Frozen Musical and MATMM gone for good?

Old Mouseketeer

Well-Known Member
This is the price of absolute long term "safety".

Respectfully disagree. This is the price of the US not doing what other wealthy countries have done successfully--that is actually take the steps recommended by public health experts and scientists and enforcing them for 3+ months until the numbers come down. Our per capita infection and death rates are far higher than other countries with equivalent economies. But we lacked the political will to follow the science. History will judge us harshly. We had no national policy. We didn't use the plans that had been developed over decades during both democratic and republican administrations. We know for a fact that they were thrown in the trash.

I still don't understand what's going on in Sacramento. DL is the last Disney Resort to reopen. There is no evidence of COVID outbreaks at any Disney property around the world. My only concern after talking to friends who work onstage with guests is whether Disney will enforce their policies and whether Security will back up front-line CMs (I have had friends who said Security hung them out to dry in the past). I think Disney's policies for dealing with reopening are pretty sound--it looks like they are going by the science.

But I don't believe this is the price of long-term safety--it's the price of criminal mismanagement. Over 100,000 of US deaths were needless, based on results from countries with comparable economies. YMMV.
 

Old Mouseketeer

Well-Known Member
IMO, I don't think Mickey and the Magical Map will return. If the Fantasyland Theater isn't bulldozed by the time that they can once again have 50% or more capacity in their theaters, I think they'll just create a new show for the venue to generate interest than bring back an old show that's had waning attendance Pre-COVID.

Frozen even though it has the same waning audience problem as Magical Map, I think will eventually be brought back just to help sell the Frozen merchandise nearby at Off the Page.

Actually, my expectation before today was the opposite. I believed there was no way Frozen would return. I've worked in live entertainment in SoCal off and on going back to high school and college in the '70s and '80s (yes, I'm old) and have known people in DL Entertainment going back to the '60s. I know people who work behind the scenes at both shows (and a few who are trained on both). Frozen has been a problem since it opened. It breaks people, both performers and crew. Remounting it would be more trouble and expense than it was worth. My expectation was that they would let it die.

My understanding from someone in Stage Management was that Magical Map was budgeted to be amortized over five years. This May they would have passed their seventh anniversary. Over the course of the run they went to five days per week in the off season and eventually four days year-round. They were saved by the fact that the Performing Arts series are money-makers which support the Fantasyland Theater. The one thing I thought might save Map was the desire for some kind of live entertainment and the greater ability to social distance in an outside venue. But the cost of remounting the production was still a factor that I feared might derail that, and I think it has (plus I don't think Disney is ready for live singing and dancing anytime soon).

One thing I noted was that WDW announced that they had reached agreements with their performers' unions, but there was no such announcement from DL that I heard of.

In any event, I don't expect either show to come back. Remounting Map would be more akin to bringing back a parade. But Frozen is another animal entirely. I can't say that it absolutely can't happen, I just don't think it will.
 

Professortango1

Well-Known Member
Yet, states like Utah have been allowing live theater since July without issue.

This is why it is important that Newsom loses the lawsuit.

Many shows have announced, rehearsed, and been postponed due to outbreaks in the cast. I haven't heard of deaths, but they have lost a ton with rescheduling and postponing due to trying to reopen so soon. Definitely has not been without issue.
 

Professortango1

Well-Known Member
Never thought I would see the day where it would be illegal to play Hamlet. "To be or not to be"....not to be.

Many of us are still managing to make it work in some way. Our theatre and others in the area have built outdoor spaces on our property and have been doing socially distanced outdoor shows with small casts. Our theatre is currently rehearsing some new adaptations of Poe and Lovecraft to record live on stage and then stream to ticket holders.
 

DCBaker

Premium Member
"The Disneyland resort plans to lay off more than 200 actors as the “Frozen” and “Mickey and the Magical Map” live shows lower their curtains for good after yearslong runs while Disney’s Anaheim theme parks remain shuttered amid the pandemic.

End of run notices have been sent to actors in the “Frozen: Live at the Hyperion” at Disney California Adventure and “Mickey and the Magical Map” at Disneyland, according to the American Guild of Variety Artists West.

“We have been told that Disney will be laying off 214 of our members which represents approximately 70% of our members currently employed at the Disneyland resort,” AGVA West Disneyland representative Steve Rosen said via email."

-

"AGVA West remains in bargaining talks with Disney.

“At this time, no AGVA members have received layoff notices,” Rosen said via email.

Live entertainment like the “Frozen” and “Magical Map” stage shows that draw large crowds were expected to be temporarily canceled when Disney’s Anaheim theme parks eventually reopen.

It’s still possible “Frozen: Live at the Hyperion” and “Mickey and the Magical Map” could return, according to Rosen.

“An end of run notice means ‘technically’ that the shows are permanently closed, but Disney has sent end of run notices in the past and then subsequently reopened the show.”


 

TsWade2

Well-Known Member
Well, I like Mickey and the Magical Map and Frozen Live at the Hyperion, but mostly Mickey and the Magical Map. Now I'm upset about it that they're gone. A long time ago I was obsessed hoping Disneyland make a new show for Fantasyland Theatre for seven years until Mickey and the Magical Map was announced. And now that show is gone, I feel like giving up hope for Disneyland entertainment. Even if Disneyland is reopen, the parades and shows will be gone forever. If you guys say Fantasyland Theatre will be replaced by a ride, go ahead. I don't care. The social distancing will go on forever. :cry: Man, I hate 2020. I bet 2021 will be worse.
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
Well, I like Mickey and the Magical Map and Frozen Live at the Hyperion, but mostly Mickey and the Magical Map. Now I'm upset about it that they're gone. A long time ago I was obsessed hoping Disneyland make a new show for Fantasyland Theatre for seven years until Mickey and the Magical Map was announced. And now that show is gone, I feel like giving up hope for Disneyland entertainment. Even if Disneyland is reopen, the parades and shows will be gone forever. If you guys say Fantasyland Theatre will be replaced by a ride, go ahead. I don't care. The social distancing will go on forever. :cry: Man, I hate 2020. I bet 2021 will be worse.

At least for the California parks, 2021 is now looking like it will be worse. Only because Disneyland will still be closed in 2021 and the damage done to the entire resort by the time it reaches a full calendar year of closure in March, 2021 will take many years to repair.

Many smaller attractions will never reopen; Canoes, StorybookLand, Main Street Vehicles, Mr. Lincoln, Red Car Trolley, etc. And many shows will never return; Frozen, New Orleans Square jazz, Dapper Dans, All-American College Band, Five & Dime, etc., etc.

And then there's the major "spectaculars" that won't return for a long time even if the parks reopened tomorrow; Fantasmic!, Paint The Night, Christmas Fantasy Parade, World of Color, etc.

What's important right now is to get Disneyland reopened ASAP in even a limited format, so that it can guarantee a future for itself. If it remains closed for a year or more, the future and its entire business model becomes very dim very quickly. :(
 

TP2000

Well-Known Member
It looks pretty bad. I wouldn't be surprised if Disney just ditched the idea of rides and shows and designate DL a walk-through historical landmark or something.

The Nixon Library presidential museum reopened several months ago a few miles east in Yorba Linda. If they got the Nixon Library to designate Disneyland as a satellite campus to their museum, it could work and would be legal under the Four-Tier Blueprint For A Safer Economy.

Richrd-Nixon-Disenyland-4.jpg

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Stevek

Well-Known Member
Disney should just have a food festival in both theme parks. It works for Knotts. Fall-O-Ween sold out every night it is offered. The demand is there.
This has been brought up for the last couple of months, ever since Knott's started. For whatever reason, Disney not willing to go down this path. Perhaps they felt they were much closer to opening and chose not to follow suit.
 

TsWade2

Well-Known Member
At least for the California parks, 2021 is now looking like it will be worse. Only because Disneyland will still be closed in 2021 and the damage done to the entire resort by the time it reaches a full calendar year of closure in March, 2021 will take many years to repair.

Many smaller attractions will never reopen; Canoes, StorybookLand, Main Street Vehicles, Mr. Lincoln, Red Car Trolley, etc. And many shows will never return; Frozen, New Orleans Square jazz, Dapper Dans, All-American College Band, Five & Dime, etc., etc.

And then there's the major "spectaculars" that won't return for a long time even if the parks reopened tomorrow; Fantasmic!, Paint The Night, Christmas Fantasy Parade, World of Color, etc.

What's important right now is to get Disneyland reopened ASAP in even a limited format, so that it can guarantee a future for itself. If it remains closed for a year or more, the future and its entire business model becomes very dim very quickly. :(
Well, thanks for a pep talk. Now you're making me more miserable.:cry: No offense.
 

Figments Friend

Well-Known Member
This sucks.

I really enjoyed both of these Shows.
Turns out, my last performance for 'Frozen' was my last visit in January 2019.
A very kind friend here arranged special seating for myself and a pal which we both enjoyed very much.
So thank you again for that, you know who you are !
;)

I also really liked 'Magical Map' quite a bit.
Always saw two or three showings per week long visit.
Loved the opening number ( 'Imagination' ) and the finale.
It had some truly emotional moments.
Some terrific performers in this show, including the characters.
'King Louie' in particular was always a 'Red', Grade A+++'performance.
NOT easy to do in that role!

Man I am going to miss these.....and I am not at all a 'Frozen fan', but the stage show was quite entertaining.
Hoping live theater and stage productions can return when it's time.
Disneyland NEEDS these elements.
It does make a big difference in the Guest experience.

Truly wishing the best for all who were involved in these productions.
The curtain shall rise again!

-
 

Twilight_Roxas

Well-Known Member
The question is what’s going to happen to the Fantasyland theater will their be a new future show or demolish for a future expansion of Fantasyland?
 

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