New Star Wars Fireworks Show - 'Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular'

[wdwmagic]

I'll ask again. I've only watched videos. Haven't seen it in person. It's meant to be a projection show. Is it wrong because of technical deficiencies or because people just have a distaste for a different type of show?

This is how Disney described it when it was announced.

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...t-disneys-hollywood-studios-starting-june-17/

New ‘Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular’ Fireworks Set To Make History at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Starting June 17
This new nighttime show, which will be the most elaborate fireworks display in this park’s history, will begin nightly performances on June 17.

 

[Mike S]

They should add projections down Hollywood Blvd. like DL Forever to make up for the bad sight lines.

 

[wdwmagic]

They should add projections down Hollywood Blvd. like DL Forever to make up for the bad sight lines.

Or how about just not rely on projections? Anyone can watch movie clips anytime, anywhere. People can't see large scale firework shows in many places. That is what they should be concentrating on.

 

[Mike S]

Or how about just not rely on projections? Anyone can watch movie clips anytime, anywhere. People can't see large scale firework shows in many places. That is what they should be concentrating on.

I agree but I still enjoyed the show a lot.

 

[Andrew C]

Or how about just not rely on projections? Anyone can watch movie clips anytime, anywhere. People can't see large scale firework shows in many places. That is what they should be concentrating on.

But people can't watch movie clips while at the same time seeing it combined with fireworks, lasers, and other pyrotechnics.

This is one of the reasons why I prefer the castle show at DLP over MK. The fireworks during it are decent, but it is combined with water effects/projections, lasers, and castle projections. This makes it awesome...

 

[Disney Analyst]

As opposed to getting it right?

I am speaking only of the placement of the firework launch site. The other aspects of the show I have no vested interest in.. I just find the argument about it being off-centre ridiculous. Clearly this was the only place Disney could put it, and so they did.

 

[JohnD]

This is how Disney described it when it was announced.

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...t-disneys-hollywood-studios-starting-june-17/

New ‘Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular’ Fireworks Set To Make History at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Starting June 17
This new nighttime show, which will be the most elaborate fireworks display in this park’s history, will begin nightly performances on June 17.

Okay thanks

 

[FullSailDan]

This is how Disney described it when it was announced.

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...t-disneys-hollywood-studios-starting-june-17/

New ‘Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular’ Fireworks Set To Make History at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Starting June 17
This new nighttime show, which will be the most elaborate fireworks display in this park’s history, will begin nightly performances on June 17.

This definitely is the challenge for us. When the old show was SUCH an amazing fireworks display, and the messaging was "something even better is coming!". Then they rolled out this projection show with firework accents. Not what I was hoping for. A neat show, cool experience, certainly doesn't have as much impact for me as the last show did. If they had just managed to merge the two it would have been incredible.

The issues for me do go beyond just marketing: the sight lines are atrocious, the story is.. well is there even a real story? It feels like a character montage that loosely tries to create a rise and fall of action but doesn't really quite make it. The finale really hits this home, as they try and give the "warm and fuzzies" with the throne room song, but it feels like its dragging. The pacing is just a mess.

 

[J. D.]

This is how Disney described it when it was announced.

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...t-disneys-hollywood-studios-starting-june-17/

New ‘Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular’ Fireworks Set To Make History at Disney’s Hollywood Studios Starting June 17
This new nighttime show, which will be the most elaborate fireworks display in this park’s history, will begin nightly performances on June 17.

Also doesn't help that the billboards for the show have the fireworks centered behind GMR.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Or how about just not rely on projections? Anyone can watch movie clips anytime, anywhere. People can't see large scale firework shows in many places. That is what they should be concentrating on.

This is my problem. We are supposed to either line up an hour early or pay $70 for a dessert party to see movie images projected on a building? I realize there are supplemental special effects, but between Celebrate the Magic, DAK's Awakenings, and this, I think they are relying on projections a bit too much. At least at DAK and MK, they aren't the primary show.

They took a park with capacity issues and added a low-capacity nighttime show. It boggles my mind. And it's not the only absurd capacity decision they've made recently. Haven't they been in this business for almost 61 years?

 

[halltd]

Or how about just not rely on projections? Anyone can watch movie clips anytime, anywhere. People can't see large scale firework shows in many places. That is what they should be concentrating on.

Pretty sure there are two other parks within very close proximity that have pretty elaborate fireworks shows. I actually love that the four parks are going to have four distinctive nighttime experiences now (once RoL opens). Classic symmetrical Wishes at MK, in-the-round Illuminations at Epcot, multimedia extravaganza at DHS, and low-key beautiful light and water show at DAK. To me, it seems like the perfect blend of unique options to spread the guest volume among the parks at night.

Could the sight lines be a bit better at DHS? Sure. But, is the show a complete failure because of it, nope. Can the desert party and get rid of the stage and the show immediately becomes 200 times better. From the sounds of it, we're already halfway there!

 

[marni1971]

I just find the argument about it being off-centre ridiculous..

Surely it's central to the argument?

Get it? Central?

Thanks. I'm here all week.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Surely it's central to the argument?

Get it? Central?

Thanks. I'm here all week.

You got me there.

 

[wdwfan22]

But people can't watch movie clips while at the same time seeing it combined with fireworks, lasers, and other pyrotechnics.

This is one of the reasons why I prefer the castle show at DLP over MK. The fireworks during it are decent, but it is combined with water effects/projections, lasers, and castle projections. This makes it awesome...

I dread the day we get something like Disney Dreams from Paris. I'll take Wishes any day over that projection show. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

 

[Crazydisneyfanluke]

As opposed to getting it right?

 

[Andrew C]

Different strokes for different folks I guess.

yes...exactly...that is 100% true...which is why it is a good idea to not have every WDW nighttime show just focused on fireworks. Some people like straight fireworks...and others prefer a mix of other elements as well. I am glad we now have another option at WDW....and, as I believe someone else mentioned, if they can get RoL sorted, we will have another option different from the others.

Spoiler

and how the heck can you not like a show centered around Peter Pan!?!

 

[po1998]

Yeesh... Some people are actually saying it had better be centred or they don't want a show at all?? Humans are so obsessed with everything always being the same... they had do something different with the firework launch site location, get over it.

Just my opinion. Mine and only mine. No need to get upset over it.

 

[surfsupdon]

Or how about just not rely on projections? Anyone can watch movie clips anytime, anywhere. People can't see large scale firework shows in many places. That is what they should be concentrating on.

THIS. This is why I cannot stand Fantasmic. All I heard about was how great it was....but all it was were movie clips on water screens and a parade style boat show. Not my style, but I love the firework spectaculars!

 

[jensenrick]

THIS. This is why I cannot stand Fantasmic. All I heard about was how great it was....but all it was were movie clips on water screens and a parade style boat show. Not my style, but I love the firework spectaculars!

Thank you! I knew I couldn't be the only one who is "one and done" with "Fantasmic!" On top of the unoriginal and involving presentation, the seats are terrible!

 

[doctornick]

OK, I haven't seen the show live, but have watched the videos and it seems pretty cool to me. Not necessarily my favorite nighttime show -- I'm not a huge fan of projections in general -- but at least it is something distinct , at WDW and does seem to be ambitious with a variety of elements. I do think there's a fine line between just trying to offer something new and different versus just going to a huge fireworks show set to music -- the later is easy to be accepted and enjoyed by the masses because it is familiar but then we get into the whole argument about Disney not trying to push the envelop and give us stuff that we "don't know we want".

It seems people who have seen the show (yes, from the hub) generally seem to like it. So, I'm not sure we need to write it off as a failure. Perhaps some tweaking might be possible.

It strikes me that the main negative is that there is a limited capacity for the show because it can only be fully enjoyed from the hub. Would adding projections to the buildings along Hollywood help with this? I'm not so sure especially since it would draw the guests' view away from the Chinese Theater and other effects going on.

Was it just not possible to line up the fireworks above the Theater? Seems to me that it may have been more difficult but probably could have been done if it was viewed as absolutely necessary.

Even if the fireworks were centered and able to be seen well, you'd still have the impact of the projections and other effects not being particularly viewable from down the street, right? Is it possible to have the fireworks be "higher" so you might be able to see them from Hollywood Blvd (above those buildings)? I guess that's my question now is what can be done to remedy the concerns of guests.

I envision at least a second show during busy days to help with the crowds and given more people a chance to see it from the ideal location.