Festival of Fantasy Parade coming to Magic Kingdom in 2014

[unkadug]

Great explanation, thanks!

I also think the difference in choreography and displays-of-skills between Disneyland and WDW parades is due to climate. They can ask the dancers to do more energetic and vibrant routines at Disneyland because the climate is so much more hospitable in Southern California than it is in Central Florida.

There are horribly oppressive days at WDW where I don't even know how they get the parade performers to put on those costumes, wigs and makeup and walk down the parade route, let alone get them to do even the basic shuffle-shuffle-step simple choreography they do.

Plus, let's admit that SoCal has a much broader talent pool to pull from for entertainers, compared to Orlando. The difference in the, um, "look" of Princesses and other live actor characters in the parks at Disneyland vs. WDW is one big indicator of that. I'm sure it's the same for dancers and stage performers.

Are you saying that Californians are better looking than Floridians?

I find that very stereotypical....not everyone in California is a Movie Star and MOST movie stars are not FROM California.

 

[TP2000]

Are you saying that Californians are better looking than Floridians?

That's not what I said at all. I said that when it comes to entertainment performers, Southern California (AKA "Hollywood!") has a larger pool of talent to draw from than Central Florida does.

The Disneyland managers can be pickier than their WDW counterparts when its time to find a couple of college girls to play Cinderella or Belle in the parks for breakfast buffets.

I won't post actual photos of WDW live actor characters that have been used on other websites when this topic comes up, because that's just not a good scene to get into, but let's just say that there's a... visible difference.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Are you saying that Californians are better looking than Floridians?

No, but there's no shortage of wannabe starlets in the LA and Anaheim area who could be paid minimum wage to wear a character costume. In the swamp you take what you can get, and Disney's inststance on hiring cheap foreigners, college students and seniors doesn't help.

 

[unkadug]

No, but there's no shortage of wannabe starlets in the LA and Anaheim area who could be paid minimum wage to wear a character costume. In the swamp you take what you can get, and Disney's insistence on hiring cheap foreigners, college students and seniors doesn't help.

I will agree with the latter statement completely.

That's not what I said at all. I said that when it comes to entertainment performers, Southern California (AKA "Hollywood!") has a larger pool of talent to draw from than Central Florida does.

The Disneyland managers can be pickier than their WDW counterparts when its time to find a couple of college girls to play Cinderella or Belle in the parks for breakfast buffets.

I won't post actual photos of WDW live actor characters that have been used on other websites when this topic comes up, because that's just not a good scene to get into, but let's just say that there's a... difference.

I still don't understand why you feel that Californians are inherently more talented than Floridians?

I think that Animaniac has hit on a more viable reason than the talent pool theory.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

I still don't understand why you feel that Californians are inherently more talented than Floridians?

He doesn't, but people live in places like LA, NYC and London because they are entertainment meccas where somone who wants to work in that field can more likely get that job than in a place like central Florida. This benefits Disneyland because it is relatively close to the LA area.

 

[TP2000]

I still don't understand why you feel that Californians are inherently more talented than Floridians?

Larger Talent Pool. That's all.

If you were putting together a musical of Hairspray using local talent, you would have more talent to draw from if the show was performed in Boston, Massachusetts with a population of 2 Million than you would if the show was performed in Birmingham, Alabama with a population of 200,000.

Same with picking college girls to play Cinderella. Anaheim pulls from the 15 Million people living within 90 minutes drive of Disneyland, including the entertainment capital of the world known as Hollywood that attracts thousands of aspiring performers from around the world every year. Orlando pulls from the 2 Million people that live between Kissimmee and Daytona Beach, with many of the aspiring performers within 1,000 miles heading north to New York to wait tables while they wait for their big break on Broadway.

Larger talent pool in SoCal, that's all.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Besides, everyone who makes it really big in Hollywood must first be born and raised in Australia, Canada or the UK first.

 

[unkadug]

Larger Talent Pool. That's all.

If you were putting together a musical of Hairspray using local talent, you would have more talent to draw from if the show was performed in Boston, Massachusetts with a population of 2 Million than you were if the show was performed in Birmingham, Alabama with a population of 200,000.

Same with picking college girls to play Cinderella. Anaheim pulls from the 15 Million people living within 90 minutes drive of Disneyland, including the entertainment capital of the world known as Hollywood that attracts thousands of aspiring performers from around the world every year. Orlando pulls from the 2 Million people that live between Kissimme and Daytona Beach, with many of the aspiring performers within 1,000 miles heading north to New York to wait tables while they wait for their big break on Broadway.

Larger talent pool in SoCal, that's all.

OK


Edited to add: The population of Metropolitan Birmingham is 1,128,047....not 200,000...so your talent pool would be a little less unbalanced than you originally assumed.


That's like saying that Atlanta only has 400,000 people. Which IS correct but not looking at the bigger picture.

 

[Crazydisneyfanluke]

I wonder if WDW is undergoing a "Fresh Start" entertainment/parade plan? They have/are pretty much shutting down all parades, destroyed Spectro, MSEP is going under "refurb"? My guess is they know FOF will make all the current parades look ridiculous!

The question still remains why they are choosing to refurb/upgrade MSEP over Spectro... The only thing I can think of is they will destroy MSEP as well and build brand new floats. Possibly a Steve Davison "Secret Project"?

Dont get me to excited. I wouldn't think TDO will spend all that money.

 

[FutureWorld1982]

There are MANY talented people in the Central Florida area. Just look at all the live shows, meet-and-greets, and performers that we have in all the theme parks! And most of them are great (even though the shows might be a bit old in some cases).

 

[MOXOMUMD]

Just my opinion but I would think all of the months that have 31 days giving the termites the maximum time possible to destroy it. Then, maybe we could get a night time parade with something relevant to this century as well as classics.

I share your opinion.

 

[TTA94]

With FOF taking the place of MSEP, does that mean FOF could run 3 times a day?? MSEP usually runs twice on busy days...

 

[Samoht]

While I'm excited about a new afternoon parade, I would rather see a new night parade. As much as I love the electrical parade, the nostalgia has worn off and I would rather see even spectro magic brought back.

 

[Jose]

I hope TDO does an overwhelming refurb to MSEP...

 

[Crazydisneyfanluke]

With FOF taking the place of MSEP, does that mean FOF could run 3 times a day?? MSEP usually runs twice on busy days...

I don't think 3 times. Possibly 2 runs on busy days one during the day-time (12:30-3) and one before fireworks (6-8). Like Parade of dreams did. Until the "return" of MSEP.

 

[WDWDad13]

I hope TDO does an overwhelming refurb to MSEP...

me too... I don't mind them keeping the same music (maybe some enhancements or mods here or there if needed) and the same title... but we need all new floats...today's lighting technology, etc.

 

[rodserling27]

I hope TDO does an overwhelming refurb to MSEP...

I heard that the refurb will be more a "sprucing up" than a complete refurb. Fix up the lighting, rebuilt parts of the floats that are in dire need of it, new LEDs here and there. Good stuff, but it's unfortunate that there won't be more. I freaking love the MSEP, and it could use a few new floats. While like the simplicity of the parade and don't think we need anything nearly as gaudy as DreamLights, a few new floats would be very nice. I wonder if maybe they might be able to reincorporate any remaining floats from Spectro or bring back Blue Fairy and/or Dumbo units.

Why do so many of you doubt MSEP will return? Because they destroyed SpectroMagic? I have a hard time thinking they would destroy TWO light parades, especially given how legendary MSEP is to both old-school WDW fans and Disneyland die-hards. Then again, this IS the same company that let 20k Leagues rot away for a decade...

 

[doctornick]

Why do so many of you doubt MSEP will return? Because they destroyed SpectroMagic? I have a hard time thinking they would destroy TWO light parades, especially given how legendary MSEP is to both old-school WDW fans and Disneyland die-hards.

That's my question too. I understand skepticism towards TDO, but it seems like the insiders here believe that MSEP is being refurbed -- I don't see the reason to doubt that, especially since refurbishing an existing parade (instead of building a new light parade) and playing off of nostalgia seems right up their alley in terms of how WDW has been run of late.

 

[doctornick]

Also, since this is sort of the default parade thread... is there any info as to what is going on with the parade at DAK? Is it really ending after this year and is there any plans for a replacement in the near future?

 

[djlaosc]

That's my question too. I understand skepticism towards TDO, but it seems like the insiders here believe that MSEP is being refurbed -- I don't see the reason to doubt that, especially since refurbishing an existing parade (instead of building a new light parade) and playing off of nostalgia seems right up their alley in terms of how WDW has been run of late.

But wasn't SpectroMagic supposed to be refurbed while MSEP was brought in for Summer Nightastic?