Why do I typically really feel like Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber with the place my thoughts goes relating to Walt Disney World? This time, it’s as a result of Up to date Resort’s gingerbread show is of the Cinderella Citadel Dream Lights. So that you’re telling me there’s an opportunity they return to Magic Kingdom for 2025?! In equity, his character’s identify is Lloyd Christmas and that can’t be a coincidence…proper?!
Talking of coincidences, the final time I used this meme was for one more daring Magic Kingdom prediction–that TRON Lightcycle Run would have normal public smooth openings. That was a daring guess on the time, as no Walt Disney World attraction had performed smooth openings for years. However in studying the tea leaves, I felt there have been indicators they might occur. And guess what? They did. So both my luck goes to expire right here or that’s one other signal that I could possibly be proper. Interpret that as you’ll.
I’m getting forward of myself, although. Let’s begin with the really-for-real excellent news, which is that the Up to date Resort gingerbread show is now up! To get every part able to go effectively earlier than Thanksgiving, the resort’s crew acquired a jump-start on the Cinderella Citadel-themed gingerbread, which appears to be like fairly a bit totally different from the previous few years.
Should you’ve by no means seen the varied ‘edible creations’ and different shows throughout the vacation season at Walt Disney World, we’d strongly encourage you to find time for them. Our Self-Guided Yuletide Tour of Walt Disney World is a good place to start out, and presents a enjoyable Christmas expertise in your day exterior the parks. It’s additionally nice for getting a style of the upper finish resorts for those who’re staying at one of many Worth or Reasonable Resorts.
That itinerary is a well-liked (and advisable) factor to do within the morning earlier than attending Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Get together so that you don’t waste a park day of your regular tickets. We’ve heard from tons of readers over time who did precisely that and had implausible experiences.
Now that the Disney Jollywood Nights Christmas Get together is at Hollywood Studios, you possibly can cut up the plan into two days, doing the monorail loop previous to MVMCP and the Crescent Lake resorts previous to DJN. After all, that assumes you attend each events, which might be budgetary overkill for many visitors.
Earlier than we dig into the Cinderella Citadel Dream Lights gingerbread show at Disney’s Up to date Resort and attempt to dissect its larger which means, let’s check out final 12 months’s show (above).
This was a particular search for Disney100, that includes Minnie and Mickey Mouse plus the little “100” medallions. It’s truly not all that dissimilar from the prior two years, which featured roughly the identical show–however for Walt Disney World’s fiftieth Anniversary. Previous to that, it was nonetheless principally this, however with characters from Cinderella.
There was a Frozen Mary Blair type gingerbread show that predates the present Cinderella one. I don’t recall the precise 12 months that debuted, however it was most likely 2014. Earlier than that, it was a Pinocchio gingerbread show over a decade in the past. I’ve no clue what got here earlier than Pinocchio. That was principally pre-internet, the appearance of which was principally the daybreak of recorded (WDW) civilization.
Level being, the Cinderella Citadel Dream Lights gingerbread show is essentially the most substantial change to the show in over 5 years. It’s nonetheless Cinderella Citadel, because it has been since Frozen, however the type is dramatically totally different (no extra Mary Blair) as is the background. Even the fortress now not the identical template, as had been the case for over a decade!
For Christmas 2024, the Cinderella Citadel Dream Lights gingerbread show might be discovered behind the Grand Canyon Concourse by the enormous home windows that face, fittingly sufficient, Cinderella Citadel and Magic Kingdom. This show encompasses a gingerbread Cinderella Citadel, plus evergreen bushes, night time sky, wishing star, and full moon.
What makes it a scaled again model of the Cinderella Citadel Dream Lights is the precise lights protecting the turrets. These are illuminated day and night time, which appears to be like fairly good towards the brand new backdrop. Regardless that I like every time Walt Disney World pays tribute to Mary Blair’s iconic artwork type–particularly on the Up to date–the earlier model of this show had turn out to be a bit performed out. It was materially the identical for over a decade, so it’s good to see one thing contemporary.
This Cinderella Citadel Dream Lights gingerbread show accommodates 13 Hidden Mickeys, 1-Hidden 5-Legged Goat, 613 kilos of sugar snow, 440 jars of honey, 1013 kilos of flour, 113 kilos of gingerbread spice, 513 eggs, 25 kilos of chocolate, 43 kilos of royal icing, 60 kilos of fondant, 70 kilos of modeling chocolate, 13 gallons of milk, and over 4,000 gingerbread bricks.
Cinderella Citadel tops out at 17 ft, 6 inches excessive with a width of 25 ft and 4 inches. The show took the culinary crew over 30 days to assemble.
Our Commentary
Turning to our commentary and wild hypothesis, there are a number of potentialities relating to what the Cinderella Citadel Dream Lights gingerbread show means for the way forward for the precise lights on the true Magic Kingdom fortress:
- Nothing in any respect
- It’s a take a look at to gauge fan curiosity
- It’s a tease of what’s to return for Christmas 2025
Let’s begin with the more than likely chance: nothing in any respect. On this state of affairs, the genesis of the Cinderella Citadel Dream Lights gingerbread show is just the culinary crew remembering the true model, eager to pay tribute, and nobody stopping them.
This isn’t far-fetched–we’ve seen edible Easter Egg preparations at Grand Floridian that “unintentionally” use characters from mental properties Disney doesn’t personal (or have the rights to make use of!). That’s additionally how Walt Disney World very briefly ended up with a Bluey scavenger hunt.
It’s additionally potential that it wasn’t a lot “nobody stopped them” as different arms of Walt Disney World management actively authorized it. Additionally not far-fetched given the entire retro merchandise that seems within the parks that includes extinct points of interest. The distinction there, I believe, is that these are normally long-lost points of interest followers notice don’t have any probability of ever coming again.
The lack of the Dream Lights continues to be pretty contemporary and followers retain hope that they’ll return. I’d assume WDW administration may be weary of making false hope or reminding visitors of what that they had taken from them not too way back!
This brings us to the second and third choices. Personally, I’m skeptical that this could possibly be a take a look at to gauge fan curiosity. It’s unlikely there shall be survey groups standing leaping out from behind the show making an attempt to establish whether or not seeing this show, however IRL, would meaningfully transfer the needle on intent to revisit metrics.
Then once more, I’m additionally skeptical Walt Disney World would purposefully tease the Cinderella Citadel Dream Lights through a gingerbread show. That’s only a bizarre method of doing issues, telling visitors at present what they’ll expertise tomorrow. Then once more, attraction artwork is commonly on development partitions, so possibly?
If I’m being fully sincere, my intestine is that there’s a 99% chance that this implies nothing in any respect. I’m however posting about it right here as a result of I’ll take each conceivable alternative to “elevate consciousness” in regards to the Cinderella Citadel Dream Lights (sorry not sorry). It’s because I’ve not given up on their return.
Not like the Lights of Winter or Osborne Lights, that are useless and buried, I nonetheless imagine there’s a kernel of hope for the Dream Lights. (Technically, the Dream Lights are additionally useless–within the sense that new strands would should be fabricated, however they’ve the expertise!)
Two years in the past, there have been credible rumors that the Cinderella Citadel Dream Lights would return. It was my understanding on the time that the choice was made as a result of they weren’t “wanted” however that Walt Disney World would hold them as a card to play, or a lever to tug, after they have been to assist increase attendance.
Assuming that’s true, and as a lot as I hate to confess it, the reasoning is sound. Pent-up demand was nonetheless operating sizzling and Disney didn’t want to supply followers an incentive to go to. The projections have been adequate.
Christmas 2025 goes to be a really totally different story. It’ll are available in a 12 months when Walt Disney World doesn’t have a single new trip opening and when Common Orlando is opening a brand-new theme park. Clearly, the Cinderella Citadel Dream Lights can’t provide 1:1 competitors with Epic Universe, however they’re one thing that may however increase bookings and attendance for Walt Disney World.
Should you discover this far-fetched, look no additional than the announcement about Disney Starlight Night time Parade at Magic Kingdom or the long-delayed return of Paint the Night time at Disneyland Resort. Neither of these items are occurring out of company benevolence on Disney’s half. They’re levers being pulled as a result of revenge journey has exhausted itself, and Disney doesn’t have many different playing cards to play. Properly, the Cinderella Citadel Dream Lights are one other such card–and I stay optimistic, maybe foolishly so, that administration will notice this and eventually deliver them again.
With that in thoughts, one factor we at all times suggest doing is respectfully expressing your disappointment and explaining how the corporate’s choices and practices will impression your holidays and future enterprise with Walt Disney World by emailing [email protected].
For complete ideas for planning your Christmas-time journey to Walt Disney World, try our Final Information to Christmas at Walt Disney World. For Walt Disney World journey planning ideas and complete recommendation, make certain to learn our Walt Disney World Journey Planning Information and associated articles.
YOUR THOUGHTS
What’s your principle on the Cinderella Citadel Dream Lights being featured within the Up to date Resort’s Christmas 2024 gingerbread show? Nonetheless holding out hope that the precise in-park show will return, or assume it’s a misplaced trigger? What do you consider Disney’s Up to date Resort at Christmas? Do you just like the Cinderella Citadel gingerbread show, or do you like the Frozen model? Any questions we might help you reply? Listening to your suggestions is each fascinating to us and useful to different readers, so please share your ideas under within the feedback!
