Stitch is Out

[TheRustyScupper]

Tuesday, June 16, 2009, 4:36pm EDT | Modified: Tuesday, June 16, 2009, 4:49pm

Curtain closes on Disney attractionOrlando Business Journal - by Christopher Boyd Staff Writer

Stitch’s Supersonic Adventure, an interactive stage show that opened May 5 at Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom, will close on June 27.

Disney officials wouldn’t say why the show, which opened with much fanfare just six weeks ago, is on the way out. Postings on blog sites by Disney fans suggest that park patrons complained about having to form queues in the late spring heat without shelter or seating.

A Disney spokeswoman didn’t say what is planned next for the Stitch site.


RustyScupper NOTE: Another item added to the long list of failures of Imagineering.

[brownie]

That was a good investment.

[Mufasa]

RustyScupper NOTE: Another item added to the long list of failures of Imagineering.

That should be Entertainment, and not Imagineering...

[cer]

That is just...wow! This attraction was still being built when we were there in early Feb 09. That's certainly is a short run....interesting.

[GothMickey]

That should be Entertainment, and not Imagineering...

Yep. Entertainment's disaster, not Imagineering.

[GothMickey]

That is just...wow! This attraction was still being built when we were there in early Feb 09. That's certainly is a short run....interesting.

Ran for 6 weeks. Even Barbie in Epcot lasted longer LOL.

[Ian]

Blame it on whoever you will, but the real fault lies with Disney World management.

When you're only willing to spend nickels, these are the results you get.

You'd think they'd learn that when you do things halfway up front it always comes back to bite you.

See also:

Disney's Animal Kingdom
Disney California Adventure
Hong Kong Disneyland
Et. Al.

[murphy1]

I have never liked any attraction in that spot since they opened the park, Mission to Mars (or Circle Vision Monstanto thing, can't remember what was there exactly) up to Stitch, maybe it's a cursed area??

[DizneyRox]

Whoa! Didn't they just build the stage for this? I didn't even realize that was done, we were just talking about the extra parking spaces, no?

WOW! Sadly, this is typical Disney these days. Maybe I'll take a look over at youtube, I'm sure it's apparent as to why this failed.

[Strmchsr]

Maybe I'll take a look over at youtube, I'm sure it's apparent as to why this failed.

Yeah, if you watch the show it's VERY apparent.

The shade issue was the biggest for me. When we were there during early May when it first opened I couldn't believe they had guests just standing in the direct sun. No seating. No shade. To me that would kill the experience no matter how good the show was. The show not being all that great made it even worse.

[GothMickey]

Yeah, if you watch the show it's VERY apparent.

The shade issue was the biggest for me. When we were there during early May when it first opened I couldn't believe they had guests just standing in the direct sun. No seating. No shade. To me that would kill the experience no matter how good the show was. The show not being all that great made it even worse.

Do people stand on Main Street, 30 minutes to an hour prior to the parade starting? If so, do they stand under shade or sit on the curb in the hot sun? And then, when the parade starts, do they still stand on Main Street under the hot sun?

I cannot understand why people are saying no shade doomed this. No shade has nothing to do with a terrible show. Entertainment created a show that stunk. If it was worth anything, people would have stood around for it. They stand around for Jack Sparrow's Pirate Tutorial. They stand in the sun waiting online to meet characters. They stand in the hot sun for many reasons. I cannot accept that as an excuse for people not wanting to stand around and watch this.

[Figment!]

Entertainment Cast have reported that internal schedules are listing the show as "dark" through the end of June, which would imply a refurbishment and not a permanent closure.

[GothMickey]

Entertainment Cast have reported that internal schedules are listing the show as "dark" through the end of June, which would imply a refurbishment and not a permanent closure.

Even so, 6 weeks after it ran, and they have to change thngs already isn't a good thing. It could be a good thing if they are creating a better, more watchable show. But, this still has to go down as a failure.

[Dragongirlx]

I read on another disney site that it wasn't closing but the show was being changed and thats why there was a shut down

[joonyer]

I have never liked any attraction in that spot since they opened the park, Mission to Mars (or Circle Vision Monstanto thing, can't remember what was there exactly) up to Stitch, maybe it's a cursed area??

Mission to Mars was in the building that now holds Stitch's Great Escape (not the Stitch stage show) and was the ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter before Stitch's great Escape.

The Circle Vision 360 (Monsanto) theatre was in the building that now hosts the Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor, (adjacent to Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin, which is in the same big building. It's across the street/ from Stitch's Great Escape. That same building hosted the Timekeeper attraction (which also a 360 film) prior to the Laugh Floor attraction.

The Stitch stage show is located between Carousel of Progress and the Space Mountain entrance near the old Tomorrowland Skyway station (across the plaza, on the other side of Astro Orbiter, from Stitch's Great Escape). There has never been an attraction (except for the skyway station) in that exact location before.

[Ian]

Bottom line, whether it's closed for good or just for a re-do, the thing was so terrible that it only lasted 6 weeks.

And I agree with GothMickey ... shade (or the lack thereof) had nothing to do with it. People wait in the hot sun for parades and tons of other shows around Disney World. This show is canned because it stunk. Plain and simple.

I watched the YouTube video and it was just complete and total dreck. A flat-out embarrassment that it had Disney's name on it.

[grumpyguy]

why are they forcing stitch on us anyway???i've no desire to even watch stitch movies.
i just think stitch is an "un-disneylike" character anyway..
bring back alien invasion!!!
the people have spoken

[GothMickey]

Bottom line, whether it's closed for good or just for a re-do, the thing was so terrible that it only lasted 6 weeks.

And I agree with GothMickey ... shade (or the lack thereof) had nothing to do with it. People wait in the hot sun for parades and tons of other shows around Disney World. This show is canned because it stunk. Plain and simple.

I watched the YouTube video and it was just complete and total dreck. A flat-out embarrassment that it had Disney's name on it.

Very well said Ian. But, according to some people, you could not judge the show based on a video from Youtube. I just hope that what ever the new show will be, Hannah Montana isn't part of it.

[GothMickey]

why are they forcing stitch on us anyway???i've no desire to even watch stitch movies.
i just think stitch is an "un-disneylike" character anyway..
bring back alien invasion!!!
the people have spoken

Stitch is a very popular character. But he has been misused in the parks. I notice no one complains that Jack Sparrow or the Princesses have been forced down our throats too. If Stitch had a better attraction, the feelings toward the little blue guy would be different.

[Strmchsr]

I cannot understand why people are saying no shade doomed this. No shade has nothing to do with a terrible show.

I'm not saying no shade doomed the show. It was a bad, bad show. What I'm saying is that I think environmental conditions hastened the change. I don't think people would have complained nearly as much (nor the suits taken as much notice) if the environmental conditions had been more acceptable. As you noted, when something is good people don't care about the heat. When it's bad they do. When they're comfortable people will tolerate something a LOT more than when they're not. So, the environment made a bad show seem a lot worse.