I agree completely, and I think it's not so much the "memory of the attraction" replacing the reality of the attraction here. I think, and I know this has been a divisive issue around here so I won't go into depth, it's the reality of the performer being glossed over with his death. Obviously we can't go back in time two years, but I would bet that if we did and showed the general population an excerpt from this video about Michael Jackson as a space commander, most would have absolutely no interest in seeing it. Suddenly, however, the whole world is a Michael Jackson fan.
My point is that this doesn't have so much to do with people being nostalgic for Captain EO (although I'm sure there are plenty who are), I think it has to do with people being nostalgic for Michael Jackson. While Thriller, Billie Jean, etc., were a bit products of their time, they have still aged much better than Captain EO. I wonder what people who have never seen Captain EO (or haven't seen it in a long time) will think. I have showed several friends the videos on YouTube, and they've laughed for the duration, pointing out that it's one of the dumbest things they've ever seen. These people probably aren't representative of the general Disney-going population, but I think the point still stands.
I don't normally have a problem with nostalgia or with nostalgic aspects of WDW returning to the contemporary parks. I think Dreamfinder should return. I think the score to Tomorrow's Child would be fine on SpaceShip Earth. However, I limit my intake of nostalgia to nostalgia that is not self indulgent. Nostaliga merely for nostalgia's sake is dangerous because it implicitly concedes that we don't care if the parks improve--we're satisfied with old technology, old attractions, everything the way it was in 1971, 1982, 1994, or whatever year you thought Disney was at its pinnacle.
I disagree with that. I think nostalgia is only fine when it is embraced because there is a substantive quality to it that warrants retaining. With that retention should come improvements and refinements, adaptations to evolving standards of technology, and other such changes to make that nostalgia a representation of "the best possible" Disney.
There is no such quality in Captain EO as it will be returning. It's a dated attraction being brought back without any updates, and it's of poor quality (in many respects) by today's standards. Even after I get past the issues of bringing back a Michael Jackson attraction, that still doesn't sit well with me. The parks should be evolving, not stagnating or degrading. The rationale that "Honey I Shrunk the Audience sucks too" is not a legitimate rationale for bringing back EO. It's a cop out.
Like '74 did, I wanted to say that I largely (really, mostly!) agree with what you say here, but I think a key point is being lost, and I haven't really seen anyone tackle it. I re-watched Captain EO (Ok, I've watched it a few times) recently on YouTube to test my memory of the show. Was it good, like I had remembered, or was my own sense of nostalgia boosting up a mediocre attraction? The answer, for me at least, was a little bit of both. The show wasn't great. It was much cheesier than I had remembered, and
some elements hadn't aged well (MJ's outfit, for example).
But, it did confirm a sneaking suspicion that had been bugging me while reading this thread. I don't think Captain Eo is an amazing, show. I think it's entertaining, but that doesn't really matter. What matter's in this specific context is: Is it better than Honey I Shrunk The Audience? And to that, I'd have to say: "Absolutely."
While elements of Captain Eo haven't aged well, the story is generically sci-fi enough to last. The music is bread and butter MJ, so that's fine. And the storyline, while not strong in any sense of the word, does
try to illicit feelings like fear, hope, awe. That's more than I can say for HISTA. Moreover, I don't think any part of HISTA has aged well except for the gimmicky sections of the show.
You must all think I can't wait for Eo to return. Remarkably, that's not true. I don't know if its return would delay a refurb of Imagination, but if that's true, then I don't think Eo is worth it. As was pointed out by WDWFigment, and others, I too worry about nostalgic attractions becoming an unwanted trend. Really, my only point is that Eo may be, from a qualitative perspective, an upgrade. Of course that means that HISTA ended up being a regression, but I think that's true.
Interesting thought exercise for everyone, regardless of your position on the topic: If TDO announced that the original JII was returning, with a few updated effects, would the sentiment be the same?
Personally, I'd be torn. You?
