In all the years that Soundsational has been running at Disneyland, the only time I've noticed anything different is when Simba broke in the Lion King unit and he was replaced with Rafiki for a short time. For such a new parade it really shouldn't be having as many issues as it is. Also the dwarfs not appearing and less of the Brave dancers is just Disney being cheap by not having enough performers.
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Festival of Fantasy Parade coming to Magic Kingdom in 2014
- Thread starter wdwmagic
- Start date
In all the years that Soundsational has been running at Disneyland, the only time I've noticed anything different is when Simba broke in the Lion King unit and he was replaced with Rafiki for a short time. For such a new parade it really shouldn't be having as many issues as it is. Also the dwarfs not appearing and less of the Brave dancers is just Disney being cheap by not having enough performers.
WDWLover#1
Well-Known Member
That vid was not taken recently. Also we don't know the whole story, so lets not go out on a limb and say "disney on cheap". Say that in a year and it's still like this then I'll believe ya. Also it looks like bad weather so park ops could've had a hand in that decision. 
That vid was not taken recently. Also we don't know the whole story, so lets not go out on a limb and say "disney on cheap". Say that in a year and it's still like this then I'll believe ya. Also it looks like bad weather so park ops could've had a hand in that decision.
The lack of dwarfs and only 6 Brave dancers instead of 8 is just Disney being cheap imo. It's not a weather problem why they were missing, just that Disney does not have enough performers and there's plenty of people who get rejected from auditions who would fit the role perfectly.
GiveMeTheMusic
Well-Known Member
Not necessarily. Lack of dwarfs may have been because one or more of them called in - and they can't go out unless they're all present. Sometimes day of cast issues, like call-ins, affect what goes onstage. Disney does keep swings/standbys on hand to fill empty slots, but sometimes there are more empty slots than standbys.
There should be more standbys then. Disneyland seem to manage it and they have a much smaller entertainment cast.
GiveMeTheMusic
Well-Known Member
I've seen some very understaffed Disneyland parades - sometimes it just happens, and sometimes it means entire units have to be cut. I once saw Soundsational with no Tiana unit. It's just the nature of the beast.
Now if this wasn't an isolated incident and it continues to occur regularly, they have a serious casting problem, but if I had to guess, this was a one off where they just had too many call-ins that day and couldn't fill the shoes.
Disney Analyst
Well-Known Member
Exactly. It could have been call outs.. Probably was. No stilts would have been from rain, or weather issues. Costumes can be changed out based on weather. In CADCT if they thought it would rain, Mickey would not wear his white suit on the opening unit, but his normal suit.
WDWLover#1
Well-Known Member
I think also it's a live performance. Sometimes things happen to go wrong. It happens.
SpectroMan93
Well-Known Member
Exactly, I remember earlier in FOF's run when Mickey & Minnie were in regular costumes due to rain. It's already been mentioned that some of the costumes are very sensitive to weather due to the material, so it makes sense that they would rather have the Fab 5 in regular costumes than run the risk of ruining the parade-specific ones. Also, sometimes parade performers have to leave the route for whatever reason, so the missing dancers/performers aren't necessarily Disney "cheaping out".
How easy it is for people in their mad dash to trash on Disney to forget that live performance can be a fickle mistress, and things happen that cause original plans to change. I once saw a performance of Wicked where Elphaba had to perform "Defying Gravity" on the floor because the lift wasn't working for that performance. It wasn't the best situation, but they made the most of it. Disney is still located in the real world, where problems can arise at inconvenient times. I doubt they would ever want to perform the parade like this, but it seems they did the best they could with what they had.
Tip Top Club
Well-Known Member
The Fab 5 type characters are in their regular costumes on days when a Rainy Day Cavalcade is a possibility, because, for show reasons, they can't appear in their FOF specific costumes for a cavalcade. It's happened two or three times since the show launched.
aladdin2007
Well-Known Member
Everything today was spot on perfect, fire breathing dragon with tail, all the characters, all the floats, all the costumes, all the dancers etc. I thought it was the best today I have ever seen it. Even the music sounded much better, sound quality/base and seemed more cohesive and full (I heard no frozen music so not sure what thats about). It just seemed really fantastic today, of course the weather was perfect as well. The cast was really enjoying it and into it.
FerretAfros
Well-Known Member
Well there's the huge cut that Soundsational had, less than a year after it opened. Originally, the Pearly Band that played in front of the castle (and has since relocated to Jolly Holiday) rode on the Mary Poppins finale float in the parade, playing along with the recorded soundtrack. They were there full-time for about a month, and then it seemed like they only made it into one of the 2 daily performances. Soon, their appearances became the exception rather than the rule, and within a year they were no longer part of the parade.
They've added an extra chimney sweep or two on the float to try and cover up, but it's still pretty obvious that the float was designed for far more performers than there are today. It's amazing some times how people talk like DL's entertainment (especially the parades) is infallible, yet they cut stuff too
(And for what it's worth, the band still regularly plays sets in the park, they're just not used in the parade. Go figure)
Sweet Thing
Well-Known Member
Disneyland performers also only perform in that one role they are in. They don't have to staff the many other shows like at WDW. I know I've seen many familiar faces from Fotlk in the parade and it has been said they are currently in rehearsals for the opening of that show. Maybe that is where the understaffing is happening.
Maybe WDW should start hiring people like Disneyland does then.
SpectroMan93
Well-Known Member
Parade audio for the Maleficent unit was posted. Although it's been obviously put together from various clips, it's nice that pieces of the studio recording for the parade are available.
WDWLover#1
Well-Known Member
I think someones actually made that from scratch. The singer sounds different than the one in the parade. And the sounds sound a bit techno, so it could've been made on a computer. However it sounds fantastic. Can these people do more! I WANT THE SOUNDTRACK!!!!
Crazydisneyfanluke
Well-Known Member
Now i hope someone can get the finale unit loop together.
ddd8170
Member
In all of the different units, there are always several singers harmonizing together to create the exact sound of the theme song. This just looks like the track to only one of the singers' parts, if that makes sense. There was a snippet of audio leaked a while back with only one male singer singing a chunk of the finale unit that sounded a bit different as well.
WDWLover#1
Well-Known Member
Cool! Do you know where I could find the audio with just the male singer?