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Electrical Water Pageant
- Thread starter wsmith1978
- Start date
Joseph Robinson
Well-Known Member
I remember it from a sing-a-long VHS from the 90s actually. I can't recall ever seeing it in person. It was at the end of this one:
Chrononymous
Well-Known Member
It's always been one of my favorite "Happy Surprises"...an extra treat that just makes the trip extra special...because I'm not always in the right place or time to see it.
And I realize it's not anything really spectacular, but it is also not like anything you see anywhere else. (my area has a few lake parades with lights, but nothing quite this imaginative!)
I would be very sad if it went away, as I have seen the faces of first time viewers light up with big grins when they see it!
It reminds me of something that used to be in the Disneyland resort...a little fountain that had a small light and water show, that was another one of those awesome happy surprises until they demolished it.
And I realize it's not anything really spectacular, but it is also not like anything you see anywhere else. (my area has a few lake parades with lights, but nothing quite this imaginative!)
I would be very sad if it went away, as I have seen the faces of first time viewers light up with big grins when they see it!
It reminds me of something that used to be in the Disneyland resort...a little fountain that had a small light and water show, that was another one of those awesome happy surprises until they demolished it.
AllyInWonderland
Well-Known Member
I love that parade! My favorite is the sea dragon monster thing. I love the music to it! Sometimes when I stand in line for the busses in Magic Kingdom with my feet hurting and being bored, I see it going by and it makes me so much happier and I can't stop watching it! 
bethymouse
Well-Known Member
We watched it every night when we stayed at the POLY this past vacation. It's relaxing and you know the fireworks are coming next. I remember it as a child ( age 2). It's something the "casual" guest is surprised and delighted to see, and the "seasoned veteran" visitor is happy to share the memories w/ their children/grandchildren. WDW better not even think of taking that away as part of budget cuts!!!
I remember it as a child ( age 2). It's something the "casual" guest is surprised and delighted to see, and the "seasoned veteran" visitor is happy to share the memories w/ their children/grandchildren. WDW better not even think of taking that away as part of budget cuts!!!
puntagordabob
Well-Known Member
I have fond memories of the parade all the way back into the 1970s..... it was such a wild mysterious parade to this little boy back then! As an adult today I still get all excited to see the parade..... as my wife always says I am 12 years old again once I enter Disney property!
BrightImagine
Well-Known Member
Out of everything at WDW, this is probably my child's single favorite thing. She has the entire show memorized and we must watch it every evening. It's truly the little things that can make a child's day.
Laughinplace
Member
I liked it ((the first time)) we had a PERFECT view of the electrical water parade from our hotel room since we were staying at the Grand Floridian Theme Park view room, but when I was trying to relax after a long day at the parks. It came and got really repetitive and annoying the 6 other days. I mean it is a pretty good surprise show, but they should do it once a week instead of every night...It got old very quick. maybe that's just me, That didn't like it
Skibum1970
Well-Known Member
First time staying onsite was at the Contemporary. We heard the music but couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Finally, my wife saw it as she was strolling alongside the water. A year or two later, I was in FL for business and took one night to just ride the boat from from Wilderness Lodge to Contemporary and to see both resorts. Part of that was spent just watching the Pageant and it was great. No, it's not the awesomeness of the show but just the fact that they do it. It's part of the magic. The last trip in early 2011, we stayed at Wilderness and watched it every night. I love the music it plays as the tug pulls the barges away. Everything about it is just fun.
I think it should continue playing every night for the following reasons:
1. Some people only stay for a few days.
2. The weather may prevent people from seeing it the other days.
3. We're usually somewhere else (the parks, a restaurant) on most nights.
4. It probably costs very little to put it on every night. (I hear Wishes costs $10,000 a night and Illuminations costs $30,000 every night; this, at most, is probably under $500.)
5. A once a week schedule will vastly inflate the per show cost. Now the boats, the upkeep, and the people who keep it going will do all their work for only one night.
Therefore, I must respectfully disagree with Rooniedoo and anyone else who thinks it shouldn't play every night. When we see it, it's serendipity. Maybe we're exhausted from a long day at the parks. Maybe the weather disrupted our park hopping schedule. Maybe one of the kids had too much and just wanted to go back to the hotel. Maybe the parks were ridiculously crowded or the heat or cold were just too much. Maybe someone got a little sick during the day. Maybe we're having an early day tomorrow and we have to go back to the hotel early. Either way, if it only played one night out of seven, we'd probably miss it.
As many of you said, it's usually a surprise to suddenly hear it. You're going back to the hotel. Or you hear it from your room. Or you're in the resort pool. Or you're out waiting for the fireworks. It's just that little extra, that relatively cheap thing that Disney does to add a splash of fun at the end of the day. To me, it ranks right up there with my kids getting the occasional free stickers, the free button for celebrating a birthday or anniversary, the big Mickey hands waving good bye as you leave Magic Kingdom at night, and the mid-afternoon hula lessons outside the bar in the Polynesian. They're not why we go, but they sure add a bit of magic when you happen upon them.
1. Some people only stay for a few days.
2. The weather may prevent people from seeing it the other days.
3. We're usually somewhere else (the parks, a restaurant) on most nights.
4. It probably costs very little to put it on every night. (I hear Wishes costs $10,000 a night and Illuminations costs $30,000 every night; this, at most, is probably under $500.)
5. A once a week schedule will vastly inflate the per show cost. Now the boats, the upkeep, and the people who keep it going will do all their work for only one night.
Therefore, I must respectfully disagree with Rooniedoo and anyone else who thinks it shouldn't play every night. When we see it, it's serendipity. Maybe we're exhausted from a long day at the parks. Maybe the weather disrupted our park hopping schedule. Maybe one of the kids had too much and just wanted to go back to the hotel. Maybe the parks were ridiculously crowded or the heat or cold were just too much. Maybe someone got a little sick during the day. Maybe we're having an early day tomorrow and we have to go back to the hotel early. Either way, if it only played one night out of seven, we'd probably miss it.
As many of you said, it's usually a surprise to suddenly hear it. You're going back to the hotel. Or you hear it from your room. Or you're in the resort pool. Or you're out waiting for the fireworks. It's just that little extra, that relatively cheap thing that Disney does to add a splash of fun at the end of the day. To me, it ranks right up there with my kids getting the occasional free stickers, the free button for celebrating a birthday or anniversary, the big Mickey hands waving good bye as you leave Magic Kingdom at night, and the mid-afternoon hula lessons outside the bar in the Polynesian. They're not why we go, but they sure add a bit of magic when you happen upon them.
Laughinplace
Member
They should at least have a different theme every night in my opinion
the same old gets repetitive
the same old gets repetitive
Timekeeper
Well-Known Member
...but couldn't the same be said for EVERY ride, show, and attraction at the World, save for Star Tours which at least claims to provide variations in ride experience, or maybe some of the animal-related attractions because animals behave spontaneously? Is Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion, Pirates, etc. different each day of the week? Sure, things like Tron Track and Sum provide some level of interactivity, but it's not like there's a dramatic change in guest experience each time they ride. I don't think that an attraction is lacking something just because it doesn't change in theme or presentation on a daily basis...
The "same old" experience is exactly why people purchase annual passes, or make multiple visits, etc.
pixiesteno
Well-Known Member
We have enjoyed it from the beach at Fort Wilderness campground on numerous nights during our stay. On one trip we were on the 100 loop so we got to hear the music from bed, kind of like a Disney luluaby
ShookieJones
We need time for things to happen.
Hmmm...Let me see:
A lit up parade that's done on water: Check
Ridiculous Fire Breathing Water Serpent Dragon: Check
Unexplained Octopus doing curls: Check
Other various water creatures making silly gestures: Check
Flinstones style Brontosaurus eating vegetation: Check
Can be viewed from the Beach of the Poly AND Roof of the Contemporary: Check
Nintendo 64 style music: Check
4th of July style Tribute to our country played in said music style: Check
Walk like a Dinosaur played in said music style (while before mentioned Brontosaurus eats grass): Check
Yeah....I think we just checked off a list of pure awesomeness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One of our family's favorites!
A lit up parade that's done on water: Check
Ridiculous Fire Breathing Water Serpent Dragon: Check
Unexplained Octopus doing curls: Check
Other various water creatures making silly gestures: Check
Flinstones style Brontosaurus eating vegetation: Check
Can be viewed from the Beach of the Poly AND Roof of the Contemporary: Check
Nintendo 64 style music: Check
4th of July style Tribute to our country played in said music style: Check
Walk like a Dinosaur played in said music style (while before mentioned Brontosaurus eats grass): Check
Yeah....I think we just checked off a list of pure awesomeness!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One of our family's favorites!
ShookieJones
We need time for things to happen.
I also wanted to point out that like others I fear that one day they'll decide..."eh time to get rid of this"
but you know what I fear more? Someone saying..."we really should upgrade the technology...better music...better lights..."
I can almost taste the irony of my complaining about things around the World not being plussed...and they would turn around and plus the one old out of date thing that to me just oozes WDW....
but you know what I fear more? Someone saying..."we really should upgrade the technology...better music...better lights..."
I can almost taste the irony of my complaining about things around the World not being plussed...and they would turn around and plus the one old out of date thing that to me just oozes WDW....
l4dybu6
Active Member
Saw it the first time while staying at the contemporary. I had NO clue this even existed, but I heard music, thought I was crazy and my mom opened the balcony door and shouted for me to come out there. It added a bit more magic to one of the best (and most needed) Disney trips I have ever taken
Gonzo79
Well-Known Member
We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge two years ago and got to see it for the first time. Wife and I really enjoyed it. I never knew about it before we planned that trip,so we made it a point to see it and I'm glad we did. Its one of those little things that makes WDW so great. Sadly we missed it on our last trip a few months ago though.