coast since CarsLand.

I know I'm going against popular opinion, but I didn't find Cars Land to be all interesting. Sure, it's impressive no doubt, but it was just the icing on the cake during my visit to California Adventure.

 

[RyanTTD]

 I don't even think Cars Land was all that anticipated, it was after its opening fans were like "whoa this is amazing". I would even dare to say that WWoHP Hollywood is the most anticipated theme park addition since WWoHP Orlando.

From the day Carsland was announced, the attention it got from the fan community was enormous. And as construction progressed, and details of the land came out, the buzz just grew and grew.

 

[BruceTheShark]

I find it a bit ridiculous Plaza takes up so much space yet can't accommodate things like the tree lighting. I realize they won't be fitting bleachers in that space but at least put the area to use and offer some sort of alternative watered down version.

 

[k_peek_2000]

From the day Carsland was announced, the attention it got from the fan community was enormous. And as construction progressed, and details of the land came out, the buzz just grew and grew.

I clearly remember fans moaning about Cars Land when it was announced the same way they're moaning about Avatar Land/Pandora now. You're right though, eventually it did slowly but surely build hype and I'm sure Avatar will as well. But it never reached the same level of excitement as the WWoHP did, not even close.

 

[Allen The Actor]

Yeah, many fans moaned. I know I sure did moan. I think it was because Cars isn't one of Pixar's masterpieces (far from it), so that's why. Same with Avatar. But hype did start to build closer to completion.

To this day, the thing that still blows me away is the beautiful rock work and scenery. Thats the best part of Carsland for me. The main ride is cool but I won't lose sleep if I don't go on it during my DCA visit. I still love it though. Radiator Springs Racers isn't as good as Indiana Jones IMO.

WwoHP however is a whole 'nother story!

Aaaaanyway, Grinchmas: if it was up to me, I would've brought back the Grinch's Lair!

This years HHN was not that well rounded maybe they had great mazes but the overall event was lacking so much.

Ok...but....still....it was still a well rounded event OVERALL. Give or take better or worse than previous years. But it wasn't completely bastardized like Grinchmas this year....

 

[BehindTheTheme]

So if there is no tree lighting and snow play area what the hell are the Grinchmas event days on that calendar about(better not be the stupid backlot show).

 

[raven24]

I contacted Universal the other day, and I got an answer regarding the cutbacks of Grinchmas 2013 , sad

"... Thank you for contacting Universal Studios Hollywood. 

All comments and concerns we receive are shared with management. The holiday decorations and the Grinchmas Tram show will be in effect this holiday season. Unfortunately, several aspects of our Grinchmas celebration we were not able to be accommodated this year due to the exciting new additions to our theme park. I apologize for any disappointment this may cause.

Upon completion of their review, a member of management will be following up with you directly. Thank you again for bringing this to our attention. ... "

Oh wow.    Well, at least it's a valid excuse. Still sucks, though.  :mellow:

In regards to WWoHP, I'm WAY more excited about that than I was for Cars Land. I think it's because I actually like Harry Potter... Cars is painfully boring to me. I do love Cars Land, though. In saying that, I'm going to jump out of my shoes when Potter opens.

 

[Allen The Actor]

HA!!!

That email reply from Universal is just very typical and very vague PR mumbo jumbo. Total BS..could've EASILY done Grinchmas full out in Universal Plaza this year if they wanted to. What utter BS.

 

[Miss Betty Juice]

Standard PR bullshit. You make a statement about cutbacks because of good things coming. Its a bait and switch, like telling a kid they have to go to sleep because Santa is on his way, while really you're scrambling to wrap things up because you only care about preserving the image. Which is exactly what universal is doing. They screwed up, plain and simple. This year was a screw up. The changes to waterworld are a screw up. Bill and Ted closure was a screw up. Now grinchmas will also be a screw up.

I'm concerned. I really am concerned.

 

[BruceTheShark]

Standard PR bullshit. You make a statement about cutbacks because of good things coming. Its a bait and switch, like telling a kid they have to go to sleep because Santa is on his way, while really you're scrambling to wrap things up because you only care about preserving the image. Which is exactly what universal is doing. They screwed up, plain and simple. This year was a screw up. The changes to waterworld are a screw up. Bill and Ted closure was a screw up. Now grinchmas will also be a screw up.

I'm concerned. I really am concerned.

You and I both! It's refreshing to see that somebody shares my view. I feel that even Plaza, as good as it may look, is a missed opportunity. Yes, change is good and moves things forward, but I have definitely been questioning some of the changes. It's clear that new minds and ideas are running the show now.

If they really cared about Grinchmas and providing guests with an experience worth the cost of admission they would get creative and offer something not as large in scale as previous lighting ceremonies or something similar. Didn't they used to have a holiday parade?

 

[Allen The Actor]

It's total BS on the PR's part. Like you said Bruce, the least they could've done was offer the same Grinchmas but just slightly smaller IN SCALE, not offerings! Universal Plaza could've easily handled a snow play area and Grinchmas tree lighting show this year. For crowd control, they can simply go along the outskirts of Universal Plaza to avoid it, whether it's along the HOH side or the Pink's side.

They simply effed up. No way around it, and I refuse to believe any other story. They had time to plan it all. But they were just cheap.

The irony is just magical here, isn't it? The Universal management in charge of Grinchmas is totally acting like the Grinch BEFORE his transformation. Wow...

 

[Chris]

I can imagine that many dates were not planned and prepared for which caused a cascade of timing for all of these events.  2013 was just a huge undertaking of stuff going on.  I can imagine management was overwhelmed with all the construction.  Oh well.

 

[ItsAtrap]

They screwed up, plain and simple. This year was a screw up. The changes to waterworld are a screw up. Bill and Ted closure was a screw up. Now grinchmas will also be a screw up.

I agree. Offering less and less in the way of "entertainment".  Whoever is in charge of shows these days is doing a really poor job.

 

[Jon Fu]

I got the answer to all your problems...

 

[Allen The Actor]

HA!

But...Grinchmas isn't Old and Stupid yet!

 

[Ryan]

Y'know, I think some porcelain deer could improve the Shrek 4D entrance too, Jon! 

could've EASILY done Grinchmas full out in Universal Plaza this year if they wanted to. What utter BS.

While that IS true, Universal is terrified of crowd control. With nothing attracting anyone towards the east end of the upper lot, it is doomed if they tried to stage a show there. Crowds would literally become gridlocked due to there just simply not being any space to maneuver.

What is bewildering to me is that there is no way in hell USH knew this ahead of time. They knew what the end of 2013 was going to be like construction-wise for a very long time, and the plans for Universal Plaza never changed footprint-wise (although according to plans the beginning of the year there was supposed to be a stage behind Pink's)... so Uni knew a long, long time ago that Grinchmas this year would be totally and utterly diminished. And guess what? They were okay with that because they had a full year to make a back-up plan. But nope! Truncated Grinchmas! 

Stay away from the parks at all costs this December. It's going to packed full of angry people expecting way more than what they'll be getting. I wonder if Uni has the balls to even advertise Grinchmas outside the park haha. "The Grinch is here and a pretty tree!... please come!"

 

[Miss Betty Juice]

If it wasn't for the fact that I really love riding JP in winter because there's no one on it and three splash effects are off, I would avoid grinchmas this year too.

 

[smoaT]

I am angry too. I was so surprised last year with Grinchmas. I wasn't expecting anything special but damn they totally surprised me. This year I think I will only go once since I won't ride JP more than once because it gets pretty cold. Last year I went on JP and it was the biggest mistake of my life. I thought I was going to die. So this year just going once... stay therel ike 3 hours and go home... nothing to see there...

 

[k_peek_2000]

If it wasn't for the fact that I really love riding JP in winter because there's no one on it and three splash effects are off, I would avoid grinchmas this year too.

I believe the best thing we could do for Grinchmas, is avoid it. Let Uni know that mediocrity is not acceptable, so hopefully they can up their game next year.