New shows in the parks

[MaxPower]

There are some great stage shows in the theme parks. But a lot of them are past their prime. Does anyone have any opinions about which stage shows should be retired?

Personally, I think The Beauty and The Beast Show at the Hollywood Studios is a decent show, but I wish they would replace it with something new.

I have always been surprised that Disney hasn't done a stage show (broadway style) with some of the best songs from all of their movies. (And if you think they couldn't do Broadway quality well, then go see the Aladdin Show at Disneyland in California - it's amazing for a theme park stage show.)

A show that included performances and songs from their classic movies could include live actors and costumed characters. Plus, it would be a great way to re-introduce the classics to younger park-goers. And I personally know a four year old who would happily freak out if she saw a live stage show finale that included dozens of dancing characters together.

Granted, Fantasmic covers some of these elements, but I'm proposing a true revue version in a theater with choreography and costumes and not water effects and pyrotechnics.

[Goofy4TheWorld]

I am in no way a "show person" but I would be extremely disappointed if they replaced Beauty and The Beast. Fantasmic has already been put on the endangered list, so Hollywood Studios can't afford to lose anything else.

I would be stunned and sad to see Beauty and The Beast go.

[Speedy1998]

I can't see a show that is a popular as Beauty and the Beast being closed (though I have to agree I am tired of it too).

[Tbelle1976]

Another vote for NOT replacing Beauty and the Beast! It's a great show and I also would be sad to see it go.

[RedSoxFan]

[QUOTE=MaxPower;1774286]

(And if you think they couldn't do Broadway quality well, then go see the Aladdin Show at Disneyland in California - it's amazing for a theme park stage show.)


So true --- Aladdin Show was fantastic. We saw it twice. We loved it.

But I would hate to see Beauty and The Beast go. DH would be devastated --- it's his favorite.

[Disneyfamilyof3]

Hi Everyone!:)

Does anyone remember the Hunchback of Notre Dame show at what is now DHS? I saw it the first time I ever went to WDW back in May 2001, and we thought it was great! We were so sad and disappointed that they cancelled it :( Cast members told us that it was a casualty of the post 9/11 financial situation. I would love it if they brought it back.

I would also be interested in seeing an Aladdin show at DHS as well!

[Imagineer1981]

Hi Everyone!:)

Does anyone remember the Hunchback of Notre Dame show at what is now DHS? I saw it the first time I ever went to WDW back in May 2001, and we thought it was great! We were so sad and disappointed that they cancelled it :( Cast members told us that it was a casualty of the post 9/11 financial situation. I would love it if they brought it back.

I would also be interested in seeing an Aladdin show at DHS as well!

before hunchback was Pocahontas...they had shows in a stage that I think was removed for LMA. It was a great show too, but sadly gone and unfortunately the way Disney is going, there won't be anything new. I love Pixar, but please give me some classic animation with musical scores that when grammys!!!!

[like2workout]

i definitely remember the hunchback of notre dame show and also loved it. has anyone ever heard of disney bringing back and older show like that? i'd still love to see it come back again.

[Disney Doll]

I remember the hunch back show and while I thought it was okay, I'm not looking to see it again. Hunch back was not one of the more popular Disney movies so I don't think it would be a good move to bring it back. I would much rather see something new.

[Imagineer1981]

by the way....If Disney doesn't start making more animated films with songs, and I mean traditional animation, the good stuff...there will not be any new stage shows (nemo is an exception and has mixed reviews)

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

You have to remember, a lot of the times the park stage shows are testing grounds for the full-show musical.

Beauty and the Beast is an excellent example of that. Ron Logan wanted it to be Broadway, Eisner said no, so it went to parks...was a success and then Eisner said yes.

I loved the Hunchback movie, as well as the show, and I think it's one of the most underrated Disney movies of all time. I think it's a very classic story, much like the stories of Snow White and Cinderella and it was an amazing addition to the Disney family that for whatever reason, was poorly received by the public.

Perhaps it was because unlike Cinderella and Snow White, stories filled with magic, fairies, witches, and castles in the sky, the story of Hunchback is quite plausible and possible. It's a very good story of human nature, to fear what it doesn't understand and that people can and often are needlessly cruel to people who are different just because they are different. That being said, I personally would love to see it come back to the parks because the show was amazing, the cast and singers were amazing, and it was a well put on show.

I'd like to see other things on stage as well. Nemo was a great stage addition, and I think they should bring back Tarzan. I would like to see the Hercules musical from the Cruise Lines.

Some I wouldn't think could be done very well on stage would be a lot of the Princess stories. Sleeping Beauty, which was a ballet originally, Snow White or Cinderella. For some reason, even with my creativity, I can't see a beautifully amazing Broadway-style show coming from those. Probably because in my opinion, the scores lack a song that wows and booms, like the others that have gone on (Mary Poppins - Supercalifragilisticexpalidocous or Step in Time/Chim Chim Cheere, Little Mermaid - Under the Sea, Part of Your World, Tarzan - Two Worlds, Strangers like Me, Trashin the Camp, Hercules - the entire movie, Hunchback - God Help the Outcasts, Topsy Turvy, Out There). Those are all really strong songs that invoke a lot of emotion from both the characters and the guests. I feel that the older movies lack those qualities, even if they are great songs. Just not stage-show great.

[AnnetteFan]

I think Beauty and the Beast has managed to stay decently current since it's become a modern classic. I don't make it a must see but I don't mind it being there and I also wouldn't mind it being replaced.

I think a show with a big variety of Disney songs would be nice, sort of like when Disney on Ice first started and there would be little snippets from a lot of different movies or characters. But knowing Disney they wouldn't want to make the effort to staff one show with a ton of different characters and sets.

I wish they would revamp Voyage to be of a better quality. It has so much potential as a great show, especially now that Disney is bringing Little Mermaid to Broadway.

[kemps@wdw]

[QUOTE=MaxPower;1774286]

I have always been surprised that Disney hasn't done a stage show (broadway style) with some of the best songs from all of their movies.

A show that included performances and songs from their classic movies could include live actors and costumed characters. Plus, it would be a great way to re-introduce the classics to younger park-goers.

I agree!! In keeping w/the Hollywood theme, I'm surprised they haven't done that already!!

[Meteora]

Beauty and the Beast is an excellent example of that. Ron Logan wanted it to be Broadway, Eisner said no, so it went to parks...was a success and then Eisner said yes.

I think the issue for me is that the Broadway show was excellent. A truly terrific show. And the DHS version, while it might have been the springboard for the Broadway musical, is not a Broadway musical and therefore isn't nearly as well done. For someone like me who has seen the Broadway show a couple of times, the DHS version is a letdown. I haven't bothered with it in years. I think the Broadway musical was the absolute pinnacle of what they could have done with Beauty and the Beast as a musical, and I'm just not that interested in seeing something less than that. I'd be more interested in seeing something like Disney CA's Aladdin show--it isn't actually a Broadway musical, so I wouldn't be wishing the whole time that it were more like the actual Broadway show.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

But if it wasn't for the success of the one at Studios, it never would have gone to Broadway.

Also....Broadway = full scale production >2 hrs.

Studios = small scale production <30 mins

Of course the Broadway is better. LOL. That's like comparing a burger and a filet mignon.

[Meteora]

Of course the Broadway is better. LOL. That's like comparing a burger and a filet mignon.

Exactly! I know I'm not being rational, but I just don't enjoy the burger after having indulged in the filet mignon.

Don't get me wrong; I am very happy that the show was enough of a success to pave the way for the broadway version.

[Tick-Tock]

I have always been surprised that Disney hasn't done a stage show (broadway style) with some of the best songs from all of their movies.


Actually, they did put together a stage show called Disney's On the Record featuring songs from various Disney movies and shows, with a storyline woven loosely throughout. It toured nationally for about 8 months in 2004-05 (I saw it here in Denver in 2005 just before the tour ended). There's a CD if you want to see what songs were included.

[cer]

Does anyone know how long the Beauty and the Beast stage show has been running?

Just curious. I thought I saw it in 93, but I could be way wrong here.

[g8rgirl29]

I love the Beauty and the Beast show but it will not be the same for me without 4 for a $!!:sob::sob:

[Jasper]

Actually, I would love to see Disney not only add more shows at the parks, but I would love to see them "super size" the whole Broadway show idea at WDW. What I would love to see Disney do is actually build a Broadway style theater somewhere on the WDW grounds and run their full scale Broadway shows there. I for one would spend the money to see a professional Broadway musical while visiting WDW.

I have only been to New York to see Broadway shows a couple of times in my life because of the huge cost of going to New York. And since most of the other members of my family don't love theater the way I do they are not willing to spend the money to go there. However, if we are already at WDW this would not be an issue because WDW has something to offer everyone.

If they were willing to put enough money into it they could actually run two shows concurrently with each show running every other night. I used to be heavily involved with our local theater and we there were many times when we brought in a big set/big cast Broadway touring show on back to back nights. So if a small town all volunteer crew can do that then I know that it would not be a problem in a professional theater with a professional crew. In fact, depending on what two shows are running it is very possible for many of the same actors to be in both shows, especially chorus members. They could run each show for something like six months then rotate it out to a touring company or up to New York. That way they keep Broadway, WDW, and their touring shows fresh all the time.

I know I am wishing on a star here but you never know, someday it might happen!

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

Actually, I would love to see Disney not only add more shows at the parks, but I would love to see them "super size" the whole Broadway show idea at WDW. What I would love to see Disney do is actually build a Broadway style theater somewhere on the WDW grounds and run their full scale Broadway shows there. I for one would spend the money to see a professional Broadway musical while visiting WDW.


You know I've had that idea before and I think it would so easy to do. I would say remove that Cirque du Soliel junk and put in an great theater (cause Bob Carr is horrible) and perform the Disney Broadways on a seasonal basis. It would be amazing.

[wire0monkey]

by the way....If Disney doesn't start making more animated films with songs, and I mean traditional animation, the good stuff...there will not be any new stage shows

We're waiting very patiently for "The Princess and the Frog" at our house. I have very high hopes for it. It's an animated musical and should do very, very well. It will make a great stage show.

[wire0monkey]

You know I've had that idea before and I think it would so easy to do. I would say remove that Cirque du Soliel junk and put in an great theater (cause Bob Carr is horrible) and perform the Disney Broadways on a seasonal basis. It would be amazing.

No! The Cirque may not be your cup of tea, but many, many other people love it. As long as its making money, they should keep it.

I love this show. It's the most amazing thing I've ever seen. I love "La Nouba" and I'm waiting impatiently for my kids to be old enough to see it.