New Fantasmic! - Live Stream, Videos, Reviews, Reactions

SuddenStorm

Well-Known Member
Dusty on Micechat wrote a review.

http://micechat.com/166595-new-fantasmic-debuts-disneyland/

His final thoughts are

"This one is still sinking in. Not quite sure yet how much of my uneasy feelings about this show are just my discomfort with the changes and music or that perhaps they’ve chopped the show up in ways that make some of the transitions feel forced. I didn’t leave this show with that heartfelt emotional feeling that it’s always given me in the past. It LOOKS beautiful, the special effects are neat, but there were a lot of net losses for me that weren’t replaced with something better than before. I miss the Evil Queen, the Pinocchio sequence, and the Tick Tock float. I’m baffled that they didn’t try to fix the Urusla scene. Remember the old Ursula barge from the early years of the show? Or the replacement electric eels? there’s nothing there now but more mist screen projections. I suppose that my biggest gripe is that the show, which is still HIGHLY entertaining, feels like a step toward the fountains and projections of World of Color, when it would have been better served with more of the stagecraft magic of the original Fantasmic. The old show had one magical and surprising reveal after another. This version relied too heavily on projections.

In the end, I still enjoyed myself. I left conflicted, but entertained. Had I never seen the old version of the show, I’d have loved this one. Which is the same exact feeling I get when I see the inferior Orlando version. Disneyland’s Fantasmic was always better. Still is. But a bit of the magic has worn off for me. I’m curious how you feel."
 

The_Bellringer

Active Member
Dusty on Micechat wrote a review.

http://micechat.com/166595-new-fantasmic-debuts-disneyland/

His final thoughts are

"This one is still sinking in. Not quite sure yet how much of my uneasy feelings about this show are just my discomfort with the changes and music or that perhaps they’ve chopped the show up in ways that make some of the transitions feel forced. I didn’t leave this show with that heartfelt emotional feeling that it’s always given me in the past. It LOOKS beautiful, the special effects are neat, but there were a lot of net losses for me that weren’t replaced with something better than before. I miss the Evil Queen, the Pinocchio sequence, and the Tick Tock float. I’m baffled that they didn’t try to fix the Urusla scene. Remember the old Ursula barge from the early years of the show? Or the replacement electric eels? there’s nothing there now but more mist screen projections. I suppose that my biggest gripe is that the show, which is still HIGHLY entertaining, feels like a step toward the fountains and projections of World of Color, when it would have been better served with more of the stagecraft magic of the original Fantasmic. The old show had one magical and surprising reveal after another. This version relied too heavily on projections.

In the end, I still enjoyed myself. I left conflicted, but entertained. Had I never seen the old version of the show, I’d have loved this one. Which is the same exact feeling I get when I see the inferior Orlando version. Disneyland’s Fantasmic was always better. Still is. But a bit of the magic has worn off for me. I’m curious how you feel."
I disagree. There are still plenty of surprises, and in my opinion the advanced projections make the scenes even more seamless, like when Mickey gets sucked into the mirror on the mist screen from atop the cabin.

Also, Micechat boards are literally THE WORST. Those people hate life, I swear lol.
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Dusty on Micechat wrote a review.

http://micechat.com/166595-new-fantasmic-debuts-disneyland/

His final thoughts are

"This one is still sinking in. Not quite sure yet how much of my uneasy feelings about this show are just my discomfort with the changes and music or that perhaps they’ve chopped the show up in ways that make some of the transitions feel forced. I didn’t leave this show with that heartfelt emotional feeling that it’s always given me in the past. It LOOKS beautiful, the special effects are neat, but there were a lot of net losses for me that weren’t replaced with something better than before. I miss the Evil Queen, the Pinocchio sequence, and the Tick Tock float. I’m baffled that they didn’t try to fix the Urusla scene. Remember the old Ursula barge from the early years of the show? Or the replacement electric eels? there’s nothing there now but more mist screen projections. I suppose that my biggest gripe is that the show, which is still HIGHLY entertaining, feels like a step toward the fountains and projections of World of Color, when it would have been better served with more of the stagecraft magic of the original Fantasmic. The old show had one magical and surprising reveal after another. This version relied too heavily on projections.

In the end, I still enjoyed myself. I left conflicted, but entertained. Had I never seen the old version of the show, I’d have loved this one. Which is the same exact feeling I get when I see the inferior Orlando version. Disneyland’s Fantasmic was always better. Still is. But a bit of the magic has worn off for me. I’m curious how you feel."

This opinion is the epitome of someone who spends every weekend at the park and has seen Fantasmic! probably hundreds of times in the last 25 years. Disney, or anyone really, could never satisfy this person because the past is always so romanticized and sanitized in their memories.

And Disney shouldn't worry too much about satisfying this type of person, because they'll be at the park again next weekend anyway.

That said, coming from someone like that, this B+ review is the equivalent of wild applause.
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Basically World of color 2.0

That couldn't be further from the truth. Not sure where you get that from what we saw last night. o_O

Here's another very good HD video, from center stage of the 9pm show. Although really, all the D23 superfans screaming and woohooing are a bit much. Can't wait to see this show with a nice, normal audience of appreciative tourists!

 

SpectroMan93

Well-Known Member
I wonder how the Florida fans felt after seeing that incredible spectacle. Must make it even more depressing than before to have to go back to our version in Orlando lol. As amazing as that was, I just can't help but feel greater embarrassment now for the state of Fantasmic on the east coast. How can TDO know what Disneyland's Fantasmic exists at not even bat an eye towards renovating ours?
 

Californian Elitist

Well-Known Member
That couldn't be further from the truth. Not sure where you get that from what we saw last night. o_O

Here's another very good HD video, from center stage of the 9pm show. Although really, all the D23 superfans screaming and woohooing are a bit much. Can't wait to see this show with a nice, normal audience of appreciative tourists!



That person has a weird issue about Disneyland and Disneyland-goers. I'm sure it's some form of infatuation, I wouldn't take anything they said too seriously.
 

Phroobar

Well-Known Member
I wonder how the Florida fans felt after seeing that incredible spectacle. Must make it even more depressing than before to have to go back to our version in Orlando lol. As amazing as that was, I just can't help but feel greater embarrassment now for the state of Fantasmic on the east coast. How can TDO know what Disneyland's Fantasmic exists at not even bat an eye towards renovating ours?
Hey they get to lose the Epcot war memorial in front of that park. They get two new clones, lose Ellen to a raccoon and get a space restaurant. What more do they want?
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Hey they get to lose the Epcot war memorial in front of that park. They get two new clones, lose Ellen to a raccoon and get a space restaurant. What more do they want?

Now darnit, I picked some limes off the tree today and was going to make fresh guacamole and some nachos tonight and settle in to try and catch up on all the WDW announcements from D23. Is that really the summary?
 

GiveMeTheMusic

Well-Known Member
Now darnit, I picked some limes off the tree today and was going to make fresh guacamole and some nachos tonight and settle in to try and catch up on all the WDW announcements from D23. Is that really the summary?

There's actually quite a bit more than that, and they still have more to announce as we get closer to WDW's 50th. It's really Disney Decade levels of WDW investment, it's just not particularly interesting investment that fans are excited for.
 

brb1006

Well-Known Member
Honestly, as excited as I was for the new show, the final product is a bit of a mixed bag for me. BUT, it's not "ZOMG THEY'RE RUINING MY CHILDHOOD"-worthy. It's just... there.

The show borrows heavily from Tokyo's iteration but I feel it works, it's not simply the Tokyo show ported over to Disneyland. The lead female vocalist is trying a bit too hard and is overused in the show (in my opinion), and the finale vocals are a bit too "modern" for my taste. I feel like the Pirates section is unnecessary, it's the 2006 additions to the attraction if you replaced "WHERE BE JACK SPARROW" with "WHERE BE MY COMPASS". I like that they reused as many of the character vocals as possible, and Bret Iwan does a pretty awesome job as Mickey after only nearly 10 years voicing the character. I do feel like the Finding Nemo and Little Mermaid section was kind of pointless in the show, but that's a minor nitpick.

Overall, I don't love the show as much as I love the original, but it's not completely horribly terrible either. Steve Davison and crew played a pretty good hand with the cards they were dealt, but of course anything can be improved.
I have to admit I smiled when I heard Mickey giggling at the beginning act.
 

brb1006

Well-Known Member
Saw the livestream. Here are my thoughts:

- I LOVE LOVE LOVE the colors. The show is very vibrant as a result. (It honestly felt like World of Color sometimes lol)
- The new Pink Elephants sequence was like a freaking acid trip. Wow. That was insane!!!
- I actually like how they incorporated the newly added films (Lion King, Nemo, etc). It wasn't overpowering, it all fit in perfectly.
- YESSSSS at Mickey being intertwined more in the show. Really emphasizes that this is HIS journey through the imagination.
- Thought the Pirates scene was okay. I would've loved to have seen the ghost projections though. By the way, who was that damsel in distress? Is she a new character? Her voice was annoying lol
- When Maleficent and all the villains were defeated in the end. That part was epic.

Overall, this is definitely Fantasmic for the 21st century. All the technological updates (projections, lights, fountains, etc.) made it even better. Hopefully they keep improving on the show though. That Pirates scene needs to be fixed.
I think that is suppose to be Elizabeth.
 

brb1006

Well-Known Member
Watched from a YouTube video. My impression is quite positive.

Only complaints I had:
- Music for pink elephants scene is dated a bit too much to this era. Only part of the show that doesn't really feel "timeless".
- Pirates doesn't fit in the show very well, the transitions in and out of the scene feel pretty awkward and I think Pan worked better.
- Mickey's random exasperated gasps and interjections during his scenes come off as annoying and un-necessary.
- I was really sad to see that the lights quickly going out followed by the very last "burst" of fireworks to end the show was tweaked to where it's not so sudden/out of nowhere anymore.
- And lastly, I'm sure I'll get used to this but it was kind of sad to see that the iconic "hand-waving" choreography from Mickey at the beginning of the show is gone.

Those are really just minor quips for the most part though, overall it accomplished what I felt was needed to refresh the show for a more modern time while still successfully preserving the show and its classic legacy within Disney Park history.

Some questions I had, for anyone who's in the know
1. Does the screen at the top of the island come down during the day?
2. Was the black and white Mickey head changed?
I actually liked the updated Pink Elephants section and Mickey being more vocal.
 

brb1006

Well-Known Member
I'm really, really saddened they took out the evil witch boiling her potion and transforming into the queen, as that was one of the best physical effects in the entire show, and the whole segment was wonderfully spooky and unnerving.

I can't think of a single justification for taking that part out. Did they replace the pot equipment with the machinery needed for the flying carpet?...I mean, that's all I got for a completely inexplicable excision.
I think that was based on the Tokyo scene where Mickey also gets trapped inside the mirror.
 

brb1006

Well-Known Member
I wonder how the Florida fans felt after seeing that incredible spectacle. Must make it even more depressing than before to have to go back to our version in Orlando lol. As amazing as that was, I just can't help but feel greater embarrassment now for the state of Fantasmic on the east coast. How can TDO know what Disneyland's Fantasmic exists at not even bat an eye towards renovating ours?
They still haven't changed anything at the WDW version (The only change was to add a few Frozen clips during the Bubble scene) and now our Dragon still remained unchanged.
 

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