News Beauty and the Beast sing-along coming to Epcot's France Pavilion

[mikejs78]

Why do you want to make little kids cry?

Ok I'm missing the joke here....

 

[MuteSuperstar]

Ok I'm missing the joke here....

I think he's referring to people often saying how "boring" Epcot is for the kiddies.
Apparently lame (and yes, lazy) "dance parties" (shudder) and sing alongs are the answer.

 

[LittleBuford]

Yeah, it's definitely not "a draw". I agree with that. I just feel like I've noticed a better trend with the audience. Nostalgia is in right now so I think that helps. I'm not saying every guest even really understands or gets it, but it seems they enjoy it. I also feel like I heard on here in the Tiki Room thread (the one about them "flying the coop") that the Bears aren't near the bottom of guest satisfaction. Tiki Birds rate lower for some reason. I hope someone can clarify that.

Such attractions are by now so outmoded as to be venerable—that’s my hope at least. Even if the audience numbers aren’t what they once were, I do hope that these shows score well with those guests who do take the time to watch them. It baffles me that anyone could fail to be charmed by singing robotic flora and fauna!

 

[larryz]

And Bose sucks.

There goes your credibility.

 

[Prototype82]

Perhaps the Sing Along is just hanging around until they have a new film ready? I would be surprised if they new film isn't going to be seamless..

 

[MisterPenguin]

Perhaps the Sing Along is just hanging around until they have a new film ready?

If it's as well received as the Frozen Sing-along which packs the theater for every show... don't count on it going away for years and years.

 

[larryz]

Maybe the UK will get a Mary Poppins song a long??

Only if they update the songs... for example, the words to "Feed the Birds" would have to say "...$24.95 a bag, includes commemorative plastic bag, theme park admission required..."

 

[marni1971]

Perhaps the Sing Along is just hanging around until they have a new film ready? I would be surprised if they new film isn't going to be seamless..

I would be surprised too.

 

[aliceismad]

This whole thing to me is just lazy... A sing along?

Look I get the IP mandate. I've come to terms with it, even if I'm not in favor of it. But it would be so easy to do this right.

"Now alternating with IDF, is French History with Belle". Or "French Architecture with Quasimodo".

This isn't that hard. But a sing-along? Unless it is mainly about French folk songs (I doubt it), this is just lazy.

French history with Belle isn't going to draw the crowds that a sing-along would (judging from the success of the Frozen sing-along, although of course Frozen is much more popular with young kids). We all know the singalong is just a crowd management technique at the lowest possible cost because Disney knows people are going to swamp Epcot once Rat and GotG come in. Sure it's lazy, but if the Disney overlords are going to justify Frozen in Norway because it's based on a Danish story, of course they're going to see no problem with BotB in France since La Belle et La Bête was written by a French woman.

 

[WondersOfLife]

Don’t jeopardise your job by trying to prove a point; it’s not worth it. Sometimes, we need to zoom out and remind ourselves that we are, at the end of the day, talking about a theme park.

This is true. I can't spend too much time on these forums and threads. I get soaked into the fantasy arguments.

But you have provided no evidence of this claim. Your observation of a few leaving the attraction unsatisfied with their experience is not a representation of the average park guest.

 

[Sir_Cliff]

Such attractions are by now so outmoded as to be venerable—that’s my hope at least. Even if the audience numbers aren’t what they once were, I do hope that these shows score well with those guests who do take the time to watch them. It baffles me that anyone could fail to be charmed by singing robotic flora and fauna!

It's interesting to me that Tiki Room and Country Bear Jamboree seem to have had diametrically opposite fates at DL and MK. The surge in mid-century nostalgia seems to have fed a revival for the Tiki Room on the west coast that just hasn't translated to a revival on the east coast despite the recent refurb. As far as I'm aware, CBJ was never as big as they hoped on the west coast and, as we know, they axed it for an (also unpopular) Winnie the Pooh ride over there. It still seems relatively popular and "safe" on the east coast, though, and perhaps now enjoying the same nostalgic glow around it as Tiki Room on the west.

Don't shoot me, I appreciate both attractions but am probably more a Tiki Room than a Country Bears guy! Still, all signs seem to point toward Tiki Room having an uncertain future at the MK, sadly. We'll see how long we can hold off its replacement with a room full of kiddies belting out How Far I'll Go...

 

[LittleBuford]

It's interesting to me that Tiki Room and Country Bear Jamboree seem to have had diametrically opposite fates at DL and MK. The surge in mid-century nostalgia seems to have fed a revival for the Tiki Room on the west coast that just hasn't translated to a revival on the east coast despite the recent refurb. As far as I'm aware, CBJ was never as big as they hoped on the west coast and, as we know, they axed it for an (also unpopular) Winnie the Pooh ride over there. It still seems relatively popular and "safe" on the east coast, though, and perhaps now enjoying the same nostalgic glow around it as Tiki Room on the west.

Don't shoot me, I appreciate both attractions but am probably more a Tiki Room than a Country Bears guy! Still, all signs seem to point toward Tiki Room having an uncertain future at the MK, sadly.

That’s a fascinating contrast. Perhaps it’s no coincidence that the Tiki Room is original to the West Coast and the Country Bear Jamboree to the East. Though I hope the MK Tiki Room is left alone, I suppose there’d be something strangely poetic about each show surviving only in the park in which it first appeared.

Buford forgives you for preferring the wrong attraction; it’s Mama who needs convincing not to shoot you.

 

[mikejs78]

It's interesting to me that Tiki Room and Country Bear Jamboree seem to have had diametrically opposite fates at DL and MK. The surge in mid-century nostalgia seems to have fed a revival for the Tiki Room on the west coast that just hasn't translated to a revival on the east coast despite the recent refurb. As far as I'm aware, CBJ was never as big as they hoped on the west coast and, as we know, they axed it for an (also unpopular) Winnie the Pooh ride over there. It still seems relatively popular and "safe" on the east coast, though, and perhaps now enjoying the same nostalgic glow around it as Tiki Room on the west.

Don't shoot me, I appreciate both attractions but am probably more a Tiki Room than a Country Bears guy! Still, all signs seem to point toward Tiki Room having an uncertain future at the MK, sadly. We'll see how long we can hold off its replacement with a room full of kiddies belting out How Far I'll Go...

At least as far as Tiki room, I know at least a few people who soured on it when it was "Under new management". It's the only version my wife experienced, for example, and now she refuses to go on it.

 

[WondersOfLife]

Still waiting for the evidence proving that "a majority of Epcot Guests" hate this film.

Average theme park guest*

You would look at a chart of facts and still say "Well Tower of Terror is just a glorified drop zone!" as your defense.

 

[aliceismad]

Wasn't Country Bears axed in DLR due to a lack of space when they put in Pooh, rather than a lack of interest?

 

[ZodIsGr8]

Keeping it back to my original point: The average theme park guest doesn’t not care for this attraction, thus, a reason why disney Gascony the right to update it. Literally all I was saying. It’s not ridiculous, and it’s not broad.

As for your last statement, I’ll gather my info until they ask me to stop asking people “how did you like that attraction?” Simple as that. That’s not harassment. It’s a question with a simple answer.

Just going to add my 2 cents here. EPCOT is not supposed to be like every other theme park across the country or even Disney for that matter. Its original intent was to celebrate human achievement, advances in technology, and to celebrate different cultures from around the world. It did this through movie and "Edutainment" rides like Horizons, WoM and through World Showcase. If I want thrill rides, I can pick through hundreds of destinations including other Disney parks. EPCOT was mean to be different and has sadly moved away from that. Guardians has no business being in EPCOT, in my humble opinion. I know you may not hear the average guest say they want to see the IDF movie, but EPCOT was never meant to be an average park. It was meant to be so much more. Maybe one day we will get back to that and now I will get off of my soapbox. Hope everyone has a nice day!

 

[WondersOfLife]

Nah, I’d sip some bubbly because the facts would prove you wrong

Your lack of facts impresses me as well. At least the reality of my argument is stacked up against you.

 

[marni1971]

*popcorn*

 

[WondersOfLife]

Just going to add my 2 cents here. EPCOT is not supposed to be like every other theme park across the country or even Disney for that matter. Its original intent was to celebrate human achievement, advances in technology, and to celebrate different cultures from around the world. It did this through movie and "Edutainment" rides like Horizons, WoM and through World Showcase. If I want thrill rides, I can pick through hundreds of destinations including other Disney parks. EPCOT was mean to be different and has sadly moved away from that. Guardians has no business being in EPCOT, in my humble opinion. I know you may not hear the average guest say they want to see the IDF movie, but EPCOT was never meant to be an average park. It was meant to be so much more. Maybe one day we will get back to that and now I will get off of my soapbox. Hope everyone has a nice day!

I agree with literally everything you stated. You seem to also think I'm attacking IDF, or Epcot as a whole.

Here were my 2 original posts.

But, Disney isn't going to appeal to the minority. They're going to appeal to the majority.

They're not being rude, and they don't have bad taste, though. They truly ARE boring experiences to the average guests. And for those who don't understand what they're about to see until about 5 minutes in, it's still not their fault. It's the reason why Epcot doesn't work. People are coming to Disney World to see Disney. Not travelogue films.

If these truly WERE high quality attractions, then they would be filled with just as many guests as (using an attraction with almost the same capacity holding) Mickey's PhilharMagic and It's Tough to be a Bug in the middle of the afternoon.

So I get frustrated with them, but I understand their intentions as well. They're boring. The only reason I return to these attractions is for nostalgia with my childhood. But looking back, I only ever saw these attractions because my dad forced us all to see them.

Literally all I was saying was IDF is not nearly as popular as other attractions, including other film attractions. Hence why Disney is considering something like another singalong.

You guys don't need to be a genius to figure out what the majority of theme park guests will prefer. I am willing to bet $100 that the Beauty and the Beast sing along will be 10X more popular than IDF, whether it's good or not.

 

[WondersOfLife]

Without any evidence to back the claim up other than your own "field experience"

I'm going to Epcot next weekend. I'll let you know if the experience changes or not. But you're so biased you wouldn't care anyways.