WOW. While the time right before the finale seemed weak, I loved the little nods to Roy with the Fantasia 2000 segments, and how they mixed Night on Bald Mountain with music from Hunchback.
I must admit I was impressed. ; While I wasn't that big of a fan of Fantasmic! (unless I was watching with good friends), I think this show is grand enough and without all the cheese (no pun intended) to make me sit through it. Plus, I'm sure it'll open a whole new photographic challenge from getting good seats to setting the camera just right to get those water screens. I don't know, but there is something about it that brings back memories of the laser show that was at EPCOT back in the early to mid-80's
I wish I could have seen it, I think that the hotel network I am using while in Florida, was holding it back from loading properly, but it sounds like it was a great show.
I'm not sure how well this show will photograph. ; I think the essence of the show will be lost in many scenes as *motion* is an integral part of it. But you're right about the challenge with Fastpasses being random (first ones there might get a less-than-ideal zone) plus the standing room only area for Fastpasses...
What really stood out to me was just as the show was about to start pretty much all the bloggers/podcasters/webhosts who said they were going to live stream it, ended up tweeting or posting on Facebook that they lost their data connections and were dead. So, either one of two things happened? Disney blocked the connection so that they could have the exclusive OR A similiar type situation to what happened to Steve Jobs when unveiling the iPhone4 and all the bandwidth was hogged. Either way the rumor was that Disney was using 8 cameras and ran the video stream like a live TV production and the quality was outstanding when viewed at full screen, they probably took all the bandwidth. I hope the fact they had over 9000 guests on the stream which was starting at 11:45PM/10:45PM EST/CST tells them that it would be worth it to live stream other premier events and people will turn it to see it. People on the stream's chat pondered why Disney didn't decide to do a live show on ABC which could be in High Definition. ; Well, let's face it, you cannot just at the last minute decide to ask for a time slot on all ABC affiliates and that time slot start during Jimmy Kimmel's time. Also, there is the fact that the odds of them being able to go commercial free are slim even if they planned in advance and I heard this was a last minute decision. ; That only feeds into my belief that this decision was less to do with giving the people what they want, but trying to shut down the fans who were publically stating they'll be streaming it themselves. And lets face it, Disney knows just as well as we do that live streaming from cell phones and laptops sucks at best in quality and if I was a member of Disney's PR team and had any grasp of technology I wouldn't want to live with the idea that to many people their first impressions of the Wonderful World of Color came from a low quality, poorly exposed cell phone video feed. Which is another reason why I think they wouldn't have done a HD broadcast on TV. ; Let's face it, the stream quality was pretty good but not perfect and if it was perfect, you might have given people enough to NOT want to come to Disney's California Adventure to see the show. ; But, I think they really were successful in whetting our appetite. I personally think they have a real competitive viewing event to Fantasmic! ; I hope it's good enough to relieve some of that bone crushing crowds that build up around the New Orleans Square area so my wife and I can get our chowder bowl and gumbo bowl and be able to eat it without having to stand up
I agree with you about the Fantasmic! reliever....they finally have a reason for people to stay in Disney California Adventure (Mr. Skaggs, you got to practice that! ; You have at least three[nb]Assuming that he's at this morning's event - Jodi Benson is opening the Blue Sky Cellar that has the scale model walkthrough of Ariel's Undersea Adventure[/nb] more events where you'll have to say the name!) It was really nice for Disney to broadcast this - it harkens back to broadcasting Opening Day live, or at least taping things like the opening of PotC for use in a later show. ;
Many are hoping Disney actually permanently captured the video they took with those 8 cameras and puts something out there on their blog from that in a higher quality but not necessarily HD format for people to see. I am in the camp that seeing the whole show online won't preclude me from going to see it live. ; For example, one element you'll NEVER be able to experience at home is the wetness. ; From what I heard, at times it was like it was raining. ; I guess depending on where you were standing it may have been like being on one of those boats that float the base of Niagra Falls. ; I don't know how many people noticed that the celebrities like Teri Hatcher and her daughter were all wearing Disney branded rain parkas. Also, when viewing a produced video we are constrained to the view and "story" the videographer edited for us or shot. ; This thing is so huge that you may look in different places or from different angles and get a totally different experience live (good or bad). So, in a nutshell, I'm more of a person who believes, "If you provide it online, they will come". ; I think last night Disney really took a first step to show they are embracing the fast developing online culture their die-hard and loyal fans are living in.
Oh, and I felt bad for Mr. Skaggs. ; He just seemed so out of place being on stage in front of all those people. ; Bob Iger wasn't much better but he did seem like he's had a bit more practice at attempting to provide "good show"
I felt bad for him too. ; The rumors were that he was being groomed to follow Iger, but I'm not sure that is the case. ; Jay Rasulo handles the public speaking better, and I'm wondering if he's actually the one being groomed....I did wonder why Skaggs wasn't at the Annual Meeting but instead they had the CFO (Jay) there to talk about the Theme Park improvements, not the VP (Skaggs) in charge of the theme parks.... ; He was CFO during the Empire's reign so anything is possible. I was really impressed with the Mickey head. ; Another winner. ; Love the comment "You're looking very animated tonight Mickey!"
Here's the Press kit release from the official site: http://www.disneylandnews.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=542 Musically the show progresses through a series of storytelling arcs: ; ; * Setting the mood for the “Colorâ€Â
I never understood why they felt that just because someone was VP over the park that meant that they needed to be the "face" and being able to provide Steve Jobs-ese stage presence. ; If I was a CEO I'd want the best man to run my park but I could care less if he could stand on stage and cover the marketing. ; If Rasulo can do a better job, so be it. ; But I know many people inside/outside the company will hold it against Skaggs that he needs a lot of help in the "...and one more thing" department My favorite quote was when Mickey asked to get his picture with Teri Hatcher and after the pictures was taken he turned to her and asked, "I think I may have blinked can we take another?"
I missed that part with Mickey! ; I remember him telling her "don't tell Minnie" but I think I was switching from small to full screen and when I did that it took a few secs to refresh.... Story? ; The Fantasmic! story is kind of lost in translation - when are you told this is Mickey's dream? ; One little line in the opening spiel? ; Imagination doesn't have to occur in dreams....(probably another reason they changed the name) I think the show suffered a little bit with a few of the transitions - the show had about 5-10 mins *cut* two weeks ago, so that could be it. ; But as a whole it doesn't bring the show down. ; I think they hit a home run. ; Now they just need to avoid a crowd control nightmares that will occur, especially this week as the SoCal passholders only have a few days left before blockout.
While I agree with you Roger, I think it could be say that there is more of an attempt at story with Fantasmic! than there is with Wonderful World of Color. ; Yes, I know Disney Imagineers all love to tout "story", but really, does everything have to be a story. ; Heck, Fantasia wasn't one arcing storyline. Many people talked about bad transitions, but I never noticed. ; But, I am not the type that is very critical of my entertainment. ; So, if I complain, something must be really, really aweful...haha I do too. ; Not only did they hit a home run, but as far as non-firework evening extravaganzas go, I think they not only hit it out of the park but they knocked the skin off the ball. I agree. ; Crowd control never has been managed for Fantasmic! at New Orleans Square, but there really is few options. ; But, the viewable areas around the lake at DCA are many and dispersed which means, just like with IllumiNations! at EPCOT, the entire area around the lake becomes a viewable location (some more ideal than others). Let's face it, there is no crowd management plan for IllumiNations, so I doubt there will be much of one for DCA, but DCA will hear more complaints about it than EPCOT does. I doubt the Fast Pass distribution idea is going to pan out in the long run and I have a feeling, in the future, we'll see some more stadium seating showing up. ; There really isn't hardly any at all right now. ; It was so lacking, it drew my attention when we were at DCA last month. World of Color may just end up becoming the iPhone for DCA's AT&T. ; Meaning, the popularity will be greater than ever anticipated and thusly creating an overcrowding problem that will need to be retroactively resolved. ; Unlike AT&T, DCA is undergoing major renovations so they could more easily slide in an adjustment or two
I think I agree with you on just about all of that Ray. BTW, go back to the Ustream's site. ; What two characters are shown in the art that *weren't* in the show? ; (I know they didn't have time to update the concept art, but this is like DAK's Dragon.)
