Fantasmic to go to 2 days per week in January?

[Tim]

Source: http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/features_orlando/2008/07/fantasmic-cut-t.html

**snip**
In another sign of the shaky economy, Disney will reduce performances of its "Fantasmic!" spectacular at Disney's Hollywood Studios to just two nights a week, beginning in January. Performers were notified late Friday of the cutbacks.

No extra nighttime entertainment is planned to replace it. The finale of the daily "American Idol" competition will take place toward the end of the park day, but I don't see that as a rival for "Fantasmic!" and the AI theater can't hold nearly the number of the "Fantasmic!" amphitheater -- which points to smaller crowds in Disney's official projections.
** /snip **

What do you make of this?

 

[Dan]

Sounds unlikely to me. You start cutting back to only occasionally doing stuff like that and you start messing with the basic Disney World formula. Fantasmic isn't just a live show, it's Hollywood Studios' night-time spectacular. I'd no more expect to find Fantasmic being cut back that drastically then I'd expect to find Wishes only happening twice a week, or parades being canceled. Or character meet and greets happening only during peak seasons.

 

[PolynesianMedic]

I hear that this is supposedly because they have a contractual obligation to American Idol to have a certain amount of people in the audience there. Should be interesting to see if and how long this lasts.

 

[goofy101]

Ive seen this on a few boards and there a loads of rumours from cost cutting to revamping the arena but the one that crops up more than most is what Jeff has pointed out, it all has to do with American Idol opening and it sounds like Fantasmic will operate depending on the season more in the high season less in the value also theres talk of Spectromagic being cut back

 

[Roger]

It's also the same thing DL does with F! in the offseason - runs only on weekend nights.

I'm not sure how long the Idol thing will last - that ship sailed a long time ago, and is going to be interesting to see how long it lasts.

 

[goofy101]

Personally I think both Fantasmic and Idol are pitched at diffrent audiences familys with teenagers would more likely see Idol than a family with younger children would go and see Fantasmic and the reason behind the cut is so both venues are not playing to half empty venues in value season when the parks are quieter

I am with you on the Idol thing Roger, I cant see it staying that long.

 

[Grumpwurst]

I am personally not interested in either Fantasmic! or American Idol. Either one or both of them can go.

 

[Dan]

Oh no.. I had a dreadful moment of realization. At first, for some reason when I read American Idol I interpreted it as meaning Who Wants to be a Millionaire. Eh, brain fart, don't ask. I KNOW WWTBAM closed down ages ago.. still that's what came to mind. I was neutral on that. I didn't particularly like the show, but I held no animosity for it.

To hear this being done to favor American Idol though.. egads!

I was pseudo interested in the idea of a live American Idol at Disney World. But if they're shutting down Fantasmic to coerce people into seeing Idol instead.. then that show can't close down soon enough for my liking.

I hereby announce my intention to boycott the American Idol show. A largely meaningless announcement, since upon reflection I probably wouldn't have wanted to experience it anyway. When I imagine the combination of poor singing and Disney's trademark extremely loud amplified audio, loud enough to drill straight into your skull and stick pins and needles into your brain (at least that's my experience), I'm filled with an intense desire to be somewhere else other than the American Idol show, sledgehammer tactics to force people into seeing it or not.