MuppetVision 3D Issues

[PizzaPlanet]

In terms of 3D viewing quality, this is how I would rank the three attractions from best to worst as of July:
1. Muppet Vision
2. ITTBAB
3. Philarmagic

Philharmagic is a distant third and needs the most help. And the bubbles and water effects were working at MV3D during my visit FWIW.

 

[Thelazer]

If I recall this right.
The 3D system at Philharmagic relays on a physical movement of one projector (or perhaps just it's lens) to accomplish some of it's magic. Thus, digital or not, there is a bit more that can go wrong than just a simple out of focus alignment.

Also it's never been the same since they removed the Jasmin scent.

 

[Magic Feather]

Everything was working fine on Saturday, in fact, the report I got considered it “the best it has been since some effects were permenantly removed” (the fog). Bean sounds like a fluke, but not sure about bubbles and water.

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

Bugs life is in a bad way too. Last time I watched you quite literally could see nothing on the screen, it was just a haze with faint outlines of characters. They really need to be able to budget for new projectors, its like the cheapest part of the entire damn attraction hardware.

As for muppets, I dont think' the bubbles have worked correctly for a year or two now, either cast members aren't topping up the tanks or the mechanism is on its way out (or both....probably both).

Also agree about Philharmagic. Saw it in may...or at least I think it was it, it was all a blur.

Did you have your 3D glasses on during bugs life?

 

[WDWTank]

Oh my god I thought it was just me. I was at Philharmagic a few days ago and could barely even see the screen

The 4D effects seemed off when I went in late June.

 

[jaxonp]

These shows just aren’t impressive anymore with little reason to reride. They all need a complete overhaul. Does Disneyland even have any 3D shows left? Muppets has been gone, bug is going and whatever they had next to space mountain has been gone. Time for something new, yesterday.

 

[Ariel1986]

I'm so sad to hear our Philharmagic experience in July wasn't a one off. It's one of my favorite attractions! I thought maybe we'd just chosen bad glasses or it was just something that night. We hadn't watched it for 18 months prior to July and it was working (for us) back in Dec '16. I hope they address it

 

[cmb5002]

Bad show going on at MuppetVision.

Show effect problems include no Bean Bunny AA appearance, bubbles or water drops.

Anyone else witnessing ongoing issues?

Bean AA was working on Saturday as were the bubbles. No water though and the 3D image was horrible. Not sure if the projectors were out of sync or what, but I had to watch the entire show with one eye closed. Told a manager after the show and she said they were working on it. Honestly, I'm kinda surprised they let it continue.

 

[LSLS]

Kind of telling that someone brings up redoing a show because of a day of issues, and instead of defending the attraction, people are able to list 3-4 more attractions in worse shape.

 

[WDW Guru]

In terms of 3D viewing quality, this is how I would rank the three attractions from best to worst as of July:
1. Muppet Vision
2. ITTBAB
3. Philarmagic

Philharmagic is a distant third and needs the most help. And the bubbles and water effects were working at MV3D during my visit FWIW.

Philharmagic is in dire shape. When the curtains first open, the movie looks pretty bad and strains my eyes. There are a few other parts that are like that as well. I remember @marni1971 hinting at an update of some sort for the show some time ago but don't know if it's still in the works or not.

 

[KBLovedDisney]

Philharmagic is in dire shape. When the curtains first open, the movie looks pretty bad and strains my eyes. There are a few other parts that are like that as well. I remember @marni1971 hinting at an update of some sort for the show some time ago but don't know if it's still in the works or not.

Funny enough, I feel like the worst part of the show is in the very beginning and the end. It looks like the rest of the film was ok, but just those two scenes when they are in the orchestra looks really bad.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

These shows just aren’t impressive anymore with little reason to reride. They all need a complete overhaul. Does Disneyland even have any 3D shows left? Muppets has been gone, bug is going and whatever they had next to space mountain has been gone. Time for something new, yesterday.

As of right now they are using the Tomorrowland theater showing Pixar shorts in 3d up until Sept when Pixar Fest ends.

 

[DznyRktekt]

The Walt Disney Company has two of the best animation studios in its toolbox, but has not yet felt the desire or need to tailor a new park specific show for any of the 3D theater venues across the properties. They have every opportunity to make something amazing.

 

[jaxonp]

The 3d theaters are people eaters with little reason for us people to be eaten anymore.

 

[Kman101]

time for a muppetvision redo

just keep the muppets

It's time.

The idea of Muppet*Vision with the Muppet Lab would work great at Epcot. Do a new show and move it there to tie into the Muppet Mobile Lab. Put the dark ride where Muppet*Vision is now at DHS. We all win.

But either way, I agree. It's time.

 

[Kman101]

The Walt Disney Company has two of the best animation studios in its toolbox, but has not yet felt the desire or need to tailor a new park specific show for any of the 3D theater venues across the properties. They have every opportunity to make something amazing.

I think they're over them, personally. I know we're getting McQueen's Screenz next year but it seems a lot more involved than just staring at a screen wearing 3D glasses. Seems like the next version of 3D movies (I imagine Kung Fu Panda-esque). Just my take. I could be wrong.

 

[GhostHost1000]

What on earth makes you think a redo would turn out better than the original show?

if they just removed waldo it would be better right there

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

if they just removed waldo it would be better right there

Why does everyone think he was just made for this attraction when he also was a character normally being used during The Jim Henson Hour. They even had a segment showing how he was created by Pacific Data Images the company that is now Dreamworks Animation.

 

[geekza]

Warning: Old Man Rant Ahead

I've been a fan of Disney's 3D park films since Magic Journeys back when it was still in EPCOT Center. At the time, America was going through a minor 3D revival with films like Jaws 3 and Friday the 13th, Part III, so I'm sure that Disney was taking advantage of the renewed interest in 3D when they made Magic Journeys. The thing was, that film was soooo much better than the 3D we got in the local theaters. Being shot on 70mm at a higher-than-standard frame rate meant that the images were crystal clear and incredibly life-like. It was an experience that wasn't available outside of Disney.

With Captain EO, which I never got to see, Disney upped the ante with in-theater effects and, well, Michael Jackson who was, at the time, the most famous entertainer on the planet. Seriously. If you weren't around in those days, you might not realize just how huge he was. My grandmother knew who Michael Jackson was. In any case, it was another case where it was an experience you could only get at Disney.

The final four 3D park films were all pretty great (not as much of a fan of Honey, I Shrunk the Audience), so they made sense in their day.

I just don't know that 3D films really hold their own in today's world. They are in every movieplex and, for some people, even available in the home. The in-theater effects aren't really special either, as lots of theme parks have them.

I do enjoy Philharmagic, It's Tough to Be a Bug, and MuppetVision, but I also think that maybe they've outlived their usefulness. While the Muppet fan in me is hesitant to touch MuppetVision, since it was the last project that Jim Henson completed, I won't be surprised when it is gone. Those films are only special because of the extra effects and AA figures that are part of the show. If those effects are not working, which, by all accounts is hit-or-miss, then there's no reason to even watch them.

Disney either needs to pony up the funds to bring them back to complete working order, even adding some new tech into them, or else they need to go. Those buildings are big and a lot can be done with pre-existing space of that magnitude. What shouldn't happen is what is going on over at Imagination. The whole pavilion is a rotting mess, but showing Pixar shorts that are available on home video is just an insult to the technological marvels that once graced the space.

 

[geekza]

Why does everyone think he was just made for this attraction when he also was a character normally being used during The Jim Henson Hour. They even had a segment showing how he was created by Pacific Data Images the company that is now Dreamworks Animation.

Yeah, Henson, like Disney, was always trying to move his art forward through the use of technology. Waldo was the prototype for the tech that Disney benefits from today at the Laugh Floor and Turtle Talk. Jim Henson was a total creative genius. He was one of the only celebrities whose death made me break down in tears.