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Why seasonal overlays for attractions will become the norm

a castle with lights at night

For many years the beloved “it’s a small world” attraction at Disneyland Park has undergone a magical transformation during the holidays to become a seasonal favourite. “it’s a small world holiday” has been delighting guests from around the world since 1997, taking them on “the happiest cruise that ever sailed” whilst experiencing how different cultures celebrate the most merriest time of the year.

As the years have gone by, we have seen many more attractions take on seasonal characteristics each year. Think of Haunted Mansion Holiday, and more recently the new Halloween overlay of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure Park. The latter has seen the entire portion of the theme park that’s dedicated to Disney/Pixar hit movie franchise Cars transform into a Haul-O-Ween celebration where even two of the three attractions have undergone a slight re-theme.

Over the next few years, I think we can be certain to see more attractions and areas of theme parks adopt to sporting more seasonal overlays. From maybe Springtime fun on Radiator Springs Racers to a Yuletide experience on a log flume ride. Seasonal overlays combined with special dining and entertainment offerings help to drive more visitors to the parks, increase visitor spending money and generate a lot of impressions on social media.

If you were in charge of a theme park, what would you think about incorporating several different overlays per year into one attraction? A good move, or does it detract from the original authentic attraction experience? Let me know your thoughts in the comments field.

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3 Comments

  1. I kind of like them. I’m WDW guy vs Disneyland so don’t see them as often as the west coasters….but think it’s neat when the castle is lit for Xmas or the StarWars night show they do over the Chinese theater in HS.

    It’s an easy way to give older rides a temp refresh. For people like me who visit at least once a year (and usually more) new things, even facades, can be a welcome change!

  2. I like it when the theme parks spice things up a bit by redecorating to incorporate seasonal/holiday elements.  It makes the experience more festive and a nice departure from going on the same ride for the 100th time.

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