No Fantasmic! shows scheduled beyond January 4 2012 - refurb or something else?

[Zummi Gummi]

Well, that certainly turned into much ado about nothing.

 

[Jane Doe]

Well, that certainly turned into much ado about nothing.

It's de rigueur in these parts.

I'm next there from the 26th Jan - 9th Feb, so I'll miss out on Fantasmic altogether and I'm a slightly miffed.

 

[ChristianG]

I don't think so. Disneyland's Fantasmic! went down for it's third rehab in three years from late January, 2009 until late May, 2009. That was four months long, and during that time they installed the dragon on the island stage. First they had to dismantle and remove the old 1990's dragon infrastructure, and that took about a month. Then they had to airlift in the huge dragon equipment in pieces via helicopter, during a series of early morning operations that had the dragon equipment flying over the north end of Disneyland a few hours before the park opened each day.

New Dragon Infrastructure Flying Over Disneyland En Route To Fantasmic! Island Stage - March, 2009

http://media.photobucket.com/image/disneyland fantasmic helicopter airlift/dustysage/P1010659.jpg

And even then, the dragon didn't appear on Memorial Day Weekend. They had a lot of problems with it, due to it being a giant animatronic that had to split itself in two down in a bunker beneath the stage and then rebuild itself and appear within seconds during the show. Disneyland's Fantasmic! team worked on it all summer, and Murphy The Dragon finally appeared in Fantasmic! on Labor Day Weekend, 2009.

They used a helicopter for DL because the F! stage is located in the middle of the park with TSI behind it. They have that whole area behind DHS's F! stage so they don't have to fly stuff in. I'm not saying because of this that they are getting a new dragon, I was just saying that to clear up why DL used a helicopter.

 

[TP2000]

They used a helicopter for DL because the F! stage is located in the middle of the park with TSI behind it. They have that whole area behind DHS's F! stage so they don't have to fly stuff in. I'm not saying because of this that they are getting a new dragon, I was just saying that to clear up why DL used a helicopter.

Ooh, good point!

I looked at Google Earth, and you are correct that there's a huge staging area of sorts right behind the Fantasmic! stage at DHS. It would seem they could just back up a truck and plug a new dragon right into the back of the mountain, in fact!

So maybe they do have some big stuff planned for this 5 week rehab?! Maybe that's enough time to update the landside lighting and audio systems, replace the Pocohontas scene, spruce up the theater and island sets, replace the mist screen film projectors with digital HD projectors, and add the Disneyland dragon to the finale'? Or maybe at least two or three of those things, including the new dragon???

It would be a lot easier and cheaper to do it all at DHS compared to Disneyland's logistical and physical hurdles, now that great points like the one above have been brought up. :sohappy:

 

[mm52200]

It's not too surprising but I doubt it will still be a long time before they would go in and actually make changes to the content of the show such as removing Pocahontas. I honestly doubt they'll ever make changes to the content of the show but I do believe they'll do what they did to DL's and enhance the current show. Such as adding HD projectors, new lighting effects, new pyro maybe, added props or set pieces like how they added Flotsam and Jetsam and a new crocodile to DL's, things like that. I doubt they would go in and alter or change segments of the show rather than put in a new show altogether. Maybe we'll get a new dragon, maybe we won't, but if they do things like maintenance work, new technology, and things of the like, those will go a long way towards improving the show.

 

[Nemofinder]

Could be John Lasseter and the current Imagineering team fixing old mistakes yet again. Pocahontas could be out and replaced with something more loveable and something that evokes more feeling. Maybe we'll get an announcement at d23

 

[NoChesterHester]

5 weeks would possibly be enough time to install Murphy's cousin Melvin. Bring on a real dragon!

 

[RunnerEd]

I think 5 weeks may be long enough to upgrade the entire show like others have been talking about for 2 big reasons. 1) They've done it before at DL and, therefore already know where most of the hurdles are, and 2) the logistics of doing the work at DHS are much more conducive than at DL because the stage, when roped off, would be completely backstage; they can work all day. At DL, the stage is onstage so a lot of the work had to be done after hours.

I'm really hoping for the upgrade of the projectors, sound would be nice but what we have isn't bad. A new dragon would be very cool AND getting rid of Pocahontas is almost a must for me; it's always been my least favorite part of the show.

 

[NoChesterHester]

5 weeks isn't enough time to paint the stadium... Construction takes forever. Even when everything is perfectly staged.

 

[flavious27]

I think 5 weeks may be long enough to upgrade the entire show like others have been talking about for 2 big reasons. 1) They've done it before at DL and, therefore already know where most of the hurdles are, and 2) the logistics of doing the work at DHS are much more conducive than at DL because the stage, when roped off, would be completely backstage; they can work all day. At DL, the stage is onstage so a lot of the work had to be done after hours.

I'm really hoping for the upgrade of the projectors, sound would be nice but what we have isn't bad. A new dragon would be very cool AND getting rid of Pocahontas is almost a must for me; it's always been my least favorite part of the show.

Well it matters what work is being done. If they are replacing the boat, that could have been done beforehand with the boat moved into place.

 

[brookelizabeth]

One thing I find interesting is that @WaltDisneyWorld, not @DisneyParks or @Disneyland, Tweeted, around July 19, a #disneyfyi speaking of Fantasmic's 50 foot tall dragon and it's wingspan. The current one is not that large, right? I have only seen the show once and can't clearly remember, but the Tweet strck me as odd! :shrug:

 

[TP2000]

I think 5 weeks may be long enough to upgrade the entire show like others have been talking about for 2 big reasons. 1) They've done it before at DL and, therefore already know where most of the hurdles are, and 2) the logistics of doing the work at DHS are much more conducive than at DL because the stage, when roped off, would be completely backstage; they can work all day. At DL, the stage is onstage so a lot of the work had to be done after hours.

I'm really hoping for the upgrade of the projectors, sound would be nice but what we have isn't bad. A new dragon would be very cool AND getting rid of Pocahontas is almost a must for me; it's always been my least favorite part of the show.

All good points! 5 weeks of pre-planned rehab at DHS may easily equate to 10 to 12 weeks of rehab at Disneyland. :sohappy:

It would seem that the 5 weeks of rehab at DHS would be plenty of time to install all of the great technology Disneyland has on both the island stage side and the mainland viewing-area side, along with new watercraft, island pyro/lighting/projection effects, and a replacement of the Pocohontas scene with something perhaps Pirates or Pixar related.

 

[jt04]

All good points! 5 weeks of pre-planned rehab at DHS may easily equate to 10 to 12 weeks of rehab at Disneyland. :sohappy:

It would seem that the 5 weeks of rehab at DHS would be plenty of time to install all of the great technology Disneyland has on both the island stage side and the mainland viewing-area side, along with new watercraft, island pyro/lighting/projection effects, and a replacement of the Pocohontas scene with something perhaps Pirates or Pixar related.

I guess it could happen but you also claim HSR is perfectly safe and the key to some utopian dream so I think we need a more pragmatic take on it. Like just install a customized WoC show. :sohappy:

 

[NoChesterHester]

All good points! 5 weeks of pre-planned rehab at DHS may easily equate to 10 to 12 weeks of rehab at Disneyland. :sohappy:

It would seem that the 5 weeks of rehab at DHS would be plenty of time to install all of the great technology Disneyland has on both the island stage side and the mainland viewing-area side, along with new watercraft, island pyro/lighting/projection effects, and a replacement of the Pocohontas scene with something perhaps Pirates or Pixar related.

5 weeks isn't much time. I don't care how much is prepped before hand. Test and adjust along with practice for any revisions would take 4 weeks minimum on something this large.

Anyone remember how long Space Mountain was down two years ago? That wasn't a complete overhall, but it was a pretty substantial refurb. Granted this is an open arena with easier access, but you can still only do so much...

 

[flynnibus]

5 weeks in Disney terms is like cleaning/rehab only.

I could care less about the dragon.. I think the large figures in the show aren't that bad. It's the stupid Pocahontas scene and the storyline of some of the mist-screen segments that pulls the show down.

The dragon plays the part fine.. pocahontas is a snore fest.

 

[RunnerEd]

5 weeks isn't much time. I don't care how much is prepped before hand. Test and adjust along with practice for any revisions would take 4 weeks minimum on something this large.

Anyone remember how long Space Mountain was down two years ago? That wasn't a complete overhall, but it was a pretty substantial refurb. Granted this is an open arena with easier access, but you can still only do so much...

I've worked in audio/visual installations before and, professionally, 5 weeks is plenty of time to hang new speakers and lights and install new projectors. An area like Fantasmic would be a piece of cake for the lights/speakers; they're all in the open....just take the old ones down, put the new ones up, plug them in, and move to the next one. The projectors would be more difficult because of their location and, if hi-def is used, would probably have to be rewired which may or may not be complicated depending on the original installation. I've never been in the dragon installation business so I don't know how tough that would be . The big thing is that the A/V stuff can go independently from any work being done on the island or moat, whether it's rehearsals, dragon install, projectors, etc. I still think 5 weeks is enough time to really make Fantasmic! a lot better.

 

[TP2000]

I guess it could happen but you also claim HSR is perfectly safe and the key to some utopian dream so I think we need a more pragmatic take on it. Like just install a customized WoC show. :sohappy:

Two OT paragraphs to get some facts straight real quick, then on to Fantasmic!...

In oppresive countries like Communist China, high-speed rail is not safe, as is witnessed by the latest (and not the last) accident this weekend where dozens were killed. But then, China has a lot of other infrastructure problems, such as a simple escalator that collapsed in a new subway station in Beijing this same weekend killing and injuring dozens. The NY Times has reported this weekend that in just the last week alone in China, four separate roadway bridges have collapsed around the country.

But in open, democratic, affluent countries high-speed rail is perfectly safe. Japan has been running bullet trains for hundreds of millions of passenger miles since 1964 and has yet to have even one passenger fatality in those 47 years. France has been running high speed TGV trains for hundreds of millions of passenger miles since 1981 and has only seen one passenger fatality in that time; a 1988 accident where a train hit an errant delivery truck crossing the tracks. In the US, the 125MPH Metroliners and its replacement 150MPH Acela service has been operating in the Northeast since 1968 with over a hundred million passenger miles served, and has never had a single passenger fatality or any major accident injuring passengers.

Now that that's straightened out...

Hmm. So if the 5 weeks of DHS rehab doesn't equate to 10 weeks or more of rehab at Disneyland's logistically inaccesible Fantasmic! facility, then what exactly do they have planned for the 5 weeks of rehab I wonder? Is this really just a clean-up and paint-job of what already exists?

When was the last time Fantasmic! at DHS went down for rehab? A google search could only come up with a 6 day rehab back in early 2004. Surely there's been a rehab since that very short one 7 years ago!?! Is this the first rehab for Fantasmic! at DHS in years and years? :veryconfu

D23 Expo is a month away. It would seem that something must be said about Fantasmic!'s upcoming DHS rehab at D23, in either the keynote address by Tom Staggs in the Anaheim Arena, or at the Parks & Resorts Pavilion that has the title theme of "Carousel of Projects" this year.

That Parks & Resorts pavilion is huge, the biggest at the Expo, taking up most of the 150,000 square foot Exhibit Hall B in the convention center last time. Surely they could have a small exhibit on the Fantasmic! Rehab project in there, if it's anything more than just a deep-cleaning and paint job?! Onward to project information at the D23 Expo! :wave:

Parks & Resorts Pavilion Entrance - D23 Expo 2009, Anaheim

Parks and Resorts Pavilion, Disney D23 Expo by Mastery of Maps, on Flickr

 

[jt04]

Two OT paragraphs to get some facts straight real quick, then on to Fantasmic!...

In oppresive countries like Communist China, high-speed rail is not safe, as is witnessed by the latest (and not the last) accident this weekend where dozens were killed. But then, China has a lot of other infrastructure problems, such as a simple escalator that collapsed in a new subway station in Beijing this same weekend killing and injuring dozens. The NY Times has reported this weekend that in just the last week alone in China, four separate roadway bridges have collapsed around the country.

But in open, democratic, affluent countries high-speed rail is perfectly safe. Japan has been running bullet trains for hundreds of millions of passenger miles since 1964 and has yet to have even one passenger fatality in those 47 years. France has been running high speed TGV trains for hundreds of millions of passenger miles since 1981 and has only seen one passenger fatality in that time; a 1988 accident where a train hit an errant delivery truck crossing the tracks. In the US, the 125MPH Metroliners and its replacement 150MPH Acela service has been operating in the Northeast since 1968 with over a hundred million passenger miles served, and has never had a single passenger fatality or any major accident injuring passengers.

Now that that's straightened out...

Hmm. So if the 5 weeks of DHS rehab doesn't equate to 10 weeks or more of rehab at Disneyland's logistically inaccesible Fantasmic! facility, then what exactly do they have planned for the 5 weeks of rehab I wonder? Is this really just a clean-up and paint-job of what already exists?

When was the last time Fantasmic! at DHS went down for rehab? A google search could only come up with a 6 day rehab back in early 2004. Surely there's been a rehab since that very short one 7 years ago!?! Is this the first rehab for Fantasmic! at DHS in years and years? :veryconfu

D23 Expo is a month away. It would seem that something must be said about Fantasmic!'s upcoming DHS rehab at D23, in either the keynote address by Tom Staggs in the Anaheim Arena, or at the Parks & Resorts Pavilion that has the title theme of "Carousel of Projects" this year.

That Parks & Resorts pavilion is huge, the biggest at the Expo, taking up most of the 150,000 square foot Exhibit Hall B in the convention center last time. Surely they could have a small exhibit on the Fantasmic! Rehab project in there, if it's anything more than just a deep-cleaning and paint job?! Onward to project information at the D23 Expo! :wave:

Parks & Resorts Pavilion Entrance - D23 Expo 2009, Anaheim

Parks and Resorts Pavilion, Disney D23 Expo by Mastery of Maps, on Flickr

I agree with all of this. :lookaroun:lol:

 

[lightboy]

Don't get too excited about January. Otherwise you'll be disappointed...

Disney's five week refurbs are exactly that. Refurbs, not remounts. Probably won't see much difference in February. Maintenance, cleaning, and some modifications for some technical elements that have been missing/broken for some time now...