DHS Monster Inc Land Coming to Disney's Hollywood Studios

[Bocabear]

I did not know that Disneyland had dropped all of their live performances... They used to have many with frequent changes, and they were all so much better than what WDW was offering... Truthfully I avoid most of the shows these days as the last ones I have seen in the past were all sort of cringeworthy bad... So I have not seen the recent sing along things...

 

[Casper Gutman]

Hyperion Theater filled up every time I went (several times a trip, three trips a year since it opened).

Myself and the people there adored it.

One of the actors became sort of famous for his improv. People on these forums lauded him for it.

Nothing cringe about it.

I was there last week. It was half full at best.

The actors tried, but it’s just showing clips from the movie. I can’t imagine standards for Disney shows have fallen this far.

If Disney wants an improv show, I wholeheartedly endorse the idea. Uni has a good one. Disney used to have a couple good ones. But no, Frozen isn’t that.

 

[doctornick]

Because the show is an embarrassment (I felt sorry for the excellent but stranded performers) and the theatre absolutely does not fill up?

If we are using "the theater doesn't fill" as a criteria for removing things then it seems that getting rid of MuppetVision was absolutely the right call then.

 

[Casper Gutman]

If we are using "the theater doesn't fill" as a criteria for removing things then it seems that getting rid of MuppetVision was absolutely the right call then.

I’m using the “it’s an embarrassingly bad, cheap show” criteria. The full theater thing is just heading off a spurious defense.

I understand that opinions vary. I can see and understand arguments in favor of things I don’t like - the Mermaid show, the Beast show, Imagination, etc. I am just a bit baffled by the vigorous defense of the Frozen show.

 

[easyrowrdw]

I’m using the “it’s an embarrassingly bad, cheap show” criteria. The full theater thing is just heading off a spurious defense.

I understand that opinions vary. I can see and understand arguments in favor of things I don’t like - the Mermaid show, the Beast show, Imagination, etc. I am just a bit baffled by the vigorous defense of the Frozen show.

I’m not a big fan, but that’s also because I don’t like the movie or half the songs lol

I hear lots of people say they love the show though. It’s like one of those fan screenings of old movies where you’re encouraged to quote the lines or sing along. I think people just love the movie and enjoy the opportunity to show it with others who feel the same.

 

[WorldExplorer]

I was there last week. It was half full at best.

The actors tried, but it’s just showing clips from the movie. I can’t imagine standards for Disney shows have fallen this far.

If Disney wants an improv show, I wholeheartedly endorse the idea. Uni has a good one. Disney used to have a couple good ones. But no, Frozen isn’t that.

But it's meta! The most cookie cutter meta possible! You don't need to write real jokes so long as you just make references to knowing it's a story, right?

 

[JohnD]

I am just a bit baffled by the vigorous defense of the Frozen show.

I can tell you why I like it.

1. 45 minutes of A/C
2. Narrators are hilarious

Of course I don't sing along. But families have kids who do so that's a bonus for them to keep their kids happy while parents and other members of their party cool off.

 

[doctornick]

I’m not a big fan, but that’s also because I don’t like the movie or half the songs lol

I hear lots of people say they love the show though. It’s like one of those fan screenings of old movies where you’re encouraged to quote the lines or sing along. I think people just love the movie and enjoy the opportunity to show it with others who feel the same.

My (grown up) sister absolutely loves doing the show. I don't particularly care about it, but I think it is fun enough and have no problem with it being present. I don't find it a chore or anything to sit through and I actually think the live actors add a good bit to the experience that makes it distinct from other shows/movies in the park. It adds to the variety of the parks and I'm always a fan of having varied experiences that appeal to different groups.

If we are looking for shows to replace at DHS, I'd put my sights clearly on the BatB show (or even the IJ stunt show) in addition to the Mickey short film well before the Frozen Sing along.

 

[Casper Gutman]

But it's meta! The most cookie cutter meta possible! You don't need to write real jokes so long as you just make references to knowing it's a story, right?

I love meta (I’m wearing a MST3K shirt right now) and I really enjoy improv. The show is a bad format for both.

It’s also a bit irritating to see it defended as improv when Disney has brutally cut tons of great improv from good performers in much better formats.

 

[Casper Gutman]

My (grown up) sister absolutely loves doing the show. I don't particularly care about it, but I think it is fun enough and have no problem with it being present. I don't find it a chore or anything to sit through and I actually think the live actors add a good bit to the experience that makes it distinct from other shows/movies in the park. It adds to the variety of the parks and I'm always a fan of having varied experiences that appeal to different groups.

If we are looking for shows to replace at DHS, I'd put my sights clearly on the BatB show (or even the IJ stunt show) in addition to the Mickey short film well before the Frozen Sing along.

I think all of those could usefully be replaced, but IJ and even BatB have MUCH more legitimate claims to being actual “shows” then the Frozen thing.

People love Disney movies. Might as well just slap cheap sing-a-longs in every theater on property.

 

[WorldExplorer]

I love meta (I’m wearing a MST3K shirt right now) and I really enjoy improv. The show is a bad format for both.

It’s also a bit irritating to see it defended as improv when Disney has brutally cut tons of great improv from good performers in much better formats.

Meta's fine when there's effort put into it. Muppet Vision was a good example; there were actual jokes in there. MST3K was the same. Frozen has the generic, effortless kind.

 

[mattpeto]

I mean we got into something like before, but the Frozen Sing Along is geared towards kids. Probably not geared to middle aged men. It's scored well across all ages on Touring Plans FWIW and had better ratings with Teens than MV3D.

I wouldn't go to DHS and see the show solo or even with my wife, but with my daughters - it's in the rotation to see. I find it more entertaining that the Beauty and the Beast show at this point. And I dread the Nemo show - I think that's perfect for toddlers.

I did enjoy the Nightmare Before Christmas overlay they run during at Jollywood, but I'm quite fond of the movie more than the production.

The holiday overlay Frozen Sing Along "hits the feels" for me. I actually enjoy it quite a bit. (Still wouldn't see it solo, but with the family - it's tremendous).

 

[Mr. Sullivan]

How much Monsters Inc. merch have your friends purchased in the last 5 years? How many times have they seen the movies in the past 5 years?

There is a difference between being a "liked" IP and being a popular IP. No question that Monsters Inc. is universally liked, but that doesn't make it popular or relevant.

RNR is super popular, not because there are so many Aerosmith fans out there, but because it is E-Ticket. This will be the same thing. They could have themed this to Darkwing Duck and it still would generate the same excitement, not because people love the IP, but because people want a thrill ride and something new.

It's just silly to say that because it's Monsters Inc. this is new land is going to be wildly popular. It's going to be popular, because it's in a park that desperately needs attractions.

For what it’s worth, when I was just there back in January and bought another round of Monsters merch at that store near ToT, I struck up a conversation with the cashier and she did say that they move a lot of Monsters merch. Maybe that’s just her location, but it certainly seems the merch is popular and there’s a rather large section of it available. The Mike and Sully Christmas Bucket over at Disneyland was also a popular item

 

[Agent H]

Re. The frozen show. It’s fine. It was designed as something to tide people wanting a frozen attraction over until they could get the ride open. I wish they would put in a different ip that doesn’t have a ride yet. The nightmare before Christmas show and the holiday versions are significantly better. I admit I have low standards for this type of thing though.

 

[Jedi14]

Re. The frozen show. It’s fine. It was designed as something to tide people wanting a frozen attraction over until they could get the ride open. I wish they would put in a different ip that doesn’t have a ride yet. The nightmare before Christmas show and the holiday versions are significantly better. I admit I have low standards for this type of thing though.

Frozen is personally my favorite show at the park, barring Fantasmic. The holiday version is also good, but the Nightmare before Christmas show was not it.

 

[Professortango1]

Re. The frozen show. It’s fine. It was designed as something to tide people wanting a frozen attraction over until they could get the ride open. I wish they would put in a different ip that doesn’t have a ride yet. The nightmare before Christmas show and the holiday versions are significantly better. I admit I have low standards for this type of thing though.

I just don't get how California gets a full-fledged musical with puppetry and effects and Florida gets...a couple of CM's in front of a movie screen. We were so disappointed when we found out that Frozen at the Hyperion was nothing like Frozen at the Hyperion.

 

[Agent H]

Frozen is personally my favorite show at the park, barring Fantasmic. The holiday version is also good, but the Nightmare before Christmas show was not it.

I think the nightmare before Christmas show is cool because it really captures the Tim Burton vibe and seeing the jack skeleton puppet up close and personal is really cool. I was shocked when the curtain went up and it looked as tall as a house!

 

[gerarar]

New aerials of the now-closed Muppets Courtyard.

The Miss Piggy fountain is still running today! Also the gelato cart nearby the entrance of MV3D has been moved to outside the walls.

 

[Agent H]

I just don't get how California gets a full-fledged musical with puppetry and effects and Florida gets...a couple of CM's in front of a movie screen. We were so disappointed when we found out that Frozen at the Hyperion was nothing like Frozen at the Hyperion.

Didn’t Disneyland get the same show in the muppets theater?

 

[gerarar]

You can see the cast member parking lot blocked off with walls for upcoming construction in these aerials – as previously reported by @wdwmagic

Sources and more:

Cast Member Lot Walled-Off as Disney Gears Up for Monsters, Inc. Expansion at Hollywood Studios

Cast Member Lot Walled-Off as Disney Gears Up for Monsters, Inc. Expansion at Hollywood Studios

www.wdwmagic.com