Suchomimus
Well-Known Member
Aw, I wanted to see you talk about Zero to Hero.
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Disneyland Maine: Revitalized
- Thread starter DisneyManOne
- Start date
Sadly, I don't have many ideas going for it yet. But who knows? Maybe someday down the line, we'll get to go on it after all.
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Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress
Although Discoveryland is predominantly based on Gold Rush-era San Francisco, there is still one element in town that takes on a decidedly different approach. What appears to be a Jules Verne-esque spacecraft appears portruding from the rockwork of the land, as if caused by a botched landing. The spacecraft is decked out in shades of bronze and gold, with fins circling the entire thing. A statue of a planet stands nearby, its ring resembling a clockface, with numbers going along it from 1 to 12. Situated in a planter next to this statue, the words "Walt Disney's" are displayed in bronze on a tall plaque.Spinning around this planet statue like another ring are the words "Carousel of Progress". "Why is this called the Carousel of Progress?" we wonder. As we stare at this oddity, something happens that catches us off-guard: the walls of the spacecraft rotate! Once the rotating stops, a door opens within the wall, almost inviting us to come in. Intrigued, we step in.
Inside the spacecraft, we discover that it plays host to a semi-circular theater! A bevy of chairs sit facing a wide, green curtain, parted in the middle to reveal the show's logo. Once the theater is filled, the lights dim and a voice welcomes us.
"Hello, folks, and welcome to Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress. You're in for a real treat today. You see, most carousels just go around and around without getting anywhere. But on this one, at every turn, we'll be making progress. And progress is not just moving ahead. Progress is dreaming and working and building a better way of life. Progress is a commitment to people. A commitment of making today and tomorrow the best time of your life. It wasn't always easy. At every turn in our history there was always someone saying "Turn back. Turn back." But there is no turning back. Not for us. Not for our carousel. The challenge always lies ahead. Although our show changes, we still revolve around the same theme: namely, progress. And as long as man dreams and works and builds together, every day will always bring a great big beautiful tomorrow. May the century begin."
With that, we hear a very familiar voice start to sing...
"There's a great big beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every day.
There's a great big beautiful tomorrow, and tomorrow is just a dream away.
Man has a dream, and that's the start.
He follows his dream with mind and heart.
And when it becomes a reality,
It's a dream come true for you and me.
So there's a great big beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every day.
There's a great big beautiful tomorrow, just a dream away!"
As a chorus picks up the catchy little ditty, our theater starts...moving! So this is why we saw the spacecraft walls rotate! As the stage turns to the left, we turn to the right, beginning a trip through time that's become a beloved part of Disney.
ACT ONE: THE 1900s
(Our first stop is an average home of the 1900s. The family patriarch, John (whose voice we heard welcoming us to the show), is sitting in a rocker, wearing a smoking jacket and holding a pipe and newspaper. The dog, Rover, lies faithfully by his side. John joins in on the singing as the chorus fades out. The song ends, but plays on as background music in quiet violin form. Through the windows the audience see that it's a bright sunny day outside. Birds are chirping in the springtime air. John notices the sound of the birds and begins to address the crowd.)
JOHN: Ah, just listen to that sound. When you hear the chirp of a robin, you know spring is in the air. What year is it? Oh, just around the turn of the century. And no doubt about it, things couldn't be any better than they are today. Yes, sir, buildings in the city are towering twenty stories or more and moving pictures are flickering up on a screen. We call them picture shows. Also, we have about some 8,000 automobiles in this country and we can travel from coast to coast by train in no less than a week. I even heard tell of two brothers named Wright who are working on some newfangled flying machine. (He chuckles to himself) It'll never work. Meanwhile, around the home, we have the latest and greatest: gas lamps, a telephone and the latest design in cast iron stoves. Also, that reservoir keeps five gallons of water hot all day on just three buckets of coal. Yep, sure beats chopping wood. And isn't our new icebox a beauty? Get a load of that. Holds 50 pounds of ice. (The icebox opens, revealing ice, bread and milk) Milk doesn't sour as quick as it used to. Also, our dog Rover here keeps the water in the drip pan from overflowing. It wasn't too long ago we had to carry water from a well. But now, thanks to progress, we have a pump right here in the kitchen. (The pump handle on the sink magically moves and water starts to flow) Of course, we keep a bucket of water handy to prime it with. Yes, sir, we have everything to make life easier. (John looks over to his right, the audience's left, where the first of the rotating dioramas appears. A woman dressed in an apron is ironing a shirt, while her young daughter works beside her. This is Sarah, the mother. As for the daughter, let's call her...Jessica. In the background is a large pantry with bags of food.) Say, Mother!
SARAH: What is it?
JOHN: I was reading about a fellow named Tom Edison, who's working on an idea for some kind of snap-on electric light.
SARAH: Electric lights, huh? Sounds like quite the breakthrough. Imagine--no more having to deal with kerosene and gas.
JOHN: This is my wife, Sarah. (chuckles) She sure can get to the core of the apple.
SARAH: But now that we have this new washday marvel, it takes only five hours to do the wash. Imagine! Used to take two days at least.
JOHN: That's right, folks. Now Mother has time to do other things, like...
SARAH: Like canning and freshening up the oven and the stove?
JOHN: (chuckles) Yes, Mother.
SARAH: Ovens don't clean themselves, you know.
JOHN: I know. (chuckles) And they probably never will. But no one can improve on nature for drying clothes.
SARAH: Excuse me, please, while I go get the wash off the line. It looks like it's about to rain cats and dogs.
(Rover barks at the comment and the diorama disappears.)
JOHN: Oh, don't worry, Rover, she didn't mean real cats and dogs. Besides, it's not going to rain today. How can it rain if my lumbago isn't acting up?
(Lightning flashes and the audience hears thunder while the lights dim for a few seconds. Rain starts to fall outside.)
SARAH: (sing-song; offstage) I told you so!
(Lights come back on.)
JOHN: My, my, just listen to it come down out there. Oh, well, the cistern was low on rainwater anyway. Now, around our home, entertainment is improving as well. For example, with the advent of the stereoscope, my son, James, and I can now see and learn all about the latest events in the world. But he'll have to ask permission first if he wants to look at it alone.
(The diorama on the audience's right lights up to display a young boy, John's aforementioned son, James, using a stereoscope beside an oil lamp.)
JAMES: Wowee! Look at that!
JOHN: Now look here, young man, if I told you once, I told you a thousand times, ask my permission to look at my expensive stereoscope. That's not a toy, you know!
JAMES: Ooh! Is that Little Egypt doing the hoochie-koochie, Dad?
JOHN: Oh, yeah, that's one thing I forgot to mention. She's the main attraction at the World's Fair out in St. Louis. (clears throat) Now, James, please put that away this minute before your mother finds it and get back to your homework, okay?
JAMES: But Dad...
JOHN: This minute! (The diorama disappears) Now, where was I? Oh, yes. We don't have an opera house in town, but we do have the next best thing: one of those new talking machines. What a beauty! It plays music right here in our home.
(The left diorama opens again, this time displaying Grandma sitting in a rocker, listening to music on a phonograph machine. A parrot is sitting on a perch beside her. The record plays "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" in an operatic style.)
PARROT: (squawks) She keeps that thing going all day. That tenor's driving me nuts. (Squawks again) Progress!
(The diorama disappears.)
JOHN: Of course, there are times when the younger people have their own ideas of fun and entertainment, too. (The right diorama reopens, revealing John's daughter, Jane. She's sitting at a vanity, fixing her hair. She's only wearing her undergarments, but in the 1900s, the undergarments were more modest than today's outer garments, so the scene isn't--nor should it be--offensive. Flowery, feminine music comes on for the daughter.) Take my teenage daughter, Jane, for instance. She's getting ready to go to a dance at the other end of town on one of those new electric trolleys.
JANE: Oh, Papa.
JOHN: What is it, Jane?
JANE: All these people! I'm indecent!
JOHN: Don't worry, they're friends!
JANE: Well, thanks for letting me go, Papa.
JOHN: Okay. But you be home by 9:00 sharp, daughter. Understand?
(The flowery music dies for obvious reasons.)
JANE: (dejectedly) Yes, Papa.
(The diorama disappears.)
JOHN: You know, all this talk about progress has made me work up quite a thirst. I think I'll take a trolley across town myself and meet the boys at the drug store soda fountain for a cold sarsaparilla. Oops, sorry, I forgot. We're drinking root beer now. Same drink, different name. Well, I guess that's progress for you. Which reminds me...
(The song starts up again and we rotate to...)
ACT 2: THE 1950s
(Now, we're in a more modern kitchen. John is sitting a booth set up against the kitchen wall, holding a Niagara Falls fan. Rover is on the floor in front of him. The overall decor is now very 50s-like. Basically, this is the 40s set, re-used. I've heard there wasn't much different in house design between the 40s and 50s. Can anyone correct me if I'm wrong? There are fewer exposed electric wires, due to the fact that they are well hidden.)
JOHN: Whew, boy! Hottest summer we've had in years! Well, we sure have come a long way since the turn of the century some fifty-plus years ago. Yep, we're at the halfway point of this century, and life couldn't be any more easier. Thanks to progress, we have a lot more luxury in our home and our daily lives. Television came into our lives around the time the 40s ended, and it's quite fun. In fact, we're one of the few people in town to have a color television. That means when we watch, it's not all in black-and-white. TV has become such a fad now a days, they've even invented something called a TV diner. Fast, ready to go meals that we put into this new device called, a microwave oven. (A microwave oven, with a TV dinner inside it, lights up and spins around.) Oh, yeah, you know something else that's new? A new term on the radio. Fellow says, we've got something now called the "rat race". Did you ever hear that one? It sure describes my life. I'm involved with something now called commuting. I drive into the city for work all day, and then turn right around and drive all the way back. And the highway is crowded with other rats doing the same thing.
SARAH: (from off-stage; condescending) That's why it's called progress, dear.
JOHN: (to Sarah) Yeah, I guess you're right. (back to us) Oh, and have you heard these rumors? The Russians may be sending a satellite up into space; and I've heard our country may try to one-up them by walking on the moon. (Chuckles) That's never gonna happen. And if it does, well, I'd much rather be here on solid ground. Say, Jimmy?
(James appears behind left scrim, watching a television broadcast of the New York Yankees.)
JAMES: Yeah, Pop? What is it? Dang, the Yanks are taking it to the Cardinals. Mickey Mantle is just unstoppable.
JOHN: Son, have you helped your mother with the picnic basket?
SARAH: No, he hasn't.
(Sarah appears behind the right scrim, packing the bags. Jessica is also there, picking up James' slack.)
JOHN: Oh, I nearly forgot. It's such a beautiful day out, that Sarah's decided to take the family out for a picnic in the park.
SARAH: It's going to be a real nice time...that is, if someone helps me out here.
JESSICA: Come on, James! Don't you even want to go on this picnic?
JAMES: But mom, the game's almost over...
SARAH: Well, you'd better hurry along, or else I may just forget to pack those Jell-O packs you like so much.
JESSICA: Yeah, and I may slip a No-Cal in there, too.
JAMES: Ugh, I'm coming! Gosh, why can't Jane help?
JOHN: (to James) James, now don't bother your sister. (to us) She's preparing for her date to the drive-in theater, I guess she's too good for us now....
(Rover barks. Jane appears behind the left scrim, talking on the phone)
JANE: Oh, that Dan, he's such a show-off. Leave it to the hot-rodders, am I right? Are you going to the movies with him tonight? Yeah, ain't that a bite? I'd be peeved to be seen in public with him, too.
JOHN: Sounds like Jane's having boyfriend troubles in the fabulous 50s. With all these hot rod cars these kids drive around these days, it's easy to be impressed, but it's hard to find the right one. Something wrong, Jane?
JANE: It's nothing, Dad. Steve just he thinks he's Elvis and he doesn't want to chip in the 50 cents for the movies.
JOHN: (Chuckles) Well, darling, the best advice I can give you is look for the quiet and humble ones. After all, that's what your mother looked for.
SARAH: (from off-stage) Now, John, you weren't so quiet yourself...you always had to be right.
(Rover barks.)
JOHN: Rover, don't interrupt while Sarah's interrupting. I guess I don't remember that part of our courtship.
(Lights up on James, watching "Dateline Disneyland" on the TV.)
JAMES: Hey, look at this!
WALT DISNEY: To all who come to this happy place, welcome. Disneyland is your land.
JOHN: How about that? Ol' Walt's opening up a theme park. Let me tell you folks, that fella Walt has some good pictures out as of late in the theaters. And he's constantly pushing the limits of progress, and heading into tomorrow. Well, I guess that's something we both have in common: a bright outlook for the future ahead. After all...
(The song starts again and we rotate to...)
ACT 3: THE 2000s
(We are in a home found in the early 2000s. It's a beautiful fall day.)
JOHN: Welcome to Autumn here in the new millennium! I never thought I'd live to see the day when our planet celebrates being here for 2,000 years, but yet, here we are. And let me tell you: the world has changed a lot. Heck, just in the last few decades alone, progress has reshaped basically every part of our life. Everything is automated these days. Even....
(From off-stage, we hear a toilet flush, followed by a very familiar voice.)
ORVILLE: No privacy at all around this place!
JOHN: (to Orville) Sorry, Orville. (to us) Yeah, that's our perennial houseguest, old Uncle Orville. Drifts in here from time to time. Takes our hospitality for granted. (whispering) Too bad he's not looking at the "Help Wanted" ads. (normal voice) And speaking of taking things for granted, it's amazing to see how much we do just that. There's lots of things in life to celebrate. The Red Sox finally broke the Curse of the Bambino and beat my old Cardinals in the World Series. Now if only the Cubs can win. (Chuckles) But that'll never happen. We have these new movie screens called "IMAX". The screen is so big and real that it almost feels like you're in the movie! And with the 3D glasses, it makes it even more amazing! And that's not even touching all the ways that our home has seen progress since this century began. The World Wide Web has brought so much innovation into our home. Heck there's even these search engines, where you can look up anything in the world, and in just seconds you get information on it. I doubt if they can sustain it. Yeah, we're living on easy street these days. And the world is growing in population each and every day. We may even hit 7 billion people on this planet, and now, we can communicate from anywhere in the world. Here, just watch. Say, Sarah...
SARAH: Yes, John?
JOHN: How about we check in and see how Jane's doing in college?
SARAH: She's doing fine. In fact, I was just about to talk with her.
(Lights up to reveal Jane in her dorm on the left side of the stage. Her computer is equipped with a real camera, making her appear on Sarah's computer.)
JANE: (annoyed) Honestly, dad, why can't you just text me, instead of calling all the time?
JOHN: (chuckles) Calm down, Jane. I'm just showing our friends here the power of the inter-webs.
JANE: Dad, it's called the internet. I thought you were supposed to be up-to-date on progress?
JOHN: I am, but it's moving faster than ever nowadays, and I'm having trouble catching up!
JANE: (chuckles) Looks like when I go on winter break, I'm gonna have to show you how to use e-mail...for the third time, might I add.
SARAH: (chuckling as well) Your father and your e-mail...
JOHN: (defending himself) Hey now, who's the guy who set up that automatic voice-mail contraption, huh?
SARAH: John, for the last time, the voice comes with the answering machine. I asked you to record your voice, remember? You certainly like to talk a lot...
JOHN: You're not helping my case, Sarah. (to us) You know, it's not just communications that have been improved with progress. The games we play are also improving, as Jimmy and Jessie could probably tell you...
(Jimmy and Jessica are revealed stage right, playing his video games on an old PlayStation.)
JOHN: Say Jimmy, how are you liking your video games?
JAMES: Oh, they're awesome, Dad. They're certainly better than that old dinosaur "Pong".
JESSICA: How did people back then think Pong was entertaining?
JOHN: Hey now, Pong is better than the junk currently sold on the shelves. And besides, all you do is sit inside playing those games. Whatever happened to going outside?
JAMES: Aw, Dad, I still get outside. I can still beat you in basketball, you know.
JESSICA: And I led my softball team to victory in the state championships!
JOHN: You got me there. (to us) Oh, and I almost forgot: these days, it's much easier to keep in touch with your friends and family, thanks to something called "social media".
SARAH: I just love that Facebook site. It's how I was able to find my night job, remember?
JOHN: Yes, dear. I remember. How come nobody likes my posts, anyway?
GRANDMA: (from off-stage) Because you post about progress by the time everyone already knows about it! What really sells are these funny cats videos that I post.
JOHN: Gosh, I guess I never keep up with the times. Well as we head on into the 21st century, in this technological age, progress is moving faster than ever. We're going to have a lot of visionaries in the 21st century, that's for sure, and everything and anything we could imagine, is just a dream away. Come on, you know the words. Let's sing further into the 21st century!
(The song starts. We rotate.)
ACT IV: THE FUTURE (2050s)
(We find ourselves in a "house of the future", with the distant silhouette of Progress City behind it. The entire family: John, Sarah, Jane, James, Jessica, Rover, Grandma and Grandpa are here. It's Christmastime; and snow is falling in the background. For the most part, this should look like the current scene (pictured above), only more "futuristic.")
FATHER: "If we can dream it, we can do it." That's the motto that I've stuck to as we head towards the future, and by golly, it still rings true. We're approaching a bold new era of new innovations and discoveries that'll make our lives even easier than before; but until then, we're just enjoying a nice family Christmas.
JAMES: Hey, I've got an idea for the future: a way to make Grandma give me back my virtual reality headset.
SARAH: Now James, don't you start up again.
JAMES: She's had it for hours, Mom!
JOHN: Your mother's right, Jimmy. Let your grandma have fun with it.
JAMES: I wonder what she's doing with it?
SARAH: Well, plug it into the TV and we'll find out.
(The TV reveals a space simulator.)
GRANDMA: I've always wanted to know what space looks like. When I was a little girl, I used to dream of being an astronaut. Did I ever tell you about the time I got to go on the International Space Station?
JESSICA: You sure did, Grandma, and it keeps getting better every time!
JANE: (sitting with a guitar (as in the early days of the WDW Carousel), plunking out the melody of "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow") Is it any wonder why I plan to become an astronaut like you?
GRANDPA: You know something, you kids sure do got it easy these days. Not only do we have these wireless communications, but transportation is getting so much better. That PeopleMover sure is something else. (chuckles)
(Rover barks.)
JOHN: Easy, Rover. (to us) He's complaining because electric vehicles are so quiet. He misses being able to bark at passing cars.
GRANDPA: Say John, remember when we used to be part of the "rat race"?
JOHN: (chuckles) Like it was yesterday, Pop. In fact, that's a relic we still have to this day. Not even progress can stop traffic jams!
GRANDPA: Y'know, while we're sitting here, warm and cozy, I can't help but feel mighty sorry for all those people out there that bucking traffic and those crowds; trying to get home for the holidays. Y'know, every city should have a PeopleMover in it. Who knows? If enough come by, traffic jams could be a thing of the past.
JAMES: I hope so. I couldn't bear the thought of postponing another golf session with you, Grandpa.
GRANDPA: So do I, champ. Ah, I just love to slice the old five-iron. I'm in the 80s, myself...my golf score, that is.
JANE: Say Dad, when's your specialty gonna get done cooking?
JOHN: Calm down, everyone. It takes a lot of time for me to patent my omelettes superb avec jambon.
JANE: Known in other circles as "ham and eggs".
(The kids laugh. Rover barks.)
JOHN: Watch your mouth, Rover. And as for you three, whatever happened to respect for your elders?
GRANDMA: (to John) I was thinking the same thing when you were growing up.
(The kids laugh at Grandma's comeback.)
JESSICA: Say, Mom, would you mind turning the TV back to satellite? I want to see the New Years celebrations.
JAMES: Is it that time already?
JANE: Well of course! Matter of fact, it's past that time in half the world.
JAMES: Wow, the things they teach these children nowadays.
JANE: Very funny, James.
(Various news channels play in succession.)
VARIOUS NEWSCASTERS: Celebrating the New Year here in London, a large crowd has gathered. (Channel changes.) Tremendous pace as happy Parisians welcome the New Year- (Channel changes.) A happy holiday spirit fills the evening. We still have several hours before midnight here in the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World but already people from all over the world are celebrating-
GRANDMA: Oh my goodness! Look at that.
EVERYONE: (Ad lib reactions) Wow! Sensational! That's great!
JESSICA: I've always wanted to see the world. Maybe in the future, air travel will be so quick, we can travel from one end of the world to another in just minutes.
GRANDMA: I always did love world traveling.
JAMES: No kidding, Grandma. In one year, you managed to travel around the world, take up tennis, and even organize your high school reunion. Incredible!
GRANDPA: Who knows, champ? Maybe we'll all take a flight ourselves.
(Rover barks.)
JOHN: You know, I feel like sending up some fireworks myself.
SARAH: We really do have a lot to celebrate, and not just things, either.
JOHN: It's the whole quality of our lives.
JAMES: Hey, it's great you two feel that way.
SARAH: Why shouldn't we?
JAMES: The world is getting more complex.
JANE: Really?
GRANDPA: Well, today is always more complex than yesterday. Always has been.
JOHN: But it's more exciting too. We have so many more choices.
SARAH: I think that's the best part.
JAMES: In fact, I just heard that that colony on Mars is almost complete! Who knows? Maybe we'll find a new planet to settle on someday.
JOHN: And that's the really exciting part. You never know what's on the horizon. And it goes to show you that progress only happens when we dream big, inspire others, and dedicate ourselves to our goals. The future is bright and it's just a dream away.
(The timer dings.)
SARAH: Oh, speaking of good things, sounds like it's time for our omelette superb avec jambon.
(Rover barks.)
JOHN: See, even Rover's enthusiastic about the future! Alright fella, I get the message. And yes dear, you're right. Progress is always there; ready to guide us to new horizons, towards that great big beautiful tomorrow.
JESSICA: (raising a glass) Here's to the future!
ALL: To the future!
(Rover barks. All laugh. The song starts up again. The jubilant singing of the family fades away as we return to the same theater we started in; the parted curtain revealing the show's logo. As the song ends, John bids us farewell.)
"Well, folks, we certainly hope you've enjoyed your time here on Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress. Please gather all your personal belongings and exit through the doors located to the left. Have a great big beautiful day, and remember, tomorrow is just a dream away."
"There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow" plays as we exit through the doors at the back of the theater and emerge back in Discoveryland.
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And there we have Disneyland Maine's take on Carousel of Progress! For this, I was mainly inspired by the version created by @spacemt354 and @MonorailRed for their 50 for the 50th project, so all credit goes to them.
And yes, I just realized this: we never do see the girl helping Mother out in the opening scene again, do we? Well, with this version of the show, I decided to expand her part and officially make her one of the family! I hope to become an Imagineer in the future, and I indeed hope to update the WDW Carousel--because it's in dire need of an update. So if that happens, you may just see Jessica soon!
Well, with all the rides and attractions I wanted to talk about out of the way, let's get on with the daily entertainment! Say, is it almost 3:00?
Disney's Dream Celebration Parade
Disney's Dream Celebration Parade is the main parade here at Disneyland Park, bringing guests into the magical worlds of Disney like never before. Utilizing colorful floats and vibrant costumes, it feels as though a storybook has opened its pages! Beginning at Discoveryland, the parade route goes past the Discoveryland Junction, passes by The Grand Dirigible and Reichelt Hangar (home of Soarin'), goes along the bridge that leads to Central Plaza, past the eastern wing of Snow White Castle, through the eastern side of the Hub, down Main Street, around Town Square, and out through a backstage entrance in-between the Opera House and Iwerks, Inc.
Afternoon has come here at Disneyland Park, and excitement is high as the parade will soon be coming our way! At 3:00 sharp, an instrumental of "When You Wish Upon a Star" starts to play as we hear a narrator's voice:
"Once upon a time, there lived a man named Walt Disney. Walt was, like a lot of you, a dreamer. He was a dreamer who could transform wishes into reality, and with just a sprinkle of pixie dust, he made characters we could only read about come to life. Over the years, we've met them all--a girl whose foot fit the glass slipper, a magical genie who can make wishes come true, a little lion cub who just can't wait to be king. Theirs was a world where dreams became reality and anything could happen. Today, we invite you to step inside this amazing world and let your imagination free as Disneyland proudly presents Disney's Dream Celebration Parade!"
The instrumental soon segues into a jubilant, full-blooded rendition of the parade's theme, "Just Like We Dreamed It".
On the horizon, we see it. The first float is a-coming. The parade has begun!
First Float: Once Upon a Time
Coming down the parade route, a large storybook float appears floating on a cloud, led in by a series of parade performers as animators, holding paintbrushes, pencils and paint cans. The open storybook reads, "Disney's Dream Celebration Parade", glowing in changing, colorful LED lighting. Underneath the title, the page of the storybook feature numerous Disney characters, that are slowly revealed when the character is back-lit from within the storybook. On the backside of the storybook, fiber-optic, LED lighting waves appear, as if they storybook has just opened the guests into a world of magic.
Second Float: Pinocchio/Winnie the Pooh
As the book passes us by, Honest John and Gideon make their way down the street, with a set of donkey boys, dancing to "Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee". Following Honest John and Gideon, the front of the next float features a large puppet Geppetto operating two puppet performers, who actually operate the Geppetto puppet. (Of course, this part is recycled from Disneyland's Parade of Dreams.) Located in-between the two puppets, Pinocchio is located. On a miniature stage to the left of Geppetto, Jiminy Cricket waves to guests. An audio-animatronic Figaro reaches into a fish bowl to capture a swimming Cleo. On another miniature stage to the right of Geppetto, the Blue Fairy is located, telling the entire audience to be true of heart and their dreams will come true. On the backside of the entire scene, a storybook "page" is located, separating it from the second half of the float.
On the backside of the float, we find ourselves in the 100 Acre Wood. A large, beautiful tree with orange and dark red leaves, features a quiet Piglet waving from inside. Winnie the Pooh sits in an overflowing hunny pot just off the right of the tree. Tigger bounces in a grove just off the left of the tree. Following this float are Christopher Robin, Eeyore, Rabbit, Owl and Kanga with Roo, make their way down the parade route, carrying colorful flying flags.
Third Float: The Princess and the Frog
A somewhat small riverboat travels down the parade route, steaming with smoke from the top canisters. In the front of the steamboat, Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen wave to the guests. The inside of the riverboat is adorned with water pads and beautiful lily flowers. Louis, the Alligator, steers the entire riverboat from the Captain's Deck, as a cast of performers sing "Down in New Orleans". On the back of the boat, Dr. Facilier awaits, taunting the guests. A shadowy, dark figure of Dr. Facilier appears, projected on the boat behind Dr. Facilier.
Fourth Float: The Little Mermaid
A set of performers in tropical, undersea costumes appear down the street with streamers in hand, before a colossal cornucopia of coral and shells appears, with Ariel and Eric planted on top, in a giant clam shell. Watery fountains emerge from the clam shell, making it seem like the couple is being lifted into the air by layering waterfalls. The float features several audio-animatronic fish from the "Under the Sea" scene, including Flounder and Sebastian, who sits at the front of the float in a much smaller clam shell, conducting the entire orchestra of fish.
Fifth Float: Peter Pan/Mary Poppins
To continue this nautical theme, here come Captain Hook, along with Mr. Smee and his crew of pirates, heralding the arrival of a glorious pirate ship, with Peter Pan at the ship's wheel. Wendy cheerfully stands next to him, waving and interacting with the guests. Tinker Bell appears as a projection in the ship's hold. Tall masts stretch into the sky. At the base of the ships, watery waves are sculpted onto the base of the ship, as Tic-Toc, the Crocodile makes his way up the ship. At the back end of the ship, the wood work begins to fade into the brick-work of chimneys and London buildings. Big Ben, located on the opposite side of the float, can be seen.
On the opposite side of the float, a series of chimneys and London buildings make up the background of the Mary Poppins section of the float. Mary and Bert are both riding on horses on a small carousel, located on the back end of the float. A tall structure of the clocktower, Big Ben, is located just behind the carousel. Dancing penguins and chimney sweeps from the movie proceed to follow the float.
(As if the pictures weren't any indication, this float comes to us from Disneyland Paris' Once Upon a Dream Parade.)
Sixth Float: Alice in Wonderland
The White Rabbit and Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum make their way down the parade route, heralding the arrival of the wacky world of Wonderland. This float unit consists of three separate floats, all attached, but each with a different theme. The first float comes down adorned with beautiful flowers, seen in "The Golden Afternoon" scene from the movie. In the center of the float, the catepillar from the film, sits atop a large mushroom, smoking, as puffs of circular smoke emant from the audio-animatronics' mouth. The float is surrounded with different sort of trees and leaves. The Cheshire Cat spontaneously appears within the openings of the trees.
Continuing on to the second float of the unit, the float consists of a large table, adorned with all different sorts of teapots, teacups and plates. Alice, the Mad Hatter and the March Hare run along the float, interacting with the guests. Lanterns are suspended from the top of the float. In the third and final float of the Alice in Wonderland unit, tall hedge maze arches surround the float. Each of the arches is guarded by a heart or a spade soldier, surrounding the Queen of Hearts, who wields a dodo bird, in the middle of an intense game of croquette. The float is adorned with white roses, which have been hap-hazardly been painted red.
Seventh Float: Aladdin
Genie, Abu and Iago make their way down the parade route, alongside cymbal dancers and harem girls, heralding the arrival of Aladdin and Jasmine aboard their Magic Carpet. The Magic Carpet hovers about five feet off of the ground, with a pillar support as its' track. Clouds of smoke emanate from the sides and underneath the carpet, to not only hide the mechanisms of the moving carpet, but to make it seem as if Aladdin and Jasmine are on the carpet, floating on a continuously moving cloud. The carpet soars over a model of Agrabah, which gradually gets larger as it reaches the back of the float. At the back of the float is the Sultan's Palace, shining in all its glory.
Eighth Float: Frozen
A team of ice harvesters make their way down the route, using their pick-axes to make blue sparks in the pavement. Olaf dances right alongside them. Riding on a float designed to look like a scenic fjord, we find Anna, in her coronation gown, and Kristoff standing in front of Arendelle Castle. Towering over the float is the North Mountain, complete with Elsa's ice palace. Elsa herself stands on the balcony, making "snow" appear (soap bubbles--the same kind that falls on Main Street at Christmas time).
Ninth Float: Toy Story
The Green Army Men march their way down the parade route in time with the music. Mr. Potato Head, Rex, Slinky Dog, Bullseye and Bo Peep also walk down the parade route, interacting with guests as they pass by. This float seems to be built out of Tinker-Toys, and decorated with cards, monkeys from the barrel, and other Toy Story pals. Woody and Jessie stand at the front of the float, nearby Mr. Spell. Above them is Buzz Lightyear, riding in his spaceship. A mobile of Little Green Aliens spins nearby him. Essentially, this is the same float used for Block Party Bash, re-purposed here.
Tenth Float: Finding Nemo
By the time Disneyland Maine opens, I'm sure Disneyland Paris' Stars on Parade will no longer be running. As such, the Finding Nemo float will find a place here, complete with puppeteers operating puppets of Nemo, Marlin and Dory leading the float on.
Eleventh Float: The Jungle
The eleventh float of the parade is themed to three different Disney movies and consists of three distinct units to the float. The first float of the unit is themed to The Lion King. Dancers dressed like lions, birds, cheetahs, panthers, gazelles and monkeys make their way down the street. Stilt walkers representing giraffes and birds dance down the street A down-sized Pride Rock appears on the parade route, as a puppet Simba communicates with the audience. Timon and Pumbaa audio-animatronics lie just underneath the rock face of Pride Rock. On the opposite side of them, an audio-animatronic Zazu talks to the audience. Off to the side of Pride Rock, a streaming waterfall runs down both sides of the float. The sides of the float are covered in dense jungle trees and plants, before revealing Rafiki on the back end of the float, with a hand-drawn image of Simba, drawn into the wood of a tree trunk.
The next float of the unit is themed to The Jungle Book. Tall trees border the corners of the float, as the entire center of the float is themed to a ruined jungle fortress, where King Louie has made his home. Mowgli, Baloo and King Louie all dance to "I Wanna Be Like You", along with a crew of monkey performers. Kaa, the snake, surrounds the top of the float, hanging from the trees, occasionally hissing at the guests.
The final float in the unit is themed to Tarzan. The float consists of dense jungle plants bordering the floats, with a large rock fixture in the background, featuring a cascading waterfall. A canopy of leaves and vines are suspended overhead. Tarzan and Jane circle the float from the overhead vines, before proceeding to interact with the audience. On the back side of the waterfall, Terk is located.
Twelfth Float: The Villains
A series of dark creatures make their way down the street, as the tone of the music turns dismal and dark. The villains appear at the base of Bald Mountain. Chernabog, the winged-demon, sits at the top of the mountain, sneering at the guests, as the mountain occasionally erupts with smoke. The haunting score of "Night on Bald Mountain" plays. Slithering down the curves of the mountain, wrapping around it, Jafar, as a snake, slithers towards the front of the float, leading the way, as the audio-animatronic head of the snake, slithers and moves its' head awfully close to the audience.
At the front of the mountain, on either side of Jafar, Maleficent stands with her staff, opposite to the Evil Queen, standing before a smoking cauldron, holding a poisoned, red apple. Located to the left of Maleficent, Hades is located. On the opposite side of the float, located to the right of the Evil Queen, a puppeteered Scar is located. On the back-side of the float, an audio-animatronic Ursula sits, manipulating the guests to come visit her in her lair, so they can make a little bargain.
Thirteenth Float: The Royal Ball
The three good fairies, Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, along with the Fairy Godmother, lead in the next float, casting magical dust from their wands into the audience and towards the villain float, to almost repel them away. A set of royal dancers leads into the next float,a royal triple-tiered golden staircase, adorned with beautiful golden banners, golden castle spires, leading to beautiful silver turrets, reflecting the sunlight, making everything glow with a radiant hue. Tall garden arches beautiful arrange around the triple-tiered staircase, upholding a large crystal chandelier.
At the base of the first tiered staircase, Snow White and Prince Florian are located, along with Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip. Leading up to he second tier of golden staircases, Belle and Prince Adam are located, along with Rapunzel and Flynn Rider. Rapunzel's hair seems to flow down the set of stairs and wrap around parts of the sides of the float, with are adorned with flowers and golden carvings. At the very top tier of the float, Cinderella and Prince Charming are located, standing right before a beautifully detailed stained-glass portrait of Cinderella Castle, adorned with blue curtains.
Fourteenth Float: Finale
Characters such as Daisy, Pluto, Chip and Dale, Clarabelle Cow and Horace Horsecollar make their way down the parade route, heralding the final float. The final float of the parade features a flat surfaced storybook. Clouds of smoke and LED waves of light emerging from the clouds enchant the entire float, as if it is being overcome with magic. The pages of the book make up the stairs leading up to the float. The pages are littered with words and stories from Disney movies. Goofy, Donald and Oswald are at the base of the float, with paintbrushes and pencils in hand. The pages of the stairs lead up to Sorcerer Mickey Mouse, who is using his magical powers, to create the storybook. Minnie stands right nearby him. LED lighting appears to flow from Mickey and illuminates words and images throughout the entire float, making it appear as though Mickey is magically writing the story. The words behind Mickey seem to fade into infinity, as Mickey and Minnie tell the audience to use their dreams to create their own story.
A banner displaying "Disney's Dream Celebration" follows the float and closes out the parade.
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What did you guys think? Did you like the parade, and its two new additions? I added in the Frozen and Finding Nemo floats in, bringing the total float number up from twelve to fourteen.
Now, that's the big entertainment during the day. Soon, we'll take a look at three special events that happen at night, beginning with a tried-and-true classic. See ya then!
Disney's Dream Celebration Parade is the main parade here at Disneyland Park, bringing guests into the magical worlds of Disney like never before. Utilizing colorful floats and vibrant costumes, it feels as though a storybook has opened its pages! Beginning at Discoveryland, the parade route goes past the Discoveryland Junction, passes by The Grand Dirigible and Reichelt Hangar (home of Soarin'), goes along the bridge that leads to Central Plaza, past the eastern wing of Snow White Castle, through the eastern side of the Hub, down Main Street, around Town Square, and out through a backstage entrance in-between the Opera House and Iwerks, Inc.
Afternoon has come here at Disneyland Park, and excitement is high as the parade will soon be coming our way! At 3:00 sharp, an instrumental of "When You Wish Upon a Star" starts to play as we hear a narrator's voice:
"Once upon a time, there lived a man named Walt Disney. Walt was, like a lot of you, a dreamer. He was a dreamer who could transform wishes into reality, and with just a sprinkle of pixie dust, he made characters we could only read about come to life. Over the years, we've met them all--a girl whose foot fit the glass slipper, a magical genie who can make wishes come true, a little lion cub who just can't wait to be king. Theirs was a world where dreams became reality and anything could happen. Today, we invite you to step inside this amazing world and let your imagination free as Disneyland proudly presents Disney's Dream Celebration Parade!"
The instrumental soon segues into a jubilant, full-blooded rendition of the parade's theme, "Just Like We Dreamed It".
On the horizon, we see it. The first float is a-coming. The parade has begun!
First Float: Once Upon a Time
Coming down the parade route, a large storybook float appears floating on a cloud, led in by a series of parade performers as animators, holding paintbrushes, pencils and paint cans. The open storybook reads, "Disney's Dream Celebration Parade", glowing in changing, colorful LED lighting. Underneath the title, the page of the storybook feature numerous Disney characters, that are slowly revealed when the character is back-lit from within the storybook. On the backside of the storybook, fiber-optic, LED lighting waves appear, as if they storybook has just opened the guests into a world of magic.
Second Float: Pinocchio/Winnie the Pooh
As the book passes us by, Honest John and Gideon make their way down the street, with a set of donkey boys, dancing to "Hi-Diddle-Dee-Dee". Following Honest John and Gideon, the front of the next float features a large puppet Geppetto operating two puppet performers, who actually operate the Geppetto puppet. (Of course, this part is recycled from Disneyland's Parade of Dreams.) Located in-between the two puppets, Pinocchio is located. On a miniature stage to the left of Geppetto, Jiminy Cricket waves to guests. An audio-animatronic Figaro reaches into a fish bowl to capture a swimming Cleo. On another miniature stage to the right of Geppetto, the Blue Fairy is located, telling the entire audience to be true of heart and their dreams will come true. On the backside of the entire scene, a storybook "page" is located, separating it from the second half of the float.
On the backside of the float, we find ourselves in the 100 Acre Wood. A large, beautiful tree with orange and dark red leaves, features a quiet Piglet waving from inside. Winnie the Pooh sits in an overflowing hunny pot just off the right of the tree. Tigger bounces in a grove just off the left of the tree. Following this float are Christopher Robin, Eeyore, Rabbit, Owl and Kanga with Roo, make their way down the parade route, carrying colorful flying flags.
Third Float: The Princess and the Frog
A somewhat small riverboat travels down the parade route, steaming with smoke from the top canisters. In the front of the steamboat, Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen wave to the guests. The inside of the riverboat is adorned with water pads and beautiful lily flowers. Louis, the Alligator, steers the entire riverboat from the Captain's Deck, as a cast of performers sing "Down in New Orleans". On the back of the boat, Dr. Facilier awaits, taunting the guests. A shadowy, dark figure of Dr. Facilier appears, projected on the boat behind Dr. Facilier.
Fourth Float: The Little Mermaid
A set of performers in tropical, undersea costumes appear down the street with streamers in hand, before a colossal cornucopia of coral and shells appears, with Ariel and Eric planted on top, in a giant clam shell. Watery fountains emerge from the clam shell, making it seem like the couple is being lifted into the air by layering waterfalls. The float features several audio-animatronic fish from the "Under the Sea" scene, including Flounder and Sebastian, who sits at the front of the float in a much smaller clam shell, conducting the entire orchestra of fish.
Fifth Float: Peter Pan/Mary Poppins
To continue this nautical theme, here come Captain Hook, along with Mr. Smee and his crew of pirates, heralding the arrival of a glorious pirate ship, with Peter Pan at the ship's wheel. Wendy cheerfully stands next to him, waving and interacting with the guests. Tinker Bell appears as a projection in the ship's hold. Tall masts stretch into the sky. At the base of the ships, watery waves are sculpted onto the base of the ship, as Tic-Toc, the Crocodile makes his way up the ship. At the back end of the ship, the wood work begins to fade into the brick-work of chimneys and London buildings. Big Ben, located on the opposite side of the float, can be seen.
On the opposite side of the float, a series of chimneys and London buildings make up the background of the Mary Poppins section of the float. Mary and Bert are both riding on horses on a small carousel, located on the back end of the float. A tall structure of the clocktower, Big Ben, is located just behind the carousel. Dancing penguins and chimney sweeps from the movie proceed to follow the float.
(As if the pictures weren't any indication, this float comes to us from Disneyland Paris' Once Upon a Dream Parade.)
Sixth Float: Alice in Wonderland
The White Rabbit and Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum make their way down the parade route, heralding the arrival of the wacky world of Wonderland. This float unit consists of three separate floats, all attached, but each with a different theme. The first float comes down adorned with beautiful flowers, seen in "The Golden Afternoon" scene from the movie. In the center of the float, the catepillar from the film, sits atop a large mushroom, smoking, as puffs of circular smoke emant from the audio-animatronics' mouth. The float is surrounded with different sort of trees and leaves. The Cheshire Cat spontaneously appears within the openings of the trees.
Continuing on to the second float of the unit, the float consists of a large table, adorned with all different sorts of teapots, teacups and plates. Alice, the Mad Hatter and the March Hare run along the float, interacting with the guests. Lanterns are suspended from the top of the float. In the third and final float of the Alice in Wonderland unit, tall hedge maze arches surround the float. Each of the arches is guarded by a heart or a spade soldier, surrounding the Queen of Hearts, who wields a dodo bird, in the middle of an intense game of croquette. The float is adorned with white roses, which have been hap-hazardly been painted red.
Seventh Float: Aladdin
Genie, Abu and Iago make their way down the parade route, alongside cymbal dancers and harem girls, heralding the arrival of Aladdin and Jasmine aboard their Magic Carpet. The Magic Carpet hovers about five feet off of the ground, with a pillar support as its' track. Clouds of smoke emanate from the sides and underneath the carpet, to not only hide the mechanisms of the moving carpet, but to make it seem as if Aladdin and Jasmine are on the carpet, floating on a continuously moving cloud. The carpet soars over a model of Agrabah, which gradually gets larger as it reaches the back of the float. At the back of the float is the Sultan's Palace, shining in all its glory.
Eighth Float: Frozen
A team of ice harvesters make their way down the route, using their pick-axes to make blue sparks in the pavement. Olaf dances right alongside them. Riding on a float designed to look like a scenic fjord, we find Anna, in her coronation gown, and Kristoff standing in front of Arendelle Castle. Towering over the float is the North Mountain, complete with Elsa's ice palace. Elsa herself stands on the balcony, making "snow" appear (soap bubbles--the same kind that falls on Main Street at Christmas time).
Ninth Float: Toy Story
The Green Army Men march their way down the parade route in time with the music. Mr. Potato Head, Rex, Slinky Dog, Bullseye and Bo Peep also walk down the parade route, interacting with guests as they pass by. This float seems to be built out of Tinker-Toys, and decorated with cards, monkeys from the barrel, and other Toy Story pals. Woody and Jessie stand at the front of the float, nearby Mr. Spell. Above them is Buzz Lightyear, riding in his spaceship. A mobile of Little Green Aliens spins nearby him. Essentially, this is the same float used for Block Party Bash, re-purposed here.
Tenth Float: Finding Nemo
By the time Disneyland Maine opens, I'm sure Disneyland Paris' Stars on Parade will no longer be running. As such, the Finding Nemo float will find a place here, complete with puppeteers operating puppets of Nemo, Marlin and Dory leading the float on.
Eleventh Float: The Jungle
The eleventh float of the parade is themed to three different Disney movies and consists of three distinct units to the float. The first float of the unit is themed to The Lion King. Dancers dressed like lions, birds, cheetahs, panthers, gazelles and monkeys make their way down the street. Stilt walkers representing giraffes and birds dance down the street A down-sized Pride Rock appears on the parade route, as a puppet Simba communicates with the audience. Timon and Pumbaa audio-animatronics lie just underneath the rock face of Pride Rock. On the opposite side of them, an audio-animatronic Zazu talks to the audience. Off to the side of Pride Rock, a streaming waterfall runs down both sides of the float. The sides of the float are covered in dense jungle trees and plants, before revealing Rafiki on the back end of the float, with a hand-drawn image of Simba, drawn into the wood of a tree trunk.
The next float of the unit is themed to The Jungle Book. Tall trees border the corners of the float, as the entire center of the float is themed to a ruined jungle fortress, where King Louie has made his home. Mowgli, Baloo and King Louie all dance to "I Wanna Be Like You", along with a crew of monkey performers. Kaa, the snake, surrounds the top of the float, hanging from the trees, occasionally hissing at the guests.
The final float in the unit is themed to Tarzan. The float consists of dense jungle plants bordering the floats, with a large rock fixture in the background, featuring a cascading waterfall. A canopy of leaves and vines are suspended overhead. Tarzan and Jane circle the float from the overhead vines, before proceeding to interact with the audience. On the back side of the waterfall, Terk is located.
Twelfth Float: The Villains
A series of dark creatures make their way down the street, as the tone of the music turns dismal and dark. The villains appear at the base of Bald Mountain. Chernabog, the winged-demon, sits at the top of the mountain, sneering at the guests, as the mountain occasionally erupts with smoke. The haunting score of "Night on Bald Mountain" plays. Slithering down the curves of the mountain, wrapping around it, Jafar, as a snake, slithers towards the front of the float, leading the way, as the audio-animatronic head of the snake, slithers and moves its' head awfully close to the audience.
At the front of the mountain, on either side of Jafar, Maleficent stands with her staff, opposite to the Evil Queen, standing before a smoking cauldron, holding a poisoned, red apple. Located to the left of Maleficent, Hades is located. On the opposite side of the float, located to the right of the Evil Queen, a puppeteered Scar is located. On the back-side of the float, an audio-animatronic Ursula sits, manipulating the guests to come visit her in her lair, so they can make a little bargain.
Thirteenth Float: The Royal Ball
The three good fairies, Flora, Fauna and Merryweather, along with the Fairy Godmother, lead in the next float, casting magical dust from their wands into the audience and towards the villain float, to almost repel them away. A set of royal dancers leads into the next float,a royal triple-tiered golden staircase, adorned with beautiful golden banners, golden castle spires, leading to beautiful silver turrets, reflecting the sunlight, making everything glow with a radiant hue. Tall garden arches beautiful arrange around the triple-tiered staircase, upholding a large crystal chandelier.
At the base of the first tiered staircase, Snow White and Prince Florian are located, along with Princess Aurora and Prince Phillip. Leading up to he second tier of golden staircases, Belle and Prince Adam are located, along with Rapunzel and Flynn Rider. Rapunzel's hair seems to flow down the set of stairs and wrap around parts of the sides of the float, with are adorned with flowers and golden carvings. At the very top tier of the float, Cinderella and Prince Charming are located, standing right before a beautifully detailed stained-glass portrait of Cinderella Castle, adorned with blue curtains.
Fourteenth Float: Finale
Characters such as Daisy, Pluto, Chip and Dale, Clarabelle Cow and Horace Horsecollar make their way down the parade route, heralding the final float. The final float of the parade features a flat surfaced storybook. Clouds of smoke and LED waves of light emerging from the clouds enchant the entire float, as if it is being overcome with magic. The pages of the book make up the stairs leading up to the float. The pages are littered with words and stories from Disney movies. Goofy, Donald and Oswald are at the base of the float, with paintbrushes and pencils in hand. The pages of the stairs lead up to Sorcerer Mickey Mouse, who is using his magical powers, to create the storybook. Minnie stands right nearby him. LED lighting appears to flow from Mickey and illuminates words and images throughout the entire float, making it appear as though Mickey is magically writing the story. The words behind Mickey seem to fade into infinity, as Mickey and Minnie tell the audience to use their dreams to create their own story.
A banner displaying "Disney's Dream Celebration" follows the float and closes out the parade.
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What did you guys think? Did you like the parade, and its two new additions? I added in the Frozen and Finding Nemo floats in, bringing the total float number up from twelve to fourteen.
Now, that's the big entertainment during the day. Soon, we'll take a look at three special events that happen at night, beginning with a tried-and-true classic. See ya then!
Main Street Electrical Parade
Now, the cool shades of nighttime cast their veil over Disneyland Park. As the moon rises high, and twinkle-lights illuminate Main Street, U.S.A. and the trees in the Hub, the streets once again bustle with excitement, because a tried-and-true Disney classic is coming our way. After enjoying a fond return engagement at the original Disneyland, the Main Street Electrical Parade has made the trek up north to be a part of the Disneyland Maine experience. But while much of the parade will be the same, there will also be numerous differences as well, all in an effort to really make the classic sparkle as never before. For one thing, the new music and floats will be in place. And there will be appearances by new characters and, more importantly, new scenes in the parade! Let's see what's in store, shall we?
All along the route from Discoveryland to Main Street, the sounds of the original 1972 score, digitally re-mastered for the parade's Northern debut, swell into a dramatic fanfare. The lights along the parade route dim and that iconic vocoder-voiced announcer introduces the parade...
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Disneyland proudly presents our spectacular festival pageant of nighttime magic and imagination, in thousands of sparkling lights and electro-synthe-magnetic musical sounds... the Main Street Electrical Parade!"
With that, the iconic "Baroque Hoedown" starts up as the parade's grand marshal, the Blue Fairy, leads the way. A unique float makes her dress look larger than it would normally seem.
Following behind the Blue Fairy's leading float is another, much more classic float, Casey Jr., which is being driven by none other than Goofy. He playfully pulls on the train whistle, which emits a silly whistle (and real steam) as it comes by the route. The engine is pulling a huge drum upon which the name of the parade is proudly displayed. As in the past, standing on the drum are Mickey and Minnie Mouse, but now they are joined by an old friend, who makes his formal appearance in the parade for the first time, Donald Duck. He stands next to Minnie, while Mickey stands alone up atop the drum and a little further behind. Another new difference is that Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy all speak to you as they pass by, their mouths moving to new technology and everything. They interact with you by way of LCI, so it's always different each time.
After the train and drum pass by, you are now treated to the first of many scenes from many Disney classics to come your way in lit-up lights and synthesized music. First up is the world of Alice in Wonderland. It is similar to the version of old, but with numerous differences, not the least of which is the lack of any mushroom floats, all of which have been repurposed for use elsewhere in the parade, but we'll get to that later. First you see, three classic floats, three spinning creatures that spin around and race from one side of the route to the other. The first is a turtle wearing glasses, then a snail with a red shell and finally a green lightning bug. Amid these spinning critters, you are also treated to more classic characters from the film, most notably, the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit and the Queen of Hearts. Behind this little bunch of characters, you finally see Alice herself reclining on the back of a new float, a giant Cheshire Cat. The float, in keeping with the feline himself, is constantly shifting the lights on and off. Alice herself talks to you as she does in the past, making comments based her experiences in the movie. The float looks like the same float as in the image above.
Behind the Cheshire Cat float cavort more characters and more classic spinning critters. Here, the characters are Tweedledee and Tweedledum and the Walrus and the spinning critters include a turtle wearing a hat, a snail with a green/blue shell and an orange lightning bug. Finally, the last float in the scene is another new float, a giant version of the hookah-smoking Caterpillar, all done up in blue lights. Real smoke rises from the hookah as the Caterpillar makes comments (i.e., "A-E-I-O-U", "Who... R... U...?", "How doth the little crocodile improve his shining tail...", etc.). This float is one of the longest in the parade thus far. And when the Caterpillar float passes by, the "Alice in Wonderland" scene ends.
Following Alice in Wonderland is the Cinderella unit. On the first float, the Fairy Godmother works her magic as Cinderella’s pumpkin carraige rides past. Like at Tokyo, the horses actually trot! Then, we have the classic “Ballroom Dancers” unit from the current parade. This is followed by a float where Cinderella and Prince Charming, share a romantic waltz as the mice--Jaq, Gus, Suzy and Perla--look on. A clock tower stands at the far back of the float.
Up next, a unit themed to Winnie the Pooh. This features Winnie the Pooh, Tigger and Eeyore (also using LCI) sitting outside a tree, pictured right. Piglet, Rabbit and Christopher Robin dance around on the streets. Behind the float, Heffalumps and Woozles can be seen, some giant floats, some operated like Chinese dragons and some using bunraku. The music for this segment is "Winnie the Pooh", "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers" and "Heffalumps and Woozles".
Dumbo, a retired unit is back and better than ever with plenty of new color and effects.
Following this is the Pinocchio unit, which receives no changes.
The Peter Pan unit faces both gains and losses, starting with the old Jolly Roger float. A brand-new and much larger pirate ship (still the Jolly Roger) replaces the float, allowing more room for Pan, Wendy and Hook to battle along with the addition of Mr. Smee whom has been evicted from his tiny rowboat float. In place of the rowboat is a giant recreation of the infamous crocodile, a brightly-lit-green float roving around the street and coming up close and personal with spectators. Wrapped in his tail is a giant alarm clock with spinning hands (spinning clockwise for a bit before turning around and going counter clockwise).
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is up next featuring much of the original unit, starting with the mine carts and jewel mine (all refurbished). One of the old mushroom floats from Alice in Wonderland has been transformed into a recreation of Prince Charming's Castle, the float obviously centered around a waving Snow White and Prince Charming.
Another new unit to the parade is the Jungle unit which as mentioned in a prior post represents The Jungle Book and The Lion King. Taking a cue from DisneySea's rendition of Fantasmic!, an over-sized Simba and Baloo appear on two separate floats, the floats glowing green and adorned with vivid blue waterfalls and colorful flowers. A Baroque Hoedown-style version of "I Wanna Be Like You" and "Hakuna Matata" are the two main songs heard here, appropriate for a unit as such. The giant Simba cub figure is composed of yellow and orange lights on a close-resembling figure (just about as close a resemblance as the Cheshire Cat is to the original) and features a humongous mane composed of color-changing leaves (think "I Just Can't Wait to be King"). Timon, Rafiki, and some puppet-made African wildlife parade around Simba while King Louie and his jazzy monkey army dance around Baloo who like Simba greatly resembles his movie counterpart. Baloo full-on changes colors to truly match his jazzy and upbeat personality. The colors change into images and shapes as well showing jungles, waterfalls, shapes, stripes, and so on so forth.
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Next up, another new addition: The Little Mermaid. This new underwater unit marks the first time since the early 1980s that a scene themed to the ocean is featured, that being the Briny Deep, which was later rethemed as Pinocchio Underwater. Anyway, the new Little Mermaid unit's music has some of Baroque Hoedown intertwined with "Under the Sea" and "Part of Your World". This new unit has some elements of the old Briny Deep scene thrown in, most notably some depictions of seaweed, seahorses and lots of colorful fish, all under a series of ripples to further enhance the underwater effect and bubbles, both lights to simulate those floating up to the surface and real bubbles that are sprayed out towards the audience. It is an entirely new version of the old Briny Deep unit, but new and drastically improved. The fish all swim around in a circle underneath Flounder and Sebastian all lit up. On the end of the float, Ariel herself waves to the audience. Bringing up the rear is a gigantic Ursula float, about the same height as the clock tower in the Cinderella unit, all done up in lights and surrounded on both sides by the Flotsam and Jetsam puppets from the old Parade of Dreams, but which are now re-purposed for this new parade here.
Next up, you witness still another classic scene in the parade: Pete's Dragon! It's the same float as before, a giant Elliot the dragon comes down the street, spewing smoke from his nostrils, disappearing and reappearing at will, his friend Pete riding him on his neck, and a lantern hanging off of his tail. Pete also continues to comment on Elliot to the guests and vice-versa.
Finally, we have still another returning classic, the finale unit To Honor America. Like some of the earlier scenes of the parade, this closing scene is the same traditional unit, but remastered, restored, and given new life, color, and lighting effects. It features the same elements as before: a banner reading "To Honor America", firework rockets, firework effects, a long, elongated American flag, drums, and finally, at the very end of the line, a giant bald eagle to close out. Flanking the sides of the unit are several female performers in colorful colonial getup doing high-kicking dances as they parade along. Behind the eagle, more patriotic girls act as rope tenders to allow the guests to leave. As the music reaches its end, you hear the classic closing line: "Disneyland's Main Street Electrical Parade!" And the music finally reaches its dramatic close, the lights along the parade route are turned back on and the parade is over.
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How did you guys like that? Another perennial favorite restored for Disneyland Maine! Now, before we get to the nightly firework display, let's head over to Frontierland for the ultimate nighttime spectacular! You know it, I know it. In our next post, we shall "trip the light fantastic"...or should that be, fantasmic?
Now, the cool shades of nighttime cast their veil over Disneyland Park. As the moon rises high, and twinkle-lights illuminate Main Street, U.S.A. and the trees in the Hub, the streets once again bustle with excitement, because a tried-and-true Disney classic is coming our way. After enjoying a fond return engagement at the original Disneyland, the Main Street Electrical Parade has made the trek up north to be a part of the Disneyland Maine experience. But while much of the parade will be the same, there will also be numerous differences as well, all in an effort to really make the classic sparkle as never before. For one thing, the new music and floats will be in place. And there will be appearances by new characters and, more importantly, new scenes in the parade! Let's see what's in store, shall we?
All along the route from Discoveryland to Main Street, the sounds of the original 1972 score, digitally re-mastered for the parade's Northern debut, swell into a dramatic fanfare. The lights along the parade route dim and that iconic vocoder-voiced announcer introduces the parade...
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Disneyland proudly presents our spectacular festival pageant of nighttime magic and imagination, in thousands of sparkling lights and electro-synthe-magnetic musical sounds... the Main Street Electrical Parade!"
With that, the iconic "Baroque Hoedown" starts up as the parade's grand marshal, the Blue Fairy, leads the way. A unique float makes her dress look larger than it would normally seem.
Following behind the Blue Fairy's leading float is another, much more classic float, Casey Jr., which is being driven by none other than Goofy. He playfully pulls on the train whistle, which emits a silly whistle (and real steam) as it comes by the route. The engine is pulling a huge drum upon which the name of the parade is proudly displayed. As in the past, standing on the drum are Mickey and Minnie Mouse, but now they are joined by an old friend, who makes his formal appearance in the parade for the first time, Donald Duck. He stands next to Minnie, while Mickey stands alone up atop the drum and a little further behind. Another new difference is that Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Goofy all speak to you as they pass by, their mouths moving to new technology and everything. They interact with you by way of LCI, so it's always different each time.
After the train and drum pass by, you are now treated to the first of many scenes from many Disney classics to come your way in lit-up lights and synthesized music. First up is the world of Alice in Wonderland. It is similar to the version of old, but with numerous differences, not the least of which is the lack of any mushroom floats, all of which have been repurposed for use elsewhere in the parade, but we'll get to that later. First you see, three classic floats, three spinning creatures that spin around and race from one side of the route to the other. The first is a turtle wearing glasses, then a snail with a red shell and finally a green lightning bug. Amid these spinning critters, you are also treated to more classic characters from the film, most notably, the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit and the Queen of Hearts. Behind this little bunch of characters, you finally see Alice herself reclining on the back of a new float, a giant Cheshire Cat. The float, in keeping with the feline himself, is constantly shifting the lights on and off. Alice herself talks to you as she does in the past, making comments based her experiences in the movie. The float looks like the same float as in the image above.
Behind the Cheshire Cat float cavort more characters and more classic spinning critters. Here, the characters are Tweedledee and Tweedledum and the Walrus and the spinning critters include a turtle wearing a hat, a snail with a green/blue shell and an orange lightning bug. Finally, the last float in the scene is another new float, a giant version of the hookah-smoking Caterpillar, all done up in blue lights. Real smoke rises from the hookah as the Caterpillar makes comments (i.e., "A-E-I-O-U", "Who... R... U...?", "How doth the little crocodile improve his shining tail...", etc.). This float is one of the longest in the parade thus far. And when the Caterpillar float passes by, the "Alice in Wonderland" scene ends.
Following Alice in Wonderland is the Cinderella unit. On the first float, the Fairy Godmother works her magic as Cinderella’s pumpkin carraige rides past. Like at Tokyo, the horses actually trot! Then, we have the classic “Ballroom Dancers” unit from the current parade. This is followed by a float where Cinderella and Prince Charming, share a romantic waltz as the mice--Jaq, Gus, Suzy and Perla--look on. A clock tower stands at the far back of the float.
Up next, a unit themed to Winnie the Pooh. This features Winnie the Pooh, Tigger and Eeyore (also using LCI) sitting outside a tree, pictured right. Piglet, Rabbit and Christopher Robin dance around on the streets. Behind the float, Heffalumps and Woozles can be seen, some giant floats, some operated like Chinese dragons and some using bunraku. The music for this segment is "Winnie the Pooh", "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers" and "Heffalumps and Woozles".
Dumbo, a retired unit is back and better than ever with plenty of new color and effects.
Following this is the Pinocchio unit, which receives no changes.
The Peter Pan unit faces both gains and losses, starting with the old Jolly Roger float. A brand-new and much larger pirate ship (still the Jolly Roger) replaces the float, allowing more room for Pan, Wendy and Hook to battle along with the addition of Mr. Smee whom has been evicted from his tiny rowboat float. In place of the rowboat is a giant recreation of the infamous crocodile, a brightly-lit-green float roving around the street and coming up close and personal with spectators. Wrapped in his tail is a giant alarm clock with spinning hands (spinning clockwise for a bit before turning around and going counter clockwise).
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is up next featuring much of the original unit, starting with the mine carts and jewel mine (all refurbished). One of the old mushroom floats from Alice in Wonderland has been transformed into a recreation of Prince Charming's Castle, the float obviously centered around a waving Snow White and Prince Charming.
Another new unit to the parade is the Jungle unit which as mentioned in a prior post represents The Jungle Book and The Lion King. Taking a cue from DisneySea's rendition of Fantasmic!, an over-sized Simba and Baloo appear on two separate floats, the floats glowing green and adorned with vivid blue waterfalls and colorful flowers. A Baroque Hoedown-style version of "I Wanna Be Like You" and "Hakuna Matata" are the two main songs heard here, appropriate for a unit as such. The giant Simba cub figure is composed of yellow and orange lights on a close-resembling figure (just about as close a resemblance as the Cheshire Cat is to the original) and features a humongous mane composed of color-changing leaves (think "I Just Can't Wait to be King"). Timon, Rafiki, and some puppet-made African wildlife parade around Simba while King Louie and his jazzy monkey army dance around Baloo who like Simba greatly resembles his movie counterpart. Baloo full-on changes colors to truly match his jazzy and upbeat personality. The colors change into images and shapes as well showing jungles, waterfalls, shapes, stripes, and so on so forth.
Next up, another new addition: The Little Mermaid. This new underwater unit marks the first time since the early 1980s that a scene themed to the ocean is featured, that being the Briny Deep, which was later rethemed as Pinocchio Underwater. Anyway, the new Little Mermaid unit's music has some of Baroque Hoedown intertwined with "Under the Sea" and "Part of Your World". This new unit has some elements of the old Briny Deep scene thrown in, most notably some depictions of seaweed, seahorses and lots of colorful fish, all under a series of ripples to further enhance the underwater effect and bubbles, both lights to simulate those floating up to the surface and real bubbles that are sprayed out towards the audience. It is an entirely new version of the old Briny Deep unit, but new and drastically improved. The fish all swim around in a circle underneath Flounder and Sebastian all lit up. On the end of the float, Ariel herself waves to the audience. Bringing up the rear is a gigantic Ursula float, about the same height as the clock tower in the Cinderella unit, all done up in lights and surrounded on both sides by the Flotsam and Jetsam puppets from the old Parade of Dreams, but which are now re-purposed for this new parade here.
Next up, you witness still another classic scene in the parade: Pete's Dragon! It's the same float as before, a giant Elliot the dragon comes down the street, spewing smoke from his nostrils, disappearing and reappearing at will, his friend Pete riding him on his neck, and a lantern hanging off of his tail. Pete also continues to comment on Elliot to the guests and vice-versa.
Finally, we have still another returning classic, the finale unit To Honor America. Like some of the earlier scenes of the parade, this closing scene is the same traditional unit, but remastered, restored, and given new life, color, and lighting effects. It features the same elements as before: a banner reading "To Honor America", firework rockets, firework effects, a long, elongated American flag, drums, and finally, at the very end of the line, a giant bald eagle to close out. Flanking the sides of the unit are several female performers in colorful colonial getup doing high-kicking dances as they parade along. Behind the eagle, more patriotic girls act as rope tenders to allow the guests to leave. As the music reaches its end, you hear the classic closing line: "Disneyland's Main Street Electrical Parade!" And the music finally reaches its dramatic close, the lights along the parade route are turned back on and the parade is over.
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How did you guys like that? Another perennial favorite restored for Disneyland Maine! Now, before we get to the nightly firework display, let's head over to Frontierland for the ultimate nighttime spectacular! You know it, I know it. In our next post, we shall "trip the light fantastic"...or should that be, fantasmic?
Before we get on with this next show, I'd like to point out that most of my inspiration for this came from @MANEATINGWREATH's vision for Fantasmic, as detailed in his Dream Disney Resort thread from 2017, so all credit goes to him on that count. With that said, on with the show!
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Fantasmic!
On certain nights in the week, we are invited to gather in Frontierland for the ultimate battle between good and evil. The moon shines high above the great Northern skies. The wild jazz of the French Quarter is our sole entertainment as we look toward the darkened, empty Rivers of America and the seemingly-abandoned Tom Sawyer Island. The majestic Mark Twain Riverboat has since disappeared from sight. The only thing between ourselves and the river is a wrought iron railing of the real world French Quarter, a la Disneyland's own Rivers of America. Suddenly, the warm voice of our female narrator quiets the Dixieland jazz...
~~~~~
NARRATOR: Welcome to Fantasmic! Tonight, our friend and host, Mickey Mouse, uses his vivid imagination to create magical imagery for all to enjoy. Nothing is more wonderful than the imagination - for in a moment, you can experience a beautiful fantasy or an exciting adventure! But beware... Nothing is more powerful than the imagination - for it can also expand your greatest fears into an overwhelming nightmare. (As the lights on and surrounding the Rivers of America come to a blackout, a dim musical cord begins to linger on the horizon, gradually growing louder and closer.) Are the powers of Mickey's incredible imagination strong enough and bright enough to withstand the evil forces that invade Mickey's dream? You are about to find out. For now we invite you to join Mickey and experience Fantasmic! - a journey beyond your wildest imagination...
(As the musical chord grows into an exhilarating crescendo, pixie dust begins to materialize among the shadows, briefly illuminating parts of the barren stage on Tom Sawyer Island. With a triumphant fanfare, a single spotlight blasts to the night sky, the stage now awash in a technicolor glow. Over the following CHORUS, twirling searchlights and colored lights swirl about the arena, all in time with a frenzied build of musical notes.)
CHORUS: Imagination! (Imagination!)
Dream a fantastic dream!
(A second fanfare. MICKEY MOUSE appears front and center, audibly amazed by his fantastic surroundings.)
Use your imagination!
(With a chuckle, MICKEY discovers that - this being his dream - he can control not just the water, but the lights and air around him. To the inspired theme of "Imagination" - the iconic theme of the original "Fantasmic!," MICKEY transforms the entire riverfront into a technicolor whirl of dancing fountains and soaring pyrotechnics, all while colorful designs and figures engulf the stage. As a "grand finale" to the act, MICKEY points one finger in either direction, blasting a stream of golden sparks from either fingertip. With one last chuckle and a shooting star, MICKEY vanishes, replaced by the traditional mist-screens of "Fantasmic!"
SORCERER MICKEY continues the dream-like fantasy, conducting an array of swirling lights, colored fountains and - of course - the marching broomsticks, all to the theme of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." As they do in Fantasia, the broomsticks become carried away, tossing their water-buckets into the river and subsequently "flooding" Mickey's dream. With a burst of power and shower of stars, SORCERER MICKEY halts the chaos, calming the music into a relaxed refrain... The dream transforms into an interstellar field of stars, marked by a shooting star passing overhead. Twinkling constellations and comets soar past on both the mist-screens and the island.)
FEMALE SOLOIST: See it in your mind,
And you can find
In your imagination
(WALL-E and EVE soar past, fire-extinguisher at hand, carelessly waltzing among the stars. A hint of "Define Dancing" plays underneath.)
Mysteries and magic,
Visions fantastic,
Leading to strange and wondrous dreams.
(WALL-E and EVE soar out of sight, followed by SORCERER MICKEY, also afloat in space. The relaxed orchestration continues as an amazed MICKEY discovers a field of jewel-like ice crystals. The glistening crystals float about in time with the music, forming into the silhouette of MINNIE. MICKEY bows, offering a dance. The two waltz among the stars for only a moment, interrupted by a sudden change in music. MINNIE scatters and vanishes. MICKEY turns, facing the sun. As MICKEY transforms into a black silhouette, the sun itself has transformed into the iconic opening sunrise of The Lion King. An intrigued MICKEY walks toward the horizon.)
MALE VOCALIST: Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba!
(The sunrise fades into the image of BABY SIMBA held aloft by RAFIKI, a kaleidoscope of African designs and animals marching past.
CHORUS: Sithi uhm ingonyama!
(The CHORUS continues the usual "Circle of Life" chant before the music takes a sudden turn for the mysterious... The mist-screens shutter, subsequently revealing the giant figure of KAA of The Jungle Book slithering about the island. Towering trees and exotic flora have taken over the stage as the rampant pace of tribal drums fills the air, accommodated by an eerie flute. With an adventurous fanfare, KAA's eyes blast light into the AUDIENCE. The drums grow wilder as a quartet of barges 'cross the water. Tribal designs overwhelm the stage.
Peculiar, muti-patterned MONKEYS perform an exhilarating dance from each barge, each barge also containing a jungle character: BALOO, RAFIKI, TIMON and KING LOUIE. The tribal drums fade in favor of a jazzy, almost Dixieland medley of "I Just Can't Wait to be King," "I Wan'na Be Like You" and lastly, "Hakuna Matata." As PINK ELEPHANTS blare their trunks as trumpets, the island is transformed into a thundering, jungle waterfall where TIMON, PUMBAA, SIMBA and SORCERER MICKEY cross the iconic log-bridge of "Hakuna Matata." Of course, they don't see the dancing PINK ELEPHANTS in close pursuit... Multi-patterned PINK ELEPHANTS appear on the mist-screens as the CHORUS continues...)
CHORUS: Hakuna! Matata!
Hakuna! Matata!
Hakuna! Matata!
Hakuna! Matata!
Whoaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!
(Heavy metal overwhelms the score as Mickey's dream is taken over by the PINK ELEPHANTS of Dumbo infamy!
An electric guitar, bass and drums plunk out the familiar, albeit ominous melody of "Pink Elephants on Parade" . Frightening, psychedelic imagery of invasive creatures is shown on the mist-screens.)
ROCK CHORUS: Look out!
Look out!
ROCK VOCALIST: Pachyderm!
They're here! They're there!
Oh, no! Look out!
They're everywhere!
(The music abruptly changes to the score of a sweeping western film: "Jessie's in Trouble" of Toy Story 2 mixed with a hint of "The Magnificent Seven." The stage has since become the western town of "Woody's Round-Up," presented in black-and-white. Black-and-white COWBOY MICKEY stands center, looking around.)
ANNOUNCER: Cowboy Crunchies, the only cereal that's sugar-frosted and dipped in chocolate proudly presents: "Mickey's Finest Hour!"
MICKEY: Well, gosh. That's me!
(Black-and-white WOODY and BULLSEYE run onstage from opposite ends, meeting center.)
WOODY: What is it, Bullseye? What's wrong? (BULLSEYE whinnies and neighs. MICKEY and WOODY watch in horror.) What's that? Jessie and Prospector are trapped in the old abandoned mine?
MICKEY: And Prospector just lit a stick of dynamite thinking it was a candle, and now they're about to be blown to smithereens? (BULLSEYE nods.) Ride like the wind, Bullseye!
(The sweeping score continues as the mist-screens show WOODY galloping atop BULLSEYE, COWBOY MICKEY - also presented in CGI - riding at the rear. BULLSEYE leaps over the Grand Canyon in a stunning display. The mist-screens fade and the stage returns to color. MICKEY, WOODY and BULLSEYE approach the "old abandoned mine," where JESSIE and STINKY PETE appeared bound and tied to a lit barrel of dynamite. MR. POTATO HEAD, aka "ONE-EYED BART" stands atop the island's highest peak.)
MICKEY & WOODY: One-Eyed Bart!
WOODY: You got a date with justice, One-Eyed Bart!
JESSIE: Woody! Mickey! Save us!
POTATO HEAD: Heh-heh-heh! What're you looking at ya hockey puck?
MICKEY: We're looking at you! You've reached the end of the line, Bart!
POTATO HEAD: I always wanted to go out with a bang!
(POTATO HEAD pushes a button, igniting the lit barrel of dynamite into an explosion of water and pyrotechnics. WOODY, MICKEY, STINKY PETE, JESSIE, BULLSEYE and POTATO HEAD all fall in a field of ash and smoke on the mist-screens, clearly disoriented. Our focus returns to MICKEY, now a sorcerer again, who falls with a splash into the foreground of Atlantica. MICKEY swims alongside ARIEL toward the icon of KING TRITON's castle. ARIEL's legendary "Ah-ah-ahs" fill the air as Atlantica fades into the Drop-off of "Finding Nemo." MR. RAY, NEMO, DORY and MARLIN swim past as an instrumental of "Part of Your World" subdues into "Nemo Egg" of Thomas Newman's incredible score. An entire school of manta-rays soar past.
The calm music trickles into the familiar intro of "Under the Sea." SEBASTIAN appears, singing to a delighted SORCERER MICKEY. Colorful fish and sea life dance around with MICKEY on the island and mist-screens.)
SEBASTIAN: Hey-hey!
The seaweed is always greener
In somebody else's lake.
You dream about going up there
But that is a big mistake!
Just look at the world around you
Right here on the ocean floor
Such wonderful things around you
What more is you lookin' for?
(GENIE suddenly appears, picking SEBASTIAN up by the shell. Various animated bits of "Friend Like Me" occur over the following as a now-onstage SORCERER MICKEY watches.)
GENIE: Thank you! (GENIE tosses SEBASTIAN aside) I don't think you quite realize whatchu got here. So why don't you just ruminate whilst I illuminate the possibilities? Can your friends do this? (GENIE turns into DONALD)
MICKEY: Well, uh -
GENIE: Can your friends do that? (He turns into GOOFY)
MICKEY: Well look at that!
GENIE: Can your friends pull this? (GENIE pulls his arm and spins into a pinwheel.)
Out their little hat? (The stage is transformed into the neon outline of Agrabah, complete with dancing MONKEYS, CAMELS and ELEPHANTS.)
Can your friends go poof?
Well looky here! (Belly dancers join the dancing creatures. MICKEY does a baffled chuckle.)
Can your friends go abracadabra, let her rip,
And then make the sucker disappear?
You ain't never had a friend like me! Yeah!
(LUMIERE suddenly interrupts from the mist-screen. With a tip of his "hat," he begins a rousing chorus of "Be Our Guest." SORCERER MICKEY, also on the mist-screen, sits in place of BELLE at the table. Throughout, dancing dishware and such are shown in a variety of patterns on the island as the fountains continue to "dance.")
LUMIERE: Ma chere Mickey Mouse, it is with deepest pride
And greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight, so please -
Be our guest, be our guest
Put our service to the test
Tie your napkin 'round your neck, Mickey,
And we provide the rest -
(The music quickly jumps to the song's finale. This is the most spectacular imagery we've seen yet!)
CHORUS: Course by course, one by one
'Til you shout, "enough I'm done!"
Then we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest
Tonight you'll prop your feet up
But for now, let's eat up
Be our guest
Be our guest
Be our guest
Please, be our guest!
(An army of teapots and teacups blow the tea from their "noses," once again bringing us beneath the surface where JIMINY CRICKET swims in search of PINOCCHIO. A calm instrumental of "When You Wish Upon a Star" plays underneath. PINOCCHIO is briefly seen before swimming out of sight.)
JIMINY: Pinocchio! We're down here! (Floating past in a bubble, JIMINY uses his umbrella to catch his astray hat from a different bubble.) Wha? Ho, there! (His bubble fills with water and pops. A school of fish scurry past with the voice of the krill from Finding Nemo.)
FISH: Swim away!
(The music grows suspenseful as MONSTRO the WHALE awakens, frightening JIMINY. The threatening music is almost "JAWS"-like as MONSTRO gives chase, splashing the water and launching with an open-mouth toward us. Just before he can bite, the screens fade to a terrified SORCERER MICKEY caught in a swirling vortex of water.)
MICKEY: Help! Whoaaaaaaaaaaaa! (The darkness consumes MICKEY, showing only his bright eyes engulfed in shadow. He looks around.) Hey, uh - what's goin' on? Uh-oh!
(The music grows louder and more suspenseful as thunder and lightning engulf the stage and screens. A battered ship appears amid the stormy sea, tossed among the waves. In an abrupt silence, a cannon fires. The familiar theme of Peter Pan rings out. As if by magic, The Jolly Roger has been transported to the Rivers of America (this is because this is the Sailing Ship Columbia), rounding a bend in the river.)
LOOKOUT: Peter Pan ahoy!
(PAN crows as an EPIC action sequence occurs aboard the deck and masts of the Jolly Roger over the following. PIRATES cheer on HOOK as he engages in combat with PAN, up close and personal. WENDY watches in horror from below, shouting out encouragement. As expected, the GIANT TICK-TOCK CROC follows the boat in close pursuit, ticking the night away with his glowing, yellow eyes.)
HOOK: Swoggle me eyes, it is Pan! Look alive, you swabs!
SMEE: All hands on deck!
WENDY: Oh Peter, do be careful.
HOOK: Come down, boy, if you've a taste for cold steel! (THEY spar. PAN laughs and swings down to the deck.) Blast this hook!
PETER: Whoa, haha!
HOOK: Scurvy brat! (The PIRATES corner-in on PETER)
PIRATES: Going somewhere? Let's string him up! I'm gonna make you walk the plank! I'll feed you to the sharks! Ha-ha!
HOOK: Double the powder and shorten the fuse!
SMEE: Shorten the powder, and double the fuse. (Cannon fires again, causing HOOK to fall with a scream from the ship's rigging.)
WENDY: Oh, how dreadful!
PETER: Watch this, Wendy!
SMEE: Cap'n! Cap'n! (SMEE misses his mark, NOT catching HOOK from his fall. SMEE falls to his knees in sadness. Regardless, HOOK recovers to his feet.)
HOOK: Get up, you idiot!
SMEE: Aye-aye, sir!
HOOK: I'll get you for this, Pan, if it's the last thing I do! (The PIRATES corner-in on PAN once more, this time behind his back.)
WENDY: Fly, Peter! (PAN launches back to the upper rigging. HOOK is furious.)
HOOK: Oh, you blithering blockheads! That cursed Peter Pan!
PETER: I say, Captain, do you hear something? (Both PAN and HOOK notice the CROCODILE swimming in the ship's wake. Frightened, HOOK falls from the back of the ship, suspended by a loose rope.)
HOOK: No! Nooooooo!
PETER: Mr. Crocodile, do you like codfish? You do? (Laughs)
HOOK: Save me, Smee! Save me! Please!
SMEE: I'll save you, Cap'n! (HOOK screams, swinging out of sight) Oh, dear.
(As the Jolly Roger and CROCODILE fade from sight downriver, the projected hand of SORCERER MICKEY wields a paintbrush, illustrating a sorcerer's hat against a starry-sky background.)
FEMALE VOCALIST: See it in your mind,
And you can find
In your imagination
Tales of enchantment,
Beauty and romance,
Happily ever after!
(The moon of the Sorcerer's Hat pans down to reveal the cityscape of Agrabah. Through the water screens, we can see ALADDIN and JASMINE aboard their magic carpet. We follow them as they soar through the desert.)
MALE VOCALIST: A whole new world
With new horizons to pursue
MALE VOCALIST & FEMALE VOCALIST: I'll chase them anywhere
There's time to spare
Let me share this whole new world with you...
(The music fades away as the O.G. 1992 arrangement of a familiar Disney love ballad starts up. BELLE and the BEAST appear on a decorative barge, sharing a waltz.)
MALE SOLOIST: Tale as old as time,
True as it can be.
Barely even friends,
Then somebody bends,
Unexpectedly.
Certain as the sun,
Rising in the east.
MALE AND FEMALE SOLOISTS: Tale as old as time,
Song as old as rhyme,
Beauty and the Beast.
(Their barge crosses paths with another barge. ARIEL - with fins - joins ERIC on another decorative barge. ERIC dances around her as she flips her tail.)
FEMALE SOLOIST: What would I give
If I could live
Out of these waters?
MALE SOLOIST: In your imagination!
FEMALE SOLOIST: What would I pay
To spend a day
Warm on the sand?
MALE SOLOIST: Dream a fantastic dream!
FEMALE SOLOIST: Betcha on land,
They understand.
Bet they don’t reprimand their daughters.
MALE AND FEMALE SOLOISTS: Bright young women,
Sick of swimmin’…
FEMALE SOLOIST: Ready to stand!
MALE SOLOIST: Ready to stand!
(Finally, SNOW WHITE and PRINCE FLORIAN appear on their own barge, also dancing.)
FEMALE SOLOIST: Someday, my prince will come.
MALE AND FEMALE SOLOISTS: Someday, we’ll find true love!
FEMALE SOLOIST: Tale as old as time…
MALE SOLOIST: Song as old as rhyme…
(Once more, the music grows ominous. The COUPLES have vanished and we are left with the EVIL QUEEN of "Snow White." )
QUEEN: Slave in the magic mirror, come from the farthest space! Through wind and darkness, I summon thee. Speak! (A crack of thunder. The frame of the MAGIC MIRROR appears.) Let me see thy face! (The MIRROR's face appears, as originally voiced by Tony Jay.)
MIRROR: Famed is thy beauty, Majesty. But hold: lovelier maids I see. And here, in Mickey's imagination, beauty and love will always supplieth.
QUEEN: No! (The music swells as the QUEEN begins to conjure a spell from her bubbling cauldron.) A magic spell in the black of night! With a scream of fright! (A terrible scream rings out) And a bolt of light! Turn my hair to white... (Trickling strings and a foreboding fanfare signal the QUEEN's transformation - right in front of us - into the OLD HAG. SHE cackles.) Now I'll turn that little mouse's dream into a nightmare fantasmic! Imagine this! Hahahaha! (MICKEY, fast asleep in his bed, suddenly appears floating in the MIRROR.) Magic mirror, on the wall, all the forces of evil I call... Hahahaha!(MICKEY awakens, frightened, as evil shadows materialize in the mirror and on the island.)
MIRROR: (Reappears, fading over a screaming MICKEY) You have the power...
QUEEN: (Fading over the face of the MIRROR) To control his mind... (SHE cackles, transforming into URSULA)
URSULA: Oh yes! How exciting! Let's do it! (URSULA laughs as a number of "poor unfortunate souls" look up in horror from the island and mist-screens. The music swells into "Poor Unfortunate Souls." Flotsam and Jetsam zip past on the riverfront, their eyes aglow.) Hello!
(Sings) I admit that in the past, I've been a nasty.
They weren't kidding when they called me, well, "a witch."
(Spoken) Ursula will take matters into her own tentacles. Ha! Mickey Mouse's mind will be mine! (MICKEY, composed of sludge and filth, appears frightened in the frame of the mirror, harassed by a pair of claw-like sludge-arms. URSULA returns.) To belong to me...to obey my every whim! Why not? Let's do it!
(With a sudden blast of smoke, the island is ignited into the Elephant Graveyard. A gigantic puppet of SCAR appears, teasing MICKEY.)
SCAR: Life's not fair, is it? You see, I shall never be king. And you shall never see the light of another day... (As SCAR proceeds to chase MICKEY, the shadows of goose-stepping hyenas file past on the island, which has turned into a wasteland of steam and rocks.)
(Sings) So prepare for the coup of the century
Be prepared for the murkiest scam.
Meticulous planning, tenacity spanning
Decades of denial is simply why I'll
Be king undisputed, respected, saluted
And seen for the wonder I am.
Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared!
Be prepared!
(With a laugh, SCAR is about to do MICKEY in, when suddenly...A puff of smoke shoots up from out of nowhere! A pool of purple light comes up on DR. FACILIER, standing on the edge of the island.)
FACILIER: Mickey Mouse! A tip of the hat from "Dr. Facilier." Care to make a deal? (MICKEY is still on the island. OOGIE has since vanished.)
MICKEY: Uh, no, I don't think so!
FACILIER: Oh, but I can help you get out of this nightmare, friend... But first, I'll need a little help from my friends on the other side... (Sings)
I got voodoo, I got hoodoo
I got things I ain't even tried!
And I got friends on the other side...
CHORUS: He's got friends on the other side.
Especially this friend. (The mist-screen zooms in on FACILIER's wicked smirk, focusing on his eyes. MICKEY vanishes from the island, reappearing as FACILIER's pupils. FACILIER morphs into the grinning face of CHERABOG, MICKEY, now running back and forth between CHERNABOG's hollow, yellow eyes. "Night on Bald Mountain" plays as an animatronic CHERNABOG summons horrific spirits from Bald Mountain - aka, Harper's Mill.)
(At the climax of the classic - and traumatic - "Night on Bald Mountain" sequence, the mist-screens part to reveal SORCERER MICKEY face-to-face with MALEFICENT upon the island. An eerie, orange glow engulfs the riverfront.)
MALEFICENT: Now you will deal with me - and all the powers of my imagination!
MICKEY: Oh no!
(MALEFICENT casts a fiery spell at MICKEY, striking him. MALEFICENT begins to rise high above the earth with a dramatic crescendo of music, casting dark magic from her glistening scepter. Enchanted briars begin to entangle the island and riverfront. SHE cackles wildly as she ascends to the stars. MICKEY looks up in horror. HE knows what's next... The mist-screens reveal the startling transformation of MALEFICENT into a fire-breathing DRAGON. Briefly, the DRAGON morphs back into all the VILLAINS we have encountered thus far...)
QUEEN: (Cackles) Imagination!
(The VILLAINS all appear again, one by one, cackling wickedly. First URSULA, then SCAR, and then FACILIER. CHERNABOG breaks the brief montage with a growl, then morphs into the silhouette of the DRAGON.
The music grows more and more suspenseful as the dark silhouette gradually subdues into an actual, 45-foot DRAGON standing tall above the riverfront. The yellow-eyed monstrosity looks around for the cowering MICKEY. At the height of the music, the lumbering beast bellows a flamethrower from its maw, setting the waters aflame in a brilliant heat.)
MICKEY: Uh, you may think you're so powerful. (Laughs feebly) Well, uh, this is my dream!
(As expected, MICKEY uses the power inside himself to vanquish the DRAGON, casting his sword toward her. With a burst of light, MALEFICENT is overrun with electric current and sparkling magic, screaming and rearing in agony. The mist-screens depict the various villains writhing in defeat. CHERNABOG retracts from the light, FACILIER is pulled screaming into the "other side," SCAR is flung off Pride Rock, URSULA, electrocuted, sinks beneath the sea, and the OLD HAG painfully reverts into the EVIL QUEEN with a horrid scream. Finally, the DRAGON vanishes in a pyrotechnic spectacular. A brief blackout segues into TINKERBELL fluttering about, restoring light and color to the dark riverfront. As the lighthearted music grows, the light returns, colorful fountains and projections restoring hope and light to Mickey's dream. The Mark Twain Riverboat comes into sight, piloted by STEAMBOAT WILLIE MICKEY.
Swirling pinwheels on the side of the boat give way to a dancing collection of DISNEY CHARACTERS waving ribbons to the theme of "Imagination." These CHARACTERS include: MINNIE, DONALD, GOOFY, PLUTO, CHIP, DALE, ALADDIN, JASMINE, GENIE, BELLE, THE BEAST, RAPUNZEL, FLYNN, QUASIMODO, HERCULES, ARIEL, ERIC, SNOW WHITE, PRINCE FLORIAN, DOPEY, TIANA, NAVEEN, MOANA, MARY POPPINS, BERT, POCAHONTAS, PINOCCHIO, WINNIE THE POOH, TIGGER, CINDERELLA, PRINCE CHARMING, AURORA, PHILLIP, LILO, STITCH, PETER PAN, WENDY, MOWGLI, BALOO, TIMON, RAFIKI, WOODY, JESSIE and BUZZ LIGHTYEAR.)
CHORUS: See it in your mind,
And you will find,
In your imagination,
Mysteries and magic,
Visions fantastic,
Leading to strange and wondrous dreams!
Dreams are make-believe,
But could they all come true?
Aah, aah, aah!
In your imagination!
Aah, aah, aah!
In your imagination!
Here in your mind,
It's magic you'll find.
When out of the night,
Dark forces ignite
To blind you with frightening speed,
You use your might
To brighten the light,
Creating a night of wondrous deeds!
(As the riverboat finally fades out of sight, SORCERER MICKEY magically appears onstage from the top of Harper's Mill, once more conducting the riverfront in a spectacular array of color, fountains, lasers and pyrotechnics. At the climax of the music, MICKEY disappears from the mill and reappears on the stage below, wearing the same attire from the show's beginning. A few subtle notes of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" play, to which MICKEY conducts.)
MICKEY: Some imagination, huh? Hah-hah!
(MICKEY disappears, one final time to an epic fanfare and conclusion of fireworks.)
THE END
~~~~~
As the lights come back on around Frontierland, a mighty roar emerges from the crowd. We clap till our hands grow red and cheer till our voices go hoarse. As the jubilation settles and the iconic "Exit Music" plays, the crowd starts going their separate ways. Some opt to leave right away to catch the next monorail back to the hotel or get to their car, some head off for a nighttime ride on Big Thunder or Splash Mountain, some opt to stop by the Diamond Horseshoe for an ice-cream sundae, and some are content to just sit around, enjoying the night, waiting to give one final hoarse cheer for the Exit Music (as I'm sure we have all done when we've gone to see a musical).
But if you think that's the end of another magical day at Disneyland, you ain't seen nothin' yet. A day at Disneyland truly ends when a living storybook opens in Central Plaza, inviting us to "share a dream come true" in a whole new way...
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How was that? Once again, most of the credit for this new Fantasmic! goes to @MANEATINGWREATH, so shout-out to him!
Stay tuned, everyone, because in the next post, our time at Disneyland will end with the pure dazzle that is Disney Dreams: Experience the Magic!
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Fantasmic!
On certain nights in the week, we are invited to gather in Frontierland for the ultimate battle between good and evil. The moon shines high above the great Northern skies. The wild jazz of the French Quarter is our sole entertainment as we look toward the darkened, empty Rivers of America and the seemingly-abandoned Tom Sawyer Island. The majestic Mark Twain Riverboat has since disappeared from sight. The only thing between ourselves and the river is a wrought iron railing of the real world French Quarter, a la Disneyland's own Rivers of America. Suddenly, the warm voice of our female narrator quiets the Dixieland jazz...
~~~~~
NARRATOR: Welcome to Fantasmic! Tonight, our friend and host, Mickey Mouse, uses his vivid imagination to create magical imagery for all to enjoy. Nothing is more wonderful than the imagination - for in a moment, you can experience a beautiful fantasy or an exciting adventure! But beware... Nothing is more powerful than the imagination - for it can also expand your greatest fears into an overwhelming nightmare. (As the lights on and surrounding the Rivers of America come to a blackout, a dim musical cord begins to linger on the horizon, gradually growing louder and closer.) Are the powers of Mickey's incredible imagination strong enough and bright enough to withstand the evil forces that invade Mickey's dream? You are about to find out. For now we invite you to join Mickey and experience Fantasmic! - a journey beyond your wildest imagination...
(As the musical chord grows into an exhilarating crescendo, pixie dust begins to materialize among the shadows, briefly illuminating parts of the barren stage on Tom Sawyer Island. With a triumphant fanfare, a single spotlight blasts to the night sky, the stage now awash in a technicolor glow. Over the following CHORUS, twirling searchlights and colored lights swirl about the arena, all in time with a frenzied build of musical notes.)
CHORUS: Imagination! (Imagination!)
Dream a fantastic dream!
(A second fanfare. MICKEY MOUSE appears front and center, audibly amazed by his fantastic surroundings.)
Use your imagination!
(With a chuckle, MICKEY discovers that - this being his dream - he can control not just the water, but the lights and air around him. To the inspired theme of "Imagination" - the iconic theme of the original "Fantasmic!," MICKEY transforms the entire riverfront into a technicolor whirl of dancing fountains and soaring pyrotechnics, all while colorful designs and figures engulf the stage. As a "grand finale" to the act, MICKEY points one finger in either direction, blasting a stream of golden sparks from either fingertip. With one last chuckle and a shooting star, MICKEY vanishes, replaced by the traditional mist-screens of "Fantasmic!"
SORCERER MICKEY continues the dream-like fantasy, conducting an array of swirling lights, colored fountains and - of course - the marching broomsticks, all to the theme of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." As they do in Fantasia, the broomsticks become carried away, tossing their water-buckets into the river and subsequently "flooding" Mickey's dream. With a burst of power and shower of stars, SORCERER MICKEY halts the chaos, calming the music into a relaxed refrain... The dream transforms into an interstellar field of stars, marked by a shooting star passing overhead. Twinkling constellations and comets soar past on both the mist-screens and the island.)
FEMALE SOLOIST: See it in your mind,
And you can find
In your imagination
(WALL-E and EVE soar past, fire-extinguisher at hand, carelessly waltzing among the stars. A hint of "Define Dancing" plays underneath.)
Mysteries and magic,
Visions fantastic,
Leading to strange and wondrous dreams.
(WALL-E and EVE soar out of sight, followed by SORCERER MICKEY, also afloat in space. The relaxed orchestration continues as an amazed MICKEY discovers a field of jewel-like ice crystals. The glistening crystals float about in time with the music, forming into the silhouette of MINNIE. MICKEY bows, offering a dance. The two waltz among the stars for only a moment, interrupted by a sudden change in music. MINNIE scatters and vanishes. MICKEY turns, facing the sun. As MICKEY transforms into a black silhouette, the sun itself has transformed into the iconic opening sunrise of The Lion King. An intrigued MICKEY walks toward the horizon.)
MALE VOCALIST: Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba!
(The sunrise fades into the image of BABY SIMBA held aloft by RAFIKI, a kaleidoscope of African designs and animals marching past.
CHORUS: Sithi uhm ingonyama!
(The CHORUS continues the usual "Circle of Life" chant before the music takes a sudden turn for the mysterious... The mist-screens shutter, subsequently revealing the giant figure of KAA of The Jungle Book slithering about the island. Towering trees and exotic flora have taken over the stage as the rampant pace of tribal drums fills the air, accommodated by an eerie flute. With an adventurous fanfare, KAA's eyes blast light into the AUDIENCE. The drums grow wilder as a quartet of barges 'cross the water. Tribal designs overwhelm the stage.
Peculiar, muti-patterned MONKEYS perform an exhilarating dance from each barge, each barge also containing a jungle character: BALOO, RAFIKI, TIMON and KING LOUIE. The tribal drums fade in favor of a jazzy, almost Dixieland medley of "I Just Can't Wait to be King," "I Wan'na Be Like You" and lastly, "Hakuna Matata." As PINK ELEPHANTS blare their trunks as trumpets, the island is transformed into a thundering, jungle waterfall where TIMON, PUMBAA, SIMBA and SORCERER MICKEY cross the iconic log-bridge of "Hakuna Matata." Of course, they don't see the dancing PINK ELEPHANTS in close pursuit... Multi-patterned PINK ELEPHANTS appear on the mist-screens as the CHORUS continues...)
CHORUS: Hakuna! Matata!
Hakuna! Matata!
Hakuna! Matata!
Hakuna! Matata!
Whoaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!
(Heavy metal overwhelms the score as Mickey's dream is taken over by the PINK ELEPHANTS of Dumbo infamy!
An electric guitar, bass and drums plunk out the familiar, albeit ominous melody of "Pink Elephants on Parade" . Frightening, psychedelic imagery of invasive creatures is shown on the mist-screens.)
ROCK CHORUS: Look out!
Look out!
ROCK VOCALIST: Pachyderm!
They're here! They're there!
Oh, no! Look out!
They're everywhere!
(The music abruptly changes to the score of a sweeping western film: "Jessie's in Trouble" of Toy Story 2 mixed with a hint of "The Magnificent Seven." The stage has since become the western town of "Woody's Round-Up," presented in black-and-white. Black-and-white COWBOY MICKEY stands center, looking around.)
ANNOUNCER: Cowboy Crunchies, the only cereal that's sugar-frosted and dipped in chocolate proudly presents: "Mickey's Finest Hour!"
MICKEY: Well, gosh. That's me!
(Black-and-white WOODY and BULLSEYE run onstage from opposite ends, meeting center.)
WOODY: What is it, Bullseye? What's wrong? (BULLSEYE whinnies and neighs. MICKEY and WOODY watch in horror.) What's that? Jessie and Prospector are trapped in the old abandoned mine?
MICKEY: And Prospector just lit a stick of dynamite thinking it was a candle, and now they're about to be blown to smithereens? (BULLSEYE nods.) Ride like the wind, Bullseye!
(The sweeping score continues as the mist-screens show WOODY galloping atop BULLSEYE, COWBOY MICKEY - also presented in CGI - riding at the rear. BULLSEYE leaps over the Grand Canyon in a stunning display. The mist-screens fade and the stage returns to color. MICKEY, WOODY and BULLSEYE approach the "old abandoned mine," where JESSIE and STINKY PETE appeared bound and tied to a lit barrel of dynamite. MR. POTATO HEAD, aka "ONE-EYED BART" stands atop the island's highest peak.)
MICKEY & WOODY: One-Eyed Bart!
WOODY: You got a date with justice, One-Eyed Bart!
JESSIE: Woody! Mickey! Save us!
POTATO HEAD: Heh-heh-heh! What're you looking at ya hockey puck?
MICKEY: We're looking at you! You've reached the end of the line, Bart!
POTATO HEAD: I always wanted to go out with a bang!
(POTATO HEAD pushes a button, igniting the lit barrel of dynamite into an explosion of water and pyrotechnics. WOODY, MICKEY, STINKY PETE, JESSIE, BULLSEYE and POTATO HEAD all fall in a field of ash and smoke on the mist-screens, clearly disoriented. Our focus returns to MICKEY, now a sorcerer again, who falls with a splash into the foreground of Atlantica. MICKEY swims alongside ARIEL toward the icon of KING TRITON's castle. ARIEL's legendary "Ah-ah-ahs" fill the air as Atlantica fades into the Drop-off of "Finding Nemo." MR. RAY, NEMO, DORY and MARLIN swim past as an instrumental of "Part of Your World" subdues into "Nemo Egg" of Thomas Newman's incredible score. An entire school of manta-rays soar past.
The calm music trickles into the familiar intro of "Under the Sea." SEBASTIAN appears, singing to a delighted SORCERER MICKEY. Colorful fish and sea life dance around with MICKEY on the island and mist-screens.)
SEBASTIAN: Hey-hey!
The seaweed is always greener
In somebody else's lake.
You dream about going up there
But that is a big mistake!
Just look at the world around you
Right here on the ocean floor
Such wonderful things around you
What more is you lookin' for?
(GENIE suddenly appears, picking SEBASTIAN up by the shell. Various animated bits of "Friend Like Me" occur over the following as a now-onstage SORCERER MICKEY watches.)
GENIE: Thank you! (GENIE tosses SEBASTIAN aside) I don't think you quite realize whatchu got here. So why don't you just ruminate whilst I illuminate the possibilities? Can your friends do this? (GENIE turns into DONALD)
MICKEY: Well, uh -
GENIE: Can your friends do that? (He turns into GOOFY)
MICKEY: Well look at that!
GENIE: Can your friends pull this? (GENIE pulls his arm and spins into a pinwheel.)
Out their little hat? (The stage is transformed into the neon outline of Agrabah, complete with dancing MONKEYS, CAMELS and ELEPHANTS.)
Can your friends go poof?
Well looky here! (Belly dancers join the dancing creatures. MICKEY does a baffled chuckle.)
Can your friends go abracadabra, let her rip,
And then make the sucker disappear?
You ain't never had a friend like me! Yeah!
(LUMIERE suddenly interrupts from the mist-screen. With a tip of his "hat," he begins a rousing chorus of "Be Our Guest." SORCERER MICKEY, also on the mist-screen, sits in place of BELLE at the table. Throughout, dancing dishware and such are shown in a variety of patterns on the island as the fountains continue to "dance.")
LUMIERE: Ma chere Mickey Mouse, it is with deepest pride
And greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight, so please -
Be our guest, be our guest
Put our service to the test
Tie your napkin 'round your neck, Mickey,
And we provide the rest -
(The music quickly jumps to the song's finale. This is the most spectacular imagery we've seen yet!)
CHORUS: Course by course, one by one
'Til you shout, "enough I'm done!"
Then we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest
Tonight you'll prop your feet up
But for now, let's eat up
Be our guest
Be our guest
Be our guest
Please, be our guest!
(An army of teapots and teacups blow the tea from their "noses," once again bringing us beneath the surface where JIMINY CRICKET swims in search of PINOCCHIO. A calm instrumental of "When You Wish Upon a Star" plays underneath. PINOCCHIO is briefly seen before swimming out of sight.)
JIMINY: Pinocchio! We're down here! (Floating past in a bubble, JIMINY uses his umbrella to catch his astray hat from a different bubble.) Wha? Ho, there! (His bubble fills with water and pops. A school of fish scurry past with the voice of the krill from Finding Nemo.)
FISH: Swim away!
(The music grows suspenseful as MONSTRO the WHALE awakens, frightening JIMINY. The threatening music is almost "JAWS"-like as MONSTRO gives chase, splashing the water and launching with an open-mouth toward us. Just before he can bite, the screens fade to a terrified SORCERER MICKEY caught in a swirling vortex of water.)
MICKEY: Help! Whoaaaaaaaaaaaa! (The darkness consumes MICKEY, showing only his bright eyes engulfed in shadow. He looks around.) Hey, uh - what's goin' on? Uh-oh!
(The music grows louder and more suspenseful as thunder and lightning engulf the stage and screens. A battered ship appears amid the stormy sea, tossed among the waves. In an abrupt silence, a cannon fires. The familiar theme of Peter Pan rings out. As if by magic, The Jolly Roger has been transported to the Rivers of America (this is because this is the Sailing Ship Columbia), rounding a bend in the river.)
LOOKOUT: Peter Pan ahoy!
(PAN crows as an EPIC action sequence occurs aboard the deck and masts of the Jolly Roger over the following. PIRATES cheer on HOOK as he engages in combat with PAN, up close and personal. WENDY watches in horror from below, shouting out encouragement. As expected, the GIANT TICK-TOCK CROC follows the boat in close pursuit, ticking the night away with his glowing, yellow eyes.)
HOOK: Swoggle me eyes, it is Pan! Look alive, you swabs!
SMEE: All hands on deck!
WENDY: Oh Peter, do be careful.
HOOK: Come down, boy, if you've a taste for cold steel! (THEY spar. PAN laughs and swings down to the deck.) Blast this hook!
PETER: Whoa, haha!
HOOK: Scurvy brat! (The PIRATES corner-in on PETER)
PIRATES: Going somewhere? Let's string him up! I'm gonna make you walk the plank! I'll feed you to the sharks! Ha-ha!
HOOK: Double the powder and shorten the fuse!
SMEE: Shorten the powder, and double the fuse. (Cannon fires again, causing HOOK to fall with a scream from the ship's rigging.)
WENDY: Oh, how dreadful!
PETER: Watch this, Wendy!
SMEE: Cap'n! Cap'n! (SMEE misses his mark, NOT catching HOOK from his fall. SMEE falls to his knees in sadness. Regardless, HOOK recovers to his feet.)
HOOK: Get up, you idiot!
SMEE: Aye-aye, sir!
HOOK: I'll get you for this, Pan, if it's the last thing I do! (The PIRATES corner-in on PAN once more, this time behind his back.)
WENDY: Fly, Peter! (PAN launches back to the upper rigging. HOOK is furious.)
HOOK: Oh, you blithering blockheads! That cursed Peter Pan!
PETER: I say, Captain, do you hear something? (Both PAN and HOOK notice the CROCODILE swimming in the ship's wake. Frightened, HOOK falls from the back of the ship, suspended by a loose rope.)
HOOK: No! Nooooooo!
PETER: Mr. Crocodile, do you like codfish? You do? (Laughs)
HOOK: Save me, Smee! Save me! Please!
SMEE: I'll save you, Cap'n! (HOOK screams, swinging out of sight) Oh, dear.
(As the Jolly Roger and CROCODILE fade from sight downriver, the projected hand of SORCERER MICKEY wields a paintbrush, illustrating a sorcerer's hat against a starry-sky background.)
FEMALE VOCALIST: See it in your mind,
And you can find
In your imagination
Tales of enchantment,
Beauty and romance,
Happily ever after!
(The moon of the Sorcerer's Hat pans down to reveal the cityscape of Agrabah. Through the water screens, we can see ALADDIN and JASMINE aboard their magic carpet. We follow them as they soar through the desert.)
MALE VOCALIST: A whole new world
With new horizons to pursue
MALE VOCALIST & FEMALE VOCALIST: I'll chase them anywhere
There's time to spare
Let me share this whole new world with you...
(The music fades away as the O.G. 1992 arrangement of a familiar Disney love ballad starts up. BELLE and the BEAST appear on a decorative barge, sharing a waltz.)
MALE SOLOIST: Tale as old as time,
True as it can be.
Barely even friends,
Then somebody bends,
Unexpectedly.
Certain as the sun,
Rising in the east.
MALE AND FEMALE SOLOISTS: Tale as old as time,
Song as old as rhyme,
Beauty and the Beast.
(Their barge crosses paths with another barge. ARIEL - with fins - joins ERIC on another decorative barge. ERIC dances around her as she flips her tail.)
FEMALE SOLOIST: What would I give
If I could live
Out of these waters?
MALE SOLOIST: In your imagination!
FEMALE SOLOIST: What would I pay
To spend a day
Warm on the sand?
MALE SOLOIST: Dream a fantastic dream!
FEMALE SOLOIST: Betcha on land,
They understand.
Bet they don’t reprimand their daughters.
MALE AND FEMALE SOLOISTS: Bright young women,
Sick of swimmin’…
FEMALE SOLOIST: Ready to stand!
MALE SOLOIST: Ready to stand!
(Finally, SNOW WHITE and PRINCE FLORIAN appear on their own barge, also dancing.)
FEMALE SOLOIST: Someday, my prince will come.
MALE AND FEMALE SOLOISTS: Someday, we’ll find true love!
FEMALE SOLOIST: Tale as old as time…
MALE SOLOIST: Song as old as rhyme…
(Once more, the music grows ominous. The COUPLES have vanished and we are left with the EVIL QUEEN of "Snow White." )
QUEEN: Slave in the magic mirror, come from the farthest space! Through wind and darkness, I summon thee. Speak! (A crack of thunder. The frame of the MAGIC MIRROR appears.) Let me see thy face! (The MIRROR's face appears, as originally voiced by Tony Jay.)
MIRROR: Famed is thy beauty, Majesty. But hold: lovelier maids I see. And here, in Mickey's imagination, beauty and love will always supplieth.
QUEEN: No! (The music swells as the QUEEN begins to conjure a spell from her bubbling cauldron.) A magic spell in the black of night! With a scream of fright! (A terrible scream rings out) And a bolt of light! Turn my hair to white... (Trickling strings and a foreboding fanfare signal the QUEEN's transformation - right in front of us - into the OLD HAG. SHE cackles.) Now I'll turn that little mouse's dream into a nightmare fantasmic! Imagine this! Hahahaha! (MICKEY, fast asleep in his bed, suddenly appears floating in the MIRROR.) Magic mirror, on the wall, all the forces of evil I call... Hahahaha!(MICKEY awakens, frightened, as evil shadows materialize in the mirror and on the island.)
MIRROR: (Reappears, fading over a screaming MICKEY) You have the power...
QUEEN: (Fading over the face of the MIRROR) To control his mind... (SHE cackles, transforming into URSULA)
URSULA: Oh yes! How exciting! Let's do it! (URSULA laughs as a number of "poor unfortunate souls" look up in horror from the island and mist-screens. The music swells into "Poor Unfortunate Souls." Flotsam and Jetsam zip past on the riverfront, their eyes aglow.) Hello!
(Sings) I admit that in the past, I've been a nasty.
They weren't kidding when they called me, well, "a witch."
(Spoken) Ursula will take matters into her own tentacles. Ha! Mickey Mouse's mind will be mine! (MICKEY, composed of sludge and filth, appears frightened in the frame of the mirror, harassed by a pair of claw-like sludge-arms. URSULA returns.) To belong to me...to obey my every whim! Why not? Let's do it!
(With a sudden blast of smoke, the island is ignited into the Elephant Graveyard. A gigantic puppet of SCAR appears, teasing MICKEY.)
SCAR: Life's not fair, is it? You see, I shall never be king. And you shall never see the light of another day... (As SCAR proceeds to chase MICKEY, the shadows of goose-stepping hyenas file past on the island, which has turned into a wasteland of steam and rocks.)
(Sings) So prepare for the coup of the century
Be prepared for the murkiest scam.
Meticulous planning, tenacity spanning
Decades of denial is simply why I'll
Be king undisputed, respected, saluted
And seen for the wonder I am.
Yes, my teeth and ambitions are bared!
Be prepared!
(With a laugh, SCAR is about to do MICKEY in, when suddenly...A puff of smoke shoots up from out of nowhere! A pool of purple light comes up on DR. FACILIER, standing on the edge of the island.)
FACILIER: Mickey Mouse! A tip of the hat from "Dr. Facilier." Care to make a deal? (MICKEY is still on the island. OOGIE has since vanished.)
MICKEY: Uh, no, I don't think so!
FACILIER: Oh, but I can help you get out of this nightmare, friend... But first, I'll need a little help from my friends on the other side... (Sings)
I got voodoo, I got hoodoo
I got things I ain't even tried!
And I got friends on the other side...
CHORUS: He's got friends on the other side.
Especially this friend. (The mist-screen zooms in on FACILIER's wicked smirk, focusing on his eyes. MICKEY vanishes from the island, reappearing as FACILIER's pupils. FACILIER morphs into the grinning face of CHERABOG, MICKEY, now running back and forth between CHERNABOG's hollow, yellow eyes. "Night on Bald Mountain" plays as an animatronic CHERNABOG summons horrific spirits from Bald Mountain - aka, Harper's Mill.)
(At the climax of the classic - and traumatic - "Night on Bald Mountain" sequence, the mist-screens part to reveal SORCERER MICKEY face-to-face with MALEFICENT upon the island. An eerie, orange glow engulfs the riverfront.)
MALEFICENT: Now you will deal with me - and all the powers of my imagination!
MICKEY: Oh no!
(MALEFICENT casts a fiery spell at MICKEY, striking him. MALEFICENT begins to rise high above the earth with a dramatic crescendo of music, casting dark magic from her glistening scepter. Enchanted briars begin to entangle the island and riverfront. SHE cackles wildly as she ascends to the stars. MICKEY looks up in horror. HE knows what's next... The mist-screens reveal the startling transformation of MALEFICENT into a fire-breathing DRAGON. Briefly, the DRAGON morphs back into all the VILLAINS we have encountered thus far...)
QUEEN: (Cackles) Imagination!
(The VILLAINS all appear again, one by one, cackling wickedly. First URSULA, then SCAR, and then FACILIER. CHERNABOG breaks the brief montage with a growl, then morphs into the silhouette of the DRAGON.
The music grows more and more suspenseful as the dark silhouette gradually subdues into an actual, 45-foot DRAGON standing tall above the riverfront. The yellow-eyed monstrosity looks around for the cowering MICKEY. At the height of the music, the lumbering beast bellows a flamethrower from its maw, setting the waters aflame in a brilliant heat.)
MICKEY: Uh, you may think you're so powerful. (Laughs feebly) Well, uh, this is my dream!
(As expected, MICKEY uses the power inside himself to vanquish the DRAGON, casting his sword toward her. With a burst of light, MALEFICENT is overrun with electric current and sparkling magic, screaming and rearing in agony. The mist-screens depict the various villains writhing in defeat. CHERNABOG retracts from the light, FACILIER is pulled screaming into the "other side," SCAR is flung off Pride Rock, URSULA, electrocuted, sinks beneath the sea, and the OLD HAG painfully reverts into the EVIL QUEEN with a horrid scream. Finally, the DRAGON vanishes in a pyrotechnic spectacular. A brief blackout segues into TINKERBELL fluttering about, restoring light and color to the dark riverfront. As the lighthearted music grows, the light returns, colorful fountains and projections restoring hope and light to Mickey's dream. The Mark Twain Riverboat comes into sight, piloted by STEAMBOAT WILLIE MICKEY.
Swirling pinwheels on the side of the boat give way to a dancing collection of DISNEY CHARACTERS waving ribbons to the theme of "Imagination." These CHARACTERS include: MINNIE, DONALD, GOOFY, PLUTO, CHIP, DALE, ALADDIN, JASMINE, GENIE, BELLE, THE BEAST, RAPUNZEL, FLYNN, QUASIMODO, HERCULES, ARIEL, ERIC, SNOW WHITE, PRINCE FLORIAN, DOPEY, TIANA, NAVEEN, MOANA, MARY POPPINS, BERT, POCAHONTAS, PINOCCHIO, WINNIE THE POOH, TIGGER, CINDERELLA, PRINCE CHARMING, AURORA, PHILLIP, LILO, STITCH, PETER PAN, WENDY, MOWGLI, BALOO, TIMON, RAFIKI, WOODY, JESSIE and BUZZ LIGHTYEAR.)
CHORUS: See it in your mind,
And you will find,
In your imagination,
Mysteries and magic,
Visions fantastic,
Leading to strange and wondrous dreams!
Dreams are make-believe,
But could they all come true?
Aah, aah, aah!
In your imagination!
Aah, aah, aah!
In your imagination!
Here in your mind,
It's magic you'll find.
When out of the night,
Dark forces ignite
To blind you with frightening speed,
You use your might
To brighten the light,
Creating a night of wondrous deeds!
(As the riverboat finally fades out of sight, SORCERER MICKEY magically appears onstage from the top of Harper's Mill, once more conducting the riverfront in a spectacular array of color, fountains, lasers and pyrotechnics. At the climax of the music, MICKEY disappears from the mill and reappears on the stage below, wearing the same attire from the show's beginning. A few subtle notes of "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" play, to which MICKEY conducts.)
MICKEY: Some imagination, huh? Hah-hah!
(MICKEY disappears, one final time to an epic fanfare and conclusion of fireworks.)
THE END
~~~~~
As the lights come back on around Frontierland, a mighty roar emerges from the crowd. We clap till our hands grow red and cheer till our voices go hoarse. As the jubilation settles and the iconic "Exit Music" plays, the crowd starts going their separate ways. Some opt to leave right away to catch the next monorail back to the hotel or get to their car, some head off for a nighttime ride on Big Thunder or Splash Mountain, some opt to stop by the Diamond Horseshoe for an ice-cream sundae, and some are content to just sit around, enjoying the night, waiting to give one final hoarse cheer for the Exit Music (as I'm sure we have all done when we've gone to see a musical).
But if you think that's the end of another magical day at Disneyland, you ain't seen nothin' yet. A day at Disneyland truly ends when a living storybook opens in Central Plaza, inviting us to "share a dream come true" in a whole new way...
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How was that? Once again, most of the credit for this new Fantasmic! goes to @MANEATINGWREATH, so shout-out to him!
Stay tuned, everyone, because in the next post, our time at Disneyland will end with the pure dazzle that is Disney Dreams: Experience the Magic!
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Well, I've been away for quite some time, haven't I? Well, now that the hectic fall semester is finally winding down to a close, I thought now would be a good time as any to continue on with our exploration of Disneyland Maine.
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Disney Dreams: Experience the Magic
"They say it started very small
as most dreams do.
A twinkle in an eye,
the thrill of something new.
Then the dream began to grow
and come alive,
touching every one of us,
lighting up the sky..."
These are the words that open "Share a Dream Come True", the theme for Disney Dreams: Experience the Magic, Disneyland Maine's epic new nighttime show. In the show, Jiminy Cricket invites us into a "living storybook" and takes us through some of the greatest Disney stories of all time.
Night has settled all across the Magic Kingdom. The murmur of guests rings down Main Street, U.S.A., as you approach the dead center of Central Plaza, by the Partners Statue, to find a good location to view the fireworks for their opening night debut. Snow White Castle is illuminated in a dark blue hue, as the light of the moon reflects down onto the hub. After watching the Main Street Electrical Parade, you find yourself anticipating what lies in store next. The trees down Main Street, U.S.A., and the trees in the middle of the Hub, twinkle with pixel lights, enchanting the street making everything seem magical. The smell of popcorn settles into the hub, as families quickly rush to get some ice cream and their spots to see the fireworks. Anticipation rises.
Prologue
Then, all of Main Street, U.S.A. and Snow White Castle blacks out, enveloping the entire entrance of the park and the hub in complete darkness. A simple xylophone medley fills the air, as the image of a storybook appears on the Castle. It opens up to reveal Walt Disney, hard at work (in a style similar to the video above). A woman's gentle voice sings...
"They say it started very small
as most dreams do
a twinkle in an eye
the thrill of something new
then the dream began to grow
and come alive
touching everyone of us
lighting up the skies."
As the images of various Disney characters appear in the book (again, in a style similar to the video above)...the orchestra swells and a choir vocalizes underneath the woman. Fireworks burst in the distance.
"We share a magic day
we share enchanted nights
it's a never ending story
that together we all write.
It's been a part of me
it's been a part of you
a part of growing up together.
We share a dream come true."
The projection fades away. As the voices fade and the song continues in instrumental, Jiminy Cricket's voice is heard.
JIMINY CRICKET: Gosh, wasn't that beautiful? Oh, hello, everybody, and welcome. Cricket's the name--Jiminy Cricket. You know, this entire wonderful place was inspired by the dreams of one man, who used his power to make a wish. That man was Walt Disney, of course! He dreamed of a place where families can be together and see their dreams unfold before their very eyes; and that dream turned into Disneyland. Everybody has the power to wish and to dream. I know some of you out there may not believe me, I'm just a cricket after all, but let me tell you, the most wonderful things can happen and all it takes is a wish!
A blue bolt shoots from behind Snow White Castle, before a firework in the formation of a star bursts in the sky. A choir proceeds to sing "When You Wish Upon a Star". Sparkles along the castle begin to illuminate, as the castle soon begins to light in a bright golden color.
"When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires will come to you."
All the while, glittery curtains of fireowrks descend down from the sky, before fading into the night. The book appears once more.
JIMINY CRICKET: Say, why don't I take you inside this magical book, so you can see the power of dreams come to life? Inside this living storybook, we'll meet some old friends and see how dreams and wishes saw them through. All you need is a dream to let your imagination take flight!
Act I: Flight Into Imagination
Suddenly, Tinker Bell descends down from the tallest spire of the castle, using her wand to set of a plethora of fireworks behind the castle, in a variety of different colors. Blue and golden fountains surrounding the castle, rise higher and higher and Tinker Bell continues her descent. The chorus of notes descend down along with Tinker Bell, before proceeding into a chorus of "The Second Star to the Right". The entire hub darkens again, as the entire castle becomes illuminated with twinkling projected stars. A bright, predominant star is located at the very top of the castle. As the chorus of "The Second Star to the Right" continues, twinkling waterfalls of light burst in the sky.
As the chorus of the song concludes, Peter Pan suddenly emerges from one of the balconies of Snow White Castle, and appears to fly across the front of the castle.
Peter Pan: Hey there, everyone! Now, think of the happiest things, it's the same as having wings! All you need is faith and trust. Oh, and one thing I forgot, dust! Tinker Bell!
Suddenly, the entire castle becomes illuminated in a darker golden color. Golden streams fireworks fall around the castle.
Peter Pan: Come on, everybody! Here we go! Off to Neverland!
In that instance, suddenly, Peter Pan flies around the castle. With the use of projections, the castle appears to be shrinking smaller and smaller. Wait, we're flying! Clouds soon cover the castle, as six different water screens surround the castle emerge, projected with fanciful clouds, making it seem as though the entire hub is floating in the middle of the sky. As this is happening, the tune of "You Can Fly! You Can Fly! You Can Fly!" is heard, as Peter flies through the clouds, before the segments ends with an arch of firework streams rising from behind the castle, illuminating it with a white light.
Then, a drum roll sounds, as the entire castle is illuminated in a dark red hue. The windows of the castle are illuminated with bright yellow lights. Lumiere (a large puppet) appears from behind a curtain and welcomes the guests to the magical night that is yet to be seen.
LUMIERE: Esteemed madames et monsieurs, it is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now, we invite you to relax, let us pull up a chair, as the dining room proudly presents...your dinner!
The entire hub then explodes in a celebration of color! Fireworks from behind the castle then are perfectly choreographed to "Be Our Guest" as the castle is illuminated in a rainbow of lights. Fountains to the sides of the castle dance to the melody of the music. In the final segment of the show, Lumiere appears on the castle, which is adorned with numerous colorful spotlights, dancing plates and silverware, as they proceed into the final segment of the show. As the song segues into its' final fanfare, an array of colorful fireworks explode behind the castle, as the fountains dance higher and higher. At the speed of the music picks up, more and more fireworks blast off. It's like a mini-finale and the show has only just begun! In the final chord of the number, a big blast of fireworks erupts completely surrounding the hub, before the hub fades back into the darkness.
Act II: Dreams to be Shared
JIMINY CRICKET: Dreams can be very special, especially when you share them with friends...
Suddenly, we see the iconic sunrise from The Lion King projected onto the castle, complete with the iconic opening chant. What follows is a beautiful segment inspired by "Circle of Life". The water screens project animals walking towards the castle, which has turned into Pride Rock. As the song ends, a gigantic firework explodes in time to the bass drum hit that ends the song as the projections black out.
Then, projected at the base of the castle, Timon and Pumbaa appear, welcoming the audience to their care-free, no worries lifestyle. An instrumental of "Hakuna Matata" plays, as the castle is soon covered with bugs and grubs, covering all over the castle. Firework explosions in the shapes of types of bugs emerge in the sky, along with other fireworks choreographed to the music. Leaves are projected all along the base of the castle. The fountains at the base of the castle simulate green leaves, to create a dense-jungle like appearance. During the segment, guests can hear Timon and Pumbaa talking about all of the delicious grubs crawling across the castle.
Soon, in a sequence lifted from Disneyland Forever, the Castle turns into a honey-combed paradise, as Winnie the Pooh emerges, singing about the "rumbly in his tumbly". He ends up following a bee, but the bee turns multicolor, and the Castle becomes a multicolored jumble, the perfect segue into the bizarre "Heffalumps and Woozles" nightmare!
In the midst of the song, a flash of blue appears across the castle, as blue sparkles drape around the castle. The Genie from Aladdin appears!
GENIE: Whoa! 10,000 years can give you such a crick in the neck! Hello, people, up here! Come on, we've got some wishes to grant!
This leads into an instrumental of "Friend Like Me", where the Genie uses his magic powers to warp and change the castle. In this number Genie's magical powers are choreographed to the fireworks, as he uses his magic to transfigure the castle, the sparks on the castle are choreographed with real fireworks. At the end of the number, the Genie has multiplied all over the castle and finishes off the number, as a string of blue fireworks shoot into the sky.
At the conclusion of the "Friend Like Me" segment, the water screens re-emerge around the hub, as Aladdin and Jasmine appear, singing "A Whole New World". The two fly around the hub via the water screens, floating along the Magic Carpet, amidst a starry night. The Sultan's Palace from Agrabah is projected onto Snow White Castle. Water fountains dance in arching formations. Shimmery fireworks blast off into the sky in golden colors. The silvery, starry fireworks descend down over the hub. Beautiful, steams of fireworks shoot up from behind the castle, quiet, not to disturb the beauty of the scene. At the end of the segment, Aladdin and Jasmines descend and the Sultan's Palace fades, leaving the castle twinkling in an array of blinking stars.
Act III: Dreams Born of Yearning
As the next segment begins, guests can hear the faint score to "Part of Your World", as Ariel wishes to be a part of the human world. Soon the castle becomes engulfed with a wave, as if it was being submerged. The entire area soon feels as though it is underwater. Bubbles descend down upon the area and lasers simulate the wavy surface to the ocean, completely enveloping the hub and Main Street. The water screens open to simulate the undersea environment from The Little Mermaid.
Fireworks and fountains dance to "Part of Your World", before the hub becomes alive with color, to the tune of "Under the Sea". Sebastian appears on one of the water screens, as the entire hub wraps with all different sorts of undersea-life, seen in The Little Mermaid. The hub becomes alive with an array of colorful fountains. Colorful fireworks blast off into the sky in red, green and blue colors. Arches of fireworks envelop the castle in the tropical, undersea rhythm. Lights envelop the hub, as the song reaches its' climax and blasts of shimmery, twirly fireworks shoot off into the sky.
As the song concludes, we rise up from the ocean once again to find ourselves looking out towards the ocean. Suddenly, a green glow emerges from the water, and a familiar green stone pops up and floats past. Cutting across the waves is Moana, aboard her boat! The triumphant refrain of "How Far I'll Go" fills the air.
Projected onto the castle, a series of leaves sweep across, before the instrumental tune of "Colors of the Wind" could be heard. Blue and green fountains rise into the sky, turning into the center, towards the castle. The sky becomes illuminated with different colors of fireworks. Some of the fireworks "sizzle" out, almost as if they are part of the leaves flying across the castle. As the end of the song approaches, the fireworks become more vibrant and larger, until the end of the song, where a series of colorful fireworks arch out from behind the castle.
A silhouette of Hercules onboard Pegasus flies across the castle, as the castle is illuminated in a bright orange color. Huge circular red and orange fireworks blast off to the tune of "Go the Distance" in a grand and bold manner. The song soon segues into "Out There" from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which keeps the same manner as the previous segment, the fireworks launch out in big, bold patterns to the tune of the music. The Cathedral of Notre Dame is projected onto the castle as Quasimodo rings the bells, and huge fireworks explode out from behind it, completely enveloping the entire hub in bright oranges and reds.
Act IV: The Ties of Family
A brief reprise of "Share a Dream Come True" plays again.
JIMINY CRICKET: If you tell someone about your dream, that doesn't mean that it won't come true, you know. Just like my friend, Pinoke, he and his father both wished on a star...and their wishes came true.
An instrumental of "You'll Be in My Heart" plays, as vines slowly creep up the castle, as blue butterflies fly across the castle. Green fountains shoot up around the castle, as golden streams of fireworks fall during the verse of the song, raining down over the castle, like a canopy. During the refrain of the song, strings of pyrotechnics emerge from the sides of the castle, ending the segment perfectly. The hub soon fades to darkness again, as "Ellie's Theme" from Up plays, as colorful balloons rise on the castle. Colorful fireworks in red, blue, green, yellow and all sorts of colors illuminate the hub, for the incredibly colorful, yet somber musical segment.
Then, we hear a familiar voice...
"Remember me,
Though I have to say goodbye
Remember me
Don't let it make you cry..."
It's Hector, singing the song he wrote for his daughter, Coco. As he sings, we see footage of famous Disney families embracing. As the song concludes, he's joined by the voices of his great-great-grandson Miguel, and the elderly Mama Coco.
"Know that I'm with you the only way that I can be.
Until you're in my arms again,
Remember me."
Suddenly, the area takes on a cool, mellow blue tone, as we hear the voice of Timothy Mouse.
TIMOTHY: Come on, Dumbo. You can do it. You don't need a magic feather! You really can fly!
And just like that, Dumbo himself appears flying over Cinderella Castle, flapping his big ears and moving his legs. Blue shells are quietly shot in the background, as Allison Kraus' voice sings "Baby Mine". The music softens and Dumbo makes his exit.
Emerging from the side of the castle, Stitch appears, as Experiment 626. He arrives at a balcony in the castle, where he uses his laser gun weapon to shoot into the audience. As he does so, flares emerge all around the castle and the hub, as lazers emerge into the audience, in a completely 3-D realistic way. Stitch lets out a wicked laugh, before proceeding his onslaught of using his laser gun to spark fireworks from all around the castle. Stitch waves goodbye to the audience, as he climbs down the sides of the castle turrets and plunges into the moat towards Tomorrowland. A splash is heard and the water fountains shoot up.
Act V: Wishes of Love
JIMINY CRICKET: A dream is a powerful thing, especially when it comes from the heart...
The darkened hub becomes illuminated to the grand tune of "One Song" from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, before proceeding into elements of "Someday My Prince Will Come". The Prince's castle from the film is projected onto the castle, as a colorful mix of golden curtain fireworks is contrasted against the deep blue hues of the dancing fountains.
Immediately following the refrain from Snow White, "So This Is Love" from Cinderella sweeps through the hub, the castle takes on a gloss, glassy appearance, not too different from glass slippers, perhaps? Bold blue and white orb fireworks explode in the sky, almost as bright and shimmery as diamonds. Heart fireworks explode in the sky, as blue dancing fountains illuminate the base of the castle. We see Cinderella and Prince Charming waltz past.
Following the Cinderella segment, the hub livens up to the tune of "Once Upon a Dream" from Sleeping Beauty. Snow White Castle takes the form of King Stephan's castle from the film, as a battle ensues between blue and pink fireworks above. The bright fireworks light up the castle, lighting up the structure in an array of blue and pink lights. Flying across the castle are small red, green and blue orbs; Flora, Fauna and Merryweather. During the segment, guests can hear Flora and Merryweather chanting "Make it pink!" or "Blue"! At the base of the castle, the fountains themselves are battling out between deciding whether to be blue or pink.
This soon segues into a grand, sweeping sequence where we see Belle and the Beast dance as Mrs. Potts sings "Beauty and the Beast". This is a sequence lifted from Once Upon a Time at the Magic Kingdom.
As the song slowly fades, a single floating lantern is projected, rising up the castle.
"I See the Light" starts playing throughout the hub, as the water screens surrounding the hub soon become illuminated with several floating lanterns, which also completely illuminate the castle. Rapunzel begins to sing the verse of the song, as golden fountains rise from the base of Cinderella Castle. Golden fireworks explode overhead. It really does feel as though the entire hub is surrounded in floating lanterns. As Flynn joins Rapunzel during the refrain of the song, real floating lanterns float from the base of Snow White Castle and rise into the sky, out of sight. As the song slowly finishes out its' final chords, the tone of the music turns somewhat darker, dismal. The castle falls into a dark blue/purplish color.
Act VI: Dark Forces Ignite
JIMINY CRICKET: Huh? What's going on? Whoa, I guess some of us have to be careful with what we wish for. Anything can happen. Look out!
Suddenly a flash of light appears across the castle, as a firework makes a gigantic, thunderous noise. In a golden circular frame, the face of the Magic Mirror appears, stating to the guests that dreams can give way to a world of nightmares. Flames burst from within the magic mirror, engulfing the mirror and spreading across the castle. Real jets of fire ignite off of the castle.
Smoke emants from the castle, as green fountains emerge from its' base. Projected green some rises along the castle, before the evil face of Scar from The Lion King appears from within the green smoke. Suddenly, a rock theme of "Be Prepared" takes hold, as bold green and yellow fireworks illuminate the sky, cackling above. The segment ends with a thundersome crackle, from the fireworks above. The green lights remain on the castle, as a shadowy figure of Dr. Facilier is projected onto the castle, performing "Friends on the Other Side". During the number, the dark shadow uses his "voodoo" powers to create the magical firework displays at hand, in many different shapes. Dark shadowy creatures swarm the castle. This segment is similar to the "Friend Like Me" segment, where in, the animation on the castle, is choreographed with the fireworks.
Suddenly, bursts of flame appear from the castle, as "Hellfire" plays. Huge orbs of red and orange fireworks explode in the sky, painting a haunting picture of a darkened Snow White Castle in the forefront. It seemingly appears as though the sky is on fire from the mass arrangement of fiery red fireworks. Fiery beams emerge from jets on Snow White Castle. The segment ends with an explosion of blood red fireworks surrounding the hub.
When the light from the fireworks fade, a very familiar villain appears in a burst of green flame.
MALEFICENT: Behold the power of all evil! This kingdom shall become my dominion of nightmares!
Blasts of green fireworks emerge from behind the castle. Projected thorns begin to cover the castle. The water screens open to reveal a thorn forest surrounding the hub. Jets of fire appear from within the hub, spreading the blaze across the river, seemingly making it seem as though the hub is surrounding by a river of fire! Blasts of green and purple fireworks explode in the sky, creating a haunted scene. The fireworks explode faster and faster, as the fire sears farther. Maleficent's wicked laugh fills the hub. The momentum continues to build and build until…
Sorcerer Yensid appears on the castle and halts the madness by casting forth his hands. Upon doing so, the fountains rise and rush upwards towards the castle. The fire is distinguished and the madness finally subdues, as Maleficent's laughter fades away. The twisted green and purple mash of colors on the castle fades away, illuminating the castle in a light blue glow.
Finale
Smoke still clears from the previous madness, surrounding the castle, as all falls silent. A slight glimmer of light sparkles across Snow White Castle.
JIMINY CRICKET: Well, I'll be, the magic lives on! As long as we all believe, then the power of dreams will always triumph over evil. This place, this Magic Kingdom, will never run out of magic, as long as people still have dreams and wishes to make! This kingdom will live on as the place where dreams really do come true...
The woman's voice sings once more...
"And with each generation we know,
Treasure the memories
and together watch them grow."
The book opens up once more, to reveal a very familiar image: July 17th, 1955.
WALT DISNEY: To all who come to this happy place...welcome.
The image fades away as the Castle projects scenes of Disney characters having their dreams come true.
"We share a magic day
we share enchanted nights
it's a never ending story
that together we all write
it's been a part of me
it's been a part of you,
a part of growing up together
sharing a dream come true,
we share a dream come true."
Suddenly, bright gold and silver fireworks burst from the castle and the hub at the conclusion of the song, as a single bolt of blue is shot from the gold-covered Castle, before a dramatic drum roll rings on.
JIMINY CRICKET: Believe in your dreams. They're shining down deep inside of you, 'cause that is where the magic lives...
"We share a dream come true!"
An orchestra of fireworks jet into the sky, of all different colors. They illuminate Snow White Castle, which grows brighter and brighter. Streams of fireworks shoot from the Castle, towards the sky, crossing in front of one another. The fountains rise higher and higher, as the music builds. On the final note, a burst of golden fireworks surrounding the Castle and the hub illuminate Disneyland, before fading away into the dark.
As the lights come up and the guests head on out, Snow White Castle stands, shimmering in the night.
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Well, that's it, right, you may ask? Is our tour of Disneyland Park complete? Well, truth be told, there is one more thing I'd like to get at before we officially close the book on Disneyland. Due to this length between posts, we are much closer to Christmas. Therefore, sometime later this week, we shall take a look at how this "most wonderful time of the year" is celebrated at this Northern Disney park. I mean, I've seen pictures of Disneyland Paris in a snowfall and it looks beautiful; so I guess that's one major reason why I want to bring a Disneyland to the northern part of North America.
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Disney Dreams: Experience the Magic
"They say it started very small
as most dreams do.
A twinkle in an eye,
the thrill of something new.
Then the dream began to grow
and come alive,
touching every one of us,
lighting up the sky..."
These are the words that open "Share a Dream Come True", the theme for Disney Dreams: Experience the Magic, Disneyland Maine's epic new nighttime show. In the show, Jiminy Cricket invites us into a "living storybook" and takes us through some of the greatest Disney stories of all time.
Night has settled all across the Magic Kingdom. The murmur of guests rings down Main Street, U.S.A., as you approach the dead center of Central Plaza, by the Partners Statue, to find a good location to view the fireworks for their opening night debut. Snow White Castle is illuminated in a dark blue hue, as the light of the moon reflects down onto the hub. After watching the Main Street Electrical Parade, you find yourself anticipating what lies in store next. The trees down Main Street, U.S.A., and the trees in the middle of the Hub, twinkle with pixel lights, enchanting the street making everything seem magical. The smell of popcorn settles into the hub, as families quickly rush to get some ice cream and their spots to see the fireworks. Anticipation rises.
Prologue
Then, all of Main Street, U.S.A. and Snow White Castle blacks out, enveloping the entire entrance of the park and the hub in complete darkness. A simple xylophone medley fills the air, as the image of a storybook appears on the Castle. It opens up to reveal Walt Disney, hard at work (in a style similar to the video above). A woman's gentle voice sings...
"They say it started very small
as most dreams do
a twinkle in an eye
the thrill of something new
then the dream began to grow
and come alive
touching everyone of us
lighting up the skies."
As the images of various Disney characters appear in the book (again, in a style similar to the video above)...the orchestra swells and a choir vocalizes underneath the woman. Fireworks burst in the distance.
"We share a magic day
we share enchanted nights
it's a never ending story
that together we all write.
It's been a part of me
it's been a part of you
a part of growing up together.
We share a dream come true."
The projection fades away. As the voices fade and the song continues in instrumental, Jiminy Cricket's voice is heard.
JIMINY CRICKET: Gosh, wasn't that beautiful? Oh, hello, everybody, and welcome. Cricket's the name--Jiminy Cricket. You know, this entire wonderful place was inspired by the dreams of one man, who used his power to make a wish. That man was Walt Disney, of course! He dreamed of a place where families can be together and see their dreams unfold before their very eyes; and that dream turned into Disneyland. Everybody has the power to wish and to dream. I know some of you out there may not believe me, I'm just a cricket after all, but let me tell you, the most wonderful things can happen and all it takes is a wish!
A blue bolt shoots from behind Snow White Castle, before a firework in the formation of a star bursts in the sky. A choir proceeds to sing "When You Wish Upon a Star". Sparkles along the castle begin to illuminate, as the castle soon begins to light in a bright golden color.
"When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires will come to you."
All the while, glittery curtains of fireowrks descend down from the sky, before fading into the night. The book appears once more.
JIMINY CRICKET: Say, why don't I take you inside this magical book, so you can see the power of dreams come to life? Inside this living storybook, we'll meet some old friends and see how dreams and wishes saw them through. All you need is a dream to let your imagination take flight!
Act I: Flight Into Imagination
Suddenly, Tinker Bell descends down from the tallest spire of the castle, using her wand to set of a plethora of fireworks behind the castle, in a variety of different colors. Blue and golden fountains surrounding the castle, rise higher and higher and Tinker Bell continues her descent. The chorus of notes descend down along with Tinker Bell, before proceeding into a chorus of "The Second Star to the Right". The entire hub darkens again, as the entire castle becomes illuminated with twinkling projected stars. A bright, predominant star is located at the very top of the castle. As the chorus of "The Second Star to the Right" continues, twinkling waterfalls of light burst in the sky.
As the chorus of the song concludes, Peter Pan suddenly emerges from one of the balconies of Snow White Castle, and appears to fly across the front of the castle.
Peter Pan: Hey there, everyone! Now, think of the happiest things, it's the same as having wings! All you need is faith and trust. Oh, and one thing I forgot, dust! Tinker Bell!
Suddenly, the entire castle becomes illuminated in a darker golden color. Golden streams fireworks fall around the castle.
Peter Pan: Come on, everybody! Here we go! Off to Neverland!
In that instance, suddenly, Peter Pan flies around the castle. With the use of projections, the castle appears to be shrinking smaller and smaller. Wait, we're flying! Clouds soon cover the castle, as six different water screens surround the castle emerge, projected with fanciful clouds, making it seem as though the entire hub is floating in the middle of the sky. As this is happening, the tune of "You Can Fly! You Can Fly! You Can Fly!" is heard, as Peter flies through the clouds, before the segments ends with an arch of firework streams rising from behind the castle, illuminating it with a white light.
Then, a drum roll sounds, as the entire castle is illuminated in a dark red hue. The windows of the castle are illuminated with bright yellow lights. Lumiere (a large puppet) appears from behind a curtain and welcomes the guests to the magical night that is yet to be seen.
LUMIERE: Esteemed madames et monsieurs, it is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now, we invite you to relax, let us pull up a chair, as the dining room proudly presents...your dinner!
The entire hub then explodes in a celebration of color! Fireworks from behind the castle then are perfectly choreographed to "Be Our Guest" as the castle is illuminated in a rainbow of lights. Fountains to the sides of the castle dance to the melody of the music. In the final segment of the show, Lumiere appears on the castle, which is adorned with numerous colorful spotlights, dancing plates and silverware, as they proceed into the final segment of the show. As the song segues into its' final fanfare, an array of colorful fireworks explode behind the castle, as the fountains dance higher and higher. At the speed of the music picks up, more and more fireworks blast off. It's like a mini-finale and the show has only just begun! In the final chord of the number, a big blast of fireworks erupts completely surrounding the hub, before the hub fades back into the darkness.
Act II: Dreams to be Shared
JIMINY CRICKET: Dreams can be very special, especially when you share them with friends...
Suddenly, we see the iconic sunrise from The Lion King projected onto the castle, complete with the iconic opening chant. What follows is a beautiful segment inspired by "Circle of Life". The water screens project animals walking towards the castle, which has turned into Pride Rock. As the song ends, a gigantic firework explodes in time to the bass drum hit that ends the song as the projections black out.
Then, projected at the base of the castle, Timon and Pumbaa appear, welcoming the audience to their care-free, no worries lifestyle. An instrumental of "Hakuna Matata" plays, as the castle is soon covered with bugs and grubs, covering all over the castle. Firework explosions in the shapes of types of bugs emerge in the sky, along with other fireworks choreographed to the music. Leaves are projected all along the base of the castle. The fountains at the base of the castle simulate green leaves, to create a dense-jungle like appearance. During the segment, guests can hear Timon and Pumbaa talking about all of the delicious grubs crawling across the castle.
Soon, in a sequence lifted from Disneyland Forever, the Castle turns into a honey-combed paradise, as Winnie the Pooh emerges, singing about the "rumbly in his tumbly". He ends up following a bee, but the bee turns multicolor, and the Castle becomes a multicolored jumble, the perfect segue into the bizarre "Heffalumps and Woozles" nightmare!
In the midst of the song, a flash of blue appears across the castle, as blue sparkles drape around the castle. The Genie from Aladdin appears!
GENIE: Whoa! 10,000 years can give you such a crick in the neck! Hello, people, up here! Come on, we've got some wishes to grant!
This leads into an instrumental of "Friend Like Me", where the Genie uses his magic powers to warp and change the castle. In this number Genie's magical powers are choreographed to the fireworks, as he uses his magic to transfigure the castle, the sparks on the castle are choreographed with real fireworks. At the end of the number, the Genie has multiplied all over the castle and finishes off the number, as a string of blue fireworks shoot into the sky.
At the conclusion of the "Friend Like Me" segment, the water screens re-emerge around the hub, as Aladdin and Jasmine appear, singing "A Whole New World". The two fly around the hub via the water screens, floating along the Magic Carpet, amidst a starry night. The Sultan's Palace from Agrabah is projected onto Snow White Castle. Water fountains dance in arching formations. Shimmery fireworks blast off into the sky in golden colors. The silvery, starry fireworks descend down over the hub. Beautiful, steams of fireworks shoot up from behind the castle, quiet, not to disturb the beauty of the scene. At the end of the segment, Aladdin and Jasmines descend and the Sultan's Palace fades, leaving the castle twinkling in an array of blinking stars.
Act III: Dreams Born of Yearning
As the next segment begins, guests can hear the faint score to "Part of Your World", as Ariel wishes to be a part of the human world. Soon the castle becomes engulfed with a wave, as if it was being submerged. The entire area soon feels as though it is underwater. Bubbles descend down upon the area and lasers simulate the wavy surface to the ocean, completely enveloping the hub and Main Street. The water screens open to simulate the undersea environment from The Little Mermaid.
Fireworks and fountains dance to "Part of Your World", before the hub becomes alive with color, to the tune of "Under the Sea". Sebastian appears on one of the water screens, as the entire hub wraps with all different sorts of undersea-life, seen in The Little Mermaid. The hub becomes alive with an array of colorful fountains. Colorful fireworks blast off into the sky in red, green and blue colors. Arches of fireworks envelop the castle in the tropical, undersea rhythm. Lights envelop the hub, as the song reaches its' climax and blasts of shimmery, twirly fireworks shoot off into the sky.
As the song concludes, we rise up from the ocean once again to find ourselves looking out towards the ocean. Suddenly, a green glow emerges from the water, and a familiar green stone pops up and floats past. Cutting across the waves is Moana, aboard her boat! The triumphant refrain of "How Far I'll Go" fills the air.
Projected onto the castle, a series of leaves sweep across, before the instrumental tune of "Colors of the Wind" could be heard. Blue and green fountains rise into the sky, turning into the center, towards the castle. The sky becomes illuminated with different colors of fireworks. Some of the fireworks "sizzle" out, almost as if they are part of the leaves flying across the castle. As the end of the song approaches, the fireworks become more vibrant and larger, until the end of the song, where a series of colorful fireworks arch out from behind the castle.
A silhouette of Hercules onboard Pegasus flies across the castle, as the castle is illuminated in a bright orange color. Huge circular red and orange fireworks blast off to the tune of "Go the Distance" in a grand and bold manner. The song soon segues into "Out There" from The Hunchback of Notre Dame, which keeps the same manner as the previous segment, the fireworks launch out in big, bold patterns to the tune of the music. The Cathedral of Notre Dame is projected onto the castle as Quasimodo rings the bells, and huge fireworks explode out from behind it, completely enveloping the entire hub in bright oranges and reds.
Act IV: The Ties of Family
A brief reprise of "Share a Dream Come True" plays again.
JIMINY CRICKET: If you tell someone about your dream, that doesn't mean that it won't come true, you know. Just like my friend, Pinoke, he and his father both wished on a star...and their wishes came true.
An instrumental of "You'll Be in My Heart" plays, as vines slowly creep up the castle, as blue butterflies fly across the castle. Green fountains shoot up around the castle, as golden streams of fireworks fall during the verse of the song, raining down over the castle, like a canopy. During the refrain of the song, strings of pyrotechnics emerge from the sides of the castle, ending the segment perfectly. The hub soon fades to darkness again, as "Ellie's Theme" from Up plays, as colorful balloons rise on the castle. Colorful fireworks in red, blue, green, yellow and all sorts of colors illuminate the hub, for the incredibly colorful, yet somber musical segment.
Then, we hear a familiar voice...
"Remember me,
Though I have to say goodbye
Remember me
Don't let it make you cry..."
It's Hector, singing the song he wrote for his daughter, Coco. As he sings, we see footage of famous Disney families embracing. As the song concludes, he's joined by the voices of his great-great-grandson Miguel, and the elderly Mama Coco.
"Know that I'm with you the only way that I can be.
Until you're in my arms again,
Remember me."
Suddenly, the area takes on a cool, mellow blue tone, as we hear the voice of Timothy Mouse.
TIMOTHY: Come on, Dumbo. You can do it. You don't need a magic feather! You really can fly!
And just like that, Dumbo himself appears flying over Cinderella Castle, flapping his big ears and moving his legs. Blue shells are quietly shot in the background, as Allison Kraus' voice sings "Baby Mine". The music softens and Dumbo makes his exit.
Emerging from the side of the castle, Stitch appears, as Experiment 626. He arrives at a balcony in the castle, where he uses his laser gun weapon to shoot into the audience. As he does so, flares emerge all around the castle and the hub, as lazers emerge into the audience, in a completely 3-D realistic way. Stitch lets out a wicked laugh, before proceeding his onslaught of using his laser gun to spark fireworks from all around the castle. Stitch waves goodbye to the audience, as he climbs down the sides of the castle turrets and plunges into the moat towards Tomorrowland. A splash is heard and the water fountains shoot up.
Act V: Wishes of Love
JIMINY CRICKET: A dream is a powerful thing, especially when it comes from the heart...
The darkened hub becomes illuminated to the grand tune of "One Song" from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, before proceeding into elements of "Someday My Prince Will Come". The Prince's castle from the film is projected onto the castle, as a colorful mix of golden curtain fireworks is contrasted against the deep blue hues of the dancing fountains.
Immediately following the refrain from Snow White, "So This Is Love" from Cinderella sweeps through the hub, the castle takes on a gloss, glassy appearance, not too different from glass slippers, perhaps? Bold blue and white orb fireworks explode in the sky, almost as bright and shimmery as diamonds. Heart fireworks explode in the sky, as blue dancing fountains illuminate the base of the castle. We see Cinderella and Prince Charming waltz past.
Following the Cinderella segment, the hub livens up to the tune of "Once Upon a Dream" from Sleeping Beauty. Snow White Castle takes the form of King Stephan's castle from the film, as a battle ensues between blue and pink fireworks above. The bright fireworks light up the castle, lighting up the structure in an array of blue and pink lights. Flying across the castle are small red, green and blue orbs; Flora, Fauna and Merryweather. During the segment, guests can hear Flora and Merryweather chanting "Make it pink!" or "Blue"! At the base of the castle, the fountains themselves are battling out between deciding whether to be blue or pink.
This soon segues into a grand, sweeping sequence where we see Belle and the Beast dance as Mrs. Potts sings "Beauty and the Beast". This is a sequence lifted from Once Upon a Time at the Magic Kingdom.
As the song slowly fades, a single floating lantern is projected, rising up the castle.
"I See the Light" starts playing throughout the hub, as the water screens surrounding the hub soon become illuminated with several floating lanterns, which also completely illuminate the castle. Rapunzel begins to sing the verse of the song, as golden fountains rise from the base of Cinderella Castle. Golden fireworks explode overhead. It really does feel as though the entire hub is surrounded in floating lanterns. As Flynn joins Rapunzel during the refrain of the song, real floating lanterns float from the base of Snow White Castle and rise into the sky, out of sight. As the song slowly finishes out its' final chords, the tone of the music turns somewhat darker, dismal. The castle falls into a dark blue/purplish color.
Act VI: Dark Forces Ignite
JIMINY CRICKET: Huh? What's going on? Whoa, I guess some of us have to be careful with what we wish for. Anything can happen. Look out!
Suddenly a flash of light appears across the castle, as a firework makes a gigantic, thunderous noise. In a golden circular frame, the face of the Magic Mirror appears, stating to the guests that dreams can give way to a world of nightmares. Flames burst from within the magic mirror, engulfing the mirror and spreading across the castle. Real jets of fire ignite off of the castle.
Smoke emants from the castle, as green fountains emerge from its' base. Projected green some rises along the castle, before the evil face of Scar from The Lion King appears from within the green smoke. Suddenly, a rock theme of "Be Prepared" takes hold, as bold green and yellow fireworks illuminate the sky, cackling above. The segment ends with a thundersome crackle, from the fireworks above. The green lights remain on the castle, as a shadowy figure of Dr. Facilier is projected onto the castle, performing "Friends on the Other Side". During the number, the dark shadow uses his "voodoo" powers to create the magical firework displays at hand, in many different shapes. Dark shadowy creatures swarm the castle. This segment is similar to the "Friend Like Me" segment, where in, the animation on the castle, is choreographed with the fireworks.
Suddenly, bursts of flame appear from the castle, as "Hellfire" plays. Huge orbs of red and orange fireworks explode in the sky, painting a haunting picture of a darkened Snow White Castle in the forefront. It seemingly appears as though the sky is on fire from the mass arrangement of fiery red fireworks. Fiery beams emerge from jets on Snow White Castle. The segment ends with an explosion of blood red fireworks surrounding the hub.
When the light from the fireworks fade, a very familiar villain appears in a burst of green flame.
MALEFICENT: Behold the power of all evil! This kingdom shall become my dominion of nightmares!
Blasts of green fireworks emerge from behind the castle. Projected thorns begin to cover the castle. The water screens open to reveal a thorn forest surrounding the hub. Jets of fire appear from within the hub, spreading the blaze across the river, seemingly making it seem as though the hub is surrounding by a river of fire! Blasts of green and purple fireworks explode in the sky, creating a haunted scene. The fireworks explode faster and faster, as the fire sears farther. Maleficent's wicked laugh fills the hub. The momentum continues to build and build until…
Sorcerer Yensid appears on the castle and halts the madness by casting forth his hands. Upon doing so, the fountains rise and rush upwards towards the castle. The fire is distinguished and the madness finally subdues, as Maleficent's laughter fades away. The twisted green and purple mash of colors on the castle fades away, illuminating the castle in a light blue glow.
Finale
Smoke still clears from the previous madness, surrounding the castle, as all falls silent. A slight glimmer of light sparkles across Snow White Castle.
JIMINY CRICKET: Well, I'll be, the magic lives on! As long as we all believe, then the power of dreams will always triumph over evil. This place, this Magic Kingdom, will never run out of magic, as long as people still have dreams and wishes to make! This kingdom will live on as the place where dreams really do come true...
The woman's voice sings once more...
"And with each generation we know,
Treasure the memories
and together watch them grow."
The book opens up once more, to reveal a very familiar image: July 17th, 1955.
WALT DISNEY: To all who come to this happy place...welcome.
The image fades away as the Castle projects scenes of Disney characters having their dreams come true.
- Snow White being woken up by the Prince's kiss
- Pinocchio becoming a real boy
- Sorcerer Mickey doing magic
- Dumbo being re-united with his mother
- Bambi standing on the cliff; now the Great Prince
- Cinderella and the Prince being married
- Peter Pan and the Darlings soaring off to Neverland
- Sleeping Beauty and Prince Phillip dancing in the clouds
- Wart removing the sword from the stone
- Mowgli and Baloo being re-united
- Winnie the Pooh eating honey in the Honey Tree
- Ariel being re-united with Prince Eric
- The Beast and the servants becoming human again; Belle and Adam waltzing
- Aladdin and Jasmine riding their magic carpet
- Simba, Nala, Timon and Pumbaa on Pride Rock
- Woody and Buzz re-uniting with Andy
- Quasimodo being accepted into society
- Hercules becomes a hero
- The Chinese people bowing down to Mulan
- Tarzan and Jane being re-united
- Stitch becoming part of Lilo's family
- The Incredibles saving the day
- Tiana and Naveen becoming human again
- Rapunzel being re-united with her parents
- Anna being un-thawed; Anna and Elsa hugging
- Moana sailing away
"We share a magic day
we share enchanted nights
it's a never ending story
that together we all write
it's been a part of me
it's been a part of you,
a part of growing up together
sharing a dream come true,
we share a dream come true."
Suddenly, bright gold and silver fireworks burst from the castle and the hub at the conclusion of the song, as a single bolt of blue is shot from the gold-covered Castle, before a dramatic drum roll rings on.
JIMINY CRICKET: Believe in your dreams. They're shining down deep inside of you, 'cause that is where the magic lives...
"We share a dream come true!"
An orchestra of fireworks jet into the sky, of all different colors. They illuminate Snow White Castle, which grows brighter and brighter. Streams of fireworks shoot from the Castle, towards the sky, crossing in front of one another. The fountains rise higher and higher, as the music builds. On the final note, a burst of golden fireworks surrounding the Castle and the hub illuminate Disneyland, before fading away into the dark.
As the lights come up and the guests head on out, Snow White Castle stands, shimmering in the night.
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Well, that's it, right, you may ask? Is our tour of Disneyland Park complete? Well, truth be told, there is one more thing I'd like to get at before we officially close the book on Disneyland. Due to this length between posts, we are much closer to Christmas. Therefore, sometime later this week, we shall take a look at how this "most wonderful time of the year" is celebrated at this Northern Disney park. I mean, I've seen pictures of Disneyland Paris in a snowfall and it looks beautiful; so I guess that's one major reason why I want to bring a Disneyland to the northern part of North America.
Merry Christmas, everybody! In the spirit of the season, why don't we find out how Disneyland Maine celebrates this glorious time.
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Christmas at Disneyland Park
Up north, Christmas may just be the most magical time of year. The ground is caked in snow, the winter chill sends a nostalgic rush, the smells of cookies and cakes fill the air... With this in mind, it only stands to reason that Disneyland Maine would know how to celebrate the season. First, since Maine is right up north, actual snow blankets the park like something out of a dream! No soap flakes used here! In Town Square, the flagpole is removed to make way for a towering Christmas tree. Along Main Street, wreaths and boughs of holly and strings of garland decorate every storefront. In Adventureland, makeshift jungle foliage is turned "festive". Rustic decorations line the streets of Thunder Mesa in Frontierland. Fantasyland gets all decked out for a medieval Christmas. And Discoveryland and Tomorrowland get their own retro-futuristic decor. And that's not even getting to what new attractions are coming for Christmas!
The magic sets in as soon as you enter the park. On Main Street, U.S.A., a team of Dickens carolers roam Town Square by night, singing a cappella arrangements of beloved Christmas carols. As mentioned beforehand, Santa Claus himself meets guests inside Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe. As I mentioned in my Adventureland post, every December, the Jungle Cruise turns into the Jingle Cruise. Over in Frontierland, the Country Bear Jamboree gets a holiday makeover, with the ursine performers taking on classic country carols.
Every Christmas, the glistening spires of Small World Palace in Fantasyland begin to glisten even more with the seasonal addition of "it's a small world" holiday. As mid-November rolls around, the children of the world begin to sing the songs of the season and celebrate their respective holidays, all within a heavily-lit and decorated Small World Palace. Thousands of multicolored Christmas lights create a beacon of holiday cheer, not to mention peace on earth and goodwill towards men, the message of the ride not just during the holidays, but all year-round.
Also in Fantasyland, the Starlit Princess Waltz gets a holiday makeover. The famed "Christmas Waltz" plays a huge part in the story, as does a special instrumental piece created especially for the season. Likewise, the Frozen Sing-Along Celebration gets an extended finale, featuring songs from Olaf's Frozen Adventure.
Come December, Disney's Dream Celebration Parade is temporarily put on hold in favor of A Christmas Fantasy, a new take on the beloved Disneyland parade. Utilizing a soundtrack different than its Californian counterpart, the parade blends the "Christmas Fantasy" theme with beloved Christmas carols, corresponding to each individual unit.
The procession begins with Mickey and Minnie riding on a festive float with a glorious Christmas tree in the background, heralded by the arrival of such friends as Oswald, Goofy, Max, Daisy, Donald, Pluto, Chip and Dale. From there, it's a glorious depiction of the sights and sounds of the season. First, we'll visit the "Frosted Forest", to see how some of our more "country" folk celebrate. Expect to see Winnie the Pooh and his friends in a snow-filled 100 Acre Wood, Rapunzel's tower covered in snow, and a brief visit to Arendelle, among other such familiar and inviting sights, including a bevy of dancing snowmen of the non-Olaf variety. You know how the "Christmas Waltz" song says Christmas is "that time of year when the world falls in love"? Illustrating that point, we are invited to a royal Yuletide ball, featuring some of the most famous lovebirds in the kingdom -- Snow White and Prince Florian, Cinderella and Prince Charming, Aurora and Phillip, Ariel and Eric, Belle and Prince Adam and Tiana and Naveen.
Now, what would Christmas be without sweets? Next stop: a magical bakery, where gingerbread men seem to march all by themselves. Under the watchful eye of Clarabelle Cow, the smell of fresh-baked treats fills the parade route (thanks to a hidden smellitizer in the float). The arrival of the famous Toy Soldiers from Babes in Toyland mark the arrival of Santa's mobile workshop. Helmed by such famous toys as Pinocchio, Woody, Buzz and Jessie, we see the elves in action, making toys...some of which walk along the parade route! Teddy bears, a ballerina, even Raggedy Ann and Andy show up! And of course, at the tail end of the parade, heralded by his eight jolly reindeer, plus Rudolph, is the big man himself, Santa Claus!
When night falls, Disneyland Maine comes alive with three major events. First, it wouldn't be Christmas at Disney without the joyous sounds of the Candlelight Processional, a Disney Parks institution that has been delighting guests for 60 years. Gather, one and all, at the Main Street train station to join a celebrity narrator, backed by a large choir, comprising of Disney cast members and guest choirs from across the state, and a 50-piece orchestra, for an inspired retelling of the story of the first Christmas, punctuated by various Christmas carols, and culminating in a powerful performance of Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus".
Back in Frontierland, you can take in the spectacle of Fantasmic! Dreams of Christmas. The beloved nighttime spectacular gets a holiday makeover, celebrating the best of Disney magic and the best of Christmas. The show begins as normal, with the same introduction, "Sorcerer's Apprentice" sequence, flower sequence, jungle sequence and "Pink Elephant" sequence. But after that, things change. First, instead of the Woody's Roundup scene, we have a Christmas medley, which segues into a snowflake sequence. And where Peter Pan and Hook would duel in the regular show, we have a sequence based on Frozen. The screens show the scene where Elsa's powers are revealed, and she is labeled as a monster. The screens disappear as Elsa begins to run from the steps of the seating to an opening in the fencing. Behind her, the Duke of Weselton's men are in quick pursuit. Elsa stops in front of the river, as a hard to see plexiglass platform shows up as it appears Elsa runs across the water, and right when Elsa gets to the stage on the the other side the screens come back to life. They now show Elsa running across the fjord, and freezing it, afterwards it shows the mountain as "Let it Go" begins to play. Using projections, two actors as Elsa, fountains, screens, and fake snow this may just be the most ambitious "Let it Go" performance to date. After the storm rages on, we have the princess sequence, which will be re-choreographed and set to an arrangement of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (in an arrangement similar to the medley used in the regular show). From there, we have the villains and the finale, like always, but the finale will weave a few themes from a few Christmas carols into it.
And finally, we have Celebrate the Season!, a dazzling fireworks display scored to some of the most beloved holiday songs ever written.
But, no matter when you visit Disneyland, each day ends the same. When the day ends, and the last boom of the fireworks has long since sounded, keep an eye out--you may see Mickey and Minnie, waving goodbye from atop the train station! Of course, the shops of Main Street, U.S.A. stay open a half-hour after the rest of the park closes, offering guests a getaway from the stampede, or to just walk around, enjoying the beauty of the night. Stick around long enough, and you'll get one last treat.
And just like that--our journey through Disneyland Park is complete. But don't think our journey through the resort is over. We've still got a lot to see! By the way, remember that...second gate I told you about?
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Once again, I would like to wish you all happy holidays! I certainly hope that your holidays were ones to remember! Our walking tour of Disneyland is through. Stay tuned, because soon, we'll open the gates to Disney's Hollywoodland and explore the world of the movies like never before!
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Christmas at Disneyland Park
Up north, Christmas may just be the most magical time of year. The ground is caked in snow, the winter chill sends a nostalgic rush, the smells of cookies and cakes fill the air... With this in mind, it only stands to reason that Disneyland Maine would know how to celebrate the season. First, since Maine is right up north, actual snow blankets the park like something out of a dream! No soap flakes used here! In Town Square, the flagpole is removed to make way for a towering Christmas tree. Along Main Street, wreaths and boughs of holly and strings of garland decorate every storefront. In Adventureland, makeshift jungle foliage is turned "festive". Rustic decorations line the streets of Thunder Mesa in Frontierland. Fantasyland gets all decked out for a medieval Christmas. And Discoveryland and Tomorrowland get their own retro-futuristic decor. And that's not even getting to what new attractions are coming for Christmas!
The magic sets in as soon as you enter the park. On Main Street, U.S.A., a team of Dickens carolers roam Town Square by night, singing a cappella arrangements of beloved Christmas carols. As mentioned beforehand, Santa Claus himself meets guests inside Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe. As I mentioned in my Adventureland post, every December, the Jungle Cruise turns into the Jingle Cruise. Over in Frontierland, the Country Bear Jamboree gets a holiday makeover, with the ursine performers taking on classic country carols.
Every Christmas, the glistening spires of Small World Palace in Fantasyland begin to glisten even more with the seasonal addition of "it's a small world" holiday. As mid-November rolls around, the children of the world begin to sing the songs of the season and celebrate their respective holidays, all within a heavily-lit and decorated Small World Palace. Thousands of multicolored Christmas lights create a beacon of holiday cheer, not to mention peace on earth and goodwill towards men, the message of the ride not just during the holidays, but all year-round.
Also in Fantasyland, the Starlit Princess Waltz gets a holiday makeover. The famed "Christmas Waltz" plays a huge part in the story, as does a special instrumental piece created especially for the season. Likewise, the Frozen Sing-Along Celebration gets an extended finale, featuring songs from Olaf's Frozen Adventure.
Come December, Disney's Dream Celebration Parade is temporarily put on hold in favor of A Christmas Fantasy, a new take on the beloved Disneyland parade. Utilizing a soundtrack different than its Californian counterpart, the parade blends the "Christmas Fantasy" theme with beloved Christmas carols, corresponding to each individual unit.
The procession begins with Mickey and Minnie riding on a festive float with a glorious Christmas tree in the background, heralded by the arrival of such friends as Oswald, Goofy, Max, Daisy, Donald, Pluto, Chip and Dale. From there, it's a glorious depiction of the sights and sounds of the season. First, we'll visit the "Frosted Forest", to see how some of our more "country" folk celebrate. Expect to see Winnie the Pooh and his friends in a snow-filled 100 Acre Wood, Rapunzel's tower covered in snow, and a brief visit to Arendelle, among other such familiar and inviting sights, including a bevy of dancing snowmen of the non-Olaf variety. You know how the "Christmas Waltz" song says Christmas is "that time of year when the world falls in love"? Illustrating that point, we are invited to a royal Yuletide ball, featuring some of the most famous lovebirds in the kingdom -- Snow White and Prince Florian, Cinderella and Prince Charming, Aurora and Phillip, Ariel and Eric, Belle and Prince Adam and Tiana and Naveen.
Now, what would Christmas be without sweets? Next stop: a magical bakery, where gingerbread men seem to march all by themselves. Under the watchful eye of Clarabelle Cow, the smell of fresh-baked treats fills the parade route (thanks to a hidden smellitizer in the float). The arrival of the famous Toy Soldiers from Babes in Toyland mark the arrival of Santa's mobile workshop. Helmed by such famous toys as Pinocchio, Woody, Buzz and Jessie, we see the elves in action, making toys...some of which walk along the parade route! Teddy bears, a ballerina, even Raggedy Ann and Andy show up! And of course, at the tail end of the parade, heralded by his eight jolly reindeer, plus Rudolph, is the big man himself, Santa Claus!
When night falls, Disneyland Maine comes alive with three major events. First, it wouldn't be Christmas at Disney without the joyous sounds of the Candlelight Processional, a Disney Parks institution that has been delighting guests for 60 years. Gather, one and all, at the Main Street train station to join a celebrity narrator, backed by a large choir, comprising of Disney cast members and guest choirs from across the state, and a 50-piece orchestra, for an inspired retelling of the story of the first Christmas, punctuated by various Christmas carols, and culminating in a powerful performance of Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus".
Back in Frontierland, you can take in the spectacle of Fantasmic! Dreams of Christmas. The beloved nighttime spectacular gets a holiday makeover, celebrating the best of Disney magic and the best of Christmas. The show begins as normal, with the same introduction, "Sorcerer's Apprentice" sequence, flower sequence, jungle sequence and "Pink Elephant" sequence. But after that, things change. First, instead of the Woody's Roundup scene, we have a Christmas medley, which segues into a snowflake sequence. And where Peter Pan and Hook would duel in the regular show, we have a sequence based on Frozen. The screens show the scene where Elsa's powers are revealed, and she is labeled as a monster. The screens disappear as Elsa begins to run from the steps of the seating to an opening in the fencing. Behind her, the Duke of Weselton's men are in quick pursuit. Elsa stops in front of the river, as a hard to see plexiglass platform shows up as it appears Elsa runs across the water, and right when Elsa gets to the stage on the the other side the screens come back to life. They now show Elsa running across the fjord, and freezing it, afterwards it shows the mountain as "Let it Go" begins to play. Using projections, two actors as Elsa, fountains, screens, and fake snow this may just be the most ambitious "Let it Go" performance to date. After the storm rages on, we have the princess sequence, which will be re-choreographed and set to an arrangement of "I'll Be Home for Christmas" (in an arrangement similar to the medley used in the regular show). From there, we have the villains and the finale, like always, but the finale will weave a few themes from a few Christmas carols into it.
And finally, we have Celebrate the Season!, a dazzling fireworks display scored to some of the most beloved holiday songs ever written.
But, no matter when you visit Disneyland, each day ends the same. When the day ends, and the last boom of the fireworks has long since sounded, keep an eye out--you may see Mickey and Minnie, waving goodbye from atop the train station! Of course, the shops of Main Street, U.S.A. stay open a half-hour after the rest of the park closes, offering guests a getaway from the stampede, or to just walk around, enjoying the beauty of the night. Stick around long enough, and you'll get one last treat.
And just like that--our journey through Disneyland Park is complete. But don't think our journey through the resort is over. We've still got a lot to see! By the way, remember that...second gate I told you about?
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Once again, I would like to wish you all happy holidays! I certainly hope that your holidays were ones to remember! Our walking tour of Disneyland is through. Stay tuned, because soon, we'll open the gates to Disney's Hollywoodland and explore the world of the movies like never before!
Yes, I am from Maine. This kind of an idea has long been a dream of mine, ever since I was a little lad.
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What makes Disneyland work so well? I honestly believe the secret to its success is that it was created from the point-of-view of a filmmaker. At Disney parks, everything is a form of storytelling. Everything is crafted the way a film is crafted. Those movies we grew up watching come to life before our very eyes, and we get a chance to explore those celluloid worlds. It is in this spirit of the inspiring world of film-making that I welcome you to the second gate of Disneyland Maine...
Disney's Hollywoodland
In the tradition of Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida, Disney's Hollywoodland is dedicated in the spirit and fantasy of the Hollywood Dream. This is a reverent celebration of Hollywood – not as a place on a map, but as a state of mind. The notion of Hollywood is alive with sights, sounds, glamour, fame, adventure, and mystery. For that reason, Disney's Hollywoodland is not a movie studio. You won’t see or hear the term "movie magic," and you’d be hard-pressed to find studio-rig lighting. Hollywood is a place of enduring hope where stories come to life and viewers escape into impossible worlds of yesterday, tomorrow, and fantasy. That describes Disney's Hollywoodland pretty well, too.
Passing under the soaring, teal Pan-Pacific Gates (modeled after the iconic entrance to Los Angeles' loved-and-lost Pan-Pacific Auditorium), guests enter not into a film set or a studio backlot, but into Hollywood in the 1930s. This is the Hollywood of Clark Gable, Vivien Leigh and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This is a town that once took the heart of a young Walt Disney. The automobile has made way for the Red Car of the Pacific Electric Railway. The shimmer of neon and bustle of traffic have built a fairy-land from a suitcase and a dream, "where any office boy or young mechanic can be a panic, with just a goodlooking pan." Here, one can go out and try their luck, and most certainly meet Donald Duck. Here, in the year 1937, the stress of our contemporary life fades for a glimpse into a warm embodiment of the “Hollywood that Never Was.” The shimmer of neon and triumph of a dream set our stage for this reverent tribute to the romance, glamour and sentimentality of the silver screen. This is...
Hollywood Boulevard
Hollywood Boulevard is anchored in the remarkable aspiration of a young man who left Kansas City for Los Angeles with big dreams - and little money. His ideas, drive and determination would one day change the world. That man was Walt Disney. Storytellers recalls the moment in which a young Walt and Mickey first laid foot in the City of Angels. The tribute of bronze and plaster has hidden itself among the foot-traffic of Valiant Plaza, the park's entrance plaza, a subtle reminder that Walt was once such an everyday dreamer as ourselves. An adjacent plaque reads: "It was July 1923. I packed all of my worldly goods - a pair of trousers, a checkered coat, a lot of drawing materials and the last of the fairy tale reels we had made - in a kind of frayed cardboard suitcase. And with that wonderful audacity of youth, I went to Hollywood, arriving there with just forty dollars. It was a big day the day I got on that Santa Fe California Limited. I was just free and happy!" - Walt Disney
In the principle of Main Street, U.S.A. over at Disneyland Park, Hollywood Boulevard is a sparkling thoroughfare presented in the style and architecture of one historic Hollywood building after the next. The Art Deco and Mission Revival architecture instill in us a sense of familiarity with a hint of intrigue. The reality of the Great Depression has subdued into the color and excitement of a cinematic Tinseltown. Trolley cables hang throughout the "skies," while the Red Car Newsboys exclaim the "daily" headlines through song and dance aboard their trolley "stage." Keystone cops patrol the streets in search of ne'er-do-wells, while an overly-flamboyant movie starlet canoodles her poodle to the adoration of her "fans." The Citizens of Hollywood simply and thematically add to the immersive environment, all the while setting a period that is further established in Art Deco architecture and rooftop billboards representing fictional and nonfictional products of the 1930's and 40's. Big band beats fill the air, played in crisp, fresh orchestrations rather than crackling radio transmissions. At the base of a flagpole in the center of Valiant Plaza, which not only displays the American flag, but the California flag as well, a bronze plaque reads the park's dedication, delivered on December 21st, 2037, 100 years to the day when Snow White first premiered:
"To all who explore these worlds of adventure: welcome. Disney's Hollywoodland celebrates the intrigue, romance, imagination, and optimism dreamed up by daring minds such as Walt Disney and those like him who forever changed – and were forever changed by – the magic of cinema. This unique world is a Hollywood that never was, and always will be; and is dedicated to the dreamers that it continues to inspire. May these lands born of imagination be a source of wonder for all."
Stepping onto Hollywood Boulevard, to our left, we find the storied relic of the Chamber of Commerce, notable for its proud dedication to Guest Relations. Nearby, the Town Square Lockers, neighbored closely by the Baby Care Center and First Aid Station.
The historic Red Car of the Pacific Electric Railway criss-crossed Los Angeles from 1887 to 1961, when the advanced network made way for the advent of the automobile. Today, the Red Car Trolley of our Magic Kingdom is of one and the same purpose - efficient travel. With three convenient stops - Hollywood Boulevard, the Chinese Theatre, and Toontown - the Red Car is in tribute to the bygone memory of a yesteryear Los Angeles, similar to the sights and smells of Philippe's, an L.A. original, found across the way from the Hollywood Boulevard trolley station. "Home of the Original French Dipped Sandwich", specialties of the house include roast beef, pork, turkey, ham, or leg of lamb. Coleslaw, pickles, macaroni salads, pickled eggs, olives and peppers compliment the varied deli meats. This near-exact replica of the real-world location has been built to the minute detail; sawdust on the floor, neon in the signage, and "Carvers" at the counter. Found just a few feet away from the station, however, is the Fairfax Market, an outdoor grocery stand selling fresh fruits, snacks, and refreshments, represented as an authentic open-air grocery stand of a bygone era.
Bright light and the crackle of a phonograph welcome us to Oswald's Filling Station. There always seems to be a '40 Pontiac Torpedo Coupe out front. Oswald’s is decked "ear-to-toe" in memorabilia of American Car Culture, with the inventory following suit. Oswald himself often frequents the station in full mechanic attire, a rabbit-shaped wrench at hand. As with Oswald, on Hollywood Boulevard, we can "rub elbows" with the Disney stars of celluloid - including Mickey, Minnie, or Goofy - dressed in their Hollywood finest.
Like the real-world Hollywood, Hollywood Boulevard is populated with “real,” believable people. The aforementioned Citizens of Hollywood walk the street in stride, a living snapshot of the optimism, humor and pride of the Hollywood Dream. On the “Sunny Side of the Street,” the musical Five & Dime arrive in Town Square in their ramshackle jalopy. Led by the voice of “Dime,” the band has traveled down Route 66 from Chicago in the hope of making it big in Tinseltown.
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And just like that, our journey has begun! It actually kinda feels refreshing to be talking about something else now. Oh, and by the way, most of what you have just read about Valiant Plaza came directly from the mind of @MANEATINGWREATH, so credit goes out to him! Now, in the next post, we'll head down Hollywood Boulevard itself and see some more Hollywood sights!
NormC
Well-Known Member
Cool. We have a lake house in Windsor. Maine is a beautiful state. I have canoed in the Allagash region.
Yes, Maine is quite beautiful. But truth be told, I really want to move to Florida and work at Walt Disney World.
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Are you ready? Then, come step down Hollywood Boulevard and take in the atmosphere. Unlike the real equivalent, the Hollywood found here is to always remain fresh and new. This is what the real Hollywood should be like…
Hollywood Boulevard is anchored by the lavish Elias & Co., the largest mercantile in the entire park, basically the Hollywood equivalent to the Emporium back on Main Street. The sprawling, two-level emporium evokes the grandeur of a yesteryear Macy’s, with wooden escalators, crystal-chandeliers and sweeping rotundas in presentation of the goods and wares of a childhood dream. Sid Cahuenga, Talent Agency assures us that they can turn anyone or anything into a STAR, dressing us up as a star and placing us on the cover a magazine or in our very own acting headshot. Hollywood Clothiers may or may not assist in Sid's business, promising to dress anyone up like the greats in a matter of seconds. The large camera on the exterior indicates The Darkroom as our one-stop shop for film, cameras, memory cards, and in-park photo development. As cheesy as it the name sounds, Award Wieners at the final left corner of the boulevard stands in the spirit of another famous culinary Hollywood hotspot, Pink's Hot Dogs, selling hot dogs and gourmet sausages from a window with a line that stretches around the block. Streetside tables with umbrellas provide ample dining space and perfect views of the live street entertainment.
On the other side of the boulevard, Mickey's of Hollywood sells any and all things related to kid-friendly merchandise, from stuffed Mickeys to Disney character-themed clothing The store also features large statues depicting the Big Cheese in some of his most iconic roles, including him as the Sorcerer's Apprentice, Steamboat Willie and the conductor of "The Band Concert". Clarabelle's Hand-Scooped Ice Cream Parlour recalls the Hollywood soda fountains of the 1930s, complete with film memorabilia, preserved props, and stills of the classics. Specialty sundaes, ice cream sodas and triple scoop cones abound. The Red Car Five & Dime is a "one-stop shop," that, while featuring generic merchandise, also features merchandise related to the Red Car and other railways. It seems only fitting that the 20th Century Limited, Disney's Hollywoodland's take on Club 33 sits next door.
Held within a facade inspired by Union Station, the 20th Century Limited welcomes a select few aboard America's most famous train of yesteryear, a private, "members only" restaurant entirely found aboard the lavish steam train's dining car(s). While we dine, the windows and rumbling floor simulate a trip around the vast expanse of California through stunning means of technology. The bold and diverse flavors of Southern California carry into the kitchen of the dining car, where a five-star meal by candlelight is all the rage. Private banquets and executive meetings frequent the exclusive club. For those who can't afford the club's exclusive membership, a small "taste" of select wines and appetizers sold aboard the train are sold in a small bar inside the station called Gable's, supposedly frequented by Clark Gable himself between movie shoots, as evident by his autographed-headshot above the alcohol supply.
From here, Hollywood Boulevard then proceeds to split off into the Grauman's Chinese Theater Courtyard, the central plaza of Disney's Hollywoodland, surrounded with lush, green foliage, beautiful fountains, and planted with lining palm trees. The surrounding area is lined with plains of grass, planted with bountiful trees, illuminated with twinkling LED lights. The courtyard is so named after the park's central icon, a life-size replica of Grauman's Chinese Theatre, home to The Great Movie Ride, a 25-minute guided dark ride through the history of cinema, cataloging and bringing to life some of the greatest stories ever told. Brimming with excitement, we enter the lavish movie palace and into a lobby filled with iconic props and posters of the silver screen; Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers, the Ark of the Covenant, Mary Poppins’ umbrella. An inspired collection of trailers and scenes of classic cinema lead to a soundstage held beneath the Hollywoodland Sign at twilight. Here we board a "traveling theater" for a guided, immersive tour through the world of cinematic history.
The Great Movie Ride employs the use of Audio-Animatronic figures, practical sets, live actors, projections and special effects in a 25-minute experience. Along the way, we pass screen legends in their most iconic roles; a tableau of film in a timeless snapshot, from one movie to the next. The finale, of course, brings all the films together in a moving montage of what else, but great movies… Such featured films include Citizen Kane, Godzilla, Singin’ in the Rain,and The Wizard of Oz. This is the signature attraction of not just Hollywood Boulevard, but of the park itself.
If you need to take a brief respite from the hustle and bustle of Hollywood Boulevard, then take a quiet stroll through the Eastern Gardens. This is a tranquil and gorgeous garden nestled alongside the left side of the Chinese Theatre and into the Hollywoodland Hills, which serve as the street’s backdrop. Under the hill’s uneven letters reading HOLLYWOODLAND are the garden’s walking paths, bridges, streams, pagodas, and waterfalls that serve as a break from the ever-frantic pulse of Tinseltown. Nestled in the shadow of the Hollywoodland Hills, guests will find the Hollywood Brown Derby restaurant, a lavish restaurant modeled after the truly iconic location. The restaurant is famously known for its' Cobb salad, which was apparently Sid Grauman's favorite snack after he had underwent some dental work. The restaurant features wonderful meals, while completely re-inventing the iconic restaurant, which even includes the classic Bamboo Room, modeled after the VIP Space.
Also, it should be noted that, as is the case with my ideas regarding Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida, Disney's Hollywoodland is divided into two areas: "A Tribute to Hollywood" and "Where Movies Come to Life", with the former focusing on Hollywood in its Golden Age, and the latter focusing on the worlds brought to life in some of Disney's more popular films. Hence, this is why The Great Movie Ride plays such a pivotal role. It eases us into this world where movies really do come to life.
From the Chinese Theater Courtyard, the path splits down to two other distinct parts of Hollywood: Hyperion Avenue and Valiant Street. We'll return to Valiant Street soon. But for now, let us head down Hyperion Avenue and see what's in store for us there...
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Once again, it should be noted that most of my inspiration for this came from @MANEATINGWREATH's various iterations of Hollywoodland/Hollywood Boulevard in his Dream Resort, so credit goes to him!
Next stop: Hyperion Avenue. Stay tuned!
NormC
Well-Known Member
Do it! DIsney could use more people that care about the details like you do!
Thank you very much!
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Hyperion Avenue
Heading westward from Hollywood Boulevard, you'll find yourself on Hyperion Avenue. Based primarily on Hollywood Land at Disney California Adventure, Hyperion Avenue offers glimpses at the Hollywood movie-making process, as well as attractions to tempt the minds of movie fans and Disney fans alike.
The historic Carthay Circle Theatre once held the premiere of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. This detailed re-creation of the now-defunct movie house, found in the space where the Disney Junior theater would be found at DCA, is a true testament to the glamour and romance of the Golden Age. Inside, an extraordinary journey into the world of film: CineMagic. From the charm of the silent era to the modern blockbuster, Martin Short and Julie Delpy star in a romantic, remastered, English-language version of the now-lost treasure of Walt Disney Studios, Paris. From one moment to the next, such featured films include Mary Poppins, Titanic, and Star Wars, all concluding in a waltz down the Yellow Brick Road.
Just up the road from the Carthay Circle, a beautiful Art-Deco building invites you to explore the ever-fascinating world of Disney Animation. I know that some people think this would technically make more sense on Valiant Street, but I'd prefer to keep Valiant Street strictly themed to Who Framed Roger Rabbit, in order to ease guests into the world of Toontown. Inside the Animation Courtyard, a number of gargantuan screens convey the clips, music, stills and sketches of the Disney Animated Canon and the Pixar Canon. This indoor courtyard is our "hub" for the varied wings of the sprawling exhibition, including:
The Animation Academy
In this magical classroom, learn to draw a beloved Disney character with a hands-on lesson from a Disney artist.
Sorcerer's Workshop
A collection of three exhibits each focusing on a different aspect of bringing an animated character to life: development, voice and appearance. In the Magic Mirror's Realm, we can create simple animation via spinning "reels", create our own virtual portraits and mosaics, piece together our own Silly Symphony short or create an adventurous and romantic plot to their own animated film. There are also interactive exhibits teach how the principles of persistence of vision trick the eye into believing that still images are in motion, the most notable exhibit being the mesmerizing Toy Story Zoetrope, a constantly-spinning optical illusion that brings to life several sculptures of characters from the film(s). The stone walls reveal many of our favorite characters arranged by theme: Fairies and Spirits, Heroes and Villains, Mentors and Warriors. The wise, talking portrait of the Magic Mirror points the path into Ursula's Grotto, the eerie but humble abode of Ursula the Sea Witch. Rather than stealing our voice for her own benefit, Ursula allows us to do a bit of voiceover work, re-recording our own voices over classic scenes and songs from Disney animation. The adjoint Beast's Library allows us to find our "Disney" self in a humorous quiz with Lumiere and Cogsworth. One of the most beautiful areas in the entire park, the Beast's Library seems to stretch into the heavens, often falling into a state of disrepair before the displayed rose is restored and beauty and magic brighten the chamber.
Character Close-Up
What Disney animation exhibit wouldn't be complete without the chance to meet a beloved Disney character? In this colorful meet-and-greet, you'll find six randomized characters representing six time periods: 30s/40s, 50s, 60s/70s, 80s/90s, 2000s and 2010s. Every morning, a different character is selected by a computer and scheduled for an all-day meet-n-greet in the space providing an experience that always proves to be different.
The Art of Animation
Rounding out the building is the Animation Screening Room, home of The Art of Animation. Found where Turtle Talk would be at DCA's Animation building, The Art of Animation is a fifteen-minute film which focuses on the creation of an animated feature from start to finish, from everything including research, design, conceptual planning, characters, paint cells, voice-acting and wrapping production. The film also informs us of the evolution of animation, including archival footage of Walt Disney and other previous and modern day artists talking about the evolution of art. It all culminates in a moving montage featuring a highlight of clips from every film in the Disney Animated Canon, all set to a dramatic score of some of the best music from these movies.
Back on the other side of the street, across the way from CineMagic, you'll find The Writer's Stop, a quiet place offering the finest brews and the finest books. Sharing building space with The Writer's Stop is the Lakeside Club, the swankiest joint in all of Hollywood! The club serves two purposes throughout the day at Disney's Hollywoodland. First of all, during the day, the Lakeside Club plays host to The D Show!
Inspired by the 1998 computer game, The D Show is "the big Disney game show that everyone can play"! Or in other words, The D Show is a trivia game show that spans the Disney lexicon. In this exciting blend of trivia, mind-benders, and true-or-false, you'll get a chance to rack up the most D-Bucks and emerge as Disney trivia champion! Now, the original D Show game came out in 1998 (Mulan being the most current film represented in the game), but this show would have an updated lexicon to include the most recent Disney films. And for an example of how the game is played, just watch the video above. Three "episodes" of the show are played out in that, so you'll definitely get a good idea of how things work.
By night, the exciting sounds of game show madness are replaced by those of uproarious laughter, laughter that can only supplied by the Comedy Warehouse! This uproarious group of comedians used to entertain at Pleasure Island at Downtown Disney in Florida before packing up in 2008. Well, I've decided to bring them back to make guests LOL. And when Disney's Hollywoodland closes down for the night, the Comedy Warehouse remains open for a few more hours. In fact, the schedule of shows there are: 8:00 p.m., 9:05 p.m., 10:15 p.m., 11:45 p.m. & 12:45 a.m. It's clear that this part of the park is aimed more towards adults than it is children.
Giving credence to the "Lakeside Club" name, much of Hyperion Avenue revolves around a quaint park set around Echo Lake, an almost-exact replica of the Hollywood landmark. Echo Lake is home to a quiet haven of shady trees, relaxing benches and beautiful flowers, offering yet another place to relax amid the hectic pace of movie-making.
The massive Stage 17 is home to two experiences. First is the ABC Production Stage, an interactive production show that is also equipped for actual live production. This allows for special events and TV shows to broadcast from the park throughout the year. Nearby is the Monster Sound Show, a favorite from the old days of Disney-MGM Studios. This is a look at how foley is used to give movies their iconic sound. Guests are selected to act as foley artists and help record sound effects for a short film starring Chevy Chase and Martin Short. There's also an interactive post show called SoundWorks, where guests could learn hands-on about how to create sound effects, experiment with voiceovers and more.
Serving as Hyperion Avenue's major dark ride, its answer to Mike and Sulley to the Rescue, if you will, an old studio soundstage serves as the home of Goofy in "How to be a Star", an omnimover dark ride where guests follow along in Goofy’s quest to learn how to be a movie star, styled after his iconic "How to..." series of animated shorts, complete with narrator! The attraction takes us through scenes where Goofy learns lessons about gaining and maintaining fame.
Going past "How to Be a Star", the Sci-Fi Dine-In serves the ultimate in thematic dining. Though the restaurant’s aged facade - the Hollywoodland Water District - suggests otherwise, we are instead immersed into a faux, outdoor realm of endless night, where vintage roadsters sit before a flickering, black-and-white movie screen. In a car-shaped booth of our own, we chow down on scrumptious morsels (popcorn served with every meal!) while watching scary clips on the big screen: attacking aliens, marauding mummies, rampaging robots and more, all to the orchestral themes of Bernard Herrmann and Bernhard Kaun. Naturally, animated shorts and skits intersperse the rather monstrous imagery, including an old favorite...
At the farthest end of Hyperion Avenue, you'll find the thing that gives the street its name: the Hyperion Theater, a beautiful Broadway-style theater designed in the style of a Golden Age movie palace. Now, what Hollywood-themed park would be complete without a big awards ceremony? Enter The Golden Mickeys! The premise of this show is that guests are attending an awards show highlighting achievements by various Disney animated films in several different categories, such as romance, villains, heroes, comedy, etc.; represented, of course, through some of the iconic songs to come from the Disney movies. A live orchestra is even on hand down in the pit to accompany the singers!
Right from the get-go, the feeling of being at an awards ceremony hits you. The entrance ramp that leads up to the theater is outfitted with a red carpet and banners. There's no mistaking that a special event is about to take place. A velvet rope is set up a few feet away from the entrance doors. Behind this cordoned off area is a video camera. An announcement is made that Rona Rivers, famed red carpet hostess, will be interviewing guests as they arrive for the show. A beautiful woman in a gold evening gown arrives and begins her sound and camera checks. A display of the awards to be presented is set up behind her. As the special guests (aka, us) arrive, Rona selects a few to interview. Each is asked what "designer" line they are wearing, who's their favorite Disney character and other "red carpet" questions. While this is fun to watch in person, you can see these interviews as they're broadcast inside the theater. However, just as the music tunes up and the performance is about to begin, there’s a commotion backstage. The master of ceremonies has failed to appear, so a reluctant young stage manager named Joe (who, in this version of the show, is a gender-fluid role) must take over hosting duties. The show follows the age old show biz tale of the star unable to perform with the understudy stepping into and shining in his/her role.
The show does not highlight one movie, but many. In fact, here is a list of movies and songs that will be represented, and what "award category" they will be part of. The Disney's Hollywoodland take on The Golden Mickeys would be a blend of both the Wonder and Dream versions, with a few new scenes thrown in for good measure.
- Opening: "Tonight is the Night"
- History Lesson (Scene with Benson & someone on-screen--currently, it's Bob Iger. Maybe Leonard Maltin could do this? I mean, he's already narrating the new Great Movie Ride in my plans)
- Classic: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- "Someday My Prince Will Come"
- "Whistle While You Work"
- "Heigh-Ho"
- Heroism
- "Son of Man" (Tarzan)
- "I'll Make a Man Out of You" (Mulan)
- "Trio: Just Around the Riverbend/Go the Distance/Out There" (Pocahontas, Hercules, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame), from the old Disneyland show Animazement, as heard in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBdrMXubXGw
- Symphony
- "Under the Sea" (The Little Mermaid)
- "Dig a Little Deeper" (The Princess and the Frog)
- Villains
- "Cruella de Vil" (101 Dalmatians)
- Friendship
- "You've Got a Friend in Me" (Toy Story)
- Romance
- "Bella Notte" (Lady and the Tramp)
- "I See the Light" (Tangled)
- "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" (The Lion King)
- "Beauty and the Beast" (Beauty and the Beast)
- Finale: "Who Knows Where a Dream Might Lead?"
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What do you think, everybody? Wasn't that exciting? Well, the excitement will keep on coming. In the next post, we'll head down the other side of Hollywood Boulevard and down Valiant Street and into Toontown! See ya then!
Wow, it certainly has been a while, folks. Don't worry, even during the hiatus, I had no intention of declaring the project dead. Since we've been away for so long, let's do two lands in once, especially given that one of these lands serves as an extended entrance into the other...
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Found the other side of the Chinese Theatre Courtyard, Valiant Street is inspired by Hollywood as seen through the lens of Robert Zemeckis' 1988 masterpiece Who Framed Roger Rabbit? The Terminal Bar, owned by Eddie Valiant's girlfriend, Dolores, is often rattled by the passing Red Car. Unfortunately, Delores is out on vacation with Eddie, but she left several of her bartenders behind to serve up a wide range of alcoholic drinks and themed snacks like Chips and "Dip". And if a little pick me up is needed, just request the barkeep to play "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" and watch the place come alive. The office of Valiant & Valiant is found nearby, as with the apartment of Baby Herman, though both sit inaccessible to us - and weasels… On the opposite side of the street is the abandoned stronghold of Cloverleaf Industries, Judge Doom's former evil enterprise that appears now as nothing more than the hollowed-shell of a building. Nearby, a secret panel leads to the opulent foyer of the Ink & Paint Club. The host motions us toward a “larger than life” portrait of Marvin Acme, the so called “Gag King.” Even so, the rose etched on his breast pocket squirts water straight from the canvas. Suddenly, the entire wall begins to move and we are thrust into the smokey nightclub, with Jazz blaring and cigarette girls roaming the room. A large octopus is our bartender, while the penguins of Mary Poppins hustle as the frantic waitstaff. Corks are popping and dinner is served.
At the far end of Valiant Street is a replica of the Griffith Park Tunnel. But, of course, to all Disney film buffs, the Griffith Park Tunnel serves as the entrance to one of the wackiest cities the world has ever known...
As the legend goes, Toontown was here long before the Magic Kingdom. It wasn’t until recently that Marvin Acme decided to allow human visitors inside. Dr. Seuss-like architecture and a distinct lack of straight-lines makes up this fictitious Hollywood suburb. Wacky architecture and bizarre scenery are all apart of the mix, warping us into the colorful reels of Who Framed Roger Rabbit's animated segments. Unnaturally-designed automobiles line the streets, while fireworks sound off and belch smoke from the clearly-burnt firework factory. Classic Silly Symphony themes overpower the big band beats; the old jailhouse allows convicts of any age to bend the bars and escape; the gas station pumps appear to be inhabited by googly-eyed goldfish; gunshots and cowboy-like hollers emit from the "Western Prop Warehouse." There is a severe lack in right angles, straight lines, or general order in the city’s presentation. An explosion bursts on the horizon - a foghorn rattles the cobblestone - this is not your grandfather’s Hollywood…
Valiant Street opens up into Downtown Toontown, the civic hub of hustle, bustle, and overall commotion. Here is a slice of the “reel” life where virtuallyeverything has a unique character and personality. The Toontown Opry has played home to some of the most famous musical moments in cartoon history, and today, they're playing host to a spectacular concert unlike any other. Inside, a number of recovered costumes and props lead to a spectacular showing of Mickey’s PhilharMagic.
When a mischievous Donald Duck dons the Sorcerer’s Hat of Conductor Mickey, the scheduled concert goes awry; a 3D dream world awaits in a number of classic animated musical sequences, including "Be Our Guest" from Beauty and the Beast and "A Whole New World" from Aladdin. Mickey of course saves the day, catapulting Donald off-screen and into the back wall of the opera house, much to the duck’s dismay… The show exits out into the Toontown Music Co., a shop blending the styles of the Land of Symphony and the Isle of Jazz, as seen in the Silly Symphony short Music Land. The Music Co. sells wares inspired by PhilharMagic and cartoon music in general. In fact, it is here where you can make your own customizable Disney CD. Choose from a wealth of beloved Disney tunes--from the movies, from the TV shows, from the theme parks and beyond--and you'll have your own memento of the magic and music of Disneyland Maine.
Lowbrow tomfoolery is the stock-in-trade of the Gag Factory, where rubber chickens and whoopee cushions are manufactured by a highly over-engineered contraption. Gag gifts and Toon merchandise are all the rage in this prop warehouse. Daisy’s Diner delivers classic milkshakes, burgers and fries. A statue of Roger Rabbit look to Toontown Infirmary, neighbored closely by the Firework Factory, B.B. Wolf Demolition Co. and McDuck Bank in a rather close-knit courtyard of misplaced crates, barrels and explosives; a stock of wisecracks, pop-guns, bad jokes, sound effects, and collapsed safes. One wrong touch might trigger an entire series of explosive fun… At the Toontown Post Office, PO boxes speak the voice of their owner, and a mailbox out front enjoys a chat with passers-by. “Hey, watch it! What do I look like, a mailbox or something?”The Toontown Police Station has a jailhouse with bars far too flimsy to hold practically anyone or anything. The lovable, bumbling Goofy is the proprietor of the full service Goofy’s Gas. Here, the gas tanks are filled with grinning fish, and the inflatable balloon tires are filled with laughing gas. It seems only fitting that Pete's Garage neighbor Goofy's Gas. However, you'll find that Pete's is merely a facade for the restrooms. The Pongo Fire Station has a real fire engine out front - too bad the tires were deflated by Jasper and Horace; said bandits are heard in not-so-secret conversation up the stair…
The Downtown is filled with detail reminiscent not just of the Golden Age, but also of the nostalgic ‘90s. Darkwing Duck is an actual superhero round these parts. In fact, Higher for Hire is advertised on a billboard near the DMV, courtesy of Baloo, Rebecca and Kit. In fact, Downtown Toontown is the place to go if you want to meet some of the old Disney Afternoon gang, particularly Baloo, Rebecca and King Louie (in their "Tale Spin" garb), Darkwing Duck and Launchpad McQuack, and of course, Gadget, Chip and Dale; in addition to some old-school friends like the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf.
The second major destination in Downtown Toontown is that of the Toontown Cab Co., the home of Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin. Aboard Lenny, a talking cab who is the brother of Roger's pal, Benny, we discover that the thrills are well underway the moment the Weasels show up and kidnap Roger's beloved wife, Jessica. What ensues next is a madcap adventure through Toontown that results in countless gags, a simulated "free-fall" into the streets below, and a happy ending only Roger Rabbit and his outlandish crew could dish out. Of course, you can meet Roger Rabbit, Eddie Valiant and Jessica in Downtown Toontown, as well!
The calm and far less frantic serenity of Toontown Hills is in direct contrast to the hectic nature of Downtown Toontown. Mostly, safes and pianos won’t be falling on us anytime soon… Goofy’s Paint ‘n’ Play is our first stop, held in the twisted, ramshackled Goofy’s House. Self-serve paint guns help redesign a number of Goofy’s peculiar living quarters, such as a western-themed bedroom and a jungle-esque bathroom. Right nearby Goofy's house is Von Drake's House of Genius, the bizarre-looking abode of Professor Ludwig Von Drake. This is a concept found solely at the Hollywoodland Toontown, as created by veteran user @mharrington. Inside, you'll find a multimedia show hosted by Ludwig Von Drake, featuring Audio-Animatronics and special effect, a la Cranium Command. There are two theaters in which the show, or should I say, "lecture", is presented, each one with Von Drake as host and a specific character is used as his particular "guinea pig". The two shows are as follows: One theater plays host to a revised version of Goofy About Health (albeit with Von Drake as both the narrator and the doctor), and the other is an original show that tries to find out why Donald Duck has such a bad temper. Speaking of that infamous fowl, Donald’s Boat, the S.S. Daisy sits afloat on McDuck Lake, Scrooge McDuck’s finest real estate. Of course, you can explore every nook and cranny of the boat, but be careful -- you might get spritzed here and there. Duck Bumps, a strange take on the old bumper boat stand-by, is the invention of Donald and Scrooge McDuck, circa some past adventure on the high seas. Leaving from a dock nearby the S.S. Daisy, we'll hop aboard homemade tugboats that twist, turn, backup, spin around in place, all while taking you on a seemingly random trip dodging jagged rocks, spinning whirlpools, and other tugboats. Naturally, Toontown Lake is infested with sharks, crocodiles and a scuba-diving Big Bad Wolf...as well as plenty of opportunities to get riders spritzed.
In the nearby hills of Toontown, Launchpad McQuack's Plane Crazy takes us on a family-friendly roller coaster ride with the brave and adventurous Launchpad McQuack. While in flight, we encounter various obstacles and sight-gags, such as a coop of irritable chickens, a freak thunderstorm/snowstorm/tornado, and an unfortunate run-in with the dreaded Beagle Boys. Chip & Dale’s Treehouse, nestled along the shores of Toontown Lake hosts Chip & Dale’s Jumpin’ Acorns. Here we "jump" up and down a 40-foot oak tree aboard one of 12 multi-colored acorns. Think Jumpin' Jellyfish of California Adventure - but with acorns. Of course, Downtown Toontown is the place to go if you want to meet up with all of your favorite toons: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, Scrooge McDuck, Ludwig von Drake, Chip, Dale, Huey, Dewey, Louie, Oswald and Ortensia all make appearances here throughout the day.
In the heart of Toontown’s "residential" neighborhood, a bronze fountain depicts the venerable Mickey conducting an orchestra of cartoon instruments. Embedded in the surrounding sidewalk are music notes that, when stepped on, will cause a certain instrument to play. Naturally, both Mickey's House and Minnie's House finish the remainder of the residential area, sat directly beneath the iconic "Toontown Hill." Both houses, next door to each other, of course, provide a walking tour of the homes of Mickey and Minnie, as well as an all-day meet-n-greet with both. These houses should be a combination of the Disneyland houses and the former Country Houses of Florida's Toontown Fair, complete with actual outdoor gardens instead of simulated-indoor ones. The shed that would lead out of Mickey's house at Disneyland has been re-purposed here as the entrance to the old Movie Barn, where Mickey and his pals film all their exciting adventures. And they've got one doozy of an adventure in store for you today: Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway!
This is an adventure I'm sure many guests will be familiar with. It had its world premiere down at the Chinese Theatre in Florida in 2019, and it opened in California's Toontown four years later. So with that in mind, it's no wonder that this exciting adventure would be part of the line-up of Maine's Toontown. The fun begins with Mickey and Minnie getting ready for a picnic. As they head out, they drive alongside a train and find out that the engineer is Goofy. Then, one magical moment lets you step into the movie and on Goofy’s train for a wacky, wild ride. Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway will put you inside the wacky and unpredictable world of a Mickey Mouse short where you're the star and anything can happen. And for the first time, we shared a preview of what the cars will look like when you board the attraction for a zany, out-of-control adventure filled with surprising twists and turns.
===========================================================================
What do you think, everybody? It's good to be back! By the way, I must say, most of my inspiration for Valiant Street and for Toontown came from @MANEATINGWREATH's concepts from his old Dream Resort thread.
So, we've just explored Toontown, but if you think the wacky shenanigans will end here, you'd be sorely mistaken, because the next area of Hollywoodland will take those shenanigans and crank them up to the highest level possible! See ya then!
===========================================================================
Valiant Street
Found the other side of the Chinese Theatre Courtyard, Valiant Street is inspired by Hollywood as seen through the lens of Robert Zemeckis' 1988 masterpiece Who Framed Roger Rabbit? The Terminal Bar, owned by Eddie Valiant's girlfriend, Dolores, is often rattled by the passing Red Car. Unfortunately, Delores is out on vacation with Eddie, but she left several of her bartenders behind to serve up a wide range of alcoholic drinks and themed snacks like Chips and "Dip". And if a little pick me up is needed, just request the barkeep to play "The Merry-Go-Round Broke Down" and watch the place come alive. The office of Valiant & Valiant is found nearby, as with the apartment of Baby Herman, though both sit inaccessible to us - and weasels… On the opposite side of the street is the abandoned stronghold of Cloverleaf Industries, Judge Doom's former evil enterprise that appears now as nothing more than the hollowed-shell of a building. Nearby, a secret panel leads to the opulent foyer of the Ink & Paint Club. The host motions us toward a “larger than life” portrait of Marvin Acme, the so called “Gag King.” Even so, the rose etched on his breast pocket squirts water straight from the canvas. Suddenly, the entire wall begins to move and we are thrust into the smokey nightclub, with Jazz blaring and cigarette girls roaming the room. A large octopus is our bartender, while the penguins of Mary Poppins hustle as the frantic waitstaff. Corks are popping and dinner is served.
Toontown
As the legend goes, Toontown was here long before the Magic Kingdom. It wasn’t until recently that Marvin Acme decided to allow human visitors inside. Dr. Seuss-like architecture and a distinct lack of straight-lines makes up this fictitious Hollywood suburb. Wacky architecture and bizarre scenery are all apart of the mix, warping us into the colorful reels of Who Framed Roger Rabbit's animated segments. Unnaturally-designed automobiles line the streets, while fireworks sound off and belch smoke from the clearly-burnt firework factory. Classic Silly Symphony themes overpower the big band beats; the old jailhouse allows convicts of any age to bend the bars and escape; the gas station pumps appear to be inhabited by googly-eyed goldfish; gunshots and cowboy-like hollers emit from the "Western Prop Warehouse." There is a severe lack in right angles, straight lines, or general order in the city’s presentation. An explosion bursts on the horizon - a foghorn rattles the cobblestone - this is not your grandfather’s Hollywood…
Valiant Street opens up into Downtown Toontown, the civic hub of hustle, bustle, and overall commotion. Here is a slice of the “reel” life where virtuallyeverything has a unique character and personality. The Toontown Opry has played home to some of the most famous musical moments in cartoon history, and today, they're playing host to a spectacular concert unlike any other. Inside, a number of recovered costumes and props lead to a spectacular showing of Mickey’s PhilharMagic.
When a mischievous Donald Duck dons the Sorcerer’s Hat of Conductor Mickey, the scheduled concert goes awry; a 3D dream world awaits in a number of classic animated musical sequences, including "Be Our Guest" from Beauty and the Beast and "A Whole New World" from Aladdin. Mickey of course saves the day, catapulting Donald off-screen and into the back wall of the opera house, much to the duck’s dismay… The show exits out into the Toontown Music Co., a shop blending the styles of the Land of Symphony and the Isle of Jazz, as seen in the Silly Symphony short Music Land. The Music Co. sells wares inspired by PhilharMagic and cartoon music in general. In fact, it is here where you can make your own customizable Disney CD. Choose from a wealth of beloved Disney tunes--from the movies, from the TV shows, from the theme parks and beyond--and you'll have your own memento of the magic and music of Disneyland Maine.
Lowbrow tomfoolery is the stock-in-trade of the Gag Factory, where rubber chickens and whoopee cushions are manufactured by a highly over-engineered contraption. Gag gifts and Toon merchandise are all the rage in this prop warehouse. Daisy’s Diner delivers classic milkshakes, burgers and fries. A statue of Roger Rabbit look to Toontown Infirmary, neighbored closely by the Firework Factory, B.B. Wolf Demolition Co. and McDuck Bank in a rather close-knit courtyard of misplaced crates, barrels and explosives; a stock of wisecracks, pop-guns, bad jokes, sound effects, and collapsed safes. One wrong touch might trigger an entire series of explosive fun… At the Toontown Post Office, PO boxes speak the voice of their owner, and a mailbox out front enjoys a chat with passers-by. “Hey, watch it! What do I look like, a mailbox or something?”The Toontown Police Station has a jailhouse with bars far too flimsy to hold practically anyone or anything. The lovable, bumbling Goofy is the proprietor of the full service Goofy’s Gas. Here, the gas tanks are filled with grinning fish, and the inflatable balloon tires are filled with laughing gas. It seems only fitting that Pete's Garage neighbor Goofy's Gas. However, you'll find that Pete's is merely a facade for the restrooms. The Pongo Fire Station has a real fire engine out front - too bad the tires were deflated by Jasper and Horace; said bandits are heard in not-so-secret conversation up the stair…
The Downtown is filled with detail reminiscent not just of the Golden Age, but also of the nostalgic ‘90s. Darkwing Duck is an actual superhero round these parts. In fact, Higher for Hire is advertised on a billboard near the DMV, courtesy of Baloo, Rebecca and Kit. In fact, Downtown Toontown is the place to go if you want to meet some of the old Disney Afternoon gang, particularly Baloo, Rebecca and King Louie (in their "Tale Spin" garb), Darkwing Duck and Launchpad McQuack, and of course, Gadget, Chip and Dale; in addition to some old-school friends like the Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf.
The second major destination in Downtown Toontown is that of the Toontown Cab Co., the home of Roger Rabbit's Car Toon Spin. Aboard Lenny, a talking cab who is the brother of Roger's pal, Benny, we discover that the thrills are well underway the moment the Weasels show up and kidnap Roger's beloved wife, Jessica. What ensues next is a madcap adventure through Toontown that results in countless gags, a simulated "free-fall" into the streets below, and a happy ending only Roger Rabbit and his outlandish crew could dish out. Of course, you can meet Roger Rabbit, Eddie Valiant and Jessica in Downtown Toontown, as well!
The calm and far less frantic serenity of Toontown Hills is in direct contrast to the hectic nature of Downtown Toontown. Mostly, safes and pianos won’t be falling on us anytime soon… Goofy’s Paint ‘n’ Play is our first stop, held in the twisted, ramshackled Goofy’s House. Self-serve paint guns help redesign a number of Goofy’s peculiar living quarters, such as a western-themed bedroom and a jungle-esque bathroom. Right nearby Goofy's house is Von Drake's House of Genius, the bizarre-looking abode of Professor Ludwig Von Drake. This is a concept found solely at the Hollywoodland Toontown, as created by veteran user @mharrington. Inside, you'll find a multimedia show hosted by Ludwig Von Drake, featuring Audio-Animatronics and special effect, a la Cranium Command. There are two theaters in which the show, or should I say, "lecture", is presented, each one with Von Drake as host and a specific character is used as his particular "guinea pig". The two shows are as follows: One theater plays host to a revised version of Goofy About Health (albeit with Von Drake as both the narrator and the doctor), and the other is an original show that tries to find out why Donald Duck has such a bad temper. Speaking of that infamous fowl, Donald’s Boat, the S.S. Daisy sits afloat on McDuck Lake, Scrooge McDuck’s finest real estate. Of course, you can explore every nook and cranny of the boat, but be careful -- you might get spritzed here and there. Duck Bumps, a strange take on the old bumper boat stand-by, is the invention of Donald and Scrooge McDuck, circa some past adventure on the high seas. Leaving from a dock nearby the S.S. Daisy, we'll hop aboard homemade tugboats that twist, turn, backup, spin around in place, all while taking you on a seemingly random trip dodging jagged rocks, spinning whirlpools, and other tugboats. Naturally, Toontown Lake is infested with sharks, crocodiles and a scuba-diving Big Bad Wolf...as well as plenty of opportunities to get riders spritzed.
In the nearby hills of Toontown, Launchpad McQuack's Plane Crazy takes us on a family-friendly roller coaster ride with the brave and adventurous Launchpad McQuack. While in flight, we encounter various obstacles and sight-gags, such as a coop of irritable chickens, a freak thunderstorm/snowstorm/tornado, and an unfortunate run-in with the dreaded Beagle Boys. Chip & Dale’s Treehouse, nestled along the shores of Toontown Lake hosts Chip & Dale’s Jumpin’ Acorns. Here we "jump" up and down a 40-foot oak tree aboard one of 12 multi-colored acorns. Think Jumpin' Jellyfish of California Adventure - but with acorns. Of course, Downtown Toontown is the place to go if you want to meet up with all of your favorite toons: Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy, Pluto, Scrooge McDuck, Ludwig von Drake, Chip, Dale, Huey, Dewey, Louie, Oswald and Ortensia all make appearances here throughout the day.
In the heart of Toontown’s "residential" neighborhood, a bronze fountain depicts the venerable Mickey conducting an orchestra of cartoon instruments. Embedded in the surrounding sidewalk are music notes that, when stepped on, will cause a certain instrument to play. Naturally, both Mickey's House and Minnie's House finish the remainder of the residential area, sat directly beneath the iconic "Toontown Hill." Both houses, next door to each other, of course, provide a walking tour of the homes of Mickey and Minnie, as well as an all-day meet-n-greet with both. These houses should be a combination of the Disneyland houses and the former Country Houses of Florida's Toontown Fair, complete with actual outdoor gardens instead of simulated-indoor ones. The shed that would lead out of Mickey's house at Disneyland has been re-purposed here as the entrance to the old Movie Barn, where Mickey and his pals film all their exciting adventures. And they've got one doozy of an adventure in store for you today: Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway!
===========================================================================
What do you think, everybody? It's good to be back! By the way, I must say, most of my inspiration for Valiant Street and for Toontown came from @MANEATINGWREATH's concepts from his old Dream Resort thread.
So, we've just explored Toontown, but if you think the wacky shenanigans will end here, you'd be sorely mistaken, because the next area of Hollywoodland will take those shenanigans and crank them up to the highest level possible! See ya then!
Miru
Well-Known Member
A few suggestions for the future:
* Maybe Adventureland could get an expansion in the future that takes riders further back to the time of the dinosaurs? Call it “Paleozoic Valley”, perhaps? I could see a port of DINOSAUR there, plus some new rides.
* I like how Fantasyland has more masculine attractions and areas available. This was a big complaint about New Fantasyland and its nice to see it addressed.
* I really like the number of resurrected extinct attractions. I hope to see some more. How about Captain EO?
* My ideal third gate would be based on DisneySea. Would fit Maine a lot.
* Maybe Adventureland could get an expansion in the future that takes riders further back to the time of the dinosaurs? Call it “Paleozoic Valley”, perhaps? I could see a port of DINOSAUR there, plus some new rides.
* I like how Fantasyland has more masculine attractions and areas available. This was a big complaint about New Fantasyland and its nice to see it addressed.
* I really like the number of resurrected extinct attractions. I hope to see some more. How about Captain EO?
* My ideal third gate would be based on DisneySea. Would fit Maine a lot.
Twilight_Roxas
Well-Known Member
This is great I hope there’s a way you could incorporate Marvel, Star Wars, and 20th Century Fox in Hollywoodland.
Thank you very much! Frankly, I feel that a dinosaur ride would work better within the time-travel aspect of Discoveryland, so I may add in something there. I'm not sure if there will be any more resurrected attractions in Disneyland or Hollywoodland. Captain EO wouldn't really fit in my Tomorrowland. I don't think there would be room for a DisneySea here. As much as I'd love to see it come state-side, I want to keep Disneyland Maine's points of interest at certain points around the Seven Seas Lagoon. But, if it's any consolation, I'm also working on a thread of what I would do for Walt Disney World in Florida, and I have plans to bring DisneySea there...
Marvel and Star Wars will definitely show up here. As for Fox...well, given that they're a whole studio, devoting a whole land to them would seem somewhat ridiculous. Disney is in no hurry to bring them into the parks, and neither am I.
~ ~ ~
Muppet Studios
It's time to play the music, it's time to light the lights! Anything can happen at Muppet Studios, where Jim Henson's iconic cavalcade of creatures run the show! Separated from the entrance to Toontown by a bend in the road, this is the place where the Muppets live and work, welcoming visitors from all over the world to experience their wacky, almost explosive antics.
New York-style buildings, peculiar gardens and a massive hot-air balloon marked with the grinning face of Kermit the Frog welcome us to this unique district of Hollywood, where the strains of jazz fade in favor of classic Muppet favorites - "The Muppet Show Theme", "Movin' Right Along", "The Rainbow Connection", etc. Perhaps the smallest area of Disney's Hollywoodland, Muppet Studios allows us to get a first-hand look at how the Muppets make that movie magic.
Situated just along the bend in the road is Pete's Luncheonette, the swanky '50s diner that played host to the Muppet misadventures in The Muppets Take Manhattan. Blending right in with the buildings outside Toontown, Pete's Luncheonette offers some of the finest diner fare in all of Disney's Hollywoodland. Now, Pete's maybe a little old and worn, but they serve the finest "Zeros on a Trampoline with a side of Joan of Arcs" (whatever that is) in the entire city. Please do not mind the cracks in the walls, dear friends! But if you happen to peek through, please do not be disturbed by the rats operating the mixer, or skating on the stove. Pete prides himself by no longer having rats serve the food, they are now making it! While guests are sitting at their table, they may be serenaded by banging pans and salt shaker maracas played by Rizzo and his family who dance and cook to the "Rat Scat" in the kitchen. The restaurant staff may get in on the action, singing and dancing on the counter tops when certain songs play on the jukebox, enticing the entire rat staff and the guests to join in the fun.
On the opposite side of the street are various apartments. Kermit's serves as the Muppet Studios meet 'n' greet area, where you can meet up with all of your favorite Muppets. Right next door to Kermit's is the apartment of Miss Piggy, who has graciously decided to welcome everyone into her design studio where the next installment of Miss Piggy's clothing line, Who...Moi, is being created. Among the various knick-knacks (including love letters to Kermit), guests can find the interactive design stations where they can create their own digital outfits for various Muppets, but be warned, Miss Piggy has very high standards. Similar to Build-A-Bear, guests can also take a Muppet home with them dressed in one of Miss Piggy's signature clothing lines. Fozzie's apartment serves as a joke shop, where all wannabe comics can purchase items to make their act a rollicking good time! Well, those are the only three apartments that guests can actually step in, but there are various others that hint at other friends. For example, a giant American flag above the window of one apartment means that Sam Eagle lives there, and a familiar pink unitard hanging on a clothesline means we're standing before Gonzo's window. And if you want to know where Dr. Honeydew and Beaker live, just listen for the explosions and the high-pitched screaming.
Beyond these two points of interest, the Muppet Studios gate leads us into the main meat of this wacky area of the park.
The brick courtyard leads to a Muppet fountain right in the middle. The fountain features several Muppets, including Kermit, Fozzie, Gonzo, Animal, Rizzo and Miss Piggy, dressed as the Statue of Liberty. Directly behind the fountain, guests will find the outstanding Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3D in a brick soundstage building.
The venerable Disney's Hollywoodland classic seats us in a perfect replica of the theater from the classic television series, The Muppet Show. As the curtain rises, Kermit, Miss Piggy and the whole Muppets menagerie appear in eye-popping 3D. They're taking us on a zany tour of Muppet Labs and showing off their new movie-making invention: Muppet*Vision 3D. Things, of course, go haywire when Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker set off a disastrous string of events into motion. With onscreen musical numbers, Audio-Animatronics figures and live in-theater special effects, it's a show guaranteed to bring the house down - and end with a glorious "three-hour" finale - a "Salute to All Nations, but Mostly America."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the street, the impressive facade of the Muppet Theatre - complete with large statues of Animal "supporting" the weight of the building - holds an adventure in direct parody of Hollywood Boulevard's signature attraction. This is The Great Muppet Movie Ride.
In this wonderful, misguided tour of movie history, we are treated to a backstage tour of how movies are made - only, all the information is wrong. Aboard a studio golf cart - according to Scooter, budget cuts prohibited the use of a “fancy, traveling theater” - Director Gonzo gives us a glimpse into Muppet takes on classic Hollywood. In Beakenstein, a 10-foot Beaker is painfully reanimated by an evil Dr. Bunsen Honeydew. In Peter Pan, Tinkerbell (Miss Piggy) has lost control of her harness and destroyed the cheap backdrop of moonlit London. Naturally, Statler and Waldorf join the show, shamelessly trolling the attraction."Hey, Statler?" "Yeah, Waldorf?" "I think it’s real swell that Disney finally gave the Muppets their own ride. I’m real happy to be here." "Why do you say that, you old fool?" "Because the Mouse is always listening… Always listening." The two shudder to the ethereal chuckle of Mickey Mouse…
Chickens squawk and explosions echo as we approach the Swedish Chef's Pandemonium Pizza Parlor. Inspired by the dive pizza joints of Manhattan, the music and mayhem inside set the stage for the familiar warbles of the Swedish Chef, locked in eternal combat with a flock of chickens. The living, breathing pizza oven often has a chat with patrons, belching smoke to no remorse. Rats scurry past in the shadows, busily handling ingredients. Autographed headshots and Muppet memorabilia line the walls, overshadowed only by the crashed biplane of the Great Gonzo, narrowly teetering through a hole in the ceiling. The menu is written in both Swedish and English. Though the Swedish is more bizarre gibberish than actual Swedish...
Heading further into the courtyard, guests will come across Rizzo's Prop & Pawn Shop, a complete gift store themed to the Muppets. The store features three themed sections, one themed to Muppet Babies, the other themed to a generic Muppets set, featuring lighting rigs, camera equipment and real props used in the Muppet movies and the last is themed to the Happiness Hotel from The Great Muppet Caper. Down a hilariously graffitied New York alley is the not-so-well-guarded entrance to Dr. Bunson Honeydew’s secret laboratory. Kermit invited some of the world’s most well-reknowned scientists to do their research at Muppet Labs! Unfortunately, none of them showed up. Muppet Labs is an interactive exhibit that’s half ImageWorks and half Innoventions, with a hint of madness and music thrown in. Here, you can take part in some of Dr. Honeydew's wacky experiments. And don't worry: Kermit personally oversaw each experiment, so you don't have to worry about getting hurt here. Heck, even Beaker couldn't get hurt here!
Built nearby the Muppet*Vision 3D theater, is Jim Henson's Muppet Workshop, which the ride exits out into. The workshop is unique to Disney's Hollywoodland in the sense that it provides live puppet shows and an exhibit all about Jim Henson's Muppets from their early days in Sam and Friends to their heyday in The Muppet Show. For a good sum of money, we can design our own Muppet and receive one-on-one tips from a trained-Muppeteer. If we do not wish to pay, all we have to do is pick-up a spare Muppet Whatnot from the Muppet Chest and enjoy. There's even a special experience for children to learn the fine art of Muppeteering, hosted by P.J. and Kai-Lee, two young Muppets who have experience working with children. After all, they were the ones who starred in the Jim Henson Play-Along Video series of the 80s. (The link provides an example of their work.) The giant Muppet-Screen 3000 overlooks the workshop, often playing classic clips and skits from The Muppet Show.
Perhaps the crown jewel of Muppet Studios, Chez Muppet is the place to go if you want a bite of something good. Looks beautiful, right? Well, not so much. Chez Muppet is essentially a New York-style dinner club, but with a Muppet twist. The rustic, red-brick exterior gives way to a misshapen, mismanaged amalgam of Muppet antics. The restaurant is designed as a two-level atrium arrangement, with seating on both levels. Chaos breaks loose throughout the dining experience. Fire erupts from the kitchen, a pair of rats scurry across the shelves in the restaurant, reportedly heard "tampering" with the ingredients. A "living character" Camilla, Gonzo's chicken lover, is brought out as dinner, as Gonzo attempts to save her by climbing through the rafters above the restaurant. Platters of "food" come to life and start to talk with the audience. Pictures of the Muppets on the wall come to life and strike up conversations with nearby diners. Quite an experience.
My biggest inspiration for Chez Muppet comes from Henson's Revue, a concept created by @jyn erso, @AceAstro, @MonorailRed and @spacemt354 for The Great Movie Ride competition held a while back. Essentially, I'm pretty much using that concept's menu for the menu here at Chez Muppet. Open for lunch and dinner, Chez Muppet features what I call an "ABA" menu: a salad bar for appetizers, an a la carte entree option (although a la carte appetizer options are also available), and for dessert: a trip to the sundae bar!
Menu
Buffet Salad Bar
$8.99, buffet style. Free refills.
FEATURING
· Romaine Crisp Mix
· Baby Spinach
· Spring Lettuce Blend
· Purple Onion
· Red Bell Peppers
· Sweet Grape Tomatoes
· Cucumber Slices
· Carrot Shreds
· Green Peas
· Sliced Cremini Mushrooms
· Diced Hard-Boiled Eggs
· Shredded Cheese Mix
· Broccoli Florets
· Preserved Beets
· Garbanzo Beans
· Cauliflower Florets
· Banana Peppers
· Artichoke Hearts
· Olive Mix
· Diced Ham
· Scratch-Made Hummus
· Homemade Potato Salad
· Homemade Spring Pasta Salad
· Fresh Basil & Tomato Penne Salad
· Homemade Broccoli Crunch Salad
· Homemade Corn Salsa
· Homemade Cole Slaw
· Homemade Three Bean Salad
· Cottage Cheese
· Fresh Seasonal Fruit
· Pineapple
· Fresh Apple Waldorf
· Feta Cheese
A La Carte Appetizers
Mixed Vegetable Fondue ~ $9.99
Cheese Soufflé ~ $7.99
Spinach Puffs ~ $6.99
A La Carte Entrees
Swedish Chef's Swedish Meatballs, topped on a bed of house made egg noodle and covered in a rich Swedish sauce. ~ $22.99
Piggy Pasta Primavera, penne pasta mixed with fresh vegetables in a creamy Alfredo sauce, dusted with Mozzarella and Parmesan ~ $19.99
Gonzo's Pasta, pasta served with tomato and basil sauce, with sausage or meatballs ~ $17.99
Dr. Bunsen Honeydew's Stuffed Turkey Dinner, vegetable stuffing stuffed inside a large roasted turkey breast, served on a bed of mashed potatoes and topped with a reduced cranberry sauce ~ $29.99
Kokomo Tropical Kabobs, pork, pineapple, mushrooms, and onions, rosted with a Polynesian coffee run and glazed with a sweet and sour tropical juice sauce ~ $25.99
Sam Eagle's American Spaghetti-Stuffed Meatballs ~ $20.99
Pepe's Seafood-Stuffed Peppers ~ $21.99
Sundae Bar
Customized by the Swedish Chef! $7.99. Free refills.
Pick Your Base
Apple Cobbler
Black Forest Cake
Seasonal Pie: Grape (winter), Berry (spring/summer), Pumpkin (fall), Peppermint Eggnog (Christmas)
Warm Fudge Brownie
2 Fresh Buttermilk Waffles
3 Vanilla Cupcakes
Cheesecake
Pick Your Flavors (3 Scoops of Ice Cream Per Sundae)
Vanilla
Chocolate
Strawberry
Mint Chocolate Chip
Coffee
Cookies & Cream
Rocky Road
Cake Batter
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
Butter Pecan
Pick Your Sauce
Hot Fudge
Caramel
Butterscotch
Strawberry
Marshmallow
Pick Your Unlimited Toppings
Sprinkles
Chocolate Chips
Cherries
Shredded Coconut
Chocolate-Covered Peanuts
Marshmallows
Seasonal Fruits
Crushed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Crushed Oreos
M&M's
Sliced Almonds
Assorted Crushed Candy Bars
Whipped Cream
Drinks
Fountain Drinks ~ $8.00
Water ~ $5.00
Milk ~ $5.00
Coffee ~ $12.00
Beaker's Experiments (Mixed Drinks)
The Animal, red cherry liquor mixed with a shot of gin ~ $10.99
Fozzie Wozzie, 1 part tequila, 2 parts rum, 1 part lime. You'll be feeling fozzie wozzie alright. ~ $9.99
The Star Wars Holiday Special, vodka, rum, tequila, gin, triple sec, and a shot of lemon juice mixed with cola. It's a mess. ~ $11.99
Camila Tequila, It's a tequila shot. What more do you want from us? ~ $7.99
Bobo's Boo Boo, rum, gin, and triple sec mixed with lime juice ~ $9.99
For the Kids
Kermit's Chicken Fingers ~ $8.99
Cheeseburger and Fries ~ $9.99
Macaroni and Cheese ~ $7.99
~ ~ ~
And there we have Muppet Studios! I will say, most of my inspiration for this land came from @MANEATINGWREATH and from the Muppet City concept as seen in The Sorcerer's Apprentice last year. So, in the next post, we'll head over to the next area of the park. For the most part, the lands we've visited have had some basis in reality. The lone exception -- Toontown -- was sheltered from the rest of the park via tunnel. The remainder of the lands we'll visit will follow suit. But where will we begin? That is a question we will find the answer to in the next post.
Twilight_Roxas
Well-Known Member
Not all of 20th Century Fox just some of their IPs like Avatar, The Simpsons, Blue Sky. Alien vs Predator, horror theme shows & films for Halloween time. Using a few in there nighttime shows. Luckily you could use the X-men, and the Fantastic Four in the Marvel area.
AceAstro
Well-Known Member
You’ve got a minute and a half!!
It looks like a great addition! The dream is to one day maybe see a true, full Muppets land and something like this would definitely be unreal!
Miru
Well-Known Member
Pandora would fit (although hypothetically moreso if a DisneySea comes to fruition). But I don’t really think Disney should use Blue Sky. It wouldn’t mesh that well IMO. Again an AvP Halloween attraction would kick serious rear.
Also, great job on the Muppets land! I suggest the Kokomo Kabobs be Clifford’s Kokomo Kabobs to keep some alliteration there.