This is an idea I've had for a revival of an old show on Disney Plus...
Forty years(!) ago, Disneyland Records (the forerunner to Walt Disney Records) put out a record album intended for working out called "Mousercise":
The following year, a show with that same name debuted on The Disney Channel when it launched on April 18, 1983:
For a full history of the show, watch this video below from Defunct TV:
Near the end of the video, it talks about how the program has seen a resurgence in popularity as a result of the COVID-19 quarantine, with elementary teachers using the album to instruct "Mousercise" for their students over the Internet as a means to keep active in their homes. The video claims that these teachers were likely Mousercisers when they were the age of their students.
That's the direction I'm going with in the Disney Plus iteration of "Mousercise". It would play into the social distancing measures set up. Instead of a single host like Kellyn Plasschaert, as on the original show, it will feature these individual teachers. I'm thinking of trying to get the people who were once Kellyn's students on the show. By having them appear individually, it could be something like those Disney Family Singalong programs that were a direct result of the social distancing measures from the pandemic. To that end, sadly, the costumed versions of the characters won't be appearing, since it will be taking place in various other locations.
Additionally, the choice of songs will not just come from the original album from whence the show had originated, but also from a 2005 revival CD:
The 2005 CD remixes classics from the original album while also throwing in newer songs like "A Whole New World" and "Go the Distance", all with exercise interstitials. They will be featured as well.
Similar to the original show, the newer show will occasionally mix in footage of Disney animation during the songs, although obviously with newer, post-1983 material. For example, in the "Mousercise" version of "Step In Time" (redone for the newer version) (go here: https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Step_in_Time#Mousercise_Version), it will feature footage of the original "Mary Poppins", as well as other bits of footage. For instance, at the "roar like a rocket" part, it will show a brief snippet of "Toy Story" showing Woody and Buzz trying to catch up with the moving van by lighting Buzz's rocket. Another song, "Bug-A-Boo" would feature brief snippets of "A Bug's Life".
And of course, the show will open and close with the "Mousercise Theme", but the style will be more derivative of the 2005 CD than the 1980s record album. This is the only place where you can see Mickey and the gang, rendered in animated style:
MICKEY: Oh, boy! Looks like the gang's all here! Are you ready to exercise?
MINNIE: Oh, no!
GOOFY: No...
DONALD: No.
MICKEY: Well... (laughs) Are you ready to MOUSErcise?
MINNIE: (giggles)
GOOFY: Yeah! (guffaws)
That bit of exchange is used to open the 2005 CD:
It's the same theme as on The Disney Channel (and by extension the record album), but the 2005 CD plays a part, too, although the songs are more derivative of the original album than the 2005 CD, which sounds a little too techno-like.
Anyway, that gives you an idea of reviving "Mousercise" and putting it on Disney Plus. What are your thoughts there?
Forty years(!) ago, Disneyland Records (the forerunner to Walt Disney Records) put out a record album intended for working out called "Mousercise":
The following year, a show with that same name debuted on The Disney Channel when it launched on April 18, 1983:
For a full history of the show, watch this video below from Defunct TV:
Near the end of the video, it talks about how the program has seen a resurgence in popularity as a result of the COVID-19 quarantine, with elementary teachers using the album to instruct "Mousercise" for their students over the Internet as a means to keep active in their homes. The video claims that these teachers were likely Mousercisers when they were the age of their students.
That's the direction I'm going with in the Disney Plus iteration of "Mousercise". It would play into the social distancing measures set up. Instead of a single host like Kellyn Plasschaert, as on the original show, it will feature these individual teachers. I'm thinking of trying to get the people who were once Kellyn's students on the show. By having them appear individually, it could be something like those Disney Family Singalong programs that were a direct result of the social distancing measures from the pandemic. To that end, sadly, the costumed versions of the characters won't be appearing, since it will be taking place in various other locations.
Additionally, the choice of songs will not just come from the original album from whence the show had originated, but also from a 2005 revival CD:
The 2005 CD remixes classics from the original album while also throwing in newer songs like "A Whole New World" and "Go the Distance", all with exercise interstitials. They will be featured as well.
Similar to the original show, the newer show will occasionally mix in footage of Disney animation during the songs, although obviously with newer, post-1983 material. For example, in the "Mousercise" version of "Step In Time" (redone for the newer version) (go here: https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Step_in_Time#Mousercise_Version), it will feature footage of the original "Mary Poppins", as well as other bits of footage. For instance, at the "roar like a rocket" part, it will show a brief snippet of "Toy Story" showing Woody and Buzz trying to catch up with the moving van by lighting Buzz's rocket. Another song, "Bug-A-Boo" would feature brief snippets of "A Bug's Life".
And of course, the show will open and close with the "Mousercise Theme", but the style will be more derivative of the 2005 CD than the 1980s record album. This is the only place where you can see Mickey and the gang, rendered in animated style:
MICKEY: Oh, boy! Looks like the gang's all here! Are you ready to exercise?
MINNIE: Oh, no!
GOOFY: No...
DONALD: No.
MICKEY: Well... (laughs) Are you ready to MOUSErcise?
MINNIE: (giggles)
GOOFY: Yeah! (guffaws)
That bit of exchange is used to open the 2005 CD:
It's the same theme as on The Disney Channel (and by extension the record album), but the 2005 CD plays a part, too, although the songs are more derivative of the original album than the 2005 CD, which sounds a little too techno-like.
Anyway, that gives you an idea of reviving "Mousercise" and putting it on Disney Plus. What are your thoughts there?
