Fantasmic Reopening Watch

[Tom Morrow]

My theory for the delayed shows is that the operations team is entirely recently trained or re-trained. There's a specific science to loading this theater and they might not have it down yet.

Saw the second showing tonight. Quoting my thoughts from watching it on YouTube:

Thoughts (based on a YouTube upload)

- The lighting and overall tech enhancements look great. I prefer this over projection mapping. If you add projection mapping it's too similar to the other night shows, and quite frankly projection mapping-heavy shows are played out. This retains its emphasis on being a live performance on a stage.
- I wish they would re-animate some of the old footage, I've always hated how you can see the frames and very obvious editing in some of the old clips.
- The four-ish minute Pocahontas scene was replaced with a six-ish minute assortment of many films. While spending that much time on just Pocahontas was always a little odd, I do feel that this detracts a little bit rather than adds. I think the canoe segment was a nice breather and the segment as a whole was a break from the overall random mishmash that the show mostly is. Now, it only adds to the randomness.
- Someone said this earlier in the thread and they're right - having Tinkerbell appear after this segment causes her appearance at the end to lose some emotional impact.
- I wish they would not have added Frozen and Moana since they add them everywhere, but I guess it was inevitable. I like that they refrained from using Let It Go or Into the Unknown for Elsa, but I wish they had not chosen How Far I'll Go for Moana. I suppose it fits the most with the visuals.
- There definitely needs to be more performers on stage during the new segments.
- Mickey's new delivery of "You make think you're so powerful! Well uh, this is MY dream!" does not carry the same emotional weight as the old one and I think they should re-dub it.
- The new pyro at the finale is worse and seems scaled back. I miss the THWUMP created by the upward flourishes that would accompany Mickey raising his hands at the top of each measure.

Overall mostly positive changes but could have been better. It also could have been a LOT worse so I guess I'll definitely take this. Glad to have it back.

All in all my opinion remains about the same. Adding:

- I really like all the lighting enhancements during the water screen moments. Previously the set would go dark during the water projections but now they are always accompanied by dynamic lighting and fountains.
- All of the new segments feel empty and budget cut, except I actually think Elsa's segment works well and is the most powerful. Aladdin's is the closest to the original Pocahontas scene but there's just four or five henchmen bumbling around and it still looks skimpy even if it's more performers on stage than any other segment. I guess, it's just, too many different scenes in a row with one or two performers on the massive stage: Pocahontas (1), Mulan (2), Aladdin (5? then just Aladdin again for the second song), Frozen (1), Moana (1). I hope they decide to re-work this entire stretch and make it transition better to the love segment.

Fantasmic was formerly my least favorite WDW night show when its competition was IllumiNations and Wishes/Happily Ever After, but has moved up to my current favorite. It might have pacing issues (it always has had them) but the final act is SO powerful and emotional, which is an element all the other current night shows completely lack.

 

[gerarar]

First show (11/5 8pm):

• Snake headlights didn't turn on.
• Dragon pyro was off target, seemed like wind may of redirected it.
• Pyro pinwheels on steamboat worked perfectly and spun!

 

[pdude81]

Second show loading was a cluster. Without fp and dining lined up separately it looks mobbed. They crush us together and then when you get to the theater it's half empty. Tons of people looked at the line on sunset and bailed

 

[gerarar]

First show (11/5 8pm):

• Snake headlights didn't turn on.
• Dragon pyro was off target, seemed like wind may of redirected it.
• Pyro pinwheels on steamboat worked perfectly and spun!

Second show (11/5 9:30pm):

• Show started ~5 mins late probably due to guests still filling in.
• Snake headlights on and worked!
• Dragon pyro shot correctly this time at the water.
• Pyro pinwheels on steamboat worked again, 1 or 2 failed to spin.
• At least one section remain empty for the second show
• 

 

[Animaniac93-98]

- All of the new segments feel empty and budget cut, except I actually think Elsa's segment works well and is the most powerful. Aladdin's is the closest to the original Pocahontas scene but there's just four or five henchmen bumbling around and it still looks skimpy even if it's more performers on stage than any other segment. I guess, it's just, too many different scenes in a row with one or two performers on the massive stage: Pocahontas (1), Mulan (2), Aladdin (5? then just Aladdin again for the second song), Frozen (1), Moana (1). I hope they decide to re-work this entire stretch and make it transition better to the love segment.

Elsa's part feels like the climax of the new portion, more so than the Moana bit that follows.

Just changing the order of these five scenes would make them flow better.

 

[Tom Morrow]

Elsa's part feels like the climax of the new portion, more so than the Moana bit that follows.

Just changing the order of these five scenes would make them flow better.

Absolutely on this one.

Going a little further, I think:

1. Pocahontas's scene should be Colors of the Wind and she should do more than just stand there.
2. Aladdin should be second and should end with his rope swing "All I gotta do is jump!" The second song is superfluous.
3. Mulan
4. Moana
5. Elsa

 

[Animaniac93-98]

2. Aladdin should be second and should end with his rope swing "All I gotta do is jump!" The second song is superfluous.

It's both superfluous and tonally out of place for being a quiet/bittersweet moment instead of exciting.

It would work better as a transition to the romance scene if Jasmine joined him at the end and then it switched to the video of them riding carpet with a cue of "A Whole New World".

 

[Squishy]

I find it interesting how both Fantasmic & Believe, seas of dreams are using laser projectors instead of projection mapping. Imo both shows look better without having the overused projection mapping.

 

[Tom Morrow]

Just watched Disneyland's new version. I was unaware of how much they changed it. While the projections look great, I think DL's is worse in almost every other way. The projection mapping does indeed make it much more like just another night show. The music is a massive downgrade, and the segments are all kind of a mess. I'm so glad WDW's was changed very minimally!

 

[Vacationeer]

We saw the 2nd showing opening night. Loved it!

I agree the Moana portion stood out by seeming a little out of pace and hard to follow what it meant to convey. Other than that it looks flawless to us, though we don’t know the show as intimately as others.

 

[Movielover]

Just watched the videos of the new show, like many here are my thoughts:

-Lighting, OMG the lighting. This show has always looked good but now it looks incredible! Great use of color that punctuates the scenes without making it look like the barf of colors that Disneyland's is. Special note to the Lion King segment. It just feels so much more alive now than it originally did!
-The new laser lights are great. They complement the scenes without causing a visual muddy mess that the projections over in DL cause.
-So glad they kept Mickey's voice to a minimum and not inserted all the stupid mouth noises he makes in DL.
-Glad they kept the music style instead of copying DL. I really think DL 2.0 is overproduced, this was a much more reserved update that kept the tone and feeling of the original! Same goes with keeping Mickey's instant entrance at the start, so much better than seeing him prance in at DL
- The new scenes I love, so many little details like Moana using the scrapped "Mickey-walks-on-water" platform. The new scenes are varied enough to not feel repetitive. Glad they kept some form of a stuntman fall off the mountain, and Al looks good swinging. Only thing I really miss from the original is the buildup of the canoes sailing in, wish they had repurposed them for Moana.
-Someone said they were disappointed that all Pocahontas did was just stand there, well at least she actually moved and acted, unlike 1.0 where she literally just stood still, weird thing to nitpick IMO lol.
-As others have noted the early appearance of Tink seems odd and takes away from the finale appearance, but that's a nitpick
-Princess and Villian section look great as always!
-Finale boat wise looked great! character selection was nice, will miss the Genie and his subtle "lighting the sparklers" from 1.0. Again, just another nitpick.
-God D$#@it they changed the finale pyro. The one thing they did not need to touch, and they did. At least it still has high pyro and a decent variation unlike DL's but it's certainly a downgrade in terms of the amount and effect. The vertical side launches are notably absent and sorely missed. The only true miss IMO of this refresh.

Overall, I would 9/10 with the pyro change being the only thing from keeping it a 10/10. This is still my favorite nighttime show and I'm glad it got the love it needed with the lighting and updated scenes. Looking forward to seeing it in person!

 

[gerarar]

-God D$#@it they changed the finale pyro. The one thing they did not need to touch, and they did. At least it still has high pyro and a decent variation unlike DL's but it's certainly a downgrade in terms of the amount and effect. The vertical side launches are notably absent and sorely missed. The only true miss IMO of this refresh.

I think they just moved those vertical side launchers closer to Mickey and turned to a 45° and 135° angle. I also noticed that the pyro launchers are much quieter now, even the barges, which makes me ask if they upgraded all of them, which is probably what happened. The only thing that was really cut was the two shells that go up right before Sorceror Mickey transforms into Tuxedo Mickey.

They also added some sparkles to the barges which adds to the existing single comets.

 

[Touchdown]

I think they just moved those vertical side launchers closer to Mickey and turned to a 45° and 135° angle. I also noticed that the pyro launchers are much quieter now, even the barges, which makes me ask if they upgraded all of them, which is probably what happened. The only thing that was really cut was the two shells that go up right before Sorceror Mickey transforms into Tuxedo Mickey.

They also added some sparkles to the barges which adds to the existing single comets.

They also removed the three single flairs that would erupt from the stage at the beginning in quick succession for the first two (“bum, bum,bum” in the bum-de-bum, bum, bum main medley) that it used to have. It most resembled the short and was one of my favorite parts. Now we just use the same water sites as DL.

 

[gerarar]

They also removed the three single flairs that would erupt from the stage at the beginning in quick succession for the first two (“bum, bum,bum” in the bum-de-bum, bum, bum main medley) that it used to have. It most resembled the short and was one of my favorite parts. Now we just use the same water sites as DL.

Do you have a timestamp/video for that? Not really sure what you're referring to haha.

The only quick succession pyro that I could think of is this, which is still in the show:

(you can timestamp a YT video by adding ?t=XmYs at the end of the URL where X is the min and Y is the secs)

 

[Touchdown]

Do you have a timestamp/video for that? Not really sure what you're referring to haha.

The only quick succession pyro that I could think of is this, which is still in the show:

(you can timestamp a YT video by adding ?t=XmYs at the end of the URL where X is the min and Y is the secs)

Your right it was from the water barges, I misremembered. However I’m still upset it’s not simple flares and instead of more complex bursts that don’t go as high.

 

[TheEPCOTHistorian]

Weirdly enough, I absolutely *HATE* the pyro choices for our show. I think Disneyland has the perfect selection and variation, especially with the shells that blast in sync with the music. Ours almost feels as though it's there just for the sake of being there, where as DL's feels like it's a well thought out element of the show.

 

[gerarar]

Weirdly enough, I absolutely *HATE* the pyro choices for our show. I think Disneyland has the perfect selection and variation, especially with the shells that blast in sync with the music. Ours almost feels as though it's there just for the sake of being there, where as DL's feels like it's a well thought out element of the show.

I would agree with their pre-2.0 pyro. As soon as their soundtrack got remade for 2.0, the finale pyro sequences were much simplified. No longer did they go off on every beat or so. I did like how they made the pyro flashier and bigger for 2.0, but at the same time the timings became worse, imo. Also a side effect of the changed pyro, Sorceror Mickey's choreography changed drastically, no thanks to that lol

Ours at least still go off on every beat which I love and feared of losing with the updates, but glad it remained the same for the most part.

 

[gerarar]

First show (11/6 8pm):

• Rafiki missing on stage.
• First royal guard on trampoline jumped for a bit longer than usual.
• Snake headlights finally worked for the first show.
• Steamboat pyro pinwheels had a rough start but they all spun eventually.
• Full show, as expected.

 

[gerarar]

First show (11/6 8pm):

• Rafiki missing on stage.
• First royal guard on trampoline jumped for a bit longer than usual.
• Snake headlights finally worked for the first show.
• Steamboat pyro pinwheels had a rough start but they all spun eventually.
• Full show, as expected.

Second Show (11/6 9:30pm):

• Rafiki was still missing, guess he took the day off!
• Trampoline royal guards cleaned up their act!
• Snake headlights worked again.
• Steamboat pyro pinwheels wheels all spun except one, smh.
• About 3 sections were empty. Two on left and one on right (facing stage).
• Show started on time for the first time ever, for the second night showing.

 

[Movielover]

I think they just moved those vertical side launchers closer to Mickey and turned to a 45° and 135° angle. I also noticed that the pyro launchers are much quieter now, even the barges, which makes me ask if they upgraded all of them, which is probably what happened. The only thing that was really cut was the two shells that go up right before Sorceror Mickey transforms into Tuxedo Mickey.

They also added some sparkles to the barges which adds to the existing single comets.

Ok after re-watching the videos again I think you are right. Those side launchers that are now angled IMO looked better how they were originally but that's a nitpick I'm willing to come to accept.

The Single Comets from the barges do look fantastic with the added sparkle flares (really wish I knew names of fireworks haha). Those were the ones I was really afraid would be cut since they ditched them in DL 2.0. So glad they kept them.

I think the only thing that has truly deminshed is the 2 shells before the change in Mickey like you pointed out, and then the fountain of shells behind Mickey. In the new version this effect does not last long enough thus leaving some "dead air" of Mickey still doing the summoning wave and nothing happening. If they could restore this effect back to how it was originally or just extend the amount of shells fired to last the entire cue then IMO this version would be 100% perfect instead of just 99%!

Not the best picture but you get my point. I like the new shells its simply just a timing issue with the cue. Maybe it will work itself out lol.