John park hopper
Well-Known Member
This is an easy fix------- GO BACK TO THE ORIGINAL SHOW !!!!!!!!
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News UP! A Great Bird Adventure Getting A Rewrite
- Thread starter iHeartDisneylandCats
- Start date
Nope. Remove Dug and it'll improve substantially. Add more birds and you'll be up to a C-.
The Senior Wilderness Explorer character is mildly amusing. She adds some needed "humor" but overall the show still looks painfully bad.
The Senior Wilderness Explorer character is mildly amusing. She adds some needed "humor" but overall the show still looks painfully bad.
KikoKea
Well-Known Member
The Troop Leader character is annoying, loud, and too over the top for a bird show. I liked the parts when the handlers showed & talked about the birds while Russell, Dug, and the Troop Leader were quiet. I get that they want to use an IP and characters that will appeal to kids, but this does not work.
I think it's much better and a better use of their IP. It connects the characters with the explorers' badge activity in the park and with bird-watching enthusiasts.
Guano Joe didn't exactly have people rolling in the aisles...
Guano Joe didn't exactly have people rolling in the aisles...
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WDWFANSINCE81
Active Member
How about we just have a great show about BIRDS!!!! This isn't very hard....we have a beautiful setting in a fantastically themed land...I would be thrilled if "researchers" from Anandapur wanted to share their knowledge and interactions of local wildlife with us the visitors. Put a mild framing device around it and then emphasize what everyone wants to see...the freakin birds. I am all for an UP experience but this whole thing is awkward and embarrassing for the cast and the audience.
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Flynnwriter
Well-Known Member
For some reason Disney World gets the worst written and produced live shows of all the Disney parks worldwide. This continues that tradition.
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
You apparently were never in the audience with me.
In all seriousness the old show was still hit or miss regarding the comedy but at least it wasn’t at pre-school level.
It felt more like a Disney world attraction in that old adventurers club / citizens of Hollywood way. (And yes I know it was the same Actors
carolina_yankee
Well-Known Member
We enjoyed Flights of Wonder. It felt like all ages could enjoy it (that classic Disney 'something for every level' offering). It probably could have used a re-write after so many years, but the jokes were clever and poked a bit of fun at Disney as well ( the tour guide trope and the "when do you ever get money back at Disney" comment). We saw Up in May. I don't know if that' was version 1.5, 2.0, or 29.6 but it will take me several years to go back to it again. And I don't think it's pitched for me. Flights of Wonder, we hit every trip.
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
Flights of Wonder was the best version of a typical zoo bird show that I've experienced. Many of the bird performances were typical behaviors you'd see in any zoo around the country. Thankfully the bird component remains largely consistent. The difference is it takes longer to get into the different bird demonstrations. They did put one at the outset on the latest re-write which helps, but then it's another 5+ minutes of exposition.
The show is less disjointed than the original version of this show but it's still not good. At the very least, they need to remove Dug from the show. He doesn't work as a comedic element in this format.
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
There were two Guano Joe performers that I saw probably 90% of the time. I'm not claiming they're George Carlin, but they were good comedic actors and good improvisors. They also fueled the story of the show. Dug is quoting movie lines out of context, and while Russell is a story component, he has scripted dialogue in an environment that has birds that don't know the script. Relying on a scripted portion hurts tremendously.
As I said at the outset, they brought the show from an F- to an F, but this is not a show worthy of a Disney park.
Kman101
Well-Known Member
The bumbling Wilderness lady is no different than Guano Joe in theory. I'm fine with the swap (but tone it down a bit) but they also should have kept the native Anandapur host as well ... they keep missing it each time ... it's not hard. Keep the female host, make the guy Guano Joe 2.0 and call it a day. It's NOT hard.
Kman101
Well-Known Member
So what you're really saying is you arent a fan of the IP inclusion. I think UP is the right IP for the bird show, personally. Would I prefer NO IP. Absolutely. But we both know that isn't happening.
It's not hard to figure out how to make this show work but they keep missing it each time. They need to spring for two hosts, the female Anandapur host and Guano Joe 2.0 (which is all the lady is now ...)
I kind of think you rate the other show a little higher than it should be. It wasn't groundbreaking and Guano Joe's schtick was getting tired, even if the actors playing him were great.
It was time for a change but they missed the mark. I'm glad they're finding out just inserting characters doesn't help ... you actually need to put, you know, EFFORT into the show.
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
I disagree, I'd say either/or with the Anandapur backstory or the Wilderness Lady. The original show had the Anandapur vibe, loosely tying it to Rivers of Light and it was quite disjointed.
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
I'm not a fan of the IP inclusion in this show, I don't think it works at all. Unless you were to have talking Russell using the same tech used by talking Mickey it's never going to work.
Flights of Wonder was a show I would generally see once per trip if timing worked out. It was a solid show, but far from a must do. The new show is unwatchable.
I don't disagree that Flights of Wonder could have been upgraded, I just don't think it works with any foam head characters. At best Russell and Dug are a districation, at worst, they are diluting the importance of the actual birds in the show. Say what you want about the Guano Joe character, but he at least contributed to the show's process.
I'd just assume have zero backstory and it being a show with the birds as the stars.
The format could be that of a Senior Wilderness Explorer on a travel vacation hosting a "on-location" bird studies lesson at the Bird Sanctuary. That'd work. The show could essentially be presented like an impromptu webcam or Snapchat-styled Wilderness Explorers show and tell with the UP characters on screens.
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
I’m not sure when the different rewrites happened, I love the old flights of wonder show and saw it a couple times per trip. The new show I saw twice and said never again but I was walking by the theatre and a show was just starting so I went in. I was pleasantly surprised! They basically fixed it as far as I’m concerned. One of the old guano joe guides was a wilderness explorer leader... (the amazing former adventures club / Gus the bus driver / officer Peabody) -this worked wayyyyy better than the random cultural guide. Also more birds and better pacing. I still liked the old show better but this is fine.
At least they knew the show needed help and fixed it.
At least they knew the show needed help and fixed it.
The_Jobu
Well-Known Member
Hmmm interesting, I might have to check it out. My family actually considered the original show to be one of the highlights of our vacation. We were really disappointed with the revamp.
JustInTime
Well-Known Member
Wait. So joe is back?
Heppenheimer
Well-Known Member
Great to hear! I never saw the Up! version that everyone is complaining about, but I loved the old show. I hope the emphasis is more on the birds, rather than costumed cast members.