Fantasmic! A Journey Through The Magic of Imagination Part 4

    Is the ride over yet? Not quite! We have covered a lot of Fantasmic! over the course of the last three blogs. We've looked at the original show that started it all in Disneyland. We've looked at the show at Disney's Hollywood Studios that required an entire amphitheater to be constructed to house the show. Lastly we looked at the very unique version that sadly is drawing to an end at Disney Tokyo Sea. So what else is there to discuss? Is there a mysterious show in a fourth park somewhere? You are about to find out! Once again... Spoilers throughout and as always if you are already in the know and want to jump down to the My Thoughts section, feel free too. Otherwise read one and enter one more journey into your wildest imagination.

    The year is 2016 and Star Wars rules over the movies, parks, and pretty much everything else. Star Wars Galaxy's Edge inches ever closer to completion at both Disneyland and Disney's Hollywood Studios. Then the news comes... Fantasmic! at Disneyland will close for a period of time due to the construction of Star Wars Galaxy's Edge. The show as fans around the world knew it would change forever when the show re-debuted on Disneyland's 62nd birthday, July 17th, 2017. Fans eagerly awaited the show to begin and by the end, as can be expected with most Disney shows, were left either elated or disappointed. The show also features all new projections and lighting features with the water becoming so colored that it sometimes rivals that of World of Color. Fantasmic! 2.0, as I like to call it, is similar to the original version but does feature some very key changes throughout the plot. 

    The show begins with us entering Mickey's dream. We see him testing out the water effects as well as fireworks and projections as a new version of the classic Fantasmic! theme is played. Once he gets the hang of them he begins directing them the water screen show him conducting the water in Fantasia as he did previously, but the build up to it has a very Tokyo Disney Sea vibe to the music. As Mickey conducts the water changes colors and splashes out. The water screen drop to reveal the stage fully projected on as Mickey continues to direct the enchanted brooms from Fantasia throw buckets of water creating some awesome imagery. The music slows and the original Imagination theme (though a new version) is played as flowers bloom both on the water screens and on the stage itself. 

    The lighting eventually turns yellow and a single drumbeat is heard before the water screens show Mickey walking into the circle of life as Circle of Life (from the Lion King) plays. After we see some scenes from The Lion King on the screens, Kaa (from The Jungle Book) appears as he used to and wanders the stage. At the same time three floats cross the river carrying dancing monkeys and King Louie (from the Jungle Book) as a mash up/remix of Hakkunah Matata, I Wanna Be Like You plays before the pink elephants (from Dumbo) appear on the cabin and play a trumpeted version of Hakkunah Matata. At first they play along, even following Simba, Timon, and Pumbaa (all from The Lion King) across the famous downed tree from the song in the movie. The music rapidly changes though as the elephants take over and a new Pink Elephants On Parade remix plays while the elephants do whatever it is they do on the cabin and water screens. Among the chaos Mickey stumbles across a magic lamp which he of course uses.

    Genie (from Aladdin) blasts out of the lamp as Mickey in his sorcerer's apprentice garb reappears on stage. Genie sings Friend Like Me and does a bunch of funny gags such as transforming halfway into Donald and then halfway into Goofy. He also pulls White Rabbit (from Alice in Wonderland) out of a hat and makes Ariel (from The Little Mermaid), Cinderella (from Cinderella), and Belle (from Beauty and the Beast) appear and dance for a moment. Genie continues his shenanigans as a mashup of Prince Ali and One Jump Ahead (both from Aladdin) play. He transforms Mickey into a playing card and then into a wooden puppet which does a similar dance to the one Pinocchio used to do in the original show. Genie puts on a wonderful finale and vanishes as Mickey dives into the sea. 

    Here he discovers Atlantica (from The Little Mermaid) and sees Ariel as she sings Part of Your World (from the Little Mermaid), the water screens then show a bunch of characters from Finding Nemo culminating in the ray migration from Finding Dory. Part of Your World begins to play again and the dancing fish from Fantasia... or Cleo (from Pinocchio) graces us with some... fish dance. Suddenly we hear Jiminy Cricket (from Pinocchio)  calling out for Pinocchio (guess what movie) whom we see sinking to the sea floor. Rather than find Pinocchio, he finds Monstro (also from Pinocchio) who pursues and eventually swallows Mickey. Left in the dark Mickey asks what's going on before we see Prince Eric's (from The Little Mermaid) ship struggling to stay afloat in a storm. Fire crosses the water screen and Captain Barbossa (from Pirates of the Caribbean) appears and shortly thereafter The Black Pearl (from Pirates of the Caribbean).

    As the ship makes its way across the river Captain Jack Sparrow struggles to rescue Elizabeth Swann and obtain his compass. As the ship crosses the pirates perform various stunts and music from the Pirates of the Caribbean movies plays. Imagination begins to play once the ship exits and Mickey paints the next scene's sky. Peter Pan, Wendy, Michael and John (all from Peter Pan) fly across the moon as Aladdin and Jasmine (from Aladdin) appear on stage on a magic carpet. The water screens show the two flying over the landscape as A Whole New World (from Aladdin) plays. The music then transitions into a medley of Beauty and the Beast (guess the movie), Part of Your World, and I See The Light (from Tangled) begins to play. Three floats cross the river with the respective couples of Belle and Beast, Ariel and Prince Eric, and Rapunzel and Flynn Ryder (from Tangled). As the last of the paper lanterns float up the cabin the music turns ominous and the magic mirror (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) appears.

    Mickey appears on stage curious as to what he is seeing. The mirror speaks and tells him true magical power lies within the mirror. Ever curious, Mickey approaches only to be trapped within the mirror. There he encounters the Old Hag (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) who vows to turn Mickey's dream into a nightmare. She summons the powers of evil and Ursula (from The Little Mermaid) is first to answer the call. She sings a bit of Poor Unfortunate Souls before Chernabog (from Fantasia) appears. Mickey attempts to run from the monster, but there is no escape as the spirits of the dead and even demons of Hell keep Mickey's dream a complete nightmare. Mickey takes a desperate dive through a mirror to escape Chernabog, but runs right into Maleficent (from Sleeping Beauty). Maleficent wastes no time attacking Mickey, and wrapping thorns all around the stage. She then transforms into a dragon. The villains laugh at Mickey and Maleficent sets the river aflame. Mickey musters the courage to take back over his dream using his sorcerer powers and defeats the villains.

    The show concludes with the Mark Twain Riverboat carrying a bunch of Disney heroes and friends with Mickey as Steamboat Willie at the helm. Mickey sends us off with a bunch of fireworks, but not before we briefly here The Sorcerer's Apprentice one last time. The show ends there and the Imagination theme from Disney Tokyo Sea plays as the crowd disperses.

**** PLOT ENDS HERE****

My Thoughts

    Asking myself what my thoughts are on this show is tough. It's so hard for me to look at this show and try not to compare it to what came before, so I will do my best. Fantamsic! 2.0 is the most technologically up to date show and it is incredible how visually appealing it is. The stage is the same as it was, but the new projections bring it to life in the same way the projections bring Cinderella Castle to life in The Magic Kingdom. They are pretty much on the same level and several of the scenes are really made by them. One example of this is during the Sorcerer's Apprentice scene in the beginning of the show. The brooms add so much as they are seen walking along and throwing their buckets of water as opposed to just seeing Mickey direct the water. Another instance is during the Pirates of the Caribbean sequence the stage at one point tuns into a fort with cannons firing and blasting the water.

    Other new additions really give life to the show as well. The water fountains now being able to change into all sorts of colors is a huge step up. Some people feel like it's a bit too much, personally I'm on the fence of too much and just the right amount. At times it does become super colorful to a point where it's almost overwhelming. Other times though, the added colors also help to bring more life to a scene such as when Ursula is talking. The rotating purple water fountains remind me of her tentacles. It's not much, but it does add some to the show. We also see a fair amount more of Mickey himself in this show. Whereas the original show featured the jungle scene where Kaa roamed the stage after the flowers bloomed, we actually see Mickey walking into the circle of life. We also see him panic in Chernabog's eyes. In addition to seeing him more, we hear him more. In the original show Mickey had a few lines and that was it. In this new version though Mickey has more lines, though many of them are just sounds of surprise. Does the additional Mickey parts add to the show? In a way yes. Visually I think it does, but the surprised Mickey sounds don't really do anything for me.

    The Pirates of the Caribbean scene, as much as I love the movie series from start to finish, is just so random. Fantasmic! is a trip through Mickey Mouse's dream and somewhere in there he's crossing the line of animation and entering into the real world and ends up by The Black Pearl. I'm not saying it wouldn't happen. After all, who am I to argue what is going on in a cartoon mouse's brain. To me it's just so random due to the fact that pretty much the entirety of Fantasmic! in any park up till this point takes place with characters of Disney animated films. I don't dislike it by any means, but this is probably the hardest spot for me to not compare and wonder, why not Peter Pan?

    Musically I am a mixed bag of feelings. I really like a lot of the new versions of the music they put in. The new Pink Elephants On Parade segment feels like a deranged carnival, and the main Fantasmic! theme itself sounds much bigger and bolder than previous. The Lion King/Jungle Book/ Pink Elephants segment also sounds incredible with the trumpeted Hakkunah Matata. Another interesting musical notation is that throughout the show you can hear some Disney Tokyo Sea influence. The show never breaks out into the Imagination theme from that show until the post show music plays, but you can hear different elements from the Tokyo show throughout. Musically I do not connect with the vocals as much as the previous version, especially during the princess segment. It's absolutely nothing against Heather Headley, but the singing just felt a touch slower than that of the original and for Beauty and the Beast and Part of Your World I really couldn't connect with it. That said, for I See The Light, I think it's perfect. I get they couldn't go back and forth with it, but the slowness is something I felt in all the singing in this show. It could easily just be me, but hey, that's what this blog is for right?

    So overall I am very impressed with this version of Fantasmic! Disney did not play it safe in changing out several beloved scenes and incorporating various technological upgrades. Personally I think the risk paid off and what fans got was a mostly new show as opposed to just a refurbishment of the original. The original show had an incredible run, but I'm always in the boat of if evolving technology can take something and upgrade it, give it a shot. I really can't say much else in this blog about it though because I'm just going to end up comparing shows. So lets do this. One more Fantasmic! blog. Taking the four shows and doing some comparisons to find out what makes them unique and possibly which is my favorite version.Enjoy the new version of Disneyland's Fantasmic! and stay tuned for the finale of this marathon real soon!

           

Fantasmic! A Journey Through The Magic of Imagination Part 3

    There are many people who say things always seem to come in threes. Good things or bad things, the number three for some reason seems to appear in a lot of places and at a lot of times in people's lives. This is not a philosophy blog on that. No, this blog is about another version of Fantasmic! that takes place at a third Disney Park. So once again, welcome back to Fantasmic! What wondrous spoilers and information will be encountered this time? You are about to find out, unless of course you know the plot and history of this third show in which case feel free to jump to the My Thoughts section of the blog. As always, spoilers ahead!

    Tokyo Disney Sea is currently (for now) the home of a third version of Fantasmic!. The show debuted in April of 2011, and is set to close on March 26th, 2020. The show's stage area is vastly different than either of its North American counterparts. Rather than have a central stage that many of the actors perform on, Tokyo Sea's "stage" consists of a large hat shaped tower that has the ability to lower and raise. The rest of the set consists of multiple barges that are used throughout the show. Unlike Hollywood Studios, the Disney Tokyo Sea version of Fantasmic! differs greatly from the Disneyland version and is basically a completely different show based around the same theme of dreams and imagination.

    The show takes place during a dream that Mickey Mouse is having. The show begins as Mickey appears on top of the hat stage and conducts the images on the tower as well as the water fountains to a brand new theme called Imagination. Eventually the music crescendos and the traditional Fantasmic! theme plays as Mickey is seen on the tower screens conducting more water effects similar to how he does in the early portion of the North American shows. We get thrown into a Sorcerer's Apprentice scene from Fantasia as the brooms carrying buckets of water walk around the tower on various levels. Eventually the brooms through their water and plunge Mickey into the sea.

    As Mickey descends he hears Ariel (from The Little Mermaid) singing and swimming on the tower. The water screens show a few characters from Finding Nemo swimming as well. The dancing fish from Fantasia also makes an appearance here as a Part of Your World (from The Little Mermaid) plays. Finally, Jiminy Cricket (from Pinocchio) is seen nabbing his hat out a bubble and swimming away. Mickey is left in total darkness, but suddenly jungle noises begin to be heard and three barges featuring Baloo and King Louie (from The Jungle Book), Pumbaa and Simba (from The Lion King), and Kaa (from the Jungle Book) make their way through the harbor. At the same time Tarzan and Jane (from Tarzan) are seen swinging on the screens of the tower. As the floats parade across the harbor, a medley of I Just Can't Wait To Be King (from The Lion King), The Bare Necessities (from The Jungle Book), I Wanna Be Like You (from The Jungle Book), and Hakunah Matata (from The Lion King) plays building up to The Circle of Life (from The Lion King).

    The  celebration continues as The Circle of Life plays. The floats continue to circle, though Kaa exits. On the tower we see all kinds of animals as they make their way towards Pride Rock. As Rafiki (from The Lion King) goes to hold up the future king Stitch (from Lilo and Stitch) appears and hijacks the dream with a rock version of Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride (from Lilo and Stitch). As Stitch rocks out on top of the tower and conducts the various water jets, Angel (from Leroy and Stitch) drives a speedboat through the harbor firing off lasers. Eventually Stitch giggles and leaves and the new Imagination theme returns. This eventually changes into When You Wish Upon A Star (from Pinocchio) as four inflatable globes enter the harbor. After a short time Genie (from Aladdin) appears on screen (and in on all the globes) and sings Friend Like Me (from Aladdin). Aladdin and Jasmine (also from Aladdin) are then seen flying on the magic carpet as a instrumental version of A Whole New World (more Aladdin) plays. On the harbor we begin to see rows of candle holders appear as the music slowly becomes that of Cinderella (from Cinderella) and Cinderella herself (yes from Cinderella) appears on top of the tower.

    For a brief second the show goes silent and then a music box version of A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes (from Cinderella) begins to play. With Cinderella on top of the tower, the globes show Prince Philip waking Princess Aurora (both from Sleeping Beauty) as well as Belle and Beast (from Beauty and the Beast) beginning to dance. By now the music has shifted into Someday My Prince Will Come (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) and Cinderella has descended back into the tower. The tower itself and the globes continue to show a montage of Disney princesses dance as the music remains princess themed and concludes with Once Upon A Dream (from Sleeping Beauty). The clock strikes midnight and a slightly more ominous A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes and possibly Reflection from Mulan for a brief moment plays before Mickey runs into the magic mirror (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) floating on a barge.

    Mickey asks the mirror who the most powerful sorcerer is. Rather than give a straight answer, the mirror lures Mickey in and eventually traps him inside. The Old Hag (from Snow White and Seven Dwarfs) is waiting there for him. She says a bunch of stuff in Japanese and the mirror adds in some dialogue as well before Ursula (from The Little Mermaid) appears. She proceeds to sing Poor Unfortunate Souls (from The Little Mermaid) and laugh at Mickey. The Old Hag reappears to taunt Mickey again and then summons Chernabog (from Fantasia) as A Night on Bald Mountain (from Fantasia) starts to play. Once Chernabog appears the music briefly changes to Hellfire (from Hunchback of Notre Dam) as flames shoot out from the barge. A Night on Bald Mountain resumes as the spirits of the dead are shown on the mirror. All the while flames continue to shoot from pretty much every barge and the tower itself. Each time they do the choir from Hellfire can be heard. Even Mount Prometheus (the volcano at Disney Tokyo Sea that houses Journey to the Center of the Earth) gets in on the flame spewing fun. Eventually Hellfire takes over musically and the villains all enjoy a laugh at Mickey's expense.

    Mickey reappears on top of the tower and Maleficent appears on the mirror screen. She attacks Mickey with a blast of magic and proceeds to transform into a dragon. The dragon Maleficent rises from the barge and puts its head right through the mirror and sets the harbor ablaze. Mickey fires off a magic shot from a magic wand at the dragon, instantly defeating it and the other villains just like in the North American versions, although there is no dramatic pulling the sword from the stone here. The music and sound effects also sound like they're the same from Disneyland and Disney World in these few moments. With Maleficent and the other villains defeated, Mickey regains control of his dream and the barges cross the harbor again with a wide variety of Disney heroes and friends on them. The show concludes with Mickey directing a whole bunch of fireworks, and water effects until he vanishes into the tower in a flash.

*** PLOT ENDS HERE***

My Thoughts 

    To me the Disney Tokyo Sea version of Fantasmic! I think is the most interesting. I don't think it is better than either Disneyland's or Hollywood Studios's versions, but there is a lot of interesting things at work here. The lack of a true stage limits all of the actors and dancers to barges with the exception of whoever is on the tower. Despite that lack of stage space there is a ton of charm from different characters and dancers that are off screens. The tower itself is also an interesting concept to me as it does raise and lower multiple times through the show and it's a clever way for the audience to be able to see everything even if not directly in front. The barges are super multipurpose. It's incredible how much they were able to do with these things during this show. From the jungle scene, to the inflatable globes, to spewing fire, and so much more. Again, it's a super interesting way of doing things without a true stage to work with.

    Beyond those interesting things, I feel that the way Tokyo Sea works the dragon segment would be a perfect way to update the one at Hollywood Studios. The first time I saw that thing come out of the mirror I was like "it's a hybrid of Disneyland's updated dragon and Hollywood Studios's head and neck only design. They probably wouldn't be able to use water for the wings like they do at Tokyo Sea due to the stage getting soaked, but it's Disney. I'm sure they could figure something out. I also really like how, though brief, they get Mount Prometheus in on the show. It's easily visible in the distance and to see both Chernabog and Maleficent causing it to spew fire is pretty awesome.

    I like the plot. Granted I cannot understand anything that is being said, from what I can see it's pretty solid. There's no big live action scene like the North American shows and those are pretty big spectacles in their respective parks. The princess segment would be my favorite is we got to see other princesses on the barges as opposed to just clips from their movies. I love the music in that section and the music box kicking it off is one of the most beautiful things in any Disney show. My biggest plot gripe is that while they made the magic mirror a bigger part in the show, even trapping Mickey at one point, the challenge does not add up to the challenge he faced in Hollywood Studios. I also don't like that we don't get to see the Evil Queen (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). By the time we see her she's already transformed into the Old Hag. Perhaps the biggest missed opportunity was honestly having Ursula over Jafar (from Aladdin). Mickey gets trapped in the mirror trying to learn and see who the most powerful sorcerer is. Jafar would have made perfect sense in this segment with that fact alone being the reason Mickey was tempted by the mirror. I mean think about it for a second. Once Jafar gets the lamp in Aladdin, his second wish is to become the most powerful sorcerer in the world. I'm not saying reuse anything from Hollywood Studios here, but a face-off between Mickey as the sorcerer's apprentice and Jafar would have me all kinds of hyped. 

    Musically I like a lot of the show. I'm honestly not as big a fan of the new theme for the show compared to the North American versions. It's cool that they added in lyrics and what not, but overall I don't think that is something Fantasmic! needs. I think it works for exit music, but within the show where the focus is on the music itself and various imagery, it just seems excessive. I love the fact that they put Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride in the show in a rock style. It fits the song so well and it was great to see Stitch and Angel in a show like this. There are also some cool mashups and remixes along the way such as the A Night On Bald Mountain and Hellfire mashup. The two songs actually work pretty well together in the way they were used in this show and it's really something I'd like to hear more of.

      Sadly, Fantasmic! at Tokyo Disney Sea is set to close later this year. Over the years several effects such as the Floatsam and Jetsam jet skis during Ursulas segment and flying spirits during Chernabog's were removed. The show itself is still certainly worth seeing as it is very different than the two North American versions. For many of us though, the only way we will be able to see it is through the magic of the internet. So, I leave you all with an older video of Fantasmic! at Disney Tokyo Sea that way you can see all the effects that were in the show when it debuted. We are nearing the end of this Fantasmic! marathon as we have one more show to take a look at and you should be expecting that show real soon!

     

   

Fantasmic! A Journey Through The Magic of Imagination Part 2

    Welcome back to Fantasmic! That is not how any of the shows open. Not a all. Anyway... Welcome to part two of a four part blog focusing on the nighttime show Fantasmic! that takes place in multiple Disney Parks around the world. I went through my whole disclaimer about my opinions and what not in my last blog, so I wont type them again here, but at this point I think it goes without saying. Also spoilers. Duh. So lets set the stage for the second version of Fantasmic!. Fantasmic! opened in Disneyland back in 1992 and was a massive success. That success would help bring the show to a second park in 1998.

    In 1996, Disney's MGM Studios (now known as Disney's Hollywood Studios) was going through a rough time and attendance numbers were down. The nighttime show Sorcery in the Sky was really starting to both show its age and loose its luster among fans. Following its success in California, Disney had been wanting to bring Fantasmic! to Florida, but river system of The Magic Kingdom was simply not the right size to recreate what had been done in Disneyland. Rather than redo a portion of that park, the plan was hatched to help MGM Studios by bringing in Fantasmic! The problem was the park had literally nowhere to put the show, but what it did have was land. Disney constructed a brand new 10,000 seat theater specifically for Fantasmic! within MGM Studios. The theater is complete with a massive mountain like stage, restrooms, food, beverages, and bleacher seating. The show would open in 1998 and has been running there ever since. Disney would not be bringing Fantasmic! over as a clone, no, the Florida team put together a similar, yet quite different show. Let's look at that plot. If you don't want to, skip ahead to the My Thoughts section.

    The scene is set with the same welcome message that plays in Disneyland. In fact the first section of the show where Mickey is conducting and the scenes from the Sorcerer's apprentice are all the same as Disneyland. Once that magical explosion happens though the show deviates. We still see a bunch of flowers blooming on water screens, but we also see a massive flower blooming on stage. As we enter into the jungle a much more upbeat jungle beat begins to play and animal puppets appear all over the mountain. Occasionally you can hear a bit of I Just Can't Wait to be King (from the Lion King) breaking through the beat. Again two barges cross the river, but rather than King Louie one barge has three dancing monkeys and Rafiki (from the Lion King) occupies the other with a cauldron. Eventually I just Cant Wait to be King does break through and it leads us into a cascade of scenes from various Disney movies from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs through Frozen. Along the way is an impressive mashup of various songs from a variety of movies. The cascade comes to a close with the same Monstro scene as in the original Disneyland version as well. Once again we see Prince Eric's ship (from The Little Mermaid) struggling to stay afloat and some of the final moments of The Sorcerer's Apprentice scene from Fantasia.

    Suddenly a massive cannon goes off and the lights come back on to reveal Governor Ratcliffe (from Pocahontas) and a group of Englishmen digging for gold in the New World. The lights dim shortly after he claims the land in the name of the king and we see three canoes cross the river as a part of Steady as the Beating Drum (from Pocahontas) plays. Once the canoes clear the lights come back up as the colonists mine for gold. The music shifts to Mine, Mine, Mine (also from Pocahontas). Eventually the water screens allude to an impending conflict between the two parties. The natives on stage dance around a fire while the colonists prepare for battle. The music shifts to a more ominous mash up of both Steady as the Beating Drum, Mine, Mine, Mine and  Savages (yes from Pocahontas again). Eventually a battle breaks out and continues on until John Smith and Pocahontas themselves show up to end the conflict... If you can't guess what movie they're from I got nothing for ya. Anyway once they both are on stage the fight ends with Grandmother Willow explaining to us (Mickey as well) that all around us there are spirits and she also exclaims "What a dream!" As she finishes speaking a beautiful combo of Listen With Your Heart and Colors of the Wind plays.

    The music transitions back to the main Imagination theme, and the water screens show several princess dancing with their respective princes. This continues until the same mash up of Beauty and the Beast (from Beauty and the Beast), Part of Your World (from The Little Mermaid), and Someday My Prince Will Come (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) that plays in Disneyland begins. Just like in California, the three floats featuring Belle and Beast (from Beauty and the Beast), Ariel and Eric (from The Little Mermaid), and Snow White and The Prince (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) cross the river. As they leave the river the music turns ominous and once again we see the Evil Queen (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) summoning forth the magic mirror. Just like in Disneyland, the mirror informs here that beauty and love will always survive in Mickey's imagination so she transforms into the Old Hag (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) and summons forth the forces of evil. Ursula (from The Little Mermaid) appears and states that shes so excited, the mirror then morphs into Cruella De Vil (from 101 Dalmatians) who agrees to participate in the plan. The character in the mirror again morphs to reveal Scar (from The Lion King) who also agrees to join in on the plan. Again the image shifts and Claude Frollo (from The Hunchback of Notre Dame) appears and seemingly mocks Mickey by calling him a coward. The image shifts one last time and Jafar (from Aladdin) appears and sends Mickey into the Cave of Wonders (also from Aladdin).

    We see a more classic looking Mickey on a perilous carpet ride through the dangerous Cave of Wonders. He manages to escape, but runs right into Jafar whom transforms into a monstrous snake. On stage a much more sinister looking snake than Kaa from Disneyland's show appears and stalks Mickey. Eventually Mickey finds a magic lamps, and rubs it. This only makes things worse for our hero as he transforms Jafar into a powerful genie whom declares that Mickey's mind is his and summons Hades (from Hercules). In typical Hades fashion he keeps his cool, but tells Mickey that he has one more thing for him. The music shifts and A Night on Bald Mountain (from Fantasia) begins to play as Hades's face morphs into Chernabog's (from Fantasia). Chernabog summons the spirits of the dead to further destroy Mickey's dream until both Mickey and Maleficent appear on stage. This portion of the show is pretty much identical to the Disneyland version with the only difference being all of the listed villains laugh at him as opposed to just the Old Hag, Ursula, and Chernabog. Mickey defeats the villains in the same way as he does in the original show (by pulling the sword from the stone and blasting the villains with its magic). They are all defeated and the show moves onto it's final scene.

    As the lights come back up the Steamboat Willie River Boat is scene making its way onto the river. There's a flash of light and suddenly Mickey as Steamboat Willie is driving the boat and a plethora of Disney heroes and friends appear to celebrate Mickey's imagination, dream, whatever you want to call it. Once the boat passes Mickey appears on to of the mountain stage and sets off a bunch of fireworks, water effects, lasers, and more before vanishing into the night.

My Thoughts

    I have quite a few thoughts on this version of the show as it is the only one that I have seen live and it in reality is pretty different. I still think the show is incredible overall and though a bit more dated now compared to Disneylands version, it still packs the house at Disney's Hollywood Studios (formerly MGM studios). That being said many fans of the Disneyland show look at this version as the lesser and in a couple areas I can see their arguments and in a few I cant.

    One of the biggest changes from Disneyland to Disney World was the exclusion of the Peter Pan segment in favor of a Pocahontas segment. Peter Pan is a vastly more popular movie than Pocahontas is, but this was done for a reason. The Native American history of Florida is one that is actually quite rich. The choice was made to put in a Pocahontas segment over the Peter Pan segment as an acknowledgment to that history. How do I know? I asked a cast member about it while taking a tour of course. I will also argue that the segment itself is very well done, yes it's longer, but the build up to the battle and the battle itself are incredibly well done. The music I think is actually better than that of the Peter Pan segment as well with so many songs from the movie mashing up and creating this tension and then peace shortly thereafter. I understand the appeal of Peter Pan, but I cant deny that this segment of the show in Florida was just super well done.

    I made note that I felt like the slowest part in the Disneyland show was the early flower blooming scene. Honestly I think the flower blooming on stage adds a decent amount to that scene as the actors make the flower move and bloom along with the music. The other slowish part of Disneyland's show right after the Peter Pan segment is also changed to show additional princesses dancing with their princes. Again, it just adds a little extra to that portion of the show compared to just colored water streams being used. Originally I had wished that Disney World had at least one different princess/prince combo on the barges, but now I'm fine with it... Stay tuned to eventually know why...

    So where do I have an issue with this show? I mean so far I've pretty much said that almost everything I prefer right, well there is one big section that I think brings the show down a tad and it may be surprising. Right after the cool African Savannah/jungle scene I Just Can't Wait to be King explodes into a lengthy medley of different Disney songs and various scenes float up in a cascade of bubbles. I understand this is Mickey's imagination, but visiting Dumbo's Pink Elephants on Parade and Pinocchio's I've Got No Strings on Me scenes I think fit the story better. Yes it is great to see pretty much every Disney animated classic get its moment on the screens, but I feel like that's all it was done for and didn't really progress the plot at all. Don't get me wrong it is a lot of fun to see all of those characters, but considering all the cool new additions that were made already, this scene just seems a little excessive to me.

    What I do not think is excessive is the villains segment. I know a lot of people say that the villain segment goes on for too long and there was no reason to have so many, etc etc etc. Well stop for a moment and hear (read?) me out here. The Old Hag calls upon ALL the forces of evil. While it's nice that Ursula gets to sing a little and do her thing in Disneylands version, I argue that the challenge that Mickey must face is majorly escalated every time another villain appears. No , they don't all do things in the show, but the fact that we are supposed to believe and imagine (heh heh) that Mickey has to defeat all of those villains makes it a huge task for our hero. In addition, I think the Jafar sequence is pretty thrilling. It's cool to see and older style Mickey in the segment and the fact that they incorporated not only the Cave of Wonders, but both additional forms of Jafar was pretty awesome. The first time I saw the snake appear on stage I literally said out loud "whaaaaaaaaat". When Hades is summoned it not only made me think how many more things is Mickey going to have to overcome, but when he said one more thing I said out loud "oh?".

    Keep in mind this is the first time I had seen the show I'm talking about, but when Hades shifts to Chernabog I nearly lost it and said "Noooooooo way!". Fun fact. Fantasia is one of my favorite Disney movies, so to see A Night on Bald Mountain featured here both blew me away and confused me because man is that scene dark. I know I said it was dark last time, but it really does not get much darker than the devil playing with the dead. This leads into the one issue I have and a big part of why I say this show is a little dated. Hollywood Studios still has the original dragon which equates to a cherry picker truck arm outfitted with a Maleficent dragon head, and massive streamers. Compared to Disneyland's massive animatronic, the dragon looks ancient and certainly from the 90's if not earlier.

    I also love that the Steamboat Willie Riverboat is the boat they chose to use at the end of the show. I totally understand them using the Mark Twain Riverboat in Disneyland especially considering where the show takes place, but to have the boat that really gave Mickey Mouse his start be featured in Fantasmic! is really just awesome. Yeah, it's not as big or beautiful as the other boat, but man is it packed full of nostalgia and good feelings.

    So closing thoughts. I feel like I prefer this version of the show slightly over the original Disneyland version. My reasoning for that is the extended villain segment and the Pocahontas segments I really can connect with and enjoy more than Ursula and Peter Pan. I also really like all the little added visuals like the blooming flower and dancing princesses during the show's slower moments. Yes the bubble cascade I agree is too long and seems out of place, but it's all about imagination and if that's what Mickey was thinking about then so be it, it doesn't ruin the show and the music is a lot of fun. My biggest complaint continues to be that the have yet to update the dragon. I'm not sure if it's due to stage size with the mountain or what, but I'm not even looking at a full sized dragon like Disneyland has. Honestly I'd be okay with something else... That... already exists... Elsewhere... Anyway... Fantasmic! at Disney's Hollywood Studios is a fantastic show and continues to be my favorite of any of the Disney nighttime shows currently performing at Walt Disney World. As I did in the last blog I will leave you with a video of Fantasmic! from Disney's Hollywood Studios so you can watch and form your own opinions. Stay tuned for part 3 of this blog coming real soon!

   

Fantasmic! A Journey Through The Magic of Imagination Part 1

    Welcome to Fantasmic! That is how the nighttime show at both Disney's Hollywood Studios and Disneyland begins. Those three words prepare you to venture into an incredible journey through Mickey Mouse's imagination. Hello everyone and welcome to another blog! If you couldn't guess already, today's blog is going to be talking about my favorite nighttime show in the Disney Parks, Fantasmic! As always, these are my opinions on the topic within this blog. They may or may not be the same as yours and that's great either way! If you'd like to have a discussion, please leave a comment! Oh and Spoilers. Duh.

    Before we get into why I love this show, this blog will be divided into four parts, one for for each show. I'll be doing the parts in the order that the show debuted. So with that said let's take a quick look at it's history in the park it debuted in. Disneyland was in need of a new nighttime show. The company wanted a show that could incorporate not only pyrotechnics, but water as well. The stage was to be the area surrounding Tom Sayer Island. After a surely difficult construction project that involved giving Tom Sayer Island and the area around it to get a bit of a face lift, the park was ready. Fantasmic! debuted in Disneyland back on May 13th, 1992 and was a huge success. So much so that the show has continued to run to this day.

    Star Wars Galaxy's Edge would prove to be an issue for Fantasmic! as it's construction would leave to a temporary closing of the show in 2016. Disney quickly announced that the show itself would undergo some refurbishment in it's downtime and re-debuted in July of 2017. When the show returned guests were greated with a new soundtrack that would borrow elements another one of the shows in a different park (stay tuned), new lighting, and altered segments in the show. The debate goes on as to rather the original or new version of the Disneyland show is better. So let us take a look at the plot of the show. If you know the plot of the show or don't care to know please skip down to the portion of the blog labeled My Thoughts.

    The original show begins with a narrator welcoming us on a journey into Mickey's Imagination (no Figment involved). The welcome message is a great hype builder and ends in an ominous way hinting that the imagination is not always the friendliest of things. Mickey starts off conducting an overall incredible score of music that is the main theme of Fantasmic! Mickey uses his imagination to activate water screens that show scenes from Fantasia's Sorcerer's Apprentice segment. While the scenes play water blasts towards the audience until eventually a magical explosion and we watch as flowers bloom on the water screens as the music brings us into a jungle. As the water screens drop a massive Kaa (from The Jungle Book) appears on stage along with two big flowers. He moves around the stage with eyes as bright as headlights (literally). At the same time a jungle beat can be heard and two barges featuring dancing monkeys and King Louie (also from The Jungle Book) make their way through the river. Eventually the lights fade out on Kaa and the water screens reactivate and suddenly we are thrown into a rock version of Pink Elephants on Parade (from Dumbo) with the scene playing on the screens. Eventually the scene shifts again and we are shows Pinocchio (from Pinocchio) performing as a puppet with I've Got No Strings on me playing. This leads us to Jiminy Cricket (from Pinocchio) searching for Pinocchio, but running into Monstro (also from Pinocchio) instead. The whale chases us and eventually we (and Mickey) are swallowed by the whale while this happens the water screens show what happens towards the end of the Sorcerer's Apprentice section of Fantasia to set the scene for what comes next.

    After a moment in pure darkness we are thrust into the middle of a storm where we see a ship struggling to stay afloat (I believe the ship is Prince Eric's from The Little Mermaid). Suddenly a loud cannon blasts in the darkness and as the lights come up the Jolly Roger (from Peter Pan) is sitting in the river. On board Peter Pan is battling Captain Hook in an effort to save Wendy. Also on the ship is Mr. Smee and right behind the ship is Tick-Tock the crocodile. There's a bunch of back and forth between Pan and Hook here complete with Peter mocking Hook about Tick-Tock being in sight. As the ship vanishes off-stage the main theme of Imagination peacefully comes back and there are some nice fountain water effects to accompany it. The music eases into a beautiful mashup of Beauty and the Beast, Part of Your World, and One Day My Prince will come as three barges emerge featuring Belle and Beast (from Beauty and the Beast), Ariel and Prince Eric (from The Little Mermaid), and Snow White and The Prince (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). After Mickey's imagination shows us these beautiful couples, the music suddenly takes an ominous turn.

    As the stage lights come up the Evil Queen (from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs) is seen asking summoning the magic mirror who informers here that in Mickey's imagination love and beauty will always survive. Enraged by this vision, she transforms into the Old Hag vows to turn Mickey's dream into a nightmare. She then summons Ursula (from The Little Mermaid) who begins to destroy Mickey's dream by singing a bit of Poor Unfortunate Souls. Her lines are altered a bit from the movie to match the show, so she actually claims that Mickey Mouse's mind will be hers. Ursula's face eventually starts to transform as the music shifts to A Night on Bald Mountain and the screens reveal Chernabog (from Fantasia) summoning the spirits of the dead to further assault Mickey's dream. Flames then shoot up from the stage and both Mickey and Maleficent are standing with Maleficent challenging Mickey to deal with the powers of her imagination. She sends a blast of magic which stuns Mickey as she ascends into the air. While this is occurring the water screens show flashes of Maleficent transforming into a dragon. The screens show the dragon igniting Mickey's imagination with lime green fire. The villains all laugh at Mickey in their victory.

    The screens continue to show the dragon Maleficent proud of her accomplishments until two glowing eyes can be seen from the stage as a massive dragon Maleficent dragon appears on stage. Maleficent's laughter can continue to be heard until the dragon lights the entire river on fire. Things seem hopeless for Mickey until he realizes that though the dark forces are powerful it's his dream. Mickey pulls the sword from the stone (from Sword in the Stone) and blasts the villains with a powerful magic that defeats all of them. The main theme returns as the finale begins which features the Mark Twain Riverboat crosses the river with a ton of Disney heroes and friends celebrating the victory. Conducting the boat is none other than Mickey as Steamboat Willie. All kinds of lighting effects and water effects accompany the boat as it crosses. Finally Mickey shows up for the big finale in his Sorcerer's Apprentice costume and sets of a bunch of fireworks, water effects, and other pyro effects to close out the show.

**** SHOW PLOT ENDS HERE SPOILERS DO NOT****

My Thoughts  
   
   I am a big fan of the original Disneyland show. I think the soundtrack is overall incredible with Pink Elephants on Parade, A Night on Bald Mountain, and of course the Fantasmic! theme itself really standing out to me. While I'm not as big a fan of Peter Pan as other people, I still think the amount of choreography going on on board that ship is simply amazing. It was really incredibly well done. Originally Floatsam and Jetsam jet skis would cross the river during Ursula's section, but they were removed at one point. It's a shame because once the Old Hag goes off stage, we're just watching the screens until Maleficent shows up.

    The scene with Chernabog, I wont lie shocked me the first time I saw it in the show. A Night on Bald Mountain is often viewed as a very, very dark piece of Disney history within Fantasia (which it clearly is just by looking at the scenes in this show alone). I love the scene and think its works perfect in the destruction of Mickey's dream, but it's gotta be a bit scary for a lot of kids. That could vewry well be the point though. I love that the scene is in there, it just surprised me to see it. Speaking of villains. The show debuted a new dragon in 2009 that is simply incredible. It is a massive dragon that simply looks incredible.

    The jungle scene with Kaa is also quite impressive once you realize that there is a cast member under each and every segment of Kaa and they all need to walk together to make it appear that he is actually slithering around the stage. Also for those monkeys to be dancing as hard as they are on those fast moving barges is very impressive. Those are just a few standout moments of the show and there are plenty of others that other people can surely identify with.

    Overall I think that the original version of Fantasmic! was a great show. From start to finish the soundtrack is incredible, and really outside of the flower blooming segment, there isn't a "dull" moment to be had. Even the one before the princesses arrive follows an incredibly action packed Peter Pan segment. I only even refer to the flower segment as slow just because it is so early in the show, but it does do a great job of setting the scene for the jungle. Disney ordered a new nighttime show for Disneyland that they got one amazing show in Fantasmic! It is by no means a firework show, so if that is the only thing you are looking for, waiting to see Fantasmic! probably isn't the best option for you in Disneyland. If you are into all kinds of effects, fireworks, and an awesome show... Sorry, but this version no longer exists. It only now exists online! So I will close out this blog with a video of the original Fantasmic!'s final performance. The show was performed in Disneyland from 1992 until 2016. Enjoy and stay tuned because part two of this blog will be coming real soon!

     

Blog Number 30: Author Profile

    Hello everybody and welcome back! This blog is going to be in a totally different direction as this blog marks the 30th blog I've published on this blog. So I figured after 30 blogs, it'd probably be a good idea to really introduce myself and throw some things out there about myself so you guys have somewhat of an idea who is typing what you are reading. If you don't want to know, that's totally fine, thanks for reading to this point and I hope you will return for the next blog (coming real soon!).

    My name is Doug. Disney has always been a part of my life in one way or another. Growing up I loved all of the animated classics ranging from the popular entries such as Aladdin and Peter Pan to the less talked about ones in The Great Mouse Detective and The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. The Disney animated collection of movies to me are nearly all timeless tales that are as old as time, diamonds in the rough, and movies that I have been able to go back to again and again and again. So what's my favorite animated Disney movie? Believe it or not it is The Emperor's New Groove. It does not matter how many times I've watched that movie, I will literally need to go to the bathroom from laughing every time. There is literally nothing I dislike about the movie and it has never failed to bring a smile to my face. Movies though is certainly not where my childhood love of Disney ended.

    I was fortunate enough to grow up in the era of the video game wars of the nineties. Nintendo and Sega are two companies that at the time were fighting so hard against each other with the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis that the real winners were the gamers. At the time Disney was heavily involved in the action as well. In fact, Toy Story was the first Super Nintendo game I owned and to this day it still ranks in my view as one of the coolest looking games on the system. Being able to play classics like The Jungle Book, The Lion King, Pinocchio, and The Little Mermaid felt so amazing. Being able to take control of Aladdin in Aladdin and pilot the magic carpet out of the Cave of Wonders was well, wondrous. Video games has remained a huge part of my life, and while Disney has largely stepped away from the scene, the classic Disney games still hold a special place in my heart and I still play them to this day. If I had to pick one to call my favorite I would probably pick Epic Mickey, but if I had to pick a classic Disney game I'd probably go with Aladdin on Super Nintendo (which is different from the Sega version most people seem to prefer).

    Another major part of my life is music. I love nearly all forms of music (with just a couple exceptions). To say that the music of Disney movies has been some of my favorite since I was young is an understatement. I have an absolute plethora of Disney music from all kinds of sources. I listen to it pretty much all the time and now that I'm older and technology is what it is, the apps of Dparkradio and Sorcerer Radio frequent the airwaves where I'm living. To pick out one song and say it's my absolute favorite of all time is simply impossible. I will call out Fantasia though as one of the most incredible movies I've ever seen. While it is not my favorite, my appreciation of this movie is second to none. The way that all the animation went along with the music is such an art form and it's a shame it's only been done one other time (Fantasia 2000).

    There's one more big Disney thing that I haven't mentioned yet. I mean the majority of this blog is about them.... The Disney Parks. My first time visiting Walt Disney World was in 2014 and since then my life changed. I fell in love with pretty much everything about the parks. How they operate, their history, how the whole show works, the attractions, the shows, the food, everything. I wanted to learn so much more about all of it and so I did. I went on a tour, I've read various books, listened to all kinds of podcasts, news articles, historical articles, and watch documentaries about the history of these parks and the secrets within. So much has changed from 2014 in the parks that I can say I was super lucky to have seen them all as they were because here's just a small list of things I got to see before they were removed or changed.

Hollywood Studios

The sorcerer's hat
The Great Movie Ride
Lights Motors Action
The Earful Tower
Starring Rolls (so many good pastries)
Pixar Place
Animation Academy

 EPCOT

Illuminations: Reflections of Earth
Ellen's Energy Adventure
Future World as it was
Malestrom
Soarin over California

The Magic Kingdom

Wishes
Celebrate the Magic
Happy Hallowishes
The Main Street Electrical Parade
Dream Along With Mickey
Stitch's Great Escape

    I really can't think of anything from Animal Kingdom that is no longer there. Pandora: The World of Avatar has been added on since I've started going, but I can't think of anything big that has gone away. Whatever the case I consider myself to be extremely lucky to have experienced all of those attractions and shows before they closed. I also consider myself extremely lucky to have been following along with the transformation of Hollywood Studios and now EPCOT as well. So favorites... My favorite park was originally Hollywood Studios. During the major construction it fell off, but I think with Galaxy's Edge now open I can say it is my favorite once again. As far as rides go, The Great Movie Ride was my favorite, since it's closure Avatar: Flight of Passage has taken over with Splash Mountain being my favorite in The Magic Kingdom.

    So that's me in a Disney nutshell. I started this blog because while I have a passion for Disney, not many people I talk to in every day life even know what Tomorrowland is or what it means to score that fast pass for that new ride. This is a place where I hope as time goes on people can react to what I'm typing and just have some fun, relax, and read a possibly different view on all things Disney. So with that. Thank you as always for reading! Stay tuned because the next blog will be coming real soon! 

More Hollywood Studios Fast Pass Updates

    I want to start this off by saying I was not expecting to be blogging about Hollywood Studios fast pass system this much when I did my must do blog. I figured news would eventually come on fast pass changes, but it's kind of like rapid fire right now. Anyway, Disney activated Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway fast passes today. This once again has shaken up the Hollywood Studios fast pass system, but in a much smaller fashion than the previous changes that saw several popular rides become tier 2 and Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run finally get a fast pass.

    Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway is the ride that is replacing The Great Movie Ride in the Chinese Theater at Disney's Hollywood Studios. For those of you who do not know anything about the ride, here are a few details. The ride is set to take place during a Mickey Mouse short. The animation is that of the more recent Mickey Mouse cartoons. So if you are a fan of that style animation, you're in luck. If you yearn for a Mickey Mouse ride with the classic animation style, keep on waiting. Anyway... The ride itself is going to feature new 2.5D features. This is essentially going to be glassesless 3D as the 2D environments are going to be given all new life. The ride plot is Mickey and Minnie come across Goofy who is conducting a train. The rest of the ride is said to be a crazy out of control adventure featuring Mickey and the gang. What exactly that will equate to we will find out when the ride opens.

    Now for the fast pass situation. Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway is debuting as a Tier 1 attraction. This means that the Tier 1 attractions will now include Slinky Dog Dash, Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run, and Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway. The rest of the Hollywood Studios attractions remain at Tier 2 and Rise of the Resistance currently does not offer fast passes. The addition of  this ride at Tier 1 should make is slightly easier to get fast passes for both Slinky Dog Dash and Millennium Falcon: Smuggler's Run as many people are going to be trying to get on this new ride as soon as possible.

    Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway is set to open March 4th and one would think that it is going to be another stand out Disney attraction. Will it become that most popular ride in the park? I doubt it personally. Will it be an improvement over what was there? My bias towards my former favorite ride says no, but I'm sure that is a highly debatable topic. Will it round out the attractions at Hollywood Studios? Yes. Yes I believe whether or not you love or hate the animation that have a dark ride for the whole family once again in this park is going to round out the attractions very nicely. With The Great Movie Ride gone, the park was really left without a true dark ride similar to those seen in the other parks, but now with this new ride, pretty much anyone should be able to find something to enjoy at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

    Thanks as always for reading! Stay tuned for the next blog coming real soon!

Walt Disney World and the Muppets

    Hello everyone! Today's topic is going to be one that I have a pretty big opinion on and that is the presence of the Muppets in Walt Disney World. As always the views in this blog are my own and if they are different than yours, hey that's okay. If they are the same, look at that our thoughts line up! Whatever the case I am always open to some good conversation so feel free to leave a comment! Anyway, onto the blog.

    The Muppets really need no introduction. It's hard to find someone who has never heard of Kermit the Frog and the rest of the gang. Even young children today are exposed to the lovable Muppets through the Muppet Babies series that returned in 2018. The Muppets, though not the powerhouses they once were, still have a place in the hearts and minds of millions of people. With so much love for these characters out there it seems that Disney kind of doesn't know what to do with them. The last movie to hit theaters was Muppets Most Wanted in 2014 which failed to live up to the success of 2011's The Muppets. Since then there was also a television series on ABC that was cancelled after just one season (granted that show featured the Muppets in a very different light than I've ever seen, and not in the good way either). While the Muppets may be seemingly in a state of limbo when it comes to television (mostly now just seen in commercials), there is one place where the Muppets while still seeing love, are in a constant state of question.

    Welcome to Walt Disney World! The Muppets have a home in Hollywood Studios Grand Avenue where Muppet*Vision 3D operates daily, a Muppets themed gift shop exists, and Pizzerizzo serves up some pizza with a Muppets/L.A. style theme. In the Magic Kingdom you can sometimes see The Muppets: Great Moment's In History performed in Liberty Square. The show used to run multiple times a day, but has become more of a special event showing as it has only been playing around holidays. In Epcot, the Regal Eagle Smokehouse will soon be opening and will be hosted by Sam Eagle. So it sounds like a lot of good Muppet thing right? Well let's look a bit deeper and see why there is a big question mark surrounding a lot of these things.

    Muppet*Vision 3D over time has lost a decent amount of it's unique Muppets theming on the outside of the building. Where once was mounted a large Kermit the Frog sign with a massive Muppet*Vision 3D logo now rests a large movie theater marquee sign. The Kermit hot air balloon that sat on the roof became a casualty due to the fact it would have been visible from within Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge. The gift shop next door, while still Muppets themed offers very little in the way of Muppets merchandise. In fact the last time I was in there there were Muppet Babies plushes from the Disney Junior series and Kermit the Frog plushes, but that was basically it. The fountain that used to be the center of Muppet's Courtyard has lost several of it's characters and every time it goes under refurbishment, it's a wonder if it is going to return at all. Pizzerizzo took the place of the old Pizza Planet and while it certainly fits Grand Avenue better than Pizza Planet did, it's basically the same menu and even through it only opened  2016, is now closed throughout parts of the year. It feels like piece by piece the Muppets are losing ground in Hollwood Studios, but I would love to see one big thing happen that I think would bring some new life to Grand Avenue.

    This is not my original idea and it was a rumor during the construction of Galaxy's Edge, but I still would love to see the Muppets gate crash Galaxy's Edge. Just before the gateway leading to the Star Wars area there is a strip of building that are leftover from the old Streets of America section. How amazing would it be to have the Muppets performing shows in the windows of those buildings in a similar fashion to how they do in the Magic Kingdom. Step it up a notch. Have them tell Muppets version of the Star Wars saga. Disney owns all the pieces to that puzzle, lets see it happen! It doesn't always even have to be Star Wars. The area is modeled off of L.A., and unless I'm mistaken, the Muppets (2011) largely took place there, so you could even do little comedy shows or something. It would make use of the buildings in the area and personally I think it'd be a lot of fun.

    This is the sort of thing I would love to see the Muppets doing in the Walt Disney family of theme parks. Putting on short shows like Great Moments in History to me is the perfect way to keep the Muppets alive and well in the parks. Is Muppet*Vision 3D safe for the long term? Who knows. I'd wager yes for at least a few more years given all the work that is wrapping up at Hollywood Studios and EPCOT becoming construction central. Beyond that who knows, but either way I believe that the Muppets are popular enough characters that people want to see, and what better way to see them than having them do what they do best. Putting on a show!

    Thanks as always for reading! Stay tuned for the next blog coming real soon!