New Fantasmic

[HackLaSalle]

Hmm. Fireworks going off after Wishes ended tonight... maybe everyone jumped to conclusions a bit quickly.

[DizneyFreak2002]

Hmm. Fireworks going off after Wishes ended tonight... maybe everyone jumped to conclusions a bit quickly.

Jumping to conclusions about what??? The announcement was 1000 new seats... BENCHES... that was the huge announcement.. The only jumping to conclusions was TDO would actually fix the show...

[HackLaSalle]

Meh, I jumped to conclusions seems as if it was only HalloWishes testing.

[Altair]

Maybe the new benches will be on the other side of the water, right in the middle of the action.

[brownie]

Adding a thousand seats doesn't really seem a very newsworthy announcement.

[disneynarula]

Bummer...
I am still trying to decide if it is worth keeping the kids out late for Fantasmic!.

[Mousemates]

no reason to get too excited about this either way, because chances are that sooner or later we will get a thread something along the lines of "New Fantasmic Bench Expansion Project Now on Hold" after TDO discovers they can't work out the details with the project manager.

It is also somewhat likely that before its all over the 1,000 seats will turn into 137, because sooner or later the bean-counters will get involved and force them to pare things down in a cost cutting move.

[DizneyFreak2002]

Maybe the new benches will be on the other side of the water, right in the middle of the action.

They are going in at the top, where the guests stood...

Anyone read the article on Orlando Sentinel's site??? Yea, Danny Cockerell is really off of is rocker... Read it and you'll see just how out of touch with reality these people are... And to think, he may be the one who replaces Crofton when she leaves... Frightening thought...

[CMCTxMom]

I would hate for that Glow with the Show stuff to pop up here.. It doesn't work unless EVERYONE is wearing one of the ear hats... Otherwise, 5 people in the crowd and it looks just silly...

True.

But if many DO have ear hats, it adds a benefit to being in the back of the show. People in front won't be able to see the effects... but it might almost be a "perk" for being in back... if you are tall enough to see over the ears.

[Roger's #1 Fan]

One marketing ploy to boost ears in attendance would be to include them in the Fantasmic dining package. The bean counters would just love that one.

[DizneyFreak2002]

True.

But if many DO have ear hats, it adds a benefit to being in the back of the show. People in front won't be able to see the effects... but it might almost be a "perk" for being in back... if you are tall enough to see over the ears.

Yea, providing many shell out $25 bucks for the ears... That is the problem in DCA... Many are NOT shelling out the $25 for the ears... Notice how it only works in press events (where they hand the hats out for free to the invited guests) and how bad it is when it is a regular crowd...

[Gator]

Good grief, talk about negative. I actually like the fact that there'll be 1000 more seats in that arena. It's always full and can use some more space. Shoot, I'm just glad that it's on every night like it used to be instead of that twice-a-week garbage. I love Fantasmic! and I can't see why they'd need to update or change it unless they were implementing a whole new show.

As for the press event, I dont' get that. But as a marketing guy, I invite the press to every single small thing I do at my job. Do they show up most of the time? No. But I invite them anyway. That's why it's called marketing. Creating a sense of great value from something of average value.

[DizneyFreak2002]

Not negative at all.. Here is why this is typical dumb TDO:

1) This does not add capacity...

2) The show is a shell of its former self... Many effects are broken... The show is stale... Compare it to DL... DL has had 4 or 5 major upgrades and improves... WDW: none....

3) Instead of taking the thousands of dollars this will cost to fix the show and spruce it up, they add seats.. THEN BRAG ABOUT IT...

4) Perspective: Avatar, one of the biggest partnerships in WDW history and it is announced through the blog... 1000 seats added to Fantasmic??? A FULL FLEDGED PRESS EVENT...

Now really, how can anyone honestly defend that???

[Jared]

I can't see why they'd need to update or change it unless they were implementing a whole new show.

Just curious, when was the last time you saw the show in Florida?

It's falling apart. The effects don't work, the sets and props are in dire condition. I am not exaggerating when I say that the show will need to be closed for some sort of refurbishment before too long because it will become completely inoperable (even by Orlando management's liberal definition of the world "inoperable).

The show was run for weeks -- months? -- with the lift hill on the mountain not working. So there was no Sorcerer Mickey at the finale. It made about as much sense as you would guess.

Oh, and the dragon apparently caught fire not too long ago.

How many significant upgrades has Disneyland's Fantasmic! received since WDW's opened?

Not a nice realization.

[Jared]

Not negative at all.. Here is why this is typical dumb TDO:

1) This does not add capacity...

2) The show is a shell of its former self... Many effects are broken... The show is stale... Compare it to DL... DL has had 4 or 5 major upgrades and improves... WDW: none....

3) Instead of taking the thousands of dollars this will cost to fix the show and spruce it up, they add seats.. THEN BRAG ABOUT IT...

4) Perspective: Avatar, one of the biggest partnerships in WDW history and it is announced through the blog... 1000 seats added to Fantasmic??? A FULL FLEDGED PRESS EVENT...

Now really, how can anyone honestly defend that???

We posted at the same time. But yeah, what he said.

[CMCTxMom]

Okay, maybe I'm asking on the wrong thread here, because you guys are obviously pretty anti-WDW Fantasmic... but is it not worth seeing anymore? The last time I saw it was in DL in '09 - I have been to WDW since '05 and we were have reservations in January for the Fantasmic dinner package with our little ones. Not worth it? That was always my favorite show!

[DizneyFreak2002]

Okay, maybe I'm asking on the wrong thread here, because you guys are obviously pretty anti-WDW Fantasmic... but is it not worth seeing anymore? The last time I saw it was in DL in '09 - I have been to WDW since '05 and we were have reservations in January for the Fantasmic dinner package with our little ones. Not worth it? That was always my favorite show!

Fantasmic was always my favorite night time show... I made sure to see it more than once on my trips... Heck, I'll sit at my computer surfing the web and doing work while listening to the music (still some of my favorite Disney parks music)... But as for the show now??? it is just a poor version of what it once was.. Dl's blows DHS' version out of the sky...

DL's version has gone through 4 changes/upgrades over the years... WDW's??? none... it has stayed the same throughout its 14/15 year run... They haven't even updated the 1990 technology (using film instead of digital projection like DL)... The lift that brings Mickey to the top of the mountain at the end of the show is constantly broken... Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't... it is hit or miss... For a good portion of October 2011 (the rest of that year actually) it didn't work at all... And even after the "refurb" in January of this year it wasn't fixed... The dragon in DHS' version caught fire not too long ago... The show has been cancelled several times in recent weeks due to the fireworks not working... And in fact, on another board, someone mentioned that the entire show failed just as it was getting started so they cancelled the entire performances that night... And yet, we get... BENCHES!!!!

I don't go out of my way to see it anymore... Same cannot be said for Reflections of Earth... I'll make sure to go see that night time show more than once now...

As for you seeing it, you have to make that decision yourself... I'll never tell someone not to go see something... What I will tell you is don't expect the top notch show it used to be... Expect issues...

[Gator]

Just curious, when was the last time you saw the show in Florida?

Feburary 2011. Not that long ago. And as far as the hit and miss for Sorcerer Mickey to appear, I've never seen that malfunction. Not once. And I've seen this show 7 times at WDW. All the effects are always working, the projectors work, the fireworks go off as planned, the princesses and indians all boat by like they're supposed to. I'm not sure what you're all talking about as far this show needing help. It's funny that someone brought up RoE being so great (my favorite fireworks, btw), because I've actually seen that show have fireworks not work, including the initial burst that happens right after the whistle. I'm not hearing how RoE should be re-done.

As for those who want to go see Fantasmic! and have the dinner package - GO SEE IT! Don't listen to all this nitpicking. The show is still great. Really great. Not worth all this puff.

[DizneyFreak2002]

Feburary 2011. Not that long ago. And as far as the hit and miss for Sorcerer Mickey to appear, I've never seen that malfunction. Not once. And I've seen this show 7 times at WDW. All the effects are always working, the projectors work, the fireworks go off as planned, the princesses and indians all boat by like they're supposed to. I'm not sure what you're all talking about as far this show needing help. It's funny that someone brought up RoE being so great (my favorite fireworks, btw), because I've actually seen that show have fireworks not work, including the initial burst that happens right after the whistle. I'm not hearing how RoE should be re-done.

As for those who want to go see Fantasmic! and have the dinner package - GO SEE IT! Don't listen to all this nitpicking. The show is still great. Really great. Not worth all this puff.

February 2011 - September 2012, yes no time has passed since then.. Oy...

Read my post... Last time you saw it was February 2011... Sorcerer Mickey lift failed around October (possibly before) and STILL isn't working 100%.. The pyro is just the latest issue... The projectors are using film and they have failed more recently... DL uses digital projections.. Much more sharp and clear... The flames on the boats during the Pocahontas scene are also hit and miss... some nights they work, other nights they don't... When I saw it in October 2011, one boat was completely dark...

These are just some of the glaring issues facing the show... Again, there is no defense to this... Oh wait, yes there is, MORE BENCHES!!!!

[Melanie]

It's funny that someone brought up RoE being so great (my favorite fireworks, btw), because I've actually seen that show have fireworks not work, including the initial burst that happens right after the whistle. I'm not hearing how RoE should be re-done.

As for those who want to go see Fantasmic! and have the dinner package - GO SEE IT! Don't listen to all this nitpicking. The show is still great. Really great. Not worth all this puff.

I have to agree to an extent. I often see reports of certain barges, etc. on RoE not working correctly or not even being present at all. I never will get the undying love for that show. It is way past time for a re-do. And I'm not saying that regarding things being broken either. It's just boring to me. I do love the music though.

As far as Fantasmic! goes, go see it. Call me simple, whatever, but I don't notice a lot of the faults mentioned here, and just go to enjoy the show and music. Could it use an upgrade? Absolutely! New show scenes would be great. Is the DL version superior? Yes, I believe it is. But for the record, it's always been superior.

CMCTxMom, your kiddos will love the show and really, as parents, isn't that what it's all about?