The Miscellaneous Thought Thread

[DrAlice]

This Halloween, my daughter went as Annabeth Chase from the Percy Jackson novels (I went as her mother, Athena; dad went as Dionysus). She is at the right age for that book series, yet almost none of her friends knew what she was. Why? Because the Percy Jackson movie was "so cringe" that the kids gave up on the story and didn't get into the books. Now, I totally agree that the movie sucked, but it's a shame they haven't even attempted the books. They are a really fun interpretation of Greek mythology! Anyway, I really hope that Disney doesn't screw up the TV series. If they do it right, this group of kids might actually get into a great book series. Fingers crossed.

 

[Phroobar]

This Halloween, my daughter went as Annabeth Chase from the Percy Jackson novels (I went as her mother, Athena; dad went as Dionysus). She is at the right age for that book series, yet almost none of her friends knew what she was. Why? Because the Percy Jackson movie was "so cringe" that the kids gave up on the story and didn't get into the books. Now, I totally agree that the movie sucked, but it's a shame they haven't even attempted the books. They are a really fun interpretation of Greek mythology! Anyway, I really hope that Disney doesn't screw up the TV series. If they do it right, this group of kids might actually get into a great book series. Fingers crossed.

I think it doesn't help the movies were twelve years ago and didn't make much impact. I liked the books but they weren't anything special.

 

[chadwpalm]

• Marvel & Superheros are HUGE! I lost count of the superheros by 7pm.
• Star Wars is dead and out of style. A complete 180 from seven or eight years ago.
• Princesses and cutesy things are still big with girls under 10
• Sports stars and horribly gory monsters are the go-to for the teen boys
• 1980's are big with kids. To a 12 year old, the 1980's must seem like Lost Ancient Rome.

We took my nephews to our church harvest fest on Saturday and there was a large group of people that dressed up at the Avengers and they were busy with photo ops the entire night. My 3yo nephew wanted to go hang out with the "Heroes" all night and do hero poses with them. I think I saw only one person dressed up as a Jedi out of the hundreds there.

You can thank the 80's retro costumes on Stranger Things.

 

[chadwpalm]

This Halloween, my daughter went as Annabeth Chase from the Percy Jackson novels (I went as her mother, Athena; dad went as Dionysus). She is at the right age for that book series, yet almost none of her friends knew what she was. Why? Because the Percy Jackson movie was "so cringe" that the kids gave up on the story and didn't get into the books. Now, I totally agree that the movie sucked, but it's a shame they haven't even attempted the books. They are a really fun interpretation of Greek mythology! Anyway, I really hope that Disney doesn't screw up the TV series. If they do it right, this group of kids might actually get into a great book series. Fingers crossed.

If you like Greek mythology, there's another good YA series that has an interesting take on it called Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini.

 

[Disney Analyst]

So, Disney World has a better version of Fantasmic than Disneyland now. Mostly because the WDW show is more faithful to the '92 original than Disneyland's.

A lot of the WDW additions/alterations and the new stuff is bleh, but this version of the show actually knows how to build- whereas Disneyland's is at 100% from the get go.

Doing what they did to Fantasmic in 2017 is probably one of the biggest mistakes Disneyland entertainment has made, right behind getting rid of the MSEP for Light Magic.

I still think Disneyland's beats DHS's version, but DHS has definitely improved their version greatly.

The new hero sequence doesn't fit as well into the flow of the show, but it is great fun!

 

[Practical Pig]

Eat it yourself! You deserve it!

I always overstock, and then snack on them when I need a sugar rush to prep the house for parties in November/December, or to wrap Christmas presents with.

But this year, the dang kids cleaned me out right at the stroke of 9pm. By 9pm I only had two Reese's left, so I turned out the lights and sheltered in place with my remaining supplies.

That's been my strategy in past years, and always bought candy I liked. But this year I bought it at the last moment from the nearest store that only had Snickers left in stock.

I don't like Snickers.

 

[SuddenStorm]

I still think Disneyland's beats DHS's version, but DHS has definitely improved their version greatly.

The new hero sequence doesn't fit as well into the flow of the show, but it is great fun!

Obviously, this is subjective- and I'm no creative- but the way the Orlando version builds just far outdoes the Disneyland version- which gives the thing far more weight.

No version of Fantasmic currently running holds a candle to the version that ran in Disneyland from '10-15, but Disney World's is a heckuva lot closer right now. Here's the finales, for comparison-



Notice how after Tinker Bell 'lights' the island post dragon, the effects are subtle and the focus remains on the Steamboat Willie boat. As the boat rounds the island, more fountains and effects are utilized, until everything culminates for the Sorcerer Mickey reveal- which is 100x more effective because it wasn't previously used during the show. And the pyro and effects keep Mickey as the focus (though the lasers could get toned down a bit).

Now let's look at the current version of F! at Disneyland's finale-



Hey look! I think I can spy the Mark Twain coming around- I'm not sure though! It's kinda drowned out by the island!

Wait, is that Mickey I spy up there? Not sure, hard to tell with all the lights! And projections! And pyro! I mean who cares, it looks the same as it has all show!

And that's not getting into how awful the re recorded soundtrack is.

Disneyland entertainment has no subtlety and no soul these days. And no sense of pacing. Or using their effects to create suspense- to build to a finale or climax. They have no restraint- substituting flash for substance and often forget what the focus of the scene should be.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Obviously, this is subjective- and I'm no creative- but the way the Orlando version builds just far outdoes the Disneyland version- which gives the thing far more weight.

No version of Fantasmic currently running holds a candle to the version that ran in Disneyland from '10-15, but Disney World's is a heckuva lot closer right now. Here's the finales, for comparison-



Notice how after Tinker Bell 'lights' the island post dragon, the effects are subtle and the focus remains on the Steamboat Willie boat. As the boat rounds the island, more fountains and effects are utilized, until everything culminates for the Sorcerer Mickey reveal- which is 100x more effective because it wasn't previously used during the show. And the pyro and effects keep Mickey as the focus (though the lasers could get toned down a bit).

Now let's look at the current version of F! at Disneyland's finale-



Hey look! I think I can spy the Mark Twain coming around- I'm not sure though! It's kinda drowned out by the island!

Wait, is that Mickey I spy up there? Not sure, hard to tell with all the lights! And projections! And pyro! I mean who cares, it looks the same as it has all show!

And that's not getting into how awful the re recorded soundtrack is.

Disneyland entertainment has no subtlety and no soul these days. And no sense of pacing. Or using their effects to create suspense- to build to a finale or climax. They have no restraint- substituting flash for substance and often forget what the focus of the scene should be.

While I agree that I wish Mickey's reveal wasn't used earlier in the show, I still find the Disneyland version a stronger production, with more technical wow, a better dragon, better flow, and the brilliant design of the Island that allows guests to experience during the day, and then have a show appear at night.

I also personally do not mind the updated vocals and orchestrations, which I know many on here dislike.

The changes I would make to the Disneyland version:

Bring back Pan, bring back the Witch transformation, and remove Mickey from the top of the house before the finale.

 

[Rich T]

…still have nightmares of the neighbor who used to give us raisins in a used toilet paper roll wrapped with tissue and rubber bands on the ends.

- LOOSE raisins?!?
- You mean you went there more than one Halloween?!?
- I hope this person didn’t own a rabbit.

 

[mickEblu]

- LOOSE raisins?!?
- You mean you went there more than one Halloween?!?
- I hope this person didn’t own a rabbit.

Lol yea loose raisins! No I think it was just once but I was super young. We re talking maybe 6 years old.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Some neat BTS.




(https:// vm.tiktok.com/ZMFDxFgCn/)

 

[waltography]

While I agree that I wish Mickey's reveal wasn't used earlier in the show, I still find the Disneyland version a stronger production, with more technical wow, a better dragon, better flow, and the brilliant design of the Island that allows guests to experience during the day, and then have a show appear at night.

I also personally do not mind the updated vocals and orchestrations, which I know many on here dislike.

The changes I would make to the Disneyland version:

Bring back Pan, bring back the Witch transformation, and remove Mickey from the top of the house before the finale.

Agreed; the updated F! in DHS is wonderful, and I'm a surprisingly big fan of the heroes clip show. It's kind of magic how they can do a clip show with live actors so quickly, plus the Show Yourself and Moana sequences are fantastic on their own. But personally, I don't want any of it near DL's show and on the whole I don't think the 2.0 rework impacted the show all that much.

I would add the change of removing some of the TDS orchestrations here and there in the DL version. I really dislike the couple of bars of Sorcerer's Apprentice we hear in the finale, and also dislike on the whole how vocal Mickey is in hemming and hawing in the beginning.

 

[Californian Elitist]

I prefer the version of Fantasmic! prior to the recent updates, but the version we have is still great and entertaining. I walked past the show during my most recent visit and was still captivated by it and couldn’t help but take a few peeks as I made my way through the crowds.

 

[PiratesMansion]

I prefer the version of Fantasmic! prior to the descent updates, but the version we have is still great and entertaining. I walked past the show during my most recent visit and was still captivated by it and couldn’t help but take a few peeks as I made my way through the crowds.

Agreed. The horrific badness of 2.0 and the unimpeachable majesty of 1.0 have both been greatly exaggerated.

 

[Disney Analyst]

Agreed; the updated F! in DHS is wonderful, and I'm a surprisingly big fan of the heroes clip show; it's kind of magic how they can do a clip show with live actors so quickly, plus the Show Yourself and Moana sequences are fantastic on their own. But personally, I don't want any of it near DL's show and on the whole I don't think the 2.0 rework impacted the show all that much.

I would add the change of removing some of the TDS orchestrations here and there in the DL version. I really dislike the couple of bars of Sorcerer's Apprentice we hear in the finale, and also dislike on the whole how vocal Mickey is in hemming and hawing in the beginning.

I would take the Show Yourself / Moana Sequence instead of Friend Like Me

If they could just add that moment, have Moana do the water bit somehow in ROA, would be really cool.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Was just thinking about this again today.

DCA needed Galaxy's Edge way more than Disneyland. Disneyland was already the 2nd most visited of the company's parks, with the most rides by far. DCA, even with Avengers Campus, still only has about a handful of rides worth doing and attracts far fewer visitors.

No it doesn't "fit" DCA all that well, but that's obviously not a concern for the company at this point and GE would have been better than AC (plus keeping ToT the same) or the pointless San Fransokyo overlay.

 

[mickEblu]

Was just thinking about this again today.

DCA needed Galaxy's Edge way more than Disneyland. Disneyland was already the 2nd most visited of the company's parks, with the most rides by far. DCA, even with Avengers Campus, still only has about a handful of rides worth doing and attracts far fewer visitors.

No it doesn't "fit" DCA all that well, but that's obviously not a concern for the company at this point and GE would have been better than AC (plus keeping ToT the same) or the pointless San Fransokyo overlay.

Agreed but where could they have put GE at DCA that was feasible? Eastern Gateway wasn’t ready and Disneyland Forward wasn’t a thing. The only thing I can think of is Paradise Pier and filling in the lagoon which would drastically change that part of the park and not for the better. GE (as constructed at least) wouldn’t be a great fit there aesthetically and you would not only lose the lagoon but have a net loss of at least 6 attractions. My vote was always the Simba lot but I’m not sure it was possible pre Disneyland Forward.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

Agreed but where could they have put GE at DCA that was feasible? Eastern Gateway wasn’t ready and Disneyland Forward wasn’t a thing. The only thing I can think of is Paradise Pier and filling in the lagoon which would drastically change that part of the park and not for the better. GE (as constructed at least) wouldn’t be a great fit there aesthetically and you would not only lose the lagoon but have a net loss of at least 6 attractions. My vote was always the Simba lot but I’m not sure it was possible pre Disneyland Forward.

Could the [now cancelled] Paris version of Galaxy's Edge fit where AC (and its yet to be built E-ticket) is now?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Agreed but where could they have put GE at DCA that was feasible? Eastern Gateway wasn’t ready and Disneyland Forward wasn’t a thing. The only thing I can think of is Paradise Pier and filling in the lagoon which would drastically change that part of the park and not for the better. GE (as constructed at least) wouldn’t be a great fit there aesthetically and you would not only lose the lagoon but have a net loss of at least 6 attractions. My vote was always the Simba lot but I’m not sure it was possible pre Disneyland Forward.

$1,000,000,000 should have been more than enough to figure something out.

 

[mickEblu]

Could the [now cancelled] Paris version of Galaxy's Edge fit where AC (and its yet to be built E-ticket) is now?

I doubt it. I feel like AC proper is about the size of ROTR alone haha.